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MitchW

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Posts posted by MitchW

  1. 5 minutes ago, backyardchef said:

    People often ask me-- "Why have you mostly stopped eating out and enjoying restaurants?" I should carry this column with me to show them. 

    I do have to say that after dining out in Dublin and London for 10 or so days, it’s so much more relaxing and fun than dining out in NYC can often be. Not always, just often.

    • Like 1
  2. Had a reservation for Drapers Arms this afternoon, but cancelled it and decided to stay within walking distance of our airBnB in Marylebone (we have an annoyingly early departure tomorrow morning).

    We’ve had some quite good meals at Noble Rot (the Mayfair one), BRAT, St. John Bread and Wine, and Planque.

  3. 10 hours ago, small h said:

    👀

    More about this, please.

    I’ve tried a couple of the various canned seafood pates. I’ll just say they’re not my favorite.  Rather take a can of the seafood and make some of my own.

  4. Just now, small h said:

    Formaggio Essex sold it to me yesterday, if you want to snag some.

    If we weren't going away tomorrow for a week+, I would. Though maybe he has some that still needs some time, and I can stink up the wine fridge with it!

    • Haha 1
  5. The abrupt ending of the post above? I forgot something was on the stove, almost boiling over.

    Re: Angler - that whole bird, which basically comes as you see it, was one of the tastiest birds I've had in a while. Cooking with wood helps, the brine was just right, and they use a good quality bird. Along with Parker House rolls and a side salad, it makes for a nice dinner.

     As a solo diner, I hit Yank Sing one day for lunch and had a nice assortment of dim sum. The caveat at Yank Sing?  Don't order everything from the first cart that comes your way...they're pushy!

    My other solo lunch was at old favorite, after wandering North Beach a bit (and popping into City Lights)...

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    And having an old-school espresso at Cafe Grecco, wasn't here...

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    But here...

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    (Y'all thought Sam Wo, huh?). No, Brandy's, along with Henry's Hunan, was where my first exposure to Hunanese food in the US took place.  Both restaurants were around 35-40 years ago, and visited extensively. On this gorgeous SF day, I had the lunch special...

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    Which included the starters above. Hot and spicy soup, cold noodle and cucumber salad, and a fried big dumpling...followed by a spicy stir-fry. All in around $20.

    After lunch, I walked to San Francisco's Museum of Modern Art (reciprocal entry with Whitney Membership!).  They have a nice Warhol collection, including this Dolly:

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    A Brancusi...

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    Quite a few Calders:

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    And a Robert Arneson, a local Bay-area artist, and a leader of the Funk Art movement.

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    That one is called Smorgi-Bob, The Cook. And I thought it apropos.

    Our final dinner - thanks to @voyager above, was at her recommended place in Dogpatch - Piccino. Dogpatch might be a little out of the way if you're staying out in the Richmond or Sunset or Noe Valley, but it's practically a hop skip and jump from where we were on the Embarcadero. 

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    A nice California melon salad, with obligatory flowers.

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    House-made pasta with sausage and greens was good (I might've cut back on the bread crumbs), and should've been shared.

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    Oat and berry crumble desert topped it off just right. Lovely meal, another place with lovely service as well.

    Early flight the following morning...

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    • Like 2
  6. My wife had a business trip to San Francisco recently; I decided to tag along,  and we went a couple of days prior, which gave us nearly a full week.  First couple of days AirBnB'ed in the Castro, then moved over to a hotel just off the Embarcadero.  Had a couple of old-fashioned breakfasts those first couple of mornings...

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    Orphan Andy's, followed by the following morning at The Cove.  Both fine for breakfast.

    Took a drive out to Tomales Bay for lunch with a friend. 

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    Northern Cal's best. Tomales Bays and Humboldt Bays, at Hog Island.

    First two dinners: one at Delfina, the night was arrived, was okay. And easy. Then State Bird, which is really good. Met a friend there, and cranked up the bill. Some nice wines, some excellent food, and the sweetest service west of the Mississippi; I love that staff.

    Our final in the Castro,  a nice find, recommended here or by previous hosts, was this place on Castro St.

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    No res - we waited about an hour after writing our name on the white board - and they close early (like 8?). It's just the kind of food I want to eat when local...

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    Crab. Just...crab.

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    A really excellent wild shrimp dish. Which may have been a special, or based on the entree?

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    A piece of local rockfish of some sort, mash, butter, lemon. Kind of a perfect meal for me, with sweet service, easily drinkable wines, and 2 blocks from our AirBnb. The Castro could turn into my favorite neighborhood in San Francisco.

    Moved to the hotel - view from our barely openable window on the 8th floor:

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    When Significant Eater started dealing with work,  I was able to go off on some adventures.  I climbed the fucking Filbert Steps. I'm old. I hadn't climbed the Filbert Steps in a decade (or maybe more). It was warm, because the most beautiful time of year, at least in the Bay Area, tends to be the beginning of football season and for the next month or two. 

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    Above - iykyk.

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    Climbing to get here...

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    Fog cooperated:

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    In every which way.

    Hotel was around the corner; I'd reserved the bar area at Boulevard, where the menu is a la carte, and the food is good.

    IMG_2862.jpeg.9c55f999dbac42c7d3d3ef3526ea7d49.jpeg 

    Especially the California Abalone Roll:

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     Met a friend at Angler...

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    More to come.

    • Like 2
  7. 1 hour ago, small h said:

    I just think it seems like a huge pain in the ass (it probably isn't, but it seems that way to me). So I ferment things instead.

    I mean, for small quantities (which is all I deal with), I think refrigerator jams are just fine.  Sorta like pickling.

    • Like 2

    Gigs

    55 minutes ago, small h said:

    You forget how many Squeeze songs you know.

    Chris and Glenn were often referred to as the songwriting pair descended from that other great British songwriting pair. 

    Their first 3 or 4 albums were loaded with great songs.

    Gigs

    34 minutes ago, Wilfrid said:

    Mm, I must have last seen Squeeze more than 40 years ago.

    That may have almost been Squeeze. Jools or Paul Carrack?

    Gigs

    Central Park Summerstage earlier this week (with a harvest moon!)...

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    Who knew I'd like Boy George, but his band was great, his voice was great; his selection of covers wasn't bad either, with Walk on the Wild Side, You Can't Always Get What You Want, Purple Rain.

    As they like to do now, especially for summer shed dates, it was a co-headlining tour.

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    With one of my favorite "bands," Squeeze. Squeeze is in about their millionth iteration; obviously, Glenn (an underrated guitarist, in my opinion) and Chris are Squeeze, and they just offer a great time.

     

  8. 1 hour ago, Wilfrid said:

    Jiayang Fan writes about a two hour wait to get into Martinys; might be more useful for the reader to mention that it takes reservations and you should make one.

    Or maybe that there are cocktails available elsewhere?

    • Like 1
  9. 1 hour ago, Orik said:

    Either on a sheet pan cooled to 32F or if they must touch ice then flake ice with drainage (think of how fish is displayed at any fishmonger except the greenmarket, basically - diagonally sloped whether on ice or on sheet pans). Correct vacuum packing would be even better (I think the steelhead trout people do that) 

    The fish monger at Essex Market does a pretty good job of this type of display...sheet pans, on ice, and covered.  Though I can't recall the last time I bought anything from him, I do look every time I'm at the market.

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