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Page 54: Caviar at The Riddler. Photo by Kassie Borreson Page 55: Special lunch at The Riddler. Photo by Kassie Borreson

Gourmet hamburger and champagne at The Riddler. Photo by Kassie Borreson

Let yourself go at The Riddler, the ultra-chic girl-power champagne At The Riddler the management runs on girl power. It was
bar in the posh Hayes Valley area of San Francisco, with a high-low opened by Jen Pelka, and the investors are a team of highly
philosophy and a warm welcome from Jacqueline Bisset. There’s qualified women. Ruth Reichl (former editor-in-chief of Gour-
always a reason to celebrate. And champagne is the answer to met and food critic for The New York Times), Kerry Diamond
everything! (founder of the magazine Cherry Bombe), and Shan Lyn-Ma
Wayfaring, if you reach San Francisco make a stop and search for (founder and CEO of Zola) are just some of the names behind
the bubbles. As a safe harbor, we can warmly recommend the San The Riddler.
Francisco Yacht Club. The present club was built in 1937, after a A woman’s touch is perceptible in every aspect of the venue and
move from the original site in Sausalito to a small town in Marin its delicious cuisine, extending from the owner to the design.
Country, at Belvedere Cove, with a view of San Francisco Bay and Rugged wood and polished marble. Walls made of windows and
the Golden Gate Bridge. gold details. The space is very sophisticated and elegant, and
The bubbles are at The Riddler, 528 Laguna Street, Hayes Valley, a fits perfectly with the sparkling vibe of the very central neigh -
champagne bar different from all others. You can book a table here, borhood, in a location surrounded by boutiques.
arrive, and find a nearby nameplate that announces “Reserved for The first image that greets guests is an enormous photo of Jac-
Beyoncé.” You’ll get expert advice when ordering from an assistant queline Bisset from a scene in a James Bond film, Casino Royale
sommelier, delving into a list of over one hundred bottles and del- from 1967, where she clutches a bottle of bubbly in one hand
icacies to meet your tastes. Enjoy topnotch caviar with a tater-tot and a coupe in the other. Coupes and flutes are no longer oblig -
waffle, accompanied by crème fraîche, potato chips, and popcorn, all atory, however. The most expert imbibers now prefer to sip their
washed down with bubbly. champagne from wine glasses. And then there’s the chambong:
The range of offerings is high-low. You can order a Moët & Chandon a shooter for a “rapid and enhanced” guzzling experience.
Grand Vintage Brut for 2,800 dollars, or a Miller High Life for 5. But Regulars can take advantage of #TheRiddler100Club, which
the highlight of the list is definitely the Special Club selection, from you can join by ordering one hundred glasses of wine. Just
an exclusive group of twenty-eight producers whose vintages are al- remember that there are one hundred reasons to celebrate:
ways in the ranks of the most sought-after champagnes. “Champagne is always the answer.”

56 Lifestyle Protagonist