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elmo noodles and soy
wheres the fire
"I'm a firefighter
who wanted to help," says PJ simply. "This agreement with Realbeer.com means
that a lot of people around the country will be able to learn about the
project, drink the beer and contribute to support of the families of my
friends and America's heroes."
if you're in the neighborhood, Central Buffet, on Centre street between Howard and Hester (right above canal) is an amazing deal. You pay four dollars, you get a plate with a bunch of rice on it, you get to choose four dishes from long steamtables filled with huge heaps of maybe 40 different things -- roasted meat, noodles, 4 kinds of tofu, deepfried whole fish (very popular), chicken, weird chinese jello stuff, tons of greens and vegetables -- overwhelming assortment. And it's all pretty good! Not Grand Sichuan, but all for sure tasty. And then there's the soup, which sucks, but hey, four dishes and soup for four dollars? You GOT to love it.
FWIW, Alias did more covers than Fresh Foods last night.
I can't believe I never knew this one simple, yet reality shifting fact: Lupa is open for lunch. Every day. And it's not crowded. This is a significant upgrade to my already well fed lifestyle.
I went last Sunday around 12:45. We were one of about five tables. Went today at 12:00 and the place was half full. By 2:00 it starts to fill up, and when we left at 2:30 today there were people waiting, but go just a little bit earlier and you'll be fine.
The menu is 80% the same as at night. All the veggies are there (don't miss the cici and leeks.) The frutti di mare. All the pastas. The daily specials. But not the full entree list. Still, you don't really need all that for lunch. Grab a bottle of white from Elena Walch and you're good to go. Home by 4:00 for a nap. That's living.
one of our favorite local places is organic grill on 2nd avenue. are we alone in this? right past dok suni. killer veg, i think vegan, food. roasted garlic tempeh triangles with kale, ooo yeah.
ate at Alain Ducasse last week...here's the thing: _scallops topped with beluga in a chive nage_. yes yes yes. like dessert for dinner. the rest? very very very good...NOT the single best meal in town...but very very very good. Never go there if you're paying, is the only thing...which luckily I ended up not doing. I will say this, though: after seating us at literally the worst table I've SEEN let alone sat at in about 5 years..and then watching our horrified expression as the only other table in the broomcloset started SINGING (badly)...the maitre d' Did The Right Thing and brought us back through the kitchen, to "Mr. Ducasse's table", which is in Mr. Ducasse's cookbook library, which adjoins Mr. Ducasse's kitchen, and has a big glass door, so you can watch, which is a beautiful view (the rest of the room ain't bad either)...and wow, that's a hell of an army Mr. Ducasse has there. OUI CHEF!!
one great dish at Bond St. (the risotto) but over all underwelming, The Basil people opened #3 called The Basil we went to taste last night and it looks good, and taste's great for a soft opening night, fab wine list!!!...
How to cook a lot of broccoli.
simple is usually better, lunch today at Marichu another place i never heard of was clean, flavorful, comfortable and well priced,
wine list ok....looking forward to going back....
we watched Lidia of Felidia cooking on TV sunday so when monday rolled around we went right in for lunch. great wine list with lots of super estates but its an expensive place to drink, we settled in on a bargin 1994 Knoll Gruner Smaragd for $66 bucks, awesome!!
I just finished reading Kitchen Confidential. It was a fun read, but I'm wondering how it was received in the biz.
the hardest part about a review is when you drank a wine for 5 years from $45 to $65 and tonight its $160, (even if its worth it), but the smart person over looks and dives smack into the 78 Sfursat for $45...another night at Manducatis, and a great night at that!!
another part of ratings is personal bias, i love Italy and Italian wine, last night we ate at Lupa for the first time in about a year!! (party of 4 completely blown away, they sent out these lightly batter fried squid covered in a hot pepper sause that was "to live" for, the Bavette, a new dish of Farro Spagetinni(sp?) with tuscan chick peas (cecci's) and Bottarga (tuna roe), sardines with citrus peel, a pasta special with duck and blood orange etc ragu, the date dessert!!!--WOW!!!!--brilliant food, fab flavors, very nice wine list, awesome prices......
The 2002 edition of the SF Chronicle's annual survery of the top 100 local restaurants is now on the web. Only seven are south of SF. The other 93 are in SF, Berkeley, Oakland, and points northward. Yet another disadvantage of living in the "South Bay".
how would i rate a restaurant??
innovative brilliant food, and unique texture and flavor are top, presentation is somewhat an issue but surrondings are not, wine either BYOB'd or off the list is important part unless beer goes better with the food, price value ratio is a final point....
thats why below Willi's beats out Veritas, the food is way better at Veritas but the 3 bottles of wine I drank at Willi's costing $190 inc tax and tip would cost $800 at Veritas, hence Willi's is better IMHO, and thats why GSIMidtown could be so high up, the food is brilliant and I can bring whatever level of wine I want, no charge....