tanabutler

His choice is valid, for him. I wouldn't rent to smokers, because of the stench (not to mention the added liability). Some people think meat smells, um, dead.

Rancho Gordo, I, too, am a spiral-unwrapper. And I mean burritos, señor. Me, I have not been to south county in search of Chef Kinch's recs, and I wish this thread could be broadened to include the whole Bay area. Because we're both technically in the San Francisco Bay area.

Rather than type up the Tasting Menu that Chef Kinch created for my friends, I photographed it. All these courses will not be represented below. All of these images, below, were taken by my beloved friend, Nikki, aka Monique Feil, who is a portrait photographer specializing in weddings. © 2004 Monique Feil (I have her permission to post them here): Crab Beggar's Purses Tomato Cocktail The Egg Strawberry Gazpacho Local Sardine "Escalivada" Japanese Butterfish with Olive Oil and Chives Sea Urchin and Saffon with Orange --------------------- She is still ecstatic with their experience.

Pink Godzilla was our date place when Bob and I first met, back in the early Nineties. I am sad to say it but we don't particularly like going there so much any more. It's seen better days. My chief complaint is that owner/chef Mitzu is not there as much as he used to be. It's unbearably rowdy most of the time, and often with drunks in the tatami rooms who should have been cut off a great many sakes ago. Also, a chef I know says she heard they re-use their ginger (off customers' plates). If you want good sushi, go to Shogun downtown. It's the finest.

The meal I had at Farallon was one of the best I've ever had, and the service was simply perfect. The atmosphere is like an opium dream.

The Sausalito rec is probably a good one. Farallon doesn't have a view, but it's a sumptuous and seductive room, and the food is great. I know it would fit the bill for romance. Big time. (Get oysters. Get champagne.) It's the first restaurant where I tried a Gruner Veltliner wine. I was going to recommend Greens, but the view is really more of the marina, and you'd better love looking at a lot of boats.

I think you might have to compromise here, GoodGrub. If you go for romantic, you won't be getting the best food in the city. The three things that spring to mind (and I'm sure there are others): 1) Hog Island Oyster Company at the Ferry Plaza Marketplace. It's not "romantic" per se, but the food? Oysters and champagne? And a view across the bay? Yowsah. 2) McCormick and Kuleto's at Ghiradelli Square. This is the compromise: the view is spectacular (Golden Gate Bridge) but the food isn't the best. I've never had a bad meal there, but it's not like it's a destination restaurant. For what it is, it might fit your bill, though. It's really got the best view of any restaurant I can think of in San Francisco.

Suvir was on "The Today Show" this morning (how I wish I'd known about that)....and from that link, this happy news: Those of us fortunate enough to have dined at Amma (where Suvir and chef Hemant Mathur prepared amazing Indian food) have been awaiting this news, as have those who missed them there. Suvir, congratulations on your television appearance. Any word on Devi will be eagerly received.

After you have dinner at Oswald, you can walk a few blocks down the Pacific Garden Mall (it's a lovely stroll) and have gelato at GelatoMania Café. They are also a member of CASCC (Culinary Alliance of Santa Cruz), and they're open until 10 PM or 11 PM every night.

Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup is warm phlegm. I cannot believe you people don't know your culinary references.

But it shouldn't be true in San Diego, which is part of the Eden Belt (my designation) in California. It enjoys an ideal climate, the ability to grow things year 'round, and never mind the population of a millon or so (which, along with the weird politics, drove me out of there in 1983--too crowded!). A city of that size, with the potential of produce all year long, should be able to manifest quite a lot intelligent restaurants. What gives? Hey, I still miss Dan Fouts. I lived in SD for years.

My half-gallon of organic milk at Safeway, when it's on sale, is $3.00.

Santa Cruz has chain restaurants (but the Red Lobster went belly-up). The best chain in town is, hands down, Armadillo Willy's BBQ, right off Highway 1 on 41st Avenue. I'm not such a snoot that I won't darken their doors (besides, it's about three blocks from my house). A girl has to get her BBQ fix somewhere. (There is also Cole's, which is great but not close to me.) David Bruce is just wonderful. And Wente provided the wine at the farm dinner with Alice Waters in Frog Hollow Farm's peach orchard. Isn't Justin down in Paso Robles? Hope you have a wonderful time. All the places I recommended have great wine lists. You'll be in good hands, regardless.

Noir de Crimee seeds and plants are widely available in California, tanabutler. If you can't find it, some of the reputable mail order catalogs have it, for less than it would cost to ship a tomato. It's supposed to be the same as Black Krim but somehow Noir de Crimee gets more taste raves. I personally think it tastes better than Black Krim. Great story. Nice to see a farmer getting recognition. Thanks, I will look for them. Black Krim is my absolute favorite tomato. I didn't mean for Varmint to ship me a tomato: you put the seeds on a paper towel and let them dry, and keep them that way. I once Fed Exed a box of heirlooms to my sister in Georgia, but they didn't get delivered on Saturday and the box was tomato soup when she opened it. I bought Happy Boy Farms heirloom tomatoes at the Capitola farmers market today, $2/pound.

Pleiades, I hope you have a fabulous time. Along with dining suggestions, may I recommend a trip to Soquel Vineyards? I tasted some of their wines recently and they are as good as anything I've had at 23 Outstanding in the Field farm dinners. If you are in Soquel, Theo's is a fine place, though on the "expensive" (ha, for Santa Cruz, that is) side. My favorite restaurant in town is Oswald, closely followed by Ristorante Avanti and Gabriella Café. Neither Avanti nor Oswald have web sites (and they haven't hired me yet!), but I can tell you that all three are sustained by the local farmers markets. I know all the chefs, and they personally shop at the Wednesday market. You might read the story of the blackmailing babysitter to get an idea about how I feel about why the food scene is as good as it is in Santa Cruz. Gayle's Bakery and Rosticceria is a treasure, and is always worth a visit. (I recommend getting food to go, though, as it can be deafening in there, especially if you make the mistake of sitting under the speaker where they call the numbers.) Do you need suggestions for lodgings, too? Feel free to PM me if you like; it seems to be my purpose in life to hook people up with the good things around here, and I love doing it. Lastly, let me endorse the idea of going to Manresa. I think I will be there on Saturday night with another eGulleteer, and it makes me happy to think so. David Kinch is a (close your eyes, Chef) bloody genius and his food will simply blow you away. They don't call him "the Thomas Keller of the South Bay" for nothing, I promise. Manresa thread at eGullet Again, feel free to PM me with any specific questions. Are you working the whole time, or do you have a chance to socialize? We could meet for a glass of wine at Soif, if you want.

Thanks for linking, Varmint. That Noir de Crimee tomato is the blackest tomato I've ever seen. (any chance you could get one and send me some seeds?) I'm going to send the link to Gary Ibsen, our neighbor in Carmel who every year does the Tomato Festival.

Toliver, let me just say that, all things being equal, they took jobs in Chicago with great relief. They are serious foodies, and San Diego just didn't do it for them in any regard. But yes, they did decide to move because of the food. That was the major factor.

I switched a couple of years ago to organic milk (2%, half-gallon, at the Safeway that is one block from my house), usually when it's on sale. We only drink milk in our morning tea (Oh. Shut. Up.), and I agree with MsMelkor that it's worth it to me not to think about the crap that cows ingest.

Though I don't usually make them myself, I love sandwiches with roasted red peppers on them. There's a joint in Santa Cruz that specializes in turkey sandwiches: the turkey is just like leftover Thanksgiving bird. And they put stuffing and cranberry sauce on them, with grated carrots and lettuce, and there is nothing better. My own post-Thanksgiving turkey sandwiches have shiitake mushroom stuffing and shiitake-sherry cream gravy, and I'd feed those to the Queen of England. Or someone else very rich whom I actually liked and admired. Sharp cheddar is good. Toasted sourdough bread is good. Grilled cheese is even better.

Yes indeed, Squeat. Acme Bread is so fantastic that Chef David Kinch serves it at Manresa. My husband is slightly addicted to the olive loaf.

The Ferry Plaza thread I was there again on Sunday. That is my twelfth visit in less than a year.

There is an Outstanding in the Field farm dinner this weekend at Tablas Creek Vineyard (Paso Robles area). They brought the wines to last year's dinner at Coleman Farm; they are very, very good.

FYI, if you do camp in Utah, you will lose a lot of time. I'm not sure it's possible to get to NYC in five days via Mayhaw Man's route, but am completely interested to see his projection.

Having never dined in a Michelin restaurant or at French Laundry, I have nonetheless experienced some meals that were brilliant and artful. The two meals I had at Blue Hill in Greenwich Village, as well as the farm dinner that Dan Barber and staff prepared at Stone Barns, were nothing that could be called simplistic. I dined with my good friend, a chef and an instructor at French Culinary Institute (where Dan Barber is an alumnus), and she was beyond impressed. It's not like they're slapping leaves on a plate and drenching them with dressing (or the equivalent for soup, etcetera). I am delighted to read this review. Mr. Bruni must be very perceptive and sensitive.

A San Diego couple came to the Outstanding in the Field dinner at Frog's Leap Winery this past Saturday. They are actually moving away from San Diego because the food is so disappointing to them--headed for Chicago, where I bet they'll be happy in that regard. Their favorite place is 910 (Nine Ten? Nine One Oh?) in La Jolla.