Shokudou

Shokudou, a New Izakaya, Sizzles Open in Bernal Heights | Eater SF

"A fresh new Japanese izakaya opened in Bernal Heights last week at the quieter end of Cortland as it starts to dip down the hill; Shokudou, at 1000 Cortland Avenue at Folsom, is Chef Stewart Chen's new drinking-focused spot. It's an izakaya featuring kushiyaki grilled skewers and plenty of sake and beer — "Japanese pop food" and "a drinking place," as Stewart puts it — with a menu he crafted with two trusted chefs from Umi, Anson Mei and Paul Huang, who will eventually run this location. The opening menu includes starters, a raw list, skewers, salads, sake, and beer; I'm particularly struck by the crispy hamachi collar, slightly sweetened with a miso marinade and crisped under the broiler, and the beef kushiyaki, which take thinly sliced steak wrapped around green onions, asparagus, or enoki, then skewered and grilled. Stewart, who lives just minutes away in Bernal Heights, built the space from the ground up in a former hair salon, installing a functional kitchen and counter and outfitting the dining room with freshly sanded reclaimed wood; they won't attempt a parklet because of the bus stop and steep hill. Shokudou is open Sunday–Thursday 5–9:30 p.m. and Friday–Saturday until 10 p.m., offering indoor dining and takeout to start, with delivery to come, and the menu may expand (and possibly include a kids menu) in the coming weeks." - Becky Duffett