The notable restaurant openings of April were Hitachino Beer & Wagyu (soft opening in March, officially open in April), Mestiza Taqueria (at the end of March), Black Jet Baking Company and Kagawa-Ya Udon Noodle Co. in SF. Kagawa-Ya is fun, fast-casual Sanuki-style udon (from Japan’s Kagawa Prefecture, an area known for having hundreds of udon houses with a distinctive square shape… Read more →
Open since December 2014, one of the many hardcore Edomae-style sushi restaurants to pour out across San Francisco and the Bay Area in the last couple years is quietly tucked away in a San Bruno strip mall, just a short, 15-ish minute drive south of the city. 1. A Steal for TSUKIJI FISH Unlike many of the hardcore sushi restaurants… Read more →
This article was first published here at Table8 where I am national editor. It’s been a busy month of San Francisco openings. The key restaurant and bar openings of November are The Saratoga, Onsen, Sofia Cafe, August 1 Five, Milan import Panino Giusto in Cupertino, The Roosevelt Sip ‘N’ Eat, from NYC to SF: Babu Ji, Kenzo, Flores, Phlox Commons.… Read more →
This article was first published here at Table8 where I am national editor. The most notable restaurant and bar openings of September were Old Devil Moon, Nomica, Maybeck’s (essentially a renamed Spaghetti Bros.), Mezcalito, Eva’s Waterfront in Oakland and the delightful joys of Taiwanese snow at Powder. Here are my top three newcomers of the month… and why they stand… Read more →
This article was first published here at Table8 where I am national editor. Being passionate about my food and as Japan is one of my top two favorite countries to visit in the world (the other? Italy), I’m ever on the hunt for authentic, transporting, purist Japan experiences, even as I crave innovation and fusion, too. There is a wealth… Read more →
This article was first published here at Table8 where I am national editor. “… sashimi is velvet dust, verging on silk, or a bit of both, and the extraordinary alchemy of its gossamer essence allows it to preserve a milky density unknown even by clouds.”— The Gourmet/Gourmet Rhapsody by Muriel Barbery Last fall, I wrote an article for Food Republic… Read more →
This article was first published here at Table8 where I am national editor. Weekending in Sonoma is always a pleasure. In the Bay Area, we are downright blessed to have a region (among California’s endless stunning regions) of such variety and beauty a stone’s throw away. I’ve been weekending there for 15 years and know the towns and villages intimately.… Read more →
My article was first published here on our national Table8 blog where I am national editor. The top openings of March are: Joe’s of Westlake (soft opened at the end of February — I will visit soon), Indian Paradox, Pagan Idol (more on one of the most fun new bars in SF here), Waxman’s. Here are my top pick and why… Read more →
This is a preview of a regular column that will be part of the national Table8 blog we are about to launch this Spring — I will cover the Bay Area and am national editor over all cities/writers. The 10 top openings of February are: Starboard, Ijji, Mensho Tokyo, The Treasury, Antoinette in Berkeley, High Treason (more to come when… Read more →
In addition to plates from the Mugaritz chef from Spain cooking at Coi for one night only, here are my top 10 July dishes and new openings, some newcomers, some established spots. 1. Omakase’s Omakase Just open in June, Omakase is another in that blessedly growing category of Japan-esque sushi experiences in SF: tasting menus prepared with reverent precision, heavy… Read more →