California
- California Wine Country (43)
- Far Northern California (2)
- Orange County (12)
- Sacramento (1)
- San Diego County (37)
- The Big Sur Area (15)
- The Los Angeles Area (131)
- The Mendocino Area (8)
- The Palm Springs Area (15)
- The San Francisco Bay Area (105)
- The Santa Barbara Area (22)
- The Sierra-Nevada Area (11)
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”At his elegant place in the newly revived Fillmore Jazz District, David Lawrence serves Southern-inflected food, frying shrimp in a...” MORE>> |
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”Guests who manage to wedge themselves into one of 1550 Hyde's 42 coveted seats find that what the spare, mostly...” MORE>> |
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”Tim Goodell, an F&W Best New Chef 2000, recently opened a burger joint, 25 Degrees, in Hollywood. He uses organic...” MORE>> |
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”As the wine director and co-owner of A16, the standout Southern Italian restaurant in San Francisco, Shelley has built a...” MORE>> |
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”At her spacious outpost in Pacific Bell Park stadium, Traci Des Jardins (an F&W Best New Chef 1995) uses only...” MORE>> |
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”For a zeitgeist, post-dot-com dining experience, À Côté, a cozy little den with sponged ocher walls and vaguely Belle Époque...” MORE>> |
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”Addison’s wine director, Jesse Rodriguez, says his wine list is 'all about relationships,' referring both to his reunion with chef...” MORE>> |
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”Thomas Keller goes casual in Napa Valley....” MORE>> |
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”Co-owned by Robert De Niro, Miramax honchos Harvey and Bob Weinstein, and Ridley Scott, Ago serves updated Tuscan fare, such...” MORE>> |
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”The Albion River Inn has the best local wine list....” MORE>> |
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”Ame, the wonderfully serene year-old restaurant in the St. Regis Hotel, combines Californian, European and especially Japanese ingredients and techniques....” MORE>> |
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”Jeff Smith, owner of Hourglass Vineyard, claims the best burge...” MORE>> |
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”You'll learn more about sake only by sampling different types. Here, a few of our favorite sources in the United...” MORE>> |
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”A meal at A.O.C., in La Brea, is a must....” MORE>> |
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”Though the Gaslamp Quarter's Fourth and Fifth Avenues are lined with many sidewalk restaurants, Aqua Blu, is a standout for...” MORE>> |
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”The scotch-and-sirloin set flocks to the Parkway Grill for lobster-filled cocoa crêpes and to the wood-paneled Arroyo Chop House for...” MORE>> |
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”At Arterra, in the unfortunately sterile San Diego Marriott Del Mar, chef Bradley Ogden turns out smart, produce-driven (nearby Chino...” MORE>> |
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”It's in a strip mall, the best sushi I've ever had in my life....” MORE>> |
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”The fish taco once represented the culinary apogee in San Diego, but a flurry of openings has put the city...” MORE>> |
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”At the 21-year-old restaurant that became an inn and helped create Napa Valley's wine country cuisine, chef Richard Reddington continues...” MORE>> |
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”Christian Shaffer, chef and owner of Chloe in Playa del Ray, has a second restaurant, Avenue, in Manhattan Beach....” MORE>> |
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”Nearly every item on the menu is made with organic ingredients from the nearby farmers' market. At dinner, patrons gather...” MORE>> |
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”Hey, squirt, how about some mac and mascarpone? It's on the kids' menu at the Bacara Resort's Bistro, along with...” MORE>> |
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”Unless you're a vegetarian, order the 40-day dry-aged Aurora Angus New York strip. Choose from among nine sauces—'housemade' Worcestershire, 'J.1.'...” MORE>> |
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”Chef Budi Kazali at the Ballard Inn in Ballard, California, tops tuna carpaccio with peppery wasabi sprouts....” MORE>> |
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”If you squint, you might think you were in a Cape Cod village. The chef himself constructed the faux facades...” MORE>> |
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”It's no surprise that a Moroccan-Spanish tapas restaurant would have a sultry vibe, but owner Jocelyn Bulow sets the mood...” MORE>> |
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”The first restaurant for Jessica Bonecutter...” MORE>> |
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”Light-flooded and tranquil by day, Barndiva (231 Center St.; 707/431-0100; dinner for two $70) roars to life at night, when...” MORE>> |
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”The watering hole local oenophiles were waiting for...” MORE>> |
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”Thanks, though, to chef Alain Giraud's exquisite modern French cooking and co-owner Joe Pytka's insane infusion of cash, Bastide is...” MORE>> |
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”'I was having brunch on the rocks once with a friend, watching the dolphins go by, when a wave crashed...” MORE>> |
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”Chef Kazuto Matsusaka spent nearly a decade at Wolfgang Puck's influential Chinois on Main beginning in the '80s. Now he's...” MORE>> |
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”Bracken's sense of whimsy shows on the plate—a welcome twist in a pretty-but-staid dining room. Bluefin tuna 'lollipops' consist of...” MORE>> |
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”Need a foie gras fix? Bistro 45 will fit the bill with stellar goose liver, escargots, and bouillabaisse in an...” MORE>> |
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”A Sonoma stalwart with a small but appealing wine list; it's been turning out solid bistro food for 11 years....” MORE>> |
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”Kathman makes a wonderful rabbit terrine with celery-root salad; his miso-and-sake salmon is an inspired take on the Nobu classic....” MORE>> |
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”As settings go, it's hard to beat the Mid-Century Modern poolside patio at Blue on Blue in the Avalon Hotel...” MORE>> |
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”The Blvd gets so packed, and the hotel has just upgraded its room-service menu, I eat in. I have a...” MORE>> |
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”Grilled meats and marinated seafood in Mini Me portions and rotund sandwiches known as bocadillos make for relaxed, elbows-on-the-table eating...” MORE>> |
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”The Boonville Hotel restaurant is a favorite of the valley's winemakers....” MORE>> |
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”For his latest project, slated to open this month, Thomas Keller, superstar chef-owner of the French Laundry and Bouchon, stole...” MORE>> |
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”Young scenesters congregate at this bistro's raw bar nightly....” MORE>> |
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”The silky cheesecake is made with fromage blanc...” MORE>> |
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”Like a quaint culinary lab, this small open kitchen in the Ferry Building produces sauces, crèmes, and stocks for discriminating...” MORE>> |
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”Marmalade is the latest trendy cocktail ingredient; here it spikes a whiskey sour....” MORE>> |
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”Brothers Restaurant at Mattei's Tavern Jeff and Matt Nichols opened Mattei's Tavern two years ago, and it's still the hottest restaurant...” MORE>> |
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”The stylish ristorante Buon Appetito is known for its grilled quail over lentils....” MORE>> |
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”Rustic European dishes such as broiled Bahia Falsa oysters and rabbit ravioli are among the offerings at Café Cerise, located...” MORE>> |
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”Steak frites and sole marinière are the prime plats at Café Chloe....” MORE>> |
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”At lunchtime the closet-sized kitchen serves chic sandwiches on Acme baguettes and unimpeachable piatti di giorno, such as a super-Tuscan...” MORE>> |
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”The inexpensive and Zin-expansive wine list make this worth a try....” MORE>> |
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”Raised in Gascony and apprenticed at Paris's Taillevent, chef Laurent Manrique makes the most of the Californian cornucopia in dishes...” MORE>> |
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”Leary appears happy to be cooking—not a leisured happiness but the happiness of rock climbers and chess players, the happiness...” MORE>> |
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”The ultimate Hollywood experience. The tables at this celeb-filled restaurant inside André Balazs’s famed hotel must be reserved well in...” MORE>> |
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”An alternative to the set menu at the legendary Chez Panisse, the upstairs café attracts San Francisco’s most passionate food...” MORE>> |
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”At Chez Papa Bistrot, Swede Ola Fendert cooks stellar Provençal seafood....” MORE>> |
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”An art-filled loft space in an industrial alley is the site of one of the city's most daring new bistros....” MORE>> |
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”The regional dishes, carefully prepared according to the recipes of the owner's mother, are a welcome change from the standard...” MORE>> |
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”The house specialty—fried chicken with toasted chiles—arrived radiating an aroma of smoky capsicum that reminded us of Mexican mole....” MORE>> |
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”The enchiladas at Cielo, at Ventana Inn & Spa in Big Sur, with perfectly smoky mole sauce and just-made guacamole...” MORE>> |
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”Fire-breathing statues are no competition for the creative Australia-inspired cuisine at Santa Monica's trendiest restaurant....” MORE>> |
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”Haute-comfort food maven Cindy Pawlcyn's most personal restaurant yet....” MORE>> |
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”Conveniently located next to a liquor store, this BYOB tapas place stays open past midnight. On the walls: sepia photographs...” MORE>> |
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”Chef Loretta Keller's beloved Bizou has been transformed into this snazzy new spot....” MORE>> |
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”Standout dishes at West Hollywood's Comme Ç, a brasserie created by chef David Myers of L.A.'s much-lauded Sona, include roasted...” MORE>> |
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”Bachelor star Andrew Firestone has created a buzz with his sexy-chic Confidential, serving inventive tapas such as Indian lamb sliders...” MORE>> |
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”A camera-ready greasy spoon with only a few counter stools. A tented patio has enough room for surfboards, a feature...” MORE>> |
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”Design-your-own organic burgers....” MORE>> |
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”Steak lovers should check out Wolfgang Puck's Cut for the Japanese Wagyu rib eye and the prime filet mignon carpaccio...” MORE>> |
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”And the perfect complement to a vineyard-hopping day? Dinner at newcomer...” MORE>> |
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”At Deco, restaurateur Norbert Furnee has created his own cuisine, a marriage of French and SoCal styles that he calls...” MORE>> |
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”Japanese entrepreneur Kozo Iwata opened Delica RF-1, his sleek Tokyo-style delicatessen, to pay homage to his idol, Alice Waters, and...” MORE>> |
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”As the Ritz-Carlton finishes its $12 million renovation, chef Ron Siegel continues to serve his excellent modern French food, which...” MORE>> |
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”Not many Angelenos know him by name, but Craig Strong, the young and unassuming chef-de-cuisine of the Dining Room is...” MORE>> |
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”We watched through plate glass as a crew of chefs composed the golf ball–sized dumplings in a spotless kitchen, rolling...” MORE>> |
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”Doña Tomás offers something else altogether: dutifully researched regional recipes, elevated by terrific ingredients. Pescado Veracruzana, where you'd normally expect...” MORE>> |
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”While in town, Haggis enjoys both, from hole-in-the-wall joints such as Dottie's True Blue Café to the haute cuisine of...” MORE>> |
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”At Dry Creek Kitchen, chef Palmer serves only Sonoma County wines—650 of them—and spotlights regional purveyors in dishes like chestnut-glazed...” MORE>> |
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”This restaurant near the Mexican border serves an impressive 875 tequilas, and more than 500 are 100 percent agave. Chef-owner...” MORE>> |
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”Hillcrest's best-kept secret: amazing tacos in an unassuming storefront....” MORE>> |
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”Sonoma's sleepy town square has a sophisticated new bistro, where Ryan Fancher, a former French laundry sous chef, prepares straightforward...” MORE>> |
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”For an even later Mexican food fix, taco aficionados, including Jar's Suzanne Tracht, hit the no-frills El Taurino, which is...” MORE>> |
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”Pastry chef Gary Rullispecializes in crisp biscotti and almond paste rolled in pine nuts at Emporio Rulli Gran Caffè....” MORE>> |
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”On weekend mornings you might wait two hours for a table, watching through floor-to-ceiling windows as an army of waiters...” MORE>> |
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”Chef Robert Riescher's dream résumé (he's worked for Gray Kunz and Ferran Adria) leads to creative tinkering: white bean soup...” MORE>> |
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”Try the lomo saltado (steak with yucca fries)....” MORE>> |
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”Grab soulful barbecued ribs and juicy links at this meeting place for Oakland's African-American community....” MORE>> |
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”Brian Barneclo (www.brianbarneclo.com) has literally painted his town red—and black and yellow and blue. The 34-year-old San Francisco...” MORE>> |
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”For great burgers and beyond; more outposts are opening....” MORE>> |
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”Laurent Manrique—the chef at nearby Aqua—has created a menu of dishes inspired by his native Gascony, like crispy duck confit....” MORE>> |
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”Ben Ford is launching the Filling Station in Culver City....” MORE>> |
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”I'm trying to stay healthy, so I've become addicted to the Italian chopped salad at Wild Thyme Café & Bakery...” MORE>> |
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”Indeed, when I ask the Ospitals over dinner to tell me everything they love about their hometown, their enthusiasm is...” MORE>> |
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”He may be one of the most sophisticated cooks in America, but Thomas Keller has a very simple passion—eggs. 'They...” MORE>> |
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”Fresh lives up to its name with a creative seafood menu (try the ahi carpaccio with wasabi cream)....” MORE>> |
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Gardens
300 South Doheny Drive Beverly Hills, California
Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills ”This restaurant most closely approaches the 19th-century idea of what a good hotel dining room should be: welcoming in an...” MORE>> |
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”In L.A., try the guaro-based green-tea martini at the Hollywood hot spot Geisha House....” MORE>> |
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”Trey Foshee, an F&W best new chef 1998, is a laid-back guy, and that has helped him survive what most...” MORE>> |
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”He sent me to the Girl & the Fig, a relaxed American bistro on the town square....” MORE>> |
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”Happy-hour (5 to 7:30 p.m.) oysters at Globe Venice Beach...” MORE>> |
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”Open until 1 a.m., Go Go Café & Restaurant comforts hungry night owls with hot rice porridge and fried bread....” MORE>> |
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”Wednesday night is doughnut night at this sophisticated L.A. spot....” MORE>> |
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”This excellent Italian trattoria, sandwiched between a popular greasy spoon and a notorious country-and-western bar, has a wood-burning oven that...” MORE>> |
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”But addictive as you'll find the organic edamame, the food here is a mere excuse for a tasting flight—or two—of...” MORE>> |
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”Another place that scores high on the quirky list is Greenblatt's Deli. It's an old-school deli from the 1920s attached...” MORE>> |
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The Grill
1401 South Oak Knoll Avenue Pasadena, California
The Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel and Spa ”Chef Craig Strong is young and ambitious—a successful leading man in Ritz-Carlton's plan to update its cuisine. The staid and...” MORE>> |
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”Chefs Karen and Quinn Hatfield (who worked as a pair at Los Angeles's Spago, and separately at Manhattan's Gramercy Tavern...” MORE>> |
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”Truckers, cowboys and Los Angeles socialites converge at this unpretentious roadside steak house. Santa Maria-style barbecue (assorted cuts of beef...” MORE>> |
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”We ate the famous Hog Island oysters and had a bottle of winemaker Sean Thackrey’s stunningly original Pleiades blend from...” MORE>> |
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”At this remake of the tony JohnFrank, Lance Dean Velasquez (an F&W Best New Chef 1996) charges half what he...” MORE>> |
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”The Great Pumpkin Bartender Tim Staehling thinks outside the pie plate: pumpkin purée, lemon juice, and simple syrup with bourbon...” MORE>> |
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”Although Salvatore Marino’s West Side Italian restaurant has actually been open since 1997, it was reborn last year with the...” MORE>> |
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”At this North Beach spot, he's serving a menu of Basque small-plate dishes, like sautéed scallops and artichokes deglazed with...” MORE>> |
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”The 12-year-old Chinatown original and its outpost serve exceptionally rare teas, including a Pu-erh aged over 20 years....” MORE>> |
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”Baby back ribs and well-priced Zins are two reasons why winemakers (and everyone else) eat at this roadhouse....” MORE>> |
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”The most ambitious Italian wine list in the city complements a menu of simple Italian dishes that emphasize pristine ingredients....” MORE>> |
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”Little Italy's Indigo Grill is a reincarnation of the restaurant that chef Deborah Scott owned a block away in the...” MORE>> |
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”Scoop sushi from floating boats at Isobune in Japantown....” MORE>> |
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”The tarte tatine is amazing and the mint tea made with fresh mint leaves. Dining outside is very transporting—it makes...” MORE>> |
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”All the wines are well-priced, mostly between $40 and $60, marked just above retail. Ballance loves the 1997 Cigliuti Cru...” MORE>> |
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”Authentic Persian cuisine, with excellent fesenjan....” MORE>> |
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”Javier's Cantina, the local kids' favorite Mexican joint....” MORE>> |
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”His hearty, unfashionable, French-grandmother dishes—leeks vinaigrette, coq au vin—are perfectly at home in these historic San Francisco rooms....” MORE>> |
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”In a tiny, minimalist space with a tranquil garden out front, Choo sells the chocolates she painstakingly makes and paints...” MORE>> |
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”Jsix serves up a farm-fresh menu with an ethnic flourish. Try the Moroccan lamb skewers in green-olive sauce or the...” MORE>> |
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”Produce from the center's organic gardens and dishes inspired by Julia Child herself....” MORE>> |
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”I often take my wife, Lisa, and our son, Edward, to Julienne, a food shop that serves breakfast and lunch....” MORE>> |
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”The team behind the ever popular Sushi Roku mini-empire has struck again with the Japanese grill, Katana, where spiny crab...” MORE>> |
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”Katsuya features white leather sofas, giant fetishistic photos of eyelids and lips, and two decorative bars—one robata, one sushi....” MORE>> |
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”Koi—in L.A. near Melrose—is a popular Japanese restaurant. I have their tuna served with crispy rice at least once a...” MORE>> |
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”This L.A. restaurant, whose name is Japanese for 'cock-a-doodle-doo,' serves piping-hot chicken yakitori....” MORE>> |
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”Policemen and CEO's alike flock to La Luna for terrific Mexican takeout....” MORE>> |
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”Opening in San Francisco later this month, Bradley Ogden's place will grill over grapevines and almond wood....” MORE>> |
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”Perhaps the most influential Italian chef in Los Angeles, Gino Angelini is slowly expanding his empire with this second outpost...” MORE>> |
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”Consider it the evolution of bistro food, with great beer, too: Authentic Belgian restaurants are opening all over. NYC’s Resto...” MORE>> |
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”Today, Pham serves the same soup at Lemon Grass restaurant in Sacramento, California, along with other gingery recipes, like Clay...” MORE>> |
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”Melisse’s Josiah Citrin and JiRaffe’s Raphael Lunetta (the “lemon” and “moon,” respectively) join forces for this | |
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