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Subscribe to tablehopper and discover why it’s a must-read, insider newsletter for anyone who lives to eat in San Francisco, for 19 years and counting. Every Tuesday, columnist and curator Marcia Gagliardi serves up the latest SF Bay Area restaurant and bar news, events, culture tips, travel guides, and more.

The Socialite

Wines for Thanksgiving

Now this is a wine tasting that makes beautiful sense: Steven Sherman over at William Cross Wine Merchants is hosting the sixth annual ~WINES FOR THANKSGIVING~ tasting. Instead of just tasting some wines, there will actually be a 25-pound turkey on hand for munching while tasting the wines listed below.…

Marcia Gagliardi • Nov 13, 2006

The Socialite

Dine Around

On Wednesday, November 15, it's your chance to dine out at some tasty local establishments in the Castro, Noe Valley, SOMA, and Mission, and whaddya know, it's for a good cause. For one day only, restaurants participating in ~DINE AROUND~ will donate 25% of their food…

Marcia Gagliardi • Nov 13, 2006

The Regular

Lichee Garden

I started a tradition with my friends a year or so ago called 'family dinner'—we get a group of 20 or so pals together and go hit some unusual restaurants around town (some highlights: an intriguing Shanghaiese dinner at Jai Yun, and a dumpling-fest at Taiwan on…

Marcia Gagliardi • Nov 13, 2006

The Chatterbox

November 7, 2006

In North Beach there's a cool new restaurant opening called ~NUA RESTAURANT AND WINE BAR~; it's moving into the former New Pisa space, Dante Benedetti's old restaurant, right next to Gino & Carlo's. The menu will be primarily Mediterranean (dancing between dishes…

Marcia Gagliardi • Nov 07, 2006

The Starlet

November 7, 2006

Talk about food rock star sightings: José Andrés and Ferran Adrià waltzed into Boulevard for an SF-power meal before heading over to a party at Slanted Door celebrating the Taste of Spain event in Napa this weekend. Seeing those two walk into your restaurant is enough to give most chefs…

Marcia Gagliardi • Nov 07, 2006

The Socialite

First Ferry Building Fungus Festival

Get ready to have some fungus among us: the ~FIRST FERRY BUILDING FUNGUS FESTIVAL~ is coming up, from Saturday, November 25–Sunday, November 26. The Ferry Building Marketplace, Far West Fungi and Ferry Plaza Farmers Market celebrate culinary mushrooms with a range of free events, including Mushroom Growing Tables, Meet…

Marcia Gagliardi • Nov 06, 2006

The Regular

Scott Howard

*THIS RESTAURANT HAS CLOSED* There is strange mojo around restaurants—sometimes things can't be totally explained. Like why do people continue to line up for an hour to eat at places that you can’t pay me to dine at? (e.g. Nan King, Puerto Alegre. Unless you&…

Marcia Gagliardi • Nov 06, 2006

The Chatterbox

October 31, 2006

I am very saddened to report that ~ENRICO'S SIDEWALK CAFÉ~ has closed as of last night, October 30. Lavay Smith was the last performer, a fitting finale since she has been performing at Enrico's for some time. I spoke with the GM, Al Russek, who explained…

Marcia Gagliardi • Oct 31, 2006

The Starlet

October 31, 2006

Giiiiiiiirl! RuPaul was spotted at 2223 Restaurant. Last Wednesday Lance Bass of *NSYNC, Kirsten Dunst, and Sofia Coppola were all hanging out together at Slide—they were there celebrating the release of Reichen Lehmkuhl's new book, "Here's What We'll Say," and the…

Marcia Gagliardi • Oct 31, 2006

The Socialite

Ken Wright Cellars and Bindi Wine Growers Dinner

Wines from two of the most acclaimed producers of pinot noir, Ken Wright and Michael Dhillon, will be poured at a special five-course dinner at ~JARDINIÈRE~. The menu will include pinot-perfect dishes like gnocchi with foraged mushrooms, and pan-roasted squab. From Jardinière: The Willamette Valley of Oregon and Victoria Region…

Marcia Gagliardi • Oct 30, 2006