Local links: Stolen bikes, Anzfer on Clement, new eateries, NEMS clinic & more

At a SFPD evidence site, about 800 stolen and recovered bicycles are stored. Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle

Hard to believe that it’s already December! Here are some local links to take you into the final stretch of 2013…

• A lot of you have read about stolen bike after stolen bike in the weekly police blotter. Ever wondered what happens to them all? The Chronicle paid a visit to a SFPD warehouse, where nearly 800 “mountain bikes, road bikes, rusted clunkers, fat-tired cruisers, fancy carbon fiber, and new and old frames of every color” sit gathering dust. The challenge? Reconnecting the recovered bikes with their owners. If you’ve had a bike stolen, visit the Park Station website, tweet to @sfpdbiketheft, or call 553-0123 to report a stolen bike.
• The woodworkers Anzfer Farms have opened up a temporary store at 248 Clement Street for the holidays. Stop by on December 7 between 2 and 8pm for a little celebration featuring shopping (furniture and other home accessories), snacks and drinks.
• The Bold Italic recently went on a very scientific pork bun adventure, tasting and rating the brown pockets of meaty joy at nine different dim sum restaurants in the Inner Richmond, hoping to identify the best one. “After charting out all the nuances of each bun, we had a hard time defining what “best” meant. While we all shared similar rankings for our top three favorites (Clement Restaurant, Wing Sing, and Cherry Blossom), there wasn’t one clear winner.” Nevertheless, their detailed research and photography is definitely worth the read!
• If you say something egregious about your employer or job on Facebook, could you be fired for it? Two Richmond Village Beacon employees found out the answer to that is yes, and that not every social media post by disgruntled employees is protected by the National Labor Relations Act. A judge ruled that their profanity-laced Facebook posts went too far.
• A new Japanese and Korean izakaya called Joo Mak has taken over the Sushi Tani space on Geary near Funston. According to their Facebook page, Chefs/Owners Tony Chong and Sam Sohn “always envisioned a place where people could come together and experience authentic street food from Korea and Japan.” They’re open daily from 5pm until 2pm, but closed on Tuesdays. Yelp reviews are very positive so far, and one wrote that “they still use Tani’s menu for the Japanese rolls.”
• A new sushi place called Yoi opened up in the former Drunken Sushi on Clement and 24th Avenue. The name means “good, pleasing, skilled”, and according to their website, they’re offering sushi, ramen and robatayaki (skewers slow-grilled over hot charcoal). They’re open daily from 5pm until 12midnight, and from Thursday through Saturday, stay open late until 2am. Yelp reviews are mixed so far.
• North East Medical Services (NEMS) recently celebrated the opening of their new clinic on Clement Street near 12th Avenue. The building was donated to NEMS by Hong Kong entrepreneur Dr. Tihua Koo and his wife, Mrs. Dorothy Shaofen Vee Koo. NEMS is the largest non-profit, federally-qualified community health center in San Francisco, providing health care to over 57,000 patients annually. They have 8 locations in San Francisco and the Bay Area.
• The OBB recently profiled the owner of Fredy’s Deli out on La Playa near the beach. After a medical struggle that caused him to close for several months this year, he’s decided to sell after 28 years. A former employee, David Nottage, is re-opening the business as Kawika’s Ocean Beach Deli. Nottage plans to close briefly in January for a renovation, and will keep selling many of the favorites that Fredy’s customers like so much.
• Zephyr Cafe at 3643 Balboa has been renamed to La Promenade Cafe. Ownership changed back in June, but it sounds like they just got around to changing the awning. “We have completely renovated the café with new wooden floors and mural paintings depicting French café scenes which gives it its charm.” One Yelp reviewer reports that a lot of the clutter is gone and all the chairs now match. 🙂

Photo by @bonanos