Bay Area culinary icons star in ‘Somebody Feed Phil’
Alice Waters, Thomas Keller and Tanya Holland among those appearing in new season
No offense to the French, but Phil Rosenthal absolutely swears by the chocolate croissants at Tartine Bakery in San Francisco.
They’re “the best anywhere,” he raves as he stuffs one of the decadent treats into his mouth.
Tartine is among the many culinary stops in San Francisco that Rosenthal makes during Season 4 of his Netflix show “Somebody Feed Phil,” the roving documentary series that has him happily traveling the globe to sample and savor local cuisines.
San Francisco — along with Napa Valley — is featured in the second episode of Season 4, which is available now. Other stops include Rio de Janeiro, Singapore, the Mississippi Delta and Hawaii.
If you haven’t seen the show, you might be wondering: “Who’s Phil Rosenthal?” He’s a gushy, smiley, hyper- energetic TV producer best known as the creator of the sitcom “Everybody
Loves Raymond.” Now, someone actually pays him to eat. What a country.
In the Bay Area episode, filmed before the global pandemic and Napa fires, Rosenthal tours the city with local culinary icons Kenji Lopez-alt, Mourad Lahlou, Tony Gemignani and Alice Waters. Among the places he visits are La Torta Gorda, Swan Oyster Depot (“an institution,” he claims) and the sophisticated French bistro Petit Crenn, where he dines with Dominique Crenn (“One of the best chefs in America”).
Rosenthal also satisfies his sweet tooth at a pair of donut eateries — Dynamo Donut & Coffee and Bob’s Donuts — and then starts Day 2 of his San Francisco adventure by touring the Ferry Building Farmers Market with Waters. There, they sample a variety of fresh fruits (and sardines and eggs) before making their way to Tanya Holland’s Brown Sugar Kitchen pop-up, where Rosenthal goes bonkers over “the waffle of my life.” ( Please refrain from licking your TV screen.)
Next stop: Napa, where Rosenthal hooks up with chef Thomas Keller, who takes the jolly host on a behindthe-scenes tour of The French Laundry (“the happiest place on Earth,” Rosenthal squeals), Bouchon Bistro and Ad Hoc + Addendum.
Is there a downside to all this caloric consumption? Well, at one point, Rosenthal admits to spending a long night in his hotel with a queasy stomach.
But, hey, he’s a trouper, bravely showing up the next morning to sail on the choppy waters of the Bay. … Brace yourself and pass the antacids.