Restaurant Review: Brenda’s French Soul Food, San Francisco

I’m slightly skeptical of “chipotle” anything these days. To me, this pepper was arguably THE ingredient of the 1990s, as smoked red jalapeños began to officially hit the American mainstream. Not only did a burrito chain emerge from Colorado emblazoned with this very name, but television chefs such as Bobby Flay seemed to be infusing chipotle peppers into every recipe imaginable. These days, you can order a Chipotle Chicken Ciabatta at Jack in the Box or a select a packet of Ancho Chipotle Ranch Dressing for a Wendy’s salad. From my perspective, now that [... read more ...]

Book Review: “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” by Michael Pollan

In many ways, I feel like “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” is the companion reader to Eric Schlosser’s “Fast Food Nation,” a book that first sent a shockwave throughout the American food industry in 2005, by holding up a mirror to our current eating habits. “The Omnivore’s Dilemma,” written by Michael Pollan and published in 2006, raises the stakes by broadening its scope: although Americans can avoid the drive-thru if they so choose, our ability to avoid the litany of industrialized corn byproducts — such as high-fructose corn syrup — presents a far more daunting challenge.

Personally, I don’t have the [... read more ...]

The Squeezeburger @ Squeeze Inn, Napa

The calling card of a Squeezeburger is unmistakable: a skirt of crispy melted cheddar as big as a jukebox 45. The burger itself is as messy as it is delicious. Highly recommended. But not for the weak or dainty.

Morimoto Napa: Brace Yourself for the Profound Paradigm Shift.

In the last few months, downtown Napa has seen the opening of two new restaurants, Neela’s Contemporary Indian Cooking and The Border. Both restaurants have received a fair amount of attention, although criticism tends to be the dominant theme for both places thus far. On one hand, you have Neela’s, which has a reputation for good food, but at high prices. On the other hand, there is The Border — an upscale take on Mexican cuisine — that has suffered similar, but even worse condemnations.

Although I eagerly anticipated the opening of both restaurants, I can’t really claim to [... read more ...]

Slideshow: Farmers Market @ The Ferry Building, San Francisco

Some pictures from two weeks ago, but in a new slideshow format. The produce looked great that day, and the overcast skies provided terrific lighting…