![]() He had this wabi-sabi way of presenting art, which was a big influence on how we wanted to communicate the stories that came before us at our vineyard. He was a local artist who did a lot of interesting sculptural work and site-specific pieces. “One of my favorite places to visit in the Bay Area is 500 Capp Street, David Ireland’s old house. They have a snazzy rooftop pool, restaurant, and bar.” It’s on Market Street and is about as downtown feeling as it gets in San Francisco. Friends of mine just opened the San Francisco Proper Hotel, too. And they’ve got a pool! Austin’s Bunkhouse Group is behind it. For a casual but cool stay in the city, I like the Phoenix Hotel in the Tenderloin. “There are a couple good spots in San Francisco, starting with Cavallo Point, just north of the Golden Gate Bridge. They also have a good selection of international bottles.” They have a strong, well-rounded selection of new California wines and are pretty in tune with the Sonoma/Napa industry. “ Arlequin in Hayes Valley is the sister shop to San Francisco restaurant Absinthe. It’s a more interesting version of terroir.” He sometimes works with different varietals, too, the way people did 100 years ago. They tell an interesting story and produce more distinct flavor profiles due to how deep their roots stretch. Morgan Peterson has a knack for finding old vineyards that are special and rare. is opening a new tasting room on Sonoma Square. We’ll drink beer and eat tacos, which is a nice antidote to wine country-just really fun.” Where to Drink Chefs from all over the world cook at Scribe, and we’ll often take them to Jalisco afterward. It’s a tortilleria during the day, and at night, they have a little taco stand. It’s very casual-you order at the counter-but it’s some of the best Mexican food in the state. “ El Molino Central in Sonoma is a more traditional spot using really high-quality ingredients. ![]() You can jump in, eat something delicious, and pop out. You’re getting thoughtful food sourced from all the best places, served in a loose environment. It’s a casual restaurant that happens to have a three-Michelin-star chef behind it. “ The Charter Oak is one of Napa’s most exciting new restaurants they’re really having fun up there. It’s family-style and really fun and communal. Its sister restaurant, The Progress, is next door. Servers will come by and be like, ‘Hey, we just made this do you wanna try it?’ It’s really interactive and has a lot of energy, so you eat a lot. Like many other Northern California restaurants, it’s very produce-driven, but Stuart prepares and presents the food in a dim sum style. She’s blending Mexican flavors with really local ingredients her trout tostada is incredible. ![]() “ Cala in Hayes Valley is a newer restaurant I like it was opened by Gabriela Cámara, a chef from Mexico City. It’s the place to get Dungeness crab and fresh oysters. Another classic, delicious spot is the old-school Swan Oyster Depot on Polk Street. I like to have a nice big lunch there and order the seasonal pizzetta. Leslie even included a handwritten note to me with the cards.“ Chez Panisse is the mothership of great California restaurants-and still making incredible food nearly 50 years after it opened. When I contacted Scribe, they rushed cards out to my clients and me and could not have been nicer about handling it. Two other cards had recipes for the salad dressing and a margarita (the verjus can be used as a mix for several drinks). The second shipment lacked recipe cards that had come with the previous bottles and the recipe cards are an essential touch. We bought a bottle of the verjus to take home and then once we were home we twice ordered quite a bit more shipped to us to share with friends and to give as gifts some of my clients. The dressing base was verjus, which is made from pinot grapes before they ripen. My favorite was the bib lettuce salad and vinaigrette dressing - I can't guarantee it will be a taste explosion for everyone but it was for me. A lot of the food was grown on the premises in a garden I could see from my table - cherry tomatoes, olives, almonds. Meat, cheese, bread and various vegetables were served in dishes that our group passed around to each other. Prefer steak, chicken, pasta, pizza with wine, so I was surprised how much I enjoyed the food served with the wine tasting here (the Hacienda tasting). Cool, mellow Sonoma vibe and excellent food. ![]()
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