Author: Virginia Miller

October 15, 2016

by Virginia Miller on October 15, 2016 in Intro Letter

This issue:

— September’s Top 3 Openings: In SF, the three standout newcomers of the month, from an inventive, modern Japanese restaurant that could be one of the best openings of the year to a po boy neighborhood hangout with mint juleps on draft.
— New Orleans: My latest top 8 spots for dining and drink (plus a great food hall, dessert cafe and jazz brunch spot) in my beloved Nola.
— 10 Top Boston Bars: Plus my Boston area interviews with Bob Ryan of Ryan & Wood Distilleries & Yvonne’s bar manager, Nicole Lebedevitch.

SF: Top 3 New Openings of September

by Virginia Miller on October 15, 2016 in The Latest, Top Tastes

This article was first published here at Table8 where I am national editor. The most notable restaurant and bar openings of September were Old Devil Moon, Nomica, Maybeck’s (essentially a renamed Spaghetti Bros.), Mezcalito, Eva’s Waterfront in Oakland and the delightful joys of Taiwanese snow at Powder. Here are my top three newcomers of the month… and why they stand… Read more →

New Orleans: 8 Top Places to Eat & Drink Now

by Virginia Miller on October 15, 2016 in Wandering Traveler

This article was first published here at Table8 where I am national editor. My beloved New Orleans, the one US city in my adult life that has been calling to me for a decade, continues to tempt me to move there or dream about a second home in its sometimes gritty, ever-atmospheric and inspired streets. The modern wave in dining… Read more →

10 Top Boston Bars + Interview with Ryan & Wood Distilleries & Yvonne’s

by Virginia Miller on October 15, 2016 in Wandering Traveler

My Fall 2016 feature articles for Distiller Magazine on Boston, with an 8-page print spread, my photos and three articles: My article on 10 of Boston’s great bars My interview with Bob Ryan of Ryan & Wood Distilleries in Gloucester, MA My interview with Nicole Lebedevitch at Yvonne’s More of my Boston food and drink recommends here. Past issues (top… Read more →

October 1, 2016

by Virginia Miller on October 2, 2016 in Intro Letter

This issue:

— 4 “Best Kept Secret” SF Restaurants: Innovative, 2 Michelin-starred Cal-Indian cuisine that recalls London? Scandinavian crayfish glories in a cozy, revamped space? Here are four standout San Francisco restaurants that somehow stay blessedly under-the-radar.
— Top 11 National October Cocktails & 7 Notable New Bars
— Top 5 Whiskies at Whiskyfest 2016: My five top picks for new whisk(e)y releases — from Scotland to India, Washington to Kentucky — tasted at this year’s Whiskyfest.

4 “Best Kept Secret” SF Restaurants

by Virginia Miller on October 1, 2016 in Top Tastes

This article was first published here at Table8 where I am national editor. These four San Francisco restaurants, widely varying in style and price range, have been open for awhile — and are worth a fresh look (or revisit) as their chefs continue to innovate and serve damn great dishes. Innovative Indian Cuisine: TAJ CAMPTON PLACE, Union Square Moving up… Read more →

Top 11 National October Cocktails & 7 Notable New Bars

by Virginia Miller on October 1, 2016 in Imbiber

I continue to be busy covering cocktails and bars around the US at Liquor.com. I recently did a feature on 7 of the most notable new or about-to-open bars around the US this fall. Covering the top 11 cocktails of the month around the US each month, you’ll find my bar and drink recommends this month at these bars: –… Read more →

Top 5 Whiskies at Whiskyfest SF 2016

by Virginia Miller on October 1, 2016 in Imbiber, On the Town

It’s my 8th year attending Whiskyfest San Francisco (also held in Chicago and NYC annually) and like any other year, the event held many return sips of favorite whiskies (here are last year’s standouts), from Scotland, Japan, Ireland, Canada, India and the US, in the massive underground ballrooms of the SF Marriott Marquis. Of new releases this year, here were… Read more →

September 15, 2016

by Virginia Miller on September 20, 2016 in Intro Letter

This issue:

— The Top New SF Opening of August: Japanese curry shortrib shepherd’s pie? 30 rotating, often rare, draft beers? You’ll want to check out this Russian Hill newcomer.
— Two Japanese Neighborhood Gems That Transport to Japan: These two SF restaurants are out of the way, intimate Japanese restaurants all about “real deal” Japanese food (and, no, they aren’t sushi spots).
— Top 10 Dallas Bars: My latest feature in print at Distiller Magazine, including an interview with Michael Martensen of Dallas’ Proof + Pantry and Madrina.

The Top New SF Opening of August

by Virginia Miller on September 20, 2016 in The Latest, Top Tastes

This article was first published here at Table8 where I am national editor. The key restaurant and bar openings of August are Buffalo Theory, Barzotto, Bon, Nene, Nightbird, Tartine Manufactory, Limewood Bar & Restaurant in Berkeley. I’ll be visiting Nightbird soon and Tartine, being the bakery that changed the US baking game, is certainly a special opening with their new… Read more →