Hello Friends,

Did you survive Dry January? When chatting with friends about the benefits of reducing or eliminating booze, it came down to a lifestyle check. Some said a drink (or two) had become a habit, the act of pouring and imbibing a routine that needed a rethink. Another said a pause was not required as alcohol was only for special occasions. Giving up alcohol in January felt “too routine” for another, who plans to stop for the duration of Lent, which begins Ash Wednesday – a.k.a., the day after Fat Tuesday – and continues until Good Friday. (That’s 40 days, if you’re counting.)

I chose not to give up alcohol for the month. But I have been reconsidering when and what I drink. Yes, I am part of a trend. But like others, I am also drinking more strategically, rethinking when and what I drink and adding in low alcohol and NA beverages as suits the occasion. I like this considered approach – of course it is easier on my liver (which is not in any trouble), but also easier on my wallet and for my digestion. That seems win-win for me and the businesses I support.

And since that meteorologically gifted rodent, Punxsutawney Phil, saw his shadow the other day, more winter means more time sitting around the fire, sipping a glass of port. And that is an activity I 100% support, ideally with a good book and a comfy pillow.

What’s Hot:

These are just a few of the food and food-adjacent events that have caught my attention in February. And no, I’m not covering the Super Bowl or Valentine’s Day. I’ve got other ideas…

Arnold Myint at Flamingo_fancyfruitstickyrice_0491

Arnold Myint’s Fancy Fruit Sticky Rice at Lazeaway Club

Palmaz Vineyards Winter Tasting Menu (ASAP)

Coombsville, one of my favorite regions in Napa for Cabernet Sauvignon (I’m a sucker for the region’s expressive violet flavors), is the home of Palmaz Vineyards. They grow plenty of Cab but also make room for varietals such as Muscat, Riesling, Grenache and Merlot. In a seasonal take on wine and food pairings, the house has come up with two ways to experience the breadth of their offerings. (Non-alcoholic pairing options are available.)

Choose the Cabernet Sauvignon Tasting for six estate wines and six chef-driven bites, including:

Roasted Red Beet, Ricotta and Hazelnut Potsticker, paired with 2021
Smoked Muscovy Duck Breast with Mission Fig Jam, paired with 2018
Genesee Valley Ranch Wagyu Meatball & Truffle Duxelles, paired with 2015

Or, choose the Portfolio Tasting for six estate wines of all colors, paired with bites including:

Hot Smoked Trout Lollipop, paired with 2019 Amalia Chardonnay
Apple Chip & Whipped Chicken Liver Pâté, paired with 2023 Florencia Muscat
Genesee Valley Ranch Wagyu Nigiri, paired with 2021 Brasas Cabernet

$155 per person

Make a Reservation at Palmaz

Chef Arnold Myint at Lazeaway Club (Feb 2-15)

James Beard Award-nominated, Michelin-recognized restaurateur, drag queen, and Chef Arnold Myint of Nashville’s International Market takes over the burners at Santa Rosa’s Lazeaway Club for a two week residency. It’s a fantastic opportunity to experience Myint’s cooking, which melds the Thai-Burmese flavors of his heritage with the Southern influences of his hometown.

Menu includes:

Rice Ball Lettuce Wraps (Miang Khao Tod)
red curry arancini, toasted coconut, preserved radish, scallion

Seafood Fritters (Tod Mahn Talay)
fish and shrimp, curry paste, green bean, Makrut lime, pickled onion

Bangkok BBQ Chicken (Gai Yang)
madras chicken thighs, fried shallots, cucumber achar, nam jim jaeow

Three Taste Crispy Fish (Pla Sahm Roht)
market fish TBD, rice flour, tamarind palm sugar sauce

Fancy Fried Rice Platter (Khao Kluk Grapi)
pork belly lardon, ginger, preserved radish, egg ribbons, green mango, lime

Reserve a Table for Myint at Lazeaway

*Myint’s cookbook, “Family Thai” is in my latest holiday cookbook guide, 25 Cookbooks for Everyone On Your List. (New link coming soon!)

Mardi Gras Sweets with Kara Nielsen (Feb 17)

Kara Nielsen, a.k.a. the Sweets Professor, invites you to let the good times roll in a hands-on cooking class at San Francisco’s The Civic Kitchen, celebrating the sweet treats of New Orleans’ Carnival.

You’ll make iconic New Orleans treats like King Cake, Beignets, Pralines, and Bananas Foster with homemade vanilla ice cream, followed by a shared a supper of jambalaya served with wines and non-alcoholic beverages.

6 – 10 p.m.

$195 per person

Make a Reservation to Make Mardi Gras Sweets & Dinner

Year of the Horse Feast at China Live (THRU Feb 28)

Nine special dishes honoring the start of the Year of the Horse are added to the Cantonese-style menu at San Francisco’s China Live through the end of the month. In addition to a welter of dim sum (XLB, SJB and more) and Peking Duck with sesame pockets, there’s Miso-Glazed Sea Bass, Live Dungeness Salt & Pepper Crab, and Lionhead Meatballs.

The best news of all? Bring a crowd of one or 50 – the entire menu is available a la carte.

Make a Year of the Horse Reservation at China Live

sharp-knife

Where to Read My Work

While I plug away at launching a new website and newsletter (the site is now in soft launch with a planned drop around April 1), I wrote about San Francisco interior designer and restaurant design savant Jon de la Cruz for SPACES magazine, which released as a print issue in January.

We walked and talked through the many stunning spaces he designed for the new Wayfare Tavern in San Francisco. (De la Cruz’s latest restaurant, Via Aurelia, was just about to open when I was writing this piece – another stunner!)

De la Cruz’s designs amplify each restaurant’s vibes. It feels good to be in these spaces. Plus, you get to eat while there!

I couldn’t be happier with how this story turned out. Vivacious Spaces, indeed.

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My “Culinary World” Podcast

Bread nerds, you are officially on alert! For my sixth episode, I got to know chef and cookbook author, Aran Goyoaga. Her latest book, The Art of Gluten-free Bread, is a revelation of technique and flavor. We chat about how to start your own gluten-free bread baking journey, what butters to consider (vegan and regular), and the joy of holiday baking. Plus a side note about marzipan.

Restaurants On My RADAR

Seafood Tower at Michael Minas Bourbon Steak in San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO

In San Francisco’s Mission Rock neighborhood (it’s on the other side of McCovey Cove from Oracle Park) Via Aurelia’s Sformato Di Funghi – porcini custard, sunchoke, walnut, parmesan – very nearly made it into my Best Bites of 2025. (New link coming soon!) Big, brassy flavor wrung from humble ingredients is always inspiring. The menu tastes like a butter-enriched throwback to an earlier era of fat-foamed indulgence – lobster, steak and parmigiano espuma, I hardly knew ya.

Even squash-hater Stefan liked Gnudi with Honeynut Squash and Chestnut and my California Duck Breast with Plum was not only the biggest two pieces of bird flesh I’ve ever been served on a plate, but perfectly textured and gently sweetened from the accompanying sauce. Hearty appetites will be happy here. And design nerds can walk through another Jon de la Cruz-designed space.

Like Via Aurelia, Bourbon Steak, inside the Westin St. Francis Hotel at San Francisco’s Union Square, is another “dress up and splurge” opportunity. Are you familiar with the greatest hits of Chef Michael Mina? Caviar Trio (including the Caviar Twinkee), a resplendent Seafood Tower (including half a Maine lobster – see the image leading this secion), Japanese A5 Wagyu Tartare – it’s all here and it’s all impressive in a Riz Ahmed meets Amal Clooney sort of way. Perhaps, then, it is no surprise that my favorite dish of the night was … (drum roll, please!) potatoes. Yes, french fries, or in this case, Duck Fat Fries. A trio of herb-dusted batons (paprika, barbecue spice and plain) paired with American-style sauces (ketchup, barbecue, herb aioli) was utterly irresistible and fun.

Do yourself a favor – when you plan a visit to the Beaux-Arts era space at the Westin, make time for a drink at the bar. Its vibrant energy is an instant reminder of all that is good about San Francisco – forward-thinking while respecting the past – and the perfect prelude to a meal of meat-forward decadence in another of the hotel’s stunning spaces.

What Bourbon Steak is to the American tradition of steak, AB Steak is to the Korean. Situated on a quiet corner of Union Square, the restaurant is located two stories underneath the street, where a dark-paneled entryway gives way to a shimmering interior and a high touch experience. The parade of steak – Australian, American and Japanese – was truly astounding – but I loved the Banchan (shareable side dishes) where Chef Black’s flavors really shine. Two favorites: Daikon Radish Salad (how did they make the daikon creamy?) and Bean Sprouts which were so crunchy and delicious, Lukas finished them off without a Mom Nudge.

EAST BAY

In the East Bay, I visited Berkeley’s ‘Ammatka Cafe before it opened to the public. Opening date is February 13! Located inside the Lawrence Hall of Science, the cafe’s menu comes from Vincent Medina and Louis Trevino, known for their work at Berkeley’s Cafe Ohlone. The menu leans into local-to-California ingredients while embracing modern realities. How does that translate on the plate? A green salad is dotted with purslane, piñon, and nasturtium. Smoked Duck Sandwich comes with house made rosehip jam. And a snack of Black Walnut Brownies and cup of black sage tea is made with ingredients pulled from the Berkeley watershed. (There’s Dino Bites, too, just in case the littles in your house were wondering.)

NORTH BAY

At Santa Rosa’s John Ash restaurant, Chef Sergio Howland continues the legacy of the pioneering farm-to-table cuisine of the chef for whom the restaurant is named. Tuna Tartare was reimagined with la-yu chili oil and peanut crumble, adding a spark of Asian flavor. Touched with tahini and lemon-infused olive oil, Butternut Squash Soup had a light, refreshing flavor (what!?!) while Lamb Shoulder went deep with merguez sausge jus and roasted rutabaga. Favorite dish of the night? Grilled Octopus. Cooked to achieve that ideal balance of textures (creamy inside, soft chew on the outside), the presentation, with curls of salsa verde, pickled cherry tomatoes, and sweet pepper romesco, was a delight.

I loved, too, that the restaurant placed proper candles on the tables. The warmly lighted room looked even better on a dark winter’s night, the flames flickering energy adding contrast to the room’s tall-ceilinged spaces. The experience was a low-key vibe with a curated approach to cuisine. Nice.

About That Image

When I visited San Francisco’s AB Steak with the boys, we all were thrilled with the meaty offerings but, honestly, the banchan would have made a meal in and of themselves and were a highlight. This may be the only time in my life I rave about a salad of bean sprouts! Crispy, vinegary, simply delightful. I wish more chefs knew how to work with this sensitive ingredient.

Thanks for reading and be in touch.

Christina