The Regular

Man, did I lag on going to LA CICCIA. Sometimes I kick myself for not going to places sooner, especially when your friends are telling you it's good. Damned good, in fact. I even had a gift certificate, a thoughtful present from a friend, gathering dust on my…

In a city full of Cali-influenced cuisine, it's nice to know that fresh, bright-tasting food can actually be from somewhere else too. And no, I'm not talking Vietnamese, or Thai, or Japanese. I'm talking antipodean, mate. After traveling in Australia in early 2007, I…

Suds are HOT. People are embracing beer right now like it's vodka circa 2001. But no, we're in 2008, and the West Coast has caught Belgian fever, or at least a gastropub gastrointestinal bug. Beer and bites joints are popping up all over the place, but…

I am thrilled that izakaya is becoming a household word. Well, it's not quite "mac 'n' cheese" or "taqueria" yet, but based on all the recent openings in the City, it's well on its way. O IZAKAYA LOUNGE opened in…

Back in September 2005, CAV opened right before the onslaught of wine bar madness, a wave that continues to forge ahead full-tilt in SF like Ebola. People twittered about how it would all work out, with the beloved Hotel Biron wine bar literally just around the corner on Rose. One…

Anyone who knows me knows I am crazee nutz about pizza. This is what happens when your family owns a pizzeria when you're a kid. Heck, it was seriously in the family genes--even my dad's brother had a pizzeria (anyone in the East Bay remember Frankie…

Since I managed to get some folks to visit Dogpatch for the tablehopper supper at Piccino, what the heck, let's give y'all another great reason to come to the 'hood: the best darned pupusas in the City. Buckle up, because the pupusas at THE NEW…

Since this week is like my Dogpatch roundup, I want to mention one more spot that cracks me up: HARD KNOX CAFE. The irony is this little soul food joint is run by a Vietnamese family who lived in Texas; they've been running this cozy and down-home place…

The other day I was recommending that a friend try YOSHI'S SAN FRANCISCO for the high-roller/special dinner location he was seeking. He was incredulous, "Yoshi's? Really?" That worried me, because if people don't know about how fabulously creative, fresh, and upscale…

*THIS RESTAURANT HAS CLOSED* BARAKA has been a Potrero Hill (and citywide) favorite for a number of years--it's where both Ola Fendert's and David Bazirgan's dishes enchanted me years back, giving me my first taste of Argan oil, and I will never forget the…