••• I stay off Reddit as a rule, but this epic rant about changes at McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams is worth a read (which is not to say I necessarily agree with it).
••• After thirty years, The Natural Café on State Street (Cota/Haley) will close at the end of March. Owner Kelly Brown placed the blame on the city for not doing enough about homeless people, rats, skateboarders, cyclists, and parklets. The outposts on Hitchcock Way and in Goleta will remain open, if you’re into what the Independent calls a “semi-contemporary riff on 1970s-style health-food dining.”
••• According to the third-quarter report from Radius Commercial Group, an outpost of Bruxie—a Southern California chain specializing in fried chicken and waffles—is coming to Paseo Nuevo.
••• Rascal’s, the vegan pop-up inside what used to be Venus in Furs (18 E. Cota Street), has to move out after November 4: “The lease was sold and we have to leave a lot sooner than we thought. If you know of any spaces that would host us or rent us a commercial kitchen please let us know [….] Check our page for other upcoming events and pop ups at other places while we figure out the next move.”
••• K. stopped by the Dutch Garden and was told that it’s shooting to open this week. That jibes with Restaurant Guy‘s report, which added this: “No grand opening is planned. ‘We’re just going to flip the ‘closed’ sign over quietly one of these days,’ says partner Matt English. […] They will be only opening up for lunch 11 a.m.-3 p.m. for the first two or three weeks.” UPDATE: I drove by this afternoon and a sign in the window says “Still closed but so close.”
••• The Daisy is now offering its delicious pickles, hummus, labneh, dressings, condiments, and more for takeaway.
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How come the other restaurants on that same block as Natural cafe are always packed, but Natural Cafe is a ghost town? Do the skateboarders magically not affect them? Or is it because Natural Cafe serves boring cafeteria food and that location looks like it hasn’t been dusted or painted since the 70’s?
Yeah in my opinion their complaints carry little weight. Get salads there every once in awhile but entire place needed an update.
Any updates on We Want the Funk, new Seven Bar location, or Aloha Center opening?
Aloha Center update would be appreciated!
Kelly Brown is fried. How can you actually believe what he says?
Thank you for the fabulous tour of the Presidio district. Looking forward to following your footsteps one day soon.