GrubGirl.

Who: Nombe Restaurant / www.nombesf.com

Where: 2491 Mission St. / 415.681.7150

What: Dinner at this izakaya (a Japanese word originally describing a drinking establishment that also served small plates of food; think of it here as Japanese tapas)

Why:

• Variety for your tastebuds: Share small plates of Japanese and Japanese-inspired dishes, especially if you’re planning a romp in the Mission. There are several food and sake choices on the menu.
• Late-night dining: They’re open later than most restaurants (11pm Sunday – Thursday), and the dark decor (and clean bathroom!) should get you properly prepared for further evening festivities.

Busy Veggie, a friend of mine, is finally sharing her wonderful recipes with the rest of you!

Here’s a video recipe for making some quick Braised Vegan Meatballs, which I have made in advance and it’s kept me nourished during a busy week at work. This could even work as a quick recipe for a vegan or vegetarian date!

The ingredients you’ll need:

• 2 16-oz packages of frozen chopped spinach
• 1-2 t. olive oil
• 1-2 t. soy sauce
• 1 bag of frozen vegetarian meatballs
• 2 c. (about 1/2 bottle) of red wine

Who: Studio Gourmet, a talk show, interview, and cooking demonstration rolled into one.

What: They’ll be interviewing Chef Hoss Zare (of Flytrap – yum!), and the event will also include a cooking demo, live jazz, and a food and wine pairing.

When: Sunday, January 16, 2011, from 2:30 pm – 5:30 pm

Where: Horatius, 350 Kansas Street, (between 16th and 17th Streets) (San Francisco)

Why: Get up close and personal with local chefs and taste the food that made (and makes!) them famous.