Published at Food Republic in June 2015, my article on Chinese food and American Chinese food’s history coming to the U.S. via San Francisco: www.foodrepublic.com/2015/06/10/the-history-of-san-franciscos-chinatown-in-10-dishes Read more →
Interviewing Robert Dawson of Kō Hana Distillers, Oahu, Hawai’i
In the Spring 2023 print issue (Vol. 19, Issue 4) of Distiller Magazine, my interview with Robert Dawson of Kō Hana Distillers, Oahu, Hawai’i. My video in the fields with owners/founders Robert Dawson and Jason Brand the first day they were using their new John Deere harvester after years of hand-harvesting in April 2022: www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9Mg20wFth4&t=6s. ARTICLE HERE: My Distiller Magazine features… Read more →
Minimalist-But-Lush Fine Dining at SF’s New Kiln
Did we need another fine dining, tasting menu-only restaurant? “Need” is maybe the wrong choice of words. With the arrival of Kiln, just open May 16th, 2023, in Hayes Valley in the former Cala space, we have yet another upscale restaurant that already exemplifies why San Francisco easily offers the U.S.’ best fine dining, but is also a global player. Read more →
Cocktails to eat by: Three standout bars with food in San Francisco
From one of the key cities that birthed cocktails to the world in the 1800s, San Francisco has no end of hundreds of stellar bars with stellar food. We welcome a new one from a beloved industry bartender and standout new menus at two bars we already love, all three with quality food, too. Read more →
12 Summer Sips: Wines to Suit Every Palate
From sparkling summer crushers to thoughtful natural wines, I’ve got 12 bottles to suit a wide range of palates, meals or occasions, including standout non-alcoholic wines. For more, my last wine recommendations and last summer’s 12. Read more →
June 1, 2023
THIS ISSUE:
— May Eats Checklist: 6 restaurant and eatery standouts of the month, from Greek food to banh mi, fermented Japanese foods to modern Filipino.
— Two New Restaurants You Don’t Know, but Should: Pizza and global small plates with natural wines and vinyl at cozy Back to Back. And Xica, a modern Mexican restaurant in an airy, large space overlooking a fountain-lined square with order-at-the-counter casualness.
— San Francisco’s Inaugural AAPI Cocktail Week.
— Distiller Bottle Column: This issue I review rum, sotol, gin, Scotch whisky, Cognac, RTDs juice mixers, American single malt, and more.
— Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience 2023: Top tastes and events over this leading Sonoma County food and drink event. Read more →
DISTILLER Bottle Column: May 2023
Reviewed this issue:
— Rhum J.M Terroir Volcanique Rum
— Los Magos Barrel-Aged Sotol, WhistlePig Edition #1
— Bertha’s Revenge Small Batch Irish Gin
— The Yuzu Co. Cold-Pressed Yuzu Juice
— Mortlach Midnight Malt 30 Year Scotch Whisky
— Miixt Vodka Kombucha Refresher
— Merlet XO Cognac
— Santa Fe Spirits Colkegan Unsmoked Single Malt Whiskey
… and more Read more →
May Eats Checklist: 6 Food Standouts of the Month, from Greek to Banh Mi
These newcomers or new menus cover the gamut, from elevated Greek food to Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches. Alongside this month’s full restaurant reviews, these six are also worth visiting, with last month’s standouts here. As always, I’ve personally vetted, visited or ordered from each place reviewed: Read more →
Back to Back & Xica: Two new restaurants you don’t know, but should
One restaurant, a buzzy pizza-meets-global-plates and natural wine spot on Nob Hill; the other, a sunny Mexican newcomer on peaceful Levi Plaza. They may have slipped your notice, but don’t let them. They may not be getting a lot of press, but they’re two delightful new San Francisco neighborhood restaurants. Read more →
San Francisco’s Inaugural AAPI Cocktail Week: May 8–11, 2023
From May 8–11, 2023, our own Kevin Diedrich, owner of PCH (Pacific Cocktail Haven) and Kona’s Street Market — named American Bartender of the Year and PCH the Best American Cocktail Bar at Tales of the Cocktail in 2020 — quietly and quickly launched the inaugural SF AAPI Cocktail Week, an event that will be bigger next year with more… Read more →