Diablo • April 2022

Twist on a Twist

"Twenty-five minutes before its noon opening, I'm second in line outside Squabisch on Berkeley's Solano Avenue. Within minutes, there are a dozen of us—all first-timers. One came from San Francisco. Another saw the line wrapped around the block while shopping the day before and thought it must be a new pot shop."

Diablo • August 2021

Summer Scoops

"A global pandemic couldn't keep ice cream lovers from lining up for the new Salt and Straw at San Ramon's City Center Bishop Ranch, from its opening in April well into summer. Thankfully, the sweet scent of freshly made waffle cones could find its way through a mask."

Via • September 2019

Food Fight

"Which is the better food city, San Francisco or Portland? Two restaurant critics go head-to-head on fine dining, food trucks, and everything in between." (editor)

Diablo • April 2019

A Whole Brewed World

"If Story Coffee Co. were a literal story, it would be entering a triumphant third act. Started in 2016 as a crowd-funded cart at the Livermore farmers market, it morphed into a temporary pop-up inside the Bankhead Theater and tech incubator The Switch. Now its about to open its first brick-and-mortar home.

Diablo • June 2018

Ice, Ice, Baby

"A scoop of ice cream in a cone is nothing to complain about. But these East Bay treat shops are taking it to the next level, offering build-your-own gelato pops, delicate shaved snow, and honey-soaked parfaits."

Diablo • November 2017

What's Hot, What's Not

"Remember when cupcake shops were on every corner? Bacon everything? The "cronut"? In the food-obsessed era of Instagram, trends come and go quickly. Here's what's on the rise—and what's trending downward—on the East Bay's food scene."

Diablo • November 2017

A Delicious Education

"The morning of the Vegetables Reinvented class, chef Olivier 'Olive' Said shopped at Berkeley's Monterey Market and couldn't help but buy whatever looked good—even if it wasn't in a planned recipe. 'Wow! Wow. Woww,' he says in the class introduction, after tasting a fresh pluot. He pops another piece into his mouth, dramatically shakes his head, and hands out samples to the eight students."

Via • September 2017

Tasty Tours

"The only thing more fun than eating good food? Seeing how it's made—and scoring a free sample or two. You can do just that by visiting these producers in the West, who offer behind-the-scenes tours, guided tastings, and flagship-store exclusives."

Diablo • September 2017

Elements of Good Taste

"Samin Nosrat believes anyone can learn to be a good cook. To start, you need to close the cookbook and turn off the kitchen timer. In her new book, 'Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat,' the 37-year-old Berkeley chef—a Chez Panisse and Eccolo alumna who taught Michael Pollan how to cook—distills her philosophy into four basic elements, and encourages readers to start using and trusting their senses."

Diablo • November 2016

Chef Curry

"Ayesha Curry is slicing corn off a cob, her Shun chef's knife catching the sunlight in the kitchen of her Alamo home as she describes some of her favorite cooking tools. A few kernels bounce off the cutting board, roll across the countertop, and fall to the floor. At first, she doesn't seem to notice. Then, after praising her must-have appliance (a Vitamix blender), she says, "One thing I'm not is a precise chef. Stuff is flying everywhere!"

Diablo • August 2016

100 Best Bites

"What's your usual? Your drink order? Your favorite entrée? We asked these questions of our team of food writers, as well as four rising media stars devoted to the food scene, and we've compiled our list of the 100 best bites in the East Bay. Tear out these pages: It's your to-eat list. Bon appétit!" (editor and contributor)

Diablo • May 2016

A Cut Above

"When I signed up for a knife skills class, I wasn't a total novice. I mean, I knew a julienne from a chiffonade. But meal prep routinely took twice as much time as a recipe promised, and I needed to speed up my slice and dice."

Rhapsody • May 2016

Tasteful Art

"When asked at what point food becomes art, Corey Lee counters with more questions: 'When does art become art? Is it the intention or how it is perceived?' Lee, the three-Michelin-starred chef of San Francisco's Benu, is at the helm of In Situ, the restaurant inside the new San Francisco Museum of Modern Art."

Diablo • November 2015

Mi Casa, Su Casa

"It's late on a Sunday night, but Posada is packed. The only available table is on the patio, and despite space heaters, it's chilly. Owner Eduardo Posada comes by to offer me a jacket. A minute later, his wife, Blanca, offers the same."

Diablo • November 2015

Odd Jobs: The Big Cheese

"He teaches beer and cheese pairings at taprooms, gives presentations on the science of cheese at libraries, and helps customers at the new Whole Foods Market in Dublin create perfect holiday cheese platters. David Fleury is the East Bay's biggest cheese advocate—and one of about 400 Certified Cheese Professionals nationwide."

Diablo • August 2015

Top Dogs

"The staple of summer BBQs and baseball games is getting more plentiful—and more creative—each passing year."

Diablo • November 2012

Bacon All Day Long

"Strips of crispy bacon on the side of a pancake platter is sooo 2011. Go hog wild, and get the 'candy of meat' in a scone, as a jam, or blended with artisanal ice cream. Your doc may not approve, but this food trend is still smoking hot."