The Comfort of Red Lentil, Dried Mint & Lemon Soup

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A naturally creamy red lentil soup that's vegan.
A naturally creamy red lentil soup that’s vegan.

It’s warming, nourishing, and seductively curry-like.

That’s what “Red Lentil, Dried Mint & Lemon Soup” is all about. It’s also so easy and fast that you’re sure to make it on repeat whenever you want to tuck into a cozy bowl.

The recipe is from “Boustany” (10 Speed Press, 2025), of which I received a review copy.

It was written by Sami Tamimi, a Palestinian chef, restaurateur and food writer who grew up in Jerusalem before moving to Tel Aviv, then to London and Umbria, Italy.

His love for cooking, which started as a child in his mother’s kitchen, led him to start a catering company in Tel Aviv, then to running the savory kitchen of Baker & Spice in London, before joining forces with Yotam Ottolenghi to open Ottolenghi Deli in London. “Jerusalem,” a cookbook he and Ottolengthi wrote together, won the “International Book Award” from the James Beard Foundation in 2013. Tamimi’s “Falastin” cookbook won an IACP award.

“Bustany” is derived from the Arabic term for “garden.” Farming has long been and continues to be a way of life for Palestinians, as Tamimi notes in his book. Foraging also provides not only sustenance but another source of income. Among his happiest memories are spending time in the thriving garden at his grandparents’ house in Hebron.

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Atelier Crenn Celebrates 15 Years In A Big Way

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Scallop, smoked mussel and caviar, a dazzling dish from the Atelier Crenn & Atomix collaboration dinner.
Scallop, smoked mussel and caviar, a dazzling dish from the Atelier Crenn & Atomix collaboration dinner.

When a Michelin three-starred restaurant reaches a milestone 15th anniversary, you know it will pull out all the stops.

Such is the case with San Francisco’s acclaimed Atelier Crenn, which marks that occasion this year by debuting Continuum, a new collaborative dining experience. It brings visionary chefs from around the world to cook at the Cow Hollow neighborhood restaurant with Chef-Owner Dominique Crenn and Pastry Chef Juan Contreras.

I was fortunate enough to be invited in as a guest for the inaugural dinner last week with Chef Junghyun Park of Atomix, the modern Korean restaurant in New York City that’s garnered two Michelin stars, and was named No. 1 on “North America’s 50 Best Restaurants” list. It also catapulted him to a James Beard “Best Chef New York” in 2023.

Not surprisingly, it took less than a day for the $596.55-per-person dinner to sell out.

Chef Dominique Crenn.
Chef Dominique Crenn.
The entrance to the Michelin three-starred restaurant.
The entrance to the Michelin three-starred restaurant.

Once seated, you’ll find a small packet at your place setting. Inside, you’ll find cards introducing Chef Park, along with information about some of his dishes to be served.

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Revved Up for Ramen, Part II: Kisetsu Ramen Pop-Up at Cyrus

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Pork shoyu ramen at the pop-up at Michelin-starred Cyrus.
Pork shoyu ramen at the pop-up at Michelin-starred Cyrus.

Ramen originated as a humble, working-class dish meant to be cheap and eaten in a hurry.

But when a Michelin-starred Wine Country restaurant debuts a ramen pop-up in its sleek, glass and concrete building with a view of vineyards, you know it will be anything but that.

That is definitely the case at this winter kisetsu ramen pop-up at Cyrus in Geyserville, which I happened to catch on its inaugural night last Thursday.

The pop-up, available Thursday through Saturday evenings, accommodates 12 diners max in the front portion of the lounge. The rest of the lounge remains the starting point for diners indulging in the full tasting-menu progressive experience at $325 per person, which takes about 3 hours.

In contrast, the ramen menu is $75 for three courses, which my husband and I finished in about 75 minutes.

The entrance.
The entrance.
Quite the setting for a bowl of ramen.
Quite the setting for a bowl of ramen.
The ramen menu.
The ramen menu.

The pop-up will last at least through winter. If it proves popular, it may stick around longer.

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Revved Up For Ramen, Part I: HiroNori

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Shoyu ramen with added broccolini at HiroNori.
Shoyu ramen with added broccolini at HiroNori.

I’m sure I’m not the only one cranking up the heat in the early morning, bundling up in warm sweaters all day, and craving mightily a big bowl of steamy ramen as the sun sets.

So, it’s no wonder that I found my way recently to HiroNori.

Named for friends Hiro Igarashi and Nori Akaska, they opened their first location in Los Angeles in 2017. Two years later, it was even mentioned in the Michelin Guide. It now boasts 16 locations throughout California, including three in Silicon Valley: Cupertino, San Mateo, and Santa Clara.

It was the latter location that I visited on an early weeknight, where a steady stream of folks getting off work, as well as delivery drivers, were picking up to-go orders.

It’s no-cash payment with a 20 percent service charge is automatically added to your tab.

HiroNori was founded by two friends.
HiroNori was founded by two friends.
The Santa Clara location.
The Santa Clara location.

Don’t let the tarps on the walls deter you, as the place is getting a new interior paint job in the coming days. The dining room may be pretty bare bones, but it’s done up in stylish, wooden slat stools at blond wood tables.

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A One-Pot Honey Garlic Chicken with Mushroom Fregola That Really Hits the Spot

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Honey garlic chicken, mushrooms, and fregola in a fabulous one-pot dish.
Honey garlic chicken, mushrooms, and fregola in a fabulous one-pot dish.

If you’re already dreaming of sticky, honey garlic chicken wings for Super Bowl Sunday, this dish is guaranteed to score a touchdown with you because it takes that same irresistible combination of flavors and makes a complete one-pot meal out of it.

“One-Pot Honey Garlic Chicken with Mushroom Fregola” is a can’t-miss recipe from the new “Italianish” (DK), of which I received a review copy.

It’s by Hudson Valley, NY-based Danny Freeman, the brains behind the popular DannyLovesPasta Instagram and TikTok accounts.

It’s a collection of more than 100 Italian-American recipes that have their roots in tradition, but include creative shortcuts and techniques to make them easily accessible for home cooks, especially those with harried schedules. There’s even a handy “time index” that suggests recipes to make for “fast meals” and “60-minute meals.” Many of the recipes are sure to appeal to kids, too.

After all, Freeman knows all about that, having given up his career as lawyer to raise two kids with his husband.

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