jat

Restaurant : GARY DANKO Tops in service. We had 4 servers. As soon as we enter the restaurant, we are handed our drinks. Our server was the epitomy of grace and consideration. I have never had a server anywhere who compared. Her timing and patience were flawless. For a room of 65 tables, it is lively conversation, so speak up a little. We chose the Chef's Tasting Menu, and it is very flexible, you can order 3 apetizers if you want. For starters: Gazpacho soup, zesty and great. Apetizer: Oyster with leeks, zucchini pearls and Ostera caviar. (Savory, great) I also tried the Foie Gras with a fig sauce I think, really sweet and great LOBSTER, with morels and a potato puree DUCK BREAST , in a plum compote CHEESE SELECTION: A nice tray brought tableside of 20 cheeses, you get to select 4. Vallencay, Loire Valley, "not pasteurized" (I won't tell) Cowgirl Creamery, Triple Cream Saint Nectaire Roaring 40"s Blue Cheese, Tasmania DESSERT: Fig with fig ice cream, and a Sabayon pink sauce Chocolate Souflee with 2 chocolate sauces Creme Brulee, brilliant of the chef, 3 are served, Butterscotch, Chocolate, and Vanilla. This way you don't get bored. And they are full size servings. The rave: believe it or not, they make this butter brittle and serve you little cookies and they give you a chocolate muffin for the mornings breakfast, but my husband still talks about the butter brittle. A great evening. Next stop: French Laundry, Chez Panise and a bed and breakfast. I'm more a country gal.

I forgot to mention a component about the Fifth Floor. Each dish has a specially designed plate. The bowl of Lobster is deep, to get the full aroma. You feel that each dish is like a painting, and they wanted it to be perfectly framed.

The Fifth Floor Restaurant I had Five waiters. They were exceptionally personable, I got to know a little about them; where they were married, new 4 mo. old son, from England, married to the bartender, etc. etc. this makes it special for me. I was very surprised how friendly people are in S.F. ! The decor is romantic and dramatic, black and white animal pattern carpeting, red walls, beautiful linen. It's possible to have a quiet relaxing conversation here. I had Llanllyr bottled water. Organic water from an 800 year old spring in Whales. Bread: WARMED olive bread and wheat bread. Little starter: Honey chicken in a broth. Chef's Tasting: SCALLOP: One scallop in a passion fruit vanilla bean reduction SKATE: In a terryiyaki sauce LOBSTER CAPPUCCINO: Pieces of lobster and shrimp in the bowl, with a cognac chestnut broth. FOIE GRAS: (Ordered additional to tasting). Two sauces, a brown reduction sauce, and a sweet English pea chantrelle reduction with tapioca pearls. Very savory, really bringing out the best flavors. PORK BELLY: Neman ranch pork. With black peppercorns, and black truffle jus. (This is a special cooking process, 2 days in a low temp. water bath). Served with: Braised white asparagus cut on the bias, in a truffle vinaigrette. (This caught my attention because it was flavorful, the pepper dissolves beautifully, and it was a very tender morsel. Complimentary WATERMELON SOUP, with Straus Natural Farms Sherbert (a yogurt, not cream). DESSERT: VALHRONA CHOCOLATE MOUSSE, with a passionfruit sauce. Also we ordered (pigs) The APPLE DESSERT: Fugi apples, peeled and cooked, with a Sabayon, Riesling sauce poured on top, also served with pastry AND a green apple sorbet. (tastes better than it reads, great.) I really wanted to try the Lobster and the Prime Rib had a cherry reduction sauce. So I will definately return. It was a great evening. sauce, so I will definately be back.

Boulevard for lunch: Great food, perfectly prepared, a snazzy decor, and an on-top-of-it waiter. I like the revolving door as you enter, and the mosaics on the floor. Great men's bathroom. Starters: Clams cassino (I'm in S.F.!) A goat cheese-onion fig tart (great crust) Lobster bisque with chantrelles and the freshest sweetest crunchiest corn. (I generally do not like whole corn in my soup, this changed my mind) Meal: Tournedos Rossini, surrounded by minute chantrelles (BUTTER!!) Dessert: Cheese selection with grapes and almonds Sur la Table is across the street one block. Suggestion: Instead of the bread displayed on the wall in iron baskets, it should be warmed in the oven. Why not ask your server to do this for you.

KarenS, I did send the octopus back, (quietly) and I was wondering how far I was from the restroom, could I make it there. Something definatley tasted bad, I have learned to cook octopus this year, ( nothing to it!) So it could have been a fluke. Once I ate a cooked mussel, and unfortunately it slipped down the throat before I was able to stop the bad mussel. And out it came in the parking lot, only the mussel, not even the entire dinner. So I hope not to offend anyone here, because my meal wasn't so great. And I think we only had one server for 10 people, he never brought my 7 ups ( and it was my boss who took us out, so I didn't want anyone to know my stomach was upset from the fish- and make them feel bad). The buffalo mozzarella was the freshest, I asked them if they made it there, they said no. I asked where I could get it, they didn't know. So what's good on the menu?

Last complaint: Scala's Bistro. I felt the menu selection was so limited for a restaurant that size. I went with a party of 10 people. The fig salade was very good, as well as the ravioli's in a cream sauce. I had the gazpacho for starters, and it was pretty flavorless, as well as the green goddess salade, lacked flavor, and I returned the octopus salade, it was the worst smelling dish,and taste that I can remember in years, and I was not alone on opinion. In fact I didn't feel good after, and cancelled my order. My husband thought I was going to get sick. I tried a teaspoon of everyone's desserts, and we thought they were all uneventful. The service was not great either. He kept on forgetting and bringing dishes late. One person with no food while everyone else is eating. So I would say it had some good points and some bad points. But is this really Italien food?

I had too high expectations of McKormick and Kuleto's. My husband said, "When you enter the restaurant, from the bar, it's reminescent of a sports bar. The staff are NOT SERIOUS about their job. Once seated McKormick's tries to present the illusion of a fine dining establishment, it may work for some." Perhaps dining at some great restaurants the day before and after dwarfted the experience. Here's why I was disappointed: I'm looking forward to my first taste of San Francisco bread. WARMED would have been my preference. I've had better SF Bread. I get the clam chowder, or should I say potato chowder, I counted TWO clams in my soup, AND no cracked pepper was offered. The service was terrible, for 2p.m. non-rush. I always had great service at Tadich Grill. However, the view was a 10. Boats, swimmers, Alcatraz, panoramic scenery. The oysters were fresh. The food: My husband said his Ono was overcooked and the breading had already fallen off the fish on arrival. My Halibut cheek was very good. I just expected great service, and a great fish "plate". So we decided not to order Lobster since things weren't going well. My other restaurants FAR EXCEEDED my expectations and I loved those! So I will report on those later.

Just got back from San Francisco. I will describe the dishes I had in detail when I get my notes back: #1 Restaurant Fifth Floor, outstanding- my favorite for dinner, perfect... #2 Gary Danko , outstanding, dinner. #3 Boulevard, great lunch, tournedos rosini #4 I would avoid McCormick, on fishermans's warf, a tourist trap, fish was o.k. and not so good, poor service, cold bread, on and on, no clams in clam chowder. View is great. Very disappointing. #5 Scalas, Italien. Some good and some bad, watch what you order.

FireIslandish I forgot to mention, welcome to Santa Barbara. ( I have been down, several months to go still before I can really cook. ) But you are welcome to come to our home and I will cook you some decent Mexican food if you like, my husband is Mexican, and I have learned everything from scratch, his Mom is the BEST cook, so I have been priviledged to be taught by her, the best chile rellanos, mole, you name it. That is why we don't think Superica is very good. # 16 probably is your best bet. To us it's a step above taco bell... So neighbor, give me an e-mail in 3 months, and I'd love to cook whatever type of food you enjoy.

I think it's about individual choices and consciousness. The "natural" food restaurants where I live are no different from others, so I choose not to go there. I just got the book The Raw Truth, and it's all about foods TOO high in sugar and salt. I see many people flood our farmer's markets. We have FIVE a week, not just on the weekends. I eat salads for dessert. We have all been highly educated about what foods are good for us. How much protein, etc. I spent the summer in Paris, the food was not healthy. It's no different anywhere else, except the care taken with ingredients, and fresh produce. My neighbors grow there own vegetables and go to the Farmers's Market. I go with the Chef, Isabelle, at Citronelle. She KNOWS the freshest produce and best at the Farmer's Markets. So which restaurants use organic produce? Those are the one's I go to. I think we are blessed with an abundance of great products and knowledge of what we need to stay healthy and fit. I am a dental hygienist, and taking good care of your teeth, can mean a healthy heart. So we can choose to value and respect our bodies, or ignore it with the attitude "I Know so-and-so who drank and smoked and lived to be 90." It takes time and energy and respect and love to take care of our bodies and thankfulness for what we have. Loving good food, loving how we treat one another and the LANGUAGE we use, and how our words and actions affect one another.

Hi, I live in Santa Barbara, for 28 years. There is no great Italien food, or seafood. I've eaten at all of the above mentioned. S.B. Shellfish was really horrible. Noisy for a small place, and overcooked calamari. The locals here, and most of my friends do not like Bacara. I had a salade with no dressing on it. Not good food. Downeys is boring. But they do have a good lobster salade, and the tenderloin you can suck through a straw, no desserts. Nothing very interesting. Nothing has changed there on the menu. I really don't like the Wine Bistro, the osso bucco was minute. Nothing to excite. There is a table by the fireplace, that is choice. La Superica is just nothing to toot about. No atmosphere, no sauces, a la carte. I make much better food. No rice. They do make homemade torillas, no big deal. You will be disapointed!! For lunch I would go to the Biltmore, and eat outside. The food is great, it's really changed this last year. You can order lobster, or whatever you want, if it's not on the menu. It's just nice to see the dolphins and it's a relaxing atmosphere. I like the food at Citronelle. The Carpaccio of Eel is a masterpiece. The enrobed shrimp is wonderful as an apetizer. The caesear salade is too rich, you won't be able to eat your meal. Celery root soup is great. Duck. Chocolate pear dessert. Don't get the Napoleon dessert, it's like a crunchy cookie. Seafood entrees cooked perfectly. I like the Sage and Onion. They have the BEST cheese souflee in the world, anI eat in New York and San Francisco, etc. Also the soup as the complimentary, can be ordered as a bowl, see my Roasted Corn and Truffle Cappuchino recipe I posted. They have another great soup on the menu, oriental-sweet, coconut. The prime rib is always good. The desserts are awful. Go to the Biltmore for coffee and chocolate covered strawberries, or chocolate souflee and listen to the music there from 9-12p.m. at La Sala Lounge, the ONLY music in town on Saturdays and Fridays. I used to like San Ysidro Ranch, but the last few times were really unbelievably bad. Tough steak, etc. Oili y Limone as well 3 hours of no service, and nothing notable. Same with Bouchon. (raw garlic) Typical food, nothing specially prepared. It's time for lunch. E-mail me if you want sushi recommendations, those are pretty good. Also the El Encanto has changed their menu, but I haven't eaten there this year. So I have only mentioned 3 1/2 restaurants. Our restaurants overall are not very good.

Hi Mark, I spend alot of time in the kitchen at Citronelle in Santa Barbara, THe Kitchen is immaculate and the ingredients are of the highest quality and freshness. It's great that the cooks can see the ocean from the kitchen. I had a great lunch with Michel Richard this last July when he came for a visit, tell him "Jennifer" loved his company. He is very generous, I love that, more food and more drinks and more drinks.

Roasted Corn and Truffle Cappuccino Serves 8 as Soup. I posted this on another website, and I think only 11 people clicked on. This is an outstanding soup. It has a unique taste, nothing like cream of corn, which I find too sweet. It is the recipe of Steven Guiles from the Sage and Onion in Santa Barbara. I believe he cooked for the "Queen" and I bet this was her favorite soup. I feel like royalty when I drink this. The truffle foam and the porcini powder contribute to its uniqueness. This is special and I hope you enjoy it. Thanks Steve for letting me post this for everyone. You are so kind and generous. 6 ears of sweetcorn, roasted 3 yellow onions, diced 2 qts. excellent chicken stock (Homemade only allowed) 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped 1 oz. white truffle oil 1/2 head of celery, diced 1/2 leek 1 qt. cream 1.Roast the corn in 395 degree oven for 15 min. 2.In a saucepan add a little oil, and sweat down onions, and celery that have been diced, and corn, and chopped potatoe. Cook over high heat until potatoes are soft. 3.Add chicken stock, bring to a boil 4.Add cream and simmer for 10 min. 5.Season with salt and pepper 6.Blend and strain in fine mesh strainer, using back of 2 in. ladle Truffle Foam: Take 1/2 cup of soup and mix with 2 cups of cream. Add 1 T. of truffle oil, and foam it with stick blender over top of soup. Sprinkle dried porcini powder over top Note: After you trimmed the ears of corn off, you can add the corn to boiling water, turn down the heat, and cook for 15 min. and add a little of this sweet broth to the soup if desired. Keywords: Soup, Hors d'oeuvre, Easy ( RG601 )

Avocado Soup Serves 8 as Soupor 8 as Appetizer. I made this for the first time tonight. It was rich and creamy and had a nice bite with the jalapeno, and a nice lingering taste with the sherry. I like to make a dish twice, and move on. Next time I think I will garnish with carrot croutons. I'm still thinking about the garnishes. 3 extra large avocados 1 clove of garlic, minced Juice of one lime 1/4 c of sherry 3 c of chicken broth 1-1/2 c of heavy cream 1 canned, seeded jalapeno pepper salt and pepper to taste extra broth if thinner consistency desired Combine all ingredients in food processor and puree until very smooth. Keywords: Easy, Appetizer ( RG600 )

Cucumber Pineapple Soup Serves 2 as Soup. Adapted from The Oriental, Bangkok. As seen in the August 2003 Gourmet Serves "6" I would say 2 large bowls. Small portions is best it tastes light to the tongue, but rich in flavor. 2 1/2 cups of cubed fresh pineapple I USED 2 CUPS I feel 2 cups is better, otherwise it's a pineapple drink. 1 large seedless English cucumber, chopped and peeled 1 green bell pepper, chopped, seeded 1/4 cup of water 1/4 cup heavy cream 1 teas. Worcestershire sauce 1/4 teas. salt 1/8 teas. black pepper Blend pineapple, cucumber, bell pepper, and water in a food processor until thick and smooth, at least one min. Add cream, Worces. sauce, salt and pepper and pulse till combined. Pour through a fine sieve, pressing hard on solids. Chill, covered, until cold, 30 min. to 1 hr. Note: I enjoyed the remaining solid that did not go through the sieve. I would reserve it for a side dish. I am big into presentation, and I'm still thinking how to make this soup attractive. Maybe a floating crisp flavored looking flower with a slice of cucumber and a dot of cherry tomatoe. Blend pineapple, cucumber, bell pepper and water in a food processor until thick and smooth, about 1-2 min. Add cream, Worces. sauce, salt and pepper and pulse till combined. Pour through a fine sieve into a bowl, and press firmly on solids. Chill, covered until cold, 30min. to one hour. Keywords: Soup, Easy, Appetizer ( RG598 )