COCKTAILS • 15 Romolo really is one of the best bars in SF (drinks, atmosphere, staff). Mellow and soothing, I love to linger here with good friends. I’ve written about Track 42 ($12) before – but it bears repeating. If you want a nuanced, refreshing garden of a drink, this one is always a pleasant surprise: 42 Below Manuka Honey… Read more →
SPIRITS • Classic & Vintage Roadshow rolled into SF the first week of March with an industry tasting lunch at Nopa on March 3. This was an ideal tasting event as there were a handful of small batch vendors of highest quality. No wading through a sea of mediocrity to find a gem or two. This was a a selection… Read more →
SPIRITS • For someone who’s every day is a taste adventure, I will say a private Russell’s Room tasting at Bourbon & Branch of Highland Park scotches was one of the most memorable I’ve ever been privileged to be a part of. There are only two such tastings going on in the country: here and in New York. I felt… Read more →
WINE • Oh, 2006 Puligny-Montrachet, you are such a gorgeous Chardonnay… thankfully, RN74 serves you by the glass. • I was delighted by the drinkability of Angove’s Nine Vines Rose, a South Australian wine that came across my desk. A blend of 70% Grenache/30% Shiraz, it’s zesty but rich, with spicy cherry notes, light but with satisfying depth. The winemakers… Read more →
650 Gough Street 415-869-1900 www.smugglerscovesf.com I’m crazy about all things Tiki and its accompanying kitsch… which is why I’ve long been a fan of Alameda’s Forbidden Island Tiki Lounge. Martin Cate helped make that bar great with his cocktails, going beyond the usual too-sweet, one-note swill often paired with such a setting. Though he departed Forbidden Island awhile back, we’ve… Read more →
“A cocktail hath the soul of wit, it is brief. It is a jest, a bon-mot, happy thought, a gibe, a word of sympathy, a tear, an inspiration, a short prayer. ” – Sportsman/travel writer, Francis Francis in Nineteenth Century COCKTAILS • Neyah White at Nopa can always be counted on to create a superior cocktail… Nopa’s sherry cocktails are… Read more →
“Alcohol may be man’s worst enemy, but the Bible says love your enemy.” – Frank Sinatra COCKTAILS It’s a special night (10/21) at Cantina (a worthy destination any night) when New York City’s Joaquin Simo, of Death & Co, and Toby Maloney (formerly of Milk & Honey, now running culinary cocktail bars around the country, including Chicago’s one-and-only Violet Hour)… Read more →
WINE • Contigo is a fine source for experimenting with Spanish and Portuguese wines, which the staff know well. Though a crisp, white Bodegas As Laxas from Rias Baixas ($9 glass; $23 carafe; $42 bottle) certainly paired well with my meal, the one I’d hunt down is recently added Vina Valoria Crianza, a 2004 white from Rioja (10 glass; $25… Read more →
COCKTAILS • At 7×7’s Mixology Madness final competition for Best Neighborhood Bartender on 9/8 at RN74, Scott Baird of 15 Romolo, created the drink of the night, Gulf Stream Express… and rightly won. Though required to use sponsor, Skyy Vodka (their Infusions Pineapple, in this case), Scott wisely added Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon and a splash of Racer 5 IPA,… Read more →
“When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading.” – Henny Youngman COCKTAILS • Leave it to Duggan McDonnell and the Cantina crew to ensure happy satiation for the masses at SF Street Food Festival on 8/22. Serving three of Duggan’s creations (all $8; the La Paloma being one you can order at Cantina), I give kudos… Read more →