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Exclusive: Skool Is Arriving Soon in the Potrero

Photo: Courtesy of Skool

In related news, Grub Street learns today that Andy Mirabell, formerly director of operations for Blowfish Sushi, is opening a new fish-focused restaurant in a Potrero Hill space that’s been vacant for about a decade. The name: Skool.

The large space is in one of the neighborhood’s many design complexes at 1725 Alameda Street (at DeHaro) and has never before been used for a restaurant — the owner has previously refused multiple offers to lease it for restaurant use, but he liked Mirabell’s business plan enough to say yes.

“It has one of the most beautiful patios in the city,” says Mirabell, who spent eight years as regional director of operations for Blowfish before branching out on his own. His chef at Skool will be Toshihiro Nagano, who worked for Blowfish many years ago but who most recently was sous chef at Michelin starred Japantown eatery Bushi-Tei, and opening chef at Bushi-Tei Bistro.

“Fish will be the focus, but it won’t be a sushi restaurant,” Mirabell says. “We’re focusing on local and sustainable ingredients, with a lot of international accents. I’m designing a farmers’ market-driven cocktail program, with the help of some cocktail world vets. We’ve got a pizza oven, too, and we’ll be launching with some Spanish-style flatbreads on the lunch and dinner menus.” An example lunch dish he gave us was house-cured sardines with sliced pear and shaved parmesan.

Mirabell says the business will be a joint venture between two husband-and-wife teams, with Chef Nagano and his wife Hiroko in the kitchen, and Mirabell himself in the front of the house with his fiancée Olia Kedik.

Skool is still waiting on a liquor license, but they hope to be open for lunch by the last week in June, with dinner to follow shortly thereafter, around July 4th. Brunch will then launch by late July, and Mirabell promises the patio will be a highly sought after daytime dining venue.

Skool - 1725 Alameda Street - 415.255.8800 - Starting in late June, open Mon-Fri 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Noon to 3 p.m. and 5 to 10 p.m. on weekends.

Exclusive: Skool Is Arriving Soon in the Potrero