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ingridsf

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Everything posted by ingridsf

  1. I guess I'm still confused about why being paid for your job, i.e., "guaranteed a certain amount," is considered a disincentive to perform well in one job but not another. My mom was a public school teacher. Truly, if any one profession deserves tips (and needs them!) it's teachers. Yet it would be unthinkable, crass, appealing to the basest motives imaginable, to use MONEY to fuel a teacher's desire to do good work.
  2. ingridsf

    Chow

    You echoed the thought I had in reading the discussion threads about tipping and service in general. There are several staff at both locations who I've seen over several years and the service, as you say, is consistently excellent. It actually seems to improve the busier it gets. The management at Chow/Park Chow clearly knows how to get and keep good service staff. I think the striking characteristic is that they prioritized maintaining a level of service that is not often found paired with the menu's price range.
  3. Having been in the sex ed <cough> biz, I'm here to tell you that what people tell you they do and what they actually do are often two different things. I do not believe fifteen, let alone twenty, is the baseline percentage people use. Oh, they KNOW about it, refer to it as they calculate, but the amount they leave may well be in the ten-twelve percent range. Anyone who doubts my theory should consider the sad case of a Dr. Kinsey whose study on the average size of a certain male body part relied solely on uncorroborated individual disclosure and led to a generation of needlessly anxious men. Don't know about the generational thing. My dad's in his 70's and I always sneak back to add money to the teeny tips he leaves at his favorite places -- the family-owned diner in his town and the place opened by the CIA grad, heh. His amount has nothing to do with the quality of service -- and he's from Europe! He just doesn't think he should have to pay anything more than he's absolutely forced to. If it makes me yuppy scum to do otherwise, so be it. (As if a nonprofit worker makes enough to even DREAM of being yuppy scum...)
  4. Tipping 20 percent is not common practice in my experience. When I've suggested it, I've often gotten a raised eyebrow and a comment along the lines of, "She wasn't that great, you know. Fifteen's plenty. And I'm not made of money, so I vote for ten." Or, "It's a family-run place -- they're paying each other fine." Again, I don't get to pay my cable provider less when a show sucks -- or when their customer service agent is less than...interested in serving me, shall we say. I tend to tip the same amount; problems go to the manager. I have left more than 20 on a few occasions, and also bought a round of beers for the kitchen staff as well. I can't argue about the personal pleasures of control. But I'm disturbed by the idea of determining compensation through whim, be it to reward or punish. Reward good service the way I get rewarded in my job -- compliments to my boss that get passed on to me; repeat business; and good word of mouth. If you really want, leave some cash on the server's table -- and figure out how the rest of us can get in on such special thank-yous! edited for typos and more stuff.
  5. I agree the server should not be penalized for the kitchen's error. But the current system invites it. And my circle of acquaintances include many otherwise considerate people who morph into Judge Judys at tip time. They have no hesitation at tipping 10-15% for a perceived lack of caring -- aka "poor attitude" --on the server's part. My boss takes potential hires out to eat before making an offer. She says their behavior to service staff is telling about their character. As for the solution for poor service, it's simple: Have a word with the manager before leaving. The job of a supervisor is to correct poor performance or terminate the employee. If you're really cheesed off, don't go back. If management doesn't care about your complaint, an individual server is the least of that business's worries. Bottom line: You don't get to negotiate the cost of a bypass, plumbing repair, customer service assistance, or movie concession soda after receiving the service. Food/bev service is an essential component of a restaurant dining purchase, and should not be subject to the individual diner's whim. (And I'm speaking as a diner, not an industry person.)
  6. Can't tell if people already know about it but here's the link to Fat Guy's op-ed about tipping, "Tipped Off." http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/10/opinion/10shaw.html Sing it, Fat Guy! My best friend who put up with things like being "tipped" with twelve pennies in a water pitcher because the "guests" weren't satisfied with their pizza toppings thanks you. We'll get seriously better service when we take these workers seriously enough to provide the same consistent compensation other restaurant staff receive. If they don't do a good job, treat them like any other employee: tell them to get it together or else.
  7. ingridsf

    Chow

    I'm so glad to hear someone else really likes this place! SF has a number of restaurants that get deservedly high paise but as much as I like them, they just are not in my price range. At best, I can go a couple of times a year. I can afford to frequent both Chow and Park Chow. And they're good places to send families. I was just telling my coworker to treat herself to the grilled chicken and follow it up with chocolate cream pie. (Or the flat-iron steak and cocoanut cream pie.)
  8. I forget where I learned this but it was back when ICA was being hyped. The ICs are told of 2 possible secret ingredients well before filming. They have the time to plan what they will cook. I don't think this makes what they do "easy," either. OMG, the close up of that judge's face when she took a yuuuuge bite of Batali's parfait was the single funniest moment in IC history. She looked utterly revolted. And that's fair -- if the dish sucks, it sucks. BTW, the week when Steingarten wasn't on and Martin Yan was, was the all-time low of judging, in my opinion. All 3 judges made unsubstantive happy-happy comments. Very boring.
  9. I see this less as a referendum on Parents Today ("In my day, kids....") and more about just how the hell do restaurant staff actually handle these tremendously loaded situations? I still say policies only go so far (see earlier post as to why). I just don't see any inherent difference between types of disruptive restaurant patrons. And despite everyone's best thinking, there will never be a single standard for what's disruptive and what's charming shenanigans. And what's just being a kid so get over it. Ideally, the staff would have some shared understanding of what's okay on the floor and what's not. Here are some examples of what they could say that sounds reasonable to me as a patron: PARENTS/KIDS At first stage of parents ignoring kids running around, etc: “We ask our guests to accompany children if they need to move about the restaurant. Otherwise, please have them remain seated at the table with you. This is for their safety and out of respect for our other guests. If you need to leave the dining room to attend to them, we will hold your meal until you return. Thank you very much.” When the adults have twice ignored the restaurant's requests above and accuse you of hating parents, kids, the American way: “We do like children, very much. We would have liked to have your family enjoy yourselves with us tonight. But we owe an enjoyable experience to all of our guests. By not respecting our requests, you’ve encroached on other guests’ evenings out. If you cannot comfortably meet our requests we will close out your ticket and prepare your food to go.” (Personally, I’d have the manager have this interchange away from the table. The kids shouldn’t have to hear this.) ADULTS At first notice of cell phone use: “We ask our guests to refrain from cell phone usage in the dining room. Thank you.” When the cell phone request has been ignored: “We have asked you to not use your cell phone in the dining room. We will be closing out your check and preparing your order to go.” When the grown-ups (not the kids!) are drunk, roaming, obnoxious: “[A member of] your party is disrupting the meals of our other guests. We are going to close out your check and prepare your order to go.”
  10. That awful situation in Cracker Barrel illustrates how a blanket policy wouldn't really solve the problem, if only because IT'S NOT THE KIDS. Not that I have any easy answers for how a fellow diner, server or manager is going to confront a guy like the man in Cracker Barrel. You have to careful both for your own sake and the family members he might later accuse of "causing" the problem.
  11. Boy, there are a lot of threads with similar questions right now. Most remind me how rarely I eat out in the downtown areas. Or venture outside the city limits. (I have my exceptions, of course.) Dim sum: Ton Kiang on Geary at 22nd Ave. Excellent seafood of all kinds. Also, their roast duck is delicious. Salt-and-pepper prawns (head on), oh yeah. Italian with a family: Hard to say, not knowing ages. Incanto would be my first pick at the high end. New American: Zuni gets a lot of votes and I don't think it's bad. I just have never been blown away by the food. (And them's fightin woids on this site.) I think Boulevard is terrific -- and it makes me haul my butt clear across town right to the Bay. So anyway -- you didn't ask for other recs but I'll offer this: SF is incredibly gifted with a whole range of Latin and Asian cuisines. Taking a walk in the Mission or down Clement Street in the inner Richmond is going to give you a choice of inexpensive, family-friendly places that don't get written up for the most part. I brought my family for a quickie lunch to Minh's Garden on Clement at 3rd Ave., and they told me our $35 meal for 4 was their favorite. Who knew they were going to love Vietnamese?
  12. Maybe a stupid question but I'll ask. Why wouldn't a restaurant simply have a policy that it reserves the right to refuse service? Singling children out as a class does seem discriminatory to me in that it basically presumes kids (or their parents, makes no difference) are guilty on the basis of identity rather than behavior. And as these 14 pages document, the mere number of years a person has been alive is no indication of their ability to respect their fellow diners' boundaries. But the fact remains that restaurants are public spaces and excluding classes of people -- and kids are people -- seems wrong to me. Also, detailed policies are often more problematic to enforce than ones that leave more latitude.
  13. Hands-down for me, Mitchell's in SF. Ensconce me in their sweet mature coconut.
  14. I had never known the name of my favorite sushi place until this thread made me research it. It's a tiny place run by a couple who, in my experience, are very kind and personable. I found in checking around that some customers have felt otherwise. What the service is not, is rushed. If you're in a hurry, don't go. It's a two-person operation. The good thing is that you can relax. It's like an anti-fad-sushi place. My brother, who has lived in Japan for 14 years, always wants to go when he's in town. (He can't afford sushi in Japan but that's another topic altogether!) It's in Cole Valley, right where the N-Judah streetcar stops at Cole and Carl: Hama-Ko Sushi Restaurant 108 Carl St Ste B (415) 753-6808
  15. I buy Lundberg's Parmesean Risotto in a box. Yeah. I know how to make a good risotto. But I actually like this stuff because it's not too salty. I also -- sigh -- like Ragu Classico Spicy Red Pepper, esp with Italian sausage and penne. And I grew up with a mother who never bought a jar of spaghetti sauce! Sausage is kind of like a meal kit, isn't it? I get the Lundberg mix through my organic produce home delivery. They have a thing called Farm Fresh Meal Kits. Basically what you're paying for is someone to do all your prep. You get to be like a tv cook, literally all you do is cook it. (And clean up, of course!) I have to admit they're tempting, and at least one features Rancho Gordo's beans. The thing is, when I don't feel like cooking, I don't feel like cooking. That's when I pick up the phone and support my local Thai restaurant. That's me -- I CARE about my community. (Those products like Skillet Sensations don't appeal to me. They still take some effort -- again, when I'm feeling lazy, I'm lazy.)
  16. Exactly. I've got a nectacotA. Yes, it's real. And it's SPECTACULAR.
  17. That was one hiLARious episode. When the first commercial break took us straight to something Rx for women's over-active bladder I almost lost it. "If No Reservations is making you pee your pants, ladies, help is on the way...." This episode demonstrated that the key to quality entertainment is to make Mr. Bourdain uncomfortable. And then give him testicles. Lots of testicles. "They're gonad-o-rific!" The food at the Radisson Viking buffet looked real bad. Dontcha know it made me think of my high school Comparative Vertebrae Anatomy class. The shark I dissected looked tastier than that spread. No offense to our Viking friends. I'll have to try that shark-tidbit trick at my next dinner party -- serve something so noxious, so foul that whatever comes after it has to taste delicious.
  18. Op-eds are open forums. They are one of the few places anyone can submit a piece for publication and be considered. The keys are to have a fresh message, a well-supported argument, and tight writing. Anyone should give it a try if you have something that you think needs to be discussed. The Progessive Media Project http://progressive.org/?q=pmp_about says, “The second most widely read section of the newspaper, it is where American citizens mull over the arguments about the way the world should be.” An op-ed states a position, (Ex. from one I’ve written, sorry to blow my own horn: “For people with disabilities, voting alongside our neighbors should be a right not a privilege.” http://progressive.org/?q=media_527). Ideally, your first sentence, the lede, IS your argument. The rest of the op-ed is backing it up. I was impatient with Powell's op-ed because it was lacking in any relevant data. Because op-eds are of necessity brief (400-750 words standard range) the writer must limit her/his argument. Essay writers have considerably wider latitude.
  19. SF has even more decent local chains besides the ones above. Chevy's, Pasta Pomodoro, Fuzio, ZAO Noodles. I'm not enthusiastic about Mel's and Lori's but no biggie. Bucco de Beppo's fun but killer loud and does attract the younger crowd looking to get hammered, at least when I've been there.
  20. It's about $75/food, or $100 for food/wine, so I'm going to press a bit. That's not pocket change for me. So.... Jason said, "Overall, only about 1/3 of the dishes we liked, the others were pretty substandard for such an expensive place." Melkor said it was more like 50/50. I'd prob not go given J.'s assessment but M. seems smitten. What to do?
  21. Well, that "dinosaur droppings" photo is a rival for the pigs' tail shot in the Nose to Tail thread. Yeah. Not whetting the old appetite. I was semi-relieved to hear that you weren't overwhelmed by Aquerello. It's the place we always remember AFTER we've made a special-occasion plan somewhere else. And it seems even more expensive than my beloved La Folie. As always, thank you for your selfless research service.
  22. Don't forget service dogs! [Mel Brooks voice] "It's good to be disabled!" I think the show lets Tony be a lot of people's -- what is it? -- id? The part of you that isn't clamped down under the weight of loving your mother's penis envy, or whatever. He drinks! He smokes! He says "fat chick"! He's Dennis Leary with an apron! And now a passport, a film crew and a bigger production budget! Sacre bleu! The Tony is on the loose! Lock up your dogs and set the children on him! Do not look into his eyes! Or you will soon commit an unnatural act with a baguette! Or be unapologetically hungover!
  23. I'm sure you'll gets tons of suggestions but here are mine: Either Chow or Park Chow. Cal-Italian with some Asian noodle stuff. It's inexpensive, casual and really tasty. Chow is on Church at Market, not terribly far from Union Square. Parking's hard but you can hop on the Muni's F Line streetcar and it's a short ride. Park Chow is basically the same, in the neighborhood called the Inner Sunset, on Ninth Ave. at Lincoln. The entrance to Golden Gate's Park's Arboretum is right there, and just a few blocks from GGP's playground and carousel. For weekday breakfast/brunch/lunch, Zazie on Cole Street at Parnassus is good. Cal-French, good prices. If you go to Park Chow at night, there's a parking lot on Ninth for $5. Street parking is possible but tight. Same with Zazie. You could take Muni's N-Line streetcar to both from Market Street. Don't know what kind of food you all crave but you could easily take a stroll down Clement St in the Inner Richmond from Arguello to 6th or Seventh Ave. There are all kinds of Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Burmese, places. I like Minh's Garden (Vietnamese at 3rd Ave.) and Burma SuperStar at 4th. Clementine at 2nd is a great reasonable French place but might not be great with the kids. Your call. Oh! Your kids would probably LOVE Toy Boat on Clement at Fifth Ave. Ice cream, candy, toys, what's not to like? These restaurants are on level streets, BTW, no steep hills immediately near by.
  24. In general, it’s okay to be discriminating about what you buy as long as you can’t afford what you’re buying. In making grocery choices, the ideal is to make the right choices for the right reasons, i.e., top-quality goods available in “down-market” venues. If you’re keeping the bags as an accessory, you are clearly not in this group. It is always better to buy the wrong thing for the right reason – pesticide-drenched strawberries to show you’re down with the people – than to buy the right thing for the wrong reason. If thou lovest the bags, it matters not if thou lovest the contents. Even if the mangos taste better. This isn’t about flavor. This is about the appearance of not caring about appearance. The above is true as long as you are not French. Because the French are not image-conscious, fashion focused, or interested in luxury goods. They certainly don’t care what other people think of them. And because they focus on technique rather than ingredients, la cuisine de grande mere can transform the humble chicken finger into a glorious coq au vin.
  25. Anybody else wonder how many NYC E-Gulleteers have been caught in the net of the op-ed's round-up and don't know it? Have YOU been at the Greenmarkets -- or Whole Foods -- lately? You never think it could happen to YOU -- until it does. "So, are you ready to tell us the real reason you're buying those fresh vegetables, ma'am? We got a lot of economic elitists posing sneaking in here, taking the kale out of the mouths of honest, hard-cooking folks." Imagine. You thought you were buying the kale because you liked it. You thought you were kind of like...the French. But you were wrong. You were an...economic elitist. Get help. Turn yourself in. Before all the kale is gone.
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