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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

Fête du Champagne

Okay you bubbly fiends (cheers to that)—K&L Wine Merchants is hosting a ~FÊTE DU CHAMPAGNE~, providing an opportunity to taste dozens of Champagnes from many of the hottest boutique and top producers in France and to meet the winemakers. Several esteemed guests will be pouring, including Chantal…

Marcia Gagliardi • Oct 09, 2006

The Regular

Cortez

When the Hatfields departed CORTEZ for Los Angeles in the beginning of 2006, the McCoys thumped their chests and said, "Ha! We kicked some major hillbilly ass." Uh, no, wrong story. What actually happened is opening sous chefs Louis Maldonado and Seth Bowden were each promoted to the…

Marcia Gagliardi • Oct 09, 2006

The Chatterbox

October 3, 2006

Okay, the biggest hoopla on the industry's lips as of Monday morning was of course the release of the ~MICHELIN GUIDE'S~ ratings for San Francisco, which is scheduled to hit bookstores this Wednesday, 10/4 (check out the release event in the starlet). To recap, here…

Marcia Gagliardi • Oct 03, 2006

The Starlet

October 3, 2006

Ben Stiller was in town filming his new movie at luella this week—he was reportedly very friendly to everyone, and was quite charmed by Rachel and Ben de Vries' 3 1/2-year-old daughter. Stiller spent much of his downtime playing "superheroes" and "dinner party"…

Marcia Gagliardi • Oct 03, 2006

The Socialite

Michelin Guide Panel Discussion

There will be a ~PANEL DISCUSSION AND BOOK SIGNING~ at Williams-Sonoma to celebrate the launch of the San Francisco Michelin Guide. Jean-Luc Naret, Director of the Michelin Guides, will be there for a discussion about the Michelin Guide 2007 San Francisco, Bay Area & Wine Country and insight into the…

Marcia Gagliardi • Oct 02, 2006

The Wino

Jacques Bezuidenhout on Gin

Jacques Bezuidenhout hails from South Africa, but has been working in San Francisco since 1988. While at The Irish Bank, Jacques created what many believe to be the most extensive Scotch Whisky selection in the Bay Area. He has been the opening consultant for multiple bars and restaurants, and has…

Marcia Gagliardi • Oct 02, 2006

The Regular

Kiss

We all have restaurants we have been meaning to dine at foh-evah, but haven't quite gotten around to (I'll share a couple currently on my list: Café Jacqueline, Tommy Toy's [I wanna try the Executive Lunch!], and Manka's in Inverness). And up…

Marcia Gagliardi • Oct 02, 2006

The Chatterbox

September 26, 2006

Whoa, big changeup at ~JARDINIÈRE~: this is why I go out practically every night, because you never know what you just might stumble across! Oh, and it's fun to go out. Anyway, while swilling at CAV's first anniversary party, I found out acclaimed Executive Chef ~ROBBIE…

Marcia Gagliardi • Sep 26, 2006

The Starlet

September 26, 2006

Okay then: Marin-based Kirk Hammett of Metallica must like the late-night menu (until 1am nightly) at Café Maritime in the Marina since he's come in more than once. Seems he has a refined palate: his predilection for oysters and wild salmon along with champagne certainly shows a heightened…

Marcia Gagliardi • Sep 26, 2006

The Socialite

Shuck & Swallow Challenge

Yay, those "R" months have returned (yes, I know it's an old wives tale), which means it's time to bust out the oysters. ~MCCORMICK & KULETO'S 13TH ANNUAL SHUCK & SWALLOW OYSTER CHALLENGE~ will be held in the West Plaza in Ghirardelli…

Marcia Gagliardi • Sep 25, 2006