Posts by: Ben
I love artichokes, especially when they’re fresh and in season. But it’s one of those delicious food that’s a pain to prepare, mostly because of all the prickly outer leaves.
So when I read about a four-course dinner featuring the artichoke as the main ingredient, I quickly signed up with the organizer, Jupiter Olympus, [...]
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A newspaper watering hole from days gone by was typically a spot around the corner of a newspaper where rough-around-the-edges men would drink and smoke, blowing off steam after deadline.
At the new Tribune Tavern, there are no cranky news men and, really, there’s no newspaper. But the spirit of an old time watering hole [...]
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Got a few new cookbooks recently, and one of them is the impressive cookbook from Top Chef All-Star winner Richard Blais, entitled “Try This at Home.”
Blais of Atlanta (and rumored soon-to-be Bay Area) is known for his molecular gastronomy on the Bravo TV series, but his cookbook is really more about home [...]
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I’m not big on Indian food (I just feel it’s mostly curries and dried-out tandoori), but I’m always open to try it occasionally to see if someone can change my mind.
My friend Vera eats Indian food often, and she’s a big fan (like many others) of Vik’s Chaat and Market in Berkeley. The longtime [...]
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SAN MATEO, Calif.
After a night of eating Japanese food, my recent impromptu food crawl of San Mateo landed our group at the Hong Kong-style dessert cafe known as Dessert Republic.
Our party included Sandy of Foodhoe’s Foraging and her hubby, Mr. K., and Edda of A Housewife’s Tale who guided [...]
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SAN MATEO, Calif.
Since I don’t own a car, I basically focus my eating adventures around San Francisco and the East Bay. But recently I caught a ride with my friend Sandy of Foodhoe’s Foraging as we met up with another foodie friend Edda in San Mateo.
Edda of A Housewive’s Tale blog [...]
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It’s like an artist took a brush dipped in amber and carefully – ever so carefully – painted a chicken to make it glow like a warm sunset.
But it’s more than the beauty of the roasted chicken that came to our table at the San Francisco institution Zuni Cafe. Yes, the seasonal greens gave [...]
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ST. HELENA, Calif.
I’ve never dined at a three Michelin-star restaurant, which is the highest honor bestowed by the annual Michelin Guide to dining from France. So I figured there’s no better time than now.
Everyone knows The French Laundry in Napa Valley, which is why it’s still one of the hardest [...]
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One of the Asian cuisines that is still somewhat of a mystery to many is Filipino food. But there seems to be an upswing of interest, especially after watching Filipino-American Chef Sheldon Simeon get far in the recent season of “Top Chef.” (I rooted for him because he’s from Hawaii!)
When I was growing [...]
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BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.
The L.A. restaurant Red Medicine has gotten a lot of attention lately, but not necessarily for its food.
The stylish spot in Beverly Hills recently started tweeting the names of guests who don’t show up for their reservations. The public shaming has garnered debate and attention, which Red Medicine’s GM [...]
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ARCADIA, Calif.
When looking for good Chinese food in Southern California, people often point visitors to the San Gabriel Valley area.
The valley is more than an hour east of the coast, which is where I was staying when I recently visited my sister in Marina Del Ray. So it was an inconvenience to [...]
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