MitchW

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).

Mezze rigatoni with fresh artichoke hearts braised in chicken stock, garlic, shallot, peperoncino and lemon zest. Pecorino Romano. Endive dressed with anchovies, garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Please stay out of the park across the street!

One of my favorite ways to prepare duck legs is via a David Lebovitz method, the faux confit: https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/08/02/428134024/counterfeit-duck-confit-all-of-the-flavor-without-the-labor

In all seriousness, does anyone honestly think that after like his top 3 or 5 or 10, he can really rank the remaining 90 - 95 restaurants in any sort of order that matters?

Or...you've been around a while?

Yeah, those are really good.

One reason I like to roast a whole chicken is for the leftovers. So this version I did the other night, led to this: Chicken salad sandwiches on Pain d'Avignon's country bread. Potato salad with the leftover roasted red and yellow potatoes. Crudité and cornichons.

My first real cook, after our vacation and another almost week of not great stuff: A whole Snowdance Farm bird, cut up, brined, then roasted with potatoes, carrots, lemon. Plated for Sig Eater: Breast with crispy skin, potatoes, carrots, sautéed broccoli rabe. Some of the leftovers (and there were plenty), go here.

Apparently, Fresh Direct sources that gouda from Essex St. as well.

Only if you're an Orca. Or a great white, feeding on carrion.

So...what the hell...a few of our meals during the San Francisco part of our trip: Tadich Grill is classic. And we got to take MUNI there. The Martinis are very good, and I like the bar... The food is...ok...especially sticking with a few classics (Petrale sole, simply grilled, for my main). So a Dungeness crab salad, and some marinated squid: I am now the proud owner of a Tadich Grill swizzle stick. The day after we arrived in San Francisco, it was Significant Eater's birthday. We did a double header, starting with a drive over the Bay Bridge, and up to Berkeley, for lunch at Chez Panisse Cafe. (I did have some second thoughts, as we drove right past one of my favorite BBQ places right on San Pablo, the great Everett & Jones. It was never passed by during my 16 years living west, after a concert at the Greek, or anywhere else nearby). But Chez Panisse it was. There really is nothing (in my opinion) quite like the salads in California. And Chez Panisse does an exemplary job. Healthy start: Star Route Farms greens with avocado, blood orange and grapefruit. And hers: Which included baked Andate Dairy's goat cheese. And which was quite splendid spread over Acme Bakery's sourdough. (And look at that chervil!) Chicken al mattone (moist and juicy), served not with the sides it was menued with, but with the sides for the pork loin (yeah, I'm a pain in the ass). Potatoes gaufrette and sautéed greens, carrots that taste like carrots. And fried sage leaves. Sig Eater wants and needs pizza. I should argue? Olives, anchovies - what's not to like. We eschewed dessert - as mentioned, we were playing a double header. Which meant a revisit (for the 3rd or 4th time) to a slightly freshened up Boulevard, in the city. Our first meal at Boulevard was 26 years ago, on our honeymoon. I'm such a fucking romantic. And classy that I am, we once again rode MUNI. Our usual schtick - a drink at the bar before sitting down for dinner (cause the cocktails are always better at the bar than by the time they get to your table). Also - the bar at Boulevard is beautiful. I'm at Boulevard - and having a Boulevardier. My lovely wife - a Perfect Manhattan. Here's where the crab amped up : My Dungeness, with "valentine" pomelo, kumquats and the usual Cali stuff, like the flower thing. This was great, the dressing (actually, a great Louie dressing) puddled at the bottom to be mixed, or not, as you wish. The Dungeness - simply perfect. And for she... A gorgeous pea soup, King crab, and a lemon souffle! Plus...flowers. Sig Eater wanted, and got, beef. I wanted more... It wasn't all about these huge scallops, which I'm guessing flew 3,000 miles, yet were still fine. That little lasanga - sorry, lasagnette - stuffed with Dungeness - was really great. Plus...lotsa flowers. And those teeny turnips. She enjoyed her birthday greatly; it was a big one! Oh - why can't more restaurants do this? Full page of red half bottles. There was another page of whites. The wine list at Boulevard is comprehensive.

I agree 100%!

And today's news (as Ori has noted either here or there on IG, Foxface is serving the last of theirs): Not necessarily a bad reason to close the season. More...https://wildlife.ca.gov/News/Archive/cdfw-closes-commercial-dungeness-crab-fishery-and-restricts-recreational-crab-traps-in-the-central-management-area-limits-commercial-fishing-to-inside-30-f#gsc.tab=0