FoieFun's Profile
Dinner at Ansill in Philadelphia Report
Hi, not offensive at all, just a bit low brow. Thanks for asking. I would prefer a greeting and then some awesome waiting. Offering your name is kind of corporate TGIFs, I do not need to know your name as I would not respond, "Hi my name is Jack and I will be your customer tonight". It is demeaning to have to offer your name and not get a respose. In the 80s and 90s I was a waiter and a manager of some of the top places in SF. It is a common practice to leave the "Hello my name is" approach to the corporate places and not real restaurants. There was nothing worse then getting that customer who would say, well what is your name? Then all night long, "Jack can I get a new napkin, Jack the food is sure great, thanks Jack here is a dollar tip for you".
When I am at a restaurant I make eye contact with my waiter and then say, "excuse me, could I have another cocktail", or if he/she are not around I make eye contact with another waiter and say "hi, can you call our waiter over please". Calling out a name in a restaurant other than TGIFs / Olive Garden is rude, it is something you might do at home around the dinner table.
I do not need an intimate relationship for the night with my waiter, just good service.
I hope that helps with my review, how did you like the rest of it?
Dinner at Ansill in Philadelphia Report
OK so we just ate at Ansill in Philadelphia...
All three of us LOVED IT!
Visiting the area for the first time in many years and really on the fly so I did not have enough time to research a place. My friend who just moved her suggested I look at this menu just as I found it on a search for Charcuterie in Philly on CH.
I liked that the space did not look over complicated on the website pics and that the menu items seemed straight forward, not fussy and over complicated.
The chef story was nice too, seemed like he was from the area and obviously passionate about food.
We showed up at 7:30ish on a Tuesday (Stormy) night. The place was empty except for a few tables, which usually freaks me out, but we stayed. The room looked just like the web pics, very clean and simple, nicely done.
The waiter approached and I cringed as he said "hello, my name is .... and I will be your waiter". Call me a snob, I was a waiter forever in the bay area, I just don't like it when they do that.. It gives yay-whos the opportunity to say things like, "uhmm Billy is this your real job, what else do you do?" But I digress... I will say the waiter knew his stuff inside and out on the menu, offered suggestions when asked and really seemed passionate about the food. Everything he offered was just as he said too....
OK, they have a house wine at a bargain price on the menu each night (pitcher style). I love this, I tried the wine, it was OK, but we went with a bottle off the list, a bit pricey of a list, but not too and the list is good. For the life of me I cannot remember the name right now (1am) but it was a nice Montepulciano for about $40 and it was good.
We ordered the wine and the anti pasta which was merged with the Charcuterie plate that night ($18) Saucisson Sec, a nice hard chorizo and a lomo along with house cured olives, out of this world tuna conserva (capers, lemon, etc,,,), this eggplant that was out of this world, the plate was huge, lots more to mention, small portions of each, great share plate.
We noticed a guy sitting at the bar that looked like the chef from the website, he kept staring and then finally came over and chatted when he saw us asking the waiter a million questions about the menu. He was in fact the chef. Great guy, very down to earth, gave us his history and philosophy. Really connected with our table. We asked for his favorites and he was just about in line with the waiter. He did ask us what we like and we seemed to be on page with what he does... Ok so here is the food for the night run down..
Three starters after the Charcuterie / Anti Pasta plate..
btw: plates are meant to be shared (smaller, lower priced - but 2-3 could feed 1 person)
1) Steak tartare $12
2) Grilled romaine with pickled red onions $8
3) Trotters (done confit in little crab cake pucks) $8
OK, all three great, the Trotters won the night... they tasted perfectly confited, lightly breaded, just amazing cannot say enough here.
The romaine was very nice, earthy grilled, slightly charred, dressing was very nice (a bit garlicky YUM), the onions were perfect.
The steak tartare was nice, loved the presentation, I like mine a bit more spiced up, but as with the rest of his menu I think he was trying to let the meat stand out and it did, nice clean taste..
OK the chef sent us out a middle course (btw: give me free food and I will follow you anywhere)
Escargot, didn't see it on the menu, one of my least favorite French dishes...
Can I tell you.... even one of my less adventurous friends could not get enough....
It was sitting on a whole head of roasted garlic, micro green and in what to me looked like a play on a sauce gribiche (egg yolk, parsley, capers, tarragon, etc) the little guys were perfectly cooked, super tender but not translucent.... They were amazing!
OK on to mains....
1) Branzini $15? (sorry cannot recall exact prices but this is close)
2) Scallops $17?
3) Sweetbreads $15
Ok the fish was nice, crispy skin, clean straight forward, I never tasted a "sauce" but instead a very very nice olive oil drizzle, very very Italian
I will skip to the sweetbreads next, most of them were perfect, but the larger ones were a bit gamey.
OK ok, the scallops, perfectly and I mean perfectly cooked... Caramelized and totally M/R inside. These could not have been done any better, all 3 of us were trying to lick the plate. They were on a brown butter (very light on the amount again) parsnip puree just YUM!
Desserts
1) Poached Pear with house made ice cream
2) Chocolate Hazelnut cake (floorless)
The desserts were in the $7 range. I had a bite of each, I am not a dessert guy, my friends loved them. I did not really pay attention so I may be off on the cake.. sorry
I finished with a Fernet Branca (hence awake at 1:30am writting this)
The whole check was about $60 each tax and generous tip for food and bev.
As we sat a few tables came in, I chalked it up to weather, economy, Tuesday night... there is no reason this place should not be packed every night.
As we left the chef came over and chated us up again...
Just cannot say enough, we will be back...
For more info on Ansill: www.ansillfoodandwine.com
PS: I have a blog on my recent 3 month stay in France if you want to check it out:
http://cenzosf-mytimeinfrance.blogspot.com/
Citizen Cake and the Single Diner
Tonight I had the most frustrating meal I have ever had as a single diner.
I am alone in SF on a Saturday night so I think of places I have not tried where a single diner can eat at the bar, usually my favorite kind of place. So I choose Citizen Cake.
I love Elizabeth Falkner, I loved her when I was a waiter at Rubicon and she was there, and I will love her forever. However, Citizen Cake I could have done without.
I was excited to hear that John Mark was the bar manager, I loved what he did for Café Rouge in Berkeley and was excited to see what I have been missing all of the years at Citizen Cake.
I called and was placed on hold for a long period and then finally disconnected with. I waited 20 minutes called again and asked if there were concerns for the single diner. I was told the bar is available first come first serve, as expected.
I got to the Cake, realizing it was a theater night and I might have issues getting a seat. I recognized the hostess, who couldn’t care less and seemed put out by my wanting a seat by myself. The theater rush moved fast though and I was at the bar before I knew it. The bar itself is much higher than the stools, which makes it difficult for even the average to taller than average diner to eat comfortably.
The bartender was a young, short dark haired guy. He was busy and it seemed I sat for a long time before he or anyone acknowledged me. I finally was asked what I would like. I order from the white list a glass of the mourvedre. I was surprised to see a white mourvedre and ever more surprised when he poured me a glass of a bright red Lirac. He came back a few minutes later to ask if I liked it, I corrected him on his mistake and he stated that the mourvedre was actually a rose did I still want it. No problem I say, and he poured my taste, I then sat there ignored for 10 minutes while he cleared checks and seats. The rose was OK. I blamed it on brushing my teeth an hour earlier and the slowness on the fact that he was alone during a theater rush exit.
The hostess then sat a couple next to me; of course everyone knew them and fawned all over them. They got the attention that I wanted, 10 times….
By now they too were waiting, but suddenly they were eating and I was still trying to get an order in. I was kind of surprised that the price point was as high as it was for a café, but what the hell, right? I mean if Rachel Ray likes it so should I, please kill me for saying that. The couple is offered a special drink the bartender makes for them, he tells them it is on the house, they actually comment in private that they do not care for it.
I finally got my order in, $10 for an app of a squash salad and $29 for a steak. I also ordered a $35 bottle of a win I love, Hortus, a wine from the Laungdoc. Obviously John Mark’s style. But where was John Mark? The bartender, now part of the stream of fawners over the couple next to me, inform the couple that John Mark is unexpectedly out of town and that he is swamped because of it, well thank god for that, I thought service was always this spotty.
My food arrives; the squash salad is just that, although the fresh mozzarella is amazing! Now I have a family with 4 children sitting next to me ordering root beer floats, hardly what I would expect but more power to them. The couple next to me and I share a laugh over it.
The could has there 1st course cleared and is now offered an intermezzo of cantaloupe aqua fresca, which I love. My first course is cleared and I seem to be waiting a very long time. I am offered an apology from the bartender, but no intermezzo… I see it going out to other tables too, I feel so left out…..
My steak comes and so does the faux Languielle knife, at $29 for a steak in a café, give me the real thing or a wooden handle, thank you very much. The steak is perfectly rare as ordered, it comes with fingerling potatoes, that were obviously made earlier in the day and sat (a bit stale) blue lakes and wax beans float on the potatoes and a crostini slice with a dollop of horseradish ice cream with sea salt flakes on it (something I have made myself and been given a lot of crap for). I like it, not kidding, it was good. My couple next to me is done and is offered a special sorbet before the order dessert.
My plate is cleared; I offer the rest of the wine (more than ½ a bottle to the bartender) asks for a macchiato and then check.
I then drink ½ my coffee and toss a card down $100 for dinner for the single diner. I get up and walk out as I turn into the window from outside the bartender is pouring the couple two glasses from my bottle of Hortus, I feel dirty. I want to be part of the couple, kind of suxed for the single diner tonight! Orson where are you when I need you? Rosebud is not a sled it is a nice word for the way I was treated tonight.
