Ian "On my own terms." M.'s Profile

This review is for Burger Wednesday which I am about to walk out the door for again.

First, the music is too damn loud for dinner.  Yeah it's a bar, yeah you have rockin djs and yeah it's like totally deserted in there.  If I had to guess I would say the ridiculously loud music during happy hour/dinner hour totally chases off any potential customers.  

It sure aint the burger keeping the crowds out.  I am going back tonight to tolerate the music just for the burger. It is so good and only 10 bucks.  Its not the bartender keeping people away either, he is super cool and attentive.

So yeah, it must be the mind blowing loud music that keeps people away from an awesome burger deal in a great, redecorated space with friendly staff.  That's got to be the only reason.  This would be a solid 3 star review without the volume of the music.  If I managed to have a good conversation and enjoy a lively crowd during my meal then it could even push it up to 4 stars.

Oh god. I am one I THEM. I usually turn away from anything the masses who act like they are in the know snobbily call the best. I equally avoid any place with a line of hipsters and/or pointy-toe shoe and blazer wearers in front. Not because I'm better, but because it's tedious. Hell, I have pointy-toe shoes and even know a couple hipsters.  So til Thursday I have avoided Blue Bottle like the ignorant avoid hamthrax.

I should have tried this coffee sooner. Thursday AM I stopped by (read waited in line 15 mins) the mint plaza location. I had my doubts, then the coffee amazed me. Sooo good. Now it's Sunday and I walked 3 blocks in the rain for a cup of drip at the Hayes Valley location. I am in love with this coffee.  It has a berry after taste. It cost too much. It's not hot enough. It has crack in it. I'm hooked.

Two days ago I learned that 2 $$ on Yelp does not mean affordable.  It means $11-$30, which I guess is SF affordable.  Bossanova has 2 dollar signs, but Sprout and I decide to go there even though I said "I don't want another $25 crap fish like last time we got together."  Well I didn't get a crap fish.  I got a great dinner and on the cheap.  

Sprout, who has Brazilian roots, grew up eating cheese bread and Feijoada so we got that.  The Feijoada was only 11 bucks and was a really good combo of greens, rice, beans and assorted meats.  Cheese bread was awesome but isn't cheese and bread always awesome?

The restaurant is super cute too.  They had live music when we arrived.  The interior is a great combo of creative lighting and materials like kitschy 70s style decorative concrete brick and long pews for seating.  In the center is a communal table and hanging candle shelf exactly like the set up at Delux in Phoenix.  Do they have the same owners, consultant or decorators?  Maybe just a coincidence.

Overall I really liked it.  The 2 block walk from my house is a bonus too.  I love finding good spots in the hood.

Big burgers, big fries, appetizers and a server.  I love being served.  And I love a burger.  

Finally went here for the first time last weekend.  I wonder what took me so long? Love the huge selection of burgers.  I stuck with the BBQ as usual.  I'm so predictable when it comes to eating out.  It was smothered in sauce and grilled onions.  The fries were huge and cooked just right.  And we got to start with fried mozzarella.  It all worked for me.

Its great that you don't order at the counter here too.  You can sit back and let the feats be brought to you.  Not sure if they do the same outside, but once it is warm out I'll test it out.

You can eat here then go out and not smell like dinner!

I am a total fan of Indian food.  Love eating with my hands.  And I really love Saag.  So last night while looking for a quick bite before the Show and Tell show at Kimo's I found Shalimar.  I live a 10 minute walk away but I guess I never look around?  

I got chicken saag, rice, naan and a diet soda for 10.80.  The chicken was grilled and really spicy and the saag was super spicy and yum.  

It is a total plus that you can sit in their covered patio and completely avoid the grill smell clothes absorb at most small SF restaurants.  I was able to go to the show after and have no one ask if I had Indian for dinner!

I am definitely going to bring my friends who I usually dine at Pakwan with over here to my hood.

MMmmmmm the PB and J followed by the King Trumpet with Bacon is just the best.  

I really didn't expect to be able to eat here.  After reading about the first night I thought for sure they would be swarmed last night.  Well after a 2 hour wine tasting, a stop at a drag show and a drunken cab ride over we were surprised to only see about 30-40 people milling about and a short line.  So we ordered our grub, went across the street on got some cans in brown bags and chilled.

The food was amazing.  For 16 bucks we had 2 sammies each that were just grub.  I'll put this on my list of Thursday night fun stuff!

On a sunny day the back doors to the garden will be open and sun will be coming in the windows up in the rafters.  Its awesome.  Its like being in a spa, but they are drilling the hell out of your teeth.  The music is good too.  Muzak makes me nervous, but not the tunes here.  The office is just comfortable and comforting, oh and sterile.  

Dr Adame is great.  He tells you what he is doing and why.  He actually visits with you and treats like a human.  And he is not out to drill your for dollars that is for sure.  He saved me from a root canal just last month.  Many other dentists would just do the expensive procedure so they could bill it.  Not him.

It already takes a month to get an appointment here so don't try.  Just know he is great; I am lucky and you aren't! : )  Just kidding.

I really had no idea what Filipino food may be.  Now I know.  And now I know I really like it.

Palencia was great.  I have walked by a few times and thought the place looked cute and have noticed some nights that every table is full, but I had never stopped in.  Last night I had the chance.  

My guest and I were walking to Brandy Ho's to see if it would be better than my last visit.  Well one block into our walk I looked left and saw Palencia and decided to go there instead.  Best decision of the night.  Well besides bringing the buff brit to my place before dinnner... ;  )

We had a meat dish and a chicken dish.  Neither of us were fussy eaters so ordering was easy.  They were out of the Bistek (steak duh) which turned out to be a great thing since we got to try something we never would have chosen.  I forget the dish names but they were both stewish type dishes with some veggies.  We had the garlic rice and it was tres yum.

I highly recommend this joint if you live in the stro and are sick of the usuals.   Or if you are on a date that you want to be nice but you dont wanna walk all the way to the mission for.  Its actually a good date place in the Castro,  who knew?

Letter written to Office Depot today:

A week before Christmas I stopped in your store on 3rd street in San Francisco.  I wanted to buy an ink cartridge for my printer.  I had to wait for about 5 minutes while I watched someone who acted like a manager berate 2 of your employees behind the front counter in front of a group of customers.  He was rude and demeaning and completely ignored the line of people waiting for service.  He chased off the 2 employees he was talking down to and then paced around mumbling about how stupid they were.  

Finally he got to me and asked what I needed.  I told him I needed ink and he pointed to the wall behind him and offered no assistance.  I told him I don't know the exact printer model but have an idea of what it is.  He said he couldn't help.  I asked for a catalog or a computer with web access to ascertain the exact model number.  He said he couldn't help.  Then he just stood there.  I had an arm full of products to purchase in addition to the ink I needed. And he just stood there.  No assistance at all.  I then told him how bad his customer service was dropped the items and left.

As I left I sent a group text message about the bad service at this store and I have told  many people how bad my experience was.  I was able to go to CompUSA a block away and they were happy to help even though they were all a week away from losing their jobs.

Unfortunately I did not get the person's name who was doing your company such a disservice but I felt that I should at least send a note in hopes that it will make it back to the GM of that particular store.  There is no differentiation in office supply stores except customer service, so this should be important to someone at your company.

Thanks
Ian

Yum.  And Free.  Thank god for client dinners right?

This place has great atmosphere, great service, great food.  Its all around great.

Speaking of clients.  They are making me work right now so this is getting cut short.  Gotta pay attention to the meal ticket!