Blueberries and passion fruit combine for this summery flavor from New York’s Ciao Bella. (Photo by Carolyn Jung)

Introducing A New Summer Ciao Bella Flavor

I like to think of this as a non-guilty pleasure.

After all, Ciao Bella’s new Blueberry Passion Fruit Sorbetto is not only delicious, but it has 0 grams fat, 0 grams cholesterol, and 0 grams sodium. It’s also dairy-free. A half cup has 110 calories.

I had a chance to try a sample recently. It’s a little berry sweet. A twinge tangy. And a whole lot refreshing. Kind of like a favorite smoothie in frozen form.

A 14-ounce container is $5.39 and sold exclusively at Whole Foods.

Ruth Reichl in Conversation in Mountain View

You won’t want to miss the one and only Ruth Reichl in conversation with Michael Krasny at 8 p.m. Aug. 31 at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts.

Ruth Reichl. (photo courtesy of the author)

The noted restaurant critic, author and former editor in chief of Gourmet magazine, Reichl will be joined by the host of Forum on KQED.

It’s part of the Peninsula Open Space Trust’s Wallace Stegner Lecture Series. Tickets are $22.

New Viet Sandwich Cart at Santana Row

Three Seasons Restaurant of Palo Alto has added to its stable of popular banh mi carts with one at Santana Row in San Jose.

It joins its original one right outside its Palo Alto restaurant. The Santana Row one can be found near the Piazza di Valencia at Olin Avenue and Winchester Boulevard.

The crusty sandwiches run about $8 each. Selections inclue the “Street Food,” piled with grilled pork, chicken and pork pate, mayo, cucumber, cilantro, pickles, Maggi soy sauce and jalapeno; and “Veggie,” with lemongrass tofu, portobello mushroom, pickles, cilantro and cucumber.

Check Out Amour Amour in San Mateo

I couldn’t be more proud of my friend and former newspaper colleague De Tran, who is now heading the kitchen at Amour Amour in downtown San Mateo.

Scallops with a creamy coconut-lychee sauce. (Photo by Carolyn Jung)

A bon vivant who could rock an Armani suit while perfectly turning a phrase in a story, Tran always was a wonderful home-cook. It’s thrilling to see him expand beyond that with a roster of global small plates at this charming restaurant full of Francophile touches.

Enjoy dishes such as foie gras with wine-poached pear; kabocha squash with honey-butter sauce and pumpkin seeds; and seared scallops with lychee-coconut sauce.

And give him a pat on the back for me.

More: Dinner at Three Seasons Restaurant