Grub Street Grub Street San Francisco

Personally, we'd argue it's always too cold in S.F. for ice cream, but the stuff sure has its fans. Enter one Sarah Wildfang, who just launched Iceburg which is both a guide to local icy treats and a blog. The site divides local ice creameries into three categories: Classics (Bi-Rite Creamery, Mitchell's, Swensen's), Natural Beauties (Scream Sorbet, Three Twins), and Modern Twists (Mr. & Mrs. Miscellaneous, Humphry Slocombe). Argue as you might that Bi-Rite flavors like Balsamic Strawberry aren't exactly classic, but there you have it. Sarah has plans to expand the site to international ice creams too. [Grub Street]

Patti U. files the first formal review of Cotogna, the new casual cousin to Quince that opened less than a month ago, and she calls it "sexy," "high-end," "dreamy," and "wondrous." She's especially ecstatic over the spinach sformato, "a fragile, bright green, spinach custard unmolded onto a plate of nutty, salty, velvety fonduta," the spit-roasted pork over fennel purée, and she loves a pizza she has with anchovy, salt cod, and crumbled egg, calling it "what a nicoise salad might taste like if it were a pizza." She leaves weak in the knees, and advises arriving early at the already popular little place to snag a seat at the bar. [Examiner, Earlier slideshow]

This Sunday, Dominique Crenn returns to Los Angeles to cook a five-course dinner at Test Kitchen, a preview of her forthcoming San Francisco restaurant Atelier Crenn. Following stints at Jeremiah Tower's Stars in S.F. and a gig for Intercontinental Hotels in Jakarta, the French-raised chef worked in Manhattan Beach Country Club from 1999-2007. After closing her wonderful, though short-lived Santa Monica restaurant, Abode, in 2007, Crenn moved north to helm Luce (where The President supped last year) , scored Chef of the Year from Esquire in 2008, had a successful run on Next Iron Chef, and earned a Michelin star in 2010. Hearing that the chef is back in town, we naturally had to find out where she likes to eats in L.A. Find the chef's picks below.

News broke in July about Cyrus chef Douglas Keane's new steakhouse project, Shimo Modern Steak (241 Healdsburg Avenue), which takes its name from the Japanese word for "frost" which also refers to the marbling in Wagyu beef. Tonight, the restaurant swings open its doors, and we've got the menu, which features everything you'd hope for from a high-end steakhouse, but a little bit smaller. Says Keane, "I have often thought that steakhouse portions are too big and that six to ten ounces of high quality protein is plenty to satiate most people." Thus, most of the cuts on the menu are meant to be shared by two or three people. And furthermore, he says that chef de cuisine Kolin Vazzoler will be using thick cuts of dry-aged, prime beef, cooked on the bone and finished by searing and basting "to create a wonderful crust and delicious umami flavor." Check out the full menu below, which also features some fine-sounding side dishes like black truffle cauliflower gratin.