![]() ![]() ![]() He’s also built a solid delivery business, something he’d done even before the pandemic, luckily. He was a FedEx driver before he and two partners opened the restaurant, which quickly became just his when his partners left for other businesses shortly after opening. While Situ was born in China, his family came to San Francisco when he was 9 years old, and he’s never left. John Situ, the owner of Double Decker, shows off his signature hamburger at his restaurant in the Hayes Valley neighborhood of San Francisco on July 23, 2020. Situ said while he typically got about 10% of his business from hotel guests (pre-pandemic), he has a good crew of regular customers consisting of neighborhood residents, city hall workers and even students from a few nearby schools. Sometimes people call it the cafeteria because it's just comfortable normal food. Every one of them is pretty much like that,” Situ said. There just aren’t many spots to get a meal for under $10 anymore - people tend to flock to the neighborhood for special occasions at Nightbird, Petit Crenn or Rich Table. Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATEĭouble Decker’s inability to fit in with the high-end shops and restaurants of the neighborhood are exactly why Situ thinks its been able to survive since 2008, even making it through the pandemic. It's the signature hamburger at the Double Decker restaurant in the Hayes Valley neighborhood of San Francisco. ![]() The Double Decker has two Angus beef patties topped with Swiss and cheddar cheese. Situ said the new restaurant would likely be on top of a rooftop garden, where simple, greasy burgers may not quite fit the aesthetic. And while Situ said the project managers have told him that he’s welcome to reopen his restaurant when the new hotel opens, he’s not sure it will fit with the new, higher-end vibe. The restaurant's structure is connected to a hotel next door. He just has no idea when.Ĭustomers wait outside for their order from Double Decker, a hamburger restaurant in the Hayes Valley neighborhood of San Francisco on July 23, 2020. To no one’s surprise, this development has been delayed several times, meaning Situ knows he needs to vacate the space. Since 2016, there have been plans to demolish the Days Inn the restaurant is attached to, replacing the 47 hotel rooms and 33 parking spots with a much larger, five-story hotel, complete with 158 rooms and 33 basement parking spots. This burger is a mere $9.95 (the regular is $7.45), but its days in Hayes Valley are numbered. It only takes one bite to remember that a good burger doesn’t need to come with a $20 price tag. It’s a giant burger consisting of two patties - Swiss on one and cheddar cheese on the other - on a pillowy, toasted brioche bun topped with lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles and a special sauce. The toppings for multiple hamburgers are laid out at the prep station for Double Decker, a hamburger restaurant in the Hayes Valley neighborhood of San Francisco on July 23, 2020. Situ’s wife suggested embracing the two-story theme and the team settled on the name Double Decker, which also became the name of their signature burger. ![]() The space was most recently a sushi restaurant named Zoya, before Situ and two friends came up with a concept for a burger joint, ripping down the heavy curtains that lined the windows and opening with a simple menu. Double Decker owner John Situ said when he found the spot advertised on Craigslist back in 2008, he was told it was a cursed spot since so many restaurants rotated through. The motel-style hotel popped up in 1960 with an attached circular restaurant that never seemed to be able to keep a tenant for very long. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.As Hayes Valley underwent a massive transformation in the past 20 years, largely spurred on by the demolition of the Central Freeway, perhaps the last remaining vestige of that earlier era is the neighborhood’s Days Inn. To finish, top with the lettuce mixture, and then stack a second burger on top. Place the first burger on the bun, then layer with tomatoes, onions and pickles. Then spread the spicy ketchup on the bottom bun. Place the burgers on the oiled surface and cook for 2 minutes on each side.Īssemble the tomatoes, onions and pickles on a cutting board. Next, add 2 tablespoons grape seed oil to the flat top. Preheat a flattop to medium-high heat, 300 degrees F, and then place the buttered interior of the buns face down on the flat top, cooking until golden brown. Do not over mix because it will make for a tough burger. Add the iceberg lettuce and toss to combine.įor the spicy ketchup: Combine the ketchup, Cajun spice and hot sauce in a bowl.įor the burger: Mix the ground beef and salt and pepper blend in a bowl until well mixed. For the horseradish cream: Combine the sour cream, horseradish, salt and some pepper in a bowl. ![]()
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