After 23 years in the theater, Jared Hirsch, 44, found his calling at the bar. These days, the former New York actor is bar manager at Sidebar in Oakland, where he’s worked for seven years, as well as the co-owner of Nickle Dime Syrups, a cocktail syrup company. He lives in Oakland with his wife…
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Organic Epicure
Organic Epicure
She went from suburban SoCal to humane cattle ranching in West Marin
When Lisa Poncia and her husband, Loren, first started dating, she made it clear that she wasn’t keen on living on the West Marin ranch where Loren grew…
Small Bites
10-course vegetarian menu will sample diverse Israeli dishes; Oren’s Hummus Express now open
Oren’s Hummus, the Palo-Alto based chain with four full-service restaurants offering hummus, shwarma and other Israeli favorites, opened its first Oren’s…
Organic Epicure
Israeli TV food personality Gil Hovav's ‘eccentric’ origins
Gil Hovav is well known in Israel as a TV food personality, chef, food journalist and writer. He also has a reputation as a storyteller, and the stories…
Organic Epicure
At this pop-up, food is path to Mideast peace
The most extraordinary food experience I’ve had recently had little to do with the food. It had to do with the people. That is not to disparage chef Mona…
Small Bites
Babka by Ayélet launches brunch menu; Dashe Cellars leaving Oakland for Alameda
Babka by Ayélet in Palo Alto is now offering brunch items on Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings. Choices include borekas with Israeli salad, or muesli…
Organic Epicure
Firefly chef Brad Levy’s family food tales — and his 2019 Passover menu
Firefly chef-owner Brad Levy is the first to say his Reform Jewish upbringing in the St. Louis suburb University City (known by residents as “Jew City”)…
Passover
4 families’ Passover foods from Iran, Iraq, Latvia — and the East Bay
If there are dishes more closely associated with Ashkenazi Passover cooking than matzah ball soup and gefilte fish, we can’t think of them. But as Jews…
Organic Epicure
Delfina chef Craig Stoll shares secret of his family’s nutty matzah balls
Delfina’s Passover menus have been around for nearly as long as the 20-year-old San Francisco Mission District restaurant itself. Chef-owner Craig Stoll…