Good evening! Buona sera! I’m running a little late today, I’ve been terribly busy coordinating the restaurant logistics for this Sunday’s 39th annual Academy of Friends Gala fundraiser! The lineup of 15 restaurants (and the dishes they’re making!) is blowin’ my mind. This year includes ALX, Avery (VIP), the newly opened Ayala, desserts from Bluestem Brasserie, Cento Osteria, Dongbei vegetarian potstickers from China Live, Gio Gelati, three dishes from the new Izakaya Sushi Ran (VIP), coffee and espresso drinks from Mr. Espresso, Michelin-starred Nico (VIP), Rooh, Slanted Door, Tank18, The Caviar Co. (VIP), The Saratoga, and Uno Dos will be making their carnitas tacos! It’s going to be a fun feast, with cocktails, entertainment, and more, making it the best Oscars party in town.
I know it can be a little more costly than some people can afford, but it’s a wonderful fundraiser to support…so have you thought about volunteering? We need help both this Saturday and Sunday (February 23rd-24th). Click here for details. Hope to see you!
You won’t want to miss either of my Table Talk columns, trust me on this. This week’s issue is about Tank18’s al pastor dish you’ll want to track down for Sunday brunch, where to enjoy Arabic or Ethiopian home cooking (and hospitality), a new monthly guest chef burger special, and an annual artisan cheese festival you won’t want to miss.
Last week’s Table Talk includes a hot tip on Sasa in Japantown, offering a quality and affordable omakase experience, get a sneak peek of Noosh at a pre-opening dinner and through delivery, and snag a seat (if you can!) at La Cocina’s Week of Women in Food.
I have another fun event for you, in case some of you are following tablehopper and my other venture, mymilligram. Next Wednesday February 27th, is the Crop-to-Kitchen Winter Meet Up with Stephanie Hua of Mellows and Coreen Carroll of Cannaisseur Series, plus other special guests! If you love food and cannabis, or you’re canna-curious, this event is for you! See you there!
Would you believe that tablehopper is turning THIRTEEN this Thursday? Whoa. Not sure what that translates to in freelancer years, but I can tell you that’s a helluva lot of hustle and late nights of writing. Thank you for all your support for my writing all these years and sharing your Tuesday afternoons with me.
You know what would be the best way to say “Happy Birthday, tablehopper?!” If you could forward this column to five friends and tell them to subscribe. Right now. Seriously, that would rock. Or post on Facebook, or send a friend to @tablehopper on Instagram. Anyone who is reading this column has great taste, mmmhmmm, so I imagine your friends do too. It would help me a bunch. Thanks, loves!
It’s Champagne o’clock! BIG XO! Marcia Gagliardi
Party time! tablehopper turns 13 this week, but Zuni turned 40 on Friday! Pop Champagne! Read more in my posts on @tablehopper on Instagram. Photo: © tablehopper.com.View tablehopper Newsletter from Tuesday, Feb 19 2019
