The Bay Area’s Humphry Slocombe partnered with the producers of the beloved Emmy winning Queer Eye to serve up a new unique flavor just in time for the Season 3 premiere on March 15th.
[aside postID=”bayareabites_18541″ label=”Food Secrets of Humphry Slocombe’s Jake Godby + Sean Vahey”]
Pastry chef and co-founder Jake Godby says, “Like the flavor itself, working with Queer Eye was an unexpected pleasure that seemed to come out of nowhere. The process was definitely collaborative (they know what they’re doing) and the resulting flavor is a true representation of both our brands.”
And what is the new flavor? Called Cookies + Graham, this ice cream collaboration features chocolate cookies and graham cracker in olive oil ice cream, and this “unexpected combination of flavors takes something ordinary and transforms it into something new that surprises and delights with every bite.”
Surprising and delightful? Sounds like just the right combo for our Fab Five favs.
The Queer Eye team is just as excited about the flavor, saying, “Can you believe there is a Fab 5 flavor now?! Not to be dramatic, but we are beyond excited to serve you some literal ice cream, henny! At Queer Eye, we like to bring together the unexpected to make something different and better. The Humphry Slocombe x Queer Eye Cookies + Graham flavor is exactly that – an adult version of cookies and cream with a touch of the Fab 5 magic!”
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This ice cream collaboration is now available in all Humphry Slocombe scoop shops for the whole month of March, so grab a pint and cozy up on the couch while watching the Fab Five change some lives for the better (and making the audience cry as a result).
Want to get out of the house for a special treat? Head to a Humphry Slocombe location (listed below) to try the Queer Eye Smores Sundae: 1 scoop of Cookies + Graham topped with hot fudge and torched marshmallow fluff.
Pints will be launching for nationwide delivery via Goldbelly in April, and in May, you can find these pints in retail stores, starting with Safeway.
Humphry Slocombe San Francisco:
Mission district: 2790A Harrison St.
Ferry Building: One Ferry Building East Bay:
Oakland: The Hive, 2335 Broadway
Coming Soon: 2948 College Ave in Berkeley Facebook Instagram Twitter
International Women’s Day is on March 8, 2019, but do we really need an excuse to celebrate women and the vital role they play in our food system? Women produce more than half of our food worldwide. From the fields to the kitchen, women are leading the movement for healthy and sustainable food.
While by no means a definitive list, these 20 visionary women entrepreneurs are making our food more delicious, healthful, and soulful, each in her own way. You can find them in CUESA’s farmers markets year-round, rain or shine. Support women-led businesses!
Mariko Grady
Aedan Fermented (pictured above) Saturdays, Ferry Plaza Farmers Market
Following the 2011 earthquake in her home country of Japan, Mariko Grady (pictured center) started selling her homemade miso to friends to raise money for the victims. Through Aedan Fermented, she now brings the traditions of healthy and flavorful Japanese cuisine to the table with fermented foods such as miso, koji, and amazake.
Jen Musty, a lifelong baker, made the leap from accounting to catering in 2006, offering good old-fashioned baked treats with a modern twist, and an emphasis on premium farmers market ingredients. With accolades from the Food Network, she now has a couple shops in San Francisco in addition to her farmers market stand.
An immigrant from Kathmandu and a participant in La Cocina’s food business incubator program, Binita Pradhan (pictured at the beginning of this article) prides herself in being the only Nepalese caterer in San Francisco. You can try Bini’s momos (Nepalese dumplings) with home-ground spices at the Saturday market or at her kiosk on Market Street.
Vanessa Chavez
Cholita Linda Sundays, Jack London Square Farmers Market
Vanessa Chavez of Cholita Linda (Cholita Linda)
Vanessa Chavez started Cholita Linda at the Jack London Square Farmers Market in Oakland, offering freshly made Baja fish and carnitas tacos and agua frescas. She now owns the wildly popular Temescal brick-and-mortar of the same name, but you can still enjoy her tacos at the waterfront farmers market.
Tina McKnight of Dot’s Baking Pantry (Peter DaDilva, San Francisco Chronicle)
A Jack London Square Farmers Market institution with a loyal following, Tina McKnight conjures sweet memories with her Southern desserts such as pies, cakes, cinnamon rolls, cookies, muffins, peach cobbler, and other treats. Her red velvet cupcakes are not to miss.
Kendra Kolling is married to the apple farmer behind Nana Mae’s Organics, but her farm-fresh sandwiches, soups, and salads are creations all her own. Her decadent grilled-cheese sandwiches have won numerous accolades, both at local fairs and nationwide.
Wendy Towner
Honey Ladies Sundays, Jack London Square Farmers Market
The Honey Ladies family (The Honey Ladies)
Beekeeper Wendy Towner’s motto is: “Saving the World One Honeybee at a Time.” Her full-service apiary rescues honeybees from residences and businesses in Los Gatos and gives them new, safe homes. She sells their raw, 100% pure, Grade A honey at farmers markets, so she can continue saving the honeybees.
Born in London, June started her handcrafted preserves company in Berkeley in 1992, with an unshakable dedication to traditional technique and sourcing peak-season fruit, herbs, and flowers from local farms and backyards. Her small (three people, to be exact) but mighty business has gotten national attention as a pioneer of the artisan food revival.
Carolina and Rosa Oliva
La Oaxaqueña Sundays, Jack London Square Farmers Market
Carolina Santos and Rosa Oliva of La Oaxaqueña (La Oaxaqueña)
La Oaxaqueña offers regional Mexican cooking from the southern state of Oaxaca, with made-from-scratch tamales in mole poblano, pupusas, and other traditional specialties like pozole. Their philosophy is that “food is our first medicine,” and the mother-daughter duo cook with the recipes of their ancestors to serve the community and find their roots through food.
Since 1995, yoga enthusiast Yeyen Gunawan has been crafting probiotic juices, wellness beverages, and superfood snacks as La Vie. For a healthy morning pick-me-up, stop by her stand for kvass, kefirs, pure coconut water, green smoothies, or sprouted almond milks.
After growing the popular Liba Falafel in Oakland, Gail launched Liba to “reinvent the salad bar” at the farmers market, using fresh, seasonal ingredients and taking global inspiration. With greens, grains, and optional meat, her bowls and wraps offer a fresh and filling option for the Thursday lunchtime crowd.
A participant of La Cocina’s incubator program, Mi Comedor owner Olivia Mecalco makes antojitos inspired by her grandmother’s cooking and her memories of Mexico City, including sopes, huaraches, pambazos, tacos, tortas, and other street food favorites. Don’t miss her made-from-scratch quesadillas!
A participant in La Cocina, Guadalupe Moreno started Mi Morena, a tacos de guisado business, to offer San Francisco diners traditional tacos with quality ingredients and handmade tortillas, including chicken, beef, pork, and vegetarian options. “De guisado” refers to the homemade stewed fillings, and her dishes are rooted in the cuisine of her home of Mexico City.
If you’ve savored Primavera’s popular chilaquiles, you have Karen Taylor and her amazing mostly female staff, all of whom are Latino immigrants, to thank. (And if you haven’t, add those chilaquiles to your bucket list.) From tortillas to salsas, all of Primavera’s products are made by hand, using local and organic ingredients when possible, at their Sonoma County kitchen and restaurant, El Molino Central. Karen was recently nominated for a James Beard Award.
Kimberly Gonzales
Nahua Pizza Tuesdays and Thursdays, Ferry Plaza Farmers Market
Kimberly Gonzales of Nahua Pizza (CUESA)
In partnership with her uncle Carlos, Kimberly Gonzalez of Nahua Pizza makes handcrafted, hot-from-the-wood-fired-oven pizzas featuring classic and seasonal toppings.
Michelle Pusateri (left) and Mollie Sitkin (CUESA)
Former pastry chef and outdoor enthusiast Michelle (pictured at left, with farmer Mollie Sitkin of Old Dog Ranch) started making granola when she became fed up with blends that were stale, processed, and loaded with sugar. She makes a healthier, gluten-free granola using fresh ingredients sourced from local and sustainable farms, and pure maple syrup as the only sweetener.
Reem Assil
Reem’s Saturdays, Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, and Sundays, Jack London Square Farmers Market
Reem Assil at her stand (CUESA)
After years as a community and labor organizer, Reem was inspired to start her own Arab street food bakery after visiting her parents’ homelands in the Middle East. Today, she builds community around her handmade mana’eesh (a soft, pizza-like flatbread stuffed with fresh ingredients) at two nationally recognized brick-and-mortar restaurants in Oakland and farmers market stands. It’s no wonder she was recently nominated for a James Beard Award.
Growing up in the Central Valley, Lenore and her friend Anna baked pies to give away to their friends. Years later, they started a pie-making business together with the goal of supporting local farms (Anna has since left the business). Three Babes’ offerings change seasonally, and all pie crusts are rolled by hand, a labor-intensive process. Their apple pie has been named among the best in America by Food & Wine.
Inspired by her childhood growing up in Buddhist temples in South Korea, Aruna Lee offers vegan and organic kimchi handcrafted in San Francisco. Her signature product is Napa Cabbage and Jicama Kimchi, while seasonal ferments include products like Super Spicy Habanero Persimmon Kimchi, Oyster Kimchi, and Jicama Kimchi Salsa.
Mary at the Wise Goat Organics stand (Wise Goat Organics)
After years slinging produce for Heirloom Organic Gardens farm, Mary Risavi now brings her passion for local produce and nutrition back to farmers market with Wise Goat Organics, a one-woman kraut business based in San Juan Bautista. Try Wise Goat’s carefully made, hyper-local ferments, which range from the classic to experimental.
San Francisco’s restaurant scene may be dominated by men, but in the cannabis culinary world, women are leading the way. Meet the talented and dynamic women who are creating San Francisco’s canna-culinary culture.
[aside postID=”bayareabites_124226″ label=”Underground Cannabis Dinners Are Creating Quite a Buzz in the Bay Area”]
Naturally, the busy intersection of San Francisco’s cannabis and culinary worlds is a vibrant one, with a passion for sun-grown cannabis and well-made products matched by our commitment to caring how our food is grown, sourced, and prepared, and the same goes for the wine we’re pairing with our meals (and now we’re going full circle with cannabis cultivars as well). They are all agricultural products, after all. Underground cannabis dinner parties are a hot ticket, and we aren’t talking about munchie chow-downs with three-cheese nachos — it’s more like smoked tangerines with albacore crudo, English peas, fennel, crème fraîche, and infused olive oil. Because that’s how we roll here (joints included).
Cinnamon panna cotta with mulled wine and 2mg of non-psychoactive THCA by Coreen Carroll of Cannaisseur Series. (mymilligram.com)
An unexpected development is the large number of women who are leading the local canna-culinary scene, many of them Asian American — a welcome contrast to SF’s primarily white cis male–dominated chef landscape. Some of these canna chefs have culinary training, while others are self-taught, bringing forth the dishes, flavors, and techniques of their family roots and histories, weaving in some local influences and ingredients, all with an elevated touch. We’re also seeing female producers of sophisticated canna-culinary experiences, content creators, and community builders, all contributing their many talents and hustle to a burgeoning scene that is unique to San Francisco and our culture here.
Best of all: many of these women collaborate together on their events. Fempire building, fempire rising.
Meta moments at one of The Herb Somm’s Thursday Infused gatherings. (mymilligram.com)
Cannabis may be legal in California, and you can get cutting-edge products delivered right to your door, but cannabis culinary events remain underground, hosted in secret locations, private venues, and homes. It’s a bit like the street food and pop-up scene that rocked the SF culinary scene a decade ago, equally renegade and DIY in spirit, fueled by a palpable passion for cooking — and now with the added love for coming together and enjoying delicious food with cannabis.
The elegant setting for TSO Sonoma’s Herban Romance dinner for Valentine’s Day. (mymilligram.com)
The demand for these experiences continues to grow, but operating in the shadows has many risks — and it’s also a massive amount of additional work, from the schlepping to staffing to cooking in ad hoc kitchens to lining up sponsors (many hosts try to support female-owned brands). But there’s something very special that happens around the table at these gatherings: community. Connection. Camaraderie.
[aside postID=”bayareabites_130786″ label=”5 Upcoming Cannabis Edibles and Drinks You Need to Know”]
It’s heady stuff and keeps so many of these event hosts and producers inspired to continue cultivating the magic. Most of these events also give back to the community, dedicating a portion of their precious proceeds to a variety of causes and organizations, from social justice and equity, to supporting women in business, or Oakland’s City Slicker Farms.
Cannabis flower sensory pairings at TSO Sonoma’s Fall Foraged dinner. (mymilligram.com)
In order to help spearhead legal access to cannabis cuisine, there’s a local group calledCrop-to-Kitchen community (founded by Terrance Alan and Kimberly Belle) made up of chefs, restaurateurs, edibles and beverage makers, and canna industry insiders that meet on a quarterly basis. Belle shares, “The community is working to build pathways to legalize safe, responsibly dosed, on-premise consumption experiences, and to free up edibles manufacturers from current regulatory restrictions that favor shelf-stable food products over healthier, freshly prepared, real foods.”
The Crop-to-Kitchen community organizers and speakers at their Winter Meet-Up. (mymilligram.com)
Crop-to-Kitchen just launched a sister chapter in Los Angeles, C2KLA, with Rachel Morgan (co-founder of Altered Plates, an LA-based culinary cannabis hospitality collective) as lead community organizer. The City of West Hollywood is quite a bit ahead of SF’s canna cuisine scene — Morgan gives us a peek at what’s happening south: “With the recent permitting of [four] onsite consumption lounges in West Hollywood, women are upping the ante on the culinary cannabis game, and are working to open some of the first spaces in the world where people will be able to combine a restaurant dining experience with their love of cannabis. I am very excited to be working on one of these lounges myself, and look forward to seeing the diversity of ways these lounges explore the endless possibilities for culinary cannabis. There is a place for cannabis alongside many classic culinary traditions, and it’s going to be very exciting to see how the community here in Los Angeles creates an entirely new category of dining experiences.”
Coreen Carroll and Stephanie Hua doing a recipe demo from their Edibles cookbook at the Crop-to-Kitchen Winter Meet-Up. (mymilligram.com)
Morgan adds: “The importance of having an organization like C2K, which is led by some of the leading minds in the culinary cannabis industry, taking up the charge of working with lawmakers to ensure a path for sensible regulations, [and] will pave the way for a culinary cannabis industry where chefs and restaurants can safely serve food alongside cannabis, create perfectly-dosed gourmet dishes, and open up new avenues for premium edibles that more closely resemble food than candy.”
Pot d’Huile’s infused olive oil was a popular guest at Yana Gilbuena’s Horno Buena kamayan feast. (mymilligram.com)
SF has a ways to go before we can plunk down at a cannabis café and order avocado toast with 3mg of cannabis-infused olive oil drizzled over it — with current California Department of Health regulations, we can’t even add CBD oil from hemp — but if you want to see it all happen, now is the time to get involved.
Guests could finish freshly shucked oysters with cannabis herb oil at Big Bad Wolf’s third anniversary party. (mymilligram.com)
In the meantime, here are some of the inspiring women to watch who are leading and shaping our local cannabis culinary scene, from chefs to event hosts to content creators — meet the makers of our future canna restaurant industry.
Dessert at a collaborative Thursday Infused night with Sous Weed . (mymilligram.com)
Chef Coreen Carroll keeps many things lit at her Cannaisseur Series events. (Ashleigh Castro)
A trailblazer in SF’s cannabis dinner scene, nothing beats the party vibe and lively, diverse crowd of a Cannaisseur Series dinner or brunch. Chef Carroll loves to feed her guests (no one goes home hungry), and with her husband Ryan Bush, they create and plan an entire experience — from the theme (speakeasy? Oktoberfest?) to the arc of cannabis consumption, with thoughtful infused dishes and cannabis pairings, designed to take their guests on an immersive journey (read this Bay Area Bites recap for a detailed look at one of their past dinners).
[aside postID=”bayareabites_130218″ label=”Haute Pot: How High-End California Chefs Are Cashing In On Marijuana”]
Their team is additionally offering a variety of educational culinary workshops, from cannabis and cheese pairings, to oysters, or chocolate and wine, plus cooking demos. Carroll is also celebrating the recent launch of Edibles: Small Bites for the Modern Cannabis Kitchen, a cookbook she co-authored with Stephanie Hua, creator of Mellows (gourmet infused marshmallows); they met at the San Francisco Cooking School, and are experienced guides who teach inspiring ways to cook with cannabis.
Big Bad Wolf’s Haejin Chun shows her guests she loves them with meat cones. (mymilligram.com)
Here’s how Haej kicked off her third anniversary party for Big Bad Wolf, her pop-up event series: with yuzu-habanero hot sauce and cannabis-infused mignonette over freshly shucked oysters, followed by passed apps of shrimp cocktail with feisty gochujang cocktail sauce, meat cones loaded with salumi from Lucca Ravioli Co., and colorful Bloom Farms vapes on trays. The finale of savory rice porridge was welcomed after the night of revelry.
There is an exuberance in Haej’s kitchen and cooking, a celebration of her Korean roots (she’s first generation Korean-American) and her love of community, with added ingredients of hip-hop, feminism, playful swagger, and heart. I love all the personal touches — she really gives so much of herself in every event — all the way to gift bags with little jars of her kimchee and a heartfelt thank you note. She is evolving at the speed of a comet — her sold-out gatherings keep getting dialed up, so jump on tickets as soon as they’re released (next one is March 22, but is a non-consumption dinner).
Get a behind-the-scenes look at her thought process at @bigbadwolfsf.
TSO Sonoma’s Allison Kosta and Devika Maskey at their Herban Romance event on Valentine’s Day. (mymilligram.com)
For a truly epicurean experience, it’s tough to top the well-produced and sophisticated events from TSO Sonoma, which celebrate Northern California cuisine, cannabis, wine, wellness, and community in gorgeous settings, from urban wineries to photo studios to stylish Wine Country homes. Both Kosta and Maskey have Northern California roots and a deep background in wine, which all comes across in these gatherings that celebrate NorCal lifestyle and culture.
These multi-course affairs include cannabis pairings, Wine Country chefs, live music, education, and access to their Awakening vaporizer pen, which is part of a full line launching soon. Guests practically float when leaving their thoughtful and abundant events. Become a member of their TSOCIAL Club (it’s free) to receive event invitations, and be the first to know about their upcoming product launches and subscription box.
The luminous Jamie Evans at her holiday event. (mymilligram.com)
Another consummate event host with a background in the wine industry is Jamie Evans, known for her exploration of pairing cannabis terpenes (the aromatic compounds in cannabis and many plants) with wine. At her highly curated Thursday Infused monthly events, she walks guests through how to assess the nuances of cannabis aromatics with thoughtful food and wine pairings, as well as introducing quality cannabis growers and products, plus local and visiting chefs, all while providing education, discovery, and drawing an engaging crowd. Every detail of her events is so carefully considered, and presented with such gracious hospitality.
[aside postID=”bayareabites_130202″ label=”5 Cannabis Beverages to Keep You High-Drated”]
She’s also a prolific content creator, sending out her Herb Somm newsletter with cannabis product reviews, recipes, and wellness tips, and be sure to follow her at @theherbsomm. She’s hard at work on an upcoming book (due to come out this fall via Fair Winds Press, an imprint of Quarto Publishing Group), so she’s paused her events at the moment, but will be back this summer.
Yana Gilbuena in her happy place. (Celeste Noche )
San Francisco is lucky to have itinerant chef Gilbuena cooling her jets and nesting in the 415 after completing her international Filipino pop-up dinner tour, the SALO Series. She started in Bushwick, and then hosted dinners in our 50 states in 52 weeks, as well as all eight provinces in Canada. She celebrates the cuisine of her native Visayas region in the central Philippines at elaborate kamayan feasts, where guests gather to eat communally with their hands over tables covered with banana leaves, laden with her soulful dishes that integrate local ingredients.
Her self-published and fundraised cookbook, No Forks Given, just came out about her series and experiences cooking across America, with recipes. In SF, she’s collaborating with local cannabis brands and products and serving infused feasts with fellow chefs—get ready for upcoming events to celebrate her book release.
While Lo isn’t hosting 40-person dinners for the public, she does collaborate on intimate and over-the-top feasts with chef friends and co-creators. She’s done a tremendous amount of work to help destigmatize and elevate cannabis cuisine, teaching refined infusing techniques through her recipes created for food lovers. No clichéd munchies with Lo: she’s all about cannabis-infused cooking using the sous vide method (read more on her blog, Sous Weed), and you may have seen her byline on infused recipes here at Bay Area Bites.
She shot and styled the award-winning Sous Vide at Home cookbook with Penguin Random and Nomiku, and just released a sequel, Sous Vide Made Simple, in fall 2018. She’s a powerhouse of high-quality content creation and brand development, acting as a creative director, photographer (she contributes images to the groundbreaking Stock Pot Images), writer, and collaborator.
Follow her prolific work at @sousweed and @lobese and see how she smashes the lazy stoner paradigm.
Continuing our tradition of honoring top female talents in the Bay Area, we are continuing 2016 guide and 2017 guide with another write up featuring some of the women in the Bay Area food industry who are really impressing us and making an impact in the community. From chefs to food advocates to restaurateurs, there are women shaping what we eat and drink and how we do it.
[aside postID=”bayareabites_132755″ label=”Meet the Women Blazing San Francisco’s Cannabis Culinary Scene”]
Sadly, women make up a good chunk of the entry-level workforce in the food industry but are underrepresented across the board above this level — not to mention the low number of women of color in the industry overall. Luckily, there are successful women in the food industry who are champions for their peers, and their stories and advice are powerful for other women who want to follow in their footsteps. Additionally, there are organizations like Women Chefs & Restaurateurs and the James Beard Foundation’s Women Entrepreneurial Leadership Program that have been working to give more women resources to start their own restaurants and companies.
For Women’s History Month, you can help these local, hardworking women by putting your money where your mouth is and going to support a female-led or owned business. Please note, this guide does not include every female-owned restaurant, bar, bakery or pop-up in the whole Bay Area, so please feel free to add any favorites we may have missed by tagging us on social! You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
You may have heard of El Pipila’s Guadalupe Guerrero from our digital series, Taste This. La Cocina is a non-profit incubator that has taught and guided many low-income entrepreneurs like Guerrero how to start and maintain a small business in the Bay Area, one of the most challenging culinary landscapes in the country. Guerrero built her catering business with their help, and her brick and mortar restaurant by the same name just opened at the end of last year.
Along with her two daughters Brenda and Alejandra, Guerrero shares family dishes from her hometown, Guanajuato, in Mexico, like her extremely popular pozole verde, enchiladas, carnitas, and chile rellenos.
According to a 2010 SFGATE article, “When sisters Wassana Korkhieola and Lalita Souksamlane needed a name for their Thai restaurant in the Tenderloin, they went with the royal Thai word for “delicious.”” At that point, Osha Thai was a certified empire with locations throughout San Francisco. This year, Osha Thai will be celebrating 23 years in the fall — an impressive achievement in the Bay Area where restaurants tend to come and go.
[aside postID=”bayareabites_132854″ label=”20 Women-Led Food Businesses You Should Know”] The two sisters immigrated from Thailand in their 20s and opened Osha Thai in 1996 — and they have been deeply involved in every aspect of their restaurant empire since then, from the interior design to the menu. In fact, Chef Souksamlane uses many of her father’s original recipes on the menu for both Osha Thai and Lao Table.
If you look up Dominica Rice-Cisneros, you’ll find on her website that she is “a chef, entrepreneur, mother, wife, community activist and urban gardener who believes that every single person deserves access to high-quality foods.” She has been cooking for over 30 years, and, in 2017, she was inducted into Les Dames d’Escoffier, San Francisco, a philanthropic group of women leaders in the fields of food, fine beverage and hospitality.
Mentored by a notable female chef (Alice Waters) herself, Rice-Cisneros is a champion for females in the food industry and believes in providing career opportunities for local women in the Bay Area. At her California-Mexican café Cosecha, she hires many mothers and helps them make it work. In a Berkeleyside interview, she shared that “her hope is that all women can work to let go of the unnecessary burden of feeling they need to take care of everything and everyone.”
Fernay McPherson
Minnie Bell’s Soul Food Movement
The Public Market 5959 Shellmound St.
Emeryville, California
94608
Fernay McPherson, the Chef-Owner of Minnie Bell’s Soul Movement. (Wendy Goodfriend)
Like El Pipila’s Guadalupe, Fernay McPherson is a La Cocina success story, and her rosemary fried chicken is pretty legendary. Her family moved to California around the time when the Fillmore was booming as the “Harlem of the West,” and McPherson hopes one day that Minnie Bell’s can find a place in the Fillmore, bringing back that vibrant heyday. For now, you can find her at the Emeryville Public Market.
[aside postID=”bayareabites_131944″ align=”left” label=”Emily Luchetti’s Wild Blueberry Lemon Tart”]
Talk about family comfort food! McPherson’s late grandmother Lillie Bell and her great aunt Minnie (the namesakes of Minnie Bell’s) taught her how to cook her family’s soul food recipes and inspired her to be a chef. Along with crispy, delectable rosemary fried chicken, you can get three-cheese mac & cheese with Parmesan, fontina and cheddar, cornbread and other tasty sides at the Minnie Bell’s Soul Food Movement stand.
Wines that guests drank on the set of the premiere episode of Check, Please! Bay Area season 11 included a Spottswoode Sauvignon Blanc.
From the very beginning, Spottswoode was found and led by talented women. Mary Novak took over the vineyard after her husband’s death in 1977 and successfully completed her first harvest soon after, selling grapes to local vintners. Her daughters joined Novak (Beth in 1987 and Lindy in 1992) and, together, the trio established Spottswoode as one of Napa Valley’s most esteemed multigenerational family estates. They are known for their Cabernet Sauvignon, and, according to Check, Please! Bay Area host Leslie Sbrocco’s wine notes from Season 11’s premiere, it “is rightly celebrated for its elegance and ageworthiness.”
[aside postID=”bayareabites_131469″ label=”Jen Biesty’s Ancho Chili and Chocolate Braised Short Ribs”] Spottswoode has made an enduring commitment to stewardship over the years by adopting solar energy, spearheading the restoration of Spring Creek, annually contributing 1% of winery profits to environmental causes through 1% for the Planet, and making notable contributions to the Land Trust of Napa County, Garden Conservancy, Yosemite Conservancy, and the Trust for Public Land. Today, Beth is Spottswoode’s President & CEO, and Lindy is its Marketing Ambassador. They carry on their mother’s legacy with their families (and Pete, the family labrador and Chief Greeter at Spottswoode).
For more eateries to visit during Women’s History Month, see below.
In April 2016, former mayor Ed Lee and the city’s Board of Supervisors recognized the need to preserve “the living landmark that is the Filipino community in the South of Market neighborhood and established the SoMa Pilipinas Filipino Cultural Heritage District.” Since then, community organizers have worked hard to make the existing Filipino community more visible to the rest of the Bay Area.
Dinuguan from Manila Bowl (Albert Law)
That’s where Desi Danganan, the executive director of Kultivate Labs, a local non-profit business accelerator, comes in. One of his team’s first projects to promote Filipino culture, food and art was a carefully curated night market festival called UNDISCOVERED SF that first launched in August 2017. It became a monthly summer festival, but, if you look at UNDISCOVERED SF’s social media presence today, you’ll see that is has been taken over by a special event called Kulinary Confidential.
When asked for more details, Danganan explained, “Kulinary Confidential is a delicious way to explore the incredible Filipino food scene that exists in our city. The Bay Area is home to the largest population of Filipinos in the country, and there’s so much undiscovered culinary talent here. These chefs are pushing the boundaries of Filipino cuisine and reinterpreting it a uniquely Filipino-American perspective.”
Sarap Shop’s Mystery bag will include their signature Halo Halo Milk Tea and a mystery flavor of onigiri. (Albert Law)
With participation from 7 restaurants and 16 chefs, this two-week affair will showcase the vibrant flavors of the Philippines through two self-guided food crawls featuring secret, off-menu dishes chosen by the chefs themselves. You could munch on Toyomansi-glazed Fried Chicken & Pandan Mochi Waffle at Little Skillet or try your luck with the Mystery Bag at Sarap Shop — just 2 out of 8 options available to passport holders!
You might know a thing or two about lumpia, sisig, and other delicious Filipino fare but the tasting passport will help you dive into the cuisine with a little help from chefs and their special off-the-menu items. After all, what better way to learn about another culture than through their cuisine? Plus, each week has a different lineup of participating restaurants and secret dishes to keep things fresh. To keep the messaging concise, all of the participating restaurants and pop-up dinners are located within SOMA Pilipinas, San Francisco’s Filipino cultural district.
Note: You can ONLY get the secret menu items by redeeming purchased passport tickets.
Lechon Kawali tacos from Mestiza (Albert Law)
There will also be 6 pop-up dinners where chefs will show off their creative interpretations of Filipino cuisine, like an elegant, modern Filipino tasting menu from Pinoy Heritage’s Chef Francis Ang or a flavorful Filipino and Japanese mashup from Ox & Tiger chefs EJ Macayan and Hitomi Wada.
Tasting passports clock in at $48 and pop-up meal tickets range from $65-90. You can purchase your tickets here. Go eat some delicious food and feel good while doing so because 5% of ticket sales go to Balboa High School’s Tagalog immersion trip! Thanks in part to donations, 20+ students will go to the Philippines to learn about their cultural roots and practice Tagalog.
Check it out and make sure to give feedback to the team! “If the participating chefs and public are happy and our efforts are helping to energize the conversation about Filipino food in the Bay Area, then I don’t see why we wouldn’t do this again. I can imagine us doing more thematic events like an all ube Kulinary Confidential,” says Danganan. An all ube tasting event? Sign me up.
See below for the full list of secret menu items and pop-up dinners.
Meal will highlight the deep influences of Indian influences on Filipino flavors and show a contemporary take on Aileen’s blended roots at Mestiza, $65
Neighborhood wine bars abound in the Bay Area—and because San Francisco is so, well, San Francisco, there are many truly good options for snooty sophisticated wine drinkers to choose from when the yen strikes to crack a bottle of something nice, even if it is only a Monday night.
So if you’re going to open a wine bar in the city, you better make it good. Enter couple Rebecca Fineman and Chris Gaither, a pair of sommeliers who’ve anted up and raised the bar with Ungrafted, their new spot in the Dogpatch.
Take a seat for an elevated drink at the long copper bar. (Sarah Chorey)
Between the two of them, Fineman and Gaither (who met at a wine exam) have worked at Spruce, Ame, Octavia, and Gary Danko; she’s a Master Sommelier, in fact—one of only 249 in the world and among just 25 women Master Sommeliers in the United States. Impressive much?
When it came to pouring out ideas for Ungrafted, a few key things mattered most: a carefully curated selection of wines, seriously delicious food pairings, and a laid-back atmosphere that would appeal to the local community making it a chill spot to hang out.
SF-based MH Architects were tasked with remodeling the Third Street space that once housed Poco Dolce Chocolates. You’ll find an industrial-sleek glass-walled wine cellar and a mezzanine seating area that overlooks the space—a gilded mural of twisting tree branches adds a bit of elegant whimsy.
Gilded art by Twin Walls Mural Co. are already Ungrafted’s signature photo op. (Sarah Chorey)
So what’s pouring? Think unexpected labels at terrific values. “We are very hands-on when it comes to choosing wines for our list,” says Fineman. “We taste a lot of wines. Our main two criteria are deliciousness and bang for the buck—wines that taste a lot more expensive than they are. For wines by the glass, we are additionally on the hunt for the wines that taste great when they are first opened, without needing an hour to air out.”
The scallop ceviche is a well-balanced, light bite with a few slices of spicy chile, pickled shallots for a hint of acid, and crunchy nori chips. (Sarah Chorey)
As for the really good food, Ungrafted has employed the talents of chef Robert Vallejos (B Patisserie, Spruce and Manresa), whose menu of both small and entree-size plates leans on French techniques with street food–inspired flavors, all designed as ideal accompaniments to the vino.
Dip your mother-of-pearl spoon into Tsar Nicolai caviar served with mini arepas and crema, or go for the fresh scallop ceviche served with crunchy nori chips. On the heartier side of things are a pretty decadent buttermilk fried chicken with a biscuit (we challenge you to recall the last time you ate that in a wine bar) and octopus adobo.
We didn’t see this coming: fried chicken, topped with creole spices and paired with a thick buttery biscuit, is available in two pieces or four. (Sarah Chorey)
Nervous about choosing that perfect wine pairing? The couple rallied their network and hired a full team of sommeliers; in other words, Ungrafted has arguably the most knowledgeable wine team in town. Let them show you the way with great recommendations.
“Chris and I meet guests all the time who tell us that they are afraid to speak to a sommelier because they don’t want to be pressured into spending more than they’d like,” Fineman says. “We always tell them that that is exactly the reason they should be taking to a sommelier. We know the list better than anyone, and can easily find the wine you’ll want to drink for the price you’ll want to spend.”
Skip traditional dessert wines like port or sherry and cap your night with a glass of Rivesaltes Ambré Domaine Fontanel—a rich, caramel-y wine with notes of dried apricots and candied orange peel. (Sarah Chorey)
Want to dive deeper? Pop in for Monday night blind tasting flights where you can sample a variety of wines and take tasting notes with your server. Private group tastings are also available. Rather swirl and sip in the privacy of your own home? Pick up some bottles to go in the informal shop.
No matter how many neighborhoods comprise San Francisco, and no matter that our disdain of chain businesses means an abundance of independently owned eateries in every one of them, that just-right neighborhood restaurant can be elusive. They’re either too hard to get into without reservations, too pricey to frequent on the regular, or just not that special.
But for lucky Fillmore Street residents, Noosh hits the mark for what we want in a casual neighborhood gem: a touch fancier than Souvla; less formalized than NoPa; and without the headache of snagging a res—we’re looking at you, Che Fico. And all the flavors are there.
Noosh is a bright, cheerful spot thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows and a Mediterranean style whitewash. (Sarah Chorey)
To understand how Noosh came to be, you’d need to rewind to 2016 when married chef duo Laura and Sayat Ozyilmaz were ready to break away from the grind of working in Michelin-starred kitchens—between them, the pair has manned stoves in New York’s Cafe Boulud, Eleven Madison Park, and Le Bernardin—to focus on a project of their own. They launched a small pop-up on Feastly called Istanbul Modern, channeling the Eastern Mediterranean flavors of Sayat’s home country, Turkey.
From left: yogurt dip, hummus, and muhammara. (Sarah Chorey)
It quickly became one of the most successful concepts on the platform, booking out dinner after dinner. John Litz, an advisor at Feastly and also a founding partner in Lazy Bear, recognized the staying power of the Ozyilmazes’ food, and approached them to develop a permanent restaurant in SF. Litz would be the third partner in what has now become Noosh.
Taking over the old Thai Stick on pedestrian-friendly Fillmore Street, Noosh serves approachable Eastern Mediterranean food made with California ingredients and techniques. The menu is packed with shareable small plates as well as some heftier options so you can devise your own feast.
If you’re a meat lover, definitely get a bowl of the rich lamb meatballs; they come swimming in a savory pomegranate tomato sauce and topped with a sprinkle of crunchy dukkah. (Sarah Chorey)
There are creamy spreads like hummus, babaganoosh, and muhammara; pita sandwiches; freshly fried falafel; flatbreads; lamb meatballs; a variety of kebabs; and a few soups and salads. It’s hard to decide what to order, so just cut yourself some agony and carve out space in your schedule for at least two visits in the near future.
Craving something sweet? Finish the meal with the light-as-air lokumades, aka fancy donuts, coated with a seasonal syrup. Right now it’s a blend of orange and honey; keep an eye out for a strawberry-infused flavor next month. (Sarah Chorey)
Kirley+ Architecture and Colling Design + Build executed the build-out of the 120-seat space with Greek-inspired interiors pulled together by two firms, Eden Wright Design and Mokume Design. The result is a European vacation vibe with whitewashed walls, a smattering of blue-and-white glassware, a cascade of circular mirrors staggered along the bar, and a domed, white-brick oven anchoring the main dining room and churning out doughy pita breads.
Watch as loaf after loaf of dense, chewy pita bread comes piping hot from the oven. (Sarah Chorey)
The final touch to the laid-back ambience is a cashless approach to dining. As you queue up in line for a table (Noosh takes no reservations except for parties of 10 or more), a host will greet you by the entrance and take your order and credit card info via tablet; they’ll seat you when a table opens up. Every one of the staff is capable of serving you, adding a dish to your order or fetching you another drink, and closing you out at the end of your meal.
The concept is casual by nature, but it doesn’t feel too fast: We felt welcome to stay awhile. That’s in part thanks to a full bar run by Andrew Meltzer—don’t miss his refreshing Noosh Mule.
Whatever you do, you must order at least one of the three flatbreads. We fell for the pork soujuk with juicy sausage crumbles, red pepper, cheese, and a soft egg on top. (Sarah Chorey)
Hungry for breakfast? Noosh’s all-day offerings include a few morning-only options starting at 11am on weekdays. Can’t make it over to Pac Heights? Caviar is hooking it up with delivery so you can get your flatbreads on the regular.
Easter is an excellent excuse to have a big brunch and bottomless mimosas.
Make this year’s meal a melting pot of flavors with a range of dishes — from Spanish tortilla to French omelette to coconut curry—at these Bay Area restaurants.
Easter Brunches in San Francisco
Doesn’t this Easter ham sandwich look delicious? (4505 Burgers & BBQ)
The Commissary
101 Montgomery St. (The Presidio)
11am-3pm Website
Reservations are available through OpenTable
Executive chef Eric Minnich will homage the holiday with an a la carte menu with a Spanish twist—think poached eggs with Spanish potato hash, chorizo, and brava sauce; and avocado toast with Serrano ham. Sweet tooth? Go for the pain perdu with maple syrup, chantilly cream, and macerated berries.
4505 Burgers & BBQ
705 Divisadero St. (NoPa)
10:30am-11pm, April 19-21 Website
If you grew up anywhere near the south, you might be accustomed to having an Easter ham. Get in sando form 4505 style: pork legs—split, brined, and smoked in house—and stacked with bread and butter pickles, gruyere cheese, and crispy onions on an Acme pan de mie roll.
Hop over to Bluestem for a hoppy and sweet pairing: The restaurant is offering is a bright lager or IPA to pair with a massive cinnamon roll with brown butter cream cheese frosting or king pancakes with bacon, peanut butter, and bananas.
Magnolia Brewing Co.
1398 Haight St. (Haight-Ashbury)
10am-10pm Website
Chefs Roque Mendoza and Laurance Gordon will be serving huevos rancheros, side salads, and fried egg and sausage sandwiches. Wash it all down with a light pilsener or a Billy’s Sunday Bitter.
Campton Place
340 Stockton St. (Union Square)
11:30am-1:30 pm
$98/person, $65/wine pairings Website
Celebrate the day with a sophisticated Indian touch. Executive chef Srijith Gopinathan has designed a four-course meal of French toast with fresh berries; butter-poached Maine lobster with coconut curry; seared Angus beef fillet with black truffle and potato mousse; and a dessert of mango, avocado, and white chocolate.
Easter Brunches in Oakland
Anyone for some lamb prosciutto? (Duende Restaurant + Bodega)
Lake Chalet
1520 Lakeside Dr. (Oakland)
10am-3pm Website
After the Easter egg hunt at Lake Merritt, chow specials including slow-cooked lamb shoulder and pan-roasted striped bass at this waterfront restaurant, which will also has a bountiful raw bar.
Duende Restaurant + Bodega
468 19th St. (Oakland)
11am-2pm Website
Open for brunch especially for Easter, Duende will serve a family-style meal of Catalan toasts; spicy pork rillettes; avocado montaditos; grilled pork belly with slow cooked egg and spring vegetables; and tortilla de papas.
Easter Brunches in Marin
Heap your plate with fruits, pastries, seafood, meats, and more at Cavallo Point’s Easter buffet brunch. (Cavallo Point)
Cavallo Point
Two seatings (10am-noon, and 12:30-2:30pm) are available for the buffet at 601 Tidewater and Surfbird
Pre-Fixe Brunch will be served from 9am-2pm at the restaurant Murray Circle, 601 Murray Circle (Sausalito)
Reservations can be made by calling 415-339-4700 Website
You can always count on a fancy hotel to go all out. At Sausalito’s Cavallo Point, there are two options: the Grand Brunch Buffet ($110/adults, $55/kids ) with multiple stations for classic brunch fare, seafood, and more; and the Prix-Fixe Brunch ($58/adults, $22/kids), which starts with an array of appetizers (think artisanal charcuterie and pastries) followed by a main course, such as honey ham Benedict or smoked whitefish hash, and a series of desserts.
PS: Prefer to do your major dining at night? Murray Circle is also serving a five-course Easter dinner ($95/person, $48/wine pairings).
Copita Tequileria y Comida
739 Bridgeway (Sausalito)
11am-2pm Website
Make it festive with lamb birriaquiles or huevos Rancheros and a new spin on the Violetta cocktail (tequila, creme de violet, creme de pampelmousse, lime and grapefruit).
Easter Brunches in Wine Country
La Toque’s dining room is always a pretty place for a proper brunch. (Megan Menicucci)
La Toque
The Westin Verasa Napa, 1314 Mckinstry St. (Napa)
12pm-2pm
For reservations, call 707-257-5157 Website
See Michelin stars at chef Ken Frank’s celebrated Napa restaurant, which will be serving a three-course, contemporary French brunch ($48/person, $24/wine pairings). Refined palates will love a lobster omelet with tender leeks, potato, and fontina cheese; Alaskan halibut tempura; and grilled hanger steak with bone marrow and pickled shallots.
Farm at Carneros
Carneros Resort
4048 Sonoma Hwy
10am-4pm Website
This multi-course, family-style meal ($85/adults, $42/kids) celebrates the season with avocado toast; seared scallop with trumpet mushroom “bacon”; and mixed chicory salad with duck confit. There’s also a special menu for kids.
Easter Brunches in the South Bay
If you’re aiming for Michelin stars, then make it Madera at the Rosewood Sand Hill. (Madera)
Madera
Madera at Rosewood Sand Hill Hotel
2825 San Hill Rd. (Menlo Park)
10am-3pm Website
The Easter menu ($120/person, beverages not included) at this Michelin-starred restaurant is designed to be shared. Start with chilled pea soup with pancetta and mint or smoked salmon flatbread; entrees include honey-glazed ham and roasted leg of lamb.
Verge Restaurant
Toll House Hotel
140 Santa Cruz Ave. (Los Gatos)
$75/adults, $32/kids age 6-12 Website
First thing to know: unlimited mimosas. Have your fill and then fuel up at the buffet stocked with herb roasted prime rib, oysters Rockefeller, eggs Benedict, and more.
If the headline of this story reads a tad elegiac, it’s because the closing of Jardinière, after dinner service this Saturday night, after 21 years as one of the most iconic spots in town, will be a loss for San Francisco.
At a time when the texture of the city seems to be constantly changing threads and other legacy businesses are shuttering (the beloved Beach Blanket Babylon is also soon to take its final bow), some longtime San Franciscans are feeling a bit nostalgic, wondering if future generations here will have any idea what they missed.
Most certainly it’s yet another signal of an ending era, as fine dining destinations make way for pop-ups and food trucks with cult followings. There may never be another de facto special occasion destination here quite like Jardinière, but the city will move on as the city always does. For Traci Des Jardins, though—and for every busser, server, host, GM, bartender, line cook, and chef who’s ever worked for her—it’s an end scene that won’t soon be forgotten. But as is usual in the case of a natural death at the end of a long run, the current tenor at the corner of Grove and Franklin streets is more tuned toward celebrating life.
Chef Traci Des Jardins has a well-deserved cocktail at the bar at Jardinière, two weeks before the restaurant was set to close. (Aubrie Pick)
“I always wanted it to be excellent, and never slip,” said the chef over the phone on Tuesday. (It never did, as reviewer Nick Czap found when he revisited the restaurant upon its 20th anniversary.) With just five dinner services to go then, she acknowledged the moment was bittersweet—amid an outpouring of sentiment, she was characteristically resolute: “Jardinière is such a personal, high touch place, it requires a big part of me for it to feel right. I’m in a different phase in my life now, so I feel ready to let it go.”
Des Jardins’ signature restaurant has, of course, been a primary influencer—alongside Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse and Judy Rodgers’ Zuni Cafe—in the way we eat and dine here; their philosophies running deep beneath the buzz words they helped create: local, seasonal, sustainable—to say nothing of being damn delicious. But the restaurant famed for its martini-cut double doors, sparkling champagne dome, warm bread salad, and duck liver mousse was best-loved among its regulars for the culture of high care and hospitality that Des Jardins fostered with her incredibly pro and devoted team. For many, it was our Cheers—albeit a pretty fancy Cheers—where they called us by name while serving our Tsar Nicolai caviar beneath Tiffany-style lamps at the bar.
If you know anything about Traci, you already know that the end of Jardinière is by no means the end of Des Jardins. She will continue on in her hard-working role as a day-to-day restaurateur (let’s not forget that she still helms a handful of eateries in SF) and as an industry mentor and sage. But Jardinière, as she says, was “the mother ship,” and it has beamed us all up in one way or another, leaving a lasting impression as the backdrop of our heady first dates, intoxicating proposals, milestone birthdays, and black-tie gala nights since it opened in 1997. The space has even seen its share of weddings, even my own.
In 2008 I exchanged marriage vows beneath that iconic dome, and descended that gracefully curving staircase to share croquembouche and glasses of Billecart-Salmon (the house favorite Champagne) with family and friends, Traci among them. It would probably make for a neater story had that union been happy and lasting (the setting way outlived the sanctity of the marriage), but I still carry with me that rare sense of specialness imparted by the place and its host. In an interview with 7×7 back in 2014, Traci’s pal, MythBusters star Adam Savage, called her “as salt-of-the-earth as it gets.” She welcomes everyone around her like family.
In talking to Traci and to some of her team during the restaurant’s final days, family is the theme that keeps bubbling up.
Traci Des Jardins with Amy Reynolds, her chief of staff. (Amy Reynolds)
“I cried all the way through it,” she told me in a text message, on March 25th, of sharing the news with her team, just before Kim Severson shared it with the world via The New York Times. “It was an amazing experience, how much they could all hold me.”
Since word got out, the brick walls of the old restaurant have been packed with regulars returning to pay final tribute—my favorite-ever caviar presentation, the one that hasn’t changed in 21 years, flying out of the kitchen each night and all night long.
Des Jardins with Donald Link, the restaurant’s opening kitchen manager, in 1997. (Traci Des Jardins via Facebook)
“We aren’t staffed to handle this kind of volume, so alums have been coming in to work shifts, both front and back of house, to lend a hand,” she said. “It’s the way that it feels in terms of a family, how connected our people are and the bonds they’ve formed here.” Many of her closing team has been with her for ages—executive chef Audie Golder joined the line in 2009 as a 23-year-old fresh from culinary school; and chief of staff Amy Reynolds started as a hostess a decade ago. Many of those who did get away didn’t go far.
“Robbie Lewis’ kids were practically born here,” laughs Traci, who first hired Lewis in her pre-Jardinière days at the now-closed but then much-hyped and celebrity-backed FiDi restaurant Rubicon. He quit soon after to take a job at another much-hyped, now-closed restaurant—”She was so pissed at me she was shaking and crying, and I was crying, and she told me I would regret this,” Lewis remembers, “and I did. I tucked my tail, went back to Rubicon and was all in—from that moment I decided I would do whatever Traci said. I was like, this is my person. She is my chef.”
Chef Robbie Lewis with his son, Dante (who’s now 16), at Jardinière back in the day. (Robbie Lewis)
In the two-plus decades since, Lewis logged about eight years in the kitchen at Jardinière, where he became executive chef in 2002, and then helped open her pair of Presidio restaurants. He’s a big, outwardly macho guy and a fierce commander in the kitchen, and yet he immediately goes soft on the topic of his mentor and her mother ship.
“Traci’s been thinking about this decision for some time, and she called to tell me about a week before the news broke. But on that day, I got all these calls and social media started going crazy, and it was so much more impactful than I expected. It was really an emotionally tender moment.”
He recalled his early days in Traci’s kitchen, where though he was just three years her junior, there was no questioning who was the boss. “In terms of having your shit together, she was just way ahead of me. She was this force to be reckoned with, a badass chef, a ball buster, with this amazing tenacity and ability to keep cranking it out.” Lewis captures Traci—the Scorpio who can be deadly serious and X-acto sharp, but also nurturing and old-soul wise.
“She has this ability to mentor in a style that’s empowering. She allows you to make mistakes. And she was always generous with me in the press, sharing her shine which a lot of chefs would never fucking do,” he said. “She has challenged me in so many ways, not just to be a better chef, but to be a better husband and father.”
Stories like these are the norm among the Jardinière tribe. Chief of staff Reynolds met both her best friend and husband here as she worked her way through pretty much every front-of-house and service job outside of the kitchen before the chef took a chance and made the server her personal assistant. Over the past several years, they forged an unknown path together. “In the kitchen, it’s very clear what your job is. You make food, there are techniques and fundamentals. if you’re cutting an onion wrong, Traci can step in and offer another way of doing it. In our world, we kind of figured it out together; her years and expertise were a mentorship for me,” said Reynolds, who though she will remain on Traci’s team, is also feeling the tug of Jardinière’s last days.
“It’s a freak wave of emotion,” she said. “Some days it’s all business and let’s just get through steps 1 to 15, and other days it’s so emotional. I gave a pep talk to the staff before service the other day and ended up just bawling—I thought, god this is so embarrassing. This is my family and my home.”
Chef Audie, as they call him, never could get away from the restaurant though he did try. “Every time I thought about leaving, some new door opened up for me here. [Traci’s] given me quite a bit of creative freedom…There was a point when we were going through like 30 pounds of kimchi, and kimchi’s not really an ingredient you’d expect to see at Jardinière, but she’s always been open to ideas.”
When someone actually does leave the restaurant, it’s tradition that they tell a story, some memory of it, on their final day. “I’ve been thinking about what mine would be,” said Golder, who says meeting his wife, Michelle (now a baker at B. Patisserie), on the line back in 2012 takes the cake.
It seems clear that all of this—the mentorship, the bonds, the marriages, and babies—are not the product of Jardinière’s 21-year tenure but rather the reason for it. Silicon Valley companies can talk all day long about their “culture,” but they’ll never have anything on this place, where passion started, and was shared, from the top.
But back to that celebration of life. Jardinière may be done—get in for one last toast before the kitchen closes on Saturday, April 27th—but you’ll find that same spirit of hospitality on tap, or better—in the form of a margarita—at the various local Mexican- and Spanish-style restaurants (all blessedly more affordable than the French-Californian mother ship) inspired by Traci’s Mexican heritage.
She’s also cooking up something new, because at the end of day, Traci is Jardinière—which is French for a female gardener—and still just 53, she has plenty tending left to do.
Traci Des Jardins, photographed for 7×7’s December 2014 print edition. (Matt Edge)
Humphry Slocombe is well known for their quirky ice cream flavors and fun collaborations (Queer Eye and Cirque de Soleil to name a few), and their next project in honor of Pride is no exception.
In partnership with Bay Area drag icon, Juanita MORE!, Humphry Slocombe’s Jake Godby and Sean Vahey have created a one-of-a-kind flavor aptly called…Juanita MORE! According to the drag queen and restaurateur, “The flavors come together perfectly. It’s absolutely delicious and filled with loads of love!”
This new ice cream flavor is inspired in part by the specialty cocktail that Hi Tops, the staple Castro gay sports bar, created in her honor over 10 years ago.
The cocktail “was a sexy take on a Moscow Mule,” explains Juanita MORE!, “The ingredients include blackberries, bourbon, and ginger beer. It was an instant hit and is still in great demand. It was a thrill to work for the team at Humphry Slocombe to recreate it in the form of ice cream.”
The Juanita MORE! ice cream flavor features blackberry, ginger and whiskey. (Cole Church)
Jake Godby, co-founder of Humphry Slocombe, agrees, “It’s was an honor to create a tribute ice cream for the legendary drag icon Juanita More! Both are over the top, slightly off-color, and just the right amount of spice and fruit.”
The new Juanita MORE! flavor will be available in all Humphry Slocombe scoop shops starting in June in honor of Pride, but Humphry Slocombe, Juanita MORE! and Hi Tops are hosting a launch party in San Francisco on Sunday, May 12 from 12pm-1pm. The event is free to attend, and fans will have the chance to get an exclusive first “taste” of this new boozy flavor PLUS to hang out with the drag legend herself!
Diners and chefs around the Bay Area mourned Traci Des Jardin‘s Jardinière when it closed after 21 years just last month, but, as the New York Times announcement reminded us, it was just a piece of Des Jardin’s empire and the chef isn’t planning on slowing down any time soon.
Des Jardin’s other San Francisco projects are Mijita Cocina Mexicana, a casual Mexican restaurant in the Ferry Building, the weeknights-only bar called School Night, The Commissary, Arguello and Transit (the last three are all in the Presidio and partnerships with the Presidio Trust). And on May 22 from 6pm-9pm, The Commissary will be celebrating its own milestone: 5 years of Spanish-influenced cuisine and cocktails!
Des Jardins says, “When I opened The Commissary five years ago, I was excited to have the chance to bring one of my favorite parks, the Presidio, into the lives of more San Franciscans and travelers alike and was inspired by its history as a military settlement originally established by Spanish conquistadores in the 1800s.”
For just one special night, the chefs who worked alongside Des Jardins in The Commissary’s kitchen will return to celebrate its 5th anniversary with a menu of cava, tapas, and paella.
Left to right: Chefs Reylon Agustin, Robbie Lewis and Traci Des Jardins (The Commissary)
Chef Des Jardins and Executive Chef Eric Minnich will be joined by former chefs including Reylon Agustin, executive chef at Michelin-starred Madera in Menlo Park, Rogelio Garcia, chef de cuisine at Michelin-starred Spruce in San Francisco and a Top Chef season 15 contestant, and Robbie Lewis, regional culinary director for Bon Appétit Management Company. Chef Tom Meckfessel will also be there with his wood-fired mobile paella, Paella del Reyes.
“I am thrilled to have some of our former chefs back in The Commissary kitchen and to toast to the wonderful past 5 years,” says Des Jardin.
What will you find on the menu? Salt Cod Fritters with Garlic Aioli, Braised Pork Tostada with Aioli, Elote Fingerlime with Cotija and Espuma, Spanish Octopus with Sauce Al Pastor and Citrus are just a few mouthwatering items offered. To see the full menu and to purchase your tickets ($85 for a seat) visit The Commissary’s the anniversary page.
And don’t forget the drinks! Bar Manager, Tony Stewart, will be shaking up a selection of his favorite cocktails, along with older selections like the longtime favorite, The Official, which has jalapeno-infused tequila, Pamplemousse rose, oloroso and grapefruit bitters.
An array of cocktails from The Commissary (Kassie Borreson)
By Sarah Chorey
Dim sum and Instagram share some things in common. The obvious, of course, is the photogenic nature of the bite-size Chinese morsels which were, like Instagram, invented for the purpose of sharing.
But each is also quite deceptive: seemingly simple things—they’re just dumplings after all, and just small square pictures in the blogosphere—that are actually pretty complex. Both can quickly tip from fresh and delightful to sticky and overwrought; in other words, dim sum and Instagram are tricky things to master. The new Palette Tea House, opened in Ghirardelli Square this spring, gets props out the gate for rising to the challenge of offering modern, artful dim sum created for the Instagram age.
Geometric lanterns and lotus patterns in the laser-cut dividing walls put a modern twist on classic Chinese themes at Palette Tea House. (Sarah Chorey )
From owner Willy Ng and general manager Dennis Leung, both of the OG dim sum spot Koi Palace, opened in 1996, and the newer Dragon Beaux, Palette Tea House takes over the ambitious space formerly home to the short-lived Waxman’s, a 6,500-square-foot behemoth of a dining hall with high ceilings that all but ensures an energetic, noisy vibe—and that suits the family-style format of dining here just fine.
Designed by Sunny Tam of Campbell, CA–based Studio 02 and C&E Designs’ Chris Ho, the whopping 450-seat restaurant has had the good fortune of a modern makeover that echoes Chinese themes—gently, not too heavy-handed—with red and yellow geometric lantern lighting; metal dividing walls laser cut in patterns evoking lotus flowers; and a wooden communal table with a watery zen garden contained as its centerpiece. In other words, the stage is set for big groups ready to dig into towers of bamboo baskets all overflowing with wontons and the like.
Chef Stephen Nguyen (Roy’s, Bong Sy, Campton Place) has stepped up to the task of crafting classic dim sum dishes in thoroughly modern fashion, and he’s turning out small plate after small plate of plump and pretty delicacies just begging for their photo op. Masterful cooking techniques and innovative and seasonal ingredients yield elevated bites including lobster and quail egg siu mai; prickly durian bao; black truffle wagyu rice crepes; and abalone sticky rice. If you’re looking for Koi Palace’s oft-Instagrammed, multihued xiao long bao, you will find those here, too, but when it comes to photographable fare, Palette has a supermodel all its own: the deep-fried charcoal taro puffs, molded into somewhat wicked little black swans, are ever-ready for their closeup.
The final touch here is a nod to the restaurant’s name: the custom, artist-inspired palette plates designed for holding the various colorful sauces. Dip in.
Dim sum should always start with dumplings. The lobster ha gow are busting at the wanton-wrapper seams with plump crustacean meat.
Really love your lobster? Add an order of the steamed silken egg topped with the stuff for a dish that’s luxurious in flavor while light in texture.
The mighty, steamed Kurobuta truffle XLB is twice the size of any regular dumpling and made with premium pork with a hint of truffle.
You have to order the black swan puffs just to get a snap for your feed, but this delightful take on the classic deep fried taro puff, updated with charcoal, is a flight of fancy for your tastebuds, too.
Palette has an entire section of its menu devoted to grilled and skewered items, like tiger prawns (pictured), smoked pork belly, and wagyu steak.
When was the last time you saw Iberico pork at your local dim sum palace? This cha siu of tender pork chunks is glazed with a slightly sweet barbecue sauce for a beyond-rich flavor. Try and suss out the nutty flavors that come from from the acorn-based diet of these specific Spanish pigs.
Rice crepes are available with your choice of several fillings including prawns, soft shell crab, and raw wagyu with finely chopped black truffle mushrooms (pictured).
It’s always a smart move to get a noodle dish. The dan dan noodles are coated in a creamy cashew sauce and topped with julienned peppers, carrots, and green onions. That bit of heat comes from chili oil and Sichuan pepper.
The Chinese believe in yin and yang. Achieve balance with at least one order of vegetables, like Palette’s Sichuan string beans with finely chopped mushrooms.
Reserve the restaurant’s new private room, semi-enclosed by a floor-to-ceiling glass wall of wine, for more intimate family parties.
Palette’s cocktail program was designed by Carlos Yturria (The Treasury, Whitecap), and the outdoor bar is a great spot for an afternoon drink. Stop by for happy hour bites from 3pm to 5pm daily.
// Palette Tea House, 900 North Point St. suite B201 (Ghirardelli Square), paletteteahouse.com
Ten years after flour+water originally opened at 20th and Harrison in San Francisco, the Mission hot spot’s first pizza venture will open its doors this month. Chef Thomas McNaughton’s flour + water Pizzeria will open in the same neighborhood at 702 Valencia Street (no official date named yet), less than a mile away from his first restaurant.
It’s probably safe to say that Chef McNaughton loves pasta (example, he dressed his daughter up as a rigatoni), but he also loves pizza, and this new venture is all about sharing his obsession with the Bay Area.
“Pizza has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up in South Jersey, outside of Philly, where family-run pizza joints have cult-like followings and everyone thinks they’re a pizza connoisseur. I love that about pizza. It’s truly for all,” says McNaughton.
flour + water Pizzeria’s dough is fermented over three days. (Angelina Santana)
Like the flour + water Neapolitan, the pizza dough at the new pizzeria slowly ferments over three days, giving it a complex depth of flavor, but everything else from prepping to toppings to baking will have its own special flour + water Pizzeria touch. Diners will have ten different pizza options to choose from (five red pizzas and five white pizzas), but the menu also offers salads, seasonal vegetable antipasti, soft serve ice cream and some classic favorites inspired by Chef McNaughton’s Jersey roots like Mozzarella Sticks, Chopped Salad, and Ricotta and Prosciutto Meatballs.
The pizzeria will have plenty of outdoor seating (again, bring family and friends and devour these 13″ pies together). and there will be a separate entrance designed for takeout orders. At this separate entrance, McNaughton will offer a daily pizza special called The Big Slice: it’s equivalent to ¼ of a full pie and it will NOT be available on the regular menu.
Their to-go counter will also have vanilla, chocolate and swirl soft serve ice cream to go in a cup or a cone, and the toppings are just as simple: rainbow sprinkles, olive oil and sea salt, Amarena cherries or Mike’s Hot Honey. If you want your pizza delivered so you can eat from the comfort of your couch while watching the new Bachelorette, flour + water Pizzeria has an exclusive partnership with Caviar.
Again, no word on an exact opening date just yet, but keep an eye out while you’re walking around the city for a chance to win free pizza! That’s right, I said FREE.
flour + water Pizzeria is planting these branded coins (as seen above) around San Francisco, and each one is good for a free pie. Keep an eye out on their Instagram account @flourandwaterpizzeria for clues!
For Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, we have compiled a list of Asian Pacific American-owned food businesses that are part of CUESA’s farmers market community. Enjoy locally made miso, kimchi, momos, and other delicious handcrafted products, while supporting food businesses owned by Asian and Pacific Islands Americans who are making our food more diverse, healthy, and delicious.
Aedan Fermented Foods
Aedan Fermented Foods (Cuesa)
Following the 2011 earthquake in her home country of Japan, Mariko Grady started selling her homemade miso to friends to raise money for the victims. Through Aedan Fermented, she now brings the traditions of healthy and flavorful Japanese cuisine to the table with fermented foods such as miso, koji, and amazake. Must-try at the market: While their country miso is widely popular among market goers and chefs, their shio koji (a living fungus that is used to ferment soybeans and potatoes for sake, among other things) imparts a rich savory flavor to every dish. It can be used in place of salt in dishes or sauces, giving you an umami-rich way to lower the sodium content. Where to find them: Ferry Plaza Farmers Market on Saturdays
Bini’s Kitchen
Bini’s Kitchen (Amanda Lynn)
An immigrant from Kathmandu and a participant in La Cocina’s food business incubator program, Bini Pradhan prides herself in being the only Nepalese caterer in San Francisco. Through her momos (Nepalese dumplings), Bini recalls not only the foods of her upbringing, but also the feeling of community and celebration during countless gatherings with her parents, siblings, and friends. Must-try at the market: The momos, of course! Available filled with turkey or vegetables, and served with a spicy tomato cilantro sauce. Where to find them: Ferry Plaza Farmers Market on Saturdays
Hodo
Minh Tsai (Jen Siska )
As a child in Vietnam, Minh Tsai took morning strolls with his grandpa to the neighborhood tofu shack. The freshness and artisan-quality of the soymilk, tofu, and yuba of his childhood eluded Minh for many years and ultimately led him to leave a finance career to found Hodo in 2004. Hodo now supplies tofu to Chipotle nationwide, sweetgreen, and notable Bay Area restaurants including The Slanted Door, State Bird Provisions, The Progress, SHED Cafe at Healdsburg Shed, and Mister Jiu’s. Must-try at the market: One of Hodo’s most popular products is their Sesame Yuba Noodles, which are made from the protein-packed skin that forms on the surface of soy milk when making tofu. They’re delicious hot added to a stir-fry, and equally good cold right out of the box for a quick meal. Where to find them: Ferry Plaza Farmers Market on Saturdays
La Vie Wellness
Yeyen family (La Vie Wellness )
Since 1995, yoga enthusiast Yeyen Gunawan has been crafting probiotic juices, wellness beverages, and superfood snacks as La Vie. Yeyen researched the benefits of raw food, juicing, and probiotics and began making food and lifestyle changes to bring herself back to health. Since 2005, she has been sharing what she discovered through her line of La Vie Wellness drinks and juice cleanses. A long-time believer in the importance of access to local and fresh foods, she sells her products at farmers markets and local grocery stores throughout the Bay Area. Must-try at the market: For a healthy morning pick-me-up, stop by her Jack London Square market stand for kvass, kefirs, pure coconut water, green smoothies, or sprouted almond milks. Where to find them: Jack London Square Farmers Market on Sundays
Namu
Dennis Lee (Cuesa)
The Lee brothers—Dennis, Daniel, and David—founded Namu in December 2006 with the intention of serving contemporary California cuisine with an Asian flair. The Lees felt the contemporary American restaurant world lacked diversity and set out to serve food they loved and were inspired by. Namu now offers vegan and vegetarian options on their menu as a way to introduce another perspective on food for plant-based eaters. They source directly from farmer Kristyn Leach of Namu Farm, who specializes in vegetables and herbs that are traditional to Korean cuisine. Must-try at the market: If you love bibimbap, try their dosirak! This dish includes housemade vegetarian kimchee, mung bean sprout, white rice, toasted seaweed, and daily pickle and your choice of chicken or tofu. Where to find them: Ferry Plaza Farmers Market on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays
Roti
Roti (Cuesa )
The Malik brothers worked with Sukhi’s Gourmet Indian Foods in the farmers market for more than 10 years, doing almost 25 farmers markets per week for Sukhi’s. During their market days, the brothers had realized that customers are familiar with Indian food, but not with Pakistani cuisine. The Malik brothers founded Roti in 2017 to introduce Pakistani food in farmer markets. Directly from Punjab Pakistan, Roti offers authentic Pakistani vegan cuisine using generations-old family recipes, regional spices, and local ingredients. Must-try at the market: If you had naan before, try their stuffed paratha, which is essentially stuffed flatbread with spinach. Their chutney sauces are also great with the parathas! Where to find them: Mission Community Market on Thursdays and Jack London Square Farmers Market on Sundays
Volcano Kimchi
Aruna Lee (Volcano Kimchi )
Aruna was born in South Korea and grew up in a Buddhist monastery where homegrown vegetables were at the heart of every meal. She launched Volcano Kimchi in San Francisco in 2014 with the aim of creating a high-quality, organic, vegan kimchi reminiscent of her youth. Must-try at the market: Volcano’s signature product is Napa Cabbage and Jicama Kimchi, while seasonal ferments include products like Super Spicy Habanero Persimmon Kimchi, Oyster Kimchi, and Jicama Kimchi Salsa, all using ingredients from the farmers market. Where to find them: Ferry Plaza Farmers Market on Saturdays
Wise Goat Organics
Mary Risavi (Wise Goat Organics )
After years slinging produce for Heirloom Organic Gardens farm, Mary Risavi moved on to pursue her master’s in Traditional Chinese Medicine, but she now brings her passion for local produce and nutrition back to the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market with Wise Goat Organics, a one-woman kraut business based in San Juan Bautista. Must-try at the market: Wise Goat’s hyper-local krauts, kimchis, and kvasses rotate with the seasons and range from classic to experimental. For a supercharged health boost, try their Supergreen Kraut (with spirulina, chlorella, and stinging nettles) or Golden Kraut (with turmeric and other spices). Where to find them: Ferry Plaza Farmers Market on Saturdays
In early June 2018, Drip Line’s Chef Nora Haron and the cafe’s owners Josh Larson and Carrie Shores parted ways. When Haron struck out with her own cafe menu at Drip Line, she earned a loyal cult following in a very short time. The chef assured her fans that favorites like her Singapore Chicken Rice would be back, and she even hinted that she would open her own restaurant in East Bay.
Chef Nora Haron (Chris Burns)
Not long after leaving Drip Line, Haron held two pop-ups in Old Oakland (one was a tribute to the recently departed Anthony Bourdain), but there were no signs of a restaurant opening. Fast forward to today and Haron is back in action at Local Kitchen, bringing her delicious take on Singaporean-Indonesian dishes with Northern Californian influences and ingredients.
When asked about the unique flavors she brings to her menu, Haron is excited to spread the word about Singaporean & Indonesian cuisine: “At Drip Line, some customers traveled quite far for the hard-to-find flavors we served that they missed from childhood. Others loved trying dishes they’ve never tasted before. Singaporean & Indonesian cuisines are still underrepresented in the States, not yet having as much mainstream exposure as Thai, Chinese, Indian dishes.”
Since 2009, Local Kitchen has provided wood-fired pizza and a Mediterranean-inflected menu familiar to Californian diners, but times have changed and they want to cater to the younger and more diverse customers coming into the Bay from all over the world.
Wood-Fire Roasted Whole Branzino with sambal marinade, turmeric cauliflower puree and pistachio sambal. (Albert Law)
To assist the restaurant in this next chapter of its life, Local Kitchen’s Jeff Handy was looking for a new chef and bringing Haron’s Singaporean-Indonesian-Californian cooking to the kitchen will hopefully help them make that transition. The revamped menu boasts items like Laksa, Whole Roasted Branzino (with a sambal marinade, turmeric cauliflower puree and pistachio sambal), Chicken Satay and more.
“Good food, Singaporean and Indonesian food, takes time. I’m grateful to partner Local Kitchen’s Jeff Handy for giving me time to develop the recipes and train the staff. These are complex dishes. I’m excited to share these flavors with more people,” says Haron.
Don’t be scared—the pizza is not leaving the menu! You can still get one at Local, but, instead of the average Margherita or Pepperoni, the new pizzas will have a Haron twist to it. One of the first changes she made in the kitchen was to make the pizza dough a sourdough. The new pizzas on the menu will be topped with local produce and seasonal vegetables like cauliflower puree, wild mushrooms, roasted tomatoes and pistachio sambal. Haron is also adding Indonesian touches like Beef Rendang braised brisket, mozzarella, roasted pineapple and micro basil.
Haron’s menu compared to her time at Drip Line is a bit bigger, which she credits to the new space and tools: “Local Kitchen gives me access to a bigger, open kitchen, a wood-fired oven – I’m so looking forward to serving a wider variety of savory dishes from the Singaporean-Indonesian repertoire.”
Her signature Singapore Chicken Rice comes with poached and flash fried chicken thighs. (Albert Law)
Fans of Haron’s menu at Drip Line can rest easy knowing that some of their favorites from the cafe (like the Singapore Chicken Rice) will be making a comeback in her new kitchen. Her Blended Burger made from 60% grass-fed beef and 40% Shiitake (which we listed in our Top 15 Burgers in Oakland) is listed on the menu as well.
Starting today, the savory new menu is available to diners who go in for lunch and dinner. In the coming months, Haron is considering rolling out a brunch menu (fingers crossed that kaya toast, pandan cake and chicken and sourdough waffles turn up).
Keep scrolling for a peek at the new Local Kitchen menu!
Local Kitchen
330 1st St #1 (at Folsom)
San Francisco, CA 94105
Monday – Friday 11:30am – 2pm, 5:30pm – 10pm
Saturday 5:30pm – 10pm
Sunday 5:30pm – 9pm
Small Plates
Chef’s Soup of the Day // 8
Roasted Cauliflower | Brokoli Bunga Bakar – five spiced roasted cauliflower, pistachio sambal // 12
As Filipino food settles into its mainstream integration, it’s hard not to look back to the institutions that have existed, serving the Filipino communities long before Andrew Zimmern “discovered” sisig on his show and Vogue declared it “the next great American cuisine.”
This, of course, could take ages, especially in the Bay Area, home to the Filipino Food Movement and where an estimated 3.4 million Filipinos live according to a 2012 census. In Daly City, host of the highest density of Filipinos and Pinoy businesses in the Bay Area, we can look at a portion of local food history through the lens of one chef.
Chel Gilla, owner and chef of two Tselogs locations with a third due open in July this year, immigrated from the Philippines when she was 16 years old. In 1996, she said accessibility to Filipino food and ingredients wasn’t a problem. With an established and growing Filipino population, it was easy to find ingredients at Pacific Super and other Asian markets. Silog breakfast plates were available at restaurants like Super Star and Gateway, but most of these businesses weren’t Filipino-owned.
Pacific Super on Alemany in Daly City. (Celeste Noche)
“When I came to the States, I was surprised how the Filipino community was thriving. I was also pleased to see other Asian groups and large Latino population. It did not surprise me though that a non-Filipino owned restaurant, like Gateway & Super Star, would serve Filipino food.”
Super Star in Daly City. (Celeste Noche)
“They saw an opportunity and high demand in Filipino food, given the fact that there weren’t a lot of Filipino restaurants in the mainstream,” Gilla said. Their Filipino offerings were limited to silogs, or a meat served with a fried egg and garlic fried rice.
Super Star and Gateway Kitchen (above) were the only restaurants Gilla recalls serving Filipino food when she first immigrated. (Celeste Noche)
Fil-Am Cuisine was one of the first Filipino-owned staples Gilla recalls frequenting. With its proximity to Jefferson High School, where she was a student, she has memories of going after school to eat pancit and turon. Today, she is glad to see it still running, “conditioning the palette” of local youth to be familiar with Filipino flavors if they haven’t grown up with them.
Arnold Custodio and Vicky de Leon behind the counter preparing barbecue inasal at Fil-Am Cuisine on School Street in Daly City. (Celeste Noche)Valerio’s Tropical Bakeshop began in the Philippines in the 1950s, and opened their first Bay Area location in Vallejo in 1995, with the second location in Daly City opening in 1997. They currently have 15 locations in the United States. Along with their fresh pandesal, Chel recommends their pimiento spread. (Celeste Noche)
Gilla was part of the pioneering house crew to open the first Jollibee in the United States in 1998, where Daly City was chosen because it holds the highest density of Filipinos outside of Manila. She stayed with the company for two years, leaving as an Assistant Marketing Officer.
Filipino spaghetti, often sweeter than American spaghetti, is made with slices of hot dogs and served with a side of Chickenjoy at Jollibee. (Celeste Noche)
Although Gilla began to see an increase in Filipino-owned businesses, she felt there wasn’t much variety as most establishments were part of a chain or mom-and-pop run, without options in between. In particular, she couldn’t find tapsilog — a cured beef silog.
Chel Gilla stands in front of her restaurant, Tselogs. (Celeste Noche)
In 2008, Gilla opened the first Tselogs location at 6055 Mission in Daly City, citing the lack of tapa (and more specifically, regional food) as part of her reasons for opening. Although the original location is now closed, she has one location in Colma, another in San Francisco’s Tenderloin, and a third due to open in the Mission this year. “Aside from the love for food, I really planned to be a business owner. I figured that if I stayed as an employee my income would be limited. And my greatest dream is to open a school in the Philippines. Opening a restaurant came from the vision of having a school,” Gilla said.
Today, Tselogs offers leadership training for all of its staff, equipping them with training and development for practical application. “If you don’t let go of the good, you won’t get the great,” she said.
Gilla continues to be involved in her local Filipino community serving as Advisory Chair for Innovation & Entrepreneurship for City College of San Francisco and a youth leader at her church, hopeful for the future with new voices and perspectives. “The Bay Area has given me the opportunity and courage to start here. We have influential figures here in the Bay that became an example to me when I was a teenager — Filipino politicians, professors, business owners and a huge number of Filipinos that are just waiting to be served good old traditional silogs.”
At Kuya’s in San Bruno, Gilla recommends their fish dishes like bangus and sinigang. (Celeste Noche)
Outside of her own restaurant, she has favorite dishes at neighboring establishments. She recommends the escabeche and lumpa ng gulay at Via Mare, the kare kare at Lucky Chances, and any fish dish at Kuya’s. “Even before Tselogs, I really take pride in living in Daly City. The fact that Filipinos made History here already says a lot.”
Lucky Chances casino has an all-ages cafe that serves Filipino classics along with American diner staples. Server Melissa Deguzman carries goto (beef tripe and garlic rice porridge) to customers. (Celeste Noche)
While many of Tselogs’s recipes are adaptable at home (welcome to the silog beauty of cooking anything with a fried egg over garlic fried rice), Gilla considers pancit bihon their “initiation dish.”
On top of developing the “Filipino palette” to properly season to taste, the dish requires significant prep, from pre-soaking the rice noodles to preparing up to three or more types of protein.
“If you can finally cook pancit, you can be a cook at Tselogs,” says Gilla.
Pancit Bihon
Recipe by Tselogs Serves 6-8
Pancit Bihon by Tselogs (Celeste Noche)
Ingredients:
¼ pound pork butt cut into small strips
¼ pound chicken thigh cut into small pieces
10 fishballs, quartered
¼ pound peeled small shrimp
1 small chopped Onion
1 tablespoon minced Garlic
3½ cups of water
1½ tablespoon fish sauce
Black pepper to taste
1½ tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 16-ounce bag of bihon, or thin rice noodle
1 carrot, julienned
1 stalk of celery, sliced into small pieces
½ cabbage, chopped thinly
½ lemon, sliced into wedges
Instructions:
Soak the rice noodles in a large dish or casserole pan.
In a medium size wok, saute the garlic and onion in high heat. Add the pork and chicken then let cook for 2 minutes.
Add water then simmer for 10 minutes. Add in the carrots, cabbage, and celery and simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring. During the last few minutes, add the shrimp.
Remove all the ingredients in the pot except for the liquid and set them aside. With the remaining liquid, add the soy sauce and mix well. Add the pancit bihon and mix well.
Add pepper & fish sauce. Cook until liquid evaporates completely.
Once the liquid is gone, re-add the vegetables and meat and simmer for a minute or two, stirring to fully incorporate.
Add additional soy sauce and fish sauce to taste. Serve with lemon wedges.
Outside Lands returns this year on August 9-11, and with it, seven distinct food and drink experiences we all know (and love): A Taste of the Bay Area, Wine Lands, Beer Lands, Cheese Lands, Outside Clams, GastroMagic and Cocktail Magic.
Sorrel’s Fried Chicken Sandwich with Jalapeño Slaw (Grace Cheung)
Pinoy Heritage, a Filipino venture by Francis Ang, will be serving Sisig Fried Rice, Pork Lumpia and Carioca Rice Donuts. Oakland’s Chef Smelly’s Creole and Soul Food is bringing their Famous Surf and Turf Fries, Dungeness Crab and Lobster Fries and Impossible Burgers to the table. For fans of the KronnerBurger, Oakland’s chef Chris Kronner is reviving his “burger to believe in” at Henry’s + KronnerBurger.
Hawaiian cuisine has been having a moment in the Bay Area, so Outside Lands is paying tribute to the craze. James Beard award-winning chef Sam Choy brings his Poke to the Max truck to the festival with a menu of Poke Rice Plates, Pork Belly Rice Plates, Korean Fried Chicken and Spam Musubi. On the other side, Michael Mina, Michelle Karr-Ueoka and Wade Ueoka are taking the Trailblazer Tavern to the VIP area. For those lucky ticket holders, the Trailblazer team is serving up Kalua Pig Steam Buns, Kimchee Fried Rice and Umami Kettle Chips.
Also in VIP, Omakase, another Michelin-starred restaurant, will serve a Chef’s Selection of Assorted Sushi while their VIP neighbor A16 cooks up wood-fired bianca pizzas and wood-fired salsiccia pizzas.
Festival-goers say cheers at Beer Lands. (Virginia Cortland/Outside Lands)
In terms of vino, Outside Lands has 46 wineries between Wine Lands and the VIP area! More than half of the wines on the Wine Lands menu will be priced at $10-14 per glass. One of the more interesting offerings is No Fine Print, produced by Pat Corcoran (Chance the Rapper’s Manager) and Tim Smith (Skrillex and Zedd’s Manager).
No word on the GastroMagic lineup yet, but last year will be hard to top with celebrities and chefs like Vice’s Matty Matheson and Eddie Huang, Bill Nye, “RuPaul’s Drag Race” competitor Shangela and more.
See the full list of restaurants, wineries, breweries, trucks and more here.
Today, Michelin released their list of Bib Gourmand establishments in the very first Michelin Guide California. Made up of 151 restaurants from all over California, the list covers 36 different types of cuisine, and the restaurants are all affordable (depending on your budget). Michelin’s Bib Gourmand restaurants are all “restaurants that serve high-quality meals which include two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for $40 or less”.
A few Check, Please! Bay Area restaurants—featured in the past or coming up this season—made it onto the list, like Pausa, Z & Y Restaurant and more. Diners might not be too surprised to see other much talked about names picked out like Thomas Keller’s La Calenda (an inspector praised it saying “The chef’s Oaxacan upbringing shines through in regional Mexican cuisine”) and Nyum Bai (owner Nite Yun was nominated for a James Beard Award, was a 2018 Eater Young Gun and her restaurant made it onto Bon Appetit’s Hot Ten list).
See the full list of Bay Area restaurants who made the cut below (the new additions are bolded). You can read the inspectors’ notes from their visit on Michelin’s website, but you can also rewatch our guests’ reviews for some of these restaurants on Check, Please! Bay Area. If they appeared on the show, we linked to the respective episode or written review.
NOTE: Restaurants who earn a Bib Gourmand are not eligible for a star in the same year, so any of the restaurants you see below will not be getting any Michelin stars in 2019.
In March 2019, Bi-Rite Creamery (and their neighbor Namu Gaji, which shares the building with them) began a mandatory seismic retrofit. During the close, loyal customers could find their solar-powered Bi-Rite ice cream truck parked at 18th St. but, good news, the Creamery is reopening on June 1st!
You’ll find that things look a little different because the Creamery also took the break as an opportunity to completely renovate the interior and exterior of the shop. The scant seating provided before has expanded, there is a new ice cream-inspired mural, and they even added new housemade treats to the menu.
Bi-Rite Creamery’s new exterior (Bi-Rite Creamery)
“In the spirit of the Bi-Rite Family of Businesses, we’ve always set out for the Creamery to be a community gathering place,” said Anne Walker, a partner at Bi-Rite Creamery, “With this new design, we’ve opened up the interior to the hustle and bustle of 18th Street.”
Bi-Rite Creamery’s vibrant new ice cream-inspired mural (Bi-Rite Creamery)
To celebrate their new makeover, they’re throwing a Grand Reopening Weekend Celebration on June 1st & 2nd (11am-10pmboth days). During the celebration, they will provide visitors with special offers (like the chance to win Bi-Rite Creamery scoops for a whole year).
Now, the menu.
The new Soft Serve Stuffed Donuts feature brioche donuts from Mr. Holmes Bakehouse. (Bi-Rite Creamery)
The Creamery’s new roster includes Soft Serve Stuffed Donuts (you read that correctly!) featuring brioche donuts from Mr. Holmes Bakehouse filled with vanilla soft serve. Each donut you order is paired with your choice of dipping sauce: dark chocolate hot fudge, salted caramel, strawberry basil sauce, and coffee and cream (made with Ritual Coffee).
We’re obviously pretty excited about the donuts, but other lovely additions include new ice cream bar flavors and new vegan flavors! The first 100 guests on Sunday will get a complimentary Ice Cream Bar: Vanilla Dark Chocolate with Puffed Quinoa, Balsamic Strawberry White Chocolate with Graham Cracker Crumble, or Chocolate Dark Chocolate with Rainbow Sprinkles.
The first 100 guests on June 2 will get a complimentary Ice Cream Bar. (Bi-Rite Creamery)
Bi-Rite Creamery currently offers two vegan flavors: Chocolate Coconut and a Seasonal Sorbet. The new vegan flavors are Huckleberry Banana (housemade Oregon huckleberry jam and fresh, organic bananas churned with creamy oat milk and swirled with more huckleberry jam), Cinnamon Maple Oat Crunch (cinnamon and oat milk are churned with a dark maple syrup and a housemade, vegan, oat crumble) and Balsamic Strawberry Coconut (balsamic roasted, organic strawberries mixed with coconut milk).
Kris Hoogerhyde, partner and pastry chef at the Creamery, is excited about the new look and flavors, saying, “Since opening the Creamery in 2006, we’ve taken great pride in staying true to our initial vision: to make housemade, small batch, organic ice cream in nostalgic flavors with a twist. 13 years later, we’re continuing to do just that in a beautiful and inviting space that allows us to bring even more delicious ice cream and novelties to our guests.”
Bi-Rite Creamery’s Kris ready to scoop gelato (Bi-Rite Creamery)
Time to make a new list of Michelin-starred restaurants to visit in 2019! Today, the Michelin Guide California announced that 90 California restaurants (out of their 657 Michelin-recommended restaurants) have been awarded Michelin stars. For anyone new to the system, one star means “high-quality cooking, worth a stop,” two stars equals “excellent cooking, worth a detour” and the highly coveted three stars means a restaurant has “exceptional cuisine and is worth a special journey.”
Out of those 90 stars in California, the Bay Area made a strong stand again as we did on the Michelin Bib Gourmand list, taking 63 out of 90 spots. Sacramento got the star it had been waiting for with The Kitchen, but, surprisingly, Saison dropped from three stars to two stars.
There weren’t any new additions to the three-star category, so it mainly remains restaurants in San Francisco and wine country (sorry, Los Angeles). And congratulations to Dominique Crenn since she is now still the only female chef in America to helm a restaurant with three stars!
Joining the two-star category, a big congratulations to Campton Place, the country’s only South Asian restaurant to hold the honor. In the one-star category, diners will not be surprised to see Sorrel and Angler on the list—the latter was listed amongst Esquire’s Best Restaurants with Bar Crenn and Che Fico.
Scroll through for the full list of Bay Area stars, and, if they appeared on Check, Please! Bay Area, we made sure to include a link to the restaurant’s review. Cheers!
Three Stars
Atelier Crenn // Cow Hollow, San Francisco (Watch the CPBA review)
Benu // Financial District, San Francisco
The French Laundry // Yountville
Manresa // Los Gatos (Read the CPBA review)
Quince // Financial District, San Francisco
The Restaurant at Meadowood // St. Helena
SingleThread // Healdsburg
Two Stars
Acquerello // Nob Hill, San Francisco (Read the CPBA review)
Baumé // Palo Alto
Californios // Mission, San Francisco
Campton Place // Union Square, San Francisco (Watch the CPBA review)
Coi // North Beach, San Francisco
Commis // North Oakland
Lazy Bear // Mission, San Francisco
Saison // South Beach, San Francisco
One Star
Al’s Place // Mission, San Francisco (Watch the CPBA review)
Angler // Embarcadero, San Francisco
Aster (closed) // Mission, San Francisco
Aubergine // Carmel-By-The-Sea
Bar Crenn // Cow Hollow, San Francisco
Birdsong // SoMa, San Francisco
Bouchon // Yountville
Chez TJ // Mountain View
Commonwealth // Mission, San Francisco
Farmhouse Inn & Restaurant // Forestville
Gary Danko // Russian Hill, San Francisco
Harbor House // Elk
Hashiri // SoMa, San Francisco
In Situ // SoMa, San Francisco
jū-ni // NoPa, San Francisco
Keiko à Nob Hill // Nob Hill, San Francisco
Kenzo // Napa
Kinjo // Russian Hill, San Francisco
Kin Khao // Union Square, San Francisco (Watch the CPBA review)
The Kitchen // Sacramento
La Toque // Napa
Le Comptoir // San Rafael
Lord Stanley // Nob Hill, San Francisco
Luce // SoMa, San Francisco
Madcap // San Anselmo (Watch the CPBA review)
Madera // Menlo Park
Madrona Manor // Healdsburg
Maum // Palo Alto
Michael Mina // Financial District, San Francisco
Mister Jiu’s // Chinatown, San Francisco
Mourad // SoMa, San Francisco
Nico // Financial District, San Francisco
Octavia // Lower Pacific Heights, San Francisco
Omakase // Mission Bay, San Francisco
Plumed Horse // Saratoga (Watch the CPBA review)
The Progress // Western Addition
Protégé // Palo Alto
Rasa // Burlingame
Rich Table // Hayes Valley, San Francisco
Sons & Daughters // Nob Hill, San Francisco
Sorrel // Presidio Heights, San Francisco
SPQR // Lower Pacific Heights, San Francisco (Watch the CPBA review)
Spruce // Presidio, San Francisco
State Bird Provisions // Western Addition, San Francisco
Sushi Yoshizumi // San Mateo
The Village Pub // Woodside
Wako // Inner Richmond, San Francisco
Wakuriya // San Mateo
by Chef Nora – 40% shiitake, 60% grass-fed beef, cheddar, arugula, sambal aioli, purple potato chips // 18
