answerman's Profile
Name this Bay area only reservation website
That's misdescriptive. It's not *just* a front-end. If you don't know how it works, you shouldn't misdescribe it. It's actually pretty slick. But yes, it only pulls from OpenTable.
Gustofino on Church -- Cleaned out and Gone? Why??
I received an answer.
Insufficient capital. Unfortunate for us, but sounds like very poor business planning to me.
Gustofino on Church -- Cleaned out and Gone? Why??
This wonderful place just opened a few months back.
I wondered over this weekend to pick up some Blue Bottle, have a sandwich and enjoy.
It's totally cleaned out. All of the hardware and signage is still there, but nothing else. And the phone number is disconnected.
Anyone know what the deal is? It's a real bummer.
Cupcakes for First Birthday Party near Berkeley
Sibbys Cupcakery. Search Google.
Truly amazing, custom, and she delivers.
Win, win.
Canteen for dinner
There are four booths -- 3 of them accommodate four, 1 accommodates only 2.
All of the booth are a tight fight. And worth it.
Chiaroscuro: Friday Night Train Wreck, Complete Meltdown
Generally I'd agree. Not in this case.
Chiaroscuro: Friday Night Train Wreck, Complete Meltdown
Of course they can't control the weather - they can't even run a restaurant properly. I think the point was that one might be a little more forgiving of Chiaroscuro's utter ineptitude were the conditions outside not so miserable. You're not going to be getting great food from that place. I give in 3 mos, tops.
Chiaroscuro: Friday Night Train Wreck, Complete Meltdown
Glad we have that cleared up.
Now everyone can know to avoid ROBERTO's restaurant, at least on Fridays and for a long time.
Chiaroscuro: Friday Night Train Wreck, Complete Meltdown
I guess you know the owner??
Chiaroscuro: Friday Night Train Wreck, Complete Meltdown
What started out as a promising night with a relatively early reservation (8pm) at this very new FiDi restaurant (in the old Tartare space) turned into a truly shocking display of novice unpreparedness. End result was that the entire restaurant ended up getting comped.
Even that, though, it didn't make up for it. And while Umberto (the owner) was gracious when told what this was a trainwreck (he knew it), he was still seating people when we walked out three hours, but only two courses, into our seven course tasting menu. Had we only known, we would have ordered something much simpler....
Things as simple as wine glasses were messed up: two different Riedel glasses -- one for a whie, one for red (each dirty, streaky, and lipstick-stained) were brought to the table for the same red wine. Things a little more important, like the bread components to the few dishes we got, were all seriously charred. Not overcooked, but burned and inedible.
It's one thing when the focus of the conversation at the table becomes the weakness of the restaurant, or how we should have tried something other than a first week place. It's entirely another when (literally) every conversation overheard is the same -- all about the fact that the evening is going down in flames, that only two dishes had come out of the kitchen between 9pm and 10:45, despite many promises to the contrary. It was an amazing sight to see and take part in, but it wasn't really pleasant.
I can say that the mussels were perfect -- well, the burnt toast didn't help them, but Umberto knows his shellfish.
There may be hope yet, but this is a deep hole. Very deep.
Best in Bellevue?
SF Hound will be spending a week in Bellevue.
Looking for some guidance on where to go. Into quality ingredients, innovation, great wines. Price is not an object.
Thanks.
ISO unusual ethnic cuisines
There's a great Nepali place in Bernal Heights called Little Nepal.
I'd check it out.
(415) 643-3881
925 Cortland Ave.
San Francisco, CA
craving a cobb salad... wheres the best?
If you're downtown, Cafe Medeleine on California @ Battery makes a great Cobb.
Best falafel downtown?
Not sure that's a fair criticism.
You can ask for more hot sauce. And more tahini. The guy who makes the food will customize it. If the bread is too dry, ask for it to be grilled less than it is.
Healdsburg recommendations
Cruise a few miles north to Geyserville and hit Santi.
Great Italian.
South Beach Diet
You can go out to eat anywhere on that diet.
You just have to be mindful of the diet's procriptions and exercise self-control over what you order and how much of it you consume.
Best falafel downtown?
Oasis on Drumm @ Sacramento.
It's so busy already that I almost don't want to post this, but I have to be honest.
Rotee
It's quite good, especially for the price.
A few caveats, though:
1. Service can be bad. Be insistent.
2. DO NOT ORDER THE CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA. It's heinous.
With that, you should be safe.
It's a good place.
Oh, and....
3. No liquor license, yet. So, bring you own. They're cool with that. For now.
A16 alternative
Are you just looking for pizza or for an authentic Italian restaurant?
For pizza, Pizzetta 211 is excellent. No reservations, but worth it.
Dinner at Canteen
If that happened soon after it opened, perhaps.
I've been going for about 1 1/2 years now and stick by what I said.
Sonoma Wine "collective"
If you're looking for a tasting room that hosts the wines of many wineries, there is one in Geyserville: LOCALS.
http://www.tastelocalwines.com/
The wines range from bad to quite good.
I'm not sure what you mean by "collective," though, so this might not be helpful.
Dinner at Canteen
It's never a prix-fixe except on select nights (e.g., NYE, Whole Hog, Salmon Dinner).
There will be four or so choices in each the app, entree and dessert categories.
Dinner at Canteen
They do not have a policy against walk-ins, so in that sense they take them. However, with only 4 booths and I think 5 seats at the counter, they fill up quickly with reservations.
Good SF coffee?
If you're lookiong for whole bean, check out the "Castro Cheesery."
Great coffee that is not expensive.
Good Vietnamese near the Lower Haight??
I realize that I am blessed to live so close to Haight b/w Fillmore and Steiner, but I guess I'm greedy. There are days when Indian, BBQ, Sausages, Thai and Med just don't do it for me.
Sometimes I crave Phở.
Do I always have to head to Clement Street or the Tenderloin?
Is there anything closer?
