In the midst of the latest, hottest, buzzed about new openings, the greats get forgotten. Whether it’s old school classics like seafood at Tadich Grill, or arguably the best souffles in the US at Cafe Jacqueline, where Jacqueline has dedicated decades to churning out perfect souffles every night, many of our greats keep their steady following yet stay under the… Read more →
RUSSIAN HOME COOKING Article & Photos by Virginia Miller RED TAVERN, Outer Richmond (2229 Clement St. between 23rd & 24th Avenues, 415-666-3420) Childhood memories are richly intertwined with one of my dear girlhood friends in Southern California, a Russian whose mother and grandmother cooked meals that still haunt me. Sleeping over at her house turned into an event when her mother… Read more →
We obsess about every kind of food in the Bay Area, but the knish (pronunciation: k?-n?sh) hasn’t gotten enough respect. This doughy, flaky potato snack has its roots in Eastern Europe and Jewish cultures, knish being a Yiddish word, translating to dumpling or “a kind of bun.” This dumpling-like bun is set for revival, with a nod to what just… Read more →
One Night Only: SWEDEN’s MAGNUS NILSSON & SF’s DANIEL PATTERSON Cook Together at COI Photos and article by Virginia Miller Food lovers in the know are well aware of Chef Magnus Nilsson and his restaurant Faviken Magasinet in the furthest reaches of northern Sweden, the small restaurant causing the biggest food magazines in the world to trek hours from… Read more →
SANDWICH-ing in the MISSION Photos and article by Virginia Miller Two unusual, new Mission sandwich options: one of the city’s best restaurants launches lunch with Scandinavian influence (part of the Nordic culinary wave finally reaching the West Coast), and a low-key panini shop opens, refreshingly real with Middle Eastern touches. BAR TARTINE, Mission (561 Valencia St. between 16th & 17th… Read more →
PLÄJ, Civic Center (333 Fulton St. between Franklin & Gough, 415-294-8925) The world has become hooked on New Nordic cuisine in recent years, thanks to Copenhagen’s Noma, named World’s #1 Best Restaurant for three years straight, sparking a global interest in all things Scandinavian and a new generation of chefs. Before this renaissance, I dined at Aquavit in New York City,… Read more →
GOURMET CHEAP EATS: From Piroshkis to Pizza Photos & article by Virginia Miller Trekking around the Bay for what is not at all elusive – excellent food – is ever a pleasure. Finding it on the cheap? Options are endless. Sandwiches stand as one of the easiest ways to fill up for less, making the continued glut of sandwich openings… Read more →
Two Restaurants (One Eastern European, One Basque) On the Rise Photos & article by Virginia Miller Age is good thing: for wine, whiskey, cheese, wisdom and sense of self, to name a few. Age deepens, fills out, matures, makes whole. In the scheme of things, these two restaurants are youngsters – one could hardly call them “aged”, though Bar Tartine… 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. I’ve been eating steady, as usual, from a pleasant, if not notable, Vietnamese meal at My Father’s Kitchen, to trying out brand new trucks (and revisiting favorites) at Off the Grid Upper… 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 →