September 1, 2017

This Issue:
— Top Openings of July: These two standouts go from hip omakase to “real deal” Spanish Catalan cuisine.
— Top National Cocktails of the Month: From SF to Louisville, Oregon to Oklahoma, North Carolina to Chicago, here are 11 standout drinks/bars now.
— D.C.’s Top 10 Bars: Where to drink in D.C. + my interviews with Don Ciccio & Figli amaro distillery founder, Francesco Amodeo, and Jack Rose Rose Dining Saloon owner, Bill Thomas.

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11 Top Cocktails Around the US Now — September Edition

Covering the 11 hottest cocktails of the month around the US at Liquor.com, you’ll find my bar and drink recommends this month at these bars/restaurants (click on each for the featured cocktail):   Mourad, San Francisco The Joy Luck, Louisville Kachka, Portland, OR Quiote, Chicago The Matrix, San Francisco Ruddick/Wood, Newberg, OR Goro Ramen, Oklahoma City Salt & Char, Saratoga… Read more →

Top SF Openings — July 2017

The notable restaurant openings of July were Shinmai, Mac’D, Robin, Barcino, Namu Stonepot and Ippudo in Berkeley. I am about to visit Shinmai but among the rest, here are my top two newcomers of the month… and why they stand out. Nigiri Cool — Robin, Hayes Valley I’ve written a lot on the hardcore wave of proper Edomae/Tokyo-style sushi restaurants… Read more →

August 15, 2017

This Issue:

— Top 7 Dishes of the Month: Whether Albuquerque or SF, tikka masala mac n’cheese or proper BBQ ribs, here are the dishes that wowed most in July.
— Culinary Chicago: My first Alaska Airlines’ article is on the great city of Chicago, its current standouts in food, hotels and the arts (theater to music).
— Time Out Magazine: The the first SF print issue of Time Out Magazine — and yours truly is writing the food & drink sections. Check out 6 articles, including features on high-end soft serve at SF restaurants, an urban wine crawl in Oakland’s Jack London Square, interviews with chef Preeti Mistry and the owners of sour beer haven the Rare Barrel — plus my TO reviews on the new restaurant and bar openings worth visiting.
— Where to Eat & Drink in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico: Top 12 bites, restaurants, stands and drinks.
— A Unique Resort Experience in Mexico: In Puerto Vallarta, a major resort innovates with a house tequila program.

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Culinary Chicago — My Travel Article in Alaska Airlines’ Magazine

My August 2017 Alaska Beyond Magazine 5-page travel article on the best in Chicago food, arts and hotels now… www.paradigmcg.com/digitaleditions/abm-0817/files/99.html  As Alaska Beyond magazine called it quits in 2021, the articles have all been taken down. My article content is below: The Windy City has long been one of the country’s great food cities for sheer diversity alone. From rare… Read more →

Time Out Magazine: July 2017

The first print edition of Time Out Magazine San Francisco is here. Time Out has long been my #1 go-to for what’s happening in NYC and one of a few key sources I reference when narrowing down my eat and drink “hit lists” around the globe. In SF’s print edition, the Eating and Drinking sections are written by yours truly.… Read more →