Sweeping view
Palmer's Tavern, CoRo, Ordinaire, Sweetwater, Sourcery, Chanco, MORE
WORK • Wednesday Routine
Mendocino dreams
LILY CHAIT • private chef & caterer • Eating with Lily
Neighborhood you live in: Kensington
It’s Wednesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
I wake up and go to my favorite coffee shop, CoRo, for a cortado, and then head to Redwood Regional Park to walk the hour-long loop I fell in love with during Covid. Then, I’ll head home to sort through the haul I got at the San Rafael Farmers Market. They treat chefs especially well, with provided chef parking and carts for picking up bulk items. I’ve purchased the craziest, most beautiful Full Belly Farm eggplant, a wild mixed box of mushrooms curated and grown by Amanda at KM Mushrooms, and thirty pounds of gorgeous grass-fed bavette steaks from Stemple Creek.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
Evenings often begin at Ordinaire, my favorite wine bar in Oakland. It specializes in natural 0/0 wine and has a beautifully curated selection. Kevin and Daniel, two Ordinaire employees, might be serving food via their pop-up, Two Bellies, whose menu is regularly full of delicious pre-dinner snacks that could also act as a whole meal. But tonight we’re going to Soba Ichi. After a quick glass, I head to nourish my mind, body, and spirit with homemade soba noodles, cucumber with duck miso, and local Den Sake all enjoyed within their cozy indoor/outdoor space. I might also stop at Tallboy for a martini before heading to the Tacos El Autlense taco truck outside of the Hotsy Totsy to order a carnitas burrito that will lull me to sleep.
How about a little leisure or culture?
When I have a free afternoon, I love going over to the BAMPFA, the museum right near UC Berkeley’s campus. I also love to go out to Albany Bulb for a wander by the Bay and to look at the different pieces of art. ‘Might even bring a drink and a snack to have a picnic by the water.
Any weekend getaways?
Mendocino is always on my mind, especially at this time of year. My partner loves mushroom hunting, so we’ll go up for the day to hike under pine trees, then we might book a hot tub at Sweetwater. Stopping at The Bell to pick up a bottle of hyperlocal wine and finishing the night with dinner and a show at Good Bones.
What was your last great vacation?
I’ve recently fallen in love with East Coast seasons changing, particularly Burlington, VT in the fall. We drove through several orchards to arrive at Bread and Puppet for the closing summer ceremony of political puppeteering. We spent every night at Bar Renee for the perfect cozy wine bar vibe featuring natural wines and local ciders. It’s worth a trip just for their cheese board. And then I bought all new clothes at Kish, where they somehow have all the clothes I want to buy. Accompanied with cold plunges and autumnal hikes, it’s a perfect place to spend some time.
What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
I recently bought some platters from the incredible Los Angeles-based ceramicist Darcy Groves of Darcy Cyr Ceramics.
What store or service do you always recommend?
One of the first places my friend and fellow private chef, Sam, told me about was Chanco, an amazing restaurant supply store in Chinatown in Oakland. Also, Hida Tool in Berkeley has an incredible selection of kitchen tools and does knife sharpening.
WORK LINKS: There is only one AI company • The horror of the work blunder • A look at the state of America’s work-from-home capitals • A movie lover’s guide to the business of work.
BARS & RESTAURANTS • First Round
Tavern on the hill
The Skinny: Pac Heights mainstay Palmer’s Tavern reopened this fall after a two-year hiatus for extensive repairs following a damaging water line break. The old-fashioned aesthetic remains, thanks to owner Sam Fechheimer’s dedication to the tavern’s original vision and unwillingness to compromise on quality. For its big redux, the bar and gastropub brought in chef Matt Woods (previously of Gather and Scopo Divino) to freshen up the classic menu.