waldrons's Profile
Better fajita cart at the Santa Fe Plaza?
Yeah, it was that smell that made me stop! But Roque's meat seemed to be the same sort of thin-sliced, peppered beef that I'd expect in a Philly cheesesteak. The fajita wasn't bad, but just didn't match the smell or the flavors I expected.
Better fajita cart at the Santa Fe Plaza?
Out of curiosity, there were 2 fajita carts at the Plaza the other day, Roque's (on the right, facing the Palace of Governors) and another one on the left. Out of curiosity, which has the better reputation?
Jardiniere - worth it? [San Francisco]
I'm going to say yes, it's worth it at that price. The food there has been somewhat inconsistent (from ok to great), but I love the setting. Try for a table on the railing on the upper level... they sit along a brushed metal Art Deco railing, inset with lighted ice buckets carved from some sort of translucent rock.
Albuquerque suggestions needed
One final question on taxis... if the hotel or restaurant calls one, do the taxis take credit cards?
Albuquerque suggestions needed
We'll be in Albuquerque next week for 2 nights, Sunday May 6 and Monday May 7. We're staying at the Andaluz and while we'll have a car, I HATE driving in strange places at night (and not being able to enjoy a glass of wine...), but my husband can't walk more than 5-10 minutes. So we'll need to rely on taxis if possible.
I've read mixed reviews of the hotel restaurant, Lucia, but none more recent than last year... any new comments?
We want to stick with local fare (Mexican or New Mexican), but for dinner prefer something with a restaurant atmosphere (not diner, coffee shop, or down-scale). I've been looking at recommendations, but it seems like places like Frontier or Los Equipales might be either too far or too casual. Any recommendations given those requirements?
Thanks in advance!!
Dress codes in Santa Fe and Albuquerque
I thought so, but figured I'd better double-check! I live in San Francisco and collared shirt and nice jeans are ok for 98% of the restaurants. And collared shirt and Dockers are good for the remainder.
Dress codes in Santa Fe and Albuquerque
"Dress code" sounds a little formal, as I know these areas are somewhat casual. But would we fit in at nicer restaurants wearing good jeans and a collared shirt (with sports coat for the very nice restaurants)? Thanks!
Reservations needed in Santa Fe and Albuquerque?
It's always safer to have a booking, I guess. I'll put a few things in place before we arrive.
Reservations needed in Santa Fe and Albuquerque?
So within 24 hours will work... thanks!
Reservations needed in Santa Fe and Albuquerque?
I'm coming to both places the week of May 6 and wonder... if we want to eat in some good restaurants (Geronomo, Coyote Cafe, Los Equipales, etc.) do we need to make reservations days in advance? Hours? (We basically can't stand around waiting for a table, so would prefer to have reservations but I'm trying to gauge if we need to book now or can wait until we arrive or shortly prior.)
"Patricia Unterman, Examiner Food Critic, Dismissed"
IIRC, Bauer has said that he primarily reviews the big-name/big-buzz places because expectations are different from those of a Mom and Pop place (people will forgive a lot of mis-steps at a smaller place that they wouldn't at a big-name place). Plus if you waste $40 on a bad dinner at a Mom and Pop shop, well, it's $40; but if a big-name place is lousy, you're out $100+.
Just noticed something odd on latest Kitchen Nightmares episode...
Not sure how accurate this data is, but this site seems to have statistics on the future of the restaurants covered on the show: http://www.quora.com/What-restaurants-on-Kitchen-Nightmares-have-closed
Inexpensive near Union Square with difficult people
+1 on Daily Grill... it's like the Cheesecake Factory (broad American menu with something for everyone) but somewhat better (and they take reservations).
Otherwise maybe Fish & Farm or Jasper's Corner Tap -- both do modern, quality versions of American comfort food.
Old guys lunch or dinner in SF
+1 on Original Joe's, but even at lunch you wouldn't make budget unless you steered away from their steaks and chops. Their acclaimed liver and onions or the Joe's Special should be within your budget.
Maybe Capps' Corner? Or the monthly lunch organized by Gino & Carlo's? (These are all in North Beach, near Original Joe's.)
Heading to San Francisco in Mid April from Boston
Be aware of Swan Oyster's hours... they close at 5:30 pm, so you might want to start out there.
Chinatown biz dinner
A nice, upscale choice might be Tommy Toy's. French-influenced Chinese, so the polar opposite of a hole-in-the-wall, but very elegant (if a bit dated and stiff) service and setting. If these folks are afraid of Chinese food but want a "exotic" atmosphere, this would work.
3 days in San Fran with toddler. Please help us eat well!
Unfortunately, Yank Sing doesn't do dinner. I'd do lunch at Yank Sing, then dinner at Colibri. It's fine for kids... quite loud, and with classic Mexican movies playing on a tv over the bar to keep his eyes entertained. (Check the menu, as it's not Tex-Mex with fajitas and things... they do a great table-side guacamole preparation.)
I like the Yank Sing location at Rincon Center better as it's larger and I feel the carts come through more often and with more variety. I love their soup dumplings. Other friends like the Stevenson location better as it's cozier.
If you're not talking about "kid friendly" meaning chicken fingers and coloring books (and I don't think you are!), pretty much any restaurant is kid friendly, especially the neighborhood restaurants. But I've seen folks take well-behaved children to even fine-dining restaurants, so you'll be fine.
Good restaurant near Lodge at Sonoma?
I used to know Sonoma, but when my folks passed away I stopped going there, so my knowledge is about 3 years old. I need to spend one night there in 2 weeks, and would prefer to stay at a nice hotel with a good restaurant attached or within easy walking distance.
I have a gift card for the Spa at the Lodge at Sonoma, so would consider staying there, but I really didn't like their restaurant on our last several visits*. Are there any other good restaurants (besides Saddles) in the area? Something where La Poste used to be?
Otherwise I guess we'll stay at Sonoma Mission Inn, eat at Sante, and I'll commute to my spa treatment!
Or is there anything new and outstanding that I should check out? Our preference is a menu like EDK and Cafe La Haye - lighter, modern, seasonal.
*It's not the food, as that was actually pretty good, but the darn room looks and feels like a motel coffee shop.
Visit to San Francisco
Sorry, Jet, I'm going to disagree with you on almost every point. North Beach does have a few good Italian restaurants, but many of them are bad restaurants that only tourists visit. In fact, of the list above by mariacarmen, only 1 of those Italian restaurants is in North Beach.
I do agree that Beach Blanket Babylon is "only in San Francisco", unfortunately the original poster's trip was in Oct. 2011, so we can only hope they found out about the show.
And finally, I think Gilroy claims the title of "garlic capital of the world" -- if you like garlic, you'll love their garlic festival.
Birmingham's Chef Chris Hastings (Hot & Hot Fish Club) vs. Bobby Flay on Iron Chef
My favorite part was when Alton Brown said "We're not honoring the ingredient, we're eating it!"
New way to get a free meal.
The LOL comment was accidentally included in the link... try http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_ODD_DENNYS_SCAM?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Best Veal Parmigiana In SF?
You could also try Sodini's Green Valley at 510 Green in North Beach.
What is the best vineyard tour in sonoma & napa counties?
One other question... how literally do you mean a "vineyard" tour? Most of the wineries don't have actual vineyard tours (although Benziger does, at specific times). In fact, if you want an actual tour of the winery, you need to check and see what types of tours are offered, at what times, and at what cost. Otherwise, tastings are available at most wineries without appointment (although there are exceptions).
SF on the 4th of July. What to do, and where to eat?
If you are looking at restaurants geared to the Financial District crowd (Tadich Grill, maybe Wayfare Tavern and even Slanted Door), they may well be closed on July 4 (and other holidays). But most of the neighborhood restaurants and other restaurants geared to locals should be open.
But restaurants with views of the fireworks (and indeed, the whole Fisherman's Wharf area where you can see the fireworks) are a mess on the Fourth. Some won't take reservations, and even if you have them, there is frequently a long wait for your table as people don't want to leave.
serial reality show contestants
Apparently she's been around tv in various forms:
From http://www.carbonpoker.ag/blog/tiffany-michelle-worst-cooks-in-america-10/ ....
Poker player Tiffany Michelle hasn’t spent a whole lot of time on the felt recently, but she’s definitely keeping busy. In fact, Michelle will appear on Season 3 of the Food Network show “Worst Cooks in America.”
As for Michelle, we don’t know much about her cooking background, or if she’ll be coached by Anne Burrell or Bobby Flay. However, we do know that she’s got plenty of reality TV experience since she appeared on the “Amazing Race” alongside fellow poker player Maria Ho. The pair actually made a pretty good run on the show before being eliminated on the seventh episode of Amazing Race 15; they finished 6th out of 12 teams.
Aside from her reality TV background, Michelle is an accomplished actor who’s appeared on several notable shows including “LA Ink,” “ER” and the “World Series of Blackjack.”
I like the fact that this site considers LA Ink and World Series of Blackjack as acting gigs, not reality shows....
Kitchen Nightmares Routines
Apparently that non-working restauranteur went on to become a "working girl"... http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/3012415/Gordon-Ramsay-cook-becomes-200-a-night-hooker.html
do the shows that highlight great local places lie?
I think I'd call this a difference of opinion, unless the place highlighted has a lousy reputation and no fans. I work at a hotel and have people ask about some of the Guy-Fieri-recommended places... to get to Joe's Cable Car for burgers is a $20 cab ride from the hotel. I'd prefer to send them around the corner to Pearl's or Super Duper Burger. But it's not a "lie"... there are people who feel it's worth the trip. YMMV
Any foodie book gift ideas?
Medium Raw (memoir of his life since Kitchen Confidential) by Anthony Bourdain
Fortune Cookie Chronicles (non-fiction, story of Chinese food in America) by Jennifer 8. Lee
The Last Chinese Chef (fiction, a story of Chinese cultural identity told through food) by Nicole Mones
My Life in France (not at all what I expected, it captures the beginning of a lifelong passion, as well as the determination it took to bring her idea of a French cookbook for the American home chef into being)
The Widow Cliquot (non-fiction history of the champagne house and the woman who made it famous -- full disclosure: I didn't make it all the way through, but the first half was really interesting)
The Sweet Life in Paris: Delicious Adventures in the World's Most Glorious - and Perplexing - City (for the Francophile, a memoir about moving to Paris and starting over) by David Leibowitz
Knives at Dawn (the story of the Bocuse d'Or culinary competition) by Andrew Friedman
And of course, for totally light reading, there are tons of food murder mystery stories -- The Gourmet Detective series, Death Takes the Cake, Death by the Glass, etc.
Visiting San Francisco in December
SF is, in itself, a food area... there are great restaurants in most areas. The tourist areas of Fisherman's Wharf, North Beach and Chinatown will have many bad options and a few good ones. The neighborhoods where we live and work will have lots of good options... the Marina/Cow Hollow, Fillmore Street, Russian Hill, the downtown waterfront, South of Market, Union Square, the Financial District, the Mission District, and more.
Almost every restaurant will have a vegetarian option... it's just not that unusual here. Now, they may only have one option, but at chef-driven restaurants you'll usually be able to get them to amend a main dish (not during a crazy-busy night, though).
"Must have" places depend on type of food and budget -- the "must have" Mission burrito place or the "must have" molecular gastronomy place? Tell us more and we can help.
