Thoughtful Gourmet Blog

Field Notes: October Restaurant, Hotel and Food News

Field Notes is my monthly column where I share a few of the events and other items of note taking place in any given month. These are just a few of the food and food-adjacent events that have caught my attention in October and November.

Hokkaido Scallop dressed with flowers and greens as served at RO restaurant & Lounge in Yountville, Napa Valley

Here are just a few restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area (and beyond) I visited in September. Perfect (gluten-free!) soft shell crab, a tuna carpaccio for the ages, must-try koji-cultured Wagyu and ice cream and more….

cookbook cover of Farmhouse Weeknights by Melissa Bahen shows lots of white dishes with fresh salads and fruit

Quick and wholesome recipes for feeding a family are the premise of Melissa Bahen’s new cookbook, Farmhouse Weeknights.

Coastal Harvest cookbook cover by Outdoor Chef Life vlogger Taku Kondo is dark blue with white images of fish and shellfish

Taku Kondo’s cookbook offers an outdoorsman’s-slash-sushi chef’s approach to food and cooking. It’s high-spirited, perfect for anyone considering preparing fish and seafood caught with their own hands. Exploring and enjoying the bounty of the American West Coast is a gift we all can benefit from.

cookbook author Peter Som tosses an apple in front of a table laid with plated oranges and chicken

“Family Style,” Peter Som’s cookbook, radiates with innate spirit while casting an eye to his upbringing in Northern California. Som grew up in the town I call home. (I discovered this in his headnote for Fresh Strawberry Pie with Chamomile Miso Graham Cracker Crust.) He understands the cultural power of crisp chicken skin and peak-season green beans. His recipes line up perfectly with how my family likes to eat.

espresso tonic at Zuni Cafe, San Francisco restaurant with Market Street in the background

Here are just a few restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area I visited in May. Perfect gribenes, a savory espresso tonic, fresh pupusas and more….

at the bar, decorated for All Souls Day, at Californios, a two-star Michelin restaurant in San Francisco

The first time I visited San Francisco’s Californios in 2015, I left awed by chef Val Cantú’s flavors. After a recent visit, I left disappointed. What went wrong at the Michelin 2-star?

a compostable fork, knife and spoon from Better Earth

Time for certified compostable knives, forks, spoons and straws made from sugarcane, coffee grounds and corn. And no toxic chemicals.