Canadian Smoked Meat and Poutine Bringing Montreal to Berkeley

International Smoke announces San Diego expansion

International Smoke’s San Francisco Flagship is already in expansion mode despite opening just this past fall, with Eater San Diego reporting that the Ayesha Curry and Michael Mina team project is scheduled to open there at a new development project in North County. That’s due in 2019, while another branch of International Smoke, bound for Houston, should open first.

Augie’s Montreal Deli opening in Berkeley

Speaking of smoked meats, Montreal-style deli Augie’s, formerly known as the pop up Augie’s Montreal Smoke Meat, is on its way to 875 Potter Street in Berkeley. Owner Lex Gopnik-Lewinski says he’d like to open by Valentine’s day — just in time for a romantic meal of poutine and Montreal-style beef ribs.

Pal’s Takeaway at The Kebabery and Birba

Sandwich fella Jeff Mason of the itinerant pop-up Pal’s Take Away is raising funds for a permanent restaurant home on Go Fund Me. “We’re looking for a permanent home so we can continue to share our sandwich-making heart with all of you,” Mason writes. For now, you can find Mason and his “Aunt Malai’s Almost Famous Lao sausage sandwich” at The Kebabery on Tuesdays starting today from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Later, in February, San Franciscans can get their fix every Friday at Birba Wine Bar in Hayes Valley.

The Good Food Awards Winners are in

After intensive taste-testing and a marketplace held last weekend, the winners of the 2018 Good Food Awards are in. Of the 2,000 entrants, 199 were selected as winners — — high-quality food products that are sustainably made — including locals like Thistle Meats for its Milano Salami in the charcuterie category, Bellwether Farms for its Whole Milk Basket Ricotta, and Two X Sea for its smoked McFarlands Spring Trout. The whole list of honorees is here.