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
Anomaly’s seasonal, modern California menu and communal dining style will likely draw comparisons to Lazy Bear back in the day. I thought that Chef Mike Lanham’s style was more refined right off the bat.… Read More Creative Familiarity at Anomaly SF Pop-Up
The two Asian fine dining restaurants Gaggan and Eight Tables both made my Top 3 Restaurant’s of 2017. How cool to see them come together for this fun popup charity dinner! This event supported Chef’s for Change. Good food for a good cause? Gotta love these win wins. We were served a condensed version of… Read More Gaggan Pop Up at Eight Tables – San Francisco
Maum continues the trend of tasting menus that incorporate traditional Asian flavors in a modern and elevated dining experience. In contrast to other SF Bay Area spots like SingleThread Farms or Manresa that draw inspiration from Asian ingredients and techniques, I would consider Maum to be more similar to Benu, Hiroshi, Eight Tables, or the now-shuttered Mosu SF.… Read More Maum – A Modern Korean Tasting Menu in Palo Alto
What’s a perk of having two weddings? Two anniversaries! Since our two weddings were a month apart, it made sense to have a month long celebration! Singlethread Farm was my original pick for my husband’s surprise birthday dinner in 2016, but due to opening delays it didn’t pan out. After 1.5 years of anticipation, we… Read More A Midweek Escape at Singlethread Farm – Healdsburg, CA
Dominique Crenn is one bad-ass lady. She’s breaking barriers as a world-renowned female chef while being a mother, and she’s incredibly down-to-earth and personable! Last weekend I had the opportunity to visit her restaurant Atelier Crenn a second time, and I loved my experience. This meal resonated with me on all levels – presentation, service, and above… Read More Atelier Crenn – A Poetic, Modern French Experience in SF
2017 was one of my favorite years for food. I enjoyed so many vibrant, punchy, and creative dishes. In contrast to the kaiseki-heavy and refined restraint of last year, 2017 was all about bold, indulgent deliciousness! Since I have the biggest sweet tooth, I’m kicking off my most memorable bites with my favorite pastry of… Read More 2017’s Most Memorable Bites