Well Fed On the Town

Bittersweet, the chocolate cafe with locations in San Francisco and Oakland, now sells ki’Xocolatl chocolate bars from Belgian chocolatier l’Amandine. The ki’Xocolatl line celebrates the ancient Mayan chocolate tradition while using modern European chocolate-making techniques. Ki’Xocolatl chocolate is made of organic criollo beans grown in Mexico.
I tried the ki’Xocolatl dark chocolate with red pepper and […]

For the past thirty odd years, policymakers, scientists and consumer advocates convene to talk about food and ultimately, establish policies that affect the American diet. This year is no different. Or is it?
This Thursday in San Francisco, the Commonwealth Club presents a panel discussion on proposed changes to the National Food Policy and its affects […]

The Fancy Food Show is a city of food. A state of food. A continent. A planet. Entering this wonderland of food at Moscone Center is overwhelming, to say the least. If you’re going as a wholesaler, retailer, or producer, you might pretty well know what you’re looking for. If you’re going as a journalist […]

Being a Bay Area resident, food enthusiast, and foodblogger, I consider attending Slow Food Nation a civic duty. This was the first big Slow Food-organized event that did not necessitate an expensive trans-Atlantic flight and a hotel stay. So, I coughed up the $65 for a ticket to the last four-hour shift at the Taste […]

Photo by David Corby, copyright 2006.
Lest you thought Oakland was merely San Francisco’s little step-sister, here’s a brief update on good eats across the bay.
Water
A new restaurant called Water Lounge + Raw Bar has replaced the recently closed Pearl Oyster Bar and Restaurant. Externally, nothing seems to have changed save for the name of […]

Photo by DJ Wallstrom, from the Farmer Brown website.
Farmer Brown is a restaurant and bar that showcases the produce of local African-American farmers. The menu consists of riffs on American Southern food, such as greens, macaroni and cheese, fried chicken, poor boy sandwiches. The goal of Farmer Brown is to bring to city folk produce […]

Have you ever gone out for dim sum and wondered what to order? So have I. Here’s a short overview of a few items I ordered recently at my favorite neighborhood Chinese place, Happy Valley’s in Oakland.
You might have noticed that this is a departure from your regularly scheduled post. I’m new to vlogging, so […]

Like a bell to a dog, the very mention of the name Scharffen Berger tends to induce instant salivation among chocolate lovers. The Berkeley-based chocolate company is one of the few “bean to bar” chocolate manufacturers in the United States. Unlike most chocolate companies in the U.S., Scharffen Berger works with cacao farmers all over […]

Bittersweet, the self-described chocolate café of Oakland and San Francisco, is one of my favorite places to get a chocolate fix. Whether you’re looking for a good dark chocolate bar such as Hachez 88%, a steamy cup of probably the best vegan hot chocolate around, or some nice pain au chocolat, Bittersweet probably has what […]

Nobody writes obituaries for restaurants, except for those brief little blips you might see in the restaurant gossip column of the Chronicle. But those by the by tidbits are so dry and business-like. Such and such restaurant closed, chef so and so to relocate. Sometimes it’s just “[insert name of vaguely known but not quite […]