Can I Speak to the Manager? sits down with the event director of San Francisco's admired Lazy Bear restaurant to learn about the Aussie's acclimation to the San Francisco restaurant microclimate.

On her earlier career:

I‘ve been in the event industry for about 8 years. I grew up in Melbourne and managed events at the heritage listed Immigration Museum and Scienceworks before moving to SF. I was a big fan of Lazy Bear and was actually planning to dine there once I found a job, as a celebration. Fortunately, they had a position open in events, and now I’ve been here for over a year managing their events program and now the program for our sister venue True Laurel.

On what her Lazy Bear coworkers recommended for her in SF: 

Californios, Coi, Benu and Saison are high on the hit list. A few team favorites include Al’s Place, The Morris, The Progress, Liholiho & Monsieur Benjamin. I love the mushroom pizza at A16 and Charmaine’s for fries & the fire pits. When I’m south bay I order everything from the middle of the menu at Bird Dog Palo Alto, and the ramen at Ramen Izakaya Yu-Gen, Mountain View.

I’m always looking for good espresso coffee with milk. If you’re in the city, Andytown, Linea Caffe, and Cento have great espresso, oat or almond cap is my go-to. If you’re down south Verve Coffee with avocado toast or the poached egg biscuit. If you’re on the east side Devout Coffee in Fremont have a pretty serious operation.

On what to do in Melbourne:

Go to Melbourne in March. Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, The Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival, International Comedy Festival, International Flower Show, and F1 Australian Grand Prix are all in the same month. You can visit the laneway bars and restaurants and check out some really cool events at the same time.

I miss brunch in Melbourne, it’s totally different to what I’ve seen in the US so far. Melbourne brunch is fancy inventive breakfast dishes but still fun & relaxed. Firstly, brunch is available every day, being a coffee snob is a thing, and the space is just as important as the food. Kettle Black is a renovated Edwardian style house, cafes like Auction Rooms and Proud Mary (who now have a location in Portland!) are converted warehouse/industrial style spaces, and cafes like Kitty Burns & Higher Ground have won international design awards.

On what Melbourne could take from San Francisco:

San Francisco has amazing craft bars. One of my first experiences here, I asked for whatever the bartender’s favorite was, and he replied “it doesn’t work that way honey”, followed by a series of questions before he suggested a drink. Bartenders in SF know their stuff, they’re experts in every component of a drink, and then some, and they want to share their knowledge with you. I love P.C.H, Louie's Gen-Gen Room underneath Liholiho, Trick Dog, and anything gin-based at Wildhawk.

Melbourne could also do with some technicolor, there is no shade of paint off limits here.  

On what makes Lazy Bear unique:

It’s an experience. An immersive, multi-sensory, culinary experience and it starts as soon as you see the two long dining tables in front of an entirely open kitchen. Lazy Bear is unique because everything from the menu, dining format, and the venue itself are inspired by nostalgia, the wild, and sense of adventure. My favorite part is the unexpected interactions and connections you make with each other and with our team. You’re encouraged to visit the kitchen, ask questions, take photos, as the chefs prepare each course. There can sometimes be 10+ chefs in the kitchen shoulder to shoulder, plating each dish identically. Lazy Bear is in part a performance, as each of the 12ish courses are "introduced", educating you on the techniques used, the inspirations, or the produce that drives the menu. They get you so excited about what you’re eating and drinking, and they have fun while doing it. It’s THE perfect event they never meant to make, plus they have a pretty good playlist.

On other San Francisco venues she admires:

Coming from Melbourne, The Pearl and Bluxome Street Winery have that industrial look that I love. Anything with a bit of age and character like Fort Mason, the piers along Embarcadero, The Ferry Building and The Mint, are beautiful spaces with great stories.

On great vacations:  

Most recently I went to New York, I can see why people brave the winters, there are so many great places to eat and drink. The best thing I did was Sleep No More at the McKittrick Hotel – truly an immersive experience produced by Punchdrunk, it’s not what you think it is.

I totally get why people love New York pizza now - I was always skeptical because I like my wood-fired Italian style pizza but we ended up having pizza every night. Most often at Cassiano’s Pizzeria, owned by Yannis, a Cypriot guy who worked there every night. It was a couple blocks from our Airbnb and no matter what time we went, he was there to greet us by name.

A vacation I’d repeat is Thailand, they take fine dining to another level. Sirocco is the 63rd floor of Lebua State Tower and has a completely open rooftop restaurant and bar with a ridiculous view of Bangkok. Six Senses Koh Samui, sits on the edge of a cliff. You’re literally dining on the rocks with the ocean beneath you.

Note: Interview with Annie Andreou edited by Alison Harrigan. Cover photo by Kassie Borreson.