Chocolate Worth the Calories
The quest for chocolate continues — and my most recent fieldwork has turned up another reason to live. Lake Champlain Organic Chocolate! Packaged in a convenient purse-sized (!) 1.25 oz bar, this truly TDF chocolate comes in some brilliant forms. Those who like it...
Egg Power!
TLC rancher Jim Dunlop himself was doing the farmers market honors last Saturday - sitting on a mound of free-range gold from his free-rambling, pasture raised chickens. I've wandered the range with some of the very chickens who laid these eggs and a happier, more...
New Testament Cuisine
What would Jesus eat? we asked as we thought about a special Easter dinner this year. Well, obviously lamb, yogurt, onions, rice pilaff, pine nuts, something with lemons and olive oil. Garlic, absolutely garlic. Lamb grilled over wood found in the desert, like...
Springtime on a Plate
If Sean Baker gets any better at what he does, Gabriella could wind up with a Michelin star one of these days. We were blown away on the first evening of Spring by a few choice appetizers from what is becoming the top kitchen in the area. Certainly for sheer...
Au Midi for Lunch
It was a moment of matchless synchronicity. I met my great and good friend Rita Bottoms, former empress of UCSC Special Collections, for lunch at Au Midi in Aptos. There we were, surrounded by colorful impressions of Parisian cafe life, thanks to a display of oil...
Oral Fantasy
Confession. I'd walk a mile for a cupcake. A residual daydream from childhood, where the cupcake was Queen. An ornamental, hand-held device that can transport you to immediate comfort — ah, the cupcake! Creamy, layered with complex sweetness, spice, tender texture...
Oswald Update: #417
Relax, it's gonna happen. I spoke with Oswald co-owner/chef Damani Thomas yesterday and he's definitely on the project. "We're just trying to get the construction going," he said. Everything is taking longer than expected, but Thomas is looking toward Oswald opening,...
On the Waterfront
The view from the front door of Riva Fish House is enough to induce instant serenity. The big-shouldered seafood menu at Riva is always a reason to drive out onto the water and enjoy all those huge, oceanic views. The gelato selection alone is legendary. But now...
Indulgence
Think how many souls you could have sprung from limbo with this block of butter! Fifty-five pounds of butter, to be exact. This is only one of dozens of butter blocks that will be carved into pastry, frosting, cakes and cookies at Gayle's Bakery on any given day. I...
Tapenade
My on-going grazing tour of La Jolla continued last week with lunch at the very smartly decorated Tapenade, a few blocks off the seaside village main drag of Prospect Street. Pale yellow walls, handsome floral design and attractive waiters all set a positive tone to...
Julie’s in Alameda
Along Park Street, the main - and only - drag in atmospheric (read: funky) Alameda, there are dozens of bars and an increasing number of coffee places. My favorite is Julie's - 1223 Park St., - where the house specialty is scones and home-made clotted cream, aka...
Piece of Cake
In a room that smelled like paradise I watched a woman adding intricate lettering to the top of a freshly-made birthday cake. Find out where I was. In the March 5, Metro Santa Cruz.
A16 in San Francisco
To Die For!: Giving new meaning to the word “chocolate,†was a spectacular chocolate budino tart I shared with friends on the night of the recent lunar eclipse. The place was A16 (see the current Condé Nast Traveler), on Chestnut Street in San Francisco. A long,...
Heritage Birds et al.
At Avanti last week, Jack feasted on his beloved meatballs with ribbons of pappardelle (they are killer) , while I roamed the range looking for some new flavor hit. Big fun arrived in the form of a roast half Poulet Rouge, one of those deeply flavored, heirloom French...
Newsflash: Gabriella for Sale!
No kidding - Paul Cocking told me that he's interested in moving on, changing the pace of his life — the exhausting hours involved in restaurant work! — and perhaps even changing careers entirely. Gabriella Cafe is definitely for sale, so if you can put together a...
Lunch @ Au Midi
Pissaladiere, ratatouille, pistou - just some of the luscious flavors of Spring in the French Countryside. They are yours for lunch now at Au Midi in Aptos. Michel and Muriel Loubiére emailed to tell me that their charming bistro is now open from Wednesday to...
Brad’s Beets, and other oral fantasies
Brad Briske is currently playing around with an appetizer of deep magenta roasted beets — Route One — topped with a creamy ricotta favetta and a sprig of infant beet greens. In addition to 30-year-old balsamic, this dish features one more secret bit of luxury....
Can Your $11 Do This?
Sure, you could dumb down your choices - save pennies, clip coupons, consume something that makes you hate yourself in the morning. Or you could have a meal that stimulates all your senses. That makes you feel glad about spring, living at the ocean, being alive....
A Newer Leaf
Lofty ceilings, rivers of sunlight, polished earth-toned floors — New Leaf unveiled its newest store on the Westside this morning to the obvious delight of a full house of discerning consumers. Glittering displays of fruit, seafood, and pastries joined an entire...
Plum Line
Back when most people grew their own crops and made their own sauces, pies and jams, some gifted artisan with a slow hand and an open heart might have made this jam. (Shown here on my breakfast table already half-consumed along with coffee, eggs, toast and butter.)...
Kinch Rocks Iron Chef: March 15
Update: Kinch Won! Sizzling Saucepans! Chef David Kinch of Manresa battles chef Bobby Flay on Iron Chef America. Tune in on Sunday, March 15 to see if Kinch's two Michelin stars can take the heat! Chef/surfer Kinch of Manresa, Los Gatos, will challenge celebrity chef...
Lunch at O’mei – First Impressions!
Terrific news for Westside lunchers — O’mei is open for lunch, Tues-Sun 11:30-2pm. But wait, there's more! The “O’mei Express Menu" is priced for the real world, starting at $5.95 and topping out at $7.95. And how is it? Inventive, tasty, quick and cheap. We...
and another thing about Oswald
The red trout, sautéed crispy and served on a bed of green beans and roasted sunchokes, is a sensuous way to celebrate a chilly winter evening. You need only walk into the warm brasserie ambience of Oswald (corner of Front & Soquel, in downtown Santa Cruz) and let...
Oswald’s Opulent Opening
It was almost as if it had never closed. The crowd, the smooth flow of service from exhibition kitchen to full bar to packed dining room — Oswald was back and on Day Two was producing flawless meals to a packed house of overjoyed fans. A modest opening menu, long on...
More on Oswald
Desserts were all excellent, including a textbook crème brulée, a sexy molten chocolate torte and a superb almond cake (seen here) topped with vanilla ice cream. And since the new Oswald has a full bar, we were able to enjoy adult digestifs like Fernet Branca with...