Among chefs, Dominique Crenn is a rarity. She can grunt through a grueling Iron Chef America competition, win it, and then charm Elle magazine into touting her cool-girl style in the midst of “frumptopia San Francisco.” Anyone who might doubt the juxtaposition of her lithe, fashion-forward frame with her culinary acclaim will have a hard time arguing with the accolades she received during her three years at the head of Luce, the high-end restaurant located in SF’s Intercontinental Hotel. In 2008, Esquire dubbed her chef of the year and the Michelin Guide awarded her a star two years in a row.

Digest it for a second: "Gluten-free." Not the most appetizing of terms now, is it?  But now diners with celiac disease and/or the related gluten-free diet restrictions are multiplying faster than active yeast. And it's in every restaurant owner's best interest -- be it Michael Mina or Ike Shehadeh -- to consider catering to the gluten-free lifestyle.

Ask the average San Franciscan, “What’s an izakaya?” and bet on a blank stare as your response. The word is about as common as “bar” in Japan, but we’re just starting to crack the surface of the notion around here. In its original form, an izakaya is built around alcohol, consumed ad nauseum, and flanked with the necessary protein-heavy small plates to keep peace. Sure there’s sashimi, but skewered meats are the pulse-quickener: hearts, intestines and even chicken feet often steal the show. The protein-heavy barrage ends with a judicious rice bomb of onigiri. Oyaji and Izakaya Sozai have done this forever in the Richmond. And with the past year’s advent of Berkeley’s Ippuku and the Mission’s Nombe, I’d dare say izakayas are a trend.