Cannabis cafes, sell-by dates and the state crustacean: Food meets politics in new legislation
The weather has finally begun to cool down, but it’s heating up in the newsroom with the upcoming election. While I don’t have to moderate any debates or write candidate profiles, food and politics don’t exist in separate vacuums and are inherently tied together, as seen with three interesting pieces of food-related legislation recently signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2025, dispensaries and cannabis lounges can make and sell food and nonalcoholic drinks, a change from the current policy that only allows prepackaged snacks and drinks. They can also host live music events and performances, meaning California might be the new Amsterdam.
Beginning July 1, 2026, sell-by dates are banned in an effort to combat food waste. Consumers have been confusing “sell by” with “best if used by” or “used by,” leading to consumers throwing away products even when they’re safe to eat.
And for the kicker, the Dungeness crab is now California’s official state crustacean. However, we can’t celebrate with local crab quite yet, as the 2024 season isn’t expected to open until next month at the earliest.
Stay tasty,
Adrienne
Inside a Silicon Valley wine and spirits store sourcing undiscovered gems for nearly a half-century
The mood was upbeat inside K&L Wine Merchants’ Redwood City location on a recent Saturday afternoon. Maybe it was the opportunity to taste a 2013 Taittinger “Comtes de Champagne” Brut Blanc de Blancs during one of the company’s weekly wine-tasting events, or perhaps it was the hunt for that special bottle to enjoy with dinner.
A German beer garden changes ownership, Steph Curry appearing at a Menlo Park Safeway and a free tasting event in Mountain View
- The Peninsula has a new option for the most important meal of the day. Keke’s Breakfast Cafe, a Southeast chain, is opening its first West Coast location later this month in Sunnyvale.
- Ludwigs Biergarten in Mountain View has transferred ownership to Creative Collective founder and Bavarian native Gisela Qasim. Read about her plans for the German beer garden.
- ZombieRunner in Mountain View is now closed, but the business has opened a new location in Palo Alto’s Barron Park neighborhood. Robu Coffee, formerly a Sunnyvale pop-up, will be setting up shop in ZombieRunner’s former Mountain View store.
- New food news along Murphy Street in Sunnyvale: Naan-N-Masala, a Milpitas-based Indian restaurant, is coming soon to the former home of House of Kabobs, according to a sign posted to the eatery’s window. Alma Dessert has replaced ATM Tea Bar and is currently in its soft opening phase.
- Taste a variety of food from Pasifika-owned small businesses at the South Pacific Food Fest Night Market on Saturday from 4-10 p.m. in East Palo Alto.
- The 32nd annual San Carlos Art and Wine Faire is Saturday and Sunday, featuring a family fun zone, car show, live music and more.
- Steph Curry will be posted up at a Safeway in Menlo Park on Saturday to promote his bourbon Gentleman’s Cut.
- Interested in free entremets, viennoiseries and savories? Alexander’s Patisserie in Mountain View is hosting a free tasting event in celebration of its 10th anniversary Thursday from 4-6 p.m.
Dinner at All Spice
All Spice is located within a 1906 Victorian strangely situated in the middle of a parking lot along El Camino Real. Step inside to ambiance somewhere between a library and your grandmother’s house. The atmosphere is hushed and quiet, large cream-colored drapes cover the windows and the walls are a deep plum purple with green accents.
And while the ambiance may feel a bit outdated, the food is modern elegance. It’s Californian fare: The cooking techniques take inspiration from all over the globe and the ingredients are seasonal. Guests have the option of three to five courses ($85-$115) plus an optional wine pairing ($12 per course). All Spice does not have a full liquor license, so you won’t find any cocktails here.
The dinner started with a heavenly amuse-bouche of corn soup, which may sound underwhelming but it was absolutely stunning. The texture was smooth and luscious, the soup burst with sweet corn flavor and the mixture of seasonings added herbaceousness and spice that kept me digging my tiny wooden spoon back for more.
Next was the complimentary bread course, which may have been the best bread I’ve ever had. The housemade sourdough was extremely moist, with a tender chew and well-defined crust. It had herbs and seasonings mixed into the dough, making the bread extremely flavorful even without the addition of the caramelized onion butter.
For the appetizer, I ordered the ginger-star anise cured hamachi crudo with pearled champagne sabayon, smoked pineapple, pineapple-ginger leche de tigre and pickled radishes. The plating was stunning, up there with one of the prettiest dishes ever presented to me. The pineapple-ginger leche de tigre was out of this world – bright, refreshing, slightly tart and sweet with a zest and tang. The hamachi was fresh and fatty, the smoked pineapple adding extra dimension and the sabayon adding extra richness.
For the entree, I ordered the Umpqua Valley pasture-raised lamb loin with leek, truffle and tomato emulsion, sunchoke fondant and charred broccolini (an $8 supplement). It blew my mind that lamb could taste like wagyu steak. While the portion of lamb was small, it was extremely rich, and I felt satisfied after finishing the plate. In addition to the leek emulsion, the plate featured a super tart and bright lemon sauce (which I’d want by the bottle) and a balsamic reduction. This was the best dish of the night.
For dessert, I opted for the chocolate cheesecake with orange cream, olive oil and sea salt, a $3 supplement. While it may look small, this dessert was deceivingly large, and I had to tap out before finishing it. The orange cream was heavenly and was my favorite part of the dish; however, the cheesecake was a bit grainy for my taste and didn’t achieve the same level of success of the appetizer and entree in my opinion.
Before the check, I was served one more complimentary item: a small bite of cake, which was light and moist.
Overall, I had an incredible time dining at All Spice and would highly recommend it for a special occasion dinner. What resonates with me most about All Spice’s style of cuisine is how bright and fresh the flavors are and how each component stands on its own (i.e. no muddy flavors). If they updated the ambiance and refined dessert, I think there’s no reason they shouldn’t get back their former Michelin star.
All Spice, 1602 S El Camino Real, San Mateo; 650-627-4303, Instagram: @all_spice_san_mateo. Open Tuesday to Friday from 5:30-8 p.m., Saturday from 5-8 p.m. and Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Silicon Valley’s next meat substitute is being grown in a Morgan Hill mushroom lab
Mamu, developed with the help of Ettan’s Srijith Gopinathan, is being put to the test by Michelin-starred chefs and appearing on Peninsula restaurant menus
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