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it's about time we met
the lush
put it on my tab
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shindigs/feasts/festivals
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get some
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take a lap, tablehopper
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no photos please

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OCTOBER 13, 2009 | SAN FRANCISCO Pant pant pant. And no, it’s not because of the warm weather we’re having (seriously, where did fall go? It’s like we jumped straight to winter, pffffft.). It’s more that I’m just barely hanging on here—am treading a sea of deadlines, and am in the home stretch with my book, which will be all done November 2nd. Pant pant pant.

I did manage to get a play day in last week between waves of edits: Rosetta Costantino kindly invited me and my father over for lunch at her house—what a slice of Calabria! From the roasted peppers from her garden to the peperoncino and chocolate ice cream for dessert, it was quite the spread. I posted some pics of our feast, and can’t wait for her book with Janet Fletcher, My Calabria, to come out next year. She even gave me a sneak peek at her book’s recipe for roasted tomato sauce—let’s just say my Saturday night dinner guest and I ate very very well. Especially since I made it with tomatoes from her garden. I hoped to get home to my parents on Sunday to make mosto cotto (saba) with my dad, but had to stay home and work. Wah. In case some of you have access to fresh grape juice right now, here’s Rosetta's recipe.

This week my night off is going to be Wednesday, which is perfect because I am really looking forward to the Wine & Spirits Top 100 Tasting: the line-up of wines (and local chefs) is a good one, including the winemaker from COS in Sicily, whose wines were featured at the last tablehopper tasting—read more in the lush. 48 hours later is WhiskyFest on Friday, and Saturday is the sure-to-be-jaw-dropping OPENfuture event at SFMOMA—release the flying panforte! Followed by a visit to Sunday’s sold-out Mini Cupcake Clash by SF Food Wars—let’s see if some of the contestants get me over being jaded on cupcakes, a true test.

May your umbrella not blow inside out today.

~Marcia

OCTOBER 13, 2009 | SAN FRANCISCO I know plenty of burger fanatics will be happy with the news that Hubert Keller’s ~BURGER BAR~ (say it with a French accent) is opening this Friday on the sixth floor of Macy’s Union Square. It’s spacious: 240 seats in all, including a private room. The menu has quite the list of burgers that you get to pick your patty from (and there is an in-house butcher room where the meat is ground daily). You can choose either Black Angus beef ($9.75), sustainable Country Natural beef ($10.50), American Kobe beef from Snake River ($16.50), or buffalo ($16.50), plus vegetarian, Atlantic king salmon, free-range turkey, or hormone-free chicken options. There are all kinds of toppings, from nine kinds of cheeses to foie gras. And speaking of, yes, the famed Rossini burger (the $$$ one you heard about in Vegas) is on there: $60 will get you a burger made with Kobe beef, sautéed foie gras, shaved Perigord truffles, and Madeira sauce on an onion bun. (Get the paddles out. Clear!) Personally, I’m most excited about trying the jalapeno bacon. Oh, and you can pick Fleur de Lys sauces, like rich red wine and shallots reduction ($2.50), or black Perigord truffle sauce ($5.50). There are sweet burgers to finish, but fear not, there’s no beef—they’re more like a donut with chocolate and passion fruit inside, or a cheesecake version with caramelized pineapple. I took a peek at the cocktail list by Nikola Varsic and it has a nice range of cocktails, from whiskey to rum to pisco-based drinks made with good ingredients. Hours are Sun–Thurs 10:30am–11pm, and Fri–Sat 10:30am–2am. Yeah, you saw that right: burgers until 2am on the weekend. Enter Macy’s on Geary St. 170 O’Farrell St. at Stockton, 415-296-4272.

More burgers: ~BEST-O-BURGER~ is opening their second location next Monday the 19th in a dining space with a small group of restaurants in the One Market building. Hours will be 10am–3pm Mon–Fri. One Market St., 415-828-1717.

This just in: Eater New York broke the story that local boy ~JONNATAN LEIVA~ (Jack Falstaff) is off to the Big Apple to head up 10 Downing. Good for him—I wonder if he’ll put THAT burger on a secret menu. SF is a safer place without that burger lurking around, but Leiva will be missed! Rock it, Jonnatan!

And now for a little something sweet: the new dessert café from Dennis and Eloise Leung, ~DELISE~, opens this Friday October 16th. (They used to run the pastry kitchen at Bong Su.) The small space will open in the morning, serving muffins and breakfast scones (both sweet and savory, like a tomato basil scone will be on offer), plus Four Barrel coffee and espresso, hot chocolate, and chai lattes, in addition to teas from Red Blossom. There will also be cookies made with healthy ingredients like whole-wheat flour. I look forward to trying the ice creams and sorbets made with Asian flavors, including toasted rice, sesame, and pandan, plus vegan/soy-based ice creams as well. Look for some inventive ice cream flavors, like a deconstructed pesto, with basil and pine nuts; you can get ice cream in a cup or pint—homemade cones are coming soon. There’s talk about sandwiches coming later as well. Opening hours are Mon–Fri 8:30am–8:30pm, and Sat–Sun 10:30am–6pm (tentatively)—so call first before heading over. 327 Bay St. at Powell, 415-399-9694.

More sweeeeeet news: as I tweeted last week, ~HUMPHRY SLOCOMBE~ is now open on Mondays. Yup, you can now get your fix of their scrumptious ice cream seven days a week. 2790 Harrison St. at 24th St., 415-550-6971.

Opening next Wednesday October 21st will be ~PANAM~, Mickael Azoulay and Laurent Guillaume’s new restaurant, bar, and lounge in the former Frisee space in the Castro (under the newly remodeled The Café). Since the owners are behind Chouquet’s and Blush! Wine Bar, it should be no surprise the menu will offer “neo-French fusion cuisine,” with an international wine list, and a full bar. In the evening it will transform into more of a lounge, with a DJ booth and an amped up bar scene. As for the name, Panam is Parisian slang for Paris. Panam will be open nightly for dinner and drinks 5pm–1am, plus there will be a weekend brunch from 10am–4pm. 2367 Market St. at Castro, 415-556-6200.

Uh, yeah, HOLD THE PHONE. According to Serious Eats/Slice, Anthony Mangieri, aka the former master of the New York pizza universe is reopening his much-beloved establishment in SoMa, ~UNA PIZZA NAPOLETANA~, hopefully by March 2010. So we lose Nate, we get Anthony, and the per capita number of tattoos remains the same. For more on Anthony, check out this gorg mini food porn film about him making pizza, Naturally Risen.

And according to liquor licenses, ~OSHA THAI~ continues its methodical takeover of the city and looks to be moving into Bong Su’s former digs. At least they won’t need to change the décor very much, if at all. 311 3rd St. at Folsom.

Some breakfast and brunch news around town: ~PICCINO~ has started serving brunch Sat–Sun, starting at 10am. On the menu: items like a savory bread pudding with prosciutto, onions, and tomatoes; a skillet-pressed focaccia with ricotta and house-made strawberry jam; a cazuela of wild mushrooms, kale, and two baked eggs; a breakfast pizza with Jonathan apples, gorgonzola, house-made sausage, and two eggs; and house-made granola and yogurt with end-of-season plums. And zeppole (Italian-style doughnuts)! 801 22nd St. at Tennessee, 415-824-4224.

~BAR TARTINE~ will kick off breakfast next Wednesday October 21st, serving every Wed–Fri from 8am–11am. The menu will feature jars of the restaurant’s own organic yogurt, and they’re working on perfecting house-made English muffins to be topped with slow-cooked eggs and house-cured ham. 561 Valencia St. at 17th St., 415-487-1600.

And then there’s breakfast for dinner: ~SOUTH~ is offering a breakfast-inspired happy hour (inspired by that Aussie/U.S. time change thing) every Mon–Fri 4:30pm–6:30pm. $5 bar bites include spicy lamb sliders with shallot marmalade and a quail egg, and shrimp toasts with vegemite. There are also $6 drinks specials and $5 imported beers. One more thing to note: in honor of South's two-year anniversary, you can go in during the month of October and get a free glass of bubbles with your dinner. 330 Townsend St. at 4th St., 415-974-5599.

Got word that ~DOSA~ (both locations) is launching a new holiday menu this Thursday for Divali (the Indian New Year), and will be celebrating this weekend (October 16th–17th) with new dishes, cocktails, and desserts. 995 Valencia St. at 21st St., 415-642-3672; 1700 Fillmore St. at Post, 415-441-3672.

More spicy news: on Monday October 19th, The San Francisco Professional Food Society is hosting the event ~SPICE ROUTE MEETS CALIFORNIA CUISINE~. Executive chef Sri Gopinathan, Campton Place, Southern India; chef-owner Hoss Zare, Fly Trap, Iran; and chef Afreen Wahab, academician, Pakistan, will be on a panel to discuss different spices they use from their homeland, preparation techniques such as "bhuno," and how to incorporate spices in your cooking, whether in the home, or in a restaurant. 6pm–8:30pm. After the panel discussion, there will be small bites of host chef Sri's spice-laden delicacies. $30 SFPFS members; $40 guests. For more information and to purchase a ticket, click here or call 650-344-3663. Campton Place Hotel Dining Room, 340 Stockton St. at Post.

Have you been enjoying this season of ~TOP CHEF~? I think it’s one hell of a lineup this year—am especially impressed with the Voltaggio brothers, and I love the dark horse Kevin, who is turning out some great dishes. Of course am rooting for our home talent Laurine, but am putting my money on badass Jennifer to take it to the end—she’s thrilling to watch. Anyway, casting has started for Season Seven—aspiring cheftestants should come to the casting call at the newly opened The Parlor this Sunday October 18th from 10am–2pm. For additional casting information and to download an application, visit BravoTV.com/casting. 2801 Leavenworth St. at Beach.

There are a couple local events coming up called ~SUSTAIN ABRUZZO~ to promote and sustain small farmers and producers in Abruzzo that have been affected by the terrible earthquake in April (click the Sustain Abruzzo link to see all events). First up, ~FARINA~ is hosting a fundraiser dinner on Tuesday October 20th, featuring traditional dishes served à la carte (25% of the sales will go to the farmers from Abruzzo). You can look at the sample menu here. 3560 18th St. at Guerrero St., 415-565-0360.

Next, ~LA CICCIA~ will be hosting a family-style Sustain Abruzzo dinner on Monday November 2nd, featuring goat, lamb, and traditional wines from Abruzzo. 25% of sales will go to Sustain Abruzzo farmers. 7pm. $85 per person for family-style food and wine, plus tax and gratuity. 291 30th St. at Church, 415-550-8114.

The ~CELEBRITY CHEF TOUR~ benefiting the James Beard Foundation is coming to our fair city on Thursday October 22nd. Pastry chef Elizabeth Falkner of Orson and Citizen Cake and Jeffrey Surprise of Aurea/The Stanford Court will team up to cook a multicourse fall meal paired with wine and beer. 7pm. Tickets are $175 per person and can be reserved by calling 720-201-1853 or clicking here. 905 California St. at Powell.

Over in Berkeley, the food-e-sphere has been buzzing over ~EMILIA'S PIZZERIA~, a new casual pizza joint from the reportedly nice and talented Keith Freilich, who is turning out some killer pies (thin crust, New York-style). He’s keeping it small and simple to start; follow the dough shortages and closings on Twitter. Open Tue–Sat at 5pm until the dough is gone (for now). 2995 Shattuck Ave. at Russell, Berkeley, 510-704-1794.

~TAMARINDO~ in Oakland is going to be opening a tequila bar by December in the space next door (it used to be New World Vegetarian). There will be 30 more seats and later hours—you’ll be able to pass through a shared doorway, but the spaces will be kept separate. 468 8th St. at Broadway, Oakland, 510-444-1944.

I also asked owner Alfonso Dominguez about his other project, ~ERA~, the upcoming gallery and bar project he is doing with Kevin Best of B Restaurant and Bar, and Gairy Jacques of Air. It’s about a month or so out, will keep you posted. 19 Grand Ave. at Broadway, Oakland.

The Marin Independent Journal reported Tyler Florence and Sammy Hagar are pairing up to take over the ~EL PASEO~ in Mill Valley. According to the article, they are going to be turning it into more of a rustic American tavern, due to open in December—and they “also plan to open a bakery within the El Paseo complex.” Read more details here—there will additionally be outside seating and great wines. The article mentions El Paseo’s owners, Seigo Tekei and his wife, Keiko Takahashi, “are close to signing a lease for a restaurant in San Francisco's Nob Hill.” Hmmm, I wonder where that is... 17 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley, 415-388-0741.

I wanted to make sure you knew about the annual ~DEVIL’S GULCH RANCH FALL FUNDRAISER~ on Saturday October 24th for Devil’s Gulch Educational Services (the link is to a great short video), which helps support a summer camp where kids of all ages learn about agriculture, nature education, and indigenous skills. The day starts at 3pm, with the opportunity to visit Devil’s Gulch Ranch and purchase their agricultural products directly on the ranch (until 5pm). From 3pm–6pm, there will also be a wine tasting of Marin County wines for tasting and purchase in Druid’s Hall, as well as Devil’s Gulch Ranch sausages. Tasting prices vary, no admission charge. And then from 6pm–9pm, there will be a wonderful gourmet dinner with Devil’s Gulch Ranch meats and local produce prepared by renowned chef Stuart Brioza (ex-Rubicon) and others. Dinner is $65 per person, and includes a glass of Marin pinot noir. There will also be a silent auction with amazing lots, like a French Laundry afternoon, a guided hog hunt, two nights and dinner for two at the Ritz-Carlton San Francisco, plus gift certificates from Chez Panisse, Zuni Café, Perbacco, Bi-Rite Market, and many other fabulous Bay Area restaurants. Devil’s Gulch Ranch and Druid’s Hall (located on the Historic Nicasio Square). Reservations are required, please call 415-662-1099 and/or 707-953-0923.

Last week, San Francisco lost an amazing restaurateur and local personality, ~TOM DUFFY~; he succumbed after a long battle with cancer. Tom was mostly known for his popular restaurant Myth, but his background in the restaurant scene was incredibly extensive. I had the honor of interviewing him for a piece in DiningOut magazine (it’s a PDF) a few years ago, and it was definitely one of the more colorful interviews I’ve done—colorful like his ties and handkerchiefs. (Unfortunately a lot of it wasn’t fit to print, heh.) I know so many people are tipping their caps and raising their glass to this one-of-a-kind talent, a San Francisco original who will be missed. Rest in peace.

I also learned ~ALBERT TORDJMAN~ of the Flying Saucer passed away at the age of 57; here’s an article and video about him on GrubStreet. We should all make some vertical food this week in his honor.

Got a hot tip? You know I'd love it (and you). Just reply to this email.

Are you up for the Adventure? Scharffen Berger and TuttiFoodie.com invite you to enter the fabulous, third annual Chocolate Adventure Contest. So go ahead: invent, create, explore the boundaries of your own culinary imagination. This year the contest accepts entries in two categories—Sweet and Savory—for the chance to win one of two $10,000 grand prizes.

To be eligible, combine any Scharffen Berger chocolate with one or more of 16 select “adventure ingredients” (pandan leaf, banana leaf, sumac, rice flour, fresh mint, black eyed peas and others) in an original recipe. Whether appetizer, main course, dessert, cocktail—you can enter up to 10 recipes total. Get more information at chocolateadventurecontest.com.

Crown & Crumpet
Ghirardelli Square
900 North Point St, E207
San Francisco, CA 94109

415-771-4252
website

Mon–Thu 10am–6pm
Fri 10am–9pm
Sat 9am–9pm
Sun 9am–6pm

Breakfast $8–$10
Lunch $8–$12
Tea $21–$28 per person

OCTOBER 13, 2009 | SAN FRANCISCO WARNING: If you have a pair of nuts, you might want to stop reading right now, because unless you’re out to pick up chicks who drink tea, you have a thing for tchotchkes, or you already happen to think pink, this place will prove to be uh, challenging, like when your girlfriend asks you to pick up a box of Tampax for her while you’re at the store.

As soon as I walked into ~CROWN AND CRUMPET~, my mood increased an uptick. It’s a sunny space, with hot pink and white checkered floors, floral tablecloths, white chairs with bright turquoise seats, large drum lights with glass crystals, and a view out of the bay out the corner window. Sure, it’s girlie, but it’s good girlie—less about lace, more about personality. And there’s a witty sense of humor in the place (how many tea houses have the words oi vay in their menu?).

You can come by in the morning for cinnamon toast and tea ($8.50), a boiled egg and tea, and other spendy ways to start your day here (don’t fear, coffee drinkers—they also offer French press coffee), and then there’s lunch with items like Welsh rarebit with tomato and toasted crumpets or stuffed baked potatoes (both $12), but really now, we’re here for tea time.

My partner in pinkie raising and I ordered the tea for two ($42 for two), which came with quite the cavalcade of treats. Leave the corset at home and come hungry, that’s all I’m saying. We each got our own pot of tea, which was hard to choose from the extensive list, from oolongs to white teas to Pu-erh to green or black teas (you can also buy them to take home), 38 in all. My pregnant friend opted for the delicate peach crumpet tea, a lovely white tea light in caffeine. Our “trolley dolly”’ was quite attentive, and she made sure we always had hot water at hand.

Our three-tiered tower of power included four delicate tea sandwiches for each of us, scrumptious little two-bite numbers that ranged from egg salad to smoked salmon, cucumber, roasted vegetables with goat cheese, and potted shrimp (the kitchen chooses your spread for you). The bread was so tender, and these delectable morsels disappeared quickly. I’d totally buzz that tower again.

We were also served four house-made scones (plain and with currants), which came with clotted cream, butter, jam, and lemon curd (so addictive), but unfortunately the scones were a bit hard and crumbly, so we made a bit of a mess. The toasted crumpets were our favorite (mmm, buttery—now excuse me while I load on some strawberry jam).

Just when we were getting full, eep, let’s not forget the third tier of house-made sweets and fresh fruit, like little tartlets, bars, and mini cupcakes. It was quite the bounty of bites. We hit the proverbial chintz-padded wall, so my friend had the sweets packed up to bring home for munching later. If this sounds like too much food, you can just come in for tea and crumpets or cake for $8.50, or tea and tea sandwiches or sweet treats for $12.

Last orders for afternoon tea are taken at 5:15pm, except Fridays and Saturdays, when it’s served until 8:15pm (but don’t tell any English people that you went for tea service at 7pm, or they will pour some earl grey over your improper head). You can hang out in the evening on Fridays and Saturdays until 9pm or so, sip some champers or sherry, and munch on savory bites like sausage rolls with hot mustard, or warm gougères. I think it would be quite the way to unwind after a crap day.

There are a bunch of tables for two that can be pushed together, plus there’s a communal table that can fit 12 (this would be a primo location for a book club). Of course the most popular events here are estrogen fests like baby showers or ladies lunches—there’s a cozy living room area, which includes a faux fireplace on the flat screen TV. (You can also buy out the entire space for private events in the evening.) Obviously call and make a reservation—even if you’re a party of two, it can get really busy on the weekends.

While little girls would go cuckoo crazy over this place, it’s not exactly meant for birthday parties of 20 squawking five-year-olds—but they do offer a nursery tea option for groups of children age 6–12 (a total of 10 princesses is the limit). I could also see this being a perfect place for a grandparent to take a granddaughter, or for auntie to take her niece out. There’s also an adjoining shop—be prepared for lots of whining (“But I waaaaaaaaaaant it!”).

Since Crown & Crumpet is located in Ghirardelli Square, you can get 1 1/2 hours of your parking validated instead of dealing with lame parking meters. It’s a $2.25 flat rate, and the full rate is $2.25 every twenty minutes thereafter, FYI.

Owners Amy and Christopher Dean have insured this place is full of all kinds of thoughtful details, even when you open your sugar bowl or get your check (I’ll save the surprises). It’s nice to feel a little fussed over.

The weather is turning toward the nasty, and in these upcoming months, people get all holiday crazy and stressy. This is exactly the kind of place where you can pull over and perk up and catch up with a friend. By the time you walk out, it’s like someone sprinkled some Prozac on your tea sandwich or something.

Dominic Phillips Event Marketing and Paula LeDuc Fine Catering offer economical solutions for hosting company Holiday Cocktail Parties, Seated Holiday Dinners, and Custom Event Options:

• All-inclusive holiday packages up to 50% off traditional rates.
• Minimal draw on internal resources, and assured quality of product and service
• Specific dates and locations conveniently pre-reserved to guarantee availability
• Event design refocuses the intent of holiday gatherings to the simple pleasures of fine food and good company in a relaxed setting

Turn-key solutions include venue, food and beverage, entertainment, event staffing, sound and lighting, rentals, simple decor enhancements, and clean-up when all is done. Be it a corporate gathering, staff social, or non-profit fundraiser, we are here to help appreciate, celebrate, motivate.

Email Jenny@dominicphillips.com so we can talk about your holiday soiree!

OCTOBER 13, 2009 | SAN FRANCISCO This Wednesday is the ~WINE & SPIRITS MAGAZINE TOP 100 PARTY~, which means some amazing winemakers will be in the city. I was excited to learn Domaine Select Wine Estates is hosting special events around town tonight (Tuesday the 13th) in advance of the event, featuring four of their producers who are being honored. But I’m sad I can’t attend since my deadlines say no no NO. Damn, in true tablehopper style, I would have tried to hit all four! Delfina welcomes Martin Foradori, owner and winemaker of J. Hofstätter winery in the Alto Adige; A16 welcomes Giusto Occhipinti, the co-owner and winemaker of COS in the Vittoria zone of Sicily; Perbacco welcomes Ales Kristancic, the owner and winemaker of Movia in the Goriska Brda zone of Slovenia (I’d love to meet this guy); and District welcomes Maria Luz Marin, the owner and winemaker of Casa Marin in the San Antonio Valley of Chile. The winemakers will be guests and even working as sommeliers on the floor at all four spots, which are offering à la carte menus and reservations for the night. (There is no five-course extravaganza or set time to arrive, although some of the chefs have added dishes inspired by the wine region of their guest.) Simply call the restaurant and make your reservation. Each restaurant will offer almost the entire lineup of the winemakers’ wines by the glass, a real treat!

Don’t forget: the main event is this Wednesday October 14th at The Galleria at the San Francisco Design Center from 6:30pm–8:30pm.

Let’s talk about some happy hour specials, shall we? Tonight is ~ORSON’S~ weekly Tipsy Tuesday, and this week is showcasing Arger-Martucci wines from Napa. From 5pm–7pm, there will be a $5 tasting and all Arger-Martucci wines will be half-off all night. 508 4th St. at Bryant, 415-777-1508.

In the Financial District, ~PALIO D'ASTI~ has now added $1 Bulleit Manhattans for those who don’t want to just be drinking $1 martinis over dinner (the $1 first cocktail offer comes with any three-, four-, or five-course dinner). And of course there’s always the handy free pizza with any two cocktails during happy hour. 640 Sacramento St. at Montgomery, 415-362-6003.

Tomorrow (Wednesday the 14th), ~GIO’S~ is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake. As the event announcement states, “Some people still remember when there was a line out the door because the Gio's telephone was the only working phone for several blocks. All "shaken" drinks will be half-off.” 531 Commercial St. at Sansome, 415-362-0800.

WhiskyFest comes back to San Francisco for the third year on October 16th at the San Francisco Marriott. It will feature over 200 of the world's finest, rarest, and most expensive, single malt and blended Scotch, Irish, bourbon, Tennessee, Japanese, Welsh, Canadian and other whiskies from around the world.

Many distillery representatives will be on hand at the pouring booths to explain how the whiskies are made. Seminars by top whisky experts run throughout the evening. Meet distinguished members of the whisky community, and learn firsthand how their brands are made.

Top local bartenders will be making whisky-based cocktails.

Attendees will also enjoy an expansive gourmet buffet all evening. Each attendee receives a commemorative Glencairn whisky glass for tastings.

Tickets available now at maltadvocate.com.

Sip & Savor
Thu. Nov. 5th, 2009

San Francisco Mercedes-Benz
500 8th St.
Cross: Bryant St.
San Francisco, CA 94103

website
6pm–9pm

$75 per person.

Buy tickets here or call 415-306-4743

OCTOBER 13, 2009 | SAN FRANCISCO The second annual ~MERCEDEZ-BENZ SIP & SAVOR EVENT~ is coming up, an evening featuring exceptional wineries and celebrity chefs, all to support the Mission YMCA. San Francisco chefs Justine Miner (rnm restaurant), Srijith Gopinathan (Campton Place), Mattin Noblia (Iluna Basque, Top Chef), and Ryan Scott (RyanScott2Go, Top Chef) will be in attendance, plus TCHO chocolates.

Wines will be poured from wineries that include Antica Terra, Arnot Roberts, Duckhorn, Failla, Falcor Wine Cellars, Hall Wines, JAX Vineyards, JC Cellars, Kind Cellars, Ladera Vineyards, Palmaz Vineyards, Quintessa, Spottswoode, Staglin Family Winery, and Swanson Vineyards. There will also be a silent auction that will take place throughout the evening.

All proceeds benefit the Mission YMCA. In 2008, the Mission YMCA worked with more than 3,000 local families to provide quality before- and after-school care, healthy and safe youth and teen enrichment programs, summer camps, and social and recreational opportunities for older adults.

OCTOBER 13, 2009 | SAN FRANCISCO So as you just read in the socialite, on Thursday November 5th is the Mercedes-Benz Sip & Savor Event, a fundraiser for the Mission YMCA. And to help spread the word about this important event, I have a pair of general admission tickets to give away to one lucky winner! Ladies, here’s your chance to compliment Mattin on his jaunty red neck scarf.

tablehopper readers can enter to win by forwarding this week's tablehopper newsletter to two buddies, but even more would be so very fabulous. Just tell your friends why they would dig a subscription to the tablehopper e-column (not a blog!), or point out an event or happening that you think your friend would like, like the Sip & Savor event. Simply CC or BCC luckyme [at] tablehopper [dot] com so I know you sent it—I promise I won't use anyone's email address.

Deadline to enter is midnight Friday October 16th—I'll notify the winner over the weekend. Good luck!

OCTOBER 13, 2009 | SAN FRANCISCO This Wednesday October 14th, the Bay Gourmet Series topic is ~MEALS FOR CHANGE, A NEW PARADIGM~. There will be a tasting party with food, wine, a film premiere, Iron Chef/Luce’s Dominique Crenn, and more to introduce Meals for Change, a groundbreaking locally sourced vegetarian and vegan food line with the slogan Eat Right—Do Good! Learn why food activist folks like Michael Pollan and Raj Patel are supporting this totally non-profit venture with all proceeds going to Bay Area Community Services. Check-in at 5:30pm; food and wine tasting from 6pm–7pm; panel discussion and documentary premiere 7pm–8pm. Ferry Building, Port Commission Hearing Room, 2nd Floor. Get tickets here for $18 ($12 members).

Can’t make the event? Meals for Change ready-cooked entrees like Chunky Vegetable Paella, ShepherdLess Pie, and Black Bean Hominy Chili are now available in San Francisco at Rainbow Grocery in the Mission, DeLano’s on 18th in the Castro, Real Foods on both Polk and Fillmore, and for delivery throughout the Bay Area through Planet Organics.

When I did a cleanse back in May, a lot of you were interested in the program. Wow, I can’t believe round two is coming up again, but it’s here! From November 14th–December 4th, Laurence Kampf will be leading a 21-day ~FALL CLEANSE AND DETOX PROGRAM~. I was really amazed with the entire program—I felt great. And am thinking I need to do it again. It was challenging but also rewarding (you can read my testimonial on the program’s main page, and take a look at the health nut posts I did during May 2009 for more). I know some people dread all the eating and drinking around the holidays; here’s one way to get a handle on it. There’s a $325 early bird special (until Oct 18th)—it’s regularly $360, so check it out on the site.

Here’s more from the announcement: “This is a fundamentally educational cleanse and detox program aimed at essentially healthy people that want to understand themselves, clean out and lighten up even with busy lifestyles and responsibilities. Learn about your essential makeup and how to custom fit the program to your specific needs including diet, herbs, practice and lifestyle. A baseline diet of whole, organic, seasonal food creates a foundation of health and nutrition for the body engaging its natural ability to detoxify and heal. Each participant may go deeper with options such as vegetarian, raw, juicing, herbs or simply a more focused diet as a way of further cultivating brilliant clarity and strong energy.

“The Fall program this year is designed to include the Thanksgiving Holiday to provide participants with information, intention, support and community through what is for many a difficult test of personal evolution. There is also an optional Thanksgiving retreat. The Program comes in two forms, the foundation is the Essential Cleanse Program with workshops, group practice sessions, the online community and a full compliment of educational and data tracking materials. The next level is the Advanced Cleanse Program with three weekly yoga sessions, a tailored weekly bodywork program, and one-on-one counseling sessions for individual guidance. Another option is a fully catered program from The Plant café organic. And for those of you that are scattered around the world, there is the Distance Program with a combination of video/audio downloads of workshops and practice sessions, educational materials and a private counseling phone session to get you oriented on the path.” See you there?

And just in time for the cleanse, there’s an ~URBAN KITCHEN~ kimchee workshop with Happy Girl Kitchen on Thursday October 27th. Here’s more: “Worried about flu season? Boost your immunity and get your probiotic fix with fermented foods. Happy Girl Kitchen's fermentation maven, Todd Champagne, will teach a hands on class in the preparation of kimchee (also spelled "kimchi"). At farmers' markets, Happy Girl Kitchen Co. often describes kimchee as Korean sauerkraut to the uninitiated, but it is so much more! Kimchee defines Korean cuisine and a variety is eaten with every meal; there are over 190! Families have their own unique recipes and preparations passed down through generations and compared with neighbors. Come and learn the basics and then spend the winter experimenting. Todd will start you out with a classic Napa cabbage creation (filled with carrots, ginger, and daikon radish.) Todd will also review the fundamentals of fermentation which can be applied to sauerkraut, chow chow, and more.” 5:30pm–7:30pm. Cost is TBD, but you can pre-register. Ferry Building, in the CUESA Dacor Teaching kitchen located in the North Arcade.

OCTOBER 13, 2009 | SAN FRANCISCO Tablehopper reader Jimmy wrote in to let me know Robert Plant and friends ended up at the R Bar on Sunday night "looking for a local bar" after Hardly Strictly Bluegrass. Oh, he found one, yes indeedy.

I was told Tony Blair had dinner at Ame. He had the chef’s tasting menu and drank some Napa Valley cabs. He was reportedly very charismatic and thanked everyone in the kitchen personally on his way out, a true gentleman.

Meow. Clive Owen was dining at Piazza D'Angelo before the opening event for the Mill Valley Film Festival. He dined with two other gentlemen on the patio, where they ordered burrata, braised pork belly, fagioli salad, grilled wild salmon, and veal saltimbocca. Clive was supposedly even better looking in person, but I don’t know how that can be possible. If I was his server I would have spontaneously combusted at the table, seriously.

Also across the bridge, readers Kristin and Bess said “we were delighted to see Carlos Santana... dining at Buckeye Roadhouse on Saturday night.”