Jorge Avendaño. He looks right. He cooks right.

Jorge Avendaño. He looks right. He cooks right.

When we first walked into Bastardo, I could see him in the distance weaving his way around his shipping container kitchen. We’d shared a couple of messages back in November but all I really knew about him was his first name. But I knew this guy had to be the chef....

The next wine pairing dinner takes us to Argentina.

Last month I attended a tasting of wines from Familia Rosso in Mendoza, Argentina. I was very impressed, impressed enough to organize a dinner paired with some of their wines. Who else to pair them I thought than Mariano Rivera of San Miguel’s Buenos Aires Bistro. A...
I have found my new palace of paella.

I have found my new palace of paella.

There are some things in Mexico that are habits, customs, traditions. And after spending 15 winters in Mexico, I have become very accustomed to these customs. Because I like them. Especially the ones that happen on Sundays. Though Mexico has the second largest Roman...

Drinking spirulina, chia, maca and matcha. And liking it.

You’re an old smoothie I’m an old softie I’m just like putty in the hands of a boy like you I’ve always wanted to be called a smoothie. Especially if it came from Ella’s lips. But I’ve never been big on drinking smoothies. I’m not sure why. I guess...
Good Food. Good Wine. Good Servers. Good Sommelier.

Good Food. Good Wine. Good Servers. Good Sommelier.

Cent’anni arrived on the scene in a blaze of praise five years ago. They were the very first of very many new San Miguel restaurants with a big space, an inventive menu and a scenic rooftop. Don Day gave them the rave reviews they definitely deserved. But then...
And the winner of the 2019 SMART top restaurant award is…

And the winner of the 2019 SMART top restaurant award is…

Last night, the Sixth Annual SMART Awards dinner was held. It’s the evening when we recognize the town’s top ten restaurants as voted on by the readers of Don Day in SMA. Four awards are presented: First, second and third place plus the best new restaurant that opened...
Getting my goat.

Getting my goat.

Maybe it all started way back in the New Testament. This aversion people have to goats. Check out Matthew 25:32 and you’ll find: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:...
An open and shut case for these mussels.

An open and shut case for these mussels.

It’s not easy being a musselholic in the middle of a desert. It’s not so much that the restaurants serving mussels come and go. It’s that mussels come and go on their menus. I just tallied up the number of San Miguel restaurants whose mussels I’ve praised in the nine...