Capo’s, 641 Vallejo Street, 415.986.8998, cash only Tony’s Pizza Napoletana reigns for my best all-around pizza experience because of its range of impeccable pies, from New York to Neapolitan. I’m no stranger to these categories, consuming countless pizzas in my many travels in Italy and years living in a New Jersey suburb of NYC – not to mention living in… Read more →
RICH TABLE, Hayes Valley (199 Gough St. at Oak, 415-355-9085) Not since State Bird Provisions and AQ opened towards the end of 2011 have I been as excited about a new opening. Evan and Sarah Rich’s new Rich Table presents itself as the whole package, kinks and all, even in the first month. With efficient, informed service, reasonably priced wine… Read more →
There are restaurants weaving together the whole package, a melange of atmosphere, service and most importantly, memorable food. Sometimes there’s the overarching solidity of a menu… other times, one walks away dreaming about that one specific item. Here are four such dishes from four locations, worth going out of your way for. MARCELLA’S, Dogpatch (1099 Tennessee St. between 20th &… Read more →
These six noteworthy new books are either just released or out this fall. THE BLUE BOTTLE CRAFT of COFFEE: Growing, Roasting, and Drinking, with Recipes – James Freeman, Caitlin Freeman, Tara Duggan Since its first kiosk in January 2005, Blue Bottle has been my first choice in coffee, from ethos (served immediately, individually, beans sold fresh after roasting) to taste. Musician… Read more →
San Francisco is a pizza town. We’re obsessed with our pies, particularly the Neapolitan kind. Getting into favorites is a tricky subject as one has to dig through a sea of styles: Neapolitan, NY slice, Chicago deep dish, California creative, and so on, to begin to categorize “bests.” We won’t list all-time favorites now, but scouring joints new and old… Read more →
ACQUERELLO, Nob Hill(1722 Sacramento St. between Van Ness & Polk, 415-567-5432) One doesn’t often hear about Acquerello in dining circles these days. But we should. Not readily visible from the street, the restaurant’s lobby opens into a glowing dining room that at first glance appears an older clientele’s respite for an elegant meal. After a recent return to this classic since… Read more →
Moving from Southern California to New Jersey at age 14, New York first revealed to me what a true city is. When in that NY state of mind (Billy Joel playing in the background helps), I miss its boundless energy, frank people, eclectic neighborhoods and brownstones, and, yes, East Coast-style Italian. Both in the city and Jersey suburbs where I… Read more →
Incredible burgers in a bowling alley, SF’s deaf community gathering over Neopolitan pizzas, brothers serving food from their hometown of Nice in a tiny restaurant, dining around a U-shaped counter off a FiDi alley… each of these restaurants opened within the last 6 months providing a unique communal experience (and most importantly, fine food to go with) that makes one… Read more →
As we arrive at the end of 2011, here are a few dishes of soothing comfort for a winter’s night from four under-the-radar places: two new, two established. Egg noodles in a Japantown culinary respiteBUSHI-TEI, 1638 Post Street, 415-440-4959 Bushi-Tei has long been one of my underrated restaurant picks. I’ve said as much (e.g. May 2011 article in 944 magazine),… 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. MID-RANGE NOJO, Hayes Valley (231 Franklin Street at Linden, 415-896-4587, Sun-Mon/Wed-Thu 5-10pm, Fri-Sat 5-11pm) – Amazingly realized in its opening weeks, Nojo stands out in the glut of izakaya openings we’ve been… Read more →