Draymond Green now can add San Francisco restaurant owner to his list of accolades.
The San Francisco Chronicle first reported in a story on Monday that the Warriors legend will open Meski, a ritzy Ethiopian-Dominican fusion restaurant on 1000 Larkin St. in Lower Nob Hill, this March.
Green and his co-owners, Guma Fassil and Nelson German, aim to create a unique dining experience celebrating Black culture.
“It’s hard to find anything that represents Black culture in San Francisco,” Green told the Chronicle. “I want to create a staple in this city that people can go to and regardless if you are actually a part of that culture, you can feel that and feel welcome. We don’t have many footprints in the sand here when you talk about taking in Black culture.”
Fassil owns the Ethiopian restaurant Meski’s in Berkeley, while German, who was a contestant on “Top Chef,” owns the Dominican restaurant AlaMar in Oakland.
The trio aims to fuse Dominican and Ethiopian food for an irresistible blend of umami and spicy flavors.
“It’s merging two diasporas: the traditional ingredients of Ethiopian cuisine and mixing it with the passion and adventure and seasonality of Dominican cuisine,” Fassil explained to the Chronicle.
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While the drink selection will focus on some Instagram-worthy touches like flaming cocktails, the heart of the menu will channel Ethiopian and Caribbean flavors, such as a margarita rimmed with the East African spice berbere.
Green, German and Fassil have been discussing launching a restaurant in recent years, particularly one that celebrates Black culture. Now, they’ll get their chance with German as the executive chef in charge of creating the menus, Fassil as the managing partner and Green as the main financial backer and public face.
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For German, it’s an exciting opportunity to help revitalize San Francisco, a city that many believe needs a cultural facelift after years of lagging post-pandemic recovery.
“The city is turning around, and we want to be part of that trend and innovation — honoring foods that have been unrepresented for years, especially in San Francisco,” German told the Chronicle.
Meski officially will open for dinner on March 7. The restaurant’s regular hours are 5-11 p.m. (bar until midnight) Sunday-Thursday and 5:30-midnight (bar until 1 a.m.) Friday and Saturday with plans to open for brunch and happy hour eventually.