Menya Ultra Ramen celebrates first anniversary
The runaway hit eatery turned one this March and on Tuesday, March 27 will launch a sticker giveaway for the first 20 customers at lunch and dinner. Diners can also purchase a limited edition t-shirt, featuring the restaurant’s classic ajitama ramen. Owner/ramen master Takashi Endo, who is opening a new location in Taiwan next month, will also add a new dish to the menu starting Tuesday, April 3. Called mazemen, it is a no-broth ramen featuring chashu and egg-topped noodles with a soy-based sauce. Not to be confused with tsukemen, in which dry noodles are dipped into a concentrated dipping broth, mazemen is derived from the traditional Japanese dish, abura soba. Next month, Menya Ultra will have completed its central kitchen in Kearny Mesa, where it will increase production of ramen broth and handmade noodles; a second location for the restaurant is due in Mira Mesa this fall.
Prix fixe cocktail dinner pop-up at KnB Bistro
The Del Cerro bottle shop and eatery will host a one-night-only event on Thursday, March 29 featuring Liberty Call Distilling and a preview of the local distillery’s second, expanded location that will have a food component. Liberty Call chef Miguel Valdez (The Red Door) will cook up a four-course meal that will offer a taste from the new Liberty Call kitchen, paired with cocktails from lead bartender Albert Allison using the distillery’s Blue Ridge 4-Grain Whiskey, Old Ironsides Single Malt, Gin and Spiced Rum. Liberty Call Distilling’s head fermentologist Addison Poth will also be on hand for the event, which begins at 7 p.m. with a reception and welcome cocktail. Tickets are $70.
Carnitas Snack Shack rolls out new menu items at the Embarcadero
The waterfront location of the popular local eatery has introduced a slew of new menu items that are mainly centered around the meat experts’ prowess with pork. Carnitas crowns the new loaded season fries, which are also topped with queso sauce while braised sweet and sour glazed pork belly is featured on a plate with mixed greens and a cheddar jalapeno muffin or stuffed into sliders. The veg-friendly cauliflower tacos include tomatillo avocado salsa and chipotle crema.