Shawn S.'s Profile

Living in a top-tier city has made me a bit of a snob. Also, I rarely take the time to review a place unless I can give it five stars, which means I don't write many reviews, especially about places in towns like Pismo Beach. Hate to admit it.

Cracked Crab could easily have been a sad attempt at the kind of tourist trap seafood palaces you find along Fisherman's Wharf, but I was thrilled (really) by my experience there.

It started right away. We were told when we arrived that the wait would be about an hour and 15 minutes, and the hostess gave me the option of leaving a cell number. A place this busy doesn't need to bother with that level of service, and I appreciated it.

They called us 45 minutes later to tell us our table was ready. We expected it to take longer, so we were a ten-minute walk away. Still, when we arrived, they were waiting and warmly ushered us to our table.

Our server - Stephanie C - was upbeat without seeming fake or over the top. She patiently described the many varieties of crab on the menu then gave us more time to decide. We didn't feel rushed at all, which is not always the case in jam-packed touristy places that don't depend on repeat business.

The complimentary sourdough rolls were fresh-baked, crispy, and fluffy. We decided it was OK to eat all of them - that they weren't just "filler" - because they were delicious.

The house salad was topped with fresh blue crab, and it included a generous heap of ripe local tomatoes (one of my favorite things about August).

The main event was a "bucket for two" with steamed dungeness, Alaskan bairdi crab, and local wild-caught shrimp, plus fresh summer corn on the cob.

They didn't make any fuss at all about the fresh summer produce - didn't even mention it - so it was a pleasant surprise. During a different time of year, I probably wouldn't have touched the corn.

The seafood was perhaps just slightly overcooked, but not enough to deduct a star. Still obviously fresh, still delicious.

The bottom line is this is the kind of place that could get away with being pretty terrible and still draw tons of tourist traffic. They could cut corners, but they don't (no one goes there for the corn on the cob, or salad, but they still use fresh, local product). They could rush you through service to let the waiting crowds in, but they don't.

II was delighted to get warm attentive service, and fresh food lovingly-sourced and competently-prepared.

We got two bids on an exterior stucco job to replace some old dry-rotted wood siding. Michael's was the lower bid, but his also came with the clearer project plan. He laid out exactly what he would do, step-by-step.

Throughout the job, we were able to coordinate things largely by phone and email, which was super convenient for me.

A few issues came up along the way where we asked him if he could take care of some things that fell slightly outside of strictly stucco work but impacted it - some flashing here and there for example. Our upstairs neighbors also asked him if he could fix some nail pops inside their unit - some collateral damage from Michael's crew's hammering. Michael was sort of elusive in his responses to these requests, which was a little challenging. But in the end he went ahead and had his crew do the extra work, and then some.

We're happy with the final result, and I would definitely recommend Burlingame Plastering & Stucco.

Forget AT&T or Comcast!

I found Harold Day on Yelp, and I'm adding my review to his growing list of accolades. My wife and I moved into a new condo that appeared to be wired with ethernet in all rooms. Except it didn't work.

Harold showed up on time, assessed our setup, asked me a few questions, then walked through the pros and cons of a "quick and dirty" fix vs. a "real fix."

He had everything working perfectly in less than an hour, and I gladly paid his minimum of $75 ($50/hour with a 1.5 hour minimum).

Harold is the man I'll call next time we need any more telecom wiring work.

When you're still smiling an hour after your meal, and still talking about it fondly, it deserves five stars. I can't for the life of me remember what was here before, but it's not missed by this Yelper.

It was a cold cold night in San Francisco, and when we walked into Schmidt's, the room was filled with the aroma of mulled wine. My wife ordered a mug of this brew, while I had a pilsner - small size. I always get the small when such a thing is offered, ever since a bartender in Dusseldorf once noted to me, "you drink them faster so they're always fresh."

We started our meal with a pretzel ($2) and some spätzle ($4). Then sausages: "fresh duck" and Thüringer bratwurst - each served with potato salad and some truly amazing saurkraut. $10 / plate.

I switched from pilsner to lager at some point, but that part's foggy.

Finally dessert. The whole bill was just $55!

The atmosphere was lively; service was warm and friendly.

An absolute delight. A cure for what ails ya on a cold San Francisco night.

We put Andy on our short list of videographers after watching the sample reels on his website. His shots are fresh and creative without being overly clever. He has a great eye for composition and color. His editing is tight and crisp. He seems to have a knack for 'getting' the personality of each couple, and his own style never gets in the way.

He won our business the instant we met him. He's the nicest guy you could meet.

Our wedding day had its hiccups, and Andy took everything in stride. A week before the wedding, we had to change the start time of the ceremony, and he gave us some extra time for free.

On the day itself, our officiant was an hour late (he arrived 5 minutes AFTER the ceremony was supposed to start), and Andy was able to get him mic'd up in a few seconds flat as soon as he arrived. He even helped pin flowers on a couple of my groomsmen, when we were a bit frantic.

At one point during the reception, our photographer was out of the room capturing some closeups of our rings, and we were about to start the toasts. Andy made sure the DJ and the speakers waited while he ran out to fetch the her. Through all these things and lots more, he was nothing short of professional and just a lot of fun to work with.

We were thrilled with his flexibility, his professionalism and all the ways he went the extra mile. I can't wait to see the final results.

Why "Spork"

"Because this used to be a KFC" the waiter replied.

This is indicative of the way Spork approaches the art of feeding you - with whimsy, creativity and a total lack of pretense.

I had the inside-out burger, which afforded all the comforting delight of In-N-Out and then transcended it with an absolute perfect balance of flavor and... this word again... whimsical presentation.

My fiancee had mussels and pork (if pork is on a menu, then that is what she is almost guaranteed to order), and the sound she made when she took her first bite required no interpretation: Deeelish, in case you're wondering.

We had coffee and beignets for dessert, and as we enjoyed them, a bus boy dropped by our table to grab plates or something. While he was there - a Latin American guy - he drew a deep breath and said with a grin, "wow, don't those smell so good?" We had to agree, and we shared a smile with him.

It dawned on me at that moment that something else surrounded our meal from beginning to end. The joy of the staff - bussers, servers and runners alike - enhanced the whole experience. Before we left, I mentioned this to our waiter, and he said without hesitation that Spork is the best place he's ever worked in the city. He praised the product, the preparation and most of all the folks that run the place. He used the word "love" several times.

That, friends, bodes well for Spork.

Vermont Cleaners is the kind of neighborhood business you tell all your friends about, the kind you remember fondly, even years later, after you've moved on to new places.

Benson remembers your name and your order and greets you cheerfully as soon as you walk in. I stop by once every couple of weeks with a huge load of bed linens - because I hate to fold that stuff. I pick it up in a day or two, all beautifully folded and neatly wrapped. Bottom line: he does great work. He's fast, and his prices are good.

This afternoon, I had to stop by to get some emergency repairs on a coat I need tonight. No problem for Benson, who said, "come back in 20 minutes."

I was happy to see the Yelp sticker on his window a few months ago. It could hardly be more well-deserved.

Good job Yelpers!

I used to like this place, but I think they officially lost me tonight.

It wasn't anything egregious. I didn't find a shoelace in my meal. My waiter didn't radiate attitude. My beer was good.

It's just that the hamburger and onion rings they served me were so... well... weak, that it got me thinking about respect. Yes people, respect.

A burger at 21st Amendment starts with Nieman Ranch beef, which is great. But then they toss it into a big, dry, tasteless bun that has seen neither grill nor toaster. It's as if their intention is to keep you from enjoying the quality beef they just cooked. You just can't.

And the onion rings. I'm pretty sure mine were twice-fried. In other words, they were fried in advance, then fried again to reheat them. They were so hard I thought I broke a molar when I took my first bite.

Two stars is more "punitive" than I might normally be after just one sub-par hamburger, but like I said, it's about respect. A hamburger is a simple thing, and it doesn't take a lot to make it sublime. To make a bad burger - especially when you start with quality meat - is disrespectful to the food, not to mention the customer.

Cooking for people is a sacred enterprise, and a sub-mediocre hamburger just says you don't care.

Lots of other places to eat in this small city. Sorry guys.

As many a world traveler has discovered, and as the great philosopher Socrates might put it...

Often street food is actually amazing.
Taco truck fare qualifies as street food.
Therefore, taco truck food is often amazing.

I never actually know the names of taco trucks, and this one to me has always been "the one in front of the Best Buy." But I've been working in this neighborhood recently, and I've become a regular. I took note of the name so I could write this review, and I can't say I'm surprised to be putting mine on top of the pile of 175 others.

Here's my secret to a great Mexican meal: Order the cabeza.

In Mexico, the cook might then point you to a whole roasted head of a cow and expect you to point to the specific bits you favor - the ojo, oreja, labios, cachete.

In San Francisco, however, the result is not so horrifying. Here, cabeza is mostly the cheek (cachete) meat, slowly braised to perfection. It's the tenderest beef you can imagine, and when mingled with a few diced onions, a hint of cilantro and a squirt of lime, then laid before you on a pair of corn tortillas, it just might be the best $3.50 you could spend.

This quadrant of the Mission boasts a few very stylish eateries (and drinkeries) that also happen to serve up excellent fare. I'm thinking of Universal, Blowfish, The Slow Club and even Circolo.

And Coffee Bar.

The setting is gorgeous. Spare but somehow comfortable. Perhaps it's the sunlight streaming through the big front windows, or the patio out front.

The coffee is first rate, and the food is good too.

And, free WiFi. Always lively but never crowded, it's a great place to work.