Columnist Muriel Stevens: San Francisco restaurant proves real treasure

Friday, Jan. 12, 2001 | 9:16 a.m.

Muriel Stevens' dining column appears Fridays. Her shopping and travel columns appear Wednesdays. Reach her at 259-4080 or muriel@ lasvegassun.com.

It had been a few years since I last visited one of my favorite cities, San Francisco. I missed it. San Francisco is a welcoming town with so many things to see and do, and to eat -- my prime reason for a week's stay.

Dining out is a way of life in San Francisco. Always has been. New eateries open regularly. Kokkari (Koh-kar-ee) opened just months ago. A chef friend was the first to tell me about this wonderful Greek-Mediterranean eatery.

Rustic yet upscale, Kokkari has a French born-and-trained executive chef, Jean Alberti, who spent more than a year traveling in Greece and has created a standout menu of contemporary Greek and Mediterranean-inspired dishes.

Kokkari's appeal begins at the door, where diners are greeted by a team who give new meaning to the word hospitality.

The restaurant's smashing decor includes glowing polished woodwork, beamed ceilings, an inviting fireplace, country pottery, fresh flowers and the warmth and charm of Old World country inns. There are three dining rooms, each with its own appeal. The "living room" where my friend and I were seated; behind it, a dining room with an open kitchen; and behind that a dining room for large parties or communal dining. Downstairs there is an intimate private dining room for 10, named Hania after a small village in Crete.

Kokkari offers Greek cooking unlike any other restaurant. One taste of the octopus salad -- charcoal grilled tender octopus, Greek peppers, frisee and a red wine vinaigrette -- was all it took to win my affection. Of course, this was only one of the appetizers we ordered.

Homemade flatbread (pita without a pocket) was covered pizza-style with Kalamata olives, caramelized onions and Myzithra and Parmesan cheeses -- the wedges were stacked on the plate in a fanlike design. A mountain of expertly fried smelts (marithes tiganites), served with lemon wedges and parsley, were crispy from tail to head and so delicious. We loved the oven-baked gigantes, giant beans cooked with tomato sauce olive oil and topped with a sprinkle of herbed feta cheese. Such a melange of flavors and textures.

"Try the lamb chops," advised our server, David (by the second appetizer we'd become friends), "they're one of our specialities." Oh, was he right -- three succulent, grilled lamb chops, marinated with a lemon-oregano vinaigrette served with Greek potatoes. Two other house specialities: seared Chilean sea bass covered with a spicy tomato jam and pilafi me manitaria, an incredible risotto with chanterelle, crimini and oyster mushrooms and thyme-scented leeks were exceptional.

There is an inner glow that comes after experiencing such delicious food and service. We basked in ours. Desserts brought their own glow: foundouki brulee -- mocha hazelnut custard served on a bed of Kataifi (shredded pastry) and a pool of chocolate sauce; galaktoboureka -- vanilla semolina custard wrapped in baked filo dough (a terrific version of my favorite Greek dessert); and a marvelous rice pudding and honey-roasted pear with a brandy snap tuille.

A wonderful down-to-earth dining adventure.

Kokkari, on 200 Jackson St. in San Francisco (near the Embarcadero) serves lunch Monday through Friday; dinner Monday through Saturday. Prices are moderate -- $15 to $35 per person without drinks, gratuity or tax. Reservations are a must. Call (415) 981-0983.

Before leaving Kokkari I asked managing partner Tony Adrian if he had given any thought to a restaurant in Las Vegas. Indeed he had. Kokkari in Las Vegas? Cool.

Changes at Gatsby's: Exciting changes are happening at Gatsby's at the MGM Grand. Significant changes have already been made by consulting chef Michael Mina (Aqua San Francisco and Aqua at Bellagio), but the real changeover will take place when Gatsby's closes in February for a complete remodeling (after Valentine's Day). Tony Chi will do the redesign. The yet-to-be named restaurant is a new concept from Mina that will feature European-inspired cuisine as well as seafood. It will reopen in late spring with a new name and a new executive chef.

Meanwhile Mina has completely revised Gatsby's menu. Jeff Lloyd, Mina properties' corporate executive chef, is in Las Vegas and will lead Gatsby's through the transition. Already in place is General Manager Christophe Chatron-Michaud, most recently with Daniel in NYC, and previously with Jean-Georges in NYC and Vong in London, and dining room manager Frank Kawecki. Kawecki helped open Circo and was the maitre d' at Le Cirque at Bellagio.

Gatsby's serves dinner Tuesday through Saturday. This is a good time for diners to get a "sneak peek" of what's to come and to meet the managers. The interim menu is completely new.

More MGM Grand: Goodbye Tre Visi, Hello Olio! It's not possible to list all of the entertaining features Olio! Italian restaurant will have when it opens Monday at the former Tre Visi site on the Studio Walk. A 40-foot antipasto table? Yes. A "wall" of gelato presented by space suited servers? Yes. Private screening rooms? Yes. A celebrated chef? Yes, John Cahill. A co-owner with a vivid imagination? Yes, John Tunney III. Are the menu and prices as wild as the restaurant's schtick? Thankfully, no.