Monsterpa

My most expensive meal to date was a ticket for four that was $2,000.00 at the French Laundry. We restrained ourselves over the wine list or it could have been much worse. It was my third trip there. The first time with no alcohol the bill was $500.00 for two and the second time there it was $900.00 for three. I am afraid to go for the fourth time.... The second all time wallet wrencher was just last month at Michael Mina in San Francisco, $1,600.00 for four people; again we showed restraint with the wine list. My boyfriend owns a vineyard in Napa so he is knowledgable about wine and likes the good stuff; if we let ourselves go we could break the national debt. The third place finisher was Gary Danko, with a $1,200.00 tab for four, this was with the wine tasting menu and no bottles. Every single one of these experiences was worth EVERY PENNY. If you are in San Francisco save up those dollars and go to any one of these restaurants and spend them. My first experience at the French Laundry made me realize what it means to taste someting so unique and sublime that tears came to my eyes. I put the food in my mouth and tears came out, not clicheville, but naturally. How embarrasing, yes, but just to have that experience is worth it. I am not rich and cannot spend money frivolously so I set aside $30.00 or $40.00 a month and once a year I splurge. The French Laundry is an experience that everyone should have but the service and the experience is very, I want to say formal but that is not it; it is intimidating. At Gary Danko the staff goes out of their way to make the time you spend there elegant but not intimidating. Michael Mina is in-between, formal but we could laugh and just be silly and we were. I have gone to Emeril's and several others in Las Vegas and quite frankly rivaled the dollars spent above but bang for the buck has been at the "original" restaurants listed above. By the way the BEST cocktail I have ever had was a Basil Gimlet at Michael Mina's. Vodka, fresh lime juice, and muddled basil, strained, refreshing and very tasty.

My situation proves one of Fat Guy's main points in his book -- loyalty pays. I have been a loyal guest of Relais & Chateaux hotel properties for 20 years and, as a result, have relationships with several general managers. I simply asked one of those people to make a call for me. He did. Interesting side note. We met a couple at the inn at which we were staying who visit Napa Valley once a year and eat at the Laundry three nights in a row each visit! I did not get to ask how the restaurant arranges menus etc for such a guest. Of course, a guest like that probably gets to make the next years' reservations during this visit. ← The easiest way to get reservation is the old fashioned way. Keller wants everyone to have a fair chance so...you can call in two months to the date at ten in the morning pst. You have to treat it like a radio call in contest. Call at ten and when you don't get through hit redial, redail, redail. I got a reservation the first time I tried and have gotten a reservation the same way for the next consecuative four years. Persistance pays but play it like a game. Don't be set on the date if you do not make it in the fifteen minutes the phones are open, try agin for the next day. The first time I went I sat next to a couple that had tried for two years to get a reservation but had only called once a day. Yes, I know I am lucky but persistance pays off.

I have heard rumor that Bourdain does Vegas with Michael Ruhlman flavored with an essance of Thompson's "Leaving Las Vegas." Is this true? Weeeha, that would be fun to watch.

There are so many choices. You are staying at the wharf but I WOULD NOT eat at most of the restaurants there. However Gary Danko is very close. The chances of getting in are slim but it is totally worth a phone call. One of the best in the city. You could go to Aqua, Quince, Jardineire, The Slanted Door, or Fleur de Lis which are all within cab range but all might be hard to get into. As far as neighborhood places that might be easier to get in there are some of my favorites: Firenze by Night, Italian, in North Beach at Green and Columbus, Luna Park, American, (the goat cheese fondue with apples and bread is yummy) in the Mission at 19th and Valencia, or Greens for vegitarian.

Sometimes you just have to go back to the basics; Corn Flakes and Grape Nuts just do the trick. Yes I know a box of Grape Nuts is enough to last the rest of your life and is a bit like eating gravel but soak it long enough in milk and it takes me back to my childhood (reveling that I am getting up there in years.) When I really want to be bad there is a new cereal out there by Reese's; it is a chocolate and peanut butter cereal made with whole grain. Yumm. Add some 2% and it is a chocolate, peanut butter, creamy goodness.