Fine's Profile
Where to buy fresh, shelled lobster?
I don't believe I've ever seen lobster sold shelled.
It's pretty quick and easy to shell and probably best to buy live, cook, then shell.
BTW, I believe Eastern lobs are considered much tastier during the summer months; Dungeness??
"South of the Border" late lunch?
Out-of-towner's request.
Want to be able to sit and chew the fat (!) for a while.
Is Parada 22 any good?
Any nabe, any price range, and those familiar with my taste already know, preferably local, organic, et al. (Sad to hear Gracias closing.)
Thanks.
Zitouna v. Tajine
Sorry to be slow.
When it first opened, Zitouna bragged about making its own breek dough from scratch.
Can't remember offhand, did it change owners? Seems to me there was a woman doing that baking.
tomasso's north beach
As I've mentioned over the years, I am a fan of two pasta dishes at Tommaso's: one with calamare*, the other with broccoli.
Not being quite the trenchermen of yore, we don't always order a pasta as well as a pizza every visit.
We don't have any restaurant hangouts (unless one counts the great Bistro in Incline, which we "hang out" in once annually); Tommaso's is as close to home-y to us as any place gets. I remember it when it was Lupo's; also remember when it baked bread on Wednesdays and Sundays, the days SF traditional breads were unavailable fresh. We now go only a couple of times a year, but part of the reason for that is my ever-decreasing taste for foods made with white flour.
*I was so disappointed by a meal a few years ago, I stayed away for ages; finally went back and it seemed back on track. That one time, the calamare reminded me of the frozen Chinese variety, and everything else seemed a bit off as well.
Zitouna v. Tajine
Finally got back to Zitouna--half the times I wanted to go it was closed, the other half the forbidden alcohol was decisive. I've been in love with breek for 40 years.
One man serving full house and take-out and cash register. Naturally had to wait to give order. Sorry--no breek tonight. Later, sorry, no baklava.
I was so disappointed, I just ordered thoughtlessly. My cous cous royale was "pleasant"; our plate of Middle Eastern Mosaic featured delicious felafel, nice hummus, sheep's milk feta (server had said goat; I prefer sheep), a so-so eggplant stew, nice salad greens, and two (2) olives. Pita was ok, though hard to separate.
He turned the open sign around at 7: 50 on a Sat night!
Best Ethiopian in Bay Area?
Thanks. Alas my raw flesh days are behind me.
In the early days of Ethiopian/Eritrean places (I discovered my first in the early 80s and I think it might have been new), most dishes were good and hot.
I grow habaneros, so I mean hot when I say hot.
Best Ethiopian in Bay Area?
I occasionally get cravings for Ethiopian cooking, but the last several times I ate any--here and in LA--it was mild as baby food. I've kind of given up.
Chef Vahit Besir Returns to San Francisco Next Week
Any updates? Open yet?
Also, will he allow one to bring wine or not?
Thanks.
Modest-priced Sonoma restaurant for a small group
Sorry to be slow to reply.
I confess I could have used a more neutral term to say what I meant, which was basically a somewhat more interesting selection of dishes.
Our party of 11 was quite pleased with both the setting and the food at Depot Hotel, which actually turned out to be a bit more diverse than the online menu had suggested. Ended up costing 41 pp with tax, tip, and corkage.
I emailed La Salette asking if it could handle our party but did not receive a reply.
4 nights in SF. How do our reservations sound?
I live close to Betelnut, in historic Golden Gate Valley--part of today's Cow Hollow nabe. Occasionally we find ourselves looking for a bite after a local meeting without having to bus or drive.
Betelnut on occasion has filled the bill deliciously, other times not well at all. I don't pretend to understand the fluctuation. We usually go late-ish; perhaps the head cooks are already gone by then.
Haven't been back for the fantastic suckling pig and sauteed greens because it's gone long before my usual dinner hour (comes out at 6 on Tuesdays and is gobbled up pretty fast).
In fairness, a friend from up north adored it and couldn't believe we lived so close to such an amazing place; made a special trip down to share it with family.
My problem, aside from above-mentioned inconsistency, is equal inconsistency with servers, who can be helpful and knowledgeable or surly. For instance, I've been assured "seabass" was local by one, Chilean by another.
We've lived for decades in SF and have eaten (and still regularly do eat) authentic versions of most available cuisines, but don't, as I said, always feel like making an excursion when a decent cocktail and often-flavorful food beckon nearby. So we generally end up there about 4-5 times a year.
Lers Ros Venison, Quail??
Just perused menu. Have not eaten here.
Game is so rare on menus in SF (pun sorta intended), I wondered if anyone had tried it or, for that matter, the quail.
Thanks.
Boxing Room, Hayes Valley
"Who goes to a NO-style restaurant for salt-free dining?" It clearly was low- rather than no-salt, and nutrition and medical authorities strongly urge anyone over-50 to consume no more than 1500 mg/day.
You'd be diminishing the dining population considerably if you subtracted even some of that demographic!
One person's insufficiently salted meal is another's night of drinking quarts of water.
Plum or Camino for Group Brunch on Saturday?
We had so looked forward to our post-theatre meal at Plum; alas, it was tedious.
Modest-priced Sonoma restaurant for a small group
I am charged with choosing a Sonoma restaurant with modest prices for a group of about 10 Friday evening of Labor Day Weekend. I've perused menus at places available on Open Table and the least offensive appears to be Depot.
Has anyone eaten there recently? Does anyone have another suggestion?
Many thanks.
North Lake Tahoe, Summer '11
Ate much better than usual at North Shore Lake Tahoe this summer, I'm pleased to say, even though the delectable (based on one visit) Baxter's had already bitten the dust, to our palates' dismay.
Even old Spindleshank's in Tahoe Vista was trying harder--decent artichoke app and generous, fresh wild king salmon special, with lovely baby carrots, sauteed and lightly encased obviously fresh artichoke hearts, terrific wild mushrooms, and more; only misstep was the addition of a blah hollandaise, which, even if lemony enough for my taste, would have still qualified as intrusive rather than, what I assume the cook intended, "bringing it all together." I couldn't help thinking the cook felt folks expected that sauce with salmon and, no matter how inappropriate, threw it in.
Hadn't realized Jack Rabbit Moon had returned to Incline, but there it was, serving--if ours was typical--delicious food in an odd, barren little room. I had superb fresh head-on prawns (3) over a bed of Spanish chorizo and white beans, followed by delicious lamb chops (waiter, not menu, said "Niman Ranch, which I realize is no longer much of a rec, but at least they were American!). Spouse's vichyssoise next to gazpacho and tenderloin were both enjoyable but not as stellar as my choices.
As we arrived at Le Bistro, across from Hyatt-Incline--which remains the principal reason we go up to the lake each year--a Schwab wine-tasting dinner for 3 dozen was finishing up with glowing accolades. We soon settled down to order from what struck us as a larger-than-usual number of choices on the 5-course, prix-fixe, now-$50(!) meal. As always, the repast began with amuse-bouches of 3 different filled hot pastries. Soups--rich but first-rate vichyssoise w. asparagus and fresh porcini bisque en croute (4.75 additional), properly intense; Apps (8 choices)--my innard-loving BH indeed loved spicy braised honeycomb tripe w. Calvados & white wine, as I did blue crab cocktail w. avocado salad, Absinthe dressing; Salads (7 choices)--Hydroponic watercress salad w. honey-sherry vinaigrette, roasted pine nuts, Bartlett pear was delightfully refreshing, and, while not-one's everyday-def-of-salad, quail quenelle w. truffle and mashed turnip was pleasing the rich-food lover (regrets only later); in deference to American culinary language, what the menu terms Entrees (6)--fabulous duck confit, which the menu redundantly labeled "homemade," though only the Acme bread is not at this restaurant, w. caramelized onions and cranberry jelly, and almost as good noisette of fresh venison w. green peppercorn sauce & yam puree. With our main courses came the house special "pommes soufflees," air-filled, French-fry balloons; Desserts--choice between assorted cheeses w. raisins & glazed walnuts and "Le Grand Dessert," an array of miniature pastries and custards, which is always our choice, always different, always leaves us wishing for one more bite of our fave. We declined the postprandial offer of homemade chocolate truffles "for the road." In fairness, I must mention we have known and followed owner/chef Jean-Pierre Doignon since late, GREAT La Cheminee in King's Beach; Le Bistro may be the "poor man's La Cheminee," but few would know that. I know of no other restaurant where one person is always there, cooks or supervises every dish, starts before the rest of his crew, and leaves only after the last customer. J-P has a v. loyal following but I'm always amazed that I can get a reservation just a few days ahead at this totally remarkable establishment. BTW, the wine list is excellent, though it's been our practice to bring our own, so I don't give it that much attention.
Last year we had a highly disappointing experience at Moody'sin Truckee, though the management was gracious in accepting criticism and comping dishes that we found far from its usual standards. We were nervous as we sat down, but we needn't have been. My BH is still raving about a farm egg-cum-polenta app. My fresh beet salad was delightful as well. Both Hanger steak and Antelope were terrific, a cone of fries with the former, tasty broccoli raab (or rapini), cooked enough not to be too stringy, and a now-fading-from-memory further garnish.
My overall feeling at BITE, Incline, was this: When it first opened a few years back, the owners were enthusiastic about sustainability and organics; now, each and every question posed to the waiter required a trip to the kitchen for answers. The place was jumping and undoubtedly mostly filled with those who don't make those qualities a condition of choosing a restaurant. Sigh. It's difficult to find places to eat for 5 evenings, and this will continue to teeter on the rim of possibles--the food is generous, the flavors mostly good, but my confidence is sufficiently shaken in their continuing to adhere to their original commitments, I've lost considerable enthusiasm myself. Just the same, I must add that I enjoyed my Maine lob BLT (there must have been a recent shipment to the area; I noticed lobster on several menus.) I suppose it's futile to wish that kitchens would offer a choice of something other than cottony white bread/rolls.
Pizza Pilgrimage to Bay Area
I'm far from a pizza fanatic, though I do like to make my own; however, based on one visit each--not enough I admit--we greatly preferred Ragazza to Gialina.
Quick dinner near Pacific Film Archive?
Anything more up to date on this topic? I seem to be batting zero. Adagia is closed--no idea if temp or permanent. Cafe Muse doesn't seem to exist.
Thx
French Garden, Sebastopol?
Looking for a not-too-expensive spot for a reunion of 8 friends in Sonoma--city or county--9/3; varying tastes and levels of culinary interest. French Garden ??
Thanks.
Where did emailed threads go?
I emailed three threads early this AM and received a message that they'd been successfully sent, but they never arrived.
Peninsula treats?
Have been perusing but didn't find answer to this: What ethnic dishes or restaurants on the Peninsula (as far south as SJ) offer stuff unavailable in SF or East Bay or far better renditions?
Thanks!
Local/organic on Central Coast?
Forgive the quibble, but the inspiration for Alice's soup is the justifiably famous Portuguese caldo verde. (And yes, I've known Alice since the seventies.)
I hope it doesn't sound pretentious to say I've never eaten at fast food places*, so would not include them in any comments I made about dining.
*One exception years ago when I was with the landlord of a hamburger chain inspecting his property when the franchisee insisted on our tasting his output. I managed by pretending I was eating some brand-new dish I'd never tried before.
Local/organic on Central Coast?
I suspect it has little to do with where I'm from and a lot more to do with where I'm coming from!
It's true I've always distrusted what I not so politely call gooped-up food and never understood why cooks add cheese to otherwise complete dishes only, IMO, to make them richer and throw them off balance, but I've also never had much stomach for richness, with the exception of fattier cuts of meat, something I pretty much eschew these days because I made a commitment to eating "low on the hog" some 20-odd years ago. That I'm still here to tell the tale provides at least a modicum of evidence that it was not a bad decision.
Local/organic on Central Coast?
I truly wanted to go to Thomas Hill because I support its policy, but virtually every dish on the menu had at least one too many ingredients, usually cheese, which, right or wrong, I have always associated with amateur cooking. IMO, adding cheese to most dishes makes it harder to taste the main ingredients while injecting superfluous richness.
Alas, Artisan was also unduly rich and its kitchen appeared to lack understanding of how various elements of a dish work toward (or against) its success, as in crab cakes on a bland and rich celery root remoulade that cried out for more acid. And why waste Kobe beef in a (sauce-free) pot roast? My BH is a charter member of the clean plate club but left part of that dish (and couldn't even face coffee the next morning).
I did like my grass-fed flatiron steak and (also v. rich) jalapeno corn sticks, which would have worked well with honey but veered over the top with honey-butter.
We over-ordered because the waiter remained silent over the sides that accompanied our main courses.
I realize I am more health-conscious than the average 'hound, but I also know a bit about food, dining, and cooking and maintain that most dishes have better flavor and texture if added richness is minimized and the foods left to speak for themselves. There seems a real contradiction between emphasizing local produce and organic foods then inundating them in butter or other fatty additions--above and beyond the necessary.
I used to be more or less a voice in the wilderness, but more and more SF restaurants are moving in what I consider the right direction. I suppose the fanciest places in small towns have always tended to confuse richness with "gourmet cooking," so I should not have been surprised.
The hosts were friendly, the restaurant busy on a Monday night.
Kenwood: Vineyards Inn All-Organic Basque dinner – One of the ten best meals of my life … good for the planet, palate and soul
Ate at Vineyards Inn for Basque din last year and enjoyed it--perhaps the sum a bit more than the parts.
Went back (4 of us) for a regular meal and, other than great homemade noodles and good broc-hollandaise, it was awful.
Food textures were off, wrong fish served, water-logged artichokes (a house specialty), mushy seafood in stew, some awful citrus substance on the tiny, allegedly local chops (not rack) of lamb, reminded me of that tinny flavor of canned juice.
We (Better Half and I) were both embarrassed and crushed. (I had not checked on updates here.)
Kept thinking of an old routine where the patients tie up the shrink and take over the asylum (pre-PC language), only this time it would have been the bussers or, perhaps, the farmhands.
Hours for Seafood Harbour
I find that so amazing/depressing.
We've been driving down from SF more or less annually for a number of years and always include a meal in SGV.
Local/organic on Central Coast?
We're driving from LA to SF and will spend the night (Mon.) along the way.
We loved Cayucos last year and were certainly impressed with Cass House, but I'm seeking something a bit less rich and studied. Was thinking about Santa Barbara but leaning more northward after frustrating look at accommodations, seafood, etc.
You were all helpful in the past and hope you have some "news."
Thanks in advance.
Hours for Seafood Harbour
Why is it so difficult to get info on this restaurant??
I'd appreciate evening hours and any hint on how to see its menu.
Thanks, Angeleans,
Spot Prawns in Santa Barbara?
Do they still exist? Is May their season?
Perusing menus, including C-hnd recs for seafood, I see mostly out-of-state or even out-of country stuff and touristy dishes.
Is there a place (open Mondays) where I might find a mess of simple fresh prawns or, failing that, local swordfish or lobster (what used to be called "crayfish)?
Many thanks.
