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""Time is an illusion... lunchtime, doubly so." - Ford Prefect"
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Rating Distribution
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Review votes:
1414 Useful, 1372 Funny, and 1580 Cool
San Francisco, CA
Yelping SinceJuly 2006
Things I Loveobfuscation, wine, food, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, tao te ching, chemistry, biology, astronomy, science, philosophy, humanism, atheism, the economist, horror films, travel, eco-resorts, Hotels, Hospitality, my dog, my fiancee
Find Me Inodd clothing.. or suits.. or nude... and all slippery.
My HometownCarmel, CA
My Blog Or Website When I'm Not Yelping...The locals call me "La Escoba de Dios"
Why You Should Read My ReviewsThis is simply for my absolute lack of any memory retension at all.
My Second Favorite Website The Last Great Book I ReadThe Tao... The Economist magazine - reread into Thin Air
My First ConcertMaybe Skankin Pickle? David Bowie maybe?
My Favorite MovieBreakfast at Tiffany's or any of Blake Edwards / Mancini combos
My Last Meal On EarthMimosa's, Bloody Mary's, and the food surrounding it.
Don't Tell Anyone Else But...This is self-important blather sprinkled w/ unintelligible chaos. AND Looong
Most Recent Discovery*RE*discovered John L. Casti's Paradigms Lost. AWESOME, but heavy yo.
Current CrushDick Proenneke
DateSan Francisco, CA 94114
(415) 861-5016
Cafe Du Nord
Categories: Restaurants, Music Venues, Lounges
Neighborhood: Castro
1 Previous Review: Hide »
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11/2/2008
One of my top 5 venues in the city I think. It is a place where you can watch any level of talent playing to any level of dedicated fans. I have seen many famous people watching up and comers, or special sets of surprise guests joining fantastic bands.
This place rocks. Small, tight, great location, and ONE OF THE LAST NON-SCENES IN THE CITY.
It just got another star for that.
San Francisco, CA 94122
(415) 661-3220
Andronico's
Categories: Caterers, Delis, Grocery
Neighborhood: Inner Sunset
I have railed on this place for so bloody long, it's time for a little love. Good job guys. Cheers!
5 Previous Reviews: Hide »
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5/30/2009
a forum of sadness and defeat for troglodytes, the depressed, the overpayed and undefeated, meager hobos, lost hippies, and sorry yuppies.
The single most insultingly expensive experience you will ever have in regards to food. Go to Danko... FLaundry..... Coi I don't care. Drop it anywhere but here. -
2/14/2009
Man I was so rude with my previous reviews. I will keep them to show how I am "human" and "flawed". Actually because they made me laugh out loud and shake my head.
3 stars. It is what it is. I should say.... I haven't been there in 5 months. I won't go. Never again. But you now what just tanked this to one star?
I took a picture of a $7 pre-made cheese sandwich to provide evidence of them treating us like dolts.
It was taken down? My previous reviews where I reference the picture and the link isn't there seems sort of odd? It was in my profile before? That is weird. Where did it go? Huh? Stuff goes on here that is fishy. Funny that... maybe I am loco. Two stars... that is fair.
I give you:
a crappy piece of cheese with two crappy pieces of foccacia for $7.
http://static.px.... -
11/18/2008
Their soups? Suck so bad. Roxie just got soups, and plutos has a great soup usually.
Andronicos can suck it. -
10/13/2008
I suffered through the ridiculously long alterations to the store.. Here is what I have now:
1) They take down the salad bar so damn early. If you are open until 11p, closing it earlier than 9pm is ridiculous.
2) The place is freezing now. you have... what? 75% refrigeration? Your energy consumption alone must negate any local buying that you are doing.. if any.
3) Price: Before it was tolerable. I would shop there, and leave feeling bad about my purchase. Whether flowers, candy, some soup, etc.... I always felt bad but it was ok... I was supporting my local supermarket. Now, I feel date raped. I have worked in every type of service industry involving food you could imagine... I have never in my life been so insulted by pricing ever. EVER. The soup is outrageous. The salad bar is ridiculous. Buying 4 oz of cut pineapple? Expect to pay $8. Do you want some shitty bread with a single slice of cheddar cheese? $7. The place is appalling... every single item is at least a dollar overpriced. Now they apparently cannot even make you a sandwich anymore. I took a picture of this $7 cheese sandwich. Blew my mind.
My lady and I went in for a healthy dinner tonight, and walked out with $80 of food. We are frugal... This place is unacceptable.
It is nice to know I am done with shopping at a place a couple blocks from my house. It is like it will be blanked from my mind.
I am shocked they get away with it, really. The rent in the inner sunset cannot be such that they can justify it. I don't boycott things because that is so boring and lame and probably ineffectual. What I can do, however, is just stop going.
Done. Forever. Bye. -
7/17/2006
Jesus christ are they expensive. I mean... jesus. damn.
Great store if you were going pompously high end... which I have been known to do.
A pretty decent wine selection with an odd REALLY good deal....
San Francisco, CA 94122
(415) 664-2033
Beautifull
Categories: Delis, Vegetarian, Sandwiches
Neighborhood: Inner Sunset
1) It's basically your bakery/deli/fixin's of a Whole Foods, Andronico's, etc. Anything from salads and sides, to sandwiches and comfort plates of food, including comfort from all walks of life... curries, etc. It feels sort of like an automat, or cafeteria line up, without any real seating. A couple tables in the back and a couple up front... but I assume it will end up really busy... go early for lunch.
2) the owners donated about $10K to the hospital, intelligently and thoughtfully ingratiating themselves to the community even prior to opening. Within one second, they have become a giving, important part of the inner sunset. Wise move.
3) It fills the gap of a healthy veggie option since Gratitude closed, but in a much more accessible, non cult like, way. There are other options like Good Earth, but this place is REALLY polished and looks "chain-y" but not in that thumb your nose type way.
4) This place, amazingly, will actually draw business from Andronico's, Pluto's, Good Earth, and possibly a few more spots like Toasties, etc.
5) Seems like an interesting addition that will be around for a bit. Part of that is how they opened, part is their location... but most of it is their AWESOME, happy, attractive, nice staff.... and the food is REALLY, REALLY good. so there.
San Francisco, CA 94114
(415) 431-4278
Harvey's
Categories: Burgers, American (Traditional), Bars
Neighborhood: Castro
Anyplace I can go and get called sweetie, I am in.
Yay!
Also... some iconic and wonderful photography from the Castro's past ardorns the wall, including the ubiquitous Milk and his friends.... fantastic work!
San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 552-6949
Club Deluxe
Categories: Comedy Clubs, Lounges, Music Venues
Neighborhood: Haight-Ashbury
Big Sur, CA 93920
(831) 667-2800
Sierra Mar Restaurant at The Post Ranch Inn
Category: American (New)
That is the majesty and kid like joy that Post Ranch instills. It really is a no holds barred, absolutely unparalleled Willy Wonka world of DO WHAT YOU WANT & IMAGINATION IS THE LIMIT!
In this sense, you can have either breakfast or dinner delivered to your room.. a place so romantic and special there is little desire to leave. Especially in winter when the sun drops so early the view in the restaurant is moot. The distance from restaurant to room vs restaurant to table is, at times, about the same distance. If you eat a couple meals during your time there... I encourage you to dine in one night! =)
COURSE ONE
Island Creek Oysters on the half shell. I do note that having it in the room poses slight issues. They forgot the sambuca mignonette which, for all intensive purposes, makes the oysters. But we didn't want to bother anyone so we trudged, happily, along.
Foie Gras Trio - see previous review. I adore it, and seriously could have an IV of the creme brulee with pear gastrique.
COURSE TWO
She got the grilled squab salad with bitter greens, pistachio pesto, and huckleberry vinagrette. This is the kind of chef I want ... forever. I didn't think the flavours could gel one another but it was seamless, innovative, and engaging. Delicious to be sure!
Crab Bisque with Dungeness Crab Cake and Vanilla oil - this was a treat, because they brought the crab cake in a bowl and let me pour a thermos of the bisque over it.... so the presentation and timing of the courses weren't rushed, and it wasn't soggy or cold. Very impressive, and a delicious soup. It could have stood on its own, but the vanilla oil was an essence that flowed back over the senses and enriched the entire experience.
COURSE THREE
She got the Artichoke Agnolotti en Barigoule with Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Market vegetables, and shaved parmesan cheese. this was delicious, but certainly not as rich or filling as we expected with the parm and trumpets. This was a minor concern of course, because we moved quickly to dessert, which we are prone to do. We also had taken our time getting to the 3rd course, and we might suggest the palette was off after two big reds. diving into a veggie dish with a laden palette can expose a tired nose. =)
I got a entree sized (no limits, remember!) appetizer - the grilled American Kobe Beef Tataki with Sweet Soy, Shiitake Mushrooms Duxelle, Grilled Scallions, and Crispy Won Ton Salad. This was *THE* winner. The size was perfect... gluttonous without being rude. I was so thrilled they allowed my entree size, and I gobbled it down at a pace that suggested prison like hunger versus insatiable gluttony. I certainly wish I had eaten it slower.... the flavors were JUST right.. on the nose. Sometimes the soy or Asian dishes can be overwhelmed by the sauces, etc. This was a perfect match so that the veggies and flavours did not hide the delicacy that was the beef. I could have ordered and eaten four portions, sad to say. =)
COURSE FOUR
I had the Calrhona Chocolate -Creme Fraiche Tart w/ Cocoa Nib Crust and Citrus sorbet. The citrus was perfect to temper the deep chocolate tones, and this was quite the treat. I am not a big dessert guy, and jumping off my cheese wagon was difficult. I couldn't have been happier... a thoughtful and well balanced modern take on a classic treat!
She had the Cinnamon Creme Caramel with Roasted Pear Sorbet and Brown Butter Custard Cake. Light, crisp... it sort of danced on the tongue and made a good end to dinner. It didn't sit heavy, and actually made the meal lighter on the tummy overall!
I cannot reccomend this place enough. The tasting menu comes out to a friendly mid $90's, and is well worth it. You have an amuse bouche and petit fours... so by the end of the meal you are satiated without being stuffed. It is a commendable tightrope walk, to say the least.
One of my favorite restaurants on the planet. Will be back soon!!!
1 Previous Review: Hide »
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12/1/2009
As I am prone to, I am cutting out on words and just posting courses with thoughts. This is the first of two consecutive nights of meals. It is two of us.
Price: a tad high at $105 for four course tasting menu considering the location, but it's obviously that & a bit of the view that you are treating yourself too. Great wine list with accessible and fair pricing on a range of bottles. At the end of the night you will likely not care about the price of the meal. Not that it's cheap, but it's so elegant, romantic, and culinarily pleasing - there's no real chance of being disappointed.
**MEAL ONE**
COURSE ONE -
ME: Island Creek Oysters with Sambuca Mignoette
HER: Ahi Tuna "Ravioli" with Sea Urchin, Quail Egg Yolk, Ponzu and Wasabi Oil
The mignonette was incredible interesting. Nuanced, but not foreign. I do not like sambuca but it's intrusion was minor... and added a lot. Very good. The Ahi Tuna Ravioli was just that... sashimi grade prepared to look like a ravioli. A nice departure from the tartare, but this looked a bit odd. It was delicious.. the Urchin and Quail egg yolk provided incredible complexity to the ahi. Still - chefs - please get ahi off the menu.
COURSE TWO -
ME: Foie Gras Tasting Trio: seared w/ quince marmalade, terrine with madeira syrup, creme brulee w/ pear gastrique
HER: Mushroom Consomme w/ Chantrelle Mushroom Terrine & Wild Mushrooms
The Foie Gras is a must. The Trio is incredible, with me doing inappropriate things to the creme brulee. It is the most delicious thing in the world. =) She didn't care for the Consomme, but I sort of slurped it all up.... definitely a traditional beef stock, but reduced mushrooms add an incredibly pleasing earth texture and tone.
COURSE THREE -
ME: Roast Prime Rib Eye Steak with Mushroom Blue Cheese Compote, Smoke Bacon, Crispy Potato Cake, Swiss Chard, & Red Wine Syrup
HER: Trio of Organic Chicken Preparations - Roast Breast w/ Poricini Mushrooms, Galantine w/ Black Truffle, Pot Pie w/ aromatic vegetables.
My steak wasn't the best cut of meat I have ever had.... but the accompaniements MADE this. The meat, for once, was not overpowering the starches or veggies. It was perfectly balanced, and the flavours matched perfectly. The compote was thrilling, frankly, and I plan on doing this much more often... the two melded fabulously. Both the blue and shrooms brought the musty & creamy depth. The imagination, presentation, and delivery of the chicken was fine, but it simply didn't thrill. The chicken itself is likely at fault, and not the chef. Still, not our favourite entree.
COURSE FOUR -
ME: Artisan cheese plate (at this point I was rollicked, and cannot for the life of me remember the cheeses. It was standard though.. a blue, a creamy, a goat, and something really odd and delicious that I can't remember. =/
HER: Maple-Star Anise Panna Cotta w/ Pumpkin Pie Icea Cream, Pecan Pie Cookie, & Cranberry-Huckleberr y compote.
These were great... The cheese was great, but nothing that took my feet off the ground. The wife's dessert was just fine. I think their sister property's pastry chef from French Laundry ruined us on desserts, however. Forever.
They round the meal with the traditional Petit Fours, and all were engaging and delicious. Most of the time they are left undisturbed during our meals, and we chomped through each of them... complementing the meal and their counterparts. Yum.
As for alcohol.. we did that in spades. I would say it may be the reason I knocked over my espresso. But it could just be me the clumsy one. Anyhoo... at the beginning of the meal the sommelier poured me a 1986 Sauterne and I can't remember what it was. It was perfect for the foie gras... in fact moreso than the glass I had with dessert. It was a very soft, timid taste and didn't actually round out dessert properly. We have been into half bottles lately, I guess, like everyone else. We started with a Pouilly Fuisse from Les Clos Domaine Ferret 2004 (I heart white Bordeaux) and ate our second half with Willamette Valley's own Ken Wright and the 2006 Guadalupe. It was perfect... half bottles let you really match wine closer and have more fun pairing to meals that are all over the place.
Meal Two when they let me have more space!
San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 749-2060
Gary Danko
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Fisherman's Wharf
I would like everyone to know that people are lame. Ben Stiller and Jennifer Garner were dining as couples do... and it derailed conversation at most tables, the restaurant sat them in a table that awkwardly highlighted them so that they were "to be seen" and people were rudely gawking, etc. Famous people are famous for a reason... because they are on big screens and the rest of the time they should be locked in their cages in the basement of movie studios. Keep them out of my daily life please... thanks.
I don't think you need another review of this place, and I didn't review it for a long time because I felt bad. But here it goes.... 10 years plus, it seems that the menu is a bit tired.
The fried poached egg has been on the menu forever. It's delicious... to be sure one of the most interesting, tasty things on the menu. But it just didn't seem that the menu was any different than the multiple other times I have perused it. The wine list is fantastic, but the price per at cost is a tad bit higher than it needs to be. This might be a wise time to break out a cellar treat for corkage.
It was really odd seeing an Autumn tasting menu on the 6th of December. I get that it is technically right as winter started the 21st or so, but it was really odd to see. Seemed a bit out of place, especially because Danko likes Christmas decorations, and the whole place was DECKED OUT in 'Smas trimming... yet an Autumn tasting menu.
The menu is nice... but the fig thing has gotta stop. It's everywhere like the ahi tartare. Are amuse bouche was fig laden, and they popped up everywhere. Maybe I am hypersensitive because of Bourdain.
The foie gras was overcooked on two separate plates, both at different courses. It was tough.
The lobster was underwhelming - presentation was ok... served cut in the shell.. but overall the flavours didn't feel compelling or anything new. If I am to eat out at a restaurant like this, frankly I want to be challenged and feel innovation.
The Seared Filet of Beef with Spaetzle, Butternut Squash,
Crimini Mushrooms, Bone Marrow Butter and Shallot Marmalade was cooked well passed my medium rare, and felt like a lump in my mouth. I could taste charred meat on the exterior, which wasn't necessarily the direction I wanted to go for my main course. The spaetzle was just awkward on the plate, and on the palette. It was good, but I personally did not understand the combo of flavours here.
The cheese service is a dream, but the cheeses even seemed somewhat... flat. I did climb into a nice Sauternes at the end of the meal, which was a lovely treat.
Solid, classic souffle for the last course. Delicious chocolate! Quite good, and well prepared.
We had two servers helping us, both of which were quite good. The issue was them as a pair... we had one that seemed like an urbane NY socialite who was peppy, conversational, and bubbly. Our other server was stoic, pall, and consummately proper. It made for a very uneven experience albeit they both individually did a FANTASTIC job.
It's one of the best restaurants in the city, which is why it still gets 3 stars. But compared to mid range, we hold this to a higher standard, correct? With the endless fantastic restaurants in the city, I would venture somewhere else for a fine dining experience. It is likely worth it, and you will likely have a wonderful meal... but if you have any expectations of the myth of Danko... be wary and guarded.
If you have been here in the past... best to let that experience garner the attention and simply move on.
I feel awful, but there you go. =)
OHHH! The wines. We are into the Willamette Valley right now. These were served throughout the meal:
Suter, Beacon Hill, Yamhill Oregon 1997
ZD Chardonnay 2007 Napa (I used to taste there a bit and didn't like the room... it made me not give them a second chance. Delicious! They are doing great things here)
Antica Terra 2007 Willamette Valley - Fantastic! Less of a temper and less fastiduous than I would have expected. More floral than some other Willamette Pinots like Drouhin, etc.
I grew up going there all the time. Oh sad town. I know I don't have to give an on point review here... none of the normal descriptive words. I just got to be slovenly sad and will likely get drunk how depressing it is that seeing this randomly made me bummed.
Oh sad town.
Best Reuben's ham n cheese, turkey n cheese... soups..
oh poo.
I was born in Carmel, and while about 10 years were out of the state, Carmel has been and will be a place that is truly home to me. Big Sur is heaven... and being able to proudly regale friends and family whenever they visit.... it's a treat.
This is one of the first places I really got in touch with nature, and the rocky crags and cairns coupled with the glimmering rocks being softly kissed by the waves.... it's something that will stick with my the rest of my life... like, of course, poetry. Hooray for poetry!
Lots to do in the way of hiking, picnicking, walking around and looking at tide pools and all the amazing creatures you could ever imagine and share with your friends or young ones!!! (if we haven't offed them all yet)
A true gem, and something not to be missed. Just past the Barnyard, and then the Mission off of Rio Rd..... Keep going.... you got it!
San Francisco, CA 94114
Dolores Park
Category: Parks
Neighborhoods: Castro, Mission
Not because I hit him. Because I rolled back over him to make sure.
1 Previous Review: Hide »
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10/20/2008
look at this picture before you read this review:
http://icanhasche...
shit show.
If you are shallow enough to get off on people watching, still avoid this place. All the people look the same.
Cooler than thou, packed to the gills.. and loses sun SOOOO early compared to something lovely and not awful and annoying west of there.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE Du Nord. It's STUNNING. Sorta easy to miss because you really only see the Swedish American Hall, and not the Du Nord entrance which goes underground. There will be a bouncer there tho... it's across from a Walgreens next to a gas station. Parking moves around decently in that area... shouldn't be a big issue.
I like non dates. You don't feel as awkward about the sex. =) hahaha.
It's very bordello boudeaux.
http://farm1.static.fl...
http://www.flickr.com/...
http://www.flickr.com/...
very hep old timey jazz club without an OUNCE of pretension. It's one of the best in the city.
lot of reds in the club.... when the shows on typically it is pitch black in the performance area. standing room only unless you get there early enough for booth on the left (not likely) or stools on the right (a decent chance).
So... there's my review... and there ya go. =) BE WELL!