Author: Virginia Miller

June 1, 2023

by  on  in Intro Letter

THIS ISSUE:
— May Eats Checklist: 6 restaurant and eatery standouts of the month, from Greek food to banh mi, fermented Japanese foods to modern Filipino.
— Two New Restaurants You Don’t Know, but Should: Pizza and global small plates with natural wines and vinyl at cozy Back to Back. And Xica, a modern Mexican restaurant in an airy, large space overlooking a fountain-lined square with order-at-the-counter casualness.
— San Francisco’s Inaugural AAPI Cocktail Week.
— Distiller Bottle Column: This issue I review rum, sotol, gin, Scotch whisky, Cognac, RTDs juice mixers, American single malt, and more.
— Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience 2023: Top tastes and events over this leading Sonoma County food and drink event. Read more →

DISTILLER Bottle Column: May 2023

by  on  in Imbiber

Reviewed this issue:
— Rhum J.M Terroir Volcanique Rum
— Los Magos Barrel-Aged Sotol, WhistlePig Edition #1
— Bertha’s Revenge Small Batch Irish Gin
— The Yuzu Co. Cold-Pressed Yuzu Juice
— Mortlach Midnight Malt 30 Year Scotch Whisky
— Miixt Vodka Kombucha Refresher
— Merlet XO Cognac
— Santa Fe Spirits Colkegan Unsmoked Single Malt Whiskey
… and more Read more →

Top Tastes & Events from Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience 2023

by  on  in On the Town

In the small downtown of Healdsburg, Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience (HWFE) just hosted its second year, May 18–21, 2023, featuring a range of events highlighting some of Sonoma County’s best food and wines. From a region that grows some of the best produce in the nation, local produce is highlighted in the food, while the Queen grape is showcased at every turn — plus a few cocktails, too.

Here were the standout tastes and events this weekend: Read more →

May 15, 2023

by  on  in Intro Letter

THIS ISSUE:
— Popi’s Oysterette: An idyllic new, all-day neighborhood SF-style oyster bar.
— Mattina: A new all-day cafe that doubles as idyllic neighborhood Cal-Italian restaurant.
— East Meets West: Old world wines paired with Japanese food at two Michelin-starred restaurants in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Read more →

A New All-Day Cafe That Doubles As Idyllic Neighborhood Restaurant: Mattina

by  on  in The Latest

SPQR opened back in 2007, but it wasn’t until Matthew Accarrino came on board as chef in 2009 that it quickly became a top pasta restaurant in the nation — and one of multiple Italy-worthy pasta destinations in San Francisco.

So it was good news, indeed, to hear Accarrino and team were opening their first casual restaurant and all-day cafe, Mattina, on April 1, just around the corner from SPQR in Charles Phan’s former Out the Door space. Think coffee, house pastries and biscuit sandwiches all day, and a full lunch menu, soon to be available at dinner. Read more →

Idyllic New Neighborhood Oyster Bar: Popi’s Oysterette

by  on  in The Latest

San Francisco’s history is interlaced deeply with seafood. Dungeness crab. Local halibut. Anchovies. Tomales Bay oysters. It’s in our blood and roots. SF’s style of seafood oyster bars are its own.

Popi’s Oysterette, just opened in the Marina from chef/partner Melissa Perfit, a former “Top Chef” contestant who cooked at my beloved Bar Crudo since back in 2005 in its original space (which I still miss). She was asked to run Popi’s by Tacolicious owners Joe Hargrave and Mike Barrow, who also brought on partner/general manager Davin Affrunti, formerly of Larkspur’s Hog Island Oyster. Read more →