Mahalo Bowl at 650 Castro, serving açai bowls and smoothies, and Posh Bagel at 444 Castro both closed (late 2017).
Since February, Bangkok Spoon, 702 Villa, the downtown’s oldest Thai restaurant (1980), has been shut, but interior is unchanged and plans unclear at this writing.
Le Plonc, a new wine bar with a fixed price of $7 a glass and diverse small-plates food menu, opened March 19 at 331 Castro (previously La Panotiq).
SweetHoney “authentic Hong Kong style desserts” opened April 14, 841 Villa (formerly Totoro and briefly Song Pa). Hours daily from 3PM, closed Mondays.
Signage is up (though construction remains underway) for return of both Peet’s Coffee and Rose International Market to the ECR/Castro SW corner. Yesterday’s Daily Post (May 2) featured a front-page photo of the current temporary Peet’s building across Castro from the permanent site, saying it will be moved next month to “another city” when the new location opens.
I think 212 Castro’s Maison Alyzee, a pending new French bakery concept, is getting close: It passed health inspection, one (but not the only) of the later hurdles for new food businesses before they can open.
Treats on Castro is the new name for C’est Si Bon’s bakery outlet pending at 282 Castro, which will distribute products baked elsewhere by the firm. Managing Director Mark Zangeneh (who identified himself as patriarch of the family business) told me today that the new name is more computer-friendly fof things like online searches than “C’est Si Bon” (which contains a punctuation mark). The site is still under construction, but has a window video display of products. Website (not yet operational) www.treatsoncastro.com .
Other projects still in progress: Fu Lam Mum (153-155 Castro), remodeling work has moved to the downstairs. 317-Castro site of Korean-influenced bakery-café chain Paris Baguette is “coming soon.”
