Published February 1, 2025, at Distiller Magazine, my bottle review column is about what is unique, standout, new and/or trending in spirits with my review ratings on a 1-5 rating scale. My 10 bottle reviews of the month: Read more →
French with a view: the new Bon Délire on the Embarcadero
Bon Délire debuted in October 2024 along the Embarcadero from restaurateur Kais Bouzidi, who owns Sens and Barcha. Whereas his Middle Eastern and Mediterranean restaurants are directly correlated to his North African roots and Tunisian father, this newcomer nods to his childhood on tiny Ile Saint-Louis, the island where Notre-Dame Cathedral sits in the middle of Paris. It also nods to his French mother, who ran a creperie. Read more →
8 Standout Baltimore Restaurants
Baltimore is Charm City for a reason: it’s deep hospitality and diversity, its rich history that plays out in architecture to waterside views, classic seafood houses and craft distilleries. I’ve been writing about Baltimore since my first visit in 2016 and haven’t written a dining update since then. As I visited and researched twice in 2024 to speak at a major drink conference and do research, here are my 8 top Baltimore spots to dine now, along with my latest bar recommends here: Read more →
10 Top Guadalajara Bars in Distiller Magazine
My article on 10 of Guadalajara’s best bars Read more →
JANUARY Eats & Sips: 8 Standouts of the Month
These newcomers or new menus cover the gamut, from restaurants with views and good food to a modern German beer hall and Spanish sherry and tapas gem. Alongside my latest restaurant reviews, these seven are also worth visiting, with last month’s standouts here. As always, I’ve personally vetted and visited each: Read more →
Bay Area Overnights: Sausalito
In my series of Bay Area/NorCal overnights (like these recent visits to Sonoma, Napa, Yountville), it’s a joy to hit somewhere so spectacular less than 20 minutes from home. Enter The Inn Above Tide in Sausalito. This enchanting seaside community village…
The Inn Above Tide is one of our most special local getaways (or destinations if you’re coming from afar) for Bay views and an intimate respite in the City’s backyard that feels worlds away in a Mediterranean-esque village. Here are three places to eat nearby: Read more →
My Distiller Magazine Interview with Guillermo Sauza of Fortaleza Tequila
My interview with distiller Guillermo Sauza of Fortaleza Tequila Read more →
Pizza with a view: Che Fico at Thrive City
A tough reservation to snag ever since it opened in 2018 in San Francisco’s Western Addition neighborhood, Che Fico remains a destination for chef David Nayfeld’s inspired pastas and unique take on pizzas with sourdough crust done in certified Neapolitan style.
I wrote of the restaurant being reborn in pandemic, then in November 2023, their gorgeous Menlo Park location opened, along with Che Fico Mercato, a market, wine shop and gelateria. Now there is a fourth entrant — and third restaurant — in the growing Che Fico family. Nayfeld and Matt Brewer of Back Home Hospitality opened Che Fico Pizzeria in Thrive City October last year; part of a growing web of new restaurants surrounding the Chase Center. Read more →
My Distiller Magazine Interview with Gina Castillo & Steffin Oghene of Matilde Mi Amor, Guadalajara
My interview with Gina Castillo & Steffin Oghene of Matilde Mi Amor bar in Guadalajara Read more →
Modern Japanese Bar Iris serves some of the most ambitious cocktails around (and fab food)
Since Michelin-starred Nisei opened in August 2021 and its neighboring Bar Iris in October the same year, the modern Japanese duo has faced both acclaim and tragedy. Beloved Iris bar manager Ilya Romanov died tragically at the end of 2022, leaving a void in the team. As Nisei evolved, so too has Bar Iris risen from heartbreak, thanks to its strong team and visionary talent of current bar manager Timofei Osipenko. Read more →