Facebook/Mokutanya

The lion skewer photo that launched a thousand comments.

Ever since news hit last week of $70 lion skewers at yakitori restaurant Mokutanya in Burlingame, we've been considering a visit despite the high price tag -- I mean, when else are you going to get a chance to try it?? But Inside Scoop brought news today that the restaurant has pulled the lion skewers from its menu, due to public pressure from social media (check out their Yelp reviews or Facebook page to see some of the outcry).

See also: Go to Burlingame and Eat a Lion
Slimy Yet Satisfying: Could You Eat Insects For Dinner?

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Lou Bustamante

Our monthly review explores the city's food trucks gatherings, one at a time, breaking down each one with statistics, descriptions of the scene, and vital info to help you plan a trip there.

Location: 428 11th (near Division)
Schedule: Monday-Thursday, lunch: 11 a.m.-3 p.m., dinner: 5 p.m.-9 p.m.; Fridays, lunch: 11 a.m.-3 p.m., dinner: 5 p.m.-10 p.m.; Saturdays, 11a.m.-10p.m.; Sundays, 10a.m.-5p.m.
Market Info Website: SoMa StrEat Food Park
Approximate Number of Trucks: 6-13 at a time from a list of over 70 different trucks
Parking/Public Transit: Muni, street parking
Restrooms: Full-sized semi-permanent trailer
Music: Down tempo modern mix
Booze: Beer and wine
Seating: Outdoor picnic tables and covered and heated seating, along with a converted bus
Best for: Lunch, early dinner/happy hour, dinner before hitting Folsom street bars
Other notes: Because of its set-up, you will find trucks here you often won't find out on the streets.

A little over a year into SoMa StrEat Food Park's life as the RV park equivalent for food trucks, the little permanent seven-days-a-week rally has steadily refined the offerings. While we love the pop up ambience and bare bones simplicity of the kinds of gatherings that happen in random parking lots, StrEat Food Park's amenities make it feel a little different, somehow more restaurant or a food court. Not that this makes the street food any less legitimate or delicious.

See Also:- SOMA StrEat Food Park: The Ultimate Restaurant Mash-Up
- Off the Grid's Picnic at the Presidio: Like a Day in Dolores, But Better Food, Drinks, and Grass
- Food Truck Bite of the Week: Line-Caught with Fish Tacos from Cholita Linda

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Pete Kane

El Techo de Lolinda's expansive rooftop patio.

San Francisco needs more rooftop bars. Medjool, the central Mission hotspot that closed last year, wasn't always the best ambassador, however. The very idea seemed to have gone before the NIMBY death panel until Argentinean steak house Lolinda threw open the doors to the simply named El Techo de Lolinda (i.e., Lolinda's Roof).

See also: Top 8 Outdoor Bars in San Francisco
Bouncer Falls in Love With Lolinda
Drink of the Week: The Oaxacan Cross at Lolinda

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This week we're continuing our coverage of full-flavored, lower alcohol brews in honor of Session Beer Month. Today's serendipitous 80+ degree weather is a perfect example of why we need well-crafted beers with a manageable alcohol content for long afternoon sessions and outdoor activities. Get yourself to a patio, crack open a refreshing brew, and read about a new brewery with some serious pedigree.

See also: Where to Celebrate Session Beer Month in the Bay Area
City Beer Store Celebrates 7 Years
Beer of the Week: Drake's Alpha Session

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Anna Roth

Chai-masala pot de creme with rose and huckleberry syrup from Marla Bakery.

There's been no shortage of deliciousness coming out of pop-up Marla Bakery, run by former Nopa pastry chef Amy Brown and Joe Wolf formerly of Wise Sons. But one thing that consistently stands out is baking duo's pot de cremes in various flavors. French for literally "pot of creme," it's a rich custard reminiscent of panna cotta or creme brulee without the sugar crust, and is usually pretty forgettable. Not here. The first time I had one was at the third anniversary of Pal's Takeaway -- it was chai-masala flavored, with just a hint of warming spices topped by a soothing rose and huckleberry syrup, and was startlingly good.

See also: Earl Grey and Panna Cotta Make Beautiful Music Together at Cowgirl Creamery

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La Cocina

Chef Gabrielle Hamilton, owner/operator of the acclaimed restaurant, Prune, in New York City and New York Times best selling author of Blood, Bones and Butter was in San Francisco last Tuesday night volunteering her time as the chef for La Cocina's Inaugural Gala. The event raised more than $100,000 to benefit the small business incubator.

Although Hamilton has received much enthusiastic praise from her peers for her restaurant and writing (with Anthony Bourdain going as far as saying her book is the "Simply the best memoir by a chef ever. Ever.") and buzz about a Hollywood movie deal, it doesn't appear to have gone to her head. Hamilton found time to be the chef at the May 14 gala at the Bently Reserve in San Francisco serving a delicious four course meal: Cold sorrel soup with salted whipped cream and marble potatoes; grilled Devil's Gulch quail on seeded toast with warm parsley vinaigrette; rabbit fricasee with morels, peas, and pearl onions; buttered mixed carrots with honeycomb, celery hearts victor; and Breton butter cake with cold candied oranges and Dandelion dark chocolate shards to 250 guests.

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Pete Kane

With Square on the register, succulents on the tables, and galvanized tin sconces, Elmira Rosticceria looks very, very 2013. The ceiling fixtures are Edison-bulbs-within-Mason-jars, which is like a trend that ate itself. The coffee is by Bicycle Coffee, which very likely gets delivered via fixie. Feels almost like anywhere new in San Francisco, except that there is no sign. (In fact, from the outside, Elmira looks like an abandoned storefront, sad graffiti included.)

See also: Sydney Town Tavern Sticks to Basics Done Well in the FiDi
Change Up Your Lunch Routine At Amawele's South African Kitchen
Southside Spirit House Means Howard Street Finally Has Something Cool

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In case you missed it, Amy's Baking Company of Scottsdale, AZ became the most famous new restaurant of the week after Gordon Ramsay failed to help rehabilitate it on the television series Kitchen Nightmares and a subsequent Facebook flame war, later denied as hackery, placed the proprietors squarely against the ruthless army that is Reddit. The restaurant is now closed and planning an ill-advised "grand re-opening," for which patrons have been screened in advanced by a publicity team.

If you haven't seen the episode yet, you can view it after the jump. It'll give context to the many "Crazy Amy" memes that have popped up this week to poke fun at restaurant owner Amy Bouzaglo (who says in the episode that people call her "Crazy Amy B"), the best of which we've collected up here.

See Also:
* San Francisco's Latest Food Critic: Whilst in SF

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Facebook/City Beer Store

City Beer Store's impressive bottle selection.

Between Bay to Breakers and Maker Faire, there's a lot going on this weekend. For those of you with a child-like sense of whimsy but a distaste for huge crowds, there's a 7-year old's birthday party that we think you'll enjoy. On Saturday, City Beer Store celebrates its 7th Anniversary with the release of a new beer from a wildly popular brewery. It'll be just like the parties of your youth, only boozier!

See also: Beer of the Week: Drake's Alpha Session
Where to Celebrate Session Beer Month in the Bay Area
Golden Road Brewing Soft Launches in SF

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Molly DeCoudreaux Photography

The stylish digs of the Mission's Dandelion Chocolate.

Good news, pie fans: The ladies of Three Babes Bakeshop will be heading into the kitchen at the Mission's newish chocolate factory, Dandelion, next week. Instead of focusing on chocolate, they'll be making fruit-focused desserts adorned with nibs, chocolate shavings, and more -- but chocolate fans don't fret, there will be a chocolate cream pie with whipped cream spiked with Almanac's Biere de Chocolat. Yum.

See also: Dandelion Chocolate Smoothies Contain Real Cacao Fruit
Almanac Pairs with Dandelion Chocolate For New Biere de Chocolat
Dandelion Chocolate: Now Open!

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