523118 Tue May 27 16:19:07 -0700 2008 11 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 3725121 Chowhound loves pizza so here is some grist for the mill. A new pizzeria from the owners of Lalimes/T-Rex/Seasalt/Fonda/Jimmy Beans has been approved by the Berkeley zoning adjustments board. "Falanghina" (the name of an Italian white grape variety, in case you are wondering) will soon occupy the empty storefront directly adjacent to Seasalt on San Pablo Avenue near Dwight Way. The plans submitted to the city (and approved last week) include a big wood burning pizza oven. As a neighborhood resident I was thrilled when Seasalt moved in. Needless to say, I am all aquiver at the thought of wood oven pizza a short walk from my front door. The permit paperwork also mentions a full bar, retail wine shop and valet parking. The neighborhood is certainly looking up! Photos, blueprints and more can be found here: http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/ContentDisplay.aspx?id=20572 Tue May 27 16:19:08 -0700 2008 26422 Food_Dude 1 3725311 That's great. I can't believe Berkeley will allow a wood burning oven within its borders. Tue May 27 17:12:01 -0700 2008 3725121 11231 Glencora 2 3725864 Well somehow t-rex got its smokers approved, so they've got some experience in that department. Tue May 27 20:10:56 -0700 2008 3725311 25310 Chuckles the Clone 1 3725748 Who's the chef going to be? Tue May 27 19:30:08 -0700 2008 3725121 195772 radicchio 1 3725880 How can they get the full bar license when Berkeley won't let 900 Grayson serve dinner? Tue May 27 20:18:10 -0700 2008 3725121 69409 emery_jc 2 3725902 Location, location, location. Tue May 27 20:26:42 -0700 2008 3725880 105235 wolfe 2 3725993 sometimes licenses get shared between two businesses owned by the same people. Tue May 27 21:13:31 -0700 2008 3725880 14606 sailorbuoys 2 3727500 900 Grayson's in a manufacturing district where new restaurants are prohibited, so they're limited to the previous tenant's business hours. Falanghina's in a commercial district and within a "designated node" where the city is promoting restaurants and clubs by among other things allowing longer hours and prohibiting certain conflicting types of businesses. Wed May 28 10:46:14 -0700 2008 3725880 11369 Robert Lauriston 3 3727572 Still doesn't explain how they got a wood fire oven approved... Connections, connections, connections. Wed May 28 11:05:47 -0700 2008 3727500 10793 Morton the Mousse 4 3727945 They're required to document installation of "an abatement device that adequately controls particulate emissions and is permitted by the San Francisco Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD)." Wed May 28 12:45:39 -0700 2008 3727572 11369 Robert Lauriston 5 3728300 also known as a smoke scrubber (g) Wed May 28 14:12:26 -0700 2008 3727945 10039 Melanie Wong 2 3727566 Grayson finally had their hearing last week. The ZAB recommended approval, and I'm pretty sure that it went through. It will probably be a couple of months before they actually open for dinner, though, they need to hire new staff, create a menu, etc. Wed May 28 11:04:40 -0700 2008 3725880 10793 Morton the Mousse