Squeat Mungry

Ugh! That's it! I am NOT Googling any more unfamiliar names that come up in this thread.

I have never been to Farallon, as I don't eat seafood and prefer to have more menu options when spending at that level, but I have heard nothing but good things about the food there -- the desserts in particular -- and the room. I've also never been to Copia, but it's something I plan to talk one of my driving friends into someday very soon. I meant to mention that if you visit the SF Museum of Modern Art, the cafe there actually does quite a nice job for lunch. (At the moment there's a fascinating exhibit on the paintings of Romare Bearden, and a pretty cool gathering of Pop Art from local San Francisco collections.)

I'd play it safe and reserve at whichever place you pick. Thursday is a big going-out night in San Francisco, possibly even bigger than Friday, and the popular places tend to fill up. Neither of Rigo's boulangeries nor Tartine are really close enough to help you in the morning. If I were you, I'd head to Cafe de la Presse on the corner of Bush and Grant. Very euro-cosmo feel, combo newsstand and cafe with excellent coffee, decent pastries and magazines in many languages! If the weather's nice, you can have your cuppa at a table on the sidewalk across the street from the Chinatown Gate. Aw, shucks!

Yes, DO NOT miss the Ferry Plaza! I just thought of a couple of other favorites: Chez Papa (another bistro -- their incredibly hard to read webpage) The Helmand (tasty Afghani fare -- no website I can find but here's a review) Two very traditional San Francisco institutions: Tadich Grill (seafood/steak downtown) Original Joe's (Italo-American and in-house butchered/aged steak in the Tenderloin) If you're wandering around North Beach, have a panino at Mario's Bohemian Cigar Store and pick up a pound of Graffeo coffee to take home with you!

Waitpersons in California earn at least minimum wage as well, with tips on top of that. Last year, San Franciscans voted to raise the City's minimum wage (already higher than the state's) to $8.50/hour. Many restaurant owners have been worried that this will eliminate their already slim profit margins, forcing them out of business. I know a couple of longtime restaurants in my neighborhood have closed since the law took effect in February, but I'm not sure that's the reason. I also know servers who worried that people would tip less, and diners who worried that menu prices would rise. It's probably too early to tell yet what the longterm effect on the industry will be. As for the question in question, I admit I do find it a bit annoying, but usually don't have a problem letting it slide if the service has been acceptable otherwise.

No problem! I'm sure you'll have an excellent time. I love that place (can you tell?). Be sure and post a report on your trip!

I would say neither. The Fifth Floor is a breathtaking space, but frankly (IMHO of course) is just ridiculously overpriced for what it is. If you want to check out the room, have a(n overpriced) drink at the bar. And I have never understood the hoopla about Slanted Door, at either the old or new location. After several ventures there, I've had nothing but just-slightly-better-than-average Asian fare. Again, not enough bang for the buck. If you want a first-class high-end dining experience, I have a couple of suggestions: 1. Take BART to Berkeley and walk up the street to Chez Panisse. There's nothing like it. 2. Check out my current fave, the new Quince in Pacific Heights (opened in December). Chef Michael Tusk is a CP alumnus, and most recently worked as sous chef under Paul Bertolli at Oliveto. He's turning out some very inspired work. The room is very charming as well: an old apothecary that more recently was home to the much-missed Meetinghouse restaurant. Chef Tusk's wife Lindsay runs the FOH flawlessly, as she used to do at Boulevard. Some other "local haunts" that are favorites of mine for you to consider: Zuni Cafe (if you haven't been, you really should go at least once) Delfina (delicious food, tiny room -- not sure I'd bring a toddler here) Chez Spencer (though Marlena Spieler had a lousy time here) Bistro Clovis (you'll swear you're in Paris) Limon (delicious Peruvian) As far as Ethiopean, I haven't been but have heard good things about New Eritrea, which claims to specialize in "Eritrean and Ethiopian" cuisine. If you're a fan of baked goods, be sure to check out Tartine bakery while you're here. Hope some of this helps. Feel free to PM me if you have questions, want more suggestions, or care to hook up while you're in town. Have a great trip. Cheers, Squeat Edited to add that I really do think Quince will soon be quite well-known as one of San Francisco's best restaurants. Be sure to reserve if you decided to go there... it is a small room and fills up quickly. And to add: (duh) Quince 1701 Octavia SF 94109 415-775-8500 They do have a website, but it seems to be just a placeholder (with a map) for now.

Brooks, beautiful! Thanks so much. I'm from about as far away as you can get and still be in the South, but your blog has struck many chords for me. Lunch today was pimento cheese sandwiches, iced tea and Lucinda Williams on the stereo. Good times. Thanks again.

Again, I'm with Beans. Despise the stuff. Don't even keep it in my home. I've never tasted a drink made with Rose's that didn't taste better with fresh lime juice and simple syrup.

Congratulations, Steven! Welcome to the fun of mixology! Basically what Beans said, except I usually strain from the glass. I guess it's just the way I learned and who I learned from, but I do like the way the spring on the Hawthorn squooshes into the glass. Of course, it probably scratches the glass over time, but I feel like I have more control over the pour. Cheers, Squeat

Dude, you have SO got to post the recipe for okra cornbread, because just reading about it has cost me a keyboard to drool! Also, thanks for passing along the great southern tradition of sushi to the next generation. EXCELLENT blog! I can't even begin to list the things I'm jealous of.

If it's a magic tandoor, maybe it doesn't have to be in a fixed location? Maybe it could sing, too: a magic singing tandoor! Maybe a magic singing tandoor that travels back in time for some reason... Okay, sorry.

Now you're talking. Translations, please?

To be reprised later as "You're my Hot Jalebi, Baby!"

Starbucks like a cancer grows...

Do they sing? I thought there was supposed to be singing. Maybe they could sing about how good the food is...

...my secret weapon is chili powder. It doesn't add any heat, but it does add some great depth of flavor. -Robert And my tip: wasabi! Cheers, Squeat

Yes, I do this with orzo. Sorry, I don't have a recipe, but you do it exactly as you would risotto: toast the pasta in oil (it starts to 'click' just like the rice), then add the hot stock/liquid ladle by ladle, stirring in between until it is absorbed. Nice texture and flavor when done this way. Cheers, Squeat

I can't bake! Bread. Pies. Cakes. Cookies. Anything. Oh, I can cover the entire kitchen and myself in flour. I can knead, punch down, let rise in a warm place until double in bulk, pull, push, feed yeast, chill dough, preheat oven, etc., but I cannot turn out a single edible baked product! Grrrr! It's all the more vexing since my mother, her mother and her sisters were/are all excellent bakers! Squeat Oh, one thing I do do right: biscuits. But that's it.

Thanks -- sounds interesting. I just realized I've never made anything with tofu before! As far as 'chutneying' something: I'm certainly not an expert, but my understanding is that a true chutney (as in Indian cuisine) is a fresh paste made from a combination of any of a broad range of ingredients like fresh ginger, mint, tangy fruits, mango, coconut, coriander, etc. Western 'chutneys' like my strawberry-pineapple thingy are, I think, usually cooked with vinegar, sugar and other spices. At least that's what I do. I can't really give a recipe because I just kind of play around with flavors and spices until I find something I like. Maybe somebody with a real understanding of chutney can help us out, and I can stop talking through my hat here? Cheers, Squeat

When you're eGullet, you're eGullet all the way From your first vinaigrette to your last etouffee! When you're eGullet let 'em do what they can You got brothers around, you're a cauliflower man!

I play around with chutneys and pickles quite a bit. Right now I have some strawberry-pineapple "chutney" I kind of made up that I'm eating with everything from pork chops to toast and cream cheese. I also usually make my own mayonnaise, though I keep some Best Foods around for emergencies. I don't think I've ever made mustard, though. Care to share the Kabocha squash recipe? Cheers, Squeat Edit: Jinx, jsolomon!

My name is Squeat and I, too, am an iced coffee addict! (Am drinking some as we type.) I do pretty much the same as Kristin: make a big pot of drip coffee (Graffeo -- simply the world's finest coffee) and refrigerate, except I don't add sugar and I drink it black. (Oddly, on the rare occasions that I drink hot coffee, I prefer it with half-and-half and lots of sugar.) I also make coffee ice cubes by freezing the coffee in mini-ice cube trays and storing in ziplocs. Cheers, Squeat

Same here. There's just more Venn in that diagram.