Welcome to September! Hopefully Fogust is in the rearview mirror. I know a bunch of you are shaking the playa dust off, while others are getting the sand out of your shoes. Me? I’m doing some serious exfoliating after a week in the high-altitude air (and sun, yay) of gorgeous Lake Tahoe. Chipmunk TV was awesome, as was having a grill to cook on each night, and that full moon last week was the business.
If today’s column isn’t packed with enough news for you (it’s a lot!), I have two Table Talk columns for you too. This week’s Table Talk features a fried chicken feast on the patio at Starbelly, an immersive and artistic Night Fishing dinner, a visiting chef from Oaxaca at August (1) Five, and don’t miss Oakland Cocktail Week! You can also read about some of my fave items on the perfect all-day menu at Noon All Day.
Last week’s Table Talk is also full of some fab food events, including the SF Cheese Fest, Eat Real Festival in Oakland, a special INFORUM talk with chef José Andrés, an Agave Girls night of tequila with Joanne Weir at Copita, and you can recover from all the overindulging with some khao mun gai (chicken fat rice).
I also had fun writing (and researching!) this piece for Bay Area Bites: 5 Cannabis Beverages to Keep You High-Drated. Cheers.
There’s a very exciting guest chef coming to San Francisco on Thursday September 13th: Gaggan Anand from Bangkok’s Gaggan! It was one of the most playful meals I have ever had (and currently number five in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants). He’s joining forces with George Chen and Eight Tables (recently named one of Time Magazine World’s Greatest Places!) for a very special meal, a 15-course tasting menu! The emoji menu will be in the house!
It’s a charity dinner to support Chefs for Change, which runs 24 programs sponsored by more than a dozen chefs from the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Tickets are extremely limited and $550 per person, inclusive of the multicourse dinner, a Champagne reception and paired wines, tax, and service charges. Tickets will be available starting Wednesday September 5th at 12pm PST.
You should know the nominations for the Golden Gate Restaurant Association’s third annual Saucy Awards are now open! This is your chance to nominate your favorite restaurant and bar folks for 19 awards—and it’s not just SF, there are seven eligible Bay Area counties (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Sonoma). Mark you calendar for the Saucy Awards on November 12th.
Lastly, I have to do a big shout-out to my fabulous copyeditor Jane Tunks, who has been helping me edit this tablehopper beast for YEARS. Today is her last day of editing enslavement on Tuesdays—she is moving on to full-time work. I remain ever so grateful for her watchful eye, deep food knowledge, and incredible editing skills. I crank out so much content each issue, and knowing she was looking over it all has always given me such peace of mind. So, expect a little less perfection over here (ha-ha) moving forward. Thank you, dear Jane!
I haven’t seen many of you lately, maybe we can clink glasses at this Thursday’s Around the World wine tasting? It’s going to be quite the tasting!
Okay, gang, let’s get into this week’s issue. Enjoy the short week! Marcia Gagliardi
My favorite time on the shore of Lake Tahoe, at the end of the day (I’m usually the last one to leave). Photo: © tablehopper.com.View tablehopper Newsletter from Tuesday, Sep 4 2018
