In this article:
—Steakhouse Extraordinaire: Niku Steakhouse, SoMa/Design District
—Playful, Modern Soul Food: Burdell, Oakland
—Thai Noodle Love: Khao Soi Shop Pop-Up at Nari, Japantown
—Michelin-Recommended Abura Soba Noodles: Kajiken, San Mateo Read more →
Multiple road trips through the South for 17 years, studying BBQ styles across states and regions, does, indeed, make me a barbecue “snob.” I have long known it’s nearly impossible to find the “best of the best” outside of the South. So thank God for Matt Horn, who makes the best barbecue I’ve had in the entire West at Oakland’s Horn Barbecue.
I wrote about his fried chicken spot, Kowbird, after it opened early 2022. Horn and team just opened Matty’s Old Fashioned on July 20, 2023, in Old Oakland as his tribute to the classic American diner, but reinvented and refined. Think burgers and McDonald’s-esque fish sandwiches in a brick-walled, blue-and-gold, diamond wall-papered space… Read more →
Opened October 2021 by Finn Stern and Stella Dennig, as Oakland’s Daytrip approaches one and a half years of age, it has become clear it’s one of the city’s best restaurants now. It was named one of Bon Appetit’s top 10 new restaurants in America in 2022 and is one of the tougher reservations in OAK. Read more →
These six spots cover the gamut, from “real deal” New Orleans to Korean fried chicken. Here’s why these six are worth eating at/from now: Read more →
Six new restaurants/eateries, plus one pre-pandemic gem and two bar stops, all draw me to the East Bay. Digging in also meant some disappointments, including solid but not destination-worthy cocktails at charming Palmetto, or overwrought cocktails that sound exciting but don’t deliver at The Miranda. But each of these eight has one (or a few) winning aspects: Read more →
Published November 1, 2021 at The Bold Italic, seven foods from Outside Lands 2021 that we’re still craving (and thankfully, you can still eat around the Bay Area):
During pandemic, our beloved dining and drink communities continue to struggle to survive, so my dining column includes takeout/delivery and outdoor dining standouts, alongside our increasing indoor dining as we move from red to orange tiers. I have vetted, visited and/or ordered directly from each place and all working hard adhering safety guidelines: Read more →
During the pandemic, our beloved dining and drink communities continue to struggle to survive, so my dining column includes takeout/delivery and outdoor dining standouts. This month we cover the gamut from Argentinian empanadas to Japan-worthy sushi. Read more →
In my latest article for The Bold Italic: On hunting for real barbecue in the Bay Area, a passion and struggle for someone who has done multiple BBQ research road trips across the U.S. over the past 15 years.
Covering 9 standout American whiskey (bourbon, rye, etc.) cocktails around the US at Liquor.com, you’ll find my top national drinks on menus at these bars/restaurants: — Chef’s Special Cocktail Bar, Chicago— Existing Conditions, New York City— CDP Bar (at Commis), Oakland, CA— Julep, Houston— The Bindery, Denver— Proof on Main (at 21C), Louisville— Bar Beau, Brooklyn (NYC)— Bird & the Bottle, Santa… Read more →