Prok's Profile
Foodie coming to San Fran with teenagers
Thanks for the suggestion. Will look into Gather, not heard of it. Chez Panisse is on my list, mostly for the history lesson for my kids. May sound trite I realize. Have been a member of Slow Food for many years, AW an important part of the story. Not the whole story, I know.
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Chez Panisse
1517 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94709
Foodie coming to San Fran with teenagers
Wow - more thanks to all. Have been to Slanted Door & Swan before. Don't think I can sell Slanted (which I loved), but veg daughter loves oysters, so maybe Swan. So many places, so few days.....
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Slanted Door
Ferry Slip, San Francisco, CA 94111
Foodie coming to San Fran with teenagers
Great - thanks! Of course plan to go to the Ferry Bldg, probably Saturday even though it will be evil crowded. It's one of my favourite places of all time, anywhere. Like the sound of Mission Cheese. My store in TO is arguably the best cheese store in the city, has been since 1984. Always on the lookout for new things, so thanks again.
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Mission Cheese
736 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Foodie coming to San Fran with teenagers
Many thanks for all the suggestions. What about food shops? Anything new/interesting open in the last couple of years?
Foodie coming to San Fran with teenagers
Thanks. They will appreciate Chez Panisse, both looking forward to it. I just can't get them to go to this type of resto 6 nights in a row. Need fun, lively spots with really awesome food. Staying downtown, lunch suggestions welcome too.
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Chez Panisse
1517 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94709
Foodie coming to San Fran with teenagers
Thanks. Both really do appreciate serious food, just can't make them sit through 6 3 hour dinners . Looking for great restos, not fine dining, per se.
Foodie coming to San Fran with teenagers
Hi,
Am a serious foodie, own a catering company/gourmet food store in Toronto. I've been to SF many times, my kids have never been, 17 & 19 years old.. Staying Aug 4 - 12th. They have an appreciation for good food, can't kill them with fine dining though. Will make a trip to Chez Panisse, but beyond that would like more casual suggestions. Really good food, original, unusual. Daughter is a vegetarian, lol.
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Chez Panisse
1517 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94709
Woodlot, L.A.B. or Campagnolo - Dining with a Vegetarian
Hands down Woodlot - delicious & great ambience, exactly as you describe. Real food, real ingredients. Tried to go there again last week though & could not get a table with 4 days notice! Heard they are 2 - 3 weeks out for certain nights.
Anyone been to Nyood?
Change of hands probably, the result not great, benefit of the doubt for the future? Old hands, pretty/average good, new hands not so much. Mediochre food, completely dreadful service 2 weeks ago. The city is loaded with other great food & service options. I do, though, have to respect anyone making an attempt in this tough TO market. I will give them another chance in a few weeks.
ISO: Fresh Tomatillos in dwtn TO
Loblaws at Bathurst/St. Clair has them, which leads me to believe that they're likely also available at ( mid-town) grocery stores - Metro, Sobeys, Fiesta Farms, etc. I buy them all the time at Loblaws. (All year round I might add, which is not exactly 100 mile diet.)
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Fiesta Farms
200 Christie St, Toronto, ON M6G, CA
Gourmet Food & Wine Expo
The whole thing is a big yuck. I was a vendor for the first 4years, but the show did a major slide after that. Have not participated for many years. The food is disgusting, wine not bad, but the whole thing is just a big drink/sample fest - brings out the worst of the general public.
Have been to quite a few tutored tastings, which are good and very well run, but hardly revolutionary. The same experience is easily vailable without the unpleasant atmosphere. Even the "VIP" night is nasty - drunken boobs looking for as much free stuff as they can get. Sorry, but the Bacardi "girls" were then end for me. Tacky, tacky, tacky.
ISO Maldon sea salt in GTA
Readibly available at most Loblaws, Sobeys & Metro. You should not have trouble finind Maldon!
Jerusalem artichokes - where to find them in Toronto
Harvest Wagon has 'em, have seen at Pusateri's (Avenue Rd.) & Whole Foods. Bathurst & St. Clair Loblaws had them last weekend, and so did Fiesta Farms.
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Pusateri's
1539 Avenue Rd, Toronto, ON M5M, CA
Harvest Wagon
1103 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M4W, CA
Recs for dinner Yonge & St Clair area
Didier may be pricey, but you will not regret spending the money. He's the real deal. If you're not looking to spend that kind of money, the options in the neighbourhood are limited for "quiet". Browne's is the only other quiet spot in the 'hood. Long past their expiry date, but less expensive than Didier - it's okay, but not worth a trip if you don't live nearby. Mediocre food and lacklustre service. Everything else in the area is "lively" - read noisy. Some other pretty good spots, but nothing quiet.
CNE Ribfest
Walked around the back to get a peak. All major yuck, Skids of 00ox oz cans of no name beans at all four stalls, doctoring perhaps but whatever, Also saw skids of pre-peeled, chemical sprayed potatoes. I've been to many authentic Rib-fests in the South. This one is nonsense, if you are expecting the real thing.. You can get a not-bad plate of ribs or pulled pork, but don't expect anything special. lower your expectations, and you'll be fine.
Is anyone going to the Brickworks picnic?
Not so much with a stroller. (It's been many years for me, but given that the event is over lunch.nap, supper hours, I can't imagine it would be a good experience with a baby.) Mind you, many babies/toddlers are awesome! I really think it depends upon what the kids have been exposed to and are comfortable with.The event gets VERY crowded, but for me as a person sans children, never unmanageable. It's meant to be crowded and overflowing with guests. Good cause, great food.
COSTCO slab cakes - yes or no for kid's b'day party
Nothing new to add, other than I certainly never opt to feed my kids ( and their friends) junky ingredients. As above, you get what you pay for. Butter is expensive - go for the real thing. Just because kids will eat anything doesn't mean they should be fed anything. your kids deserve the best that you can afford to buy.
Franco Agostino, where are you?
I didn't say I had any problem with computers. Was simply defending Franco and the fact he doesn't have a website.
BEST BURGERS IN TORONTO!! ??
Oh Man Toby's! My best friend lived over Toby's on Bloor in the early 80"s. Again, maybe it's just memories. Can still picture & taste those burgers and nothing I've had (and I've had them all) compares. Are we living in the past??? I know a hell of a lot more about food now than I knew then, and yet I don't get the same burger buzz that I used to get. back in the Toby/Licks days.
BEST BURGERS IN TORONTO!! ??
Achh! Lived across the road (1983 Queen West) from '81 - '84. Nothing like it, at least seems to in memory! Mind you, also remember Webbers's from 1969. Had a Lick's this past weekend and it was nasty. Memories play tricks, I think.
Cultures restaurants -- any good?
Can't find a reference probably because it's a mediochre chain?? Yuck.
Franco Agostino, where are you?
Franco is most certaily old-school - he's in the business because it's in his blood. Rolling up his sleeves and doing what needs to be done is what he does. While everyone knows that a website is a must, sometimes the small guys just can't get it together. A small-scale, hands-on resto, with the owner doing front & back, often they can't find the time to get the whole website thing happeneing. There is great food a-foot at many places that don't have the infrastructure available to have fancy websites built. Yea, I know, websites are cheap these days, but if your passion is food, websites go by the wayside.
What has happened to the concept of great food, beautifully presented & not a lot of bull&^(*. What about trying to give a leg up to great restauranteurs with a new project?? Word of mouth people! Are we so computer dependant that we can't swear by a restaurant that doesn't have a great website? Isn't that what we're trying to do with CH?
Cassoulet...where to find in T.O?
Mentioned earlier - Palme d'Or is widely available across the city. I've seen it at Pusateris, Oliffe, Summerhill, SLM, Cheese Boutique, Cumbrae's, Whole Foods, etc. Made in Que, quite good, sold in a snap-lid jar. If you're looking for it right now it could be harder to find than in the Fall/Winter - most restos consider it a cold-weather menu item. IMO - Marc Thuet makes the best & most authentic cassoulet this side of the Atlantic. Loaded with goodies and the beans are perfectly cooked. It's available at his various (and moving) locations, but again, probably not at this time of year. Le Paradis certainly is cheap, and the portion is big, but it's mostly overcooked beans in a one-dimensional sauce.
atelier thuet - RIP?
Was told today that this location is now being used exclusively for their bread/pastry production only - no retail at all anymore. Can't say this is 100%, but from the sounds of things above, it's rings true.
Did anyone go to summerlicious 2009?
My tone, too, is often misinterpreted - the dangers of electronic communication. My intention was not to bitch about "licious, so much as to point out to people perhaps not in the business, some of the down-sides. I was trying to get across the double-edged sword of participating. (BTW - we pull out all the stops. We are not one of those that scrimp on food, nor service.) It's just very challenging to make it profitable. I appreciate your respectful comments, and the clarification that you are NOT in the business! I've read some posts below and I am appreciative of the fact that not everyone can regularlly afford fine dining. I would never begrudge anyone the opportunity to eat in a resto that they normally couldn't afford. We do our very best to offer a "licious menu that is in keeping with our quality. As a few have observed, though, it's basically app, main and free dessert. Mathematically, that's how it works. Every restaurant works on a food cost model, regardless of the menu price point. Cheap ingredients, cheap menu.
As for my staff, if I enforced a mandatory holiday, I would have no-one left. And if you think we could afford a 2 week paid holiday for everyone (in addition to the holiday they already get), you really know nothing about the restaurant business.
Someone made a comment about not deserving to stay in business if you couldn't make "Licious work. Not really a very knowledgable or accurate comment..
As for tuttebenne's comment about dealing with the public - FYI - that's my favourite part, and why I'm in it to begin with! Man, if you don't like service, better find something else to do. Just me, just saying.
Petite Thuet - King & Yonge
Yup. When Marc's food is good, it's often the best in the city. When it's bad, it's just as bad as anything else out there. Consistency is not his strong suit. IMO he's a little over-extended. Was at Atellier a couple of weeks ago & had a truly lacklustre meal. Mediocre food & horrendously rude and slow service.
mcewan?
With staff costs of about $2000/hour, he can hardly be blamed for making adjustments to store hours. It's still very early days for this store. I imagine there will be many more changes over the coming months.
Was there yesterday, Friday, late afternoon & the place was fairly busy. Quite a few customers at the front of the store, but the entire back grocery section was completely empty. Aisles and aisles of inventory & not a customer in sight.
Bought:
2 sandwiches (Boulart, par-baked bread. Good but hardly unique)
1 jar Jardiniere - quite delicious
1 jar Spicy Pickles - possibly the worst pickles I have ever had. Really mushy & so salty I choked
1 box Sammie cookies - pretty good, but $10 for 4
1 pkg Edo sushi - okay, but Edo??
2 pcs Pork Belly - spectacular!
1 marshmallow - god awful, nice flavour but horribly rubbery
1 pkg Chicken Potstickers - bland, waste of calories
1 Chicken Pot Pie - great flavour & texture, good puff pastry, but almost NO CHICKEN
Total bill $95
Given the scope of the undertaking, it's not surprising that the store has lots of kinks to work out. I'll certainly go back from time to time to watch the progress, but at the moment it's completely underwhelming. I had hoped for an experience similar to the first time I ever went into Dean & Deluca, Harvey Nichol or Fauchon. Perhaps my expectations are simply too high.
Macaron's in Toronto - Not in New York!
Do not forget that in our crazy climate, this is the most difficult time of year to make Macaron. Even the BEST fall down in this humidity. They are very finnicky to make and are subject to the weather, much more so than many sweet delicacies. The very best bakers in the world cannot combat Mother Nature.
Petite Thuet - King & Yonge
Sandwiches are prepared off-site. Age depends on how quickly they sell. Really.
