Your guide to the tastiest foodie happenings going down this week. Bon Appetit!
One of San Francisco's best spots for coffee and toast is stepping out of their comfort zone with a taco pop up Wednesday night. Tacos Gringas—made up of a group of friends who worked together at Marin Sun Farms and Belcampo Meat Co.—will be slinging delicious tacos made from sustainably raised meats such as ancho-braised lamb neck, pollo verde, and braised beef shank. Free-range has never tasted so good. // Wednesday, November 4, 6-9pm; 736 Divisadero St, San Francisco.
THE FOOD LAB: BOOK SIGNING AT OMNIMORE BOOKS
Acclaimed chef and writer Kenji Lopez-Alt will be at Omnivore Books this week signing copies of his newly-released, New York Times best-selling cookbook The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science. From boiling an egg to braising beef, the book provides the best cooking techniques and recipes as well as the science to back it up. The book took Lopez-Alt over five years to write, is over five-hundred pages, and has quickly joined the ranks of essential cookbooks to own, so you’ll definitely want to get your copy signed (and then framed). // Friday, November 6, 6:30-7:30pm; 3885 Cesar Chavez St, San Francisco, omnivorebooks.com
LA COCINA’S FOOD & ENTREPRENEURSHIP CONFERENCE + FOOD BUS TOUR
Want to start your own food business? Take a leaf from the experts at La Cocina. On Saturday, executive director Caleb Zigas is hosting a food-filled bus tour through San Francisco with stops at successful La Cocina entrepreneurs such as El Huarache Loco at the Alemany Market and Onigilly on Kearny Street. On Sunday, spend the day learning the ins and outs of running a food business from the pros: Vinny Eng of Tartine Bakery, Robyn Fisher of Smitten Ice Cream, and Curtis Kimball of Crème Brulee Cart among others. // Saturday and Sunday, November 7-8; $100-$235, Get tickets here.
BAY LEAF KITCHEN HARVEST DINNER
Bay Leaf Kitchen, a nonprofit whose mission is to teach children and families how to cook sustainable food, is hosting a fundraiser dinner. The five-course meal will include oysters from Swan Oyster Depot, a 250-pound heritage Tamworth pig from Chef Lauren Kiino of Il Cane Rosso, desserts from Dandelion Chocolate, and more. All proceeds will go toward supporting Bay Leaf’s cooking and farming educational programs. // Saturday, November 7; 6:30-11:30pm, 303 2nd Street, San Francisco; $150-$200,Get tickets here.
TARTINE BAGELS + RUSS & DAUGHTERS + MISSION CHINESE FOOD
Imagine if Tartine Bakery made bagels and topped them with smoked salmon spread from New York’s famed Russ & Daughters. Sounds dreamy, right? Next week this foodie dream is set to become a reality in celebration of Mission Chinese Food’s new cookbook. Chef Danny Bowien will personally accompany the smoked salmon and schmear on a plane from New York, and then buckle down to cook a special dinner on Monday November, 16, where he’ll be debuting new menu items such as beef tartare lettuce cups, matcha noodles, and beef jerky fried rice. Don't hesitate. Tickets are sure to go fast. // Sunday and Monday, November 15-16, 2234 Mission Street. $60-$85, Get tickets here.
SOLAGE CALISTOGA KICKS OFF THE HOLIDAY SEASON WITH A SPARKLE & SAVOR DINING SERIES
Thwart the yearly onset of the bah-humbugs by attending one of Solage Calistoga's Sparkle & Savor dinners: The weekly five-course holiday feasts are prepared by a star chef with a celebrated winery curating all the necessary pairings. With this equation, merrymaking is inevitable. We’re especially looking forward to the Laurent-Perrier Champagne dinner by chef David Nayfeld, co-owner of the forthcoming rustic Italian tavern Che Fico. Though the dinners are a little steep ($250 per person), feel good knowing that a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Calistoga Education Foundation—a good deed worthy of Santa’s “Nice” list. Do yourself a favor and book a room at the resort that night, since all signs point to full bellies and a really good buzz. —Leilani Marie Labong // November 28–December 31; 755 Silverado Trail, Calistoga, solagecalistoga.com
