This article was first published here at Table8 where I am national editor. The notable restaurant and bar openings of December were Flores, Sasaki, Duchess Oakland in Oakland, Single Thread in Napa, Finn Town, Hinata, Dip, Haight Ashbury Slice House by Tony Gemignani and Lucia’s Pizzeria in Berkeley. While I’ve been to all but two (I am about to visit… Read more →
This article was first published here at Table8 where I am national editor. This year’s return to Denver brought more delights, whether a super cool food hall with downtown Denver views, Avanti Food & Beverage, or cold press juice fixes at Pressed Juice Daily. Despite my ever-extensive research to avoid it, there were a couple disappointments, from the uneven food… Read more →
Last year, the unforgettable S.Pellegrino Grand Gelinaz! Shuffle entailed some of the best chefs in the world switching places/restaurants around the globe for one night only, with my dinner at Coi cooked by none other than the chef of Mugaritz in San Sebastian, Spain. On July 11, they did something different but similarly exciting. Last night’s Gelinaz! Walk With Us… Read more →
This article was first published here at Table8 where I am national editor. California pioneered the ethos of “come as you are”, though the trend has taken over the country in recent years. Especially in SF, LA and Napa, fine dining has leaned towards the casual for decades, even at its most refined. Whether movie stars or Silicon Valley moguls,… Read more →
Here are the 10 standout cocktails and new bars of the month I’ve been tasting around the Bay Area. 1. Saison’s Strawberry & Arms Dinner at 3 Michelin-starred Saison is always memorable — so is an hour spent at the bar with Anthony Keels’ exquisite cocktails, up there with the most inventive drinks I’ve had in London, Berlin or Tokyo.… Read more →
Per usual, I’ve been dining up a storm at many a newcomer, covered in my top openings and standout dishes of March. In addition, here are my five top tastes from three of SF’s best restaurants, one new bar menu and one pop-up dinner preview of an upcoming restaurant. 1. RICH TABLE’S FRIED CHICKEN MADELEINES Since opening in 2012, Evan… Read more →
My editorial best of the year picks were published at Food Republic over December 2015 and January 2016 in a series of articles covering the best in US and international travels, hotels, meals and drink — here is a link to each article I contributed to and my favorites summarized below: – Best Drinking Experiences, International– Best Drinking Experiences, West… Read more →
It’s been another month of excellent food from the 10 plus meals I eat out a week, ever hunting for the best. Prime example: I’m as in love with Chubby Noodle as ever — from its early days in the back of Amante (when I dubbed it one of the top openings of 2011), to its rowdy, packed Marina restaurant… Read more →
August was quite a month for notable new openings from Oakland to SF, including restaurants like The Keystone in the Mosser Hotel (my Zagat feature on the opening here). I also visited months-old spots, like the solid-though-not-overwhelming Buttermilk Southern Kitchen, or savored old school torta comfort (a steal with massive tortas) at Tortas Boos Voni. On the cheap eats front,… Read more →
From mid-July to mid-August, here are the standout cocktails and new menus I’ve been tasting around the Bay Area. 1. Calavera’s Princesa de la Maracuya Just opened in Oakland on August 7th (more on the opening in my Zagat feature), Calavera exudes big city-cool in its lofty dining room, bar and open air porch, serving sophisticated Mexican food and a… Read more →