The second San Francisco restaurant in SoMa from the entrepreneurs, Matt Semmelhack and chef Mark Liberman, TBD –“To Be Determined”– serves a very different menu from AQ (their first restaurant located next door). The menu focuses on wood-fired small plates, mostly served in cast iron pans, prepared on a custom hearth and...
Hi from Ojai!
We are always looking for a mini-vacation no more than four or five hours drive from Monterey. Several weeks ago we had the wonderful experience of staying at the historic Ojai Valley Inn and Spa, a glorious oasis directly east of Ventura. The wonderful climate of the Ojai Valley draws celebrities and regular folk to rejuvenate their health in...
Mezcla–Mixing It Up South American Style
We had the pleasure of discovering this Nuevo Latino fusion restaurant on a recent trip to Montreal. A mixture of Latino cultures, mainly Peruvian but even a dash of Chinese, made for an unforgettable experience: a delight both visual and palatable. Located off St. Catherine Street in what is called Gay Village or simply Le Village, this...
Michael’s on the Hill–A Green Restaurant in the Green Mountain State
We were delighted to dine at Michael’s on the Hill last week while we were on the East Coast. Located in Waterbury (on the Stowe, Vermont border), this small restaurant in a charming turn-of-the-19th century farmhouse captivated us from the moment we sat down. Their vegetable garden provides some of the produce for the menu, emphasizing...
Wakuriya–A Little Bit of Kyoto Heaven
Sake flight
Last week we experienced kaiseki (Japanese haute cuisine) at a tiny tucked-away restaurant in a strip mall in San Mateo–Wakuriya. What a surprise find!
Kaiseki cuisine is as much an art form as a type of gourmet dinner. Not unexpectedly, kaiseki has its origin in Zen monastic cuisine and aesthetic taste. Leaves and fresh...
Bottega Louie–A Mega Bottega
Bottega Louie opened in 2009 in downtown Los Angeles and is in good company with some of the finest restaurants in the area. The 10,000-square-foot paean to the good life is more than a marble and brass palatial restaurant/gourmet market/patisserie with 20-foot ceilings.
No detail has been overlooked. More than three years under...