3rd Cousin

Did the tasting menu for our anniversary, we loved it all! Fun to be fancy out in our corner of the City. That Uni crème brûlée changed my life!

My wife and I dined at 3^rd cousin for her 33^rd birthday. The food was very good and the ambiance was nice, however the service was bad enough to ruin the experience for us. Our waitress paid very little attention to us, and she forgot multiple items that we ordered. We eventually asked other staff members for the forgotten orders as we were unable to get our waitress’ attention. She became annoyed with us when we pointed out that she forgot an order for the second time. The experience tried our patience and ultimately left us feeling disappointed and frustrated. We expect a much better experience than this when paying these kind of prices. When I returned home I booked a reservation at another restaurant the following week for a birthday do over.

A study in extremes.
The pluses:
Inventive combinations of ingredients & flavors. Rose geranium, uni.
Attentive, grounded waitstaff.
The minuses:
Too dark to enjoy the presentations, for example, to discern the roe colors.
Too noisy — another victim of the trend of cavernous spaces of hard walls and high ceilings, with a sound track that aggravates the situation with diners yelling over the music.
The price.

really wanted to like this place, but the food fell flat for the majority of dishes.
for the high prices, i expected more. i would probably give this place another star if the prices and hype better reflected the actual dining experience, a solid neighborhood dining option, but not fine dining.
to start, the fritters lacked that crispy exterior you hope for with made-​to-​order fried dough. i found the scallops and porkbelly appetizer also lacking a good sear. (bummer, because the flavors tasted nice. it just seemed like whomever held the spatula did not know how to cook with confidence.)
buratta tasted delicious (and thankfully that’s hard to botch). and they serve fabulous bread and butter.
gnocchi and ramen tasted solidly good, not spectacular.
the duck entrée by far outdid all other dishes, and i would order that again. the «gratin» side of vegetables felt like an overpriced succotash.
dessert (sunflower cake and banana bread) did not disappoint but did not show off any redemptive fireworks.
industrial-​farm chic ambiance with terrible acoustics. impossible to hear your dinner companions (what?!) without repeating yourself. also, it’s quite cold if you sit by the window or door, so bring your light jackets!
the service proved very (like maybe too) friendly and strangely cursorily (drive-​by) attentive, and not as sophisticated or intuitive as you might like.
ps the «tasting menu» is neither printed nor spoken of in detail when you order your food. so, the mysterious «chef’s choice» could just be whatever they need to get rid of … um …

I took some friends here the first week 3^rd Cousin was open. The food was spectacular!
I’ve been back many times since their opening, and the food and service are consistently great. The Uni is a «must have», and the lentil cakes are one of the best vegetarian dishes in SF. All the dishes have so much flavor that you can’t go wrong. I would recommend the tasting if you feel adventurous.
All the dishes change based on what’s in season, and you can tell that the chef puts a lot of love into the food. Chef Lutes stops by to say hello every time we are in. Makes for memorable experiences!

This place is amazing. It’s better then most of the trendy spots in SF. It’s only a five minute Über drive from SOMA if you can beat the traffic. This place is a jem. I kind of don’t want it to get popular because I don’t want to have to make a reservation a month in advance. Everything from the service to the ambiance to the amazing fresh ingredients in their dishes were outstanding. My new favorite place to go. We started with:
–Hamachi Crudo
–Scallop with pork belly
–Pappardelle with pork checks and smoked mozzarella
–Halibut
–Dessert we shared the banana bread pudding that came out steaming hot over with a carmel glazed banana on the side
Definitely recommend if you want top notch Californian cuisine and want a meal to remember.

We came here and as other reviewers have mentioned, it was surprisingly easy to get a reservation, probably because it’s new and because of its location.
uni crème brûlée– american sturgeon caviar, yuzu tobikko, trout roe, toast 19 — this was a really small portion that left you wanting more — but it was delicious.
special– asparagus soup — my boyfriend liked this — it’s served hot and there was a lot of depth of flavor here (and it was much better than the more unidimensional cold asparagus soup we had just tried at Oro)
black rice ramen– crab, white miso-​bacon, cream, peas, asparagus, green almond ²²⁄₄₄ — this is a pretty light dish. It came with a good portion of crab though. The dish looks like a woodland and is served in a good dark broth.
crispy brussels sprouts– feta, black grape agro dolce 9 — tasty with just a bit of burnt edges on the sprouts.
wagyu bavette & short rib– 2yr cheddar polenta, asparagus, arugula, onion ring, horseradish 34
we weren’t really sure what to expect here but this isn’t steak, it’s really just short rib, and the onion ring is literally one ring. So the dish isn’t very large, but it was good.
Overall, thought the food was really good and we’d love to come back.

I’ve come to 3^rd Cousin as often as possible since it opened and everything I’ve tried has been to die for. Love that the menu is regularly updated with new dishes including fresh, seasonal ingredients. You can’t miss the uni crème brûlée, of course — even friends that didn’t previously like uni have loved this dish. The pork belly and scallop dish is fantastic. All of the pastas are incredible, and portions are generous (large can be shared by several people). The pork chop is the best I’ve had. Seriously, you can’t go wrong here!

Service was great! Food was awesome, the plates looked like artwork. We got the tasting menu with wine pairing
I loved the scallops and the mushroom pasta with truffle oil.

I’m a little hesitant to review 3^rd Cousin, because with increased popularity comes a more difficult reservation. But I’ve been following chef Greg ever since he had his Kinfolk pop-​up, and want to support him and his wonderful cuisine.
3^rd Cousin finally allows Greg to come into his own, having had to contend with cooking in temporary pop-​ups for the past few years. Even though the place has only been open for a few months, things seem to be running really smoothly. And the food is impeccable! Make sure you get some of the uni crème brûlée, which in my mind is his signature. But for a flavor feast, do a tasting menu.
Not sure if the restaurant is gunning for Michelin accolades, but 3^rd Cousin should definitely be a Bib Gourmand pick.

Dinner was solid at 3^rd cousin. I think they are almost at 4 stars but not quite there. The menu is on point with various seasonal dishes and a nod to local availability. All the food we got was well seasoned and cooked. However for the price, I think the portions could be better. The restaurant itself is nice. A pretty mellow and intimate spot so it makes for a good date night or a small gathering with a few friends. Overall there was nothing super special about 3^rd cousin but if you want to switch it up and go to Bernal this is worth the visit.

3^rd Cousin is amazing, and I’m surprised that it hasn’t gotten more press and fanfare. Oh well, for now it’s easy to get a reservation so hopefully it stays that way.
Everything we had here was delicious: hamachi crudo (so many different flavors), uni crème brûlée, seared foie gras (special), mushroom appetizer with parsnips, pappardelle with guanciale (al dente pasta with scrumptious pork cheek), pork chop, and wagyu short rib duo.
Service was great, and the restaurant isn’t pretentious at all. For now, parking is easy too (got a spot right in front of the restaurant).

3^rd Cousin’s menu features New American cuisine created from the finest seasonal, sustainable ingredients, as well as a fine wine list! Cousin’s menu includes a diverse range of dishes, such as a daily tasting menu, regularly rotated vegan dishes, salads seasoned with fresh herbs and spices and my personal favorite: duo of wagyu bavette & short rib– 2yr cheddar polenta, arugula, asparagus, onion ring, horseradish! Wagyu — literally means Japanese cow. It has intense marbling and it produces a high percentage of oleaginous unsaturated fat. This meat is quality. Bavette — A french cut. The bistro-​style at 3^rd Cousin is slow cooked and ridiculously tender. Great vibe. Great ambiance — moderately priced. Easily one of the best new spots in SF!

I took my girlfriend here for her birthday. Our reservation was at 5:30 on a Thursday and the place was empty– so at first I was a little nervous. We ordered 4 vegetarian plates and we were wowed but each and every bite! My girlfriend asked if I wanted a straw for the leftover pasta sauce that I was scraping up with my fork– and yes I did want to drink it! Dessert was amazing too!
So glad we have this deliciousness within walking distance from home.

Really enjoyed the food prepared by Chef Greg Lutes. His attention to the many different flavors comes through in each dish. From selecting special ingredients to plating, the dishes never disappoints. Loads of flavor and textures. Great combination for my palate! Been here twice, once celebrating my birthday and another entertaining out town guests. We all enjoyed it! Will definitely keep coming here… my go to place in SF!

Fabulous!!! No cliché — this is the type of place where it is apparent the Chef loves what he does. Our party ordered almost one of everything on the menu and couldn’t decide what was the best. Recommend making a reservation and taking your appetite! I will 100% be back.

An amazing dining experience. The service was flawless, the atmosphere was warm and inviting. The food was as good as anywhere in the city. Creative and delicious. A must place everyone should visit.

We have been following this neighborhood spot since it was a pop up called Kinfolk and we had an amazing meal there. We finally got to go to the final incarnation 3^rd Cousin. People are super nice here and their wine list is very well curated. Our server was knowledgeable and charming. We had the sparkling rose champagne and it was outstanding, I went on the Wine Searcher website and bought several bottles the next day. The Uni Crème Brulee is MENTAL, we were savoring every spoonful. That was the kind of dish you go out for dinner to experience. I am sorry to say the rest of the menu wasn’t close to that level. My coffee coated venison was rather bland as were the other dishes we ordered. It’s a bit of a price point issue — at their price points I expected to be as wowed as I was with the Uni dish. I am focusing on the positive however as want them to be successful.

I’ve been wanting to try this restaurant since it was a pop-​up and so was excited that a reservation for dinner was available the same day. Came here for dinner, restaurant was about half-​filled, maybe a slow night. Good ambiance. Staff were friendly and food came out in a good pace. Could tell a couple staff were very young, one didn’t know how to use the espresso machine.
Food/​Drink– could tell that the chefs put in thought and creativity into each dish, but each dish seemed to be a tiny bit off to me. BREAD and butter– good bread, I liked. OYSTER TEMPURA– flavors were good, but not as crispy as I would like. $ 15 for 3 fried oysters (as explained by our waitress, but we were given 4). UNI CREME BRÛLÉE– uni tasted fresh and nicely presented with tobiko and salmon roe, but the brûlée was a bit too sweet for me, the crostini/​bread served with it could be better. VENISEN– nicely cooked, but coffee crust was a bit overpowering which made the lamb taste a bit bitter. The BBQ sauce was a could compliment, but the beans were a tiny bit undercooked/​hard. RABBIT GEMILLI– my favorite dish of the night, well flavored, got the small portion, and indeed it was small! Pasta was served hot, a bit cooler and al dente would be even better! Chardonnay was okay, had better at the same price point. PEAR & SUNFLOWER cake– good, not too sweet. Truffle chocolates came with the bill.
Husband and I prefer creative/​innovative food and are used to challenging flavor combinations, but we were a bit disappointed by the food that night, especially given the price point and quantity. It was nice that the chef/​owner came by to thank us at the end of our meal, but not sure if we’re going to be back soon.

5 flipping stars! This place rocked my socks. So stoked to have food of this caliber in our hood. Genuinely blown away by the variety on the menu (especially for my vegetarian wife), the service, and the drinks. Thank you for a lovely night!

Wow. They are new to the neighborhood, which probably explains why we were able to get a table here as walk-​ins. For the uninitiated, it’s a one of those fancy places that offers meticulously prepared «new American» dishes via a prix fixe menu or your own a la carte choices. Hungry but not famished, we took the latter route and ordered based on what looked great in Unilocalers’ photos, plus the server’s recommendations. Which, BTW, included what might have been the single best wine pairing I’ve ever had. Let’s get right to it:
Uni Brulee: you’re a foodie if you’re eating here, so I know you’re going to order this. Let me also suggest that you (1) try to get a good combo of the various ingredients of this dish in each bite, because there is a certain magical balance to achieve and (2) you order it with a glass of the recommended slightly effervescent Riesling (Smith Story, Rheingau 2014), which you should sip before you eat the dish. The wine will bring out the sweetness in the dish in a particularly magical way, and both of us thought the combo was pure magic — hence the superlative above.
Pork belly and scallops: yep, you foodies are going to order this too. As you would expect, the scallop is perfectly cooked and seasoned, but the real magic here is the tiny piece of pork belly that they braise and deep fry (we asked how they prepared it) which makes it quite literally melt in your mouth. Yum. Went well with the recommended Chenin Blanc (Roark Wine Co, 2014).
Flatiron and short ribs: After having these two together, I now wonder why they aren’t combined more often. The flatiron was pretty magical, moreso because of its pairing with the short rib.
The venison steak (with coffee rub!) was good not great, but the zinfandel recommended with it (Bucklin, Bambino Old Hill 2012) was actually much better with the beef!
We were also recommended a glass of Cabernet (Siletto Vineyard, San Benito 2014) which was simply fantastic on its own. I have no idea why, but it was better solo than with food.
We finished with the pear cake with ginger icecream and a caramel sauce, which was as good as it sounds, especially with a latte.
As you would expect at such a place, service was perfect and the damage was substantial, about a quarter grand after tax and tip.

UPDATE TO MY REVIEW THIS AM:
I greatly appreciate the owner reaching out to me and trying to rectify the situation. I will write another update once we give them another shot.
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Nobody wants to be that person…
The one who looks like a complete d*ck for sending back their food.
Apparently, we were those «d*cks». When we sent back our food, the ladies at the next table looked at us and whispered to each other. They continued to stare at our table throughout the night – I guess I must have had a huge booger hanging out from my nose. Anyways, the staff at 3^rd Cousin were really nice about it and was apologetic so may this review is more of constructive feedback.
I’ve been to the owner/chef’s previous restaurant/​pop-​ups (Lot 7 and Kinfolk). Though I had lukewarm experiences at both places, I wanted to put those aside and give 3^rd Cousin a shot. My friend and I both live nearby so we thought it would be a good place for us to catch up during the week.
Usually ambiance has little to do with my overall experience but in this instance, it did. Poor acoustics made the dining room incredibly loud so we had to shout across the table to each other. So did every table so it felt like being stuck in a metal box with a bunch of raging banshees. My friend was also bothered with the poor ventilation. Additionally, it was so dark that we had trouble reading the menu.
Please note that a credit card is required to secure reservations and if you don’t cancel your reservations within 48 hours, you will be charged a $ 25 fee.
The New American Menu is short and concise with 8 snacks/​apps ($ 5-​$ 17), 5 entrees ($ 21-​$ 32), 2 sides ($ 9), and 3 desserts ($ 9). There’s a chef’s tasting menu available for $ 89 pp. Beer and wine only. I noticed many of the menu items are carry overs from the owner’s previous restaurant/​pop-​ups so I thought they would have had enough time to perfect these items. I know they’re still new in this location (opened mid-​November) but quite frankly, I was surprised some of these dishes we received left the kitchen. At these price points, I expected more care and finesse.
My friend and I shared the following (sorry for the dark pics, I lightened them on Photoshop as much as I could):
*Pine nut, spigarello, and ricotta fritters w/​sofrito ($ 9):
The pine nut and ricotta fritters were creative but left in the fryer too long. The exterior was quite hard and the interior was hollow with whole pieces of pine nuts.
*Fried organic chicken thighs w/​romesco, autumn royal grape agrodolce, herbs ($ 11):
The menu indicated «thighs» but there was one boneless thigh quartered which seems a bit excessive for $ 11. I picked up one piece with my fork and noticed the burnt side was placed faced down on top of the sauce. I took a bite and it was confirmed – burnt. The burnt bitter taste lingered in my mouth throughout dinner.
We sent this back and the second order was better (not burnt) but the chicken was quite bland and was 70% batter. The romesco sauce was bland as well. Perhaps brining may help? Zero Zero and Mason Pacific have a similar fried chicken dish which are both fantastic as they brine their chicken.
*Uni Crème Brûlée w/​hackelback caviar, trout roe, tobiko, toast ($ 17):
As the chef’s signature dish from both his previous stints, the uni crème brulee was the best dish of the night. The silky smooth custard was topped with über fresh sweet briny uni and you get a nice pop of saltiness from the caviar, roe, and tobiko.
*Pappardelle w/​spigarello, wild mushroom, smoked mozz, crème friache, reggiano, truffle ($ 24 + $ 3 guanciale):
The pappardelle arrived as a pile of mush.
We sent this back and the second order of noodles kept its form but it was still a little too soft as it lacked a toothsome chew. I enjoyed the indulgent cream sauce with the bite of the salty guanciale but didn’t see or taste any truffle. It’s a heavy dish so thankfully our waitress suggested sharing this entrée.
*Spiced Pear & Sunflower Cake w/​cardamom ice cream, pomegranate, caramel ($ 9):
The dessert looked and tasted like holiday with the spiced cake and scarlet pomegranate seeds. It was good and did help cleanse the bitter taste that lingered in my mouth from the burnt chicken.
The staff was very welcoming and friendly which is what you would expect from a «neighborhood» restaurant. I hate sending food back and when we did, they were nice about it. Usually restaurants send out bread or a little something from the kitchen gratis to tide diners down while they re-​fire their entrees. They didn’t but maybe that’s something they should consider. Dinner took 2.5 hours so food service was a bit on the slow end.
With time, I hope they’re able to work through all the rough patches we experienced. I wish them well.

We have been following chef Greg Lutes since his pop-​up days at Kinfolk and he just seems to be getting better and better. Now settling into his new brick-​and-​mortar place a couple of doors down the street from the old pop-​up location, he seems to be clicking on all cylinders. Our first meal here was simply superb. Highest possible recommendation.

Always Delicious!
Chef Greg Lutes cooks the things that you want to eat! His flavors are comforting and familiar, but done in an incredibly refined, complex and surprising way, and it never felt fussy.
We left still thinking of the pappardelle dish and how Chef Lutes balanced luscious flavors without them ever being heavy. If it would have been appropriate to lick our plates, we would have. His uni crème brûlée has a hint of sweetness but is oh so savory and velvety. In fact we wanted more and more bread, just so we could get every drop of sauce from every dish, including the steak and short ribs which was rich, hearty and perfect! And that butterscotch pudding! What a great end to a delicious and memorable meal.
It’s also worth noting that each dish is presented beautifully, on serving ware that makes sense, is garnished expertly, and generally makes you look forward to your server bringing each dish. I’ve never been one for photographing my food, but I have actually thought about it at Chef Lutes restaurant.
Considering 3^rd Cousin has only been open for a month, service is attentive and friendly, and I was surprised that one of the staff members remembered that I can only have a little red wine because I am allergic to it. It always feel wonderful when staff go out of there way, and 3^rd Cousin works it butt off to do just that!
Considering how packed they were on a Tuesday night, I recommend going as soon as you can, because I wouldn’t be surprised if Michelin took notice soon. I’ve now taken two sets of friends, and both groups said they want to eat there all the time! My only fear is I won’t be able to book a table soon!
My only minor complaint is the volume, it can get loud, but considering you will be busy eating and not talking too much, it’s not too bad. Besides the choice of really fun 80’s music lends a cool vibe.
3^rd Cousin is not only a great neighborhood spot, it’s a fantastic restaurant all the way around, and I can’t wait to go back! Please open for lunch!

BEST RESTAURANT IN ALL OF BERNAL AND SOUTH MISSION.
3^rd Cousin is the absolute hands-​down best local restaurant in the neighborhood, but it also stands on its own as a destination. My partner and I discovered it as Kinfolk at 903 Cortland and have been loving followers ever since. (As Kinfolk it was one of two restaurants in SF that passed brunch muster for me, since I am master of brunch. We’re now eagerly awaiting 3^rd Cousin brunch.)
We’ve been twice since the November opening. At opening we tried a lot of things because folks shared at our communal table. We were pleasantly surprised by how good the bowl of CASHEWS (in some kind of maple-​something crusted-​something) were, and everything we had was stellar. I think the standout was the SWORDFISH, with a setup containing pearl pasta, eggplant, olive, and more. The combination of the textures and flavors couldn’t be beat! Portion size was perfect. The pasta was also a hit among our group, vegetarian with mushrooms, smokey flavors, kale, cheesy/​creamy sauce. The FRITTERS with ricotta and pine nuts, a carryover from Kinfolk, were solid. I hate butterscotch, but I was still impressed with the BUTTERSCOTCH PUDDING, which has some nice twists on textures as well. And we tried the BRUSSELS SPROUTS, also solid.
On a return visit my friend cleaned his VENISON plate, and that’s not something seen too often. We shared the UNI CREME BRULEE and both found it solid. Although I was so tempted to get that amazing SWORDFISH again to get the new plating/​setup, I opted for a half order of QUINOA CAKES (vegan! and YUM! Thanks, GREG!!), which burst with wintery flavors of chard and hearty textures of beans and quinoa and the side order of POLENTA with stilton and mushrooms. Holy umami, batman! Amazing. LOVED it. May have been the surprise of the evening. I tasted my friend’s CHOCOLATE MOUSSE, and it was also divine.
So again, here’s what you need to know about this place:
–Best local spot, but good enough to be a destination.
–Great atmosphere and colors, nice rustic feeling with lots of charm.
–Fantastic and creative food that is unpretentious AND will repeat your faves while also rotating new things through.
–Loud. Just know it’s going to be loud and prepare to shout a bit. Not the quiet little date-​night spot, but oh so worth shouting a little when getting such good food.

I met Greg briefly a few months ago after I invited him to look at our venue space, Avenue, for his pop up events and have been watching his restaurant progress. My wife and I opted for a last minute Thanksgiving dinner alone (with baby) and were so thrilled to be able to squeeze in at the last seating. The minimalist space is warm and inviting, the staff were easy and friendly and the food was perfect for a traditional meal in a restaurant. (and the baby slept the entire time!) I loved everything about it and can’t wait to be back for the regular menu soon. We will be here often!

Our problems with 3^rd Cousin were regarding two of the menu items we ordered, and with the ambiance in general. Regarding the pork chop, 80 percent of it was perfect and very tasty. Unfortunately the other 20 percent of it was too raw to eat… such a waste on a $ 32 menu item. How is it that such a talented staff can do this? I realize some cuts cook at different speeds, but there’s no shortage of expertly-​cooked chops in this town. This should never happen.
Regarding the hamachi sashimi, it was flavorful enough, and the plate was perfectly designed with the fine accompaniments, but it was cut way too thick to enjoy as crudo as it was not nearly delicate enough. Everything else we ordered was delicious.
The other mystery to us was the music playlist. The room is extremely loud to begin with, so why play very loud hard rock music on top of that? Maybe they think it will cover the noise but all it did was make it worse
Lastly, there appears to be a venting problem… All night the room was very smokey from the open kitchen.
I suspect these are all kinks that will be worked out in due time. We plan to go back soon.

We’ve been a fan of Greg since Kinfolk. So happy that 3^rd Cousin is finally in the neighborhood. We’ve been there three times since its recent grand opening. We enjoyed everything: amachi crudo, salad, swordfish, steak, pork chop, wine and desserts. The food is heavenly and the ambiance is apropos.

Finally dined here after hearing friends rave about Chef Greg’s food for months (they were already familiar with his cooking at Kinfolk). We sampled 6 dishes from across the menu and everything was absolutely delicious! Not one was a miss.
My favorites were the uni crème brûlée (and I normally don’t like uni!), truffle pappardelle, and short rib. The uni was served in a little ramekin with caviar, roe, and tobiko on top, alongside thin baguette slices. The seared uni layer on top provided the perfect temperature contrast.
The truffle pappardelle was scrumptious. At other restaurants, this dish can be on the heavy side due to the butter and truffle oil. However, not so at 3^rd Cousin. Not only did the pasta dish taste light but it was also topped with shaved truffles!
The short ribs were so decadent — fall off the bone decadent!
We also sampled the hamachi crudo, grilled swordfish (not overcooked!), and chocolate mousse for dessert. All equally amazing!
Will definitely be back. Service was attentive but not intrusive. Easy parking.

3^rd cousin is a great addition to Bernal. Food is excellent and high quality, ambience elegant and rustic, service prompt & friendly; not bad for being open for 3 days!
Everything we ordered was spot on. The fritters were crunchy on the outside /​gooey on the inside, steak cooked to perfection, the pappardelle was earthy with greens and the caramel pudding was smooth with some crunch. Every detail was thoughtful and well executed — even the fresh bread and coffee were great accents.
This is definitely our new favorite in the ‘hood.

3^rd Cousin is only in its first weekend at its new location and they are already doing great things. The food is delicious and masterfully executed, but moreover the setting has the perfect balance of high-​end dining and neighborhood feel. The staff could not be more friendly and welcoming, which is a sign of a place that is invested in the community and in the overall dining experience. Accomplishing this amongst all of the inherent challenges of an opening weekend is laudable, and made for a lovely first evening at 3^rd Cousin!

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Chef Greg Lutes, of Kinfolk and now Chez 3RD Cousin, until his permanent location is opening in 2015. You can join him and try out his cooking in the Pop Up location at the Bernal Heights/​Mission border. I met chef on Twitter and Instagram, and become a fan of his food now.
We love the space too. It’s the former Lazy Bear Pop Up space, rustic, intimate and spacious. Chez 3RD Coursin offers 1seating at 7 PM, in JAN 2015: 2, 3, 11, 14, 15, 18, 20, 21, 22, 25, 27, 28, 29.
I came a a few friends to 1 of his Pop Up in DEC 2014, for about $ 70-​$ 85, you got 3 passed hors d’oeuvres, and 5 tasting courses with the option of wine pairing at $ 45. It’s a real bargain. Once chef Greg Lutes opens his restaurant, I can’t imagine him to keep this price point up with all the rent and operation costs.
Hors d’oeuvres:
— Lobster Spring Rolls — this was tangy citrus, fresh herbs, good chunk of lobsters in rice paper, was delicious, I couldn’t stop eating this. My favorite bites of all!
— Caviar on blini bite — vvery good
— Tuna Tartare with tobiko — full of flavor, fresh, and a perfect bite
1^st Course: Roasted beets, fennel, burrata fritter — this was DELICIOUS, generous portion as a salad dish at a restaurant.
2^nd Course: Corvina fish, confit squash & peppers, plum, red wine and chef Greg Lutes shaved the Buddha Hands citrus on top, beautiful dish all around.
3^rd Course: Seared Sea Scallops & Crips Heritage Pork Belly. The pork belly was a bit over cooked on my plate, my friend’s scallop was a bit over cooked because this was a thinner cut of scallop, but the flavor was all there. And the ALBA TRUFFLES saved it for me ;-)
4^th Course: Venison, this wasperfectly cooked to medium rare, GENEROUS entrée portion. We all enjoyed this dish very much.
5^th Course: Parsnip & Apple Cake, dessert, everyone at the party finished it strong.
The wine list offers 10 by the glass, and was about 8 white and 16 red bottles of wines, range from $ 44-​$ 380, but majority was under $ 68 bottles, very reasonable and approachable wine list.
If you don’t want to order any wines, Chez 3RD Cousin allows you to BYOB here, it’s truely a bargain.
You can view all the current menu here:
, follow chef on
and
.
Chef Lutes and his staff are amazing, nice, friendly and make sure that we all had a good time here. The food is solid, the portion is generous for me, the price point is UNHEARD of. I’m excited for Chef Lutes and rooting him for his new restaurant in 2015.
P. S. In the mean time, I’m looking forward to come back in JAN 2015 for another dinner with friends. Let me know if you UnilocalERS want to join me, it’ll be fun :-)

3.5 stars (rounding up).
The «group dinner popup» thing seems to be the new fad in SF. It’s definitely a different experience from your standard restaurant dining.
I enjoyed the atmosphere of this communal dinner. The hors d’oeuvres laid out for all guests to consume, regardless of what party they’re a party of; the communal tables, the BYOB policy. They all create a unique atmosphere. The bread they served on the side was amazeballs — super crispy on the outside, light and airy and a slight sourdough taste on the inside. Surprisingly, this might’ve been my favorite thing of the meal. I also enjoyed the coffee-​crusted venison a lot. Perfectly cooked, tender, and the coffee crust paired very well with the slight hint of gaminess of the meat.
All of the other dishes though, were just okay. The vegetable first course was okay, but I mean, it’s just vegetables. Halibut was definitely on the overcooked and dry side. The scallop and pork belly were okay, but tasted very much like something out of a Chinese restaurant.
The meal itself was good overall, but for that price point, I’m not sure if I’m sold on this whole concept. Had that halibut been done better, and that scallop and pork tasted different compared to the typical Chinese dish, it would’ve earned higher remarks from me.

Greg got in trouble for contacting me on Unilocal.He wanted me to come to eat at his new pop up, and I’m glad that he did, because I was delighted by his invitation and subsequently came here to dine during the hottest day of San Francisco, 84 degrees when we arrived at the former Lazy Bear location. Lately, my enthusiasm has returned, slowly but gradually I feel once again myself and ready to greet the world. It had been a toughie, all those work you put in, sometimes your body and mind still break down and there is nothing you can do about it. But then I was better. I met Greg and became a 3^rd Cousin under a much better circumstance than several weeks ago, and because of it, I was able to experience the food in a way a real food lover would. I savored.
The setting, as many would know, was the same as Lazy Bear old locale, the casual snacks were served in the beginning as some people gathered. A very cute couple celebrating their 26^th year wedding anniversary. A young couple just bought their house on Mission and 29^th after moving from Chicago: one guy worked for a former employer of mine, and his partner worked for a tech giant in the valley. I started to rattle off restaurant names which made one of the boys feeling a bit in awe but at the same time made me feel a bit self conscious (have I wasted countless evenings eating out?). I shared the secrets for getting into State Bird and Rich Table, and told the boy in consulting the best bone marrow is now at Monsieur Benjamin, better than LoLinda. A preppy Brit walked in and asked me what this super cool joint was. He was getting off his Gbus and discovered it on foot.
Such was how an evening started. A great group of people formed a small circle, taking small bites of caviar and cream on chips and tuna tartar on rice crackers, and since when I’m on, I’m really on, I carried the conversation like I used to, assertive, attentive, inquisitive and assuring. That was how I liked a dinner party, a way to get to know others who liked to dine. We came here to bond over good food, in that sense, we all became 3^rd cousins before food was served.
Greg started out with spaghetti squash with pine nuts fritter then it was crab falafel aka a fancier version of crab cake, I liked it a lot. Then bacon wrapped sea scallops and crisp pork belly. Can’t complain. All extremely tasty. We went inside the kitchen as we once did at Lazy Bear and watched them prepare food. It required a bit of patience and lots of discipline to do so many dishes all at once. I told Greg that I was good at eating, not so good at cooking, there was no way that I’d learn any of it, but to watch food getting prepared, that was fun. Butternut squash gratin was simply heavenly. Rack of lamb was juicy and not dry, I had no idea that you had to put that much herb to make it tasty but now I understood it’s mostly about preparation when you cook rack of lamb. Note to self: always order lamb at restaurants. You can never make such a dish on your own. Too damn complicated.
The most surprising thing was yuzu curd berries. Quite unexpected and completely delicious.
Greg took his food seriously but with discipline and originality. Some will tell you Lazy Bear was phenomenal with a cult following, but eating at Lazy Bear to some is stunt eating. It’s fanciful and not necessarily in a good way. The same group of people will also probably tell you there is something very distinct and different about Greg’s cooking. There is a bit of substantialness that reminds of us his Midwestern roots. You don’t have to create a complicated dish to wow the audience. You just need to manage the flavor and execute it well, be authentic and truthful to your own sense of style.
While I have met and made many friends who are from the Northeast, I am secretively drawn to Midwesterners: there is a bit more subtly and authenticity in their behavior, and that transcends into how they create things. In this case, the meal is not overly complicated for the sake of being complicated, it’s well executed, it’s needing refinement as a new popup entity, but it’s well thought out. With the fall, we start to see more squashes and root vegetables and that we wanted heartier meat. That was what was served tonight, there was consideration made to the seasonality and that subtly was not lost on us.
I’d watch this spot. I’d encourage you to come and try it out. Mostly, I’d like to invite you to venture out of your comfort zone and enter the secret and exclusive pop up San Francisco dining scene, if you have not already done so. You want to be the one who can say, «I’ve eaten there before it actually opened.» There, that’s how you enter the big league (of super food lovers). and separate yourself apart from the rest of self-​proclaimed foodies (99% of San Franciscans will call themselves foodies because they have once waited in line at Bi-​Rite or Tartine). And do it soon before it goes mainstream.