Newsletter Archive
A Proud Family Moment
We don't usually open a newsletter with music — but this isn't a usual week.
Bella Cloud — Yanni and Denise's daughter — just released a brand-new song called "Spin," and we couldn't be more proud. If you know the Pihas family, you know that passion runs deep — whether it's in the dining room, on the patio, or apparently, in a recording studio in Portland.
"Spin" is indie folk at its most intimate, tender, aching, and beautifully arranged. She wrote it on her living room floor in a single sitting, flew to Portland to record it to tape with producer Shane Leonard, and walked away with something that just earned a premiere on Atwood Magazine, who called it "a breathtakingly intimate indie folk reverie." The track features Jenny Conlee from The Decemberists on piano and Sydney Nash from Shook Twins on guitar and bass.
Originally from right here in San Diego and now based in Melbourne, she's proof that when you grow up surrounded by people who pour everything they have into what they love, it stays with you. She comes by it honestly.
Give it a listen. Share it with a friend. And next time you're in, tell Yanni and Denise you heard it — they'll light up.
Memorial Day Weekend Hours
Thank you to all who served.
We're open all day Sunday, May 24. Come in for lunch or dinner before the long weekend wraps up. CLOSED MONDAY. Back to regular hours Tuesday May 25th.
~ Meanwhile, at Your Table ~
- Calamari Steak with Mussels in Saffron Sauce
- Every once in a while, a dish shows up on our menu that stops the room. This is that dish.Calamari Steak with Mussels in Saffron Sauce — and if you've never had this at YBG, that's because it almost never appears. This is the culinary equivalent of spotting a rare Pokémon in the wild. You don't plan for it. You just have to be there when it happens.And if a three-star Michelin critic were sitting at the bar? They'd write something like this:
"A masterful exercise in restraint and depth. The calamari steak — tender, with a clean, oceanic sweetness — anchors the plate with quiet authority. The mussels provide a briny counterpoint, while the saffron sauce ties the composition together: golden, aromatic, and layered with a warmth that lingers well past the final bite. It is a dish that speaks to both discipline and intuition — the mark of a kitchen that understands the sea."
We're not saying that. But we're not disagreeing either. Starting Thursday. Don't miss it.
Wine Feature — Cuarenta Vendimias Verdejo
Allow us to introduce you to someone special.
The Cuarenta Vendimias Verdejo — which translates to "Forty Harvests" comes from the Rueda region of Spain, about 150 kilometers northwest of Madrid, where Verdejo has been the reigning white grape for generations. But this isn't just any Verdejo.
This wine exists because of one man: Ángel. Forty years ago, he planted his first vines at Bodega Cuatro Rayas. Four decades later, those same vines — old, deep-rooted, and unhurried — still produce the grapes for this wine. When the winery wanted to honor his 40th anniversary, they didn't throw a party. They made this bottle. And named it after every harvest he'd given them.
In the glass, it's luminous — a pale gold that catches the light. On the nose, you'll find grapefruit and mango with a whisper of rose petal. The palate opens with peach and pineapple, threaded with jasmine, and finishes with a bright, bold acidity that keeps you reaching for the glass. It spent five months on its fine lees, which gives it a richness and texture you don't expect from a white this lively.
Pair it with the Calamari Steak — the saffron sauce and the wine's natural acidity were practically made for each other. Or enjoy it on its own, on the patio, as the sun goes down. Either way, you'll understand why Ángel's vines were worth waiting forty years for.
Now available by the glass.
