Category Archives: Chefs

Michael Symon’s Grilled Pork Steaks with the Surprise of Dr. Pepper Barbecue Sauce

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Juicy and so very tender, these bountiful pork butt steaks get glazed with a Dr. Pepper -- yes! -- cherry barbecue sauce.
Juicy and so very tender, these bountiful pork butt steaks get glazed with a Dr. Pepper — yes! — cherry barbecue sauce.

Have you ever held a succulent rib between your fingers, then bitten into a taste of sweet-savory, marvelously yielding meat, only to wish there was more left on the bone to enjoy?

You get exactly that with Chef Michael Symon’s “Slow-Grilled Pork Butt Steaks with Cherry BBQ Sauce.”

It has the taste and tenderness of your favorite smoked ribs — but in the much more substantial form of pork butt or shoulder steaks that are meaty and beyond.

Best yet, they get glazed and served with a thick, fruity, savory and slightly spicy barbecue sauce made with not only fresh or frozen cherries but also a can of Dr. Pepper. Yes, you read that right.

The recipe is from his newest cookbook, “Symon’s Dinners Cooking Out” (Clarkson Potter), of which I received a review copy.

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Quattro at the Four Seasons Gets A Refreshed Look and A New Italian Menu

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Strawberry Bellini -- nope, not a cocktail, but an appetizer -- at Quattro.
Strawberry Bellini — nope, not a cocktail, but an appetizer — at Quattro.

With its soaring ceiling and floor-to-ceiling windows, Quattro at the Four Seasons Silicon Valley in East Palo Alto has always been an elegant establishment, the type with tables spaced far enough apart that you can actually converse easily with dining companions.

After undergoing a recent refresh, its look is even more inviting with all that natural light complemented by an earth-tone decor with plenty of potted palms, caramel leather chairs, and slender brass lights on each marble table. The eye-catching artwork, “Walking on the Street,” that’s been a fixture since the restaurant opened remains there with its four figures that represent each season that appear to pivot as you do.

The bar.
The bar.
The dining room.
The dining room.

Along with a new look comes a new menu from Executive Chef Jacques Swart, who was appointed in January, and has refocused the Italian-Californian food to lean even more into the Italian side.

I had a chance to try the new dishes recently when I was invited in as a guest of the restaurant.

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The Debut of Al’s Real Goods Cookies

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Chef Aaron London's new packaged cookies just hit store shelves. Left to right: Ginger Smack, Choco Choco, and Choco Chip.
Chef Aaron London’s new packaged cookies just hit store shelves. Left to right: Ginger Smack, Choco Choco, and Choco Chip.

Aaron London has been many things over the years: chef, restaurateur, and recipient of a Michelin star and Bon Appetit magazine’s “Best New Restaurant in the Country.”

Now, add to that list: cookie entrepreneur.

The former chef of the ground-breaking, vegetable-forward Ubuntu in Napa, London closed his Michelin-starred Al’s Place in San Francisco in 2022, and spent the next couple of years working on crafting packaged cookies that he would be proud to sell on grocery store shelves.

The result is Al’s Real Goods boxed cookies that are made with brown cane sugar, free-range eggs, Fair Trade chocolate, and butter from grass-fed cows.

The cookies come in three varieties: Choco Chip, Choco Choco, and Ginger Smack.

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The Taste of the Sea Is Better Than Ever at La Mar Cocina Peruna

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Cebiche tasting (front to back): Clasico, Nikkei, and Victoriano.
Cebiche tasting (front to back): Clasico, Nikkei, and Victoriano.

On a summer evening when the sun lingers long even in typically foggy San Francisco, there are few better places to dine than outside at La Mar Cocina Peruna.

Located on the Embarcadero waterfront with sweeping views of the Bay, this modern Peruvian restaurant by acclaimed Chef Gaston Acurio just underwent an interior refresh, too. Its Executive Chef Victoriano Lopez also has updated the menu.

I had a chance to check out both when I was invited in as a guest of the restaurant recently.

Opened in 2008, it is one of 10 La Mar restaurants around the world, including the original one in Lima.

The bar.
The bar.
New fresh seafood display.
New fresh seafood display.

The San Francisco one glows in deep indigo hues. The bar features a giant squid art piece hanging from the ceiling. The dining room boasts light fixtures reminiscent of jellyfish, as well as a new display case of fresh seafood.

The covered patio has new planters, glass walls to guard against the wind, and plenty of heaters so the space is comfortable even when the evening chill descends.

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Sweet or Savory? Laura’s Gourmet Has Got You Covered

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Roasted green beans get a sprinkle of Laura's Gourmet Southeast Asian Savory Topper.
Roasted green beans get a sprinkle of Laura’s Gourmet Southeast Asian Savory Topper.

Sometimes you just want a little extra something to sprinkle atop a dish to give it oomph.

Chef Laura Briscoe knows that feeling. That’s why in 2004, she created her Arizona company, Laura’s Gourmet, a line of certified gluten-free granola and savory grain toppers.

Recently, I had a chance to try some samples. Her Southeast Asian Ancient Grain Savory Topper ($13.50 for a 10-once tin) has a fine, slightly crunchy texture. Think of it as almost a granola version of furikake.

It’s made of rolled oats, millet, and quinoa with organic coconut oil, sliced almonds, sunflower seed butter, sugar, and flaxseed. It has a gentle sweetness balanced by salt along with a nice nuttiness.

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