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The MINA Test Kitchen: Tasty Experiments, Sign Me Up!
People are big fans of Michael Mina, and I totally get it. He started his culinary empire in San Francisco and has played a major role in building the restaurant scene to where it is today. Think Pablo Escobar, and replace the cocaine with food and power hungry vengeance for zen-like philosophies (Warning: There may be many references in…
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Stones Throw: Let’s Keep Talking
Stones Throw is not a restaurant that has an identity crisis. They know exactly who they are, head-to-toe: from each table to each dish to each guest. Stones Throw is a thoughtful, playful and comfortable restaurant; it’s like kind of boyfriend you wish you can be around with all the time. This is a place where they notice the…
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SPQR: Finally, Satisfying Tasty Italian
I have gone around to various San Francisco restaurants hoping to get delicious pasta dishes like I can in New York, with depth in flavor and cooked al dente. I became skeptical, thinking that good Italian is doomed in this city. For every time I expressed my frustration, a friend would mentioned SPQR. For that reason, I made the OpenTable reservation with a…
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Kusakabe: A Deliciously Harmonious Omakase
I want to be a regular. This may be aspirational, since it seems as though everyone also feels the same way. With one Michelin star under the belt, Kusakabe seems to churn out fans – not only with its high-quality fish but its natural and comforting service. Nothing seems to be out of place, and…
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Nopa: Hearty American SF Dining
I have moved to San Francisco from New York City, and am making my way through the dining scene. It’s exciting, and so far I find it notably different than New York (there’s good and bad to that). Overall, I want to focus on the great meals I have here so that whoever ends up coming to this city will know…
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Lure Fishbar: Seafood in Soho
Lure Fishbar is located within Soho, an area populated with shops and stores, and provides solid American seafood fare. When you go down the stairs and get seated, it looks like you are sitting inside a beautiful cruise ship with dark wood walls and golden lights. I went for a company dinner and was excited…
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Má Pêche: Beef 7 Ways – A Meat Feast
Má Pêche, the 4th restaurant of David Chang’s empire, is his first midtown restaurant located in the Chambers Hotel.  The “boeuf sept façons” better known as “beef seven ways” meal is…intense. Boy, if you love meat you will love this meal.  Similar to his other food feasts, this meal can feed up to 10 people…
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Kin Shop: Asian-inspired Done Right?
I was excited to try out Kin Shop, Harold Dieterle’s 2nd restaurant (winner of Top Chef Season 1), since it has gotten rave reviews from NY Times, NY Mag, and just about any other magazine. The reservations were made about a month ahead of time, people confirmed for the dinner, and food gathering #2 was…
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Colicchio & Sons: A Warm Christmas Dinner
What used to be known as Craftsteak has been transformed into Colicchio & Sons, a new American restaurant that serves solid dishes with great wine. As one of Tom Colicchio’s restaurants (as if the name didn’t give it away enough), this restaurant isn’t overhyped by Colicchio’s successes of Top Chef and being a James Beard…
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Public: Fusion is the Name of the Game
Yup, I am reviewing another fusion restaurant. So finnnnne…maybe I go to more fusion restaurants than I would like to admit, but at least I am featuring GOOD places right? Anyway the point is that I was impressed by two things: 1.) the menu ingredients are very varied (i.e. wild boar, quail & foie gras, Tasmanian sea trout)…