Author: Virginia Miller

August 1, 2023

by  on  in Intro Letter

THIS ISSUE:
— Noodle in a Haystack: Ramen-inspired tasting menu from self-taught chefs.
— Portugal’s Dining & Lodging Scene Now: And chef José Avillez’ new Casa Nossa retreat, in my VOICES magazine feature
— Che Fico is a Restaurant Reborn Post-Pandemic: They also still serve unique pastas & one of the ultimate, much-copied pineapple pizza
— New Orleans Bar Guide: My latest 10 top Nola bars guide in Gin Magazine
— Interview with Lost Spirits’ founders Bryan Davis & Joanne Haruta & distiller Mary Dempsey: My interviews with the Jammyland Bar Team in Las Vegas
Read more →

Noodle in a Haystack: Ramen-inspired tasting menu from self-taught chefs

by  on  in The Latest

When international fellow dining judge friends are asking me about tiny Noodle In A Haystack in my city of San Francisco, I pay attention. I was already curious but skeptical about the pricey ($185 extended menu, $130 weeknight menu) cult ramen pop-up, opened by husband-wife duo Yoko and Clint Tan in spring 2022 as their first brick-and-mortar. It’s looks abandoned: an unmarked corner space with covered-up windows and a 10-seat counter in the Inner Richmond… Read more →

Che Fico is a restaurant reborn post-pandemic

by  on  in Top Tastes

Che Fico has been a special pizza, pasta and house charcuterie haven in a city that’s silly with the best in the nation in each of those categories. But despite our plethora of world-class pizza and pasta in San Francisco, chef David Nayfeld has a unique take unmatched in SF — or anywhere, for that matter. Yet the style is so very San Francisco. Che Fico has made dramatic shifts behind the scenes since pandemic. How does that translate on the plate? Read more →

Packed from day one: the new Flour+Water Pizzeria hits North Beach

by  on  in The Latest

Truth be told, I’ve always been about chefs Thomas McNaughton and Ryan Pollnow’s Italy-worthy pastas at Flour + Water even more than the pizza at Flour + Water Pizzeria, which closed in the Mission last summer 2022. I still am most devoted to that original 2009 spot that started it all as a pasta-pizza combo restaurant, reborn early 2022, better-than-ever as a pasta haven deserving of a Michelin star. But Flour + Water Hospitality Group’s new Flour + Water Pizzeria just opened June 28, 2023, in North Beach in the former Rose Pistola space, an Italian favorite since I moved here in 2001, and of so many San Francisco longtimers. It’s heartwarming to see life in the 4,000 square foot space again after six years… Read more →

July 15, 2023

by  on  in Intro Letter

THIS ISSUE:
— Charleston Dining Guide: Where to eat and stay now in South Carolina’s Holy City.
— SF’s New Gambit Lounge: A wine bar with rare Central & Eastern European eats.
— Brand New Flour+Water Pizzeria Hits North Beach in the Old Rose Pistola Space: And it’s packed from day one!
— Is the $100 Pho Worth it at Inner Sunset’s New Gao Viet Kitchen? We’re not sure, but many other Vietnamese dishes here are worth going in for (and far more affordable).
— Distiller Bottle Column: This issue I review rum, aperitifs, gin, Scotch whisky, tequila, awamori, American whiskies, and more. Read more →

Charleston Dining Guide: Where to Eat & Stay Now

by  on  in Wandering Traveler

Charleston’s Colonial-era architecture with colorful Caribbean influence in soothing blues, pinks and yellows is one-of-a-kind. The small, walkable city has grown greatly in notable restaurants and bars the 16 years I’ve been visiting, far beyond its size in terms of the quality-to-size ratio. Its palmetto-lined streets are like stepping back in time. The city is by turns bright and vibrant, at turns a bit Gothic and moody, reminiscent of, but very different from, Savannah and New Orleans.

Alongside my hotel recommendation, the nine eateries below stood out, not always for good reasons, but the first few are among my top food recommends now in the “Holy City.” Read more →

SF’s new Gambit Lounge: A wine bar with rare Central & Eastern European eats

by  on  in The Latest

Let’s establish two things first: there isn’t enough Central and Eastern European food around. And there is something to be said for industry vets who were part of establishing San Francisco’s dining scene back in the 1990s.

You’ll find both factors behind Gambit Lounge, a new Hayes Valley spot that quietly opened November 2022 to strong user reviews but under-the-radar buzz, in the former Noir Lounge wine bar. Gambit continues the wine bar vibes, backed by two industry vets… Read more →