1. Spring Sprouting
This is that great time of year when root vegetables and caramelized braises give way to signs of spring. We’re seeing some of the seasons’ finest vegetables making their debuts on menu around town: Jardinière is serving Prather Ranch lamb with fava beans and spring onion, Millennium has artichokes al cartoccio with roasted fennel; spring garlic; spicy seitan sausage and Meyer lemon, and at Pizzeria Delfina you can order a side-dish of first-of-the-season asparagus topped with lardo butter.


photography by Marie Richie

2. Don’t Be a Chicken
Want fresh eggs from your own backyard? Join The Homeless Garden Project’s Paul Glowaski on Saturday morning, March 29th, at the Garden for the Environment (7th Ave. at Lawton St.) and learn how to legally raise chickens and ducks in SF at their “City Chickens and Ducks, Too!” workshop.

3. Art of Artichokes
Celebrate one of spring’s prettiest products in a roll-up-your-sleeves afternoon cooking class at Palio d’Asti on Saturday April 5th. At the end of the class, feast upon your creations, paired with wines chose by wine director Juli Gregg.



4. Eat Out for SFWAR
On April 3rd, supporting the fight against sexual assault is as simple as going out to eat with friends.  All day, San Francisco Women Against Rape is encouraging people to patronize “Dine for a Change” participating restaurants like Destino, Namu and Boogaloos, where 15-40% of sales will benefit the organization.  For a list of participating restaurant, click here.



5. Prime Your Palate
At Taste 2008, 18 artists will use familiar foods like frosted cookies, sundaes and popsicles to express desire, sex, domestic comforts, and other themes. Using a variety of different media (both edible and not) the artists have created works that ask questions about the origins of the food we eat, how we consume food as a culture, and our fantasies and desires associated with food. The opening reception is Saturday, April 12th from 7-10pm at Root Division.

6. Get It While It’s Hot
The Mission is getting yet more restaurant love—Beretta, a new pizzeria and neighborhood bar, is opening in the former Last Supper Club space (1199 Valencia St.) next Tuesday, April 1 (no joke). Owned by Ruggero Gadaldi, the Italian behind Antica Trattoria and Pesce, they’ll be serving antipasti, pizzas and cocktails specially created by mixologist about town Thad Vogler.

7. Sweet Finish
Uptown in NoPa, San Francisco’s first dessert lounge, Candybar, has opened (1335 Fulton St.). The sleek, bright space serves four-course tasting menus of gourmet desserts (such as blood orange baked Alaska with candied fennel and honeycomb) paired with wine as well as à la carte options, such as their Bourbon coke float. A smaller menu of savory items rounds out the offerings.