Here are the 7 standout cocktails and new bars of the month I’ve been tasting around the Bay Area. 1. Pagan Idol‘s Bird of Paradise or Witch Doctor The most fun new bar of the month (and year so far?) is easily Pagan Idol from the prolific Future Bars team (Bourbon & Branch, Rickhouse, Local Edition, Tradition and so on),… Read more →
This is a preview of a regular column that will be part of the national Table8 blog we are about to launch this Spring — I will cover the Bay Area and am national editor over all cities/writers. The 10 top openings of February are: Starboard, Ijji, Mensho Tokyo, The Treasury, Antoinette in Berkeley, High Treason (more to come when… Read more →
From mid-January to mid-February, here are the 8 standout cocktails and new menus I’ve been tasting around the Bay Area. 1 & 2. Bywater’s Frappe & Bywater Gibson The fact that this is a casual, New Orleans-centric restaurant from 3 Michelin-starred Manresa chef/owner David Kinch and Partner Andrew Burnham (just opened January 12) makes The Bywater a major Bay Area… Read more →
My editorial best of the year picks were published at Food Republic over December 2015 and January 2016 in a series of articles covering the best in US and international travels, hotels, meals and drink — here is a link to each article I contributed to and my favorites summarized below: – Best Drinking Experiences, International– Best Drinking Experiences, West… Read more →
From mid-December to mid-January, here are the 10 standout cocktails and new menus I’ve been tasting around the Bay Area. 1 & 2. Bear Vs. Bull’s (at Alamo Drafthouse) Surf Club Mangareva & Great Silence Isaac Shumway (who formerly made the revamped Tosca Café worth visiting for his drinks) has worked his magic at brand new Alamo Drafthouse bar, Bear… Read more →
My Winter 2015-2016 feature for Distiller Magazine on San Diego, with a 10-page print spread, my photos and two articles: My article on 10 of SD’s great bars An interview with Coin-Op Game Room bar manager, Leigh Lacap Both articles here. More of my SD recommends here. ______________________________________ Past issues (top 10 bars, local distiller and bar manager interviews in… Read more →
From mid-November to mid-December, here are the 10 standout cocktails and new menus I’ve been tasting around the Bay Area. 1 & 2. El Capitan’s Port of Call & Maximon Recently returning to El Capitan (festive on a Friday night with Christmas lights and a convivial crowd), the food is better than ever, from silky crudo to fry bread tacos.… Read more →
My Fall 2015 feature for Distiller Magazine on San Francisco, with a 12-page print spread, my photos and three articles: (Bars featured in the 10 SF Bars article: Comstock Saloon, Alembic, 15 Romolo, Third Rail, Mosto, Burritt Room, ABV, Holy Water, Odd Job, Royal Cuckoo Organ Lounge). More of my SF food recommends here and bar/cocktail recommends here. ______________________________________Past issues… Read more →
From mid-October to mid-November, here are 6 standout cocktails and new menus I’ve been tasting around the Bay Area. 1. 15 Romolo’s Miraculous Milk Punch With in-house sherry expert Ian Adams and an impressive collection of over 500 spirits, 15 Romolo has been one of SF’s greatest bars for over a decade. Their sherry collection is one of their strengths and… Read more →
From mid-September to mid-October, here are the 10 standout cocktails and new menus I’ve been tasting around the Bay Area — and it’s quite a season for stellar cocktails. I had a tough time calling out the best overall this month but specifically from a few of these menus where there were a number of stars. Mourad’s Curry & MilkEver-talented… Read more →