Category Archives: Wine

Eva Longoria’s Comforting Tex-Mex Chili Enchiladas

Posted on by 2 comments
Cheesy, beefy, soul-satisfying enchiladas.
Cheesy, beefy, soul-satisfying enchiladas.

It would be impossible to completely fill the void that the late-great Anthony Bourdain left, but I will say that I am a huge fan of Eva Longoria’s CNN series, “Searching for Mexico” and “Searching for Spain.”

She may lack his unbridled snark and bravado, but she brings warmth, compassion, and enthusiasm in spades. And no shade to Stanley Tucci in his Italy series on CNN and National Geographic, but Longoria does a far better job of actually describing the food on her shows that she’s lucky enough to enjoy.

It’s that same type of exuberance and down-to-earth charm that permeates her cookbook, “My Mexican Kitchen” (Clarkson Potter, 2024), of which I received a review copy.

The actor, director, and producer of Mexican heritage grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas. In fact, she often identifies herself as “Texican.” She now splits her time between Mexico and Spain.

Read more

Underdog Takes Flight In Palo Alto

Posted on by Leave a comment
Wagyu shumai at Bar Underdog. So good, you might need a second order.
Wagyu shumai at Bar Underdog. So good, you might need a second order.

Master Sommelier Dennis Kelly and Executive Chef Anthony Secviar may have earned a Michelin star at Protege only nine months after opening it on California Avenue in Palo Alto.

But for the two, who met at Michelin three-starred The French Laundry, learning from mentors and striving for excellence never stops. Hence the name of their restaurant, which opened in 2018. It’s also the reasoning behind the name of their new wine and cocktail bar that opens on Thursday just across the street.

You might say that Underdog is their spirit animal.

“We’re both from blue-collar areas. I grew up in Cleveland, and Anthony grew up in Indiana,” Kelly says. “The name is a nod to being in the trenches, and doing the work each and every day.”

It's entertainment in itself to watch the drinks being made, so take a seat at the bar for the best viewing.
It’s entertainment in itself to watch the drinks being made, so take a seat at the bar for the best viewing.

They have leaned heavily into the name and concept, too, as I discovered when I was invited in for a sneak peek a few days before the official opening.

Framed photos hang on the walls of an eclectic assortment of underdogs from history — from Rosa Parks to Rocky Balboa to the classic cartoon character, Underdog, himself, decked out in his flowing blue cape. The bartenders and servers are dressed in black Underdog jerseys, too.

Read more

End of Summer Sips

Posted on by 2 comments
Guinigi's Rose Prosecco is especially welcome in these still-warm days and nights.
Guinigi’s Prosecco Rosé is especially welcome in these still-warm days and nights.

2023 Guinigi Prosecco Rosé 

Pretty in pink — and make it Italian.

There are few more delightful ways to enjoy the last days of summer than sipping a glass of 2023 Guinigi Prosecc Rosé  ($17).

From Italy’s northeastern province of Treviso, this pale pink-salmon bubbly, of which I received a sample bottle, was made by winemaker Alex Beloz and proprietor August Sebastiani. Yes, you know the name well, as he’s the fourth-generation winemaker of one of California’s oldest and most storied wine families.

The Guinigi label, under the Gehricke winery umbrella, honors his family’s roots in Italy. It pays tribute to the Guinigi tower, a historical landmark in the town of Lucca, Tuscany, from which the Sebastiani family immigrated in 1895.

Read more

A Visit to Thomas Keller’s Burgers & Half Bottles

Posted on by 4 comments
Lunch is served at Burgers & Half Bottles.
Lunch is served at Burgers & Half Bottles.

Two and a half weeks after opening, Thomas Keller’s Burgers & Half Bottles continues to draw lines of hungry and curious diners to his playful pop-up.

So much so that last Thursday, when my husband and I showed up at the opening time of noon to queue up behind about two dozen people, there were already plenty of diners eating burgers on the front patio. Turns out that the line that morning was already growing so rapidly, that the restaurant decided to open a little early, the manager told me.

Such is the allure when a legendary Michelin three-starred chef decides to build a concept around one of his favorite foods, the In-N-Out burger. When his Mexican restaurant Calenda closed in December 2024, it provided the perfect space for him to realize it, too.

Located in the building that was formerly home to Calenda.
Located in the building that was formerly home to Calenda.
The brew bus with beer taps.
The brew bus with beer taps.

On a torrid morning when it was already close to 90 degrees, a server passed out cups of ice water to those in line. This is a Keller restaurant, after all.

Read more

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

Posted on by Leave a comment
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.

Read more
« Older Entries Recent Entries »