IrishCream

Oh? Who said anything about firing? Only you.

Ok. Here is what I don't understand. What does Keller and his behavior have to do with this? It's not about Keller. It's about Psaltis. Earlier in the thread Russ Parsons said we were talking about angels dancing on the head of a pin, and we don't know if the angels or the pin exist. He's wrong. Psaltis himself admitted slapping a co-worker, someone who was, perhaps, under his authority. That's the pin. So now people are trying to justify that behavior by saying, "Well, Keller did it. too" ??? That is so wrong. I am not condemning Psaltis. I haven't read the book and I can understand being frustrated. But please don't attack Keller because of Psaltis. That's really stretching it.

Abra...visually your bread is lovely. I am curious why you cut down by 25% the amount of AP flour per the recipe. Will you add more flour next time in order to keep the dough from being too soft? PS: Several years ago I started a thread on how to keep baguette type bread fresh for more than a day. I have no idea how to find that thread but there really weren't any good solutions other than to recrisp it in the oven.

Very evocative. Your blog makes me nostalgic for New England where I spent my first 7 years and then another 7 as a young adult. Thank you.

I made Paula's Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake for Thanksgiving a few years ago and now I'm stuck with it. If I tried to go back to pumpkin pie I think my family would divorce me.

Thanks for an interesting blog! Actually, bacon pieces in dirty rice are highly unusual. It's called "dirty" because the meat element is typically chicken livers and gizzards which result in a dark brown colored rice. Some recipes call for a touch of pork in the form of bacon drippings (or ground pork or pork liver), but when pork is included in dirty rice, it's a bit player.

So it's been a while since we had a review of Danko. Over a year? Please share your experience with us.

I'd still love a Torshi recipe if anyone has a tried and true one!

My only visit was in September 2003 during a deadly Napa heat wave (who would have known? It wasn't hot where I live near the coast). I made the mistake of wearing my best little black dress which had long sleeves. The A/C wasn't working and we were seated next to an open window which made it worse because the hot air was blowing in. But despite all that, it was the best meal I have ever eaten. The foie gras alone was worth the cost of admission. I did make one terrible faux pas. After the lobster course I was very warm and decided to step outside for fresh air. As I passed the hostess on my way out, I commented with a smile that I needed to cool off. When the bill was presented our server told us that our wine had been comped due to my discomfort with the heat. I was appalled but nothing I said could change it. The good news is that during the recent remodel, the A/C was completely revamped.

Thank you for sharing your review with us, Tana. I haven't eaten at Cesar yet, but I have high respect for your opinions as well as those of Malik and Carolyn, so Cesar has just moved way up on my "must try" restaurant list.

I ate at Craft Sunday night and have to agree with Soba...order the entire menu if you possibly can. I'm in NYC for a week and this was our one "high" end meal so we went for it. We had a perfect table on the back wall and the four of us told the waiter to just bring out the Chef's best. (The other couple had dined there before). What followed was a wonderfully orchestrated meal that included some off menu items. We basically ate our way through the entire menu which came with a price. Around $350 per couple without wine (we brought our own)...I have no idea what the corkage fee was. But I am certain that they didn't charge us full menu price for each item. We literally ate everything. Was it worth it? Yes. The quality of ingredients coupled with the deceptive "simplicity" of cooking and presentation created huge pure flavors. I'm hard pressed to choose a favorite dish or point out a poor one. Add in the lovely ambience of the restaurant and the excellent but unobtrusive service and it's coming close to a very top notch experience. We've spent that much money eating at French Laundry and Manresa. Does it surpass them? Certainly not FL or I assume Per Se. It's close to Manresa. The cooking and concept at Manresa is much more creative but I am not sure the ingredients are quite as good. Hard to say on one visit in the winter. I'd go back to Manresa first. I suppose I shouldn't even try to compare. My personal opinion is that Craft is not the type of restaurant to attempt to economize on. The best way to experience it is with a group and abundance. It's not a 1 app, 1 main, 1 dessert restaurant. What was exciting is that we had our own personal tasting menu with many more dishes than a fixed one...but about the same price.

And if you are heading to Point Reyes don't forget Tomales Bay Foods, home of Cowgirl Creamery. I believe their Red Hawk is one of the best artisanal cheeses being made in this country. But then I am addicted to it, so don't listen to me.

Hi PCL. As far as Bouchon goes, last August (the busy season in Napa) a friend and I were seated on the patio within 5 minutes of showing up with no reservation. It was around 7:30 on a weeknight. Obviously, if you can make a reservation it won't hurt. However, I recommend before heading to Bouchon you check the French Laundry (in person) for cancellations/no shows. And it's worth waiting for a few hours if they have an opening. (Unlikely, but I've known people who got in that way.) I only dined at Bouchon that one time. It was a very pleasant space. But I really don't think you get the true Thomas Keller experience there. No one is raving about it. I also received the cookbook for Xmas and agree with you that it's lovely.

Thanks, winesonoma, for posting that review. And thanks, Carrie, for pointing out that the reviewer doesn't have a clue. I delighted in fresh sardines throughout Greece last spring and never saw anyone filet them! (Well, I did see a few hearty eaters dramatically filet them with their teeth but I thought that was just for show. ) Over all, the review reminded me how very unique and delicious La Salette is. Must return.

I think this is an excellent general Bay Area topic and one that should be pinned so that the question need not be answered over and over again for every visitor. I do a lot of traveling and it would be a great resource if this topic was pinned for cities around the country, as well as the rest of the world. In which case Manresa and French Laundry absolutely should be emphasized given recent postive experiences by eG members at both. The rest of the restaurants mentioned, except perhaps Chez Panisse, have received mixed reviews. Some quite poor reviews. I also find this: "Rather than have this thread degrade into yet another advertisement for Manresa" very odd. What in the world are you talking about? Edit to add: I am glad to see that while I was posting Pim concurred.

Russ and I just can't stop talking about the delicious food which was matched by the wonderful company. Thanks to winesonoma and Carolyn Tillie for planning and organizing a very pleasurable lunch. Krys, you asked about the rolls? They were not flat bread. They were typically roll-shaped (round, about 3" wide and 1" high) but completely different than any roll I have encountered. Perhaps it was the corn meal that gave them a dense crust that surrounded a slightly softer interior. Very rustic. The flavor: can you imagine a mild sourdough with a sweet aftertaste? Then add to that the smoky taste of an almost charred bottom crust. Can you tell I loved the rolls? I ordered the Mussels and Clams followed by the Cheese Plate. I thought the shellfish broth was delicious and perfect for dunking the bread. My only criticism would be that many of the mussel shells were empty which was disappointing. That happens. The Cheese Plate was impressive. Their house made Queijo Fresco is one of the best fresh cheeses I have tasted. Drizzled with honey, it melted in the mouth and made me very happy. The restaurant itself was cozy with walls painted a warm Mediterranean gold. The service was attentive. At the very end Chef came out to thank us. Of course, he deserved the thanks. To top off the lunch, Bruce took us on a walk around the historic Sonoma square. Who knew Sonoma was settled before the Gold Rush? We're looking forward to visiting again.

Where exactly are those addictive Rancho Gordo tortillas available for sale? Any place I can run out and buy some now? (It's almost lunchtime... ).

And don't forget the taco truck tortillas...

Lovely pictures, as always, Tana. Of course dining at Manresa does provide excellent subject matter! Those dishes are almost all different from the ones I had in December. Kinch is quite a food artiste with an impressive array of dishes, as delicious as they are beautiful to behold. Thanks for sharing.

Wow. Sardine sandwiches! Wish there was one near me (west East Bay). And, Tana, that is one of the cutest babies EVER!

Tarka, as CherieV points out, it's quite possible to eat at FL without a reservation...just don't count on it. Unlike CherieV's experience, you usually have to be persistent. Over the years several eGers have reported getting in by just showing up and sitting at the basically non-existent bar. Apparently, even FL has last minute cancellations and no shows. But you might spoil your night if it doesn't pan out.

Shame on you!

Thanks for the thorough review. Bizou sounds wonderful. I think I'll go there for a DAT dinner.

Thanks for that cheat sheet, Krys. Actually, as much as I would like to participate in DAT, I'm having a hard time picking a restaurant for dinner. The only requirements I have are: close to a BART station and non-seafood choices...ideally in the financial district or union square but could BART further. I was very excited about Campton Place, then realized they are only doing lunch. It seems to me that most of the places are either mediocre or their menu is such that the DAT deal isn't anything special. (I just ate at One Market Street a few weeks ago...it was good but nothing special...no need to go back). Any advice?

That food looks fabulous!