The Chatterbox

The Mexican tradition of Las Posadas commemorates the journey of Mary and Joseph as they sought shelter in Bethlehem. It is typically celebrated December 16th through the 24th. ~LA URBANA~ is honoring this festival of community and hospitality in their own way, by hosting guest chefs each evening during the…

There’s a new wine bar in downtown Oakland, just across from City Hall: DOWNTOWN WINE MERCHANTS. Berkeleyside Nosh reports that the project comes from owner Susanne Breen, who was born and raised in Germany, and chef Edwin Cabrilla. The menu offers wine bar staples like charcuterie and cheese, as…

Nope, it’s not every day you get to throw your dream party. This past Tuesday evening (December 2nd, 2014), I was so honored to co-host a special event with Sosh called The Family Meal. Sosh approached me about throwing a special event for chefs, and we wanted to do…

As we mentioned last week, the opening of Chris Cosentino’s latest project, COCKSCOMB, is here. Dinner service at the SoMa restaurant started last night. The appealing menu includes updated interpretations of San Francisco classics, ranging from celery Victor to tetrazzini (prepared with quail), and you’ll find Green Goddess…

Corey Lee’s ~MONSIEUR BENJAMIN~ has added brunch service on Saturdays and Sundays from 11am-2:30pm. Chef Jason Berthold’s menu offers a section entirely dedicated to seafood, including oysters ($3.75-$4.25), poached shrimp ($14), and a Dungeness crab rémoulade ($16). Main courses offer French bistro-inspired fare, including…

The Richmond Blog caught the news on a new pizza place in the Inner Richmond, called GRINDERS PIZZERIA, and it looks like it’s now open, according to Yelp. It comes from the husband-and-wife team of Joe Irick and Amanda Petrowski (Irick used to write a column on pizza for…

Celebrate the short days and cold weather with choucroute garnie at LE P’TIT LAURENT on Tuesday December 16th. The classic wintry Alsatian dish is made with sauerkraut, cured pork (including rib, bacon, and sausage), juniper berries, onions, potatoes, and white wine, and will be served along with a selection…

By Dana Eastland. Ready, set, cook! And bake. The holidays are here, and that means there’s a lot of cooking to do, if that’s your thing. Here are some great holiday cooking classes to try, and be sure to get your tickets soon, because they do sell out.…

12/11/14 UPDATE: POSTPONED! Need a break from all the holiday madness? THE RAMEN BAR has declared Thursday December 11th Godzilla Day, which means they’re throwing a party (though apparently there is a real Godzilla Day, but it’s on November 3rd. Who knew?). The original Godzilla movie…

It’s that time of year again, when we celebrate producers of good food from all over the country at the GOOD FOOD AWARDS. The 2015 awards will take place from Thursday January 8th until Saturday January 10th, starting with the Gala Awards Ceremony on Thursday January 8th at the…