Since I moved to the Bay Area two years ago, I’ve heard countless admonitions that I hadn’t been to St. George Spirits (2601 Monarch St., Alameda Point), one of the first craft distilleries in the US. Even more recently, that’s shifted to countless admonitions to check out Faction Brewing, housed next door, as beer appeals
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I’m doing two reviews in one today! My friends over at TOPO Distillery have debuted their organic Eight Oak Whiskey, and they were kind enough to send me a bottle for review. This fortuitous gift also provided me with the perfect opportunity to test out a set of Sipping Stones, soapstone cubes designed to provide a
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A few years ago, I reviewed a few drinks made with Veev aḉai liqueur at Ruby Tuesday’s back when the brand first launched. I enjoyed those drinks and how clean the spirit tasted. It imparted a crisp and mild berry flavor to the cocktails that I found quite appealing. Fast forward to this last winter,
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Sidebar is an upscale, Nouveau American joint along the Grand Avenue side of Lake Merritt. Its website boasts Mediterranean, seasonal, local, and comfort foods among its qualifications, so think dressed up French fries, with smoked paprika in Sidebar’s case, and quality meats served with fresh pickled veggies and relishes. I went at lunch. The menu
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After a fun night out at Kuleto’s last November, our friends introduced us to one of their favorite drink spots, just a few blocks away. See that fruit bowl of citrus on the counter? It was one of many, and the smell of them permeated the room. There is no question that the Cantina uses
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I tried this intriguing cocktail during my first show at the Great American Music Hall, which is an intimate space for a concert. Even the back of the venue doesn’t feel far removed from the musicians. Plus, the gorgeous architecture is worth a visit all on its own — if only they allowed SLRs into
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TOPO Piedmont Gin Chapel Hill, NC ABV 46% I have mentioned this gin before on this blog, when I took a tour of the distillery. But this is the first TOPO spirit I’ve had my hands on a bottle of and thanks go to Esteban, TOPO’s spirit guide, for the parting gift at my farewell
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I was thrilled to again judge a Fire in the Triangle battle, having judged my first last year when NC Competition Dining premiered in the Research Triangle. If you love food and live in the area, then you simply must make next year’s series—it’s too late for this year’s. All the battles have been sold
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I have blogged about Charlottesville’s downtown mall before, but the brunch that trip was not so memorable, and Charlottesville is a town that brunches, so I needed to fix that. Most places offer brunch until at least 3 pm on the weekend, and that’s a beautiful, beautiful practice for this late riser. I decided we
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Alley 26 320 East Chapel Hill St. Downtown Durham Website $9 to $12 per drink 4 pm to 2 am (May I take this moment to say I love a bar that posts a closing time?) To my disappointment, Alley 26, Durham’s newest upscale bar, is not located in an alley. It takes up actual
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