The second of three eateries planned for the Pleasanton Hotel, Lily’s Spirited Dining, pays homage to the town’s fascination with the paranormal. Patrons will be thrilled that the old, musty smells that haunted the building for decades are gone. The dining room, which is to the left when you enter the hotel, now possesses an elegant ambiance that lends itself well for …
Aiming to give the oft-maligned Albatross a fresh chapter in its lonely tale, Danville’s new restaurant with the same name celebrates the journey that the bird capable of circumnavigating the globe in 46 days takes with an eclectic menu that will both surprise and delight. Many items on Albatross’ menu are meant to be enjoyed as tapas, and if you’ve …
From hotcakes and omelets at breakfast to pasta puttanesca and blackened salmon at dinner, Lafayette’s Hideout Kitchen dishes up superb offerings that are sure to please even the pickiest eaters. An order of mussels and clams is a perfect start to a cool evening. Word of warning, you’re going to need extra bread to soak up the garlic, onion, white …
It appears that self-serve tap rooms are the new rage. If you haven’t tried one yet, check out Livermore’s Hops and Sessions where you can see a game from every seat in the house while spending time perfecting your pouring skills. Check in at the front counter for your wristband, which is needed for both beer and food purchases. All …
After struggling with work-life-training balance, some niggling health issues and a one-year-old overly energetic Border Collie, I declared 2018 to be the Year of the 5K. I assumed that rather than meet up with running friends who had made the exodus out of the San Francisco Bay Area to cities less congested for a destination half marathon as I had done …
All you have to do is walk through the doors of Livermore’s Range Life to know that Bill and Sarah Niles are no strangers to the restaurant business. Before joining forces with Brooklyn mixologist Waine Longwell, Bill was the co-chef at Tartine and Sarah the sommelier at Outerlands. Together the friends have transformed the former Charlotte’s Web location into the …
Focaccia was an absolute favorite of mine growing up. My grandmother used to serve at holidays and special events and on occasion, my father would bring it home from a local Italian deli for Saturday lunch. I loved the thick bread covered in my favorite pizza toppings. Fast forward 15 years or so and it seemed like focaccia bread was on every …
Living in the Bay Area has its perks, including day trips to the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. In the past, trips to wine country have involved tasting way too many wines at as many wineries as possible. The result? Buying wines I didn’t really love, which I blame on a variation on the law of diminishing returns (the more you …