Author: Virginia Miller

New Orleans Guide: 18 Places to Dine Now

by  on  in Wandering Traveler

In 2022 I went to Nola twice a week at a time, to judge in Nola Spirits Competition and Tales of the Cocktail in the blistering, muggy heat of July, and back for a rousing Halloween week.

When it comes to restaurants — and bars (stay tuned for my updated Nola cocktail bar guide in 2023) — there are plenty of new places to love and pandemic survivors that are better than ever. Some restaurants are uneven, but each place here has standout dishes or elements. Journey with me through 18 New Orleans spots that have opened or greatly evolved since pandemic and what stands out (or doesn’t) at each: Read more →

Mendocino & Fort Bragg Magic: Soulful, Foodie Weekend Getaways

by  on  in Around the Bay

Thin places — where heaven and earth come closer or the veil between the here and the otherworld is especially thin — is beloved lore for thousands of years. On California’s breathtaking Mendocino Coast, easily some of the most beautiful and mystical coastline in the world, the couple thousand acres of private coast and redwood forest that is home to The Inn at Newport Ranch since owner Will Jackson bought the land in the 1980s is just such a thin place. Read more →

Visionary Cal-Moroccan at Mourad SF

by  on  in Top Tastes

Mourad Lahlou’s Mourad is the best upscale modern Moroccan restaurant I’ve been to in the U.S. Mourad’s visionary Cal-Moroccan cuisine, a more upscale sibling to his long-beloved, more casual Aziza, has been a trailblazer in that category since he opened it in San Francisco’s Richmond District in 2001.

Just after I wrote this review, California Michelin stars were announced earlier this week, and I am puzzled as to why Mourad would lose its Michelin star of multiple years, especially given the tighter-than-ever service, drink pairings and dishes I experienced there last week. When not one but three dishes leave a deep impression, that already is well above the average. I’ll explain. Read more →

Roman Pinsa Multiplies in SF: Montesacro Marina

by  on  in The Latest

When Roma native Gianluca Legrottaglie opened Montesacro in SoMa in 2015, it was the first proper Roman pinseria in the nation, complete with pinsaiolis (akin to a pizzaiolo) from Rome. Not familiar with pinsa? It’s an ancient Roman-style pizza, oval-shaped, happily crispy and airy simultaneously and made from a more easily digestible fermented soy, rice and wheat flour blend. Montesacro’s thoughtfully-made recipe remains the best I’ve had anywhere.

… in June 2022, San Francisco gained their second Montesacro in the Marina. Read more →

December 1, 2022

by  on  in Intro Letter

THIS ISSUE:
— November Eats Checklist: 7 standout restaurants & newcomers of the month.
— Seoul Guide: Where to dine & stay in Korea’s capital city.
— Malaysian Buzz in Sleepy Outer Noe: The new Damansara.
— Rosemary & Pine: Playful neighborhood comfort from Michelin-starred team.
— Distiller Magazine Honolulu: Interview with Pint+Jigger and Harry’s Hardware Emporium bar manager Dave Newman. Read more →