Jack's Profile
What's The Oldest Thing You Cook In/With?
When I graduated from college in 1960 my mother gave me some items to start my apartment kitchen. One of them was a 10-inch cast iron skillet that says on the back, "Piqua ware, the best to cook in." She told me she'd had it for a number of yhears before I was born. I still use it all the time, including tonight. Nothing else works as well for browning meat, and it is very versatile. Since I'm 73 next week, the skillet has to be closing in on 80, and it's still going strong.
Prather Ranch lard pie crust
Suet is beef fat, lard is pork fat. Suet is used for Yorkshire pudding, mincemeat, and not much else. Lard was the fat of choice for piecrust in days gone by, and is great for pastry.
Seafood around Fremont or Palo Alto?
l was there recently and it was as good as ever. The lobster roll and the clam chowdah were both excellent. It's not a budget place but the prices are reasonable and you get what you pay for, which is fresh and top quality.
Five Guys Burgers opening in Fremont
I went to a Five Guys in two different college towns fairly recently. They appeal to that demographic. They are different from In-N-Out in that they offer more choices of garnishes and their burgers are larger. They are good quality. I would say that comparing them to In-N-Out is the old apples and oranges comparison; each is good in its own category. Both are recommended and are head and shoulders above the big chains, Mickey D, Burger King, and J-in-the-B.
21st Birthday in Berkeley
No one has mentioned Adagia, at College and Bancroft, which is close to the Greek. I ate there a couple of years ago and liked it, but it may have gone downhill since then. I think it would be fancy enough for a 21st birthday and yet not too stuffy or formal.
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Adagia Restaurant
2700 Bancroft Way, Berkeley, CA 94704
2009 Christmas Eve Dinner
Rue Lepic at Pine and Mason on Nob Hill is a very good French restaurant. I think your parents would enjoy it thoroughly. I'm not sure it they'll be open on Christmas Eve, but if they are, I would recommend it. It is close to Grace Cathedral, but I'd check it out to see if it's within walking distance for a 75-year-old.
Astaria in San Mateo: recent experiences?
My wife and I took some out of town visitors there recently. We enjoyed the food and thought we got our money's worth. I would recommend the restaurant.
Dining solo in San Francisco
The counter at Tadich Grill is great for solo dining and very San Francisco.
25th Anniversary Dinner
My wife and I celebrated our 25th at Fleur de Lys four years ago. It was great. We'd go back. Wherever you go, congratulations to you and your wife on your Silver Anniversary, and best wishes for many more years of married bliss.
Enjoyed The Bistro at the Cliff House
My wife and I have been there a couple of times recent.ly. It is highly recommended. Not a tourist trap at all, and the food is very good.
Need a not too crowded beachside restaurant
I second the recommendation for the Cliff House. My wife and I were very pleasantly surprised there recently. It is by no means a tourist trap, and the food is very good. Prices are reasonable for the location and view. The atmosphere in the Bistro, on the left as you enter the front door, is excellent. I think they have a different menu than the more formal dining area on the right and downstairs, but you can ask. If you want something more casual in the same area, Louis', just up the street from the Cliff House, is OK, and popular with locals, but nothing out of the ordinary.
Craving fish and chips.
Camelot Fish and Chips, 70 West Manor Drive in Pacifica, is good and inexpensive. The only downside is that they close early, at 8:00 p.m.
outer richmond eats???
Pacific Cafe at 34th and Geary has excellent seafood and is reasonably priced. They also give you free wine while you're waiting for a table.
My Field Trip to 99 Ranch - Tell me what your favorites are
I visit the 99 Ranch in Daly City, off Skyline, on occasion. Their fish is usually vey fresh and very good. The crabs and lobsters are lower-priced than elsewhere but I have read somewhere that since they are packed into the tanks they consume more waste than they would in the Ocean. Does anybody know if this affects the flavor?
Any Place in Lancashire worth recommending?
My wife and I will be spending ten days in Lancashire, northwest of Lancaster, in late July. We plan to tour the Lake Country and will be staying in a place near Lancaster. Any recommendations? We are open to almost anything except ultra-cheap.
Anything chowish near Travis AFB?
A favorite of mine is Wren's Cafe, in Vacaville, for breakfast or lunch. It's a small, no-frills, throwback kind of place with good food and fair prices. It's on the north side of I-80 at the Alamo-Merchant off-ramp.
Pizza in Pacifica
Is there any place in or near Pacifica that has good pizza, preferably thin-crust? I've gotten adequate pizza from Viva Italiano on Aura Vista, but the crust is quite thick unless you order thin-crust, and the toppings are OK but nothing special. The rest of the places I've tried here are pretty pedestrian.
Best Peninsula Dining
Chez Alexander, 1136 Broadway, in Burlingame, is a very good French restaurant with easy freeway access. It's one block past the railroad tracks on Broadway. Good food and atmosphere, reasonable prices.
The Cheese Steak Shop: Report
I'm no expert on Philly Cheese Steaks but I've never had a better one than at the Cheese Steak Shop. My daughter and I liked the peppers that come with the cheese steak so well that we prevailed upon them to sell us a jar. They are the real deal, from a supplier in Philadelphia. I go there whenever I am in the area at lunch time, which is a couple of times a year.
Truely good steak house and prime rib
I agree with larochelle on both counts for beef. House of Prime Rib will be crowded on Saturday night. Make reservations and expect a wait, anyway.
Finicky Visitors to Berkeley
I second the recommendation for Lalime. I've never had a bad meal there. It's not cheap, but you get what you pay for. Also, Adagia at College and Bancroft is very good and very Berkeley.
Where to take Mom to Dinner Near Curran Theatre
Try the Grand Cafe, 501 Geary, one block up from the Curran. We went there before a Curran performance and enjoyed it very much. It's an old-school San Francisco place with a varied menu.
Adagia Restaurant, Berkeley
Wife and I went to the Adagia Restaurant in Berkeley last night for a pre-theater dinner. It was our first visit there. We were both very favorably impressed. W had the Alaskan Halibut with royal trumpet mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, carrots, and lemon nage. Fish was very fresh, sauce was well prepared and complimented the fish nicely. I had the Moroccan braised lamb shank, even though it's not really braised lamb shank weather. It was superb. The accompanying lemon-herb polenta was also excellent, although it looked like scrambled eggs, and the swiss chard was neither overcooked nor barely softened, as many vegetables are served today. Serving sizes were just right. The wines by the glass were good enough that I ordered one of them, a Yorkville Sauvignon Blanc, today from the winery. Atmosphere is relaxing and pleasant, service is good and the prices for both food and wine are fair. Highly recommended. We'll return.
Berkeley Eats before & after UT/Cal game
I am also a Cal season ticket holder and I agree with dinnerout. Due to the TV-driven scheduling of the game at 5:30, it will be after 9:00 p. m., probably pushing 10:00 p. m., by the time you get back down to the Downtown Berkeley BART station. I'd advise heading back to SF at that time of the evening. Before the game, there are lots of options in Berkeley. One is the Triple Rock Brew Pub on Shattuck at Hearst, a block north of University. Typical brewpub grub, but not bad, good beer, and several TVs. The crowd is varied in age. It's a pretty good hike from there to the Stadium, but you can always get the free bus up the hill from Shattuck and Center, near the BART station.
Downtown Berkeley Dinner
I'm looking for a non-Asian restaurant for dinner in downtown Berkeley, walking distance from Zellerbach Hall, for pre-theater dinner on Friday, June 22. We want to park, have dinner, then walk to the performance.
South Lake Tahoe restaurants
The Swiss Chalet on Highway 50 between the Y and the Nevada state line. Excellent, reliable, been there many years, family owned and operated. We try to get there at least once a year.
Fleur de Lys SF
My wife and I went there last year for our Silver (25th) Anniversary. We were very satisfied on all counts, food, service and atmosphere. I recommend it for an anniversary dinner.
mexican food in pacifica
Guerreros at Reina del Mar and Highway 1 is excellent for a taqueria. Also try Grano de Oro, the tortilla factory, on Francisco one block south of Paloma. They have the best corn tortillas in the Bay Area, since they use fresh masa. Their food is quite good. Acapulco, across the street from Nick's in Rockaway, is run by the same family as Grano de Oro. You won't find "gourmet mexican" or New Mexico Mexican in Pacifica, but the places listed above are more than adequate.
