Author: Virginia Miller

April 1, 2022

by  on  in Intro Letter

— Willy Wonka Wonderland: Merchant Roots’ themed tasting menu releases your inner child.
— March Eats Checklist: From bagels to banh mi, five newcomers (and one seafood classic) to dine at now.
— 5 New Bars & Bar Menus to Drink (and Eat) Now: Whether a gorgeous new bar with heartwarming food or a The World’s 50 Best Discovery Bar reborn after a devastating fire, these five are worth drinking at now.
— Los Angeles Travel: Spring 2022 Restaurant & Food Guide.
— Reinventing Rare Classic Gin Cocktails: At bars in San Francisco, Hong Kong & London.
— Pasta Heaven: Reviewing the newly reborn Flour + Water.
— Distiller Magazine: My Interviews with Redbird bar manager Tobin Shea & The Spirit Guild distiller Miller Duvall in Los Angeles.

Read more →

Merchant Roots’ Themed Tasting Menu Releases Your Inner Child

by  on  in Top Tastes

In the back of the cozy Merchant Roots wine shop, chef Ryan Shelton launched his first themed tasting menu in January 2019. I’ve raved about these wildly changing, eight-seat dinners ever since. You could call each playful, whimsical, creative, even intellectual, always blessedly delicious.

Yet still too few of you know about it or have dined there. Certainly, it’s Michelin-worthy. But in a spirited, mischievous, smart way, unlike anywhere else. Read more →

March 15, 2022

by  on  in Intro Letter

This Issue:
— Old School Steakhouse Keeps Classic SF Spirit Alive: Harris’ Restaurant.
— 8 Places to Eat & Drink Now: East Bay Edition.
— Los Angeles Travel: Spring 2022 Coffee, Snacks & Drinks Guide.
— Buzzy New Rooftop Spot Transports to Peru: KAIY? Rooftop.
— Beer Restaurant of the Future: Fort Point Valencia Reopens.
— Distiller Magazine: LA Top 10 Bars 2022.

Read more →

Los Angeles Travel: Spring 2022 Restaurant & Food Guide

by  on  in Wandering Traveler

My fall 2021 return to Los Angeles, the region I partly grew up in and spent over 12 years of my youth and, later, young adulthood living in was a busy one. I visited over 35 places, from cafes and coffee roasters, to restaurants and eateries — like pre-pandemic times. While the bar scene was clearly struggling on the service end even more than restaurants were, restaurants were coming back to life.

Here’s the good, the bad and the damn delicious: Read more →

Los Angeles Travel: Spring 2022 Coffee, Snacks & Drinks Guide

by  on  in Wandering Traveler

My fall 2021 return to Los Angeles, the region I partly grew up in and spent over 12 years of my youth and, later, young adulthood living in was a busy one. I visited over 35 places, from cafes and coffee roasters, to restaurants and eateries — like pre-pandemic times. While the bar scene was clearly struggling on the service end even more than restaurants were, restaurants were coming back to life.

Here’s the good, the bad and the damn delicious: Read more →