IN THE NEWS: Citysearch releases its Top 10 New San Francisco Restaurants of 2007 list, topped by Spruce (3640 Sacramento St, San Francisco). … The newest Iron Chef, Cleveland’s Michael Symon, visits the Bay Area and raves about meals at Hog Island Oyster Bar, Chez Panisse, Incanto, Bar Jules, Slanted Door, Jardineire and Zuni Cafe. simonsays.typepad.com … The Chronicle’s Michael Bauer gives three and a half stars to SPQR (1911 Fillmore St. near Pine, San Francisco: 415-771-7779 or www.spqrsf.com), awards two and a half stars to Jack Falstaff (598 Second St. at Brannan, San Francisco; 415-836-9239 or www.plumpjack.com/falstaff1.html) and visits Rosso Pizzeria (53 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa; 707-544-3221), while Carey Sweet gives two stars to Italian restaurant Vino Grigio (220 Western Ave. at Keller Street; Petaluma; 707-778-8211). … The Inside Scoop column details the expected January opening of global small plates spot Mono Restaurant in the recently closed Cuckoo’s Nest’s location (247 Fourth St. at Alice in Oakland). … The column also reports that Chronicle staff writer Olivia Wu has left to open a (alas, closed to the public) Pan-Asian restaurant at Google. sfgate.com …

Marcia Gagliardi’s Tablehopper.com reviews Modern Tea (602 Hayes St. near Laguna St., San Francisco, 415-626-5406) and details the openings of Sundance Cinemas Kabuki (1881 Post St. at Fillmore), All About Herbs (704 Post St. at Jones, 415-292-6856), Cava22 ( 3239 22nd St. between Bartlett and Mission, 415-642-7224), Bollywood Cafe (3372 19th St. at Mission, 415-970-0632), Serpentine (2495 Third St. at 22nd, 415-252-2000), Local Kitchen and Wine Merchant (330 First St. at Folsom, 415-777-3200), and the Jan. 1 closing of the original Ray Fong’s original Imperial Tea Court (1411 Powell St. at Broadway, 415-788-6080). … SF Weekly’s Meredith Brody reviews Mediterranean restaurant Sens (4 Embarcadero Center at Drumm, Promenade Level, 362-0645, www.sens-sf.com). sfweekly.com … The Bay Guardian’s Amber Peckham reviews Live Sushi Bar (2001 17th St., SF. 415-861-8610). sfbg.com … East Bay Express’s Anneli Rufus rounds up takeout “supper markets”, including Berkeley Bowl (2020 Oregon St., Berkeley, 510-843-6929). eastbayexpress.com … Becks & Posh visits Serpentine. becksposhnosh.blogspot.com … Bay Area Bites considers Saul’s Restaurant & Delicatessen (1475 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, 510-848-3354). kqed.org/weblog/food

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

Filed under: Oakland Restaurants, San Francisco Restaurants | Tags: All About Herbs, Berkeley Bowl, Bollywood Cafe, Cava22, Citysearch Top 10 New Restaurants, Cuckoo's Nest closed, Google, Imperial Tea Court closing, Jack Falstaff, Live Sushi Bar, Local Kitchen and Wine Merchant, Modern Tea, Mono, Olivia Wu, Rosso Pizzeria, Saul's, Sens, Serpentine, SPQR, Spruce, Sundance Cinemas Kabuki, Vino Grigio |