Meal of the Month: March 2010

Well. March was a busy month. And not surprisingly, once again, filled with many amazing meals. There was a dinner at Scala’s (with a soon to be bride and groom), a Sunday brunch at OTD Bush Street with two busy chef friends, nibbles at the bar at Range (with two fun industry friends), checking out the newly opened Marlowe with a friend, nibbles at Cav after a long day of work (and getting to meet Chef Johnny in person after a long Twitter friendship), catching up with an old friend at OTD Bush Street, a pizza Pi date with friends in my neighborhood, and nibbles and drinks with old and new friends at Heaven’s Dog. Let’s not forget a crazy industry party/book launch party (on a Sunday night no less), that started off with drinks and food at Orson, and then lead a smaller group of us to Pizzeria Delfina for an ‘after party’ of sorts.

And there were lots of meals with family (and friends that are like family to me). Dinner in Martinez with my East Bay family, my dad’s birthday dinner at Incanto, a special pizza dinner with a special friend Mo (who is family to me), and then dinner at a very special occasion—my good friend Adam’s wedding. Oh. And speaking of family. There was family meal at Incanto. Twice.

The spread at Mo's table

We can’t forget about the fun nights with two of my closest girlfriends. There was the slightly crazy girls night out (ahem, which some boys crashed), that started at Bean Bag, then progressed to Nopa, Club Waziema, and finally Madrone Lounge…and then the even crazier girls night out which started off with nibbles at Slow Club but then moved onto crashing (kind of crashing) a crazy house party followed by crashing a bachelor party. Oh. And did I mention the seven plus course brunch at the Four Seasons that Defne and I had?? Ummm, yea. Extravagant. And yet oh so delicious.

Crab Cake Eggs Benedict

My Meal of the Month would have to be the Head to Tail dinner at Incanto. Chef Chris Cosentino’s annual dinner, it’s been a tradition of mine to go, and this year was no different. Why was it so special and why was it my Meal of the Month? Some of it? Tradition. A tradition I started a few years ago that I’m able to share with my food crazed friends. Another reason why? It’s a way for me to support my friend Chef Chris Cosentino. Another reason? It’s a meal that’s unlike anything else that I can find anywhere. There are always surprises! And most importantly? Part of the reason this meal is one of my favorites each year? The anticipation of it and then the discovery of all of these new dishes and new flavors. I always know I’m going to have a unique (and delicious) experience.

Meal of the Month: February 2009

February was kind of a hard month for me--emotionally. I was still getting over the holidays and the horribly rainy weather was not making it any easier. Spent a lot of time in Pilates and at home by myself. But what else? I spent a lot of time with my friends.

I had a great catch up night with my friend Jason (which included a delicious carbonara pizza from Pizzeria Delfina.) There was an awesome night of ramen and cupcake baking with my friend Wendy (ahem, we baked DOZENS of cupcakes in one night!)

There was a simple night of nibbles with my friend Vanessa (at Beretta of course.) My LA visitor loved it! A fun night with old college friends, Bahram and John (and Justy!) We had pre-dinner drinks at my house (can anyone say negroni?), and then a delicious dinner at Incanto. We had the MOST delicious pig snouts. And amazing prosciutto--who knew pig thigh could be so good?

My friend Tatiana made me the most delicious dinner one chilly night. Ossabaw ham wrapped asparagus, dandelion greens with lardons, chicken (confit in duck fat!), and braised cabbage (with guanciale just for good measure). Oh so good. Can anyone say comfort food?? There was the cozy Sunday night with Chinese take-out (and Humphy Slocombe ice cream) and a good friend (and a bad Lifetime movie.) Then the rainy night meal at Barbacco with old friends Lil and Micah. Highlights for me? The nduja and egg, and the delicious Brussels sprouts.

There were MANY additional good meals at Incanto. Checking out the new decor with my friend Paolo, taking my friends Joe and Lil, and then my good friend from college who was in town. Denise, Jen and I had a great evening there. Thank you to Chris and his team for SO many good and comforting meals. Highlights? Asparagus salad. The strozzapreti, broccoli rabe pesto, ricotta & pinenuts. SO GOOD. The stinging nettle and chanterelle risotto was also yummy. And the duck leg. Served with greens and faro--yum.

There was no shortage of home cooked meals. Home made won-tons for my friend Lisa. A dinner party where I made my mom's delicious stew with my friends Jen, Troy, Michael, Robert, Lisa and Jonathan. Thanks for all the wine kids--and the yummy chocolate cake!! Then there was the yummy roasted chicken dinner with Tim and Lisa, and a fun night out with those two (which ended in a late night Tommy's Joynt snack.)

There were the nibbles at the Ferry Building during the annual Food from the Heart event. And a Chinese New Year meal with my family. I remembered once again why I love my great aunt so much all while realizing just how much I missed my mom. Those family moments are especially difficult without her.

My very good friends Sarah and Evan kept me sane all month long. And are such a good support system for me. Evan and I have our Saturday Farmer's Market routine (and it's always so much more fun when Sarah can join us!) and then we have our Sunday night catch up times. From the casual and yet amazing pasta dinner at their house, to finally seeing Avatar and then dinner at Nopa. Of all of the times I've had the flat bread there? This time was the best! Just perfect--not too soft, not too crispy. Everything else was absolutely perfect. The salt cod brandade with marinated artichokes were my favorite.

But what really got me through the month? My good girlfriends. So what would my Meal of the Month be? Well, it would have to be all of the great meals I shared with my gals, Defne and Lisa. It all started with a night at Nombe (and then Lazlo), that solidified the bond. Maybe we need to learn to say "no more sake". Then there was a fun dinner at Tuba (after a long afternoon at Zeigeist, and oh, a bottle of tequila.) A mid week night out at Yoshi's where we ate EVERYTHING on the menu, and it was ALL delicious. Umm, can we say bar snacks?? SO GOOD. And then the night that started off with drinks at Bar Drake, and then Fifth Floor, and then ended at a fun night at Uva. What can I say? I don't know if I would have made it through the month without these ladies. They make every meal I share with them a Meal of the Month.

Meal of the Month: January

January was one of those gray and gloomy months. The holidays were over. And back to work. Back to ‘normal’ life. So how did I get through the month? Lots and lots of comfort foods. And some really good friends.

Let’s see. How did it all start? The new year started with a special and fun New Year’s Day brunch at my house. And brunches at Starbelly and Out the Door Bush Street—DELISH!

Then a special dinner (and party!) for my sister’s birthday. Love birthday’s—there’s always so many chances to celebrate.

Then Yosemite happened. I was lucky enough to be able to attend the Chef’s Holiday event at the Ahwahnee Hotel. It was an amazing weekend. Filled with lots and lots of good food, good wine, and good people. We kicked off the weekend with some pizza at the hot spot in the park (good luck finding it!) We had a great meal in the beautiful Mountain Room at the Lodge in Yosemite the second night, and ended our weekend trip with the fancy Chefs’ Holiday dinner.

I had a lot of repeats. I was lucky enough to have dinner TWICE at my friend Michael’s house (talk about a sweet grill!) Beretta TWICE! Once with my friend Chip who was in town and once with my pal Defne. A new neighborhood restaurant, Tuba, was so good, I went TWICE! The second time we were even lucky enough to have a secret off the menu Turkish dessert. YUM! And then there was Nopa TWICE—delicious both times. And noodles, dumplings and Chinese comfort foods…THREE times. Twice at San Tung and once at King of Noodles…so good!

I dined at Incanto twice—once right after the Incanto refresh with my pal Wendy. And the second time for the 7x7 Flash Mob Friday (read all about that FUN FUN experience here.)

There was a great night at Nopalito catching up with my friend Joe. And a very special night of pizzas and beers at Pi with some of my favorite peeps- T, Shawn and Mark. There was the meal that pleasantly surprised me at Flour + Water with Sarah, Evan and Josh…oh, and did I mention? Boar six ways.

I had friends over for dinners…and lots of home cooked meals in. And there were drinks. Drinks at Beretta, Lucky 13, Lone Palm, Fish & Farm, Alembic, Heart, and at home. Lots of drinks at home. So if ALL of those meals weren’t my meal of the month. Than what was?

A late night meal at Nopa, at the end of a very long week, and with a special friend. The food was simple and perfect. The cocktails hit the spot. And it was one of those special experiences and special nights. People come into our lives for a reason. Sometimes you just have chemistry with someone and special friendships. This night was proof of that.

Meal of the Month: December

As 2009 comes to an end, I think about my December meals. What a treat to have had so many delicious meals. As I fully settled into my new neighborhood, many of my meals were local!

Two great experiences at Frances, Osha Thai food (after an afternoon of decorating my Christmas tree!), margaritas and nibbles at Velvet Cantina after a VERY long Saturday of working, an awesome meal with an awesome girlfriend at Monk’s Kettle (which lead to LOTS of drinks at the Phoenix!), a Mission food and drink crawl which included Range and Bar Tartine, and well, yes, of course, a number of meals at Beretta.

There was also dinners at Fritz, Delarosa, Poleng Lounge, an extra special dinner at Fish & Farm with my favorite 2 little boys, and nibbles (and Manhattans) at Postrio after an successful day of post-Christmas shopping.

And then there were lots of dinners at home. Well, not necessarily my home. There was a yummy night getting our fingers nice and dirty and eating some crabs at my pal Defne’s house. And then the yummy pasta night at Tatiana’s house with her and Easton (followed by lots of wine and good TV). And then dinner at my friend Adam’s sweet pad in Danville (which was followed by some trampolining in the rain…umm, that's a whole other story!)

But the Meal of the Month? Well, how could it not be my Christmas dinners? Oh yes. Dinners. Plural. Did I mention there was more than one? Like Thanksgiving, I have good fortune of having two meals that were very Christmasy. One with my good friend’s family and one with my own.

I’m very lucky to love my family, but the family that you choose, or have the good luck of meeting, can also be very special. It’s wonderful to have people in your life that have welcomed you into their life. And into their homes. An early Christmasy dinner with the Mo, Matt, Adam, Brendan and Jim sure reminded me how lucky I was to have these people in my life. To be invited into their home time and time again, to be able to take part in the precious family time that they all get together, and to be able to cook, drink wine, and eat with them was a treat.

Photos courtesy of Adam

Just a short day later, Christmas with my own family. In my own home. It was great to be able to have them all over for such a special meal. My first Christmas in my own home. It might have been my first Christmas in my home, but it certainly wasn't a new menu. We ate our traditional Christmas dinner--prime rib, Chinese broccoli, bok choy, baked potatoes, yams...and our secret recipe gravy! YUM! No matter what, Christmas won't be Christmas until I share this meal with my loved ones.

Photos courtesy of Michelle

To my friends and family--thanks for a yummy December!! Happy New Year!!

Meal of the Month: November

November was an insane month. Settling into a new apartment, a big trip to New York, and oh. Not one, but TWO Thanksgiving Feasts. I don’t even think I can even choose one meal for the month.

So this month, we’re picking two meals. One from the New York eats, and the other, from everything else.

Let’s begin with New York. Meals at the new hot spots, Locande Verde and the Breslin, old favorites such as Blue Ribbon Bakery, Momofuku Saam (ok, not once, but twice) and Harrison. There was also a special cup of coffee and cookie at Jake’s, as well as the most delicious compost cookie at Milk Bar. BBQ at Hill Country BBQ with a dear friend, and lots ‘meals’ at Pegu Club, Employees Only, Summit Bar and PDT.

Every experience in New York was amazing. So how do you even pick? Well, without a doubt, my Meal of the Month-NY would have to be the meal I had at 10 Downing. It was a special experience because my friend had recently moved from San Francisco to New York to take over the reigns here. So seeing Chef Jonnatan Leiva was already a special treat! He had barely settled into a new apartment, and had only been out there a matter of weeks. His own menu was JUST in place. And I’d say we were amongst the first of his friends to experience his menu out there.

From the awesome server we had, to bringing us tastes of virtually every dish on the menu. We should have had 10 friends with us—because we were STUFFED. There were too many favorites to list—but some true highlights? The cauliflower soup, Spanish boquerones and olives, grilled quail (with pomegranate, cornbread ‘French toast’, onion jam), and veal breast and sweetbreads.

Such amazing flavors. And beautiful presentations. The table next to us literally started to glare at us each time we had another plate dropped on our table. I think they were jealous. The best part of the meal? Being able to be there to support Jonny and to hang out with him after! THANK YOU JONNY!

The rest of the month. Lots of meals at home. A simple Sunday curry chicken night with Tarlan, pork chop night and lots of catching up with Sabine, a belated birthday steak night dinner for Defne, and lots and LOTS of wine and champagne with lots and lots of friends. A great lunch with dad and sis which ended with a detour to Park Chalet for some afternoon drinks.

There was checking out the local eats. Checking out a nearby sushi spot with Sarah and Evan, Eric’s Chinese food with Jim, Starbelly with Matt, Beretta with Lisa and Tarlan, and Starbelly with Wendy. Let’s not forget the ‘meal’ Lisa, Tim and I made of a little cheese and a lot of bourbon (oh vey.My head still hurts from that ‘meal’!)

I had an awesome Sunday night with Grace and Lien—checking out the new SPQR menu. Must have been some unofficial industry night there that evening, because it sure was a who’s who of the SF food business! We enjoyed the MOST delicious chicken liver, local sardines, eggs ‘al diavolo’, and spaghetti nero with Dungeness crab.

There were TWO amazing meals at Incanto. One where I was able to bring and share the experience with two friends that had never been before. Where we splurged with a yummy veal-rabbit terrina, an amazing chestnut soup, sardines, parsnip and bone marrow ravioli, pork shoulder and much much more.

That meal was amazing. And not enough for me. So I returned later that month, but this time for the Leg of Beast meal! With a group in hand, and a very excited 13 year old boy that was ready to celebrate his birthday with brains, we returned to Incanto.

In addition to the amazing beef shank, we had roasted marrow bones (that were the length of my forearm!), sardines, the most most MOST amazing pasta alla chitarra (so simple, but delicious with Boccalone lard, egg yolk, scallions and garlic chips), the biggest porcini mushroom I have ever see in my life (wrapped in bacon!), nervetti with cannellini beans, and again, much more. (Including the MOST delicious chocolate blood panna cotta!)

And then, there was Thanksgiving. I have to say, my TWO Thanksgivings would have to be my non-New York Meal of the Month. Thanksgiving is always a special time of year for me. It's near my mom' birthday--so it's near and dear to my heart. And for my family, Thanksgiving is of course about family and friends--but it's also about food. I wrote about Thanksgiving already (click here if you want more yummy details.)

Thanks to my family and friends, and to all of the chefs out there that feed me SO well in November!!

Meal of the Month: October

What a month. In the midst of a move across town, I also spent part of the month in Baltimore and New York City!! Baltimore was special because I was able to see some of my most favorite PR people from around the country. While we nibbled on delicious food at the big party we were all there to attend, one of my favorite meals in Baltimore would have to be ordering room service for about 8 of us and all chowing down in my room post event (we called it our very own sleepover!)

Post Baltimore, I was New York City bound. The eating is always great out there, and this month was no different. I hit up Blue Ribbon Sushi late the first night I arrived, and then moved onto my second and third (and fourth) ‘dinners’. My “Liquid Dinners”. My friends and I hit up Bobo, Jane Ballroom, Randolph and the Whiskey Ward for a night of debauchery. Amazing food at Blue Ribbon Sushi, and amazing drinks at all of the bars that followed.

The next day kicked off with some time in Brooklyn, where I checked out Diner, ate at Marlowe & Sons. More meals (both solids and liquids!) were experienced in Brooklyn later that weekend. Including returning to Clover Club, Char No 4 and Prime Meats. The experience at all of those spots were amazing, but Prime Meats was my favorite. Wonderful German food in a gastro pub environment. With delicious cocktails too! Perfect for a chilly fall evening.

Back in Manhattan, I also checked out the Crosby Hotel and Bar, Public Restaurant, and made a return trip to Boqueria. Nothing says Sunday afternoon like a glass of sparkling rose and some Spanish tapas at the bar.

Hard to believe none of those amazing meals and experiences were the meal of the month.

Back in San Francisco, I craved some of my comfort foods. Dim Sum at Koi Palace, dinner at Out the Door Bush Street (twice in two weeks—it was that good!) and dinner at U-Lee with my sister before we both moved out of Russian Hill. All amazing meals.

But none were Meal of the Month.

I had a home cooked meal at my friend Jen and Troy’s home (amazing slow cooked ribs made by our friend Joe!), and dinner at Beretta with my new Twitter friends Meigan and Guy (so fun to finally meet them in person after months of communicating!)

Then there was the big move---and a series of home cooked meals (finally!) A simple breakfast for my friend Defne and I, a yummy roasted chicken dinner (complete with brussels sprouts and mashed potatoes), and lots of wine and cheese nights. There was even Halloween at my new home, filled with snacks, nibbles, pizza and a scary movie. A fun and special night—but not exactly Meal of the Month worthy.

So which was my meal of the month?


Brunch at the Spotted Pig. Why?? For many reasons! One, it’s the Spotted Pig of course! So you know without a doubt, the meal was delicious. And it was a gorgeous sunny fall day in New York. I had taken a leisurely stroll to get there, and loved taking in all of the sights and sounds. It was as if I lived out there and this was just another Sunday. I was also dining with my friend Danica. And we had a great time catching up, and continuing to get to know each other.

Another reasons it was my Meal of the Month? We shared a moment that kept us laughing all day (and well, still has me laughing) It also reminded me that it’s a small world. And that sometimes, the gods have a funny way of laughing at us. Danica captures the story oh so well here. And well, when you’re handed lemons, at least make some lemonade out of it. Enjoy the story.

So what will next month bring? God only knows.

Meal of the Month: September

Where has the month gone? September was a whirlwind. I had a busy schedule, and was in the midst of some pretty intense stuff. It sucked the life out of me. All the while, in hopes of my pending move, I slowly began to prepare myself. How did I do that? I ate in my neighborhood every chance I got. I’m not kidding. Every opportunity I had, I made friends come to me. I planned out ‘last meals’ at all of my favorite neighborhood spots. Many places that I hadn’t even gone to in a long time—but now was the time.

There was brunch at Rex Café with two old friends—that have known me since junior high school! An awesome meal at Pesce (really, can’t they PLEASE share that special limencello recipe with me?), a night of burgers and beer at Polkers, delicious Thai food at Little Thai with two neighborhood friends, sushi at Okoze (get the hamachi collar!) and an amazing night of ZA pizza and wine at Café Meuse after with my girls (remind me that two for one ladies night isn’t always a good idea!)

I also manage to venture out of the hood still (how could I not?) Five Happiness for dinner with my dad, Contigo for yummy tapas (and to scope out my new hood!), brunch at Foreign Cinema to celebrate a friend’s birthday, a little trek to Pizzeria Delfina on a warm Sunday night, tapas at Esperpento (in the dark! The restaurant lost electricity while we were there!) and catching up with my friends JT and Troy, and a delicious meal at A16 with some great girlfriends.

There was the day of seafood with Sarah, Evan, Eric and Brandon—a trip up to Hog Island for fresh oysters, followed by a craving for crab, so dinner at PPQ.

No meal of the month in any of those meals? Nope. Not yet.

There were lots of meals at home, lots of leftovers, lots of simple meals whipped up at the last minute trying to use what ever I had in my pantry, and lots of friends over for wine (hey, I’d prefer to drink the wine rather than move the wine.) There was a mellow night at a friend’s house where dinner was a simple salad—and oh, watching “Sound of Music” with her little 3 year old (who is the BIGGEST three year old I have ever seen. I LOVE him!)

There was the amazing meal at Canteen, followed by nibbles and cocktails at Nopa (hey, a friend was in town from NYC, I had to take her out and show her around!) We had the most delicious tomato gazpacho ever at Canteen (although it was more like a consume to me), followed by an eggplant dish that I am still craving. And followed by Nopa’s awesome flatbread which was sweet summer corn, pancetta and arugula (or rocket as my friends Down Under might say) that night. YUM.

There was the special night when the restaurant that my friend is executive chef at opened. Out the Door Bush Street was the latest to join the Charles Phan empire, and my friend Grace is at the helm. The nibbles were AMAZING. I’m pretty sure I had more than my fair share of the bacon marmalade quiche, a few too many shu mai’s, and that every bite was better than the last. My second OTD experience of the month? Brunch. Yes people. Breakfast, Charles Phan (and Grace!) style. AMAZING. Poached eggs over a braised beef brisket and potatoes, fried eggs with pate, steamed pork buns, and the best Vietnamese iced coffee. But no. Sorry Grace. It was a top contender, but not meal of the month.

There was the simple meal at Beretta. Where we didn’t even order pizza. And we only shared a small handful of the small plates. And I was exhausted. And still needed to get home to pack for a trip to the East Coast. But it was after I had signed all of the papers for my new home, and had just finished my final walk through. And it was Beretta. And it was with two good friends. And I was on a high. That was definitely one of my meal of the month highlights (and umm, why have I not ordered the panzanella salad before??)

But no. Also not the meal of the month. Why? Because this month, two of my favorite people in the world got married. And my September Meal of the Month was not one meal, but three meals. To kick off the wedding festivities, my friend Jonathan and I met down in the Peninsula to hang out with Bahram the Thursday night before his wedding. We’re a little bit of the Three Musketeers—friends from college and we share a special friendship. And Jonathan, the man marrying Bahram in just two more days, was a surprise to Bahram that Thursday night, Bahram didn't expect to see him until Friday.

The three of us, who hadn’t all been together since April, had a mellow night. Dinner at a local hot spot in Palo Alto, NOLA. We enjoyed the warm summer air, and enjoyed catching up with each other. It was one of those special nights. When three friends were able to catch up, make fun of each other, laugh, and prepare one of own as he ‘grew up’ and headed into married life.

That next night? A very special rehearsal dinner that I was privileged to be a part of. At a quaint restaurant in Carmel, Cassanova was the site of the dinner the night before the big day. And watching the happy couple as they were surrounded by their friends and families was so special to see, and to be a part of. The food and wine was delicious. But the night itself was more spectacular. I was in the midst of a love fest. And was finally meeting all of these very important people that I had heard so much about.

The happy couple at the rehersal dinner

To top it all off? The wedding. The wedding itself was magical. These two people that had known each other for almost 10 years, were being joined together. And I couldn’t think of two people more perfect for each other. After the ceremony and reception? The first dance. And amazingly hilarious and surprisingly staged first dance. Followed by…not dinner, but MORE DANCING! The entire room was on the dance floor! Friends, family, children. All on the dance floor dancing up a storm. All before dinner. Now that’s my kind of a party! When we did sit down to dinner? The most wonderful and delicious Persian feast. My favorite Persian rice, and a number of other dishes that afterwards, I swore I would learn to make.

The Three Musketeers

As usual, my Meal of the Month was so much more than just a meal. To me, it’s hard to single out the food without taking into account the surroundings, the company, and the overall experience. My trio of Meals of the Month were all about that. And was special to me because of the people I shared it with. I wish Bahram and Kristin a lifetime of happiness together…and a lifetime of amazing Meals of the Months that they’ll share…hopefully some more with me.

Meal of the Month: August 09

I think it was a record month. Record number of amazing home made meals. Whether at home or at a friend’s house, I feasted on elaborate home cooked meals that would rival most restaurant meals. Really. An amazing Indian feast at Sabine and Rohit’s house, followed by an amazing Japanese feast at Sarah and Evan’s. Both meals shared with great friends. Lots of wine and laughter.

There was the night the girls came over and we had wine and cheese night, the Top Chef Master’s finale viewing party night where even more wine and cheese was served, and then the night of the summer salads (since it was almost 90 degrees in SF that day!) There was the night my friend Michelle brought over a delicious French Onion Soup (thank you Huie and Mah!) for a chilly SF night. The perfect comfort food.

I had two amazing home made meals. One was a simple steamed fish with soy sauce and mushrooms, and the second? These delicious fish balls that I had been craving! Made with green onions, Chinese sausage, and dried shrimp. Not quite as good as how my grandpa or my mom use to make them, but I’m getting there.

Then there were a slew of casual, but perfectly tasty meals. Tons of nibbles and tastes were had at the SF Chefs Food Wine Festival and even more yummy street food nibbles from Poleng Lounge at the SF Street Food Festival.

I had a casual and comfortable meal at a local Chinese food restaurant, Golden Horse, with my dad and sister, a delicious meal with friends Chris, Tatiana, Easton and Shawn at King of Noodles (delicious dumplings and of course, the hand made noodles!), and then pho on a chilly night with the Michelle’s. YUM!

Some great nights with friends at Fish & Farm (you HAVE to get the corn soup), midi (pork chop please!), Tomasso’s (pizza pizza pizza!), Woodward’s Garden (I felt like we were in the middle of Paris!), Flour + Water and Beretta (umm, thanks to Ryan for the delicious cocktails and for making sure we never had an empty glass!) So ok, there was some indulgence this month.

I checked out the newest restaurant in town, Starbelly, on opening night and for brunch, delicious! And then I had to return to Maverick for brunch, one of my favorites in the city. The tomato and bread salad was PERFECT for a hot day.

Yea. Sorry guys. Those were all pretty amazing meals. But none of those were it. Hard to believe. But there were actually two additional meals this month that ended up making the top of my list.

The first? A simple and last minute meal at Park Chalet on one of the absolute hottest nights San Francisco saw all summer. The reason it was so great? It was a chance to catch up with an old friend and his family. A friend that I haven’t seen in years, and it was a great reminder of why we were ever friends. Yummy food, beer, great company, and the perfect warm summer night outside? Done. Meal of the Month worthiness.

The second? A celebratory drink and snack at Nopalito after passing my scooter/motorcycle permit test! First enjoying a refreshing summer sangria by myself at the counter, then sharing nibbles with my good girlfriend Michelle. Including the most delicious corn!

That wasn’t enough for the celebratory night. And we were on a corn kick by then. So? Off to Incanto for more nibbles. And a DELICIOUS corn gnocchi. We knew well enough we wouldn’t be able to eat much on our own. So our strategy? Call up the girls. Oh yes. Wendy and Grace came and joined us. Random Thursday night turned into Girls Night. We shared a number of dishes (and a lot of bubbly), including, a yummy dish playfully called “This is Your Brain on Drugs” (get it? From the old commercials?), the corn gnocchi (the craving that sent us there in the first place!), and well, yes. Of course. My spaghettini.

Thanks to all of my many friends that made all of these meals for me and to those that shared these meals with me. What an amazing weekend!!