SteveG's Profile
Saison switches to prepaid ticket system
@Dustin, the particular restaurant in this case, Incanto, seems to have very low front of house staff turnover in the years I have gone there. The truth is, on a higher end meal, waiters will still make great money with a 15% tip. And they may have a much less stressful job as a result of everybody there working together without as much pay disparity friction. I know if I were a chef making half what a waiter made, I'd be less cooperative and friendly with the waiters. And they surely retain more bussers and dishwashers than the average place, who become useful pinch-hitting employees who know how to do everything if somebody is sick.
Saison switches to prepaid ticket system
That doesn't address the opportunity cost of not being able to pay the rent that is attributable to that specific table, and the other ongoing restaurant costs. They staff the restaurant to prepare the food--it's not like a chef gets to take 1/20th of the night off if 1 out of 20 tables cancels.
Help I have GIANT steaks!
Never thought to apply this to "sticky" items like meat! Some Mexican friends once made a quick little fire out of sticks, which quickly burned down to small coals. Then they put tortillas directly on the coals after smoothing them out, and made quesadillas. Very little, if any, ash gets on them. Ash from clean wood is harmless anyway--and some cheeses now have a layer of "vegetable" ash for flavor in the middle.
Sophisticated no-refrigeration potluck/barbecue dessert ideas please
I think that would be delicious. Like Blondie Bars (basically a brownie in texture, but no chocolate and with a swirl of butterscotch), cook the rhubarb strawberry into a sweet syrup and swirl it into the blondie batter. Would slice easily so people can eat them out of hand.
Foie Gras countdown...
Grade A foie is less livery and more fatty (buttery). Grade A doesn't really stand up to searing--it just melts. Grade A is best suited to torchon treatment, where all the sinewy bits are removed (which mangles it enough it is hard to sear), it is soaked, and then prepped into a very smooth luscious torchon if you are lucky. Grade B has a lower fat content and doesn't work as well for torchons.
Enough for a year, help me fine tune it to a two-week trip!
Why is Goumard on your list? When I went, admittedly years ago, 6 oysters cost over 30 euro, they were poorly shucked (somewhat dry, lots of shell and sand), and the service was below average.
New assembly bill could wipe out food trucks (in California)
Here's a map for San Francisco which shows both the exclusion zones (red) and operating trucks according to the SFPD.
http://h.sfgeo.org/sb1678/_design/burritohibition/index.html
If the intent is to keep kids from eating junk off campus, the bill did not need to include preschools, elementary schools, and middle schools, none of which typically allow their students off campus.
Looking for vinegar at good prices
Rainbow Grocery carries a Turkish mulberry vinegar that is somewhat thick like a moderately aged balsamic, but not as expensive as the comparable balsamic. It isn't beautifully complex like the real thing, but I like it for the moderate price and clear fruity flavor.
Bar Agricole
Last Friday? We dropped in for a quick snack and drink before a show. They offered space at a communal table downstairs, with the caveat that we had to be cleared out by 8:15 for a group's reservation--fine by us since our show was at 8. They were clear, we were clear. We quickly ordered 2 appetizers, and were ready with drink orders shortly after when our waiter returned.
All was tasty, they accommodated our cramped schedule and in exchange they got some quick business and made a good impression on us. Too bad your experience was different.
Pearl onion sightings?
Thanks, but TJ does not have pearl onions now. I asked in the produce department, and they only carry them for the holidays. I finally found them at Safeway last night, not sure if they stock them all year but at least they are available right now.
Pearl onion sightings?
Thanks for the info, all. Definitely not available at Rainbow Grocery and from local sources, but I guess they are still around.
Pearl onion sightings?
I see these all over before the holidays and especially Thanksgiving. Has anyone seen any in the last week ?
Foie Gras countdown...
Truth. It was the only good part of an otherwise horribly off the mark meal at La Folie where we had the full tasting menu. I know others have had much better experiences, but if they made good foie gras on the night we went, they should make great foie gras on any other night too.
foie gras retail in San Francisco
Just looked that up--looks like they opened in November and are at 141 Gough St x Oak, with a cold cheese room in the back!
foie gras retail in San Francisco
Yes, there should be old threads that mention Golden Gate Meats. They were happy to split a lobe of grade A in half for me a couple years ago and just sell me half. They have enough demand this time of year that they can do that. And for the original poster: if you're making torchon (poached or water bath cooked), then grade A is good, if you are searing, grade A might just melt away and you'd be better off with grade B.
Where do I find cake flour in (western) San Francisco?
If you're willing to sit on hold, Andronico's would probably check stock for you over the phone. I noticed recently that Safeway is almost all prepared food in packets, with only a few sparse aisles of ingredients for cooking from scratch.
Shad fish - where can I buy?
To be clear, I think the shad roe they carry is from the east coast, but I don't know for sure. They're pretty good about answering questions on that type of thing though.
The butcher counter is a semi or fully independent business inside Calmart. It's Called Antonelli's Meat Fish & Poultry - (415) 752-7413
Dim Sum and XLB recommendations
Stopped in the other weekend for a late lunch around 3, and had an order of the crab and pork XLB from the specials paper on the wall, helpfully translated into English.
They were fantastic. Probably my best XLB experience yet, wrappers were thin, delicate, but firm and only 1 or 2 popped. Filling was extremely flavorful, with plenty of soup. Only complaint was that the ginger for the vinegar dipping sauce was not cut in nice long thin threads but in short hunks.
Shad fish - where can I buy?
I have bought Shad roe from the butcher counter inside Calmart in Laurel Village in San Francisco. I was just in, and I asked them when the season was--they just knew it ended quite a few months ago, so the May time frame is probably about right.
They are pretty willing to order things for you, so I bet they would order Shad when it is in season. Prices might be more than you expect, but it's cheaper than a trip to India...
2011 - Let's talk turkey
For future reference, Mollie Stones markets carry Willie Bird. I think they all do, based on my own experience purchasing from the California/Filmore store, and a friend's experience purchasing from the new Castro location.
There is a lot of price variation on WIllie Bird, and I assume all turkeys. AG Ferrari and Williams Sonoma sell Willie Bird at about twice the price Mollie Stone charges. Two years ago, the Mollie price was under $3 a pound for the natural, so they are probably competitive with Drewe's $3.09 / pound quoted this year.
Una Pizza Napoletana, SF report w/ pics
Well said. In Napoli, hot chili oil was a normal condiment on the tables. At Una Pizza Napoletana, they do not offer it, and they are not shy about telling customers who request it that it is not available. Nothing to do with tradition and everything to do with how Mangieri thinks it should be. The crust was interesting, and seemed intentional, but it wasn't strictly Neapolitan.
Wo Hing General Store (SF Mission) report
Mission Chinese, hipster favorite, is if anything over-seasoned.
Bar Tartine, Nick Balla era
No, Soba is a noodle, which is made in a particular style. Zaru Soba is primarily made from buckwheat, but regular old Soba is primarily regular wheat. It's a Japanese word for the result of a preparation, not an ingredient.
Best sommelier in the Bay Area 2011
NoPa's list is indeed good, with lots of interesting wine, but I have a lot of trouble communicating with the servers and getting good recommendations about it. I think the training aspect there is a little off.
Best sommelier in the Bay Area 2011
The restaurant doesn't bill itself as a neighborhood restaurant. I suspect OriginalFig called it that because of its informal layout with lots of communal tables--maybe neighborly would be another word to use without the everyday price connotation.
Summer 2011 farmers market watch
The guy at the stand said sunburned were sweeter. Maybe it varies year to year, but I was quite happy with these. Like you said: the price is great.
Summer 2011 farmers market watch
Alameny market last weekend had all the ingredients for Chiles en Nogada.
Fresh walnuts from this season at the nut and dried fruit farmer, chiles poblanos at the peak of their season, beautiful ripe pomegranates.
The walnuts, discounted for being "sunburned," were particularly sweet and flavorful. The freshness was amazing.
We also found some fresh local chestnuts, and their flavor was particularly sweet and delicious. Even off the streets of Rome in winter, I usually find chestnuts flavorless and starchy; these were not. I have no idea what I'll do with my 2 lbs, but I couldn't pass these up.
Lers Ros Thai restaurant (Tenderloin)
Thanks, and I see there will be 2 more parts to the interview posted over the next few days, including discussion about the second location in Hayes Valley.
Best wineries to visit in Nap Valley and Sonoma for high quality Chardonnays
Ahh, sorry our Chard tastes are opposed and I couldn't tell you much more than that I know Rombauer is popular with people who like big oaky chardonnays.
I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a sweet chardonnay under $20 in Napa. Most places that make Chardonnay make a style you would probably like; I have to try hard to find Chardonnays in Napa that suit my preference for higher acidity, less opulently ripe, made without oak.
