Category Archives: Spirits/Cocktails/Beer

A Visit to Chef Bruno Chemel’s Le Parc Bistrobar in Downtown San Francisco

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Tarte tatin a l'oignon at Le Parc Bistrobar.
Tarte tatin a l’oignon at Le Parc Bistrobar.

When Chef Bruno Chemel shuttered his Bistronomie by Baume in Palo Alto in August 2023 after less than a year, he thought about retiring.

Who could blame him? After all, before transforming that California Avenue space into a more casual establishment, he had spent the previous 13 years overseeing it in its original incarnation as the cutting-edge, fine-dining Baume restaurant known for its eye-popping molecular gastronomy.

It garnered him one Michelin star for three years before it was elevated to two stars, a distinction it held for a long nine years even in its later stage when it was only Chemel and his wife Christie running the entire restaurant alone.

If anyone deserved a rest after all of that, surely he did.

Chef Bruno Chemel.
Chef Bruno Chemel.

Of course, that lasted all of a heartbeat. Only a month later, he was scouring locations for a new restaurant.

Last summer, he opened Le Parc Bistrobar in the Galleria Park Hotel with his wife by his side, designing the cocktails and running the dining room. This time, though, they do have the help of other employees.

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February Sips

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A Pinot Noir to savor.
A Pinot Noir to savor.

2021 B. Wise Vineyards Lucky Well Vineyard Pinot Noir

When Brion Wise spotted the former Sonoma cattle ranch property in the 1990s with a dirt road, and no easements, buildings or infrastructure to speak of, he didn’t hightail it out of there; he had found his paradise.

An engineer who grew up on a farm in rural Washington, founded his B. Wise Vineyards there, planting the vineyards in 2002 and constructing a home for himself and his wife Ronda West Wise.

The winery specializes in single-vineyard wines, each made by a different veteran winemaker.

I had a chance to try a sample of its 2021 Lucky Well Vineyard Russian River Pinot Noir ($75). It’s made from grapes from the Lucky Well vineyard near Occidental that gets its share of breezes off the Pacific Ocean.

It’s an inky plum-garnet color with the fragrance of summer berries, and the taste of cherries and boysenberries with a hint of cinnamon, mint, and brambly earth.

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Raise A Pint to Chicken Guinness Stew with Creamy Cauliflower Mash

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Swap out beef for chicken in this delicious Guinness stew.
Swap out beef for chicken in this delicious Guinness stew.

These days, with grocery prices still doing major damage to the wallet, it’s no surprise that chicken is — and has long been — the most popular meat consumed in the United States.

That makes “Chicken Guinness Stew” especially appealing.

After all, not only are chicken thighs and drumsticks cheaper than beef stew meat, but they cook up faster and are lower in fat.

That’s a win-win-win.

This riff on the classic Irish stew is from “Delicious Tonight” (Countryman Press, 2024), of which I received a review copy.

It was written by Nagi Maehashi, creator of the popular blog, RecipeTin Eats, who was born in Japan and raised in Australia. Her philanthropic not-for-profit, RecipeTin Meals, donates more than 130,000 meals annually to those in need in her community.

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Roasted Sweet Potatoes Get Even Better With A Little Bourbon

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Whole roasted sweet potatoes get jazzed up with miso and bourbon.
Whole roasted sweet potatoes get jazzed up with miso and bourbon.

Although whiskey can be made anywhere in the world, it can only be called “bourbon” if it’s made in the United States.

Who knew!

That’s because Congress passed a law in 1964 that declared bourbon as “America’s Native Spirit.”

You’ll learn that and so much more in “Bourbon Land” (Artisan), of which I received a review copy.

This “spirited love letter” is by James Beard Award-winning Edward Lee, chef-owner of 610 Magnolia and Nami, both in Louisville, KY, who writes both romantically and knowledgeably about Kentucky’s most famous liquor.

Indeed, since Lee opened his flagship restaurant in 2002 and made Kentucky his home, he’s been passionate about drinking and cooking with bourbon.

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The Showy New Eos & Nyx Electrifies Downtown San Jose

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An amuse of teeny tuna tartare cones greets every diner at the new Eos & Nyx.
An amuse of teeny tuna tartare cones greets every diner at the new Eos & Nyx.

These days, when you hear of a splashy new restaurant opening its doors, you’ll be forgiven if your thoughts automatically go to San Francisco, Wine Country, or even Palo Alto.

Eos & Nyx, however, is not in any of those places, but rather in downtown San Jose.

Previously a movie theater, the soaring space has been transformed into a glitzy, two-story, 4,000-square-foot Mediterranean restaurant. Fifteen months in the making, it was designed by San Diego’s Basile Studio, which also did California’s Puesto restaurants, including the one in Santa Clara.

The entrance in downtown San Jose.
The entrance in downtown San Jose.
The stylish dining room.
The stylish dining room.
The view from the second floor.
The view from the second floor.

Appropriately named for the Greek goddesses of day and night, Eos & Nyx takes on a different personality from brunch (Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays) to dinner (Tuesday through Saturday). During the day, when the weather is warm, the floor-to-ceiling, garage-door front windows can be raised to bring the outdoors in, bathing the leafy dining room adorned with lifelike fake trees and even river rocks underneath the booths with tons of natural light. At night, the vibe is more Vegas-like with moodier lighting that makes the copper accents glimmer and the back-lighted bar stand out.

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