RN74 San Francisco, an urban restaurant and wine bar by award-winning Chef Michael Mina and Sommelier Rajat Parr, announced a series of celebratory events to honor RN74’s eight-year run before it closes October 7. Named after Route Nationale 74, the main highway that runs through the Burgundy wine region of France, RN74 is set to be replaced by International Smoke, a new MINA Group concept in collaboration with cookbook author and lifestyle expert, Ayesha Curry.
“We want to celebrate RN74’s extraordinary run with a special series of events that honors all that the restaurant has accomplished,” says Mina. “RN74 San Francisco will always hold a special place in my heart, and this fall will be the perfect opportunity to once again raise a glass and enjoy the very best Burgundian food and drink.”
In honor of their contributions to RN74’s legacy, a number of past chefs and sommeliers will return for a few nights this fall for evenings featuring favorite wines from the restaurant’s award-winning wine list paired with a delectable French-inspired three-to-four-course menu. Christie Dufault, a former sommelier at the restaurant from 2009 to 2011, will kick off the series of events on Friday, September 15 by collaborating with RN74’s current Chef de Cuisine James Passafaro. Parr and Chef Jason Berthold, who opened RN74 and served as executive chef of the restaurant for approximately four years, will partner on Monday, September 18, and on Friday, September 22, Sommeliers Eric Railsback and Dustin Wilson will work directly with Chef Passafaro to develop the wine and food pairing. Former RN74 chef and MINA Group Chef Adam Sobel, who garnered 3.5 stars for the restaurant from the San Francisco Chronicle, will visit Thursday, September 28, partnering with RN74 Wine Director David Castleberry.
Castleberry will give wine enthusiasts the opportunity to dive into RN74’s acclaimed wine cellar with a series of themed days for a chance to taste some of RN74’s favorite producers and rare bottles. With Drink like a King on the Budget of a Somm, available every night, diners can give the RN74 beverage team a price point beginning at $250 and a taste profile, and the beverage team will select a premium bottle to enjoy. Patrons can get creative with drinking any night of the week by experiencing Chambong!, which allows sparkling wine lovers to forgo the glass and drink any sparkling wine by-the-glass selection from chambongs. #ManCrushMondays and #WomenCrushWednesdays will profile select bottles to celebrate RN74’s favorite male and female winemakers, respectively. Rounding out the themed offerings, #ThirstyTuesdays and #ThirstyThursdays allow diners to drink bottles of wine from the market list, which is displayed on a train station-style wine board that continuously changes throughout the course of the evening to highlight the last selections of prized bottles, at half price all night.
RN74 opened in 2009 and serves refined interpretations of French classics paired alongside an acclaimed Burgundy-centric wine list. The restaurant earned a number of impressive accolades during its tenure, including a three-and-a-half star review from Michael Bauer of the San Francisco Chronicle, and has held Wine Spectator’s coveted Grand Award since 2010, its first year of eligibility.
