estnet's Profile
Best Michelin Star Restaurant in Barcelona, Spain?Suggestions on getting reservations at Tickets?
Sant Pau - an hour by train. Fantastic
Lunch at Baume [Palo Alto]
Melanie thanks for linking my prior report. I was really disappointed, but given all the glowing reports and the Michelin star thing I was hoping I was wrong.
Guess not - I've eaten at starred and non starred places in the bay area and all over and this is one place I've had no desire to return to (even tho it is very close to me) - while I dream of returning to places thousands of miles away that I actually will fly 6k miles to go to ;)
Itinerary for Barcelona - Please Critique!!
I had a really mediocre lunch at Alkimia (yes, others have different experiences) but was blown away by Hisop and Cinq Sentits. I ADORED Sant Pau, really worth it IMHO - if you can get a reservation it is an easy and pretty hour train ride during the day.
Mozzeria? Anyone been?
GO! This place is really good. Small quibble is that a few spots of the pizza are a bit thin for me,but the edges are perfect, chewy, tasty....ahhhh
I had a special that was the most creative and healthy and tasty pizza ever, it had candied walnuts (asked if I wanted them on the side), endive, fresh baby greens, burrata, kumquats and light vinagrette WOW
I just wish I had room to try some of their other dishes. Next time. Oh and the prices were really reasonable and no extra "health" service charge ;)
tall order from my Japanese client: "typical" san francisco seafood restaurant, not terribly inconvenient from SFO, maybe Pacifica?
Barbara's Fish Shack is about as casual as it gets - but good fresh seafood, maybe a bit of a wait (I don't think they take reservations).
Quick lunch in San Mateo near the fairgrounds?
Absolutely second Little Shanghai - you could walk from the main entrance easily (as noted), the only problem might be a short wait as they are often full (for good reason) at lunch.
There are also a few restaurants on the further side of 25th (I like the Filipino one a year ago), within a few blocks but none I'd recommend the way I do LS :)
Quick and Good (preferably Asian) for post-airport pickup. SF, Daly City, Millbrae?
I especially like their claypot eggplant - really good carmelization. I've like everything I had mostly. Egg whites and scallops with egg yolk and brocolli, lots of shrimp dishes and if you ask they will do 1/2 orders of many dishes (if I go alone and want to order too much).
Quick and Good (preferably Asian) for post-airport pickup. SF, Daly City, Millbrae?
Zen Peninsula in Millbrae about 10 minutes from the airport. Open until 10
Syrup Flavors at IHOP
I used to love apricot, which they haven't had for a LONG time
Etxebarri and Barcelona questions
I was very disappointed at Alkima. The amuse bouche was uninteresting, Half the courses were forgettable and a lot of misses, one that sticks in my mind was an onion soup with truffles - it tasted like plain water and there was neither a smell nor taste of truffle. Many dishes that should have been served hot were lukewarm. I later found out that the chef has many new ventures and I wonder if the last of attention and poor quality were due to this.
Hisop, on the over hand was a pleasant surprise. I almost canceled as I had been to St Pau the day before and was afraid it would be a let down. No - it was OUTSTANDING, with generous amuse (three I think - it was last month and I didn't take notes) with one so good and generous that it could have been a course on it's own. Really, really good inventive food that was prepared with obvious care and attention to detail.
Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton – Belated Farewell with a 9-Course Tasting Menu [San Francisco]
Well a bit curious why you posted this so long after the restaurant closed - but it made me sad all over again b/c I LOVED the place.
I'm probably in the minority but the old concept was much nicer for me than the current one (yes call me out of touch) High end comfort food with great service....sigh
Hello! ^_^ Need to get schooled on Champagne!
Roederer Estate Anderson Valley is very good and a great buy BUT
Are you sure the cruise line will let you bring alcohol on board (many won't)
Given your questions ( "do people drink it to get drunk"-, etc.) why are you even thinking of drinking champagne - is it to impress someone? Why don't you just drink what you like?
What to bring back home from SS, Madrid, Barcelona?
What a great resource - I've bookmarked it so I can use it when I go to Madrid! thanks
What to bring back home from SS, Madrid, Barcelona?
Spanish olive oil is amazing. I came across a street fair of artisan food products and bought 2 500 ml bottles for around 7e. each after tasting it. I was looking around El Norte food grocery and found a brand a normally buy in the US for less than 1/3 of what I pay (and I bet it is fresher too). Tinned bamboo clams in natural broth were very good but I wasn't fond of some octopus in oil - but it was very cheap and other brands might be better. In general I tried a variety and found the ones "au natureal" most satisfactory for my taste.
Passadis del Pep, Cinc Sentis and ?
I was seriously disappointed in Alkimia but more than delighted with Sant Sentitis, San Pau and Hisop. I try to post reviews soon.
I tried to go to Kaiku but it was COLD outside (this week) and even though I could wrap up I realized that any hot food would cool so fast it wouldn't be fun. There were a few brave souls at the tables outside who didn't look too comfortable and the inside was packed (Sunday afternoon) with no hope of eating without a reservation.
All the hawkers at many places on the main drag at Barceloneta and mostly the same menu on the street turned me off, but I did eat in a small hole in the wall place while meandering through the small old streets - cheap and satisfying but not what I would call a destination restaurant.
Where to buy fresh, shelled lobster?
costco has some in the section near where they have packaged cheese, etc but if you can get it fresh that's probably better.
costco duck halves
so you've revived a 6 yr old thread. Care to say where u can find these duck breasts? Haven't seen any in the places I frequent near San Francisco
Review - Spring Restaurant
Recently had lunch.
The good - excellently prepared fish and duck. Bright as I was upstairs (unlike my understanding that at dinner singles are always downstairs), ability to see the quiet kitchen at work.
The bad - chef was very friendly with table next to me (asked if they were friends of the chef and was told that another diner who had left was). After they left the chefs demeanor changed dramatically and he seemed detached and made no effort to talk with any other diners.
Potatoes, served just after the duck were small balls of a very crispy exterior and tiny interior of what I believe was potato but only tasted of "fried" no real taste.
The REALLY bad - desserts where tropical fruits were used - a small sponge cake that was described as rhum au baba was tasteless and served on fresh pineapple that was unripe and inedible. Another dessert had sour mango (again unripe), unripe litchi and no taste of the coconut that was described.
For a restaurant that is so in tune with the freshness of produce (and I saw mini greens being cut just before being placed on the plate), it is a REAL miss to be serving fruit that is inedible. What were they thinking?
Barcelona Trip Report - Kaiku
Hope I get to try it, I love uni. It is interesting the thought of eating anemone or jellyfish as both have "stingers" but if there is a safe way to try it I'd do it VBG
Barcelona Trip Report - Kaiku
Do you mean "fried sea anemone drizzled with honey" or sea urchin (uni)? I've never heard of anyone eating anemone :)
What is the cost of the meal?
Chez L'ami Jean (revisited)
I've gone twice as a single. The tables are very close, but this leads to a some wonderful chance encounters! I met two really nice people (both were initially alone but found they were both from the same city in Canada and then shared a table next to mine). I asked about one of their dishes and we ended up the afternoon as friends :)
Paris: Yet another quest for value thread
Absolutely second Le Cinq lunch for special celebration.
reservation at tickets and waitlist?
thank you so much - after two weeks of never seeing any openings except the new ones I was beginning to suspect that they never appeared :(
I will try some of the other options and just be happy if I am lucky enough to get in one way or another.
If not I have lots of other places to try- but who knows I might be lucky.
reservation at tickets and waitlist?
Has anyone ever seen a date earlier than 90 days appear? I've been checking for a few weeks and can always see the new date open up when I check at the right time but I've never seen any previous dates open.
I still have hopes of a walk in though
reservation at tickets and waitlist?
Thanks again, but as I am by myself I can't make a reservation for 41, but I'm getting more hopeful about getting into Tickets :)
reservation at tickets and waitlist?
Thanks to everyone - should have been a reminder on my calendar for the 90 days....but
Anyway I guess maybe there's a slim chance - it's for Feb.
reservation at tickets and waitlist?
I missed the 90 day mark and the concierge I was using is less than useless so... given my inadequate grasp of spanish. Is there any was to get on a waitlist? If there are cancellations do they show up on the web reservation or how does one find out?
Restaurants in or near Half Moon Bay
Tried Barbara's for the first time - strangely the fish was the least good thing - it tasted a bit strange - not bad but not really fresh, the shrimp and scallops were fantastic and the calamari was okay. Had the combo plate - and I agree the fries are not special, wish I had ordered the slaw or rice. Also had 1 tempured oyster which was amazing - fresh, huge and sweet.
Had a taste of the chowder and l'll have to have it next time - it was wonderful.
They do not take credit cards - only cash.
