The canned wine “game” keeps getting better. Not only are each of these canned wines or wine clubs of high quality to please the wine geek, they’re approachable for all. One is the best non-alcoholic wine we’ve yet tasted, another contributes to environmental change — and all are (yes!) locally based.
Abacá’s Ube Colada cocktail. (Photo: Courtesy of Instagram via @restaurantabaca/@melissademata I’ll never forget first eating balut, the popular Filipino delicacy of a boiled, fertilized egg embryo eaten from the shell, which also shows up around Asia. At a table full of self-proclaimed “foodies,” mostly men, myself and one other woman were the only ones willing to even try it. My… Read more →
FRIDAY FIVE Fiorella Sunset — Photo Courtesy of Fiorella Restaurant Group In our city of water, hills, and stunning vistas, rooftop dining is a unique joy all to itself— but there are surprisingly few spots from which to seek out. Yes, Karla the Fog and gusty wind conditions add to the city’s mercurial (and moody) skyline. That said: Those two weather anomalies… Read more →
My latest print feature in Gin Magazine, issue 15/September-October 2021 (from the publishers of Whisky Magazine, which I’ve written for here). This issue I cover three bartenders and global bars, featuring their cocktail recipes inspired by and evocative of another region outside their own — with recipes — in the spirit of traveling from home:
From three notable newcomers to two tried-and-true greats (one just turning a year old in pandemic), these are five top places to eat, feast and support now?-?plus three bonus eats for delivery or takeout. I’ve vetted, visited or ordered from every restaurant reviewed here:
This Issue:
— 25 Lusk’s New Traveler Menus Offer Jaunts Around the World: In my weekly Bold Italic dining column, I review longtimer 25 Lusk and its inspired new drink-centric Traveler menus from chef Matthew Dolan and bartender Elmer Mejicanos.
—5 Newcomers and Tried & True Restaurants to Feast At Now: From three notable newcomers to two tried-and-true greats (one just turning a year old in pandemic), these are five top places to eat, feast and support now?—?plus three bonus eats.
— Redwood City’s Warung Siska: Is this newcomer already the Bay Area’s best Indonesian restaurant?
— Distiller Magazine Bottle Column: In my latest column, I review amaro, mezcal, gin, rum, bourbon, vodka, Irish whiskey, olive oils for cocktails and RTDs (canned cocktails/drinks).
— 5 Bay Area Restaurants With Sumptuous Views: My Bold Italic feature on five SF Bay Area restaurants with a view AND good food.
25 Lusk’s New Traveler Menus Offer Jaunts Around the World (With Staycation Vibes) Photo: Courtesy of 25 Lusk via @25lusk Reinvention and multiplicity are smart moves in times like these. As international travel remains a struggle, menus that tour us around a region are a gift. Enter 25 Lusk’s new Traveler concept, which kicked off September 1 inside the restaurant and… Read more →
Published September 2021 at Distiller Magazine, my bottle column covers trends and reviews international spirits and RTDs, with taste ratings:
Redwood City’s Warung Siska Is a Passport to Authentic Indonesian Cuisine Photo: Courtesy of Instagram via @warungsiskarestaurant It takes a woman—or two, in fact—to bring standout Indonesian food to the Bay Area. I’ve spent months around Asia over the past 20 years, and one of the things I’m most proud of about the Bay Area is that it has remained… Read more →
My latest article for The Bold Italic, published September 3, 2021 (my regular Bold Italic articles here), covers 5 SF Bay Area restaurants with a view AND good food.