Yuanfen 缘分, or “fateful coincidence”, is a Chinese phrase I learned at my dinner with Cecilia Chiang. It was a fateful series of events that led a food acquaintance to meet Cecilia, and it resulted in us dining together at a four-top months later. The occasion was an amazing milestone – her 100th birthday. It didn’t… Read More Celebrating a 100th Birthday – Benu, San Francisco
I have fond memories of my meal at Hiroshi when it first opened in Spring of 2017. I was impressed with the quality of their A5 wagyu (still my favorite to this day!) and the carefully curated interior decor. Earlier this month, I was lucky enough to revisit the Los Altos spot to try Chef… Read More Luxury Japanese Private Dining at Hiroshi – Los Altos, CA
Daalder restaurant excels at accessible fine dining. Located in the charming Jordaan neighborhood of Amsterdam, the space feels welcoming with understated elegance. A marble top bar is the focal point of the small dining room, a throwback to the prior iteration of the space. A diner could easily walk in for lunch and enjoy the… Read More Relaxed Fine Dining at Daadler – Amsterdam
Farm to table can be overused, but De Kas restaurant exemplifies the concept. A globally-inspired menu highlights ingredients from the attached garden and greenhouse. Seasoning and spices are mostly reserved, allowing the focus to be on the fresh vegetables. The colorful plating further emphasizes the freshness and vibrance of the same-day picked produce. The space… Read More Plant to Plate Dining at Restaurant De Kas – Amsterdam
Among the many three Michelin starred restaurants the Bay Area is lucky to have, Quince Restaurant stands out in my mind for the service. A tough feat, considering the standard of service of its peers. Take the chef’s table. In my experience, most chef tables are reserved in advance, and the complete tasting menu is… Read More Seamless French Italian Cuisine at Quince Restaurant – San Francisco
I recently visited the beautiful city of Istanbul for my first time. While the trip was focused on a wedding and reunions, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to check off another World’s 50 Best Restaurant, Mikla. Mikla Chef Owner Mehmet Gürs is credited with helping establish the New Anatolian Kitchen – a food movement that… Read More New Anatolian Cuisine at Mikla – Istanbul, Turkey
I’m still kicking myself for not going to Californios right when it opened and the tasting menu was under $60. Four years and two Michelin stars later, I finally got to try this spot. Many of the rave reviews from people whose opinions I respect were from the earlier days. If the menu were about… Read More Elevated Mexican Cuisine at Californios SF
It seems like SF omakase spots have been popping up the past few years with no shortage of momentum. The newest of these is The Shota, Chef Ingi “Shota” Son’s namesake restaurant. With a background at Morimoto Napa, Hashiri, and Omakase SF, Chef Shota is well-versed in Japanese fine dining. For a reasonably priced $125… Read More Modern Omakase at The Shota – San Francisco
#3 – Atelier Crenn, San Francisco, USA Three years after my first experience at Atelier Crenn, my return visit reflected their evolution from good to great. The consistent dreamy presentation was done justice by new standout flavors. The team received their third Michelin Star this year – congrats! Atelier Crenn – A Poetic, Modern French Experience… Read More 2018’s Top Restaurant Meals
My 2018 was a great year for dining. There was so much competition for my annual list of favorite bites, that I added a runner up to each category. Too many good options to recognize! Without further ado, here are my winning bites of 2018. Best Dessert Runner Up – Rose Confit de Framboise Choux… Read More 2018’s Memorable Bites