In my recent travels in Portland I trekked to three distilleries within city limits, two established, one brand new. My top priorities were Clear Creek and House Spirits which have been the best I’ve tasted historically of what is coming out of Oregon. I also visited brand new Bull Run Distillery near Clear Creek, boasting a retro tasting room lined… Read more →
Off Menu Joys: New Cocktail Bars Don’t Need Menus When first visiting LA’s Library Bar at the beginning of 2011 (where I’ve returned a few times now), I wished for a closet-sized, farmers market bar such as that with no menu and ultra-talented bartenders. There’s the grandaddy of the speakeasy resurgence, New York’s Milk & Honey, which has been doing… Read more →
Seasoned doesn’t mean old. In fact, what impresses about these five is that their knowledge consistently marries youthful love for their subject and customers. Whether in years of bartending or expertise in classic cocktails and customer service, these five have long encapsulated what made San Francisco a leader in the Cocktail Renaissance of the past decade plus, not a recent… Read more →
Thanks to Napa-based Perfect Puree for a recent intimate dinner celebrating Perfect Puree neighbor Charbay Distillery’s new spirits releases at Jasper’s Corner Tap. The ever talented Kevin Diedrich (bar manager at Jasper’s) crafted three drinks using Perfect Puree’s fresh, bright purees. In typical Diedrich fashion, subtlety and balance wove together each, from a Thymely Fashioned, vivid with Charbay White Whiskey,… Read more →
From Berkeley to Sausalito, new restaurants to old, here are a handful of drinks to put on your warm weather, spring radar – and accompanying bites to go with. COMAL, Berkeley (2020 Shattuck Ave., between Addison & University, Berkeley, 510-926-6300) Downtown Berkeley (as opposed to the rest of Berkeley) has never overwhelmed on excellent dining options, much as I’ve combed… Read more →
WHISKIES of the WORLD Tastes A better than ever year aboard the SF Belle at Whiskies of the World means some fine, global pours of whisk(e)y from Scotland to Australia. On the fun and interesting tip, Lark Distillery distills single malt whisky in Tasmania, an Australian island – and it’s surprisingly solid. Distilled in copper pot stills, it’s smooth with a… Read more →
Spring imparts new life and lush green after Winter rains. It also ushers in a glut of Spring cocktail menus emphasizing the best produce of the season and new trends. Bottled Cocktail Line-up Bottled cocktails are sprouting up everywhere, including just-opened (on April 12), 1950’s era speakeasy, Local Edition, from the Bourbon & Branch crew. There is no carbonation here,… Read more →
LOCAL EDITION, Downtown (691 Market St. at 3rd, 415-795-1375) Bourbon & Branch, Wilson & Wilson, Rickhouse… I’ve frequented (and written about) each since they opened. Though some tire of the speakeasy concept, Bourbon & Branch led that trend, remaining one of the more transporting places to drink anywhere. I value Future Bars (Destination Bars) emphasis on setting and will always… Read more →
HEAVEN’S DOG, 1148 Mission Street (between 7th & 8th Streets), 415-863-6008 Heaven’s Dog has been a haven for superb cocktails since it opened, with excellent bartenders like Erik Ellestad (Savoy Stomp) and pre-Prohibition era cocktails ($10 each) from Charles H. Baker’s The Gentleman’s Companion (aka Jigger, Beaker & Glass). The bar still serves Baker classics, and with new bar manager… Read more →
GITANE, Financial District (6 Claude Lane between Bush & Sutter Streets, 415-788-6686) While I miss the sophisticated, out-of-the-box cocktails of former bar managers Carlo Splendorini and Alex Smith at Gitane (they both continue to craft excellent drinks, Splendorini at Michael Mina, Smith at Honor Bar), I am pleased to say Gitane, one of the sexiest spots in all of SF,… Read more →