It gets easier and easier to find an elevated cocktail in Wine Country, besides the superb cocktails at Healdsburg’s Spoonbar and Campo Fina or gratifying refreshers at The Thomas (Fagiani’s) in downtown Napa. Here are a few recent cocktail highlights and one top-notch bitters shop: Bitters Heaven NAPA VALLEY DISTILLERY’s Bitters Shop, Napa Tiny Napa Valley Distillery (the first licensed… Read more →
LA URBANA, Western Addition (661 Divisadero Street at Grove, 415-440-4500) After a preview a few months back and a visit to Mexico City exploring some of the city’s stellar restaurants (read about it here), I was excited to see La Urbana open in Western Addition this September. Having already dined there three times in the roughly five weeks it has… Read more →
My spring travels in Peru with Campo de Encanto Pisco allowed me to richly deepen my pisco knowledge, from hands-on work in pisco production and blending, to witnessing broader uses of pisco in cocktails on Lima menus. I come from a city that has full-on pisco bars, a rarity in the US. Yet despite the range of pisco cocktails in SF,… Read more →
Sacramento… Sac Town, our California Gold Country capital, known for its politics, surrounded by the boundless produce of inland California which us city dwellers richly benefit from. It’s a town I stop to dine in on the way to or from Tahoe but have only stayed the weekend in a couple times, despite its close proximity to San Francisco. A… Read more →
BERGERAC, SoMa (316 11th Street between Folsom and Harrison, 415-255-9440) Tonight I had an early sneak peek (and taste) of the cocktail menu at Bergerac, opening this Saturday, September 21, in SoMa. The brand new bar/restaurant space is inspired by the legendary Villa Nellcote mansion on the Côte d’Azur in France, where the Rolling Stones recorded Exile on Main St.… Read more →
DOGPATCH SALOON, Dogpatch First opening in 1912, the new ownership (83 Proof crew) of dive bar Dogpatch Saloon restored it to turn-of-the-century glory, reopening on July 22nd after a five month remodel. The overhaul of the saloon features pressed tin ceilings, wood benches, old fashioned gas fireplace, piano set back on a mini-stage that will hopefully host live music, and… Read more →
Here are some of the best or noteworthy drink books released this year so far, with one (Whiskey Women) out in October 2013. THE COCKTAIL LAB – Tony Conigliaro ($29.99) London’s experimental cocktail genius, Sicilian Tony Conigliaro, blessed drink aficionados with his book, Drinks, last year in the UK, just released this summer in the US under the name, The… Read more →
Another year, another Tales. Tales of the Cocktail was another mad frenzy of a week in oppressive heat (though not as bad as in past years), drinking while getting educated on drink with thousands of people around New Orleans. Any reason to return to my beloved New Orleans (which I’ve written about extensively) is a worthy one. Best moments this… Read more →
ZIRYAB, Alamo Square/Western Addition (528 Divisadero Street between Fell & Hayes Streets, 415-522-0800) Though open for seven years, Ziryab, Divisadero’s Middle Eastern hangout boasting an enclosed front patio, reopened this week from owner Salim Nasser with a brand new bar, liquor license and new food menu. Having the privilege of watching bar manager Zachary Taylor grow up in the Bay… Read more →
While any quality spirit should be enjoyed all year round, rum carries the island breezes of summer in its cane sugar and/or molasses nectar. In honor of rum and summer, here are seven rum cocktails currently on menus around town… each one capturing the celebratory simplicity of the long days of summer. —— ALEMBIC’s 30-Day Notice ($11) Alembic’s 30-Day Notice,… Read more →