Michael Bauer

Michael Bauer Michael Bauer is the executive food and wine editor and restaurant critic for the San Francisco Chro

After returning from a two week trip to Greece in April, it was nice to relive those memories recently at Kokkari: lamb ...
05/29/2026

After returning from a two week trip to Greece in April, it was nice to relive those memories recently at Kokkari: lamb tongue, asparagus, Greek salad, lamb shank, and baklava for dessert.

A friend took us to Sasa Japanese Restaurant in Japan Center which turned out to be an excellent lunch that included sus...
05/26/2026

A friend took us to Sasa Japanese Restaurant in Japan Center which turned out to be an excellent lunch that included sushi, sashimi, tempura, fried mushrooms, tofu, and other sensational dishes.

The first time I went to Maria Isabel, I ordered the tasting menu and vowed I would come back for the à la carte menu I’...
05/09/2026

The first time I went to Maria Isabel, I ordered the tasting menu and vowed I would come back for the à la carte menu I’m glad I did! Laura Ozyilmaz puts her spin on many dishes including guacamole with caviar, asparagus salad, crab sandwich in a chile arbol sauce, chicken Milanesa, duck enchiladas with mole, and desserts that include a masa waffle taco with corn ice cream. I can’t wait to return again to try the rest of the menu!

Of all the restaurants that opened in the last year I was most excited about Maria Isabel by Laura and Sayat Ozyilmaz of...
04/21/2026

Of all the restaurants that opened in the last year I was most excited about Maria Isabel by Laura and Sayat Ozyilmaz of Dalida. I wasn’t disappointed. I tried the Mexican tasting menu that included a salad with shaved nopales and chayote with a prickly pear sorbet, smoked mussels sope, cod and shrimp in a guajillo sauce, duck carnitas, ribeye taco and smoked vanilla ice cream with banana cream.

I walk by Quik Dog, across McCovey Cove from Oracle Park, daily not knowing that it serves one of my favorite salads fro...
04/16/2026

I walk by Quik Dog, across McCovey Cove from Oracle Park, daily not knowing that it serves one of my favorite salads from Trick Dog: kale with avocado, pepitas, an egg yolk based dressing and a snow flurry of Parmesan cheese. It’s a great deal for $13 and I added fried chicken nuggets for an additional $6.

When I learned that Delfina was bringing back their roasted chicken with mushrooms and mashed potatoes for the fixed-pri...
04/15/2026

When I learned that Delfina was bringing back their roasted chicken with mushrooms and mashed potatoes for the fixed-price Restaurant Week menu ($60), I was there! This is a truly great dish and it has been off the menu since the restaurant’s remodel more than three years ago. There was also hanger steak, a choice of salad or chicken liver crostini and their famous panna cotta or profiteroles.

David Barzelay of Lazy Bear creates a French vibe at his new restaurant Jou Jou: mussels, gougeres, pate, pork chop, Pet...
04/13/2026

David Barzelay of Lazy Bear creates a French vibe at his new restaurant Jou Jou: mussels, gougeres, pate, pork chop, Petrale sole, caneles, and tarte tatin.

No one does eggs better than Foreign Cinema: a bright, vegetable infused Heavenly Scramble or a fluffy omelet made with ...
04/12/2026

No one does eggs better than Foreign Cinema: a bright, vegetable infused Heavenly Scramble or a fluffy omelet made with Champagne. And I can never pass up the “pop tarts” and German chocolate cake for dessert.

Chef Greg Lutes adds a creative twist to American food whether it’s prawns, scallops, breaded chicken, black cod or hand...
03/19/2026

Chef Greg Lutes adds a creative twist to American food whether it’s prawns, scallops, breaded chicken, black cod or hand pies.

A great way to celebrate our current sunny weather is lunch at Waterbar overlooking the Bay Bridge and feasting on fish...
03/19/2026

A great way to celebrate our current sunny weather is lunch at Waterbar overlooking the Bay Bridge and feasting on fish and chips, salad and coconut cream pie.

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