Category Archives: Restaurants

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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Fast and Fabulous Rantei

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The omakase sashimi at Rantei restaurant. What a spread!
The omakase sashimi at Rantei restaurant. What a spread!

You know a restaurant has got it going on when it’s nearly full on a weeknight even before 6 p.m.

Such is the case with Rantei, the Japanese restaurant located in the Franklin Square Mall in Santa Clara.

The city long ago — and perhaps foolhardily — demolished its downtown and erected this small, open-air, concrete-faced mall instead. It doesn’t exactly scream warm and fuzzy. So, when you encounter a restaurant there that’s abuzz with activity, you take notice.

Step inside and you’ll find an ample-sized sushi bar with seating, as well as tables, and even tatami rooms.

Near the host stand.
Near the host stand.

It’s definitely popular with students from nearby Santa Clara University, too, no doubt because it has a large menu, with a variety of traditional and more contemporary fare.

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A Taste of Eastern Europe at Dacha

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Lamb chops with eggplant, pita, and spicy chile condiment at Dacha.
Lamb chops with eggplant, pita, and spicy chile condiment at Dacha.

Even if you didn’t know that Dacha is an Eastern European term for a second house that’s all about gathering and relaxing, you would feel those sentiments the moment you walk in the doors of this San Francisco restaurant.

Co-founded by married couple, Katya Skye and Suki Skye, and friend Tanya Ivanovich, the Lower Nob Hill restaurant just celebrated its second anniversary in November.

Proudly queer-owned and female-empowered, it boasts a decidedly warm, welcoming, and feminine vibe, as I found when I was invited in as a guest of the restaurant last week.

The inviting dining room.
The inviting dining room.
The back of the dining room.
The back of the dining room.

It’s all in the little touches: The bud vases and candles on each table. The faux fireplace that creates a cozy feel. The homey bookcase with shelves filled with plants, books, and framed photos. And the floral wallpaper, free feminine products, hand lotion, and sweetly etched mirrors in the bathrooms.

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