The Other Critics

Sens Calls Izakaya Yuzuki More Than an Izakaya; Kauffman Is Amused by The Ice Cream Bar; Miller Kinda Likes Hops & Hominy

Izakaya Yuzuki
Izakaya Yuzuki Photo: Brian Smeets/Grub Street

Josh Sens at SF Mag files this capsule review this week of Izakaya Yuzuki (Guerrero and 18th), writing, “this lovely, low-key restaurant provides much more than just another platform for getting stuffed and soused.” In other words, and as Kauffman noted earlier, it’s not exactly an izakaya, but it’s good! Sens says, furthermore, that “there’s the intimacy [to chef Takashi] Saito’s cooking, which comes through in everything.” [SF Mag]

Meanwhile, Jonathan Kauffman pays some visits to The Ice Cream Bar in Cole Valley and finds the re-imagined, old-fashioned soda-fountain drinks to be a little precious, but good. The ice cream, not so much. He especially recommends drinks like the Touch of Gray, the wild-cherry phosphate, and the Ode to Mr. O’Neil, which is a mixture of acid phosphate, chocolate syrup, and double-charged soda. All in all he says it’s “a fascinating way to score a sugar high.” We’re still waiting for them to get a liquor license, alas. [SF Weekly]

Virginia Miller’s penchant for good cocktails makes her turn up her nose at a neon-red Maraschino cherry in her drink at Hops & Hominy, but she says the newish Southern-themed restaurant “shows promise,” and she likes the bacon Old Fashioned and the espresso-cured chocolate duck. And in keeping on the Southern tip, she also loves the crab fritters and fried chicken at Front Porch. [SFBG]

And finally we have Jesse Hirsch filing the first review of Tanya Holland’s B-Side BBQ in Oakland. He writes, “Will it keep haters from bemoaning the lack of decent local brisket and ribs [in the Bay Area]? Is it a revelatory approach, changing the barbecue paradigm for years to come? No, but B-Side BBQ is pretty darn good.” [EBX]

Sens Calls Izakaya Yuzuki More Than an Izakaya; Kauffman Is Amused by The Ice