RADICCHIO ROUNDUP! 9/17/2025
Fuck. We’re already halfway through September. What is time? Amirite?? Here are the latest things we’ve been fond of:
Cheese Danish from Urth Caffé (multiple locations, pic is from Melrose)
This reminds me of something I can’t quite put my finger in... Or hand rather.
Say what you will about Urth Caffé (believe me, I can say a lot), but they know how to make a cheese danish. It’s tangy, gooey, not too sweet, and just the right balance of being both flakey and hockey-puck like at the same time. Pairs nicely with a large cappuccino or a half Caesar salad with dressing on the side or a chicken quesadilla or a large green tea boba or a bowl of tomato rice soup.
Tomatotini from The Olde Riverwood, Phillipsville, CA
Look at her.
The Olde Riverwood, which has been around since the ‘30s, is giving “Best New Restaurant in America” 12-18 months from now. A legendary, dare I say, mythical biker bar purchased by the two hottest men you’ve ever seen, The Olde Riverwood stays true to its country roots while also zhuzhing things up a bit. In place of the rotten Mexican food of yore is a rotating menu crafted by a residency of rotating chefs. Currently, that chef is one of the owners and perhaps his mother. Before that, it was the brilliant Garrett Schlichte. He had to bring his own fernet to drink because the bar didn’t have any, but the bar DOES offer seasonal girlypop cocktails, such as this balanced and refreshing tomatotini. Don’t worry, you can still get your shot of Jameson or whatever. Locals say this place is nothing like how they remember it, but that’s because last time they were here they woke up the next day literally on top of the bar.
Local Albacore Tuna Collar from Rintaro, SF
Fucking cunt.
I may be biased because I used to work there (did you know I used to wrk at Rintaro?). But it may be the best damned restaurant in San Francisco, and it is only getting better. See this fish collar? It’s from local, wild-caught albacore tuna. It’s grilled over charcoal alongside a hundred other yakitori orders and simply glazed with tare (a sauce of shoyu, mirin, and sugar; I know because I needed to know since I worked there). What at first seems like a precious expression of a rare ingredient quickly becomes a shred of unctuous meat – without a hint of fishy-ness mind you. This is what a rugged fisherman would prepare for himself after coming home from a long day at sea, perhaps with a can of Asahi, not a glass. Of course, the Asahi at Rintaro does come in a glass. Did you know that Asahi dispensing machines come with a nozzle that dispenses beer and a seperate nozzle that dispenses foam? I know because I used to work there. By “there” of course I mean Rintaro. I used to work at Rintaro.
Poppy Seed & Walnut Babka, homemade
I can’t believe I made this honestly. Chris helped of course.
Blending Melissa Clark’s chocolate babka recipe with a babka recipe found by my mother, I recently created the babka of my dreams. Nine out of ten babka recipes will treat babka dough as if it’s just a riff on brioche. Listen… BABKA DOUGH IS NOT A RIFF ON BRIOCHE. IT IS AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT DOUGH. IT HAS MORE SUGAR. IT HAS MORE FAT. THIS PARTICULAR ONE HAS CREAM CHEESE AND SOUR CREAM FOR CHRIST’S SAKE. THAT’S BECAUSE IT’S A CAKE GODDAMNIT, NOT A LOAF OF BREAD. DOES THIS LOOK LIKE A LOAF OF GODDAMNED BREAD TO YOU? WELL, kind of, BUT IT’S NOT. IT’S A CAKE. Get that into YOUR FUCKING head.
Tasty Szechuan, Hayward, CA
Life hack: if you order enough Chinese food for a family of four, that is breakfast, lunch, and dinner the next day.
I almost updated an Eater map about the East Bay’s best Chinese food, and I was excited to get takeout from Tasty Szechuan above most. They gave me the biggest chunks of boneless Chongqing chicken I’ve ever seen as well as the biggest Honey Walnut Shrimp I’ve ever seen. Their take on Fish with Vine Pepper is light and restorative, thoughtfully free of green Sichuan peppercorns even though the broth is of course flavored with them. You’re not supposed to eat those. I learned that the hard way…
“All of the Sauces”
From the top and spiraling clockwise: Tartar, Buttermilk Ranch, Blackened Ranch, Bayou Buffalo, Ketchup, Tzatziki, Thai Curry, Wild Honey Mustard, Cocktail, Mardis Gras Mustard, BoldBQ.
Hi, I’m Molly Baz.
Oste, Los Angeles
Party rock is in the house tonight.
We waited 30 min after our reservation for an eight top to get up from their table, and I am so happy we did. Their pinsas, aka Roman-style pizzas, are vaguely rectangular and aggressively seasoned with a thin, flexible, and crunchy crust. Spaghetti All ‘Amatriciana is pleasantly packed with toothsome gaunciale, Cacio e Pepe is more cheesy than peppery, both salad and meatballs are deceptively rich. This is the kind of restaurant your gay uncle from Chicago would open after striking it out as an actor but too stubborn to move back home, a neighborhood restaurant disguised as a trendy one to survive. Martinis come with three olives, pits removed. I don’t care if the olive is technically “better” with the pit still intact, Austin. Look, you’re an amazing bartender. One of the best. And truly, if you’re reading this, the only reason I know hot to make good cocktails is because of you. I also haven’t been to your new restaurant yet, I’m dying to go once I have some more cash. But no one wants a pit in their martini olive. Do you?
