otis's Profile
Bahn mi to go?
I regularly visit Saigon Sandwich on my way to SFO or OAK and buy Bahm Mi to eat on the plane. Makes the other passengers very jealous. I always get one roast pork and one "special combination", both extra spicy.
Midtown grocery stores?
RCC no ice machines, you have to call room service/butler. (This is the Plaza.)
But I've found Klein and it's great. Ice is $2.99 for 5 lbs. Also a great selection of IPAs and Belgian style ales. Also, WellGreen is on the west side of 6th between 57th and 58th so just a block from my hotel. They seem in general a wee bit cheaper than Klein's and their 5 lbs of ice is $2.50.
Midtown grocery stores?
Kathryn, I'm working out of the hotel so no. But Jane and emsny's suggestions sound good. Will check them out... thanks!
Midtown grocery stores?
Where do y'all buy your daily comestibles in Manhattan? I'm here for awhile at 5th and 59th and will go broke if I have to buy everything from room service. I want a source of cereals, fresh produce items, milk and also some CRUSHED ICE so I don't have to pay room service to bring it.
As I recall last time this happened, I was near Penn Station and bought some ice from a Korean market under the table because the cashier went back and filled a plastic grocery bag from their ice machine. But that can't be the norm.
New Yorkers look great but that can't be just because you never eat at home and never put ice in your drinks. Let me in on your secrets please.
P.S. Yes I know there's a Whole Foods in Columbus Circle but am looking for closer/alternate sources.
Goldin's Kosher Dill Pickles
I grew up on Goldin's Kosher Dills and think they were as good as anything in NY or LA. I was excited to learn that an outfit called FirstPlaceFoods has bought the name and is producing the pickles again. However, they appear only to be available in wholesale lots of a pallet or more and my call to the sales department was not returned. Any tips on outlets that sell these pickles?
Clinton HIll Pickles. Old Gus's from the LES
Daniel76, I am writing a blog post on pickles and would like to talk/email with you regarding the Guss' story. Could you email me chef at burntmyfingers dot com ?
the best SANDWICH in (Los Angeles) period.
I used to live in Silver Lake and ate the large Italian Combo at Giamela's once a week. I always ask for extra peppers and carrots and dressing on the side. These days I go there when I am back in town for business (rare, alas) and the sandwich goes with me on a plane. I was last a Giamela's maybe 6 months ago and while I did notice the staff in the kitchen had changed the sandwich seemed exactly the same. Good quality meats, nice puffy bread, a sure hand with the condiments = the sub of my dreams.
First time in LA- List in post: Which restaurants would you recommend?
So how was your trip? What did you eat and what did you think?
"fun" bars to take the president of my daughter's college
Can you get just drinks and small plates at Slanted Door? If I were the president, that's where I would be expecting you to take me.
Short Visit to SF
This may sound snarky, but it's sincere: try Yelp. Yelp's home is in SF after all and there will be many reviews that hit the points you say are important to you. The folks on this board tend to be more crotchety and food-obsessed; rather than a night on the town we're more likely to stay in a place till they kick us out, endlessly deconstructing our meal and other meals we have had recently.
Also, absolutely do not miss the Ferry Plaza Farmer's market on Saturday morning. But you should have found that out immediately.
Kimchi in SF
When my boys were going to the Korean Immersion Program at Claire Lillienthal, the vote was about 2/3 for First Korean Market (which has several varieties) and 1/3 for Woori. Both are within a stone's throw of the 38 Geary so probably as fast as walking to a place in the Mission or Civic Center. Kukje was popular for Korean ingredients in general but i don't recall anybody driving down there just for kimchi.
It's worth the effort to get a big jar of real house-made kimchi instead of a small jar in a supermarket!
Lotus of Siam too busy? Check out Weera Thai!
I was in Las Vegas for CES, and despaired of getting a table at LOS. Planned to get takeout and bring back to my hotel room until I read some reviews of Weera Thai, a mile west of LOS on the other side of the 15 freeway on Sahara. Excellent stuff!
This is a small mom and pop restaurant in a strip mall. I was by myself and only tried two dishes, the Issan style Green Papaya Salad and the Ped Nom Tak, a dish with bits of duck breast in a complex savory gravy. Both were well up there in the LOS quality quadrant. This place is serious and you should check it out.
Best pastry bakeries with institutional delivery?
i am sadly no longer a SF resident but stay in a nice residential hotel during my frequent visits. They put out a breakfast spread with mini-croissants and other little pastries and the quality is pretty mediocre. Embarrassing to be in SF and not eating great pastries. Can hounds recommend a good breakfast sweets bakery that also has reliable institutional delivery (essential)? The daily load is probably 5-10 dozen assorted pastries. Thanks.
Fisherman's Wharf
Boudin may not be gourmet dining but the baking bread smells great and it's cheap if you eat in the informal part vs the more "formal" restaurant.
Also, if your home is not near an In N Out that is probably the best choice of all. I have a 14 1/2 year old son, have recently relocated to a burger deprived area, and this is always our first stop when returning to SF.
Saigon Sandwich -- best banh mi in America? (New York Times)
I did mean Cam Huong but I thought it was on Webster, in the heart of OAK Chinatown... has it moved?
-----
Cam Huong Cafe
920 Webster St, Oakland, CA 94607
Saigon Sandwich -- best banh mi in America? (New York Times)
I have been doing a bit of a national Bahn Mi Tour since this article appeared. A month ago I ate at Ba Xuyen and Brooklyn and two nights ago at Bahn Mi Che Cali in Westminister (Brookhurst at McFadden location). While both places were perfectly fine I am now much more inclined to hand the "best" trophy (pending trips to Houston and Seattle, at some future date) to the Bay Area in general and Saigon Sandwich in particular.
What makes the Bay the best is first of all the bread which has that wonderful explode-in-your-mouth crust from the rice flour, and secondly the excellent ratio of filling to bread. Bay area bahn mi tend to be more lavishly filled while the others are more like a standard sandwich, bread predominating, and the bread is more like a standard baguett. The bright flavors of Saigon Sandwich really nail it for me, though I also like Wrap Delight (go there when Saigon is too crowded) and Cam Luong in Oakland.
If you happen to be down OC-way, though, Bahn Me Che Cali is definitely worth a stop if only for the value. Buy 2 for $5 and get another, free! This location is also open 24 hours so I am thinking about loading up for the plane on my way to LAX in the wee wee hours tonight.
-----
Saigon Sandwich Shop
560 Larkin St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Wrap Delight
426 Larkin St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Saigon Sandwich -- best banh mi in America? (New York Times)
back to the NYT article, it's full of factual errors as well as bad recommendations.... a poor piece of work. Be sure to read the comments in which the readers ream the reporter unmercifully...
'Dress code', walking & taxis to / from restaurants - and area safety
What a great thread! Intelligent questions, helpful and relevant answers. So much better than queries about "I've got 2 days in SF where should I eat" from people who have never read the board.
I will just add that you should consider Zuni, at least for drinks or a late night burger, since it is a few hundred yards from where you are staying.
-----
Zuni Cafe
1658 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Five Guys Burgers and Fries to open in Pleasant Hill! (Any other in Bay Area?)
I live in upstate NY these days where Five Guys are plentiful and folks here often brag they are "our" In-N-Out. I don't agree. They do have a lot of toppings available but most of them are obvious things like fried mushrooms, grilled onions, sauteed peppers. The burger itself is smaller than an in-N-Out, not bigger, and they wrap it in foil so it is a squishy lump by the time you eat it, especially for takeout.
The fries are ok and served in a small cup that overflows, which makes for nice marketing. And yes there are barrels of peanuts everywhere but they taste like they have been sitting for awhile.
In sum, a thoroughly average burger experience, though with a few quirks thrown in, and definitely not up to the taste and quality of In-N-Out.
Two Days in town on a Budget
As a Philly cheese steak lover, I'd say the analogous local food is a bahn mi. Same relationship of a crusty loaf to a gooey, fatty interior. I'd go to Saigon Sandwich on Larkin and if the lines are long go down the street to Baguette Express. And be sure you get something with pate on it.
-----
Saigon Sandwich Shop
560 Larkin St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Baguette Express
668 Larkin St, San Francisco, CA 94109
Van Ness Cash and Carry... good stuff!
Went to the corner of Van Ness and Division the other day, expecting to find Smart & Final select brisket for $1.99 a pound. Instead I found that the store has converted to a Cash and Carry and was selling USDA Choice for $1.57 a pound!
This was a July 4 deal that is probably gone by the time you read this, but the store is a wonder even at regular prices. As well as a far better selection than S&F. This is the place to shop.
Guyanese in Schenectady?
Any updates on this? My wife is in teacher training in Schenectady and has commented on the number of Guyanese kids in school. I would hope some restaurants have opened to serve them. As a side note, the two places that come up on a search for "Guyanese restaurant in Queens" are both Chinese (serving such items as Jerk Chicken Lo Mein).
ISO "sour slaw" recipe a la Highland Park Cafeteria in Dallas, TX
Sour slaw is a southern specialty in which the cabbage is marinated in a sugar/vinegar mixture (the preparations I've liked have little or no oil), drained, then mixed with garnish vegetables before serving. A reliable version is Memphis Minnie's in San Francisco; recipe is included in this article http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/07/02/FD265564.DTL .
However, I've recently become obsessed with duplicating the version at Highland Park Cafeteria in Dallas (which does not share any of its recipes). There is something different about the vinegar or liquid they use and also I believe it contains poppy seeds.
Can anybody help? Or, alternatively, post your own sour slaw recipes?
Chowdown at Larkin Express Deli / Burmese Kitchen
Thanks charliemyboy for the detailed documentation and mitch119 for the equally detailed photo record!! My favorites were the strongly flavored items: the shrimp with sour leaf, the dried shrimp condiment and the pork with pickled mango (which was like bits from a jar of Indian pickle spooned into the dish...I have some Palat brand in my rerig right now and it would be easy neough to try this at home). The fried tofu would have been a star in any cuisine: crispy crackly on the outside, custard-y in the middle, who wouldn't like that?
Many of the other dishes were overly mild for my taste and I recall stronger spicing back in the Deli days. (They used to make two tea leaf salads: the "traditional" one being served now and a stronger, tarter version. They have discontinued the second, which I preferred.) The samusa soup especially is a paradox because the flavors are complex yet subtle and hard to focus on in the context of a big meal. I'd go back and try just that by itself and work on the samusa till it's gone.
By the way, the service was great and host Dennis was very accommodating... as was an anonymous customer (also the house artist, who shared his portfolio) who jumped in to help. Thanks to all!
ISO free range turkey in Saratoga/Albany area
Success! Garden of Spices (Ben Shaw) in Greenwich has organic free range turkeys for $3.75 a pound; pickup day is 11/24. Ben Shaw 49 Clarks Mill Road Greenwich, NY 12865. Phone: 518-695-6801.
It is an interesting trip up there to pick up your turkey. Bring cash and be sure to sample some of their pie and soup while you are waiting.
P.S. I had one of their turkeys last year and it was great... I recalled it being a lot more costly. This price is not much more than the ~$3/lb I've found at Cardona's, Roma and Hannaford for turkeys which are hormone free but not free range.
ISO free range turkey in Saratoga/Albany area
A update after a bit of research on my own. Price Chopper will have a free range turkey; so will Roma. Hannaford won't; they have a bird that is "natural in every way except free range". Prices on these won't be set till the week before Thanksgiving but butchers predicted a $3-4 per pound range. That's a dollar to several dollars cheaper than buying a free range bird from a farmer which I'd love to do but this ay be a year to economize.
ISO free range turkey in Saratoga/Albany area
It's that time of year once again. We've got a couple of local sources but they are expensive. Can any hounds share a/their findings for per-pound prices this year for fresh free range turkey in the Cap district? b/any of these places sell just a breast as opposed to the whole turkey/ c/bonus question, any availability of heritage breeds as opposed to simply naturally grown?
Wrap Delight: keep walking up the street
Wrap Delight has always been a reliable backup when the line was too long at Saigon Sandwich, but this week I had a chicken sandwich that was dried out and tough and really not good. I also noticed (comparing to the photo on the web) that there's a sign covering "Wrap Delight" that now says "Vietnamese Sandwiches". So maybe it is under new ownership and not for the better.
The Road Back to Mandalay (San Francisco Burmese)
I went to Mandalay for lunch today to check it out for a potential chowdown. Had one dish, the fried string beans with tofu, and it was fine. However, the service was extremely distracted and when I was done it took close to 1/2 hour to pay and go. The restaurant was busy, nearly full, which may be unusual for a Friday, and I'll give them another chance next time I'm in town. But I'm not confident enough to schedule an important meal here.
Also, the next table ordered mango chicken, one of their signature dishes, and the server said "we don't have that today". Not good.
Chowdown: Mao Family Cooking, San Mateo
This is what makes Chowdowns special--the opportunity to try an abundance of diverse dishes with the careful guidance of people who know what they are ordering. And great company to enjoy it all!
My favorite (hard to choose, there are several runners-up) was the spicy fish head and its accompanying sauce. I took the lead of others and spooned the gravy on top of my rice. The fish alternated tender and gelatinous bits and had the perfect balance of salty and sweet (but not spicy). Definitely worth ordering as soon as you sit down because of the prep time. Melanie took home the leftover bits and she will have to tell us if she finally ate the fish eye. (Only one eye because this was only half a head, sliced lengthwise, but it was a big head and plenty for us.)
Thank you Victoria for organizing and translating. Thank you Peter for that long and accurate listing of our many dishes... and thank you for bringing the "ladyfingers". Thank you Lambert for offering to analyze the complex sauce for the Chairman's favorite pork dish and for pointing out that serving it with bread rather than rice makes it country fare because in the context bread would have been cheaper than rice.
