Though my May New York adventures brought me to some of the city’s newer treasures (see June 15 issue), I also made sure I hit up some of the greats of the past decade for a sip of what they’ve been serving lately: Milk & Honey, Lower East Side – Through its dodgy, unmarked door into a musty yet romantic… Read more →
Cocktails RICKHOUSE, Financial District – It’s been a rewarding Summer thus far for Rickhouse and its talented bar manager, Erick Castro. First, Castro won one of two mixologist of the year awards at StarChefs Rising Stars (see On the Town), then Rickhouse was nominated for three awards (more than any other SF bar) in an international nominees list for Tales… Read more →
QUEENS It’s always like coming home to my lifelong best friend in Queens, and now that my dear cousin lives in Brooklyn, I was able to take in some of the affordable eats in these boroughs in my couple days stay after a full week in Manhattan (see my other NY articles)… all excellent. Queens really does have some of… Read more →
(From my print article in the Spring SCENE issue of the SF Bay Guardian): These two new bars debuted at the end of May, quietly ushering in what I hope might be a new “trend”: mellow, sophisticated bars creating expertly-crafted cocktails, both classic and contemporary… without attitude, exclusivity, and, dare I say it (?), mobs of douchey crowds turning an… Read more →
I was one of the lucky ones, spending eight days in NY, my old stomping grounds, for the first annual Manhattan Cocktail Classic, May 14-18, highlighting and celebrating the art of the cocktail and its greatest talents. Or so I thought… I won’t gripe too much, though I will say that despite the stunning transformation of the already gorgeous New… Read more →
CHAMPAGNE I hadn’t been to Bubble Lounge in awhile, recalling former pleasant weeknights sipping bubbly while live jazz played, but not as into sceney crowds there for DJ sets on weekends. I returned to meet with Wine Director, Sabawun Kakar, who’s passion for bubbly shows in his thoughtful selections and sabrage skills. Food is surprisingly tasty, and welcome to settle… Read more →
So this one of those special media events it could get annoying to hear about if you couldn’t attend yourself, except that it was at three places I highly recommend in a rare Absinthe-themed crawl on May 4, 2010. Pernod Absinthe, the original absinthe since 1805, hosted an intimate group of writers for an Absinthe Crawl at three worthy locations:… 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. CHEAP EATS Parada 22 – Finally, there’s a new place around the corner from me (granted,… Read more →
COCKTAILS • Neyah does it again: when I asked for a cachaca drink at Nopa, he served Sagatiba Cachaca and Dimmi, with their own house Birch Beer Bitters. Birch beer and Dimmi’s herbal/floral/grappa notes melded into a beautifully unique coctail. While you’re there, try White Whiskey as it should be imbibed in a White Manhattan or Buck with your choice… Read more →
Amidst the lush browns of Spruce‘s elegant, candlelit back dining room, I took part in a unique, intimate dinner hosted by Plymouth Gin on April 14th in honor of St. George’s Day. A small group of writers enjoyed an hours-long, five-course dinner from skilled Spruce chef, Mark Sullivan, paired with five stunning cocktails from their mixologist, Brandon Clements (plus classic… Read more →