MitchW

Toss.

Rest In Hell.

I'm sorry we missed going to Le B this year for our big birthday/anniversary stuff in February. Gonna try to make up for that a little later in the year.

Caesar salad. Broccoli rabe. Spaghetti and meatballs.

Reminding me that we need to use our membership more!

P Oh, Karma is a cat.

Has Chang allowed them to use the term "Hot Sauce" ?

Some like the narratives; other like to see how their bets are faring.

I was trying to explain this to a friend, to no avail. But, I think we're good here now.

I guess this was pre-gaming also, though it may have been served during the middle of the first semi: Potatoes, par baked with onions, shallots, pimentón, saffron and olive oil. Topped with Long Island Striped Bass (from the freezer), tomatoes, Spanish olives, ramps, and more olive oil. Back into the oven. Checked at 15 minutes, they still needed another 5 (these were thick hunks of fish). Very good, if I do say so muself.

When we heard the news of La Ciccia's imminent closure and purchase by a South Bay restaurant group, none of us could have been happy. But...start spreading the news...that deal (with the restaurant group) fell through, La Ciccia was purchased by a local realtor and long-time La Ciccia neighbor/diner, and it certainly is none the worse for wear. Much of the staff remains; as a matter of fact, we recognized our waitress as having served us on a previous trip and she confirmed she'd been there "for years." Also, when was the last time you had a waitperson take an entire table's order (there were four of us), apps, primis, secondos, split portions, etc. etc. without writing a thing down, and EVERYTHING WAS DELIVERED TO THE RIGHT PERSON, IN THE RIGHT ORDER! That alone was worth the price of admission. Let's get down to it...remember, in the old days, the request was no photos, no cell phones, etc. etc., and we had to sneak them in. Now, let's just say that rule is a little looser. I don't have to tell you what this is: Just know that it remains as simple, funky and as delicious as ever, even as bottarga seems to appear more and more on plates around this town (Cervo's uses it - a lot!). Then there's the classic roasted Monterey small squid. Tender bodies, tasty tentacles, oceanic - and if I recall correctly, quite spicy. Yes, there was a pasta special (maybe even two?). Yes, it had Dungeness crab. Yes, I ordered it, and did not share. Another favorite: Prawns for days, cooked just right. And for our table partners, they needed meat evidently... So they had, and didn't share either, the lamb loin. We took the bus here (standing on a crowded bus as it cruises up, through and around the Castro and Noe Valley is a little challenging). So I needed a drink, and we had arrived early. There is nothing nearby where one might have a drink. Unless, like me, you're a classic degenerate, and buy two beers at a nearby butcher shop (which looked great, by the way) and drink them on the bench at the bus stop in front of La Ciccia. That one, right there. COMP DISCLOSURE: Glasses of dessert wine all around. And maybe a dessert or two.

What a difference a halftime makes.

That was a bad one! Studied that in earthquake/environmental geology class I was taking at San Jose State!

A good 20 seconds up here on 15th floor. I heard stuff rattling around (like my shower doors) and thought...Man, it's windy! I'm thinking the last one I felt here was like 2011 or 2013 - much more of a sharp jolt. None of them at all like the ones I experienced out in California. Loma Prieta I saw the ground waving, which was...interesting.

Oy.

I Had not only my own artery, but my wife’s as well.

The revolution will not be televised !

I was curious about Kono, but won't be after tonight.

I thought it might be Superiority Burger. Or Hamburger America. @Orik - I've had friends from all over text me this morning asking if I'd seen the Wells' list. It is far reaching.

Strangely, I don't think I've ever eaten a single product from Levain - from any of their multitude of locations!

I cook up 1/2 lb. of each. I have a couple of scallops and shrimp left over - it'll be good for lunch today!

Hokkaido scallops and wild gulf shrimp. Asparagus beurre moussant. The Rice Factory's fantastic koshihikari.

Continuing on, after Boulevard, we started meeting friends for lunch and dinner. Lunch at Yank Sing, in the gorgeous Rincon Center, was very nice. Place was packed, the carts were moving, the dim sum was fresh, what's not to like? Lunch proceeded...slowly. A nice walk along the Embarcadero afterwards. And a nap before dinner, at State Bird Provisions. State Bird offers "dim sum" carried around by persons, who stop by your table with their offerings, as well as offering stuff to be ordered from the kitchen. We ate a lot. Tongue pastrami was very good. As was the state bird. And its provisions. Crab with yuba - really lovely. Nice night, lots of wine (cocktails before, at The Progress, next door).

Not only has the critic dispensed with anonymity, but she is evidently the granddaughter of the late, great Henry Chung, he of the great Hunan Restaurant in San Francisco, where he introduced Hunanese food to those lucky inhabitants. We ate at Zuni on our last night in San Francisco; her first review, by request of readers, was of Zuni.

I was cursing the whole time, as I was “turning” these artichokes. But I was relentless ; there were four and all I wanted was the heart! I got them. (And the stems, which should not go to waste).