Category Archives: Chefs

Handy-Dandy Garlic & Pepper Pork Ribs

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A delicious dish perfect for harried households.
A delicious dish perfect for harried households.

Because my parents worked full-time while raising three kids, my mom always had a stash of recipes in her arsenal that she could prep and cook in a flash. There were tender strips of flank steak stir-fried in black bean sauce. Prawns sauteed with slivers of broccoli stems in oyster sauce. And chicken steamed with shiitakes and plenty of ginger.

So, when I came upon “Garlic & Pepper Pork Ribs” it hit home in so many ways.

This easy recipe is from “My Cambodia: A Khmer Cookbook” (4 Color Books, 2025), of which I received a review copy.

It was written by Nite Yun, chef-owner of Lunette Cambodia inside San Francisco’s Ferry Building, with assistance from Tien Nguyen, a food and culture writer who teaches food journalism at the University of California.

Yun was born in a refugee camp in Thailand after hear parents escaped war-torn Cambodia. When she was 2 years old, her family immigrated to the United States, settling in Stockton. She’s made it her mission to highlight Khmer cuisine, not only to preserve its history and traditions, but as a way to better comprehend her parents, as well as herself.

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A Delicious Feast at Mazra

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Our table overloweth at Mazra in Redwood City.
Our table overloweth at Mazra in Redwood City.

When a restaurant is packed at 5:15 p.m. on a Tuesday, you know it has it going on.

And when the Michelin Guide bestows upon it a Bib Gourmand, then you know it’s definitely worth a special trip to try.

That’s definitely the case when it comes to Mazra, the family-owned Mediterranean restaurant with locations in San Bruno and Redwood City.

I visited the latter one last week, and came away marveling at the food, service, and price point.

The dining room. There's also a sweet outdoor dining area, too.
The dining room. There’s also a sweet outdoor dining area, too.
Artwork.
Artwork.

The restaurants were founded by brothers, Jordan and Saif Makableh, after they managed to talk their father into letting them transform his Green Valley Market in San Bruno into the first location of Mazra.

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Ginger-Braised Chicken — With the Emphasis on Ginger

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Fabulous Vietnamese-style chicken wings.
Fabulous Vietnamese-style chicken wings.

Anyone who knows me well knows full well how much I love ginger.

In baked goods. In beverages, hot and cold. In soups, stir-fries, and stews. And even inhaled by the handful when candied.

So, when I came across a recipe for a dish that uses an entire cup of julienned fresh ginger, I was all in.

“Ginger-Braised Chicken” did not disappoint.

Shards and shards of ginger flavor chicken wings in a sweet, sticky, savory sauce full of sharpness and warmth.

This ginger-loving recipe is from “Vietnamese American Recipes from Phu Quoc, Oakland, and the Spaces Between” (4 Color Books, 2024), of which I received a review copy.

It is by Tu David Phu, a Vietnamese American chef raised in Oakland, who competed on “Top Chef” Season 15. He is now the owner of Gigi’s, a Vietnamese wine bar in San Francisco.

It was co-written by Soleil Ho, a Vietnamese American writer, podcaster, and former restaurant reviewer at the San Francisco Chronicle.

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Oui Oui to JouJou

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Black cod with caramelized pineapple at JouJou.
Black cod with caramelized pineapple at JouJou.

For a time, it seemed as if French restaurants were an endangered species in San Francisco.

But in the past few years, that classic cuisine has arisen from the brink. That’s no more evident than the arrival last month of JouJou by David Barzelay and Colleen Booth, the team behind Michelin two-starred Lazy Bear in San Francisco.

While the latter delivers an ambitious tasting menu along with the theatrics of an open kitchen, JouJou in contrast serves only an la carte menu in a sprawling 6,500-square-foot space, divided into a few different dining spaces, along with two bars.

The first bar.
The first bar.
And the second one.
And the second one.
The enclosed patio dining room that's like dining in a greenhouse.
The enclosed patio dining room that’s like dining in a greenhouse.

It’s fitting that the restaurant is located in the Design District, what with its shades of cream, milky green, and soft pink that create a sort of vintage vibe, not to mention the rather risque baroque wallpaper in the bathrooms. The decor definitely leans into the restaurant’s name, which is French for “plaything.”

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Easy-Peasy, Spring-Fling Lamb Chops with Tangy Cilantro and Mint Yogurt Dressing

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Simple and delicious, these lamb loin chops get served with a fresh, creamy, and herby yogurt sauce.
Simple and delicious, these lamb loin chops get served with a fresh, creamy, and herby yogurt sauce.

The certified organic, 400-acre farm in the Capay Valley is one of Northern California’s most beloved.

Full Belly Farm draws crowds at its stands at Bay Area farmers markets, and its produce stars on a legion of restaurant menus.

Established in 1985, it grows more than 80 different crops, including all manner of veggies, fruits, nuts, herbs, and flowers. It also raises chickens, sheep, goats, and cows. It offers farm tours, school visits, and popular events that include farm dinners and pizza nights.

Now comes its newest offering: “Full Belly Farm & Kitchen” (Hardie Grant).

Its first cookbook, of which I received a review copy, was written by Amon and Jenna Muller, who are part of the farm’s second-generation owners. Amon Muller, who runs the farm kitchen, trained at legendary Bay Area restaurants, Chez Panisse, Quince, and Coi. Jenna Muller organizes the farm events.

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