Por Frank Sabatini Jr.
A unique vegan restaurant flaunting a horned four-eyed wolf as its mascot has soft-opened in the space formerly occupied by Alchemy in South Park. Named Kindred, the venture was spearheaded by Kory Stetina, a self-described “metal-head and punk-rock dude of the ’90s” who got his feet wet running pop-up vegan beer dinners for a few years. The restaurant’s two other partners are acclaimed designer Paul Basile, and Arsalun Tafazoli, who separately operates a cache of local hotspots such as Soda y cerdo, Disposiciones de cortesía y Noble Experiment under Consortium Holdings.
Basile helmed Kindred’s eclectic design, which meshes together Gothic and French-Victorian elements.
The concept features an ambitious cocktail program as well. Stetina sums up the food as “rich and creative.” The meals were created by head chef Jeremy Scullin, a native New Zealander who worked for acclaimed vegan restaurants in London, New York and Philadelphia. But the word “vegan” doesn’t appear anywhere on the menu.
“It’s because we want to destroy the stereotype that plant-based food is somehow less or different than non-vegan food,” said Stetina, referring in part to the chef’s “big, crushing sandwiches, baked pistachio-crusted tofu, and miso-cashew cheese balls that appear on a charcuterie board.
Kindred is open daily from 4 p.m. to midnight. Weekend brunch will be introduced in early January. 1503 30th St. 619-546-9653.
Look for burrito-size sushi rolls fusing Asian and Mexican ingredients together by the middle of January, as former Project Pie exec James Markham opens Rolled Up in the heart of Hillcrest, in a space that has housed a number of fleeting, casual eateries over the past decade. The concept will reportedly serve as a pilot for other locations, judging on how well consumers respond to rolls containing everything from crispy beef and pulled pork to five-spice chicken and seasonal vegetables. 3884 Fourth Ave.
Replacing the former House of Khan in Hillcrest is Veganic Thai Café, which opened Dec. 12 with standard Thai dishes, half of which are vegan and the other half vegetarian. The remodel stands out with colorful murals depicting Thai citizens dressed in ancient garb. 1417A University Ave. 619-230-5540.
Adam Parker of Brabant Bar & Café in South Park closed his Belgian-inspired eatery on Dec. 30. Parker opened the business two years ago with a few partners, some of whom are pursuing other business interests. He said the address will be taken over by K&L Neighborhood Eateries, which hasn’t yet announced its plans for the space. 2310 30th St., 619-516-5100.
Get your “third-wave” coffee drink at the new café de espino, which debuted Dec. 20 in North Park, operated by Kevin Redmond and son, Dylan. The aforementioned term translates to medium-roast coffees. “We’re lightening things up a bit and extracting as many flavors as possible,” Redmond said. “Some of the baristas we hired are familiar with the concept.” The shop, which features communal seating, sources from Flying Goat Coffee in North California and Foxy Coffee Co. in San Diego. 3019 Adams Ave. 619-501-4882.
The build-out is underway in a historic, 4,200-square-foot structure in Liberty Station for Moniker General, which will open in February as a modular retail store complete with a coffee bar spotlighting small-batch roasters, a taproom specializing in brews from North Brewing Company in Miramar and an outdoor patio. The project was launched by The Moniker Group, which introduced the multipurpose arts and business center, Moniker Warehouse, to the East Village 10 years ago. 2680 Sims Road, monikergroup.com.
—Frank Sabatini Jr. can be reached at fsa
