The New Aphotic: Wildly sustainable seafood and house-distilled cocktails

by  on  in The Latest

I won’t forget my first visit to Palette soon after opening in 2019 when chef Peter Hemsley grilled up rare, local coonstripe shrimp just caught that morning, buttery-fresh and revelatory; like eating our divine local spot prawns for the first time. Midwest-born Hemsley’s hand with seafood was evident from those early days. So maybe it’s little surprise that as Palette closed, Hemsley and team just opened Aphotic in the same space on March 21, 2023, as a sleek tribute to… you guessed it: seafood. Read more →

April 15, 2023

by  on  in Intro Letter

THIS ISSUE:
— Juniper & Starter Bakery: Two new bakeries already set to stand among the Bay’s best.
— Coho: In sleepy Mill Valley, a surprisingly quality land-to-sea newcomer.
— St. Louis Dining Guide: 13 Places to Eat & Drink Now.
— Staycation Palo Alto: A Spanish-themed hotel & two newer restaurants.
— DISTILLER Bottle Column: This issue I review rum, sherry, gin, non-alcoholic wines, Australian whiskies, soju, ciders, American single malt and vodka. Read more →

Staycation Palo Alto: A Spanish-Themed Hotel & Two Newer Restaurants

by  on  in Around the Bay

From recent staycations in the Silicon Valley town of Sunnyvale to the coast in Half Moon Bay, for 21 years I’ve researched and written of hotels, food and drink across the Peninsula. The Bay Area’s “south Bay” is yet another rich and diverse county in our wonderland of NorCal food.

My 10 Time Out dining recommends in Palo Alto still stand — as does a totally different getaway off the 101 freeway in Palo Alto, Four Seasons Silicon Valley. But here are three key newcomers in dining and a boutique hotel worth a local getaway. Read more →

Two New Bakeries Already Set to Stand Among the Bay’s Best: Juniper & Starter Bakery

by  on  in The Latest

Few U.S. cities have a fraction of the world class bakeries that line San Francisco, a city that has led the baking renaissance of the past 20 plus years — again in the 1970s-80 and was a baking leader since the 1800s when famed Boudin Bakery established the city as the world’s sourdough capital.

These two new bakeries — Juniper and Starter Bakery — feel already poised to join our long list of bakery greats, of which any single one would top the “bests” in any city. Read more →

April 1, 2023

by  on  in Intro Letter

THIS ISSUE:
— March Eats Checklist: 5 Standouts of the Month,  from heartwarming Jamaican food to another worthy Italian seafood haven in North Beach
— SF’s New Copra: Coastal India vibes & relaxed, modern Indian cuisine from a chef who ran the U.S.’ only 2 Michelin Indian restaurant.
— Top Cocktail Bars in Seoul, South Korea: My Whisky Magazine bar guide.
— Anomaly SF: Hidden whimsical-molecular restaurant (formerly a beloved pop-up) opens on a sleepy residential block. Read more →