Category: The Latest

Hayes Valley’s Buzzy New Neighborhood Hang: Hazie’s

by  on  in The Latest

On August 11, 2022, the former Stacks space in Hayes Valley came to life again as Hazie’s from Hat Trick Hospitality team (The Brixton, Rambler). The name is rough, even a bit cheesy, but the space is dramatically reborn via ROY Hospitality Design: uncovered windows and open space make it look far bigger than before. A curved, sweeping bar, colorful artwork in nooks and plenty of spots for couples and groups, make it feel like the large neighborhood hangout Hayes Valley was missing. Gazing over Patricia’s Green, it takes in the bustle outside, feeling like a party inside at peak hours. Read more →

Vietnamese Food Haven (with Cocktails) at Bodega

by  on  in The Latest

San Francisco’s Tenderloin has long been a key neighborhood for Vietnamese food, its western blocks dubbed Little Saigon. Head out to the entire half of the city that includes the Richmond, Sunset and Parkside districts and you have an array of Vietnamese restaurants, banh mi shops, pho houses and the like. But there’s nothing quite like new Bodega, from its sleek, modern diner decor to cocktails with Vietnamese food… Read more →

New Neighborhood Standout Where Dinner & Dessert Shine: Maybeck’s

by  on  in The Latest

Maybeck’s opened in 2016 in the Marina as essentially a renamed Spaghetti Bros. restaurant, going for modern “red sauce” Italian food. I still remember their spumoni ice cream. The restaurant wasn’t exactly worth crossing neighborhoods for but it was solid, and has been closed in pandemic not just for a refresh but a complete rebirth and ownership change, despite keeping the name. Read more →

Live Music from Conservatory Students with Food from Chef Legend Loretta Keller: Uccello Lounge

by  on  in The Latest

Chef Loretta Keller is a San Francisco treasure since she opened Bizou in 1993, which became the long-beloved COCO500 in 2005… I’ve dined at all her ventures multiple times over the last 21 years, so delighted I was to see her return… to open Uccello Lounge on the ground floor of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music’s (SFCM) new Bowes Center. Read more →

Two Female Bartenders With A Perspective You Can Taste in the Glass: For the Record & Members Only

by  on  in Imbiber, The Latest

A few elements must align to come into one’s own voice and it’s never a one-time deal but an ongoing evolution. Maturity, experience and time are the oft-discounted but key factors to holistic integration for those pursuing it. However, other crucial pieces include timing and the right platform/s from which to express one’s voice…

Normally, this Friday review is devoted to restaurants: and both these new bars serve food, so we’ll get into that. But this week, it’s more about drink menus on par with great food and about two women coming into their voice on their current menus: Read more →