I have written here and elsewhere on occasion about how the traditional food media are not necessarily the best places to turn anymore for food writing. While there are absolutely brilliant restaurant reviewers among food bloggers, this is still one area where traditional media excel. A case in point is the perennial and mostly accurate 100 best Bay Area restaurants from the SF Chronicle. I'm not going to argue with a good 80% of this list and it is based on judgments from people with real experience. And the Chron has one of the best food sections in the country (the only other ones that measure up are the NYT and the LA Times). But they put 3 of the best 100 in my home town (a small suburb). I like all three restaurants mentioned. I go to one of them regularly and the others occasionally. But there are also other places I go to more and that I think are better. Maybe it is time I shone some light on that great little Pho cafe in Pleasant Hill? Maybe I should play up the tandoori joint in Concord more than I already have? But I don't really want to review restaurants. My food schtick is cooking it.

But back to my main point. I'm pretty sure that the Bay Area blogging community could come up with a 100 best that was a better than this one and that shone some light into the darkness of the unkown places that are hidden gems. Any takers anyone? I'd offer up the following as starter additions/changes: Restaurant Peony in Oakland, Tandoori Chicken USA in Concord, more to come later...