Here are four recent stand-out dishes or meals, from affordable hole-in-the-walls (Grill House and Prime Dip Sandwiches) to upscale creativity (Haven and Aziza): HAVEN Preview Dinner at PLUM, Oakland (Haven will be in Jack London Square; preview dinners are at 2214 Broadway; 510-444-7586) Anticipating the opening of Daniel Patterson’s restaurant (currently slated by year’s end), Haven in Jack London Square,… Read more →
HOT SAUCE & PANKO, Inner Richmond (1545 Clement St., between 16th & 17th Ave., 415-387-1908) Pretty much my favorite opening in recent weeks is Hot Sauce & Panko. Not only is the hot sauce collection about the best around (reaching from the deep South to Japan), but just glance through their blog to witness the owner’s quirky hilarity. As a… Read more →
Top Tastes is not a list of all-time favorites, rather it’s about the best tastes of the last two weeks (since my last newsletter), often from new openings. MID-RANGE NOJO, Hayes Valley (231 Franklin Street at Linden, 415-896-4587, Sun-Mon/Wed-Thu 5-10pm, Fri-Sat 5-11pm) – Amazingly realized in its opening weeks, Nojo stands out in the glut of izakaya openings we’ve been… Read more →
Here are two of the best new lunch spots in town. SoMa residents/workers are lucky to have both, but they are worth a trek from anywhere in the city. ZARE’S GRILL & GRAIN – SoMa, 606 Folsom Street (at 2nd St.), 415-243-0580, lunch is weekdays only, 11am-2pm There’s no chef quite like Hoss Zare. All heart, skill and love, Hoss’… Read more →
Top Tastes is not a list of all-time favorites, rather it’s about the best tastes of the last two weeks (since my last newsletter), often from new openings. With visiting friends and some down time, I’ve been frequenting stand-bys like Flying Fish Grill (in Half Moon Bay), the house, Woodhouse Fish Co., Fat Angel, Tacolicious, and hitting up re-vamped spots… Read more →
Top Tastes is not a list of all-time favorites (another thing altogether). Instead, I write about the best eats since my last newsletter, often from new openings. I’ve been eating at new openings like Taco Libre and Craw Station (a worthy stop for bags of spicy crawfish/mudbugs), returning to places like Oakland’s Hibiscus, Skool, Emilia’s Pizzeria in Berkeley, Zero Zero,… Read more →
Top Tastes is not a list of all-time favorites (another thing altogether). Instead, I write about the best eats since my last newsletter, often from new openings. MID-RANGE NOMBE, Mission – I was sad to see Nick Balla leave Nombe for another place I love, Bar Tartine. Not because I’m not excited about the Eastern European slant he’s bringing there,… Read more →
Top Tastes, rather than a list of all-time favorites (another thing altogether), are among the best eats since my last newsletter, often from new openings. Many don’t make the cut, being a revisit previously written about or simply not as stand-out as dishes mentioned. I’ve started the new year eating a lot (how is this different from any other year?)… Read more →
SAN CARLOS THE REFUGE – Much has already been said about the famed pastrami at San Carlos’ Belgian bar and hearty sandwich/burger spot, The Refuge. Jan Newberry of San Francisco magazine rightly lists it as one of the best in her sandwich guide. All I can say, is get there if you haven’t. These are among the best of these… Read more →
Top Tastes, rather than a list of all-time favorites (another thing altogether), are among the best eats since my last newsletter, often from new openings. Many don’t make the cut, being a revisit previously written about or simply not as stand-out as dishes mentioned. UPSCALE BENU, SoMa Let’s get this out of the way now: yes, Benu is a noteworthy… Read more →