Translated from the French by Katherine Gregor and written by cocktail savant Matthias Giroud (known for his work with the George V Entertainment Group, including Buddha Bar), Lo & No Alcohol Cocktails offers a tres français approach to the hot trend of low- and no-alcohol cocktails. Low Alcohol Cocktails, the French Way Known for “cocktail experiences,” Paris-based Matthias Giroud bills himself as creative director of Alchimiste Group, a “Chef Mixologue. It’s no wonder, then, that the introduction to his cocktail book is from renowned chef Pierre Gagnaire. Yes, THAT Pierre Gagnaire, he of ..read more

If you follow me on Instagram, you probably already know that I enjoy attending live music performance. I took my father-in-law to hear Emmanuel Ax play Hayden and was thrilled by Anders Hillborg’s new Piano Concerto which had its American premiere that evening. (Nerd out by watching it on YouTube and reading about the performance I attended.) More recently, I bore witness to the marvelous violin artistry of Alexandra Conunova at San Francisco’s Davies Symphony Hall. Before that show, I stopped in for dinner at Uccello Lounge across the street. It’s chef Loretta K ..read more

If you live the (mostly) gluten-free life as I do, you know the delight in finding a product that looks and tastes like “the real thing.” Thanks to the hard work of Philip Summe and his team at Rise & Puff, a business based on the San Francisco peninsula, tortillas that act like wheat tortillas – sturdy and bendable – are now a thing. About Ride & Puff Gourmet Tortillas The package for gluten-free Rise & Puff Gourmet Tortillas Rise & Puff Gourmet Tortillas come in a wheat-based version (and you should try them, if you can digest gluten, the protein found in most wheat varieta ..read more

Salty Magazine, along with Visit Oceanside welcomes host Chef William Eick of Matsu Restaurant, and guest Chef Jon Yao of one Michelin-starred Kato, Los Angeles and bartenders Austin Hennelly and Han Suk Cho (Kato, Los Angeles ) for a special pop-up dinner event in Oceanside, California. That event is March 18 but Salty is on a mission to bring exceptional chefs to cities around the country. Salty Magazine events offer an insider-y look at the restaurant industry. Run by founder and editor-in-chief Geeta Bansal, the magazine is mostly written by chefs and somms for chefs and somms. Diners at S ..read more

I had never heard of Caffe Luxxe before a recent dinner at Tiburon’s Malibu Farm. A Malibu-based brand with coffee shops around SoCal and elsewhere, the coffee roaster also sells coffee to fellow Malibu-based brand, Malibu Farm. After a full meal, I still managed to drink three cups, the coffee whispering sweet nothings and creamy flavor as it glided across my palate. What was this coffee? I had to know more. (Sidebar: what is someone from Malibu called? Malibuian?) Malibu Farm’s Artisanal Coffee Situated in NorCal as I am, my first exposure to Malibu Farm’s artisanal coffee was last week in ..read more

Did you know that March is Women’s History Month? I had nothing planned until I found out a neat way to honor women’s accomplishments in the culinary world: enjoying a pop-up dinner at the CIA at Copia by an esteemed female chef. At Napa’s CIA at Copia this month, the Grove restaurant is hosting a chef takeover series, inviting some of the school’s female graduates into the kitchen to showcase their exceptional culinary journeys with a series of dinners.  There are four more dates available (Sorry to miss you, Sue Zemanick!) Menus, reservations, and other details are at the CIA at Co ..read more

Bringing along a friend who claims to “not like Indian food” was my particular challenge when dining at Pippal restaurant in Emeryville. Wait. Let me reframe the issue. As someone who writes often about restaurants, I enjoy trafficking in the “no,” exposing those claims of “dislike” and “can’t stand” and turning it around into a “Wow, I did not know X cuisine or ingredient could taste that good.” Reframing was required during this experience at Pippal, the latest restaurant from the team behind ROOH. What is Modern, Regional Indian Cuisine? Where ROOH is progressive Indian with a modern ..read more

What does it take to succeed as a San Francisco restaurant in 2024? If what I am seeing at Alora and other newcomers like the Presidio’s Dalida and SoMa’s Movida is an indication, Persian flavors are edging in alongside Mexican, and dining rooms are somewhat less lounge-y. Alora interior, photo credit Neetu Laddha At Alora, tucked inside Pier 3 on San Francisco’s Embarcadero waterfront, the dining room feels sophisticated. No lounges here, but plentiful seats at a room-length bar and regular dining tables adorned with trendy cordless table lamps hit that sweet spot between too casual an ..read more

Food writer, recipe developer, and photographer Jackie Alpers was so inspired by Taylor Sheridan’s TV series Yellowstone, she crafted an entire cookbook around it. In The Unofficial Yellowstone Cookbook: Recipes Inspired by the Dutton Family Ranch, Alpers researched the culinary life of ranchers, cowboys, and Indigenous people in the American West, from Montana to Texas in the years between 1883 and 1923, the where and when of the story’s five seasons and its prequel series. A Cookbook Inspired by the Yellowstone TV Series The Dutton family home is the hub around which the recipes revolve and ..read more

credit Mark Mediana Do you remember the former Starlight at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel? I went to a wedding party there in my bachelorette days. That was more than 16 years ago. I recently returned to the hotel, now the Beacon Grand, to dine at The Post Room, the meal a reminder of the hotel’s stunning art deco features and grand staircases, newly spiffed up and looking better than ever. Starlite, once again an iconic cocktail bar, formally opened on February 2. It’s still on the 21st floor with the same lovely views over Union Square and downtown San Francisco. The vibe? Pure cocktail part ..read more