Restaurant changes downtown. Four restaurants changing on Castro 100-200 blocks, west (even-numbered) side. From south to north:
Temptations (288 Castro) “closed for remodeling” 3/13 with ABC ownership-change notice to “Park Balluchi.” Still remodeling.
Short-lived Mamaya, 146 Castro (a Zpizza until last Fall) is under construction to become Blue Line Pizza, “opening June” according to its menu, which lists two other Bay Area locations, and shows specialties of Chicago deep-dish pizzas, including in lunch sizes. bluelinepizza.com
K-Pop Korean (124 Castro) recently closed (ABC owner change notice to “JSM Restaurant Group Inc.”). K-Pop had been Barracuda Sushi (same Korean owner), repositioned as a Korean restaurant in January, which my friends and I quite enjoyed. The same owner still has a K-Pop on another Castro Street (SF), and if memory serves, another Barracuda in SF too. (Fans of Korean food might well enjoy the good-value homestyle Totoro nearby at 841 Villa, or the more upscale Ginseng BBQ, 475 Castro.)
Much-missed Hunan Chili (102 Castro) has interior work underway, but nothing about the new business posted outside yet (old Hunan Chili markings remain).
I once told a new restaurateur here that if you ate out at a different restaurant each day in our downtown, not only would it take more than three months to try them all, but you’d then have new options, from the turnover that is inevitable with so many restaurants.
