Sweet Salvation

Count on these mail-order chocolates for last-minute holiday gifts.

The Shoreline Central Market had a display of Chanukah coins and assorted treats when I was there yesterday. Other Town and Country markets (Ballard Market, Greenwood Market) might stock the same goods.

There were some recent discussions about where to find a decent espresso. Today I had a really nice and “authentic” french expresso at Bistro du Coin. Full disclosure: I usually prefer the smoother and less bitter...

After delicious if somewhat noisy dinner at Le Coin Mexicain. My girlfriend dragged me into this new (to me) Algerian bakery and café on the south side of Jean-Talon. They have a large selection of Algerian pastries, most of which...

old haunts of SF, Oakland, CA. There’s always the alternative of making it at home as well. I encourage everyone to head to their respective Asian food market and procure a rice cooker, seaweed sheets, bamboo sushi roller,...

Vasilopita is an ancient traditional Greek bread, slightly sweet, made for New Years for good luck. It is baked with a coin or, sometimes, and almond inside and the person who get the slice with the almond will “have good...

IN THE SF VALLEY-ENCINO SASSI MEDITERRANEAN KEHILLA GLATT KOSHER 15622 Ventura Blvd. (Ventura Blvd and Haskell – West of the 405)in a strip mall behind Valley Coins 818 986-5345 Just opened about 6 months ago – nice...

2 Cold Vegetable Sides 3 Desserts This is what I am planning on serving: Starters Goat Cheese w/Olive Oil, Lemon & Thyme Assorted Nuts Roasted Vegetable Platter Assorted Dips (Hummus, Baba Ghanouj, Muhammara) Italian Breadsticks

for many people are the oyster of choice to outdo kumamotos. Last week, we had an assortment of oysters at Lulu. Lulu has a strangely unpleasant, factory-like atmosphere, but most of the food remains strong. The oysters were...

the freshly roasted nuts there, and the owner, Steve, is tremendously helpful and willing to let you sample anythign there. I’m very fond of the licorice coins. Like you, I’m not wild about the extra-salty ones, but...

stale tasting as these donuts tend to be. Valerio sells assorted hopia which remind me of Chinese bean cakes. Searching around the web, someone says the hopia is symbolic. I think that hopia are also the Filipino version of moon...

My only trouble with that is the meniscus effect and the accuracy of the measuring cups. So I had a little sortie down tot he kitchen and pulled out my motley assortment of measuring devices. Using the bottom of the meniscus and...

-shaped pancetta-wrapped rillette was the absolute best thing on the plate. We also ordered a side dish of Tuscan-style fingerling potatoes with aioli. Wow. Perfectly seasoned and roasted little potato coins, ready to tip into a...

for a half hour earlier. The place is definitely not handicap accesible, being located at the top of a long flight of stairs, presenting an daunting but overcomeable(to coin a word) obstacle for the older folks, but at about 6:10...

Has anyone been to the Rendezvous Cafe on Wilson Blvd right next to the Arlington Arts Center? Its between Ballston and Virginia Square and is in a building that used to be a coin shop. I haven’t had the opportunity to stop...