This Week In Food: Fresh Pastry Near Union Square

"Ilcha, a Korean restaurant in the Marina that's been lauded for its fried chicken, is closing after Valentine's Day, and the SF Business Times has news of its replacement. Coming soon to 2151 Lombard will be Kava, a restaurant serving Nepalese, Himalayan, and Indian cuisines, from Nepalese owner Kamal Kandel of North Beach's Yarsa Nepalese Cuisine. The menu, which will have some similarities to Yarsa, will feature Nepalese curries, momos, chaat, tandoori, and biryani dishes."

"As Tablehopper reports, the couple behind it, Claire and Jeremy Mullet, initially launched online only, doing special orders and occasional pop-ups, but they now have their first brick-and-mortar shop. Jeremy Mullet grew up in Royan, on the west coast of France, studied pastry for seven years, and worked in a patisserie from the age of 15 and he knows his way around traditional Viennoiserie of all kinds."

"The James Beard Award semifinalists were announced this week. And while it can be a somewhat diluted honor to be among 30 semifinalists "long-listed" for an award, with the actual nominees still to be announced in April, it's considered an honor nonetheless. And this year, in contrast to recent years, the Bay Area has a pretty strong showing, with 21 restaurants, bars, chefs, beverage professionals, and restaurateurs getting long-listed, including pre-nods for Foreign Cinema and Happy Crane."

Ilcha, a Korean restaurant in the Marina known for fried chicken, will close after Valentine's Day. Kava will open at 2151 Lombard, serving Nepalese, Himalayan, and Indian cuisines from Kamal Kandel of Yarsa, featuring curries, momos, chaat, tandoori, and biryani. Le Carousel, a French patisserie, opened at the base of the Tilden Hotel (345 Taylor Street) near Union Square. Owners Claire and Jeremy Mullet moved from online orders and pop-ups to a brick-and-mortar shop open 7 am to 2 pm, Tuesday through Sunday. The Bay Area received 21 James Beard semifinalist long-list nods. A pop-up fish market runs Saturdays at 101 Al Scoma Way near Fisherman's Wharf.

Read at sfist.com