February 16, 2004
Friday Five Alternative
I am glad that others hated last week's Friday Five, too. This one has been offered as an alternative:
1. What did you have for breakfast this morning? If you didn't have breakfast, why not?
Ham and Cheese Croissant from Gayle's Bakery in Capitola (one of the best bakeries in the world, probably worth a trip to California specifically to go there. For me a visit to the Santa Cruz area is incomplete without a stop at Gayle's).
2. What's your favorite cereal?
I am not a big cereal eater. I suppose Grape Nuts, as they have more substance than the rest.
3. How often do you eat out? Do you want that to change?
At least twice a week (if we are only talking dinners). One of those is almost invariably the taqueria, which is a cheaper meal than if I cook it myself. I would like for us to eat out three or four times a week, but that is mostly because I am a restaurant critic, and am definitely counting those paid gigs.
4. What do you plan on having for dinner tonight? Got a recipe for that?
We had tamales (from Trader Joe's), as we got back from Santa Cruz too late to want to cook anything.
5. What's your favorite restaurant? Why?
I will have to go with Oliveto in Oakland for a place that I would eat at every day if I could. Paul Bertolli is a great chef. For special occasion restaurants I would probably have to go with either The French Laundry in Yountville or La Folie in San Francisco or Manka's in Inverness or Cafe des Artistes in New York (although the last time I ate there was 10 years ago or so, so it may not be as good). For a good, reliable regular sort of place, US Restaurant in San Francisco (I will even get more specific and tell you that we eat there at least twice a month, and I generally alternate between my two favorite items, although I have liked everything I have had there) and Taqueria San Jose in Oakland (we have eaten there about once a week for the last 7 years) both count.
Runners-up would be Pearl's in Fremont, Chez Panisse in Berkeley, Restaurante Mercedes in Morelia, Chiki Jai in Tijuana, Napoleon House in New Orleans, but then I have to really start to think, because there are a lot of great restaurants in New Orleans, and that gets me to thinking about New York, and then that brings me back to San Francisco, and, well, forget about it. Too many good places. Also, there are those that I have had incredible meals but have no idea if that is a constant feature, or just a one time fluke.
Posted by erik at February 16, 2004 10:49 PM | TrackBackThe Cambodian place in Oakland is great. I think that we haven't even begun to scratch the surface of really good Asian food in this country yet. I mean it is the original fusion cuisine, because the French and the Portuguese et al. had control for so long they passed along their techniques to the ruling classes i.e. royal cuisine of the Southeast Asian region. In fact I am starting to develop such an affinity for Vietnamese coffee and baked goods now that I live in the South Bay, because they are by far the most superior product.
Ryan
See what happens when you get a foodie all wound up? Ryan, you are correct. I did not even begin to get into Asian food. So much good stuff. My favorite is Phnom Penh (spelling?) in Oakland. Great Cambodian food. We don't get there nearly as often as I would like. And, believe it or not, I have not yet been to the Slanted Door.
Posted by: Erik Keilholtz at February 18, 2004 9:19 AMHey wait,
What about all the good Asian Food in the Bay Area. We've got: Ponzu, Slanted Door, Ebisu on 9th and Irving, Ton Kiang for Dim Sum, and Hunan Homes in China Town.
Ryan
Hey wait,
What about all the good Asian Food in the Bay Area. We've got: Ponzu, Slanted Door, Ebisu on 9th and Irving, Ton Kiang for Dim Sum, and Hunan Homes in China Town.
Ryan
I forgot about good old fashioned San Francisco food: Original Joe's, the one in San Jose is better.
Ryan
Here's one for Oliveto. Paul Bertoli is a genius, as for good solid everyday food, I think that Il Poliallo is giving the US a run for its money these days. I am amazed that you went for La Folie over Gary Danko, which would be my special occasion place. After coming back from New York Felidia is right up there, but she is way more traditional then Chef Bertoli. We could make this list go on in perpetuity with all the good cuisine that exists in San Francisco and NY.
Ryan
Jeff,
I have never been there, but your post made me realize that I am shorting Sacramento in a number of ways:
33rd Street Bistro
Riverside Club
Paragary's
Celestin
Vic's (I ate lunch at Vic's almost every week for about five years).
The Espanol (not all menu items, however)
And, no, I am not forgetting that well-known Italian restaurant, I am simply skipping it. It has been resting on its laurels, is in need of renovation, and is overexposed.
Posted by: Erik Keilholtz at February 17, 2004 9:36 AMYou left out Mimi's in Sacramento. Two locations now.
Posted by: Jeff Culbreath at February 16, 2004 11:21 PM