Dalida Chefs to Open New Mexican Restaurant
Chefs Laura and Sayat Ozyilmaz are set to open their second restaurant, Maria Isabel, in San Francisco's Presidio Heights next week. The new eatery will focus on New Mexican cuisine. It joins the couple's acclaimed Eastern Mediterranean restaurant, Dalida, in the Presidio.
Maria Isabel is slated to open on March 3rd at 500 Presidio Avenue, the former location of Ella's American Kitchen. The new restaurant is strategically located just 1.4 miles from Dalida, allowing the chef-owners to oversee both establishments. The restaurant's name is a personal tribute to Chef Laura Ozyilmaz's family, honoring her mother, Isabel, and her sister, Maria. This follows a similar tradition to their first restaurant, Dalida, which was named after Chef Sayat Ozyilmaz's mother. The 50-seat dining room's design reflects this duality, with one side decorated in bright pink for Maria and the other in darker, earthy tones for Isabel. The menu aims to elevate Mexican cuisine by bridging the culinary traditions of two Pacific coast states: Guerrero, where Laura's mother is from, and Sinaloa, her father's home region. Diners can choose between an a la carte menu and a $90 tasting menu. Specific dishes will include a ceviche Acapulqueño with raw scallops and a broth of serrano chiles and preserved Seville oranges, and pulpo enamorado (octopus salad) served as a tostada. The menu will also feature a section dedicated to "Maiz" (corn), with items like a sweet corn tamal with sea urchin and pescadillas stuffed with rockfish. Larger plates will offer Sinaloa-style ribeye carne asada, lamb ribs barbacoa, and enchiladas with Iberico pork. The kitchen will nixtamalize local corn in-house for its tortillas and source ingredients from local purveyors like Toscano Farms and Fifth Crow Farm. The beverage program, designed by consulting bar director Evan Williams, will showcase less common agave spirits from Mexico, such as bacanora, raicilla, and sotol, in addition to tequila and mezcal. The wine list will feature vintages from California as well as Mexican regions like Baja California and Querétaro. Chef Laura Ozyilmaz, a recent finalist on "Top Chef" Season 21, and Sayat Ozyilmaz have a history of culinary excellence. Their first restaurant, Dalida, which opened in 2023, has received numerous accolades, including recognition from the Michelin Guide, a James Beard Award semifinalist nomination, and being named Eater SF's "Restaurant of the Year." Both chefs trained at The Culinary Institute of America and have worked in world-renowned kitchens, including Eleven Madison Park and Le Bernardin in New York and Saison in San Francisco. Their first joint venture in San Francisco was a popular pop-up called Istanbul Modern.
