Many HVNA members know The Absinthe Group for its support of local arts such as the Symphony and the Conservatory of Music. The Russell-Shapiro’s are well known for their philanthropic support of arts and culture in San Francisco. With almost 200 employees in Hayes Valley alone (230 total with a private label packaging plant in Auburn), The Absinthe Group is one of the largest employers in the neighborhood. Boxing Room is open for lunch from 11:30 to 3 and dinner starts at 5 in the evening.īilly Russell-Shapiro and his family own The Absinthe Group. Boxing Room’s beer and wine list benefits from the thirteen years that Absinthe has been in business and the talents of wine director, Ian Becker, winning awards including the Wine Spectator 2011 Best of Award of Excellence. Behind the oyster bar is a large bulletin board listing specialty beers. The gumbos and stews are also crowd pleasers. People love the specialty items on the menu including deep-fried alligator, hushpuppies, crispy boudin balls, fried seafood po’boy and fried chicken. Boxing Room showcases Simoneaux’s Cajun/Creole flavors and techniques. A Louisiana native, Justin was a 2009 Chronicle Rising Star. Justin Simoneaux is the Executive Chef at Boxing Room.

Bill Corbett, Pastry Chef of The Absinthe Group was recently named by San Francisco Magazine as Best Pastry Chef of 2011. Behind all of them on Ivy is the bakery that supplies all pastry for the Absinthe Group family of restaurants. That is a pretty impressive north side of Hayes between Franklin and Gough. Next door is a private event dining room sharing a wall with Arlequin Cafe and Arlequin Wine Merchant at 384 A-B Hayes. Now owning four locations in Hayes Valley The Absinthe Group is known for its top ten San Francisco restaurant rated Absinthe Brasserie & Bar at 398 Hayes. Housed in the former Standards Shirt Company building, Boxing Room is named for its location in the room where shirts were boxed and shipped. Its oyster bar is open from lunch through the afternoon and dinner. Specializing in Southern Louisiana home-style cooking, Boxing Room recently opened for lunch. Boxing Room at 399 Grove at Gough only opened a few months ago in Hayes Valley but is already a success for The Absinthe Group (formerly Mad Will’s Food Company).

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