Laura Soares, 9, followed by her brother, Manuel, 16, carries the traditional rosquilha, a sweet bread traditional to the Portuguese island of St. George, in a procession to Five Wounds Portuguese National Church during the Holy Ghost Festa in San Jose. The feast commemorates the patron saint of Portugal, St. Isabel.
- The Feature (embargoed): A look at the Portuguese traditions of the Holy Ghost Fests, which take place this time of year around the Bay Area. Wonderful photos included.
- The Update: Michael Bauer returns to Fonda to find a shadow of the Albany staple, forcing him to strip away the three stars the restaurant notched in 2005.
Duck tacos aside, the entire meal was a shadow of what Fonda used to be. For many years, the restaurant was a Top 100 choice, but it fell off the list last year when a revisit showed that the food was still very good but a little less proficiently prepared.
My recent meal showed that, as with so many popular places, the staff has lost the laser focus that brought the restaurant to prominence in the first place.
Final rating: 1.5 stars
- The Review: Also in the East Bay, Nicholas Boer files on the Concord location of 54 Mint. The original location is still in Mint Plaza, but the sequel has found its way in a suburban strip mall across the bay. Like the SF one, 54 Mint Concord is a charmer, and even when it falls short, it’s not so bad:
The menu is not beholden to any region, but simplicity is a theme and a cue to the best dishes … Like the frenetic energy that always mellows, misfires on 54 Mint’s menu tend to be forgiven by the time the check arrives.
Final rating: 2 stars.
- Bar Bites: Janny Hu pops in at San Francisco’s long-standing upscale vegan temple, Millennium.
- Bargain Bite: Sticking with the vegetarian angle, Bargain Bite hits up Maoz Vegetarian, an Amsterdam-based enterprise that has found its way to the heart of Berkeley.
- The Inside Scoop: Chez Panisse’s 40th birthday party, Addendum sets a date, plus chef shuffles at Farmstead, Fish Story and Luce.
