Here are my top 10 June dishes and new openings, some newcomers, some established spots. 1. Saison’s Special Nigiri Menu Joshua Skenes’ Saison is known the world over for endless accolades and some of the priciest meals in the nation. Now, there is a restaurant-within-a-restaurant, a hidden dining room that is a collaboration between Skenes and Chef Jiro Lin. Lin… Read more →
Tokyo: not since Rome, my favorite international city outside the US, has a city captured me so wholly, immediately and fully. To arrive the first night was to plot, with the Renaissance Man, when we could return. Japan is a game changer, even for the seasoned traveler. More difficult and closed to outsiders — especially for a city with the… Read more →
Partners Mark Nevin and April Sack opened Tofino Wines this March, which made our 10 Hottest Bars Now list for its unique setting, strong wine selection and notable emphasis as wine hangout/bar as much as it is a retail wine merchant. Alongside an ever-changing, stellar by-the-glass wine list and bottle selection, sherry lovers will delight in the growing sherry section… Read more →
With high altitude (around 8000 feet) and an onslaught of activity, Aspen Food & Wine is a dizzying, long weekend of tastings, seminars, parties and events held in the idyllic mountain town of Aspen every June. This summer I went with a drink focus in mind, even as I ate my way through the weekend. In fact, drink — namely… Read more →
– Top 8 Cocktails of the Month: Sippable goodness, from garden-fresh rhubarb and celery to beer Negronis served in growlers.
– Top 10 Hong Kong Meals: Edible thrills in Hong Kong, from Michelin-starred dim sum to some of the best Spanish tapas and Japanese yakitori in the world.
– Hong Kong’s Thriving Coffee Scene: There is a wealth of vibrant coffee offerings in HK.
From mid-May to mid-June, here are the standout cocktails and new menus I’ve been tasting around the Bay Area. 1 & 2. Lazy Bear’s Stalk Market & Young Blood Ticketed-only Lazy Bear is one of the most exciting restaurant openings of the past year, reaching its one year anniversary this September. It’s exciting to see how its cocktail menu has… Read more →
Hong Kong is a fascinating city — one showcasing Chinese culture in a sophisticated, worldly way that often feels more international than it does expressly Chinese. It’s an easy city to get around in, both in terms language (English is widely spoken) and in navigation, from Hong Kong Island and Central to the short distance across the Bay to the… Read more →
Hong Kong’s coffee scene was a welcome surprise. While the third wave coffee having swept most cities of note around the globe — especially any with a strong food scene — it is not always the case that these coffee renaissances are anywhere near as strong as what has been a decades-long staple of (and has in fact come from)… Read more →
Published at Food Republic on June 11, 2015: ARTICLE: www.foodrepublic.com/2015/04/22/st-george-spirits-is-americas-craftiest-distillery Read more →
This issue:
– My Top 10 Dishes & New Openings of May: From ancient Roman pinsa to Belgian/German food, impeccable seafood to boozy doughnuts, here are some of the best bites and openings now.
– 5 New Take-Out Options: Talking Korean, Dim Sum, Burmese, rotisserie and Vietnamese take-out newcomers.
– Top 10 Spring Wines: From Italy to France, California to Austria, my top 10 wines tasted this Spring.