Southpaw BBQ to Smoke Up the Mission, Slanted Door Loses a Wine Director

​ My word! San Francisco is becoming overrun peppered with BBQ joints ― restaurants, bars, several smoker trucks. Now Grub Street spots a liquor-license application for Southpaw BBQ (2170 Mission), which will take over the Hong Kong Express Cafe. The pitch: self-evident.

Eater reports that Craw Station (1336 Ninth Ave., 682-9980, crawstation.com) will be opening on [UPDATE] sometime after Valentine's Day, which means it should be up and running by the time peak season hits in late spring. The pitch: Vietnamese-Cajun crawfish and fried seafood.

Inside Scoop says that Slanted Door wine director Paul Einbund is leaving after only six months on the job, ceding his place to current sommelier Chaylee Priete. Einbund will continue to be wine director for Frances.