January 2014
news & events

Let us introduce you to our oldest employee....er, let us rephrase that....the employee that has been with us the longest! Her name is Marlene, she has been with us since April 2008, and she is the darling of our kitchen! Having lived through a few new chefs, the big move into our new digs, a transition from a kitchen staff of 5 to a staff of 25, and having mastered countless new dishes, Marlene is our oral history and benevolent matriarch!

From our polpette to our pizza dough, Marlene has the best feel for some of our traditional recipes that require just that, a feel and a sense of the food, not just a recipe of measurements. All new recruits have to train with her at some point and she helps everyone learn with ease and grace.  I have yet to see her - during all these years - at work without a smile and a kind word. 

She, her husband Luis (a former Piccino cook, as well) and her two beautiful children - Carla and Angel - live in Richmond. They bought a cute little home there just a few years ago, before the birth of Angel, one of our many Piccino babies!

Last week, while she was proudly showing me pictures of Angel’s first birthday she erupted in an expression that has stuck with me for the best reasons: “Si, mi vida es muy buena!” or “My life is really good!”

We are so very proud to have Marlene as part of the Piccino family.

Sunday, February 9
11am 'til they're gone

We thought we'd take advantage of this beautiful, sunny weather and have another oyster day!  Mark your calendars and join us as we line the sidewalk with lots of tables and shuck a mountain of Hog Island oysters.

We'll have 'em both raw & bar-b-que'd.  We'll have lots of rosé and crisp, minerally white wines at the ready.  All you have to do is sit back, relax, sip some wine, suck down some oysters & soak up some rays.  Sounds like another perfect day here in Dogpatch!

Many thanks to all our neighbors who came out last week to support efforts to build the Dogpatch Playground. It was a lovely evening of food, wine and community.....and you were all so generous! Once again proving what a fantastic little corner of the city we live in.  

Check out the SFGate article from Leah Garchik (you'll need to scroll down the page a bit).