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This week's tablehopper: XO sauce.                     Negroni at aperitivo hour at Hog & Rocks. Photo: © tablehopper.com. Happy Valentine’s Day, darlings. Was crushed when Tony Bennett failed to drown out the weekly emergency broadcast at noon today, on the 50th anniversary of when he first sang “I Left…

This week's tablehopper: more cowbell.                     Beef cheek ramen at Nombe. Photo: © tablehopper.com. Boy, am I glad to be out of the bunker. There is nothing quite like the feeling of finishing a honking deadline, or in my case, two. I had fun getting my swerve on Thursday…

This week's tablehopper: the final stretch.                     Baumé’s carrot terrine and turbot with “spirit of Vichy” foam. Photo: © tablehopper.com. After two months of grinding away on this computer for more time than is even remotely healthy, I can see the strobe light at the end of the…

This week's tablehopper: heat-seeking missile.                     Warming up with Sapporo-style miso ramen at Kirimachi. Photo: © tablehopper.com. Nothing like a torrential rainstorm to keep you inside to finish a monster writing project. (Yeah, like I was going to be able to go anywhere this past weekend with my Sunday…

This week's tablehopper: rain check.                     Foie gras xiao long bao at Benu. Photo: © tablehopper.com. I know I am not alone in loving the reappearance of this rainy weather—the city is already smelling better, my car got a free wash, and my curly hair says YES! It’…

This week's tablehopper: flipping on the afterburners.                     Tuna tartare with slow-cooked Jidori egg in dashi broth with sea urchin, buckwheat, and okra at Ame. Photo: © tablehopper.com. Hello there! Um, wow, who put this carnival ride into fifth gear? I can’t believe how much writing I’ve…

This week's tablehopper: breaking the waves.                     The playful (and totally delicious) shabu shabu presentation at Michael Mina. Photo: © tablehopper.com. My life is seriously whack right now, veering from spending hours at my computer in fuzzy slippers (yes, it’s true) to throwing on a dress, my Dior…

This week's tablehopper: the glamorous life.                     This is how I’m rollin’ right now: rooibos tea service at AQ. Photo: © tablehopper.com. Greetings from Hopper HQ, which is currently doing double duty as a quarantine bubble. After being home sick for a week, I’m ready to hose…

This week's tablehopper: start strong, finish strong.                     The fabulous mignardise cart at Masa’s, at the end of my last meal out in 2011. Photo: © tablehopper.com. Happy New Year, gang! Did you have a fabulous, celebratory weekend? I hope your holidays were grand. Mine had a bit…

This week's tablehopper: naughty and nice.                     Not sure if Santa was totally buying that I was a nice girl this year. (I might have been a little naughty, too.) Photo: © tablehopper.com. Whoa, how is Christmas in five days? Commence holiday shopping freakout right now. (Well, at least…