"Indie Superette opens tomorrow, January 30, introducing a shiny new health food market and cafe to Cow Hollow, in the same building as a Rumble boxing studio and Shake Shack. It’s a Michael Mina project — the latest in his empire of nearly 40 restaurants, from Hawaii to Vegas. Group president Patric Yumul has a daughter named Indie, and this is the second concept dedicated to her: Indie Girl wellness bar was so successful in Honolulu, they’re now following up with Indie Superette in San Francisco. True to form, Mina is a savvy businessman: The Mina Test Kitchen was just down the street before it paused in 2017, so he’s already tried out various menus in this neighborhood. Indie Superette promises pretty, colorful, and healthy fare, ready to grab and go for yoga-clad residents on the run. The menu, which you can see in full below, leans health conscious and millennial pink. Indie Superette is offering smoothies, bowls, toasts, sandwiches, and soft serve, which come with adaptogenic add-ons and build-your-own toppings. There are a few Hawaiian flavors, which come through with lots of tropical fruit, such as pineapple and coconut, as well as poke bowls. But don’t expect tuna — there’s no meat on this menu whatsoever, and the kitchen is moving toward becoming vegan. Chef Harrison Chernick developed the dishes, and recommends the tofu poke bowl with brown rice, quinoa, avocado, cucumber, and “dynamite” sauce. The “Notorious IVB Burger” is a beet burger stacked with curried mushrooms, avocado, and sprouts. And though its health benefits might be more questionable, the coconut soft serve looks creamy and delicious, in a trio of coconut, almond, and matcha flavors. The location was formerly the Real Food Co. health food store at the corner of Filbert and Fillmore. So in addition to the menu, Indie Superette does plan to be a market. It’s set up with aisles of dry goods, such as chips and granolas, and cold cases for drinks, including bottled juices and kombucha. A couple of cases out front are filled with fresh produce. It’s an interesting reimagining of what a neighborhood corner store now looks like in San Francisco, similar to Douglas in Noe Valley, which supplies parents in the neighborhood with wine and cheese. In contrast, Cow Hollow residents clearly demand smoothies and salads. Indie Superette shares the building with Rumble boxing, the boutique fitness chain that charges upwards of $30 per class, and is facing off with Shake Shack, the New York smashburger sensation that got some unexpected resistance from this neighborhood." - Becky Duffett
