DISTILLER Bottle Column: March 2025

by  on  in Imbiber

My bottle review column (last month’s edition here) is about what is unique, standout, new and/or trending in spirits with my review ratings on a 1-5 rating scale. My 8 bottle reviews of the month: ARTICLE: https://distilling.com/distillermagazine/new-release-roundup-march-2025/ Reviewed this issue:— atōst California Spritz (Ventura, CA)— Santa Teresa 1796 Triple Aged Solera Rum (Venezuela)— KLEOS Mastiha Spirit (Chios, Greece)— Hendrick’s Oasium Gin… Read more →

SF Bay Area March Top Eats

by  on  in The Latest, Top Tastes

Reviewed in this article:
—Modern Afghani Gamechanger: Jaji, Oakland
—Next-Level Sports Bar (and I’m Not into sports): Splash
—Ferry Building’s Latest Delights: Lunette, El Porteno, Ocean Malasadas
—Honduran-Yucatecan Heartwarmer: Catrachita Yucateca
—Glitzy Korean Steakhouse: AB Steak
—New Vegetarian Dishes Delight: Tiya
—14 & (Still) Fabulous: State Bird Provisions
—Tiny Cajun & Creole Go-to on The Hill: Po’Boy’s Kitchen Read more →

A New Era for 3 San Francisco Fine Dining Greats: Atelier Crenn, Californios, Merchant Roots

by  on  in Top Tastes

These 3 restaurants boast everything from The World’s 50 Best Restaurants status to Michelin stars, but what they’ve evolved to is bold flavors & unexpected fun:

—3 Michelin, World’s 50 Best Great Reimagined at 14: Atelier Crenn
—The Only 2 Michelin Mexican Restaurant in N. America Turns 10: Californios
—Of Eggs & Broken Things: Humpty Dumpty Experience at Merchant Roots

Read more →

Bay Area Overnights: Enchanting Coastal Ruggedness at 2 Michelin Harbor House Inn in Mendocino County

by  on  in Around the Bay

Published March 5, 2025, in my Medium column: The village of Mendocino is an enchanted, National Register of Historic Places Victorian village jutting out into the sea. About a 30 minute drive South of the town of Mendo is a sleep slip of a stretch called Elk. Not so much a town, although it was a major logging community in the 1800s,… Read more →

DISTILLER Bottle Column: February 2025

by  on  in Imbiber

My bottle review column (last month’s edition here) is about what is unique, standout, new and/or trending in spirits with my review ratings on a 1-5 rating scale. My 8 bottle reviews of the month: ARTICLE: https://distilling.com/distillermagazine/new-release-roundup-february-2025/ Reviewed this issue:— Ten to One Rum (Caribbean)— Luxardo Del Santo Herbal Liqueur (Italy)— Dappled Tonic (Portland, OR)— NOOH by La Coste NA Wines (France)— Common Ground Gin (Berkeley,… Read more →