Published in the Winter 2022-2023 print issue of Maze Row’s VOICES Magazine out of London, Vol. 2:
My interview with Lazy Bear’s (San Francisco) beverage director Jacob Brown finds inspiration in the endless wealth of California produce & vineyards: Read more →
There are longtimers, then there are longtimers. This week I talk about two. One is a 15-year-old fine dining restaurant at the InterContinental SF hotel with a new Greek chef who has cooked at some of the world’s most celebrated restaurants from London to Lima. The other is a local SF legend in the upscale mid-range zone celebrating its 30th anniversary… no small feat in any era for a restaurant. My reasons to revisit both:
—New Chef Who Cooked at Central & The Fat Duck: LUCE
—Eating Through the Decades at ONE MARKET Read more →
Reviewed this issue:
— Luxardo Antico Sour Cherry Aperitif
— Pierre’s Texas Rum
— Conniption Kinship Gin
— Mortlach 16 Year “Distiller’s Dram” Single Malt Scotch Whisky
— Rampur Indian Single Malt
— Dominique x Proxies’ Pétanque Non-Alcoholic Wine
… and more Read more →
THIS ISSUE:
— Eating Raw Beef Off the Side of a Cow, Ancient Hot-Cold Cooking Techniques & More: Elevated Korean barbecue in Seoul.
— February Eats Checklist: 5 dining standouts of the month.
— Latin Vibes, Tunes, Cocktails & Food with Stunning SF Views: New rooftop bar, Cavaña.
— Boundary-Pushing Asian Food at Two Newcomers: Taiwanese-inspired Piglet & Co. & Chinese-Venezuelan Cantoo.
— Oklahoma City Rising: 12 Places to Dine Now. Read more →
These newcomers or new menus cover the gamut, from elevated German beer hall fare to Sichuan Chinese. 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 →
Rooftop bars are proliferating in San Francisco these days… brand new Cavaña just opened late January 2023 on the 17th floor of the LUMA Hotel San Francisco. A stones’ throw from the SF Giants’ Oracle Park, you can hear the ballpark (and at times, concerts) din buzzing nearby as you take in stunning city views of blazing sunsets behind Twin Peaks and the Sutro Tower from the south patio with outdoor bar, to the more chill, fireside glow of downtown SF and the Bay Bridge on Cavaña’s north and east sides. Read more →
This past year I was back twice: in September 2022 and again over Christmas 2022. Over recent visits, I explore the ins-and-outs of 12 places to eat in and around Oklahoma City. Read more →
This week, I share experiences at two newcomers playing with the boundaries of Asian cuisine. One is a pop-up turned hip, new Mission district restaurant hidden behind a graffitied wall, Bruce Lee films on two TVs above the bar, striking paintings of birds. The other is a fluorescent-lit, Tenderloin spot, half underground, roomy but utilitarian in design. The former just opened early January 2023, the other two days before Christmas 2022. They are dissimilar in most ways but for their surprising interplay of Asian cuisines. Read more →
You may think you know Korean barbecue. Unless you’re Korean, live in the U.S.’ heaviest Korean communities, namely across California, Honolulu and New York, or have dug into Korean BBQ in Seoul, you likely have just scratched the surface of the category’s range. Read more →
THIS ISSUE:
— Anchovy Bar Reviewed: Tiny fish heaven… With vermouth, wine and sherry.
— Drink Pairing Inspiration from California’s Endless Produce & Grape-Growing AVAs: My interview with Lazy Bear beverage director Jacob Brown.
— Original Joe’s Westlake: Red sauce Italian legend south of SF in Daly City.
— January Eats Checklist: Four Standouts of the Month, from a nature-rich tribute to California’s majestic trees in edible form, to healthy, chic, nuanced at-home delivery food.
— DISTILLER Bottle Column: This month I review amaro, vermouth, tequila, gin, bourbon, non-alcoholic spirits, RTDs (ready-to-drink/canned) and cocktail mixers. Read more →