Carolyn Tillie

I'm right there with you -- and one of the multitude of reasons I gave up blogging involves many of your valid arguments. Besides, writing for an income is much more fulfilling than writing and disseminating information for free...

Can you describe it more fully? My boyfriend had a business in Belize and lived there on and off for a year. He said they use plantains, palm oil, dende oil, and coconut milk... Manioc is used to thicken and unavailable in the U.S. I am going in June and could look into it for you can tell me where you had it (although I am going specifically for lobster season which starts on the 15th). "It could be anything," in Kevin's words, "and the food generally sucks," in his opinion. I'm curious now and am looking forward to bringing back some dende oil as I've have heard much about it and know nothing about manioc. edited for clarity

Pick up the latest Saveur...

In what context is the item being used? Within a sentence, I would not capitalize any of the words, thus: Chef Bimbo created a roasted pigeon filet with curry and almond pastille and brochette of giblets with cacao-scented jus. As a menu or title item, I would only capitalize the first word, thus: Roasted pigeon filet with curry and almond pastille and brochette of giblets with cacao-scented jus Part of the rationale is when there is a word within the item that NEEDS to be capitalized (such as though from places), it de-emphasizes the import of those words with words like jus. Example: Roasted Sonoma pigeon filet with Indian curry and almond pastille and brochette of giblets with Madagascar cacao-scented jus Edited to add that working as a writer and editor within the industry, I have found that this seems to be the industry standard.

I'm a huge fan of Cafe Monaco. I really am. I love the atmosphere, the decor, the servers... So it was heartbreaking that a Friday evening stop for a light nosh became an embarrasment to the establishment. Not wanting a large meal, Kevin and I decided to share escargot and steak tartare with a glass or two of wine. The escargot tasted bland and rubbery, the erstwhile garlic butter barely garlicky and mostly about the breadcrumbs. Foregoing classic service style, the snails were not served in their shells but in the stainless steel round platter normally reserved to nestle the shells. The tartar lacked any sense of seasoning or freshness. While I saw a modicum of green bits, probably from herbs, I could detect no mustard, shallot, caper, or flavor beyond the days-old diced meat and gummy egg. To the restaurant's credit, a complaint to management did remove the offending courses, but the disappointment that a much-loved bar and San Francisco icon would present such a disappointment. Makes me wonder what is happening in the dining room with full entrees...

A few quick remembrances of my old neighborhood include the bevy of beauties on Sawtelle. There are some truly awesome Yakitori joints in that neighborhood. Also, down the road a bit, towards Venice, is Empanadas Place. When horribly poor, it was a great place for my ex and I to eat for around $10 as the empanadas were about $5.00 each two would fill us up. Make sure to ask for the green sauce; they never put it out and is extra special.

A great place for insects (seriously)!!! I really miss Monsoon!

Another business dinner in the neighborhood -- I suggested Fillmore Grill for a variety of reasons; I had only eaten appetizers at the bar and not knowing the range of adventurability of our guests, the Grill's menu seems relative safe. Because there was six of us, we were given a private, linen-draped booth in the back of the restaurant, near the service area. That was fine because this was a business dinner and some privacy was needed as well as requested when reservations were made. The staff was extremely accomodating and kind. To start, the table shared two orders of Tuna Tartare and Caesars Salad. The dressing on the salad was obviously homemade and the hearts of romaine were fresh and crisp. There were parmesan crisps atop the salad and perfection could have been had with the addition of an anchovy or two. The tartare was the hit of the eveing, fresh with capers and other additives that I regretfully don't recall. After several bottles of wine and the appetizers, by the time our entrees were delivered, most of us were full. I managed to taste (and then prompty take home) huge portions of a lamb shank braised in Zinfandel served with red cabbage, pork chop with a roasted garlic and tomato compote, roast half chicken, salmon with asparagus, and wiener schnitzel. On the downside, the waitstaff DID screw up the order in that neither a roast chicken nor the salmon dish was actually ordered, but rather two pork chops and two wiener schnitzels. With the flowing of the wine, no one cared and took what was offered, ultimately taking it home anyway. I did insist on sharing a single dessert and a chocolate banana tart was the perfect ending with a delectably crisp crust, creamy interior, and fresh whipped cream. All-in-all, adequate comfort food but nothing overtly remarkable with the exception of the tartare. The lamb was falling-off-the-bone as expected, but the sauce seemed a tad burnt. The pork chop was perfectly prepared and the roast chicken rivaled my memory of Wolfgang Puck's in his heyday. While I would not seek Fillmore Grill as a destination restaurant, considering their affordable prices (dinner for six with four appetizers, six entrees, a dessert and two bottles of their high-end wine was still under $300), it is a great place to entertain folks in a delightful, comfortable atmosphere. edited to remove the adjective 'perfect' and 'perfectly' too often used...

I've never been to Cha Cha Cha, but whenever my friends Amy & Liz go, they bring me their leftoevers. I heartily recommend the spinach and bacon salad, whatever it is with shredded pork and tortillas, the black beans and dirty rice, and the ceviche. I guess I should actually eat the food at the restaurant some time!

It had been a while (while I was still officially a Napkin) since I had dined at Kiss Sushi -- and I am a tad ashamed that having it within walking distance of my abode that I it took me this long to get back to it -- but a solo meal there last evening re-awakened my love of this San Francisco gem. Celebrating some recent good fortune and with the boyfriend away on business, as a solo diner it was a bit easier to walk into this hidden hideaway for a little splurge. One of the true joys of this restaurant is just enjoying watching Naka-san dance his ballet of assemblage. He is like Nijinski, dancing a pas de deux with the chef's chopsticks as his dancing partner. The amuse was a pickled taro root salad with seaweed. Then a trio platter which included uni with miso broth, roasted giant clam, and a salad of Japanese pear, miniature dried shrimp, and spinach. The sashimi arrived next and included maguro, aji, ebi, hirame, and more marugai. This was followed with a soup comprised of a perfectly square fish cake, standing next to a roasted potato, carrot, and snow pea with a small ladel of broth surrounding the architecture. Nigiri sushi was next; five pieces including toro, salmon, and shad. In what looked like a small pot-de-creme cup, the Chawanmushi followed; a soup laden with silky custard, slivers of mushroom, fish, and crab. There was a final soup, a delicate dashi with mushrooms and seaweed. Sliced melon and green tea finished out the meal with lovely walk home through the blooming cherry blossoms...

I've done that with dates, but I remove the date pit and replace it with a small finger of cheese; parmesan or hard goat cheese! by the time the bacon is cooked (either on the grill or in an oven), the cheese is just melted... Great hors d'oeuvre!

Good girl! In fact, with the size of the the grill on which we are working, once the steaks are down, we are hard-pressed to be able to fit anything else on the grill! It is a cheezy, little $15.00 table-top model that is perfect for two of us to sear a slab of meat and a few veggies, but once a guest or two is added into the mix, I am relegated back to the kitchen for my accompaniments, hence the genesis of this thread!

I'd serve tomatoes to guests but are allergic to them myself... Not quite corn season here but will look forward to them soon. I have actually decided to purchase a baby fryer and make frites for tomorrow night's dinner.

Ah, you are speaking my language! I am leaning towards a compound butter of Blue Cheese, but perhaps some goat cheese wrapped in fresh grape leaves on the grill is a way to go with the fruit!

Araujo....

The weather is getting absolutely beautiful here in San Francisco and the recent acquisition of a charcoal grill has had Kevin and I cooking on our balcony far more than our kitchen. When it is just us, we are happy grilling a mushroom or a hunk of braised fennel to accompany our carnivorous feast. But we are going to start entertaining clients and I'd like to establish some tried-and-true, kick-ass side dishes that I can begin to rely upon. Twice-baked potatoes are certainly in the running, but let's hear some suggestions of other courses to accompany a great steak that will wow my guests!

Ha! Ironically, this was the first thing my eye jumped to when I pulled up their menu! I love steak tartare. Now, when you say "prepared table-side" - do they actually chop the steak in front of you, or merely assemble the ingredients? Also, does it include the egg? u.e. P.S. Not to be nit-picky... did you mean "weakness?" ← The plate is laid out in a sun pattern; the diced beef making a mound with rays of mustard, shallots, etcetera emanating from the center. The egg -- which I think helped in this dish -- was a quail egg. So, technically, the steak did not come out whole and was chopped, but was assembled. Thanks Carolyn. Either the portion wasn't very big, or the egg (quail?) was of negligible contribution? Was it more of a entree portion or main dish portion? ...and I do hope you have an American "spell-check programme!!" Just teasin'!u.e. ← Considering the tartare followed gougeres, oysters, and a plate of crudo, the serving size was perfect for me. Probably four ounces of meat served with six croutades. Definitely an appetizer portion but shared with others at the table and consumed with all the other courses, it was not too little amount and the egg made a delightful glaze. And, being an Anglophile, my use of programme was quite deliberate.

Ha! Ironically, this was the first thing my eye jumped to when I pulled up their menu! I love steak tartare. Now, when you say "prepared table-side" - do they actually chop the steak in front of you, or merely assemble the ingredients? Also, does it include the egg? u.e. P.S. Not to be nit-picky... did you mean "weakness?" ← The plate is laid out in a sun pattern; the diced beef making a mound with rays of mustard, shallots, etcetera emanating from the center. The egg -- which I think helped in this dish -- was a quail egg. So, technically, the steak did not come out whole and was chopped, but was assembled. And yes, I meant weakness. That's why we writers love spell-check programmes!

By all accounts, Juban, Japanese Style Barbecue is the fanciest looking restaurant within the Japantown mall. It is dark wood and subdued lighting at its most elegant, but deceives any potential takers. Intrigued by its interior, Kevin and I headed there Friday evening for an end-of-week celebration dinner. The concept of Juban is that a variety of raw meats, vegetables, or fish is brought to the table -- in which sits a built-in barbecue -- and the guests cook the meal themselves. The bottom line is that the concept does not live up to the hype. We started by ordering a pickle sampler to accompany the cooked meats. For our meal, we chose pork Kalbi, Tan Shio - thinly sliced beef tongue, mushrooms, calamari, and a lobster tail. The first part of the problem was that the pickles were entirely Korean including a spicy kimchee. For a Japanese barbecue, I would have expected tsukemono or some other delicate Japanese pickle, not Korean pickles. The next problem doubled with the service; the pork Kalbi never appeared, the mushrooms were supposed to include shiitake and were simple cremini and white mushrooms, and the remainder of the meats that WERE brought to the table were over-seasoned with salt and pepper. Neither the lobster nor the calamari were very fresh and were undoubtedly frozen. The final tab for this experience (including a bottle of sake), was almost $80.00. A complete waste of money.

Where are you flying back TO? Technically, Oakland is the closest airport, but depending on the time of day, flying out of Sacramento can actually be faster. It is a slightly longer commute but the route is less crowded.

The bar is where I ate -- it is the liquor station and not near the kitchen.

Zuni is less "unusual" as it is "quintessential." I should have clarified which adverb was modifying which restaurant in my list. I have not eaten there yet, but Ron Siegal's work at the Ritz is getting a lot of buzz around town and is high on my list of next restaurants to visit. Sushi-wise, I am getting jaded; I live next to Japantown and eat sushi two and three times a week. For me, it is the "cooked dishes" like those at Kiss that set apart an omakase of a sushi meal. I could give you a list of a dozen purist restaurants that are all so similar as to be almost boring (except to me which is why I eat at these two and three times a week).

What would you like illuminated about Boulevard? It is hit-or-miss and most go because of the view and reputation. I have had two great meals and two just so-so meals there. Most of the restaurants you have cited (with the exception of Manresa) are almost cookie-cutter replicas of one another in their level of haute cuisine, elegance, and perfectly-prepared food. Even on a vacation, eating at that level one night after another will get boring. What San Francisco offers that might be of consideration is exceptional Chinese, Cal-Italian (cioppino like no where else in the world!), seafood, and various other ethnic cuisines. For unusual and quintessential California, consider Aziza, Kiss, Zuni, Bar Crudo, and Ame.

I ate there a year ago and enjoyed myself but by all accounts not much has changed, including/specially the menu. It is gold a standard here within San Francisco but reliable sources divulge that Danko himself worked in the kitchen in over two years. I'm glad I went but don't see much reason to return.

I think that is where my boyfriend learned it -- he was a captain at swank New Orleans restaurant a dozen years ago. His own palm would be pressed and getting the other waiters and kitchen to provide a special evening would be his job, thereby assuring happy customers who would return. I don't see the problem with that. Just like valet parking -- many people tip the valet ahead of time to assure their car is parked well and safely. We tip our hairdressers to assure a good cut. There are tip jars on the counters of Starbucks! What's the gripe here?