VENU’s custom-tailored interface allows your guests to actually explore your wine collection, encouraging them to interact with the wine’s history, creating a connection between your guest and your vintners. Engage your audience in the story of their food and wine.

As many a wandering foodie will tell you, one of the enduring mysteries of dining in San Francisco has to do with Chinatown. Namely, where does one go to find a decent meal there?

Ought to be a no-brainer, but not so. Eating in San Francisco's Chinatown is kind of like searching for the perfect jacket at your favorite secondhand store – you've got to dig through some dross to find the gems. But gems there are, and one of them is the subject of today's post: Bund Shanghai Restaurant.

Situated just off Kearny on a busy stretch of Jackson Street, Bund is a modest outpost flanked by a surfeit of larger competitors. When it comes to cuisine, however, they stand tall. Dumplings are of course a go-to at any Shanghainese spot, and here they are sublime. The pork dumplings are fabulous as expected, but one of the carnivores at our table actually preferred the vegetarian version (they were damn close, IMHO). The spicy eggplant is another standout, simple and perfectly rendered, with a delicious sauce sporting just enough bite.

And for something truly delicious that you've never had, ask for the special Chicken Feather Vegetable. No, it is not chicken. Yes, it is a vegetable. And yes, you must order it. In fact, none of the items we tried fell short, and the extensive menu invites many return visits. Prices are on the low side, which means you can experiment without going overboard. 

Special Bonus: the staff is super-friendly. Is that your stomach growling? Better go eat.

Bund Shanghai
640 Jackson Street
San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 982-0618

This is not a photo of The Wine House

Hey y'all. If I know my audience, I'd guess you probably often find yourself wondering: where do those clever folks over at Farm+Cellar go to get their wine on?

Well, wonder no more. Like our love, we tend to spread our business around. But when the chips are down and the fridge is tapped, we have a secret weapon: The SF Wine House.

This Winehouse is nestled at the base of Potrero Hill in a warehouse location that might generously be described as unassuming, just out of the way enough to guarantee easy parking. Backwater location notwithstanding, these are very canny operators indeed; eschewing the Napa-heavy selections of most local retailers, SFWH offers a selection of wines leaning toward the old world, with a decided emphasis on the French. The staff is very knowledgeable and friendly, and the values are rife: I've walked out of this place with more blockbuster under-$20 wines than the Mission has hipsters.

Go see these guys, they keep asking about you.

129 Carolina Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 355-9463

I know what you're thinking, but that's not it at all. I've been to the one in France, and it's OK, if you like fancy stuff. 

But if food is what you are after, skip it and hop the redeye to Miami's Little Havana. That's where you will find the delectable epicenter of Cuban-American Culture, food and politics: Versailles Cuban Restaurant. 

Versailles isn't a restaurant so much as a compound. There are no less than four spots inside the block-long set of buildings where one can be fed. The main restaurant is flanked with a cafe, a lunch counter and an espresso/sandwich window, all turning out the best Cuban cuisine to be found anywhere outside (or arguably, inside) of the island nation. Pull up at 7:00 am, and there are typically a couple dozen guayabera-clad oldsters holding court, bitching about Fidel between cafecitos.

Farm+Cellar made the pilgrimage this week, and we're happy to report that Versailles is in top form. Ropa Vieja, Masas de Puerco Fritas (that's fried pork chunks, for you carnitas fans), black beans, sweet plantains, and the best Cuban sandwiches you will ever eat – they are all here, and done the way they should be. The bakery (all the way to the right) is the spot for sandwiches, and their Medianoche is easily the best you'll find. Don't miss the empanadas, croquetas and sweet pastilitos, either - they are perfect for taking with.

We opted for a pork-laden white bean Galician stew to keep it light, and (other than the folly of thinking a Cuban soup might be  'light') it did not disappoint. A fat bag full of sandwiches  and empanadas later, we were on our way. Let me tell you, we ate that stuff for a day and a half, and there was not a misstep.

Next time South, trust me – do the trip yourself. You'll see why Little Havana is everything it's cracked up to be.

Versailles Restaurant
355 SW 8th Street (Calle Ocho)
Miami, FL 33135
(305) 444-0240

Our man Pete Mrabe from Don Pistos has been busy. His solid Mexican spot has become a mainstay for North Beach revelers, jazzing up a formerly sleepy stretch of Union Street. Not content to sit back and enjoy the crowds, this week Mr. Mrabe unveiled his new project: Chubby Noodle.

This is North Beach's first proper popup restaurant, popping up in this case inside of Amante, longtime Green Street hang.   Pete's taking over the kitchen part-time (hours are still fungible, so check out the Facebook page below), and no joke: this stuff ROCKS. A look at the new menu reveals ramen aplenty, hawaiian poke, salmon ceviche, and what your Steadfast Commentator can confirm to be the best fried chicken ever.

Get over there and get some of the love.

www.facebook.com/pages/The-Chubby-Noodle/156873704395748

I'm here to sing the praises of a lovely lady without whom I would surely perish – the Kitchen Witch. That's no pejorative, mind you – this witch is actually the very talented proprietor of Crepe O Chocolat on O'Farrell just up from Market Street.

This delightful lass whips up a mean $7 kale-and-brussels-sprouts salad for me at least twice a week at lunchtime, in the process keeping the gears of genius cranking here at Farm+Cellar. She also makes killer little sandwiches, tons of yummy gluten-free baked stuff, and dried fruit of all kinds covered with her own dark chocolate. Lots of other stuff, too – kombucha, fresh yogurt, delicious quiche – this lady can make ANYTHING. It's really kind of amazing – supernatural, even.

Just don't ask for crepes at Crepe O Chocolat – there's a sign just inside the door emphatically noting their demise: "No Crepes Permanently."  Alrighty then.

Alright, I know everyone within driving distance of the city has already eaten this thing. But I have to give credit where it's due, so I'm coming late to the party: the Chairman Bao Food Truck's Baked Pork Belly Bun may be the best thing I've eaten this year.

It's like a pork bun, but it's not – instead of sweet pork filling inside of a lightly glazed brown bun, you get a partially deconstructed version: rectangular slabs of perfectly rendered pork belly, redolent of five spice, piled atop a fluffy bun baked sans filling, and cut down the middle sandwich-style. Throw on some fresh daikon salad with a mustardy dressing, and you have….well, you have pure pork perfection. You may stop to check your pulse halfway through (that's a lot of bacon), but you will enjoy every single bite.

Go get it. You can find these fine folks by going here:

http://www.facebook.com/ChairmanBao?sk=app_6009294086

It was a true pleasure to meet this wonderful family. They they have been making great wine for many years, bringing the richness of their surroundings to customers everywhere.