Set to open mid-July in the heart of the Divisadero Corridor, San Francisco’s hottest comeback area of town, La Urbana is a fresh contemporary restaurant that delivers a twist on the traditional Mexican cuisine and beverages.
The intimate sneak peek of La Urbana’s offerings took place at the posh Jiun Ho Gallery in SOMA where guests were given a sample of what to expect once this unique culinary gem opens its doors to the public.
The restaurant space will feature three different concepts – La Urbana, Mezcaleria Urbana, and Mercado Urbano, which is the brainchild of a joint team from Mexico and San Francisco – local entrepreneur Eduardo Rallo paired up with Mexican restaurateur and architect Juan Garduño to create an uncomparable atmosphere and menu that is sure to please.
La Urbana’s concept stems from a fashionable take on conventional Mexican cantinas by combining innovative cocktails and menu options prepared with only the finest local ingredients and truly a foodie delight! The menu will concentrate on reinventing and enhancing traditional Mexican dishes and cocktails with the chic San Francisco urbanity. Some of the menu highlights of the cantina-style small plate offerings include: Kumamoto Oysters “La Playa” with cucumber-serrano froth, Carnitas Torta served on a fresh-baked brioche with pickled red onions, chili garlic aioli and goat’s milk Gouda, and a Manila Clam Menudo with cabbage tostadas, toasted hominy and fresh radish.
Mezcaleria Urbana’s innovative cocktail program is centered on artisan mezcal and will offer over 30 different varieties of artisanal mezcal directly from Mexico, and to enhance the experience there will be educational and tasting components provided for guests.
Mercado Urbano is due to open early fall, during the daytime hours there will be casual street fare served including handmade tortillas, tacos, and small bites. In the evevning, the garage doors will get shut and the Mercado Urbano transforms into an elegant lounge space where guests can savor one of the mouthwatering cocktails from La Urbana’s bar created by world-class bartender, Lucas Ranzuglia.
The stimulating décor designed by Garduño Arquitectos, a Mexico and San Francisco-based architecture firm is inspired by metropolitan Mexico City combined with traditional design elements. The unique concept provides an upbeat fusion of art and historical components, giving the feeling of being transported to modern-day Mexico City. The space will also feature an original mural by San Francisco-based artist Zio Ziegler; his piece is inspired by “the process of human thought”.
[reported by Darren Anderson]
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