RT Bistro Completes A Trifecta

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Porcini doughnuts with caviar at RT Bistro.
Porcini doughnuts with caviar at RT Bistro.

When it comes to their brand of cooking, husband and wife chefs Evan and Sarah Rich have a knack for throwing you for a loop — in the best of ways.

Think you’re getting potato chips at their flagship, 14-year-old Rich Table in San Francisco? You are — but ones uncannily threaded with whole sardines.

Expecting a whole roasted cauliflower at their two RT Rotisserie locations in San Francisco? You might want to don sunglasses when it arrives blanketed in technicolor fuchsia from a dazzling red beet tahini sauce.

Hankering for shrimp Louie at their newest restaurant, RT Bistro, which just opened in January? The chilled shrimp in a creamy sauce will arrive not on a mound of lettuce, but on disks of fried eggplant that are crisp on the outside and creamy within.

The Riches call their food “New American.” In truth, it’s what Sarah and Evan most like to eat — familiar sounding dishes with deepened flavors that get playfully and imaginatively tweaked without losing any focus.

It’s proved to be a winning formula for them and General Manager-Partner Jonny Gilbert.

RT Bistro's entrance is around the corner from Rich Table's.
RT Bistro’s entrance is around the corner from Rich Table’s.

Last week, I finally had a chance to check out RT Bistro, which is actually located in the same building that houses Rich Table, with its entrance just around the corner from it.

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Greek Lamb Fricassee — A Perfect Dish For These Times

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Romaine lettuce gets cooked in this braised lamb dish.
Romaine lettuce gets cooked in this braised lamb dish.

These days, has lettuce left you downright skittish?

With the ongoing cyclospora outbreak, who can blame people for swearing off lettuces of all kinds?

However, there are actions you can take to minimize risks: Buy whole heads (particularly from local farmers at your farmers market), discard outer leaves, trim off any damaged or discolored areas, and wash and rinse leaves well.

Another great option? Cook your lettuce.

Indeed, heating it to at least 158°F will do the trick to keep you safe.

That’s one reason why this recipe for “Greek Lamb Fricassee” is your friend.

The other reason? It’s absolutely delicious, what with its tender pieces of lamb cooked in a citrusy, herbaceous sauce fortified with chopped romaine whose leaves turn naturally sweet and tender.

The recipe is from “Hungry Happens Mediterranean” (Clarkson Potter, 2025), of which I received a review copy.

It was written by Stella Drivas, a recipe developer, photographer, and creator of the website, Hungry Happens. The daughter of Greek immigrants, she makes her home on Long Island.

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The Cake with the Dreamiest Name

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A soft, tender, and simple cake with an irresistible name.
A soft, tender, and simple cake with an irresistible name.

Who can resist something called “Cloud Cake”?

Certainly not me.

Best yet, this recipe is ideal whenever you find yourself with extra egg whites on hand.

That’s because the batter gets its lift from four egg whites. And it gets its pale khaki color from the fact that it uses light brown sugar, not white granulated

And the texture? Not as delicate as angel food cake. Maybe a touch firmer than chiffon cake. But definitely soft, fluffy, and downy like a dream.

This easy recipe is from “Loaf Tin Bakes” (Hamlyn), of which I received a review copy.

It was written by Flavie Millet-Joannan, creator of the blog, Il Etait Un Gateau (Once Upon A Cake).

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Get to Know Asia Live — Billed As the Asian Counterpart to Eataly

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Pad Thai meets banh xeo at the new Asia Live.
Pad Thai meets banh xeo at the new Asia Live.

Last month, a massive new Asian venue opened to great fanfare at Westfield Valley Fair in San Jose, replacing what had been another enormous Chinese restaurant that had debuted with equal excitement.

Asia Live, sister restaurant to San Francisco’s China Live, opened its doors last month, replacing the opulent iChina that operated from 2021 to 2024.

A year and a half in the making, the two-story, 15,000-square-foot Asia Live is an ambitious undertaking not merely for its sheer size, but also because it is located in an upscale shopping mall that already boasts a lot of competition in the Asian cuisine category with such popular restaurants as Marugame Udon, Ramen Nagi, Baekjong Korean BBQ, and Northern California’s only outpost of Din Tai Fung.

But if anyone is up to the challenge, it’s restaurateurs, owners, and husband and wife, George Chen and Cindy Wong-Chen. This is the 17th restaurant that Chen has opened. And it’s not even his largest. That honor goes to China Live at 30,000 square feet, which just celebrated its 9th anniversary.

The second-floor entrance from inside Westfield Valley Fair.
The second-floor entrance from inside Westfield Valley Fair.
The main dining room on the second floor.
The main dining room on the second floor.
Century-old vintage Chinese posters.
Century-old vintage Chinese posters.

Last week, I was invited in as a guest of the restaurant, where Chen was on hand to show me around — and there is a lot to see.

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Tea Time with Slice-and-Bake Matcha Cookies

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Keep a stash of this slice-and-bake dough handy in the freezer and a fresh-baked matcha cookie can be had anytime.
Keep a stash of this slice-and-bake dough handy in the freezer and a fresh-baked matcha cookie can be had anytime.

Have we reached peak matcha point yet?

I hope not, because this ancient powdered green tea offers a taste of history, culture, healthfulness, and grassy deliciousness along with its distinctive, vibrant color.

Did you know matcha actually originated in China in the 7th century? A Zen Buddhist monk apparently brought the tea back from his studies in China to Japan, where it was initially prepared by whisking to a froth in hot water in a reverential ceremony.

Nowadays, of course, it can be found in most anything and everything.

I love it in desserts, such as these fragrant “Slice-and-Bake Matcha Cookies.”

This recipe is from “Love Japan” (Ten Speed Press, 2023). The cookbook was written by Sawako Okochi and Aaron Israel, the married couple who are owners of the singular Shalom Japan, a Brooklyn restaurant that melds their respective Japanese and Jewish heritages. It was co-written with New York Times Style writer Gabriella Gershenson.

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