Carolyn Tillie

i have to disagree with this. restaurant cooking has very little to do with home cooking, which is what most food writers write about. in fact, in general, i think one of the biggest shortcomings of food writing today is an overemphasis on a select group of professional chefs. there is a much bigger world out there. now if you're talking about restaurant criticism, which is a slightly different field, then perhaps i can see the benefits of a little time on the line. ← I have to agree with Russ -- one could extend the argument that one should also work as a field-hand in farm or dairy, spend time in a butchery, or as a service agent in corporate prep-centers from which the bulk of our food originates. A restaurant is only one outlet for the greater picture of food in our culture. Working in a restaurant is only one facet of that larger picture which we food writers embrace.

Stay in school. Education -- and experience at University -- is part of life experience just as much as travel and eating and reading is. You can never learn enough about various diverse topics; you will be surprised what arcane bit will benefit you later. I got both a Bachelors and Masters in Fine Art BEFORE I went to cooking school. In between semesters and on breaks, I traveled. None of it is ever wasted because you never know where you are going to find your next best story. Don't give up and don't expect to make a great living. There is little or no money in the profession so you do it because you love it, not because you think you are going to be able to make ends-meet. That is why an education is beneficial; you will need to be able to pay rent and survive and being a food writer will hardly be the ticket to fame OR fortune.

I've shopped for historical fancy molds in antique stores and on eBay for years. They are far from cheap, some going up to several hundred dollars. I have bought some modern reproductions but would love to find some of the historical molds...

A Geek, I would hope you would write and address your issues with the restaurant directly. I know Mourad and, beyond being astonished, can only assume the indiscretions could possibly be due to a Monday-night crew (many chefs and managers do not work Monday evenings.) I would seriously doubt that chef/owner Mourad was there that evening, based on your experience. Just a thought.

I guess it has to do with the fact that considering the dirth of almost any decent BBQ in the Napa valley, the "any port in a storm" defense rings true. You know there is going to be one going into the old Saketini place in the Target/Trader Joe's strip mall? Brave folks...

I probably dated him too long -- David Martin (gorgeous!) didn't like sharing food. I'm a serial-taster and appreciate those friends who offer me a taste of what they order so that I can see the whole range a chef can offer. David, in his obstinance, would make a point of ordering the spiciest thing on the menu, knowing I would not want to taste it. "If you wanted to taste it," he would say, "why don't you just order it?" Yeah... six months of my life was way too long for him. I tried to convert him, to no avail.

The Two Tone Farms Merlot and Cabs are pretty astonishing for under $10. Also, Cartlidge & Brown's Rabid Red is beyond impressive for that range.

I have the distinct advantage of having a job that only requires me to work four days a week. Being able to choose my day off is an easy choice - Fridays means that I always have three-day weekends. Friday was spent walking up Fillmore for a little pampering (a nice day in the salon) and a special lunch afterwards. Across from the salon was Chouquet's (2500 Washington Street) which seemed the perfect choice, considering the proximity... Kevin had a burger which, while not quite as good a meat quality as the Kobe beef at Harry's, had the distinct advantage of incredibly fresh tomatoes, grilled onions, and a bounty of goat cheese. Great fries, too! I had a Salade Gascogne with Duck Magret, Melon, Artichokes, and Pinenuts served with a honey mustard dressing. I'm usually not a fan of honey mustard but this was a whole-grain mustard and the tanginess worked well with the sweet melon and bounty of pinenuts. Pretty decent winelist by the glass as well. Dinner on Friday evening was sushi at Kansai (1737 Buchanan Mall). We tend to always order cold, unfiltered sake and was shocked when it was served in water glasses. BIG water glasses. Maybe that accounted for the sushi tasting especially good as two glasses of sake later, I was thrilled to discover the television feed behind the bar showing my beloved Sumo wrestling. The sweet shrimp was a favorite here. A late-afternoon jaunt back through the Japantown mall on Saturday put us at Izumiya (1581 Webster). Quite mediocre here and I won't bother returning. We started with gyoza which were soggy and flabby. The Oshitashi was watery. A simple spider roll was rubbery. The saving grace was the grilled eel on rice, which is really hard to screw up and I was craving something grilled.

I used to ride the Golden Gate Transit bus from Marin to San Francisco on a daily basis. Often there would be convicts heading to San Francisco, I guess on work release or just out of prison, still in their orange duds. For some reason I never figured out, when I overheard their conversations, Tommy's Joynt was always their first priority. I suspect their second priority may have been the Mitchell Brothers, so perhaps it was just proximity. ← Coincidentally -- speaking of convicts -- I am being taken to Delancey for breakfast this weekend which (I guess) has ex-cons as waiters. And you are right -- the Mitchell theatre would make sense for an ex-con, after having eaten at Tommy's.

Tonight's impromptu stop was at Tommy's Joynt on the corner of Van Ness and Geary. I had to stop -- I drive past it almost every day and the outside building is painted with such garish, hideousness that it almost beckons. I guess it is an institution in this town and there are some things to be said for it; the beer selection is truly amazing, including Chimay on tap and a tremendous selection of rare, bizarre imports. The decor is frightening, to say the least. The world's largest salad serving set dangles above one's head like the Sword of Damocles. Beer steins ranging from several inches in height to several feet. Red and black-painted walls and ceiling with most of the paint chipping away (make sure it doesn't fall into your food). The food? Well, I can say it IS affordable and interesting. The entire establishment reminded me a great deal of Phillippe's Home of the French Dip in Los Angeles with food akin to circa 1950. Kevin had the Polish sausage with heavily-cloved sauerkraut and a boiled potato for $4.95. I opted for roast beef with mashed potatoes and gravy and a salad for $7.95 (expensive, by all accounts). Honestly, we spent more money on the alcohol than we did on food. I would go back, though. If just for the atmosphere and to people watch. The food is cheap, simple, and an experience. I had a great time.

Jeff, aren't you going to report back how it was????

My badge is openly and intangibly prioritized so that my emotional path follows branded adventures. I eschew lushes, too and never drink wine at lunch (hic). Best, Jim ← Jim, it is the Zinfandel on the cornflakes for breakfast that will really get you!

Which of these describe you as a wine drinker? ← They didn't include Lush....

There are a number of wonderful places in Calistoga. Disagreeing with Jeff only slightly, you can save some gasoline and enjoy some local fare (not that St. Helena is bad or anything, but you will spend more money for less food). My current favorites include Stomp and Brannans Grill. The chef at Brannans was at Tra Vigne during its hey day so the things that folks remember and love about Tra Vigne when Michael Chiarello was there are being carried forth at Brannans (I heartily recommend the cheese-topped polenta with port-wine/balsamic glaze). Also, at the end of town -- right on the 29 and Lincoln -- is an outdoor BBQ. I'm sorry I can't recall the name but it is seriously fun and quite good.

A Sunday evening stroll up Fillmore introduced me to Bittersweet, A Chocolate Cafe. I was full from dinner and not ready for a sweet but the place was hopping and I am so looking forward to going back to indulge...

I stopped in at one this morning (mostly because they have egg salad sandwiches which is great when I need a quick breakfast) and the gent behind the counter, Beau by name, asked me out... go figure

All worthy suggestions -- I guess for me this type of education was a serious consideration when I was in my early-30s and my student loans were just beginning. Now I'm in my 40s and the student loans I have incurred are beyond astronomical, knowing I will be paying them for the next 20+ years. The other major factor is what has changed for me in the past decade; when I was looking at a PhD program, I was completely into the education mode. Now I am seriously involved in various businesses that will enable me to do nothing but travel within the next 12 to 18 months. If all goes as planned, I'll be reporting and writing about gastronomy from all over the globe!

A little more exploring over the weekend. An appetizer and cocktail at Winterland. Then on to The Pride of the Mediterranean (1761 Fillmore St.) for a little hookah smoking... Having the Winterland appetizer working to whet the appetite, I ordered some grilled Greek Kaseiri cheese (Kevin warned me the food was bad but I figured, 'how bad can someone ruin grilled cheese'?) Shame on me - one bite of rubber bad cheese and a mediocre hookah and we were outta there... A vodka martini at Harry's successfully killed the flavor of the hookah and most of my appetite. Sunday brunch was spent at Powell's Place, (1521 Eddy St.) as we were dining with an 80-year old black, gay, jazz musician, Stanley, who lives across the street and this is his hang-out. I guess I could say that the restaurant is clean and they try hard, but it seems they can't keep servers and ours was decidedly distracted. Stan and I shared some Salmon croquettes to start but they were nothing other than canned salmon patties like my mother used to make (scary). Then both Stan and I ordered the catfish with greens, yams, and mac-n-cheese. Kevin had beef brisket which was smothered in some canned BBQ sauce. The catfish was far from fresh and rather rubbery and while the brisket was tender and well-shredded, the sauce killed it. Trying to recover from Sunday's brunch, we did much better by shopping at the local Nijiya Market (1737 Post) for dinner, buying fresh crab and a selection of mushrooms for dinner. I marveled at their bounty of pre-preparedJapanese edibles and considering the number of people filling up their baskets, I won't hesitate to try any of them, from mochi to sunomono. Also, an amazing selection of sakes and artisan soy sauces. This will probably become my local market for fresh meat, seafood, and vegetables.

I stopped in for a cocktail and appetizer on Saturday; they offer an interesting blend of fresh ginger and Pims served with a little Cointreau and spritzer in a champagne glass. The appetizer was four oysters, served atop a parsley puree with a gelee of Buddha's Hand and a bit of caviar -- the Buddha's Hand gelee was a tad too astringent and fought with the parsley puree. Empty when I stopped in 'round 7:00-ish which is surprising for a Saturday night. Apparently the veal tripe on the appetizer menu is quite good but I was not in the mood to dine in an empty restaurant that evening.

Consider a quick jaunt down to Los Gatos to dine at Manresa. THAT would more worth your time and effort than almost anything within the city...

Doc, curious what your various reasons are for visiting Danko -- honestly, I believe from various reports that it has been slipping lately (shoddy service, over seasoning, mis-steps in the kitchen, etc). Like Hest88 said, Ame seems to be popping up on radar as well as Michael Mina (although I have yet to eat at either). I still heartily recommend Aziza for MoroccanFusion food at its finest. Ethnic cuisine taken to a Haute Cuisine level that is truly impressive AND affordable.

Is that the same one you gave me? I have to admit, I haven't gotten around to eating mine yet but will make a point of flaming and indulging this weekend! Looking forward to your visit too!

$150 total is actually somewhat limiting for "nice" -- if you up your budget just a tad, I would recommend Joe's in Venice. Very California and the prix fixe menu guarantees three courses for everyone at just around your budget.

Quick stop last evening at the Fillmore Grille for cocktails and an appetizer. The crab cakes were respectable enough with a number of interesting sauces under the nestled fennel and beet greens salad. The drinks were slightly on the weak side however. Beautiful interior with high-back, hidden booths. Looking forward to going back and sampling more off the menu.

Funny you should ask... New boyfriend and his crew used to frequent this place a lot (two or three times a week). Management had a complete change over about three or four months ago and since then, it has been a complete wasteland. They are going to go under soon when you walk by at 8:00 on a Friday night and it is entirely empty. Nothing to say of what this says for the chef, but entirely of the management and how they have been treating people. We wandered by just last evening and saw no one yet continued up Fillmore and many other standards were doing a lot of business despite the weather. I don't think Winterland will last based on what I've been hearing...