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11/28/08
We received a great response to the Diablomag.com web exclusive contest to win Thanksgiving dinner for two from Yankee Pier in Lafayette. The winning entrant came from Michelle Dooner of San Ramon. We asked each reader to post what they are thankful for this year along with their entry. We were really touched by the responses! Here's what some Diablo readers are thankful for:
I am blessed to have my family (my wife and children, mom, siblings, great in-laws), and to live in this community where my children are getting a great education, meeting nice people, where we feel safe, where we opportunities we never had in other areas, and ... where we can dine at great restaurants like Yankee Pier!
I am fortunate to be able to live in the Easy Bay where I grew...
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11/25/08
You may have seen Seattle’s Trophy Cupcakes on the Martha Stewart Show or Beverly Hills-based Sprinkles cupcakes on Oprah. Or maybe you’ve noticed little cupcake shops cropping up in San Francisco. It’s undeniable—cupcakes are it. Now the cupcake craze is moving to the ‘burbs. Just ask Gloria Bruner, of the East Bay’s Dolcé, The Little Bake Shop, whose cupcakes are pictured above. Cupcakes, explains Bruner, aren’t just for taking to school to celebrate your son or daughter’s eighth birthday; they are becoming the confection of choice at many events, including weddings, baby showers and office parties. Why settle for plain vanilla cupcakes when you could have flavors such as Dolcé’s red velvet,...
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11/24/08
Don't feel like cooking this Thanksgiving? No worries! Plenty of East Bay restaurants are serving special Thanksgiving dinners. Click here to see our roundup. Now here's the cool part: Our friends at Yankee PIer in Lafayette are going to give two lucky Diablo readers an awesome Thanksgiving treat—dinner for free, plus a bottle of wine. Fresh off its recent Diablo Food Award Yankee Pier's Thanksgiving dinner costs $34.95 per adult; $17.50 for children 10 & under; and it's free for children under 3 years. Chef Michael Dunn at Yankee Pier Lafayette will offer a three course...
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11/24/08
Thanksgiving is less than a week away, and if you’re thinking of going out for dinner instead of feasting at home this year, there are plenty of restaurants serving fabulous Thanksgiving dinners. While all of them are serving the traditional turkey with sides, many also offer non-traditional choices like salmon, ribs or ham. Wherever you decide to eat, though, call ahead to make reservations; the restaurants are anticipating full houses.
Bridges
1:00pm – 7:00pm; reservation required;
3-course prix fixe menu $44-55 depending on entree
44 Church St., Danville; (925) 820-7200
Eccolo,
3:00pm – 8:00pm
3-course prix fixe menu $65.00/adult ($95.00 with wine pairings), $35.00/child
1820 Fourth St.,...
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11/21/08
Congratulations to this week's Diablo Dish online contest winner. Kerry Wells of Danville won two tickets to the Warren W. Eukel Teacher Trust Dinner at Diablo Country Club. The event featured a wonderful menu, organized by Narsai David, with each course prepared by a different East Bay chef. Click here to read about this week's contest: Thanksgiving dinner for two to Yankee Pier in Lafayette!
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11/19/08
St. George Spirits Distillery is offering a new twist to holiday shopping. The distillery is having an a Hangar One open house party, allowing customers a leisurely shopping day while enjoying food and drink. The event is being held this Saturday, November 22, 2008, from 1 to 6 pm and includes three cocktails (including St. George’s new Spiced Pear Vodka), ice luges, and music. The stills will be running during the day, giving attendees the opportunity to view live distillation. Food options include Recchiuti Confections, June Taylor Jams, Boccalone, and La Cocina who will serve samples, as well as, offering gift packages. BART travelers are offered a free shuttle service to ensure ease and comfort of the trip. Tickets are $30 in advance, $40 at the door. St....
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11/19/08
Looking for a restaurant menu that will give you some great fall dishes? Incontro has just brought back its fall menu with a few new dishes to accompany last year’s favorites. Dishes include salad with Farro pear and gorgonzola, a carrot tagliatelle with pork ragout, gnocchi alla Piemontese, and grilled rib eye steak. The Italian restaurant has also introduced a new prix-fixe dinner menu for just $25 that will be available Tuesday through Thursday. The meal includes choice of an appetizer, main course, and a dessert. Incontro, 2065 San Ramon Valley Blvd., San Ramon, (925) 820-6969, www.incontrosanramon.com
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11/18/08
Who says there's no such thing as a free lunch? Select Chipotle restaurants offer that classic "drop your business card in the fish bowl, win free lunch for your office" promotion. And today, Diablo's staff chowed down on free burritos at the Walnut Creek Chipotle, because our associate art director, Alisha Petro, had her business card drawn from the bowl. Way to go, Alisha! You rock girl! My barbacoa black bean burrito was awesome! www.chipotle.com
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11/17/08
Don't have plans for dinner this Thursday? Maybe you' like to dine at Diablo Country Club, sampling a special menu featuring courses prepared by an all-star team of chefs from Lark Creek, Bridges, Postino, Walnut Creek Yacht Club and other top restaurants. This Thursday, November 20, the 17th Annual Warren W. Eukel Teacher Trust Dinner takes place at Diablo Country Club—the event honors three outstanding East Bay teachers with $10,000 grants, so it's a very good cause. Even better is the cuisine. Acclaimed foodie Narsai David prepares the menu each year, working with top local chefs to create a very memorable dinner. Tickets are $150 each, and there are still some seats available. And this year, two lucky winners will get to go for free. If you'd like to go, simply...
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11/13/08
Oliveto will offer its annual homage to the world-famous tuber with their White Truffle Dinners, November 18-21. The dinners will feature chef Paul Canales’ creations made with fresh Italian truffles hunted for and brought back from Italy by Bob Klein, Oliveto’s co-owner.
Klein scours Italy’s prime white truffle fields – principally the mixed forests in Piedmont, Romagna, Umbria and Tuscany – to collect the much sought-after delicacy. His yearly expedition insures that the dinners are made with the freshest and most potent ones on the West Coast. “Freshness is an extremely important factor in enjoying truffles,” said Canales. “We have found that the only reliable way to provide this experience to Oliveto’s tables is to...
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11/13/08
To jumpstart your ho-ho-ho spirits, head over to Rosenblum Cellars, Alameda, for their 2008 Holiday Hoorah Open House, November 15–16, 1-5 pm. The winery is located close to Alameda’s ferry terminal. The festive event will feature new and current release wines, live music and lots o’ hors d'oeuvres.
Local veterinarian Ken Rosenblum and wife, Kathy, founded the winery 30 years ago. Today, Rosenblum Cellars is recognized as one of North America’s most acclaimed producers of Zinfandel and Rhône varietal wines. Very vine indeed.
General Admission tickets are $40 online ($50 at the door). Wine Club members pay $25 online ($35 at the door) and get advance admission 12-1 pm.
Rosenblum Cellars, 2900 Main Street,...
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11/12/08
If you're driving to the mountains this winter, one thing you probably don't want to do is load up the cargo area of your SUV with raw fish. We did, and only narrowly averted disaster.
OK, so it was my idea. A group of us were going skiing for the weekend. While planning the trip, I started crowing about how wonderful it would be to come home from a day of flying down the cold mountains to a steaming bowl of cioppino, tomato-based fish and shellfish stew. We'd cook it Friday night at our cabin, and have it ready to heat up when we finished skiing on Saturday. Everyone agreed cioppino would make an awesome after-ski meal, but wouldn't it be easier to just eat out, they asked me.
I didn't answer because by that point I had entered Cioppino Land. I was far, far...
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11/06/08
You went to Gourmet East Bay, you tried all the fabulous appetizers, and voted on the tastiest and best presentation. Now the results are in! This year’s favorite appetizer is awarded to Lark Creek’s refreshing tomato and mozzarella salad and flatbread with figs. Va de Vi wins best presentation with their forks and spoons presentation of Ahi tuna. We are currently celebrating Restaurant Week until November 9, and have more than 40 restaurants participating—three course lunches are $20, and dinners are $30. Click here for more information.
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11/04/08
Diablo's executive editor, Michaela Jarvis, went on ABC-7s The View from the Bay yesteday to talk about the winners of our 2008 Food Awards. Hosts Spencer Christian and Janelle Wang interviewed Michaela about the East Bay food scene and Diablo's November Food Issue. Michaela was joined by chef Jeffrey Amber of Gigi in Lafayette, who received a special plate for being one of Diablo's eight winning restaurants this year.Click here to watch the clip. Fashionistas take...
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11/04/08
It’s Crab Season again...so pull out those bibs. This year, you can get your feasting on, surrounded by celebs. The 9th Annual Biletnikoff Foundation Celebrity Crab Feast & Sports Auction will be Nov. 7 at the San Ramon Marriott. You’ll be in good company with past and present Raiders, Raiderettes, and Greg Papa, voice of the Raiders and master of ceremonies for the event. A sports auction and live music by Pa Pa Do Run Run add to the fun. Tickets are $120 and proceeds help the foundation continue their efforts with young people to address substance abuse and gender violence. The foundation was established in 1999 when Tracey Biletnikoff, daughter of former Raider Fred Biletnikoff, was brutally murdered. For event information and ticket purchases, click
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