IN THE NEWS: The Chronicle’s Carolyne Zinko reports the Feb. 5 death of San Francisco restaurateur Selmar J. Monro: “dubbed “The Mayor of Geary Street” by the late columnist Herb Caen, after a long battle with prostate cancer. He was 86. Monro, who owned and operated a dozen restaurants in the Bay Area during his career, was widely known in the restaurant industry for his dedication to his customers and for promoting San Francisco as he led restaurant association executives on twice-yearly tours of other restaurants and hotels in China, Russia, England and elsewhere around the globe. He earned his moniker for having three restaurants on Geary Street - Pam Pam at Geary and Taylor, now home to the Grand Cafe; Pam Pam East at Geary and Mason; and Rosebud’s next to the St. Francis Hotel, now the site of an art gallery.” …

The Chronicle’s Michael Bauer gives two and a half stars to O Izakaya Lounge (625 Post St. at Laguna, San Francisco; 415-614-5431) and visits pizza spot Cucina (510 San Anselmo Ave. at Tunstead, San Anselmo; 415-454-2942), while Mandy Erickson gives two stars to Pearl Garden Restaurant (2101 Camino Ramon, Ste. 100, near Crow Canyon Road, San Ramon; 925-355-9888 or www.themenupage.com/pearlgarden) … Bauer reports that  Jean-Pierre Dubray, the chef at San Francisco’s The Ritz-Carlton since it opened 17 years ago, will leave March 14 to move to Orange County to become executive chef of another property outside of the Ritz-Carlton chain. … Featured openings: Cottage Eatery (114 Main St. near Beech, Tiburon; 415-789-5636 or thecottageeatery.com) and Brandy Ho’s (4068 18th St. at Castro, San Francisco; 415-252-8000). … Inside Scoop reports the reopening of Taqueria El Toro (598 Valencia St. at 17th Street) … Reported chef changes: B Restaurant & Bar in Old Oakland (499 Ninth St., at Washington), as Boulevard veteran David Seawell takes over from chef Saman Javid and sous chef Danny Rojo; and In San Francisco, Allen Vitti has left the executive chef position at Joe DiMaggio’s Italian Chophouse (601 Union, at Stockton), with J.J. Castaneda, a former executive chef at the Waterfront, taking over. And at Maria Maria in Walnut Creek (1470 Broadway, near Lincoln), sous chef Josh Perkins moves into the executive chef position. sfgate.com …

Marcia Gagliardi’s Tablehopper.com newsletter reviews Baraka (288 Connecticut St. at 18th St., San Francisco, 415-255-0370) and reports the slated March 1 opening of Le Club (1250 Jones St. at Clay, Nob Hill, 415-922-2582). … SF Weekly’s Robert Lauriston reviews Turkish spot Troya (349 Clement at Fifth Ave., 379-6000, www.troyasf.com). sfweekly.com … The Bay Guardian’s Paul Reidinger reviews Coco 500 (500 Brannan, SF, 415-543-2222, www.coco500.com). sfbg.com … East Bay Express’s Matthew Stafford reviews Prime Spot Bar & Grill (3417 Grand Ave. at Elwood Ave., Oakland, 510-268-1840, PrimeSpotBarandGrill.com). eastbayexpress.com … Blogger Well Fed On the Town details the closing of Oakland’s well-regarded Cuvae. wellfedonthetown.net … Bay Area Bites reviews Cordon Bleu Vietnamese Restaurant (1574 California Street at Polk Street, San Francisco, 415-673-5637). kqedbayareabites.blogspot.com … A Few Reservations visits Cyrus (29 North St, Healdsburg, CA 707-433-3311). afewreservations.wordpress.com … Becks & Posh visits Piperade (1015 Battery St, San Francisco, 415-391-2555). becksposhnosh.blogspot.com … The Blissful Glutton visits The French Laundry (3232 Scott St, 415-567-3838). Blissfulglutton.blogspot.com

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

Filed under: Oakland Restaurants, San Francisco Restaurants | Tags: B Restaurant, Baraka, Coco 500, Cordon Bleu Vietnamese, Cucina, Cuvae closed, Cyrus, French Laundry, Joe DiMaggio's Italian Chophouse, Maria Maria, O Izakaya Lounge, Pearl Garden, Piperade, Prime Spot Bar, Ritz-Carlton, Taqueria El Toro, Troya |