My article was first published here on our national Table8 blog where I am national editor. The key openings of April are: Mister Jiu’s, ‘aina, Wes Burger, Wildhawk, Horsefeather, The Lodge on Haight, Bar San Pancho, Barbary Coast Gastropub. The Lodge is great for affordable, order-at-the-counter eats in the Lower Haight and I’ll save ‘aina for May since it just… Read more →
My article was first published here on our national Table8 blog where I am national editor. The top openings of March are: Joe’s of Westlake (soft opened at the end of February — I will visit soon), Indian Paradox, Pagan Idol (more on one of the most fun new bars in SF here), Waxman’s. Here are my top pick and why… Read more →
This article was first published here at Food Republic on April 8, 2016. “There are two messages I wanted to send all our guests,” says chef Vikrant Bhasin as he delivers a platter of Kashmiri kofta (meatballs made from local lamb) brushed with mustard oil. “One, this is home-cooked food. Second, this is the food available on the streets of India… Read more →
This is a preview of a regular column that will be part of the national Table8 blog we are about to launch this Spring — I will cover the Bay Area and am national editor over all cities/writers. The 10 top openings of February are: Starboard, Ijji, Mensho Tokyo, The Treasury, Antoinette in Berkeley, High Treason (more to come when… Read more →
This article was first published here at Table8 where I am national editor. The year has been off to an intense start in the ever-dynamic Bay Area. There have been no less than a few openings a week, many of note, some downright exciting. The 10 most notable openings of January are: Volta, Nojo Ramen Tavern, Teleferic Barcelona in Walnut… Read more →
High-tech meets fast food with healthy ingredients… and it’s cheap? Enter eatsa, the first location (watch for LA to open in September) of a new fast food restaurant opening today, August 31st, near San Francisco’s Embarcadero in the Rincon Center. Co-founders Scott Drummond and Tim Young are corralling technology to keep prices down (they expect the food to be even lower-priced in… Read more →
When not enjoying cheap eats from hole-in-the-wall favorites like Mexico-authentic chilaquiles from Dona Mago or fantastic xiao long bao, sesame balls and dumplings from Dim Sum Club, I am out exploring new openings, new chef’s menus and returning to places, most recently Amoura, Schroeder’s and Boxing Room. These two low-key newcomers work well for takeout, though no one dish initially… Read more →
South San Francisco may not be (even close) to a Bay Area town you think of for dining — but this newcomer (opened March 9) is worth a trip. In fact, even during our recent rush hour visit, it was only a 15 minute drive from SoMa — and is a short jaunt from SFO airport
New Chefs, New Menus, New Openings February has rushed right past in a blur. And with it, three openings of note. Mourad opened in the last couple days of January so I am including it among February’s top openings: my Zagat feature article on Mourad here. AL’s Place, from a chef whose cooking I’ve long missed, opened early in the… Read more →
THE SQUARE, North Beach (1707 Powell St., 415-525-3579) [Note: Unfortunately, not too long after this review, Claire Sprouse was no longer at The Square and the menu format changed, too, so I can no longer vouch for its quality.] The Square surprised me. As the second incarnation in a historic North Beach space since the legendary Washbag (Washington Square Bar… Read more →