October 1, 2017

by  on  in Imbiber

This issue:
— 5 Top Bay Area Places to Eat & Drink Now: From a new neighborhood Moroccan spot to killer okonomiyaki… top tastes and drinks now.
— Top SF Restaurant Openings August: A Moroccan neighborhood gem and a tiny breakfast sandwich and burger newcomer.
— 11 Top Cocktails Around the US—October: From SF to Charleston, the places & drinks standing out now.
— Three New Napa Restaurants: Two new St. Helena restaurants and one Calistoga neighbor with a new chef from Rome, all worth visiting on your next visit to Napa Valley.

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Top SF Openings — August 2017

by  on  in Top Tastes

The notable restaurant openings of August were Roma Antica (friendly with almost all staff from Italy), Madcap in Marin, Ardiana in Noe Valley (love their brown butter heirloom tomato salad), Khamsa (below), Kitchen 335 in Healdsburg, Mamanoko (formerly Mamacita), Kuma Sushi & Sake (sunny, straightforward sushi spot), Perle Wine Bar in Oakland, another Proposition Chicken in Oakland, Top Round Roast Beef… Read more →

September 15, 2017

by  on  in Intro Letter

This Issue:
— Top Bourbon Cocktails Around the US: Bourbon creativity from Portland to Chicago.
— Low Proof Bars… That Aren’t About Cocktails: These four greats shine with sherry, vermouth, natural and rancio wines.
— What Is BevCon?: Your next cocktail-spirits-wine-beer industry conference should be this one in Charleston.
— Top Rum Cocktails Around the US: From OKC to SF, it’s rum time with these 11 creative beauties.

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11 Top Bourbon Cocktails Around the US Now

by  on  in Imbiber

It is Bourbon month at Liquor.com and here are 11 of my bourbon cocktails around the US now (click on each for the featured cocktail and bar/restaurant): Rusted Mule, San Francisco Baptiste & Bottle, Chicago Lola, Louisville Stacked Sandwich Shop, Portland, OR Duchess, Oakland, CA The Pritchard, Oklahoma Alexander’s Steakhouse, San Francisco Spilt Milk, Chicago Meta, Louisville Quaintrelle, Portland, OR… Read more →

What is BevCon? Your Next Beverage Industry Conference in Charleston

by  on  in On the Town

“What is BevCon?” The question came again and again, even from industry folk. After awhile, I felt like was a spokesperson for the event, proselytizing to the unconverted. So what is BevCon™? Held August 22-24, 2017, in the always delightful town of Charleston (in spite of the sweltering heat of August), BevCon is a beverage industry conference that just completed… Read more →

Four Top Low-Proof Bars

by  on  in Imbiber

From my weekly Time Out column, published September 5, 2017: I share four low proof bar greats around the Bay Area — Oakland to SF — that are not so much about cocktails. These four are standout bars pouring the likes of unusual, natural wines, sherry, vermouth, fortified wines, Champagne and sparkling wine. —Horsies Saloon at Royal Cuckoo Market, Mission… Read more →