• Do you want to be a food snob? Are you aching for the proper vocabulary to describe a particularly jammy red wine? Do you find yourself aimlessly nodding and smiling when your more sophisticated pretentious co-worker uses the word "lusty" to describe a salad from Mixt Greens? Look no futher than David Kamp's "The Food Snob's Dictionary." [Grub St]

• The Italians, never a people to bicker about inconsequential matters, are having a civil war about garlic. Former PM Silvio Berlusconi hates the stuff: “He considers garlic very dangerous for the environment, his personal environment." Bravo Italia. [The Grinder]

• It was only a matter of time: choco-maps. [Gridskipper]

• Decanting, deconstructed. [An Obsession With Food]

• Tasty free range burgers abound in the East Bay. There's a "we didn't know burgers could walk" joke in here somewhere. [SFist]

Know of a Bay Area food blog that should be on our blogroll? Send us an electronic letter.

While you were out celebrating reunions, the blogs of the Menuniverse were busy all week long. With a certain heiress "celebrity" drinker garnering some attention earlier in this week, we're going to dedicate this Menublog summary to potent potables.

• MP: Boston pondered cocktail covers, waxed poetics about the possibilities of a beer-laden Boston Marathon and shared a beautiful pair of words: free wine.

• MP: Chicago also whipped out some things Paris would have loved: all-you-can-drink Bora Bora Night, a wine tasting cruise and lastly, an examination of incipient alcoholism.

• Even MP: Philly got into the act, with a drinker's heaven (haven?) on the market and the wines of Israel in the press.

Every Friday, we provide you with the best--and the worst--user reviews from the week. The following reviews are real, valid, submitted, unedited (except where marked) reviews from our various sites.

Last week, we discussed the finer points of palate sensations. This Friday, let's examine something that requires little to no sublety: delivery.

The thing about delivery is that you aren't (or shouldn't be) expecting much to begin with. If you are anything like us, delivery--whether it be Thai, pizza or Chinese--serves two purposes: convenience and comfort. If it comes quickly, it pleases. If the food is decent and "normal" (so to speak), it pleases. Delivery doesn't require being the meal of the month; it's supposed to be solid.

With that said, here are two divergent delivery experiences, as told by our dear users. First up, an anonymous positive review of SRI Thai in the Sunset:

We order delivery from here all the time. I have never actually been to the resturant, but the food arrives quickly and is ALWAYS delicious. For the amount you get it's a great price. Try the green curry with chicken, you won't be disappointed or hungry!

Then there's the (entertaining) flip of side of delivery, after the jump.

For the sake of the parties involved, we'll leave you guessing as to which restaurant has a "subpar" delivery system:

My order usually takes an hour to arrive and is ice cold when I get it. On two occasions, it actually never arrived, and I had to call. They apparently forgot. If you order a soda, it is delivered in a cup with ice inside a plastic bag that is soaking wet by the time it gets to you. With my last order, the plastic broke, and my entire order was drenched in Diet Pepsi. Twice, my burger was practically raw. I called to alert the staff, and they told me they would give me a credit, since I didn't have time to wait for ANOTHER hour for ANOTHER burger. When I called the next time to use the credit, they told me there was no record of a credit for me, so they wouldn't grant it. I love the food here, which is why I've put up with this, but never again. I will stick with the [redacted] location. I don't make any generalizations of people working in fast food, and don't usually put them down, but the staff at this location puts the DUH in dumb.

In the old space of Juni and Osaka Grill comes Sudachi, a stylish Japanese eatery with a variety of sushi and tapas on the menu. In addition to the usual a la carte list of sushi/sashimi options and some recognizable specialty rolls (spicy tuna, California, "spyder"), Chef-owner Ming Hwang (previously of Tokyo Go Go and Shiso) has also tacked some unique rolls and tapas onto the menu. Take, for example, the punnily-named "High-Roller": fried sweet potato, grilled scallions, avocado topped with Kobe beef (!), momiji oroshi, yuzu ponzu (cute) and garlic chips. Provoking even more interest may be the non-sushi items, like the Buddha's Pouches (duck confit with a host of accoutrements) and seared hokkaido scallops. Plus, they've even got a dressed-up version of our Hawaiian favorite, poke.

In addition to the sushi and tapas, Sudachi plans to evolve into a full-scale nightlife center, with live music and everything. As of now, they've got a late-night menu and happy hour specials. More to come soon, we're sure.

Sidenote: According to Wikipedia, sudachi (pictured) is "a small, round, green citrus fruit that is relatively unknown to the world except in Japan, where it is used alongside another citrus fruit, the yuzu and the kabosu." Now you know.

Sudachi [MenuPages]
Sudachi [Official Site]

Here at MenuPages, we are constantly updating our vast menu database. Every morning, we'll highlight five or so menu updates to bring you the latest in San Francisco culinary upheaval.

Today's updates: Just some of the finest restaurants in the city.

• Coi, 373 Broadway (Btwn Montgomery & Sansome St), 415-393-9000

• Nopa, 560 Divisadero St (At Hayes St), 415-864-8643

• The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton, 600 Stockton St (Btwn California & Pine St), 415-773-6168

• TWO, 22 Hawthorne St (At Howard St), 415-777-9779

• July 12-15 is the (breathe with me) Sonoma County Showcase Weekend of Wine & Food. More information is available online or by calling 800-939-7666.

• A small bites menu will soon be revealed at Bacar.

• San Francisco's version of Pinkberry is a-coming. Yogurt Bar is lurking. A MenuPages menu is on its way.

[Photo courtesy: All Posters]

In the SFC, summer means frigid fog, Giants losses, street festivals, funnel cakes at IHOP and ... "Best of" lists!

We already hit on SF Weekly's list earlier this month; here's San Francisco Magazine's list of the best comfort foods that are only offered once a week in their respective restaurants, with SF Mag's descriptions.

• Monday: meatballs at A16: "beautifully executed Italian classics with deep, mellow flavor. Paired with a good glass of red, they make Monday blissful"

• Tuesday: bouillabaisse at Mirepoix: "And that’s the fish they ladle out, along with mussels, clams, and a saffron aioli"

• Wednesday: prix fixe at Dry Creek Kitchen: "a hump-day only Family BBQ Night features family-style platters—laden with tri tip, watercress salad, and peach pie"

• Thursday: fried chicken at Magnolia: "fried chicken from free-range, sustainably raised local birds—with local, organic mashed potatoes and greens on the side"

• Friday: cherry cookies at Tea Cake Bakery: "like good old-fashioned chocolate chip cookies that collided with Cherry Garcia"

• Saturday: cherry cola baby back ribs at Home : "rich, sweet, slightly hot"

• Sunday: green beans at Dino's Pizza: "Simmered slowly with white wine, garlic, olive oil, and stewed tomatoes and topped with tangy feta"

The Best of the Bay Area [San Francisco Magazine]

Nothing says summer like a big greasy, cheesy, hot sandwich with grease on the side for dipping, right? Right?

In any event, the French dip is a favorite of many diners everywhere, but even though its origins are Californian, a good rendition can be hard to find. As a Chowhound points out, the seemingly simple sandwich is "too often ruined by fatty meat, thick cut meat, bad roll or bland Au Jus."

The archetypal French dip consists of paper-thin slices of freshly-roasted beef, a hot and crusty French roll (though we prefer baguettes), and the ever-important au jus, fresh meat drippings from the pan. Cheese is optional, seeing as how it may start to resemble a cheesesteak before long.

So where to get the finest French dip in the City? Keep dipping with us, post-jump.

• The Liberty Cafe ($12): The Cortland Avenue cafe takes on the FD from a modern standpoint. Keeping on their seasonal bent, the Liberty Cafe's version is made with braised flat iron steak, fresh horseradish and baby greens.

• Houston's ($17): Don't think of Houston's as a chain, because even Times critic Frank Bruni thought it was pretty surprisingly impressive. You know what else is impressive? French dip made from prime rib and sliced paper-thin.

• London Wine Bar ($9.95): You have to love a good sandwich at a good wine bar. Of course it comes with cheese. Cheese, wine. Get it?

• Original Joe's ($9.95): One of the city's more traditional diners, Original Joe's finally found a permanent home. For less than 10 bucks, you get a mound of beef and some steak fries on the side.

• Pork Store Cafe ($6.60): This is our pick for a cheap, traditional French dip. Head to the Haight, grab a beer, have a sandwich, say hi to a 50-year-old hippie and enjoy.

[Photo courtesy: Roadfood]

"The central challenge was making food look appetizing in animation," said [Brad] Lewis, adding that when it came to the actual ratatouille, it really had to be spectacular.

For inspiration and authenticity, they went to Keller. The Yountville chef tutored the film's creators on the inner workings of a French kitchen and acted as the key consultant for the cooking. Producer Lewis, who interned in the French Laundry kitchen as part of his research for the film, gave the chef an extra challenge.

"I asked him how he would prepare the ratatouille if he knew the most famous critic in the world was coming in to the restaurant," he said.

Just think of all the children who will be inspired to become the next great chef; maybe they'll roles in "Ratatouille 4: Cook Free or Die Hard."

Bay Area flavors food tale [SFGate]

[Photo courtesy: Official Site]

Here at MenuPages, we are constantly updating our vast menu database. Every morning, we'll highlight five or so menu updates to bring you the latest in San Francisco culinary upheaval.

Today's updates: Neighborhood Gems

• Chenery Park, 683 Chenery St (At Diamond St), 415-337-8537

• Incanto, 1550 Church St (At Duncan St), 415-641-4500

• Presidio Social Club, Bldg 563 Ruger St (Near the Lombard Gate), 415-885-1888

• Range, 842 Valencia St (At 20th St), 415-282-8283

• Spork, 1058 Valencia St (Btwn 21st & 22nd St), 415-643-5000

• Durian tastes like butterscotch. What are we missing here? [The Grinder]

• Everyone and their mom is becoming a blogger: McDonald's hires "Mom bloggers." [Slashfood ]

• There's a lobster war going on in New York. Nothing's more entertaining than chef feuds. Nothing. [Gawker]

• Sorry Rob Zombie, the World's Sexiest Vegetarian is ... [Stereohyped]

• Garden of Tranquility: It seems things got a bit too tranquil. Zing!

• Sake Lab: The space has been sold and will morph into a burger place in several months. Just what we need.

• The Castro location of Philz Coffee (18th & Sanchez) is no more. The owner cites his reasons. Kinda.

• Finally, Country Station Sushi in the Mission is closing after 10 fun years.

Miriam Morgan tackles the Haight en route to Magnolia, a place that has often been dubbed "a San Francisco original." It's got all the aspects of a city staple: a 100-year old building, throwback apothecary drawers, freshly-brewed beers and even a past that includes a turn as a late-night dessert delivery service called Magnolia Thunderpussy. The review netted the gastropub two stars, but consider them an impressive pair:

[The menu is] newly revitalized by chef David Coleman, who adheres to the local/sustainable bent. The result, judging from a recent dinner, is food that's up a few notches since The Chronicle reviewed Magnolia several years ago.

Starters include traditional pub fare such as hot wings ($10) and onion rings with a horseradish mayonnaise dip ($6) to less expected dishes like curry beet salad ($10) and house-made merguez sausage with blood orange couscous ($11) ... The combination of some pretty good food, along with a comfy, ragged-around-the-edges atmosphere, makes for a welcoming neighborhood spot. So does the service, which is friendly and informed, if sometimes a bit too laid back.

The rest of the week in reviews, post jump.

Meredith Brody hops on the Bi-Rite bandwagon with a peek at the ambrosial offerings at Bi-Rite Market and DeLessio Market & Bakery. She asks, why cook yourself when you can get the real thing even better, at home?

Or we can reap the benefits of the hours others have spent preparing delicious foods and swing by one of San Francisco's high-class takeout emporiums, which can be equally soothing, relaxing, and replenishing, of the pantry as well as the spirit. Two of the best, DeLessio Market and Bakery and Bi-Rite Market, Ali Baba-like caves of gustatory delight spilling over with goodies like overflowing cornucopias, are ripe for summer plucking.

Elsewhere, SFist heads to brand new Farina, the Chronicle checks out Berkeley's Musashi, the Guardian is at Essencia and Granzella's, and upscale Mexican gets put under the magnifying glass at Chowhound.

[Photo courtesty: Mike Kane/SFGate]

The most interesting part of Wu's article may be her descriptions of the various taste techniques employed by the judges:

Watching one panel at work, I was struck by the sounds of tasting. Some judges aerated the olive oils with many short, staccato intakes of breath before swallowing. Others drew in one long, sustained slurp. Quite frequently a cough followed the inhalation, a normal sign of the pungency striking the back of the throat.

Pungency and bitterness are positive attributes in olive oil, but they must be within the bounds of the class -- delicate, medium or robust -- and of the varietal.

U.S. olive oil coming into its own [SFGate]

Here at MenuPages, we are constantly updating our vast menu database. Every morning, we'll highlight five or so menu updates to bring you the latest in San Francisco culinary upheaval.

Today's updates: Restaurants in the Sunset

• ChouChou, 400 Dewey Blvd (At Laguna Honda), 415-242-0960

• Fresca, 24 West Portal Ave (At Ulloa St), 415-759-8087

• Lakeside Cafe, 2529 Ocean Ave (Btwn 19th Ave & Junipero Serra Blvd), 415-337-0359

• Villa D'Este, 2623 Ocean Ave (Btwn 19th Ave & Junipero Serra Blvd), 415-334-0580

The Red Onion restaurant is giving out free meals today, if you donate $25 to the reward fund to find the people who murdered owner Alfred Figueroa in April:

The meals, along with matching donations, are being provided by the sheet metal company for whom Figueroa also worked, West Coast Fab Inc. The offer extends from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. West Coast Fab will also match the donation, which will go toward a reward fund, said operations manager Karel Gray. The money will be turned over to the family if no reward is issued, he said.

About 9:30 p.m. on April 26, Figueroa, his wife and three employees were cleaning up when four men, one of whom was armed with a gun, accosted them inside the hamburger restaurant at 11900 San Pablo Ave. near the El Cerrito-Richmond border.

Figueroa, 40, came out of the restaurant's office and was shot once in the chest when he resisted the assailants' demands for money, police said.

Thanks to SFist for the link.

The Red Onion, 11900 San Pablo Avenue, El Cerrito (510) 236-9462

Free meals for reward donations at El Cerrito restaurant [SFGate]

Bi-Rite Market [MenuPages]
Bi-Rite Market [Official Site]

Several weeks ago, we enjoyed the national exposure given to the heartwarming tale of Cafe Gratitude. Lo and behold, the Times somehow unearthed an even better San Francisco feel-good story: the Mission's La Cocina.

In short, La Cocina is a shared kitchen space with low hourly rental rates "to provide a platform for women entrepreneurs without assets." In full, it's a business incubator that provides women with a business model, career training, and culinary training, not to mention hope:

“There’s an entrepreneurial gene,” said Valeria Perez Ferreiro, executive director of La Cocina. “And we are finding amazing entrepreneurs who are already cooking or have a product that is so promising that it deserves to be seen in the market and that we think has a chance for success.”

[Veronica] Salazar, 32, was one of the first participants in La Cocina and is one of its bigger successes. Her company, El Huarache Loco, makes traditional foods from Mexico City.

Working with intensity, she needed to produce 700 of her trademark huaraches, the bean-filled cakes, for her weekly booth at a farmer’s market and hundreds more for Carnaval San Francisco festivities over Memorial Day weekend. She also prepared fish and shrimp ceviche as an employee stirred 30 gallons of carnitas in a brazing skillet for a catering job for 100 people.

And what better place than the Mission to house one?

For Women, a Recipe to Create a Successful Business [NY Times]
La Cocina, Community Kitchen [Official Site]

Here at MenuPages, we are constantly updating our vast menu database. Every morning, we'll highlight five or so menu updates to bring you the latest in San Francisco culinary upheaval.

Today's updates: Restaurants in West Portal

• Mozzarella Di Bufala Pizzeria, 69 West Portal Ave (Btwn Ulloa & Vicente St), 415-661-8900

• New Tsing Tao Restaurant, 811 Ulloa St (Btwn West Portal Ave & Claremont Blvd), 415-566-9559

• Round Table Pizza, 243 West Portal Ave (Btwn Vicente St & 14th Ave), 415-566-3566

• Spiazzo Caffe, 33 West Portal Ave (Btwn Vicente & Ulloa St), 415-664-9511

• Squat & Gobble Cafe, 1 West Portal Ave (Btwn Vicente & Ulloa St), 415-665-9900

• Here's the meat on the looming San Francisco burger craze; at least three will open soon. [Zagat Buzz]

• A new blog has magically appeared on Chowhound, and it's already showing love for Perbacco. [Tasting Notes]

• Tired of plain, tired apricot jam? Try jam made from endangered apricots! It goes great as a garnish for giant panda ribs. [SFist]

• Eating 60 hot dogs in 10 minutes is not good for your jaw. [Deadspin]

• Finally, RIP Rod Beck. A true Giant in the Bay Area. It's never fair when people like Rod Beck die.

While other cities (ahem, New York, London, Boston) have been making a stink over the lack of respect--not to mention jobs--given to female chefs, our fair city puts them on a pedestal:

I do, however, remember the quail salad on a late spring evening in Bizou. The Hama Hama oysters at the bar in Boulevard. The simple, subtle, rich flavors of my first meal at Chez Panisse. It has not escaped me that of all the terrific meals I've eaten in and around San Francisco, for some reason the dishes I can still taste, were served in restaurants with women chefs: Loretta Keller at Bizou, Nancy Oakes at Boulevard and Alice Waters at Chez Panisse.

I've long wondered if the reason was that, at the highest level, women cooked differently from men. And whether I -- a man of a certain age with a diminished sense of smell, a less than discerning palate and a galloping appetite -- could really taste the difference on the plate.

Of course, I've also eaten delicious meals cooked by men. But those three were memorable.

What is it about the cooking of WOMEN CHEFS that makes it more memorable, more comforting than that of men? [SFGate]

[Photo of Loretta Keller courtesy: Seasonal Chef]

Several weeks ago, SF Weekly published a scathing article about seething culinary students at California Culinary Academy. To remind you, here's an excerpt of some of the accusations put forth by disgruntled chefs-to-be (or so they hoped):

Many former students say admissions representatives told them whatever they thought the applicants needed to hear to get them to sign on the dotted line. The students claim admissions reps said it was a prestigious school that they would be lucky to gain admission to, when it actually admits anyone eligible for a student loan. The graduates say they were misled about the terms of their loans; many have since realized that by the time they finish making payments, they'll have paid more than $100,000 for just 15 months of school. Finally, the students and graduates we spoke to were told that a CCA degree virtually guaranteed them a well-paying job at an elite restaurant. In fact, the majority went on to low-paying kitchen jobs — and many soon left the food industry entirely in search of salaries that would pay off their student debt.

But back to the real issue: the student complaints. At the assembly, students complained of "dishonest admissions reps, overcrowded kitchens, and listless classmates who graduated without doing the work." The academy's president did his best to quell the fire, though it seems only time will tell if change will occur. On one hand, the dishonest admission pitches seem like a real problem, but on the other hand, what person attending graduate/professional school doesn't have concerns about the reality of finding a job upon completion? Whether if be a PhD in search of a university job (there are very few of those, let us tell you) or a newly-minted lawyer looking for a decent firm, job searches are always tough; you're not going to be the next Mario Batali off the bat (obviously).

Here's hoping both sides make nice; there must be some common ground.

California Culinary Academy [Official Site]
Chefs' Surprise [SF Weekly]
Earlier: Burnt Chefs [SF Weekly]

• Michael Bauer took his weekend review to Dio Deka in Los Gatos. [SFGate]

• The Amateur Gourmet defended food bloggers: "Whereas traditional food media (The New York Times food section, for example) often feels fussy and strained, like a college roundtable discussion of "Beowulf," food blogs feel fresh and exciting--like hanging out with a new group of friends or an old group of friends, depending on how long you've been reading food blogs." [The Amateur Gourmet]

• Eater LA interviewed "the Jack Russell terrier" contestant on "The Next Food Network Star." [Eater LA]

• Does Greek diner food exist in San Francisco? [Chowhound]

[Video via ruhlman.com]

Here at MenuPages, we are constantly updating our vast menu database. Every morning, we'll highlight five or so menu updates to bring you the latest in San Francisco culinary upheaval.

Today's updates: Assorted Monday Fun.

• Patisserie Philippe, 655 Townsend St (Btwn 7th & 8th St), 415-558-8016

• Sutra, 100 Brannan St (At The Embarcadero), 415-593-5900

• Truck, 1900 Folsom St (At 15th St), 415-252-0306

• Zuni Cafe, 1658 Market St (Btwn Franklin & Gough St), 415-552-2522

Because dwarf trees are exactly what scientists should be spending their time on, here's your weekly recap of the Menuniverse, with a "Snow White" slant ...

• MP: Boston was Happy, rejoicing in al fresco dining, free coffee and a myriad of super happy funtime summer festivals. And if geoduck clams don't put a smile on your face, well, we don't know what to tell you.

• MP: Chicago played Doc, teaching us all about consumer spending, Chinese food in America, fish extinction and this "summer solstice" we keep hearing so much about. Oh, and a very revealing photo post about a Top Chef host. No, it's not Tom Colicchio, thank heavens.

• MP: Philly was just plain Grumpy, talking about smackdowns, jerks, hate and miserable days.

• On the value of smell, when it comes to wine. [An Obsession With Food]

• On the uptight service at The French Laundry. [Bay Area Bites]

• On duck testicles at Incanto. [Daily Feed]

• On the (Faulknerian) opening night of a restaurant. [Gastronomie]

• On smoking chefs. [Between Meals]

Every Friday, we provide you with the best--and the worst--user reviews from the week. The following reviews are real, valid, submitted, unedited (except where marked) reviews from our various sites.

Sometimes, it's hard to pinpoint the exact essence of a dish. Recently, we had a very nice meal at a local Italian restaurant. It was fine, nothing particularly special, but a dining companion of ours ordered a pasta dish that included duck that had an odd flavor. Nothing spoiled or anything like that, just ... odd. It didn't taste like duck or sauce or rotten-ness. Finally, after much deliberation and mastication, we hit the nail on the head: it tasted like Teflon (from the frying pan, we surmised).

Anyhoo, it's always fun when reviewers compare pedestrian dishes with creative and unusual "flavors." It allows the reader to sit back, reflect and think "Hmm, I can see that." Here are three of our favorites:

And it's really all about the cheese. It takes like it's made from melted used combs with flavor & color added. It's heavy with little flavor.

The tom kah gai is not worth ordering-- it tasted like sunscreen mixed with chicken broth.

It followed the traditional diner pickle taste ... For those of you who don't know this taste is like placing a preserved and chilled animal organ from a failed and forgotten lab experiment into your mouth.

Via The Grinder, we bring you Food & Wine's inside scoop on restaurants from 100 top chefs. White chocolate (along with microgreens and canned ingredients) is so yesterday amongst our culinary geniuses, while Japanese is far and away the most revered cuisine, followed by Chinese and French.

Speaking of Japanese food, hamachi and uni tied for the chefs' favorite type of sushi, with unagi coming in a close third. Meanwhile, Iron Chef Morimoto's favorite type of sushi is kohada, aka gizzard shad, a type of white fish.

And in case you were wondering, chefs' favorite utensil is ... the spoon.

What Chefs Know Best 2007 [Food & Wine]
Plumbing the Vox Chefuli [The Grinder]

Here at MenuPages, we are constantly updating our vast menu database. Every morning, we'll highlight five or so menu updates to bring you the latest in San Francisco culinary upheaval.

Today's updates: The magical bounty of Fisherman's Wharf and the immediate vicinity.

• Pier Market, Pier 39, 415-989-7437

• Pompei's Grotto, 340 Jefferson St (At Fisherman's Wharf), 415-776-9265

• Restaurant Gary Danko, 800 N Point St (At Hyde St), 415-749-2060

• Sabella & La Torre, 3 Fisherman's Wharf (At Taylor St), 415-673-2824

• Tarantino's Restaurant, 206 Jefferson St (At Taylor St), 415-775-5600

• In honor of a new branch in Oakland, Levende is celebrating the summer solstice and the 40th anniversary of the summer of love with a host of live performances this evening, including one by the Jacques Ibula Trio.

• Also in celebration of summer, Finlandia vodka's new flavor, grapefruit, will be a-flowing at Mars.

• Cigar Bar & Grill is offering free Dominicans this Friday, June 22nd. Cigars, not people.

• Tickets for British Blooze & BBQ at Slim's on July 7th go on sale this weekend.

• And Rubio's Fresh Mexican Grill has a fajita promotion of sorts. Hey, fast food chains need love too.

In one of the grander traditions of this fair city of ours, SF Weekly has released its annual "Best Of" list. You can check out the entire list on the official site--and we guess, in print--but we thought we'd share some of our favorite categories (and winners).

Best Burrito (S.F.-Style): El Tonayense taco trucks

Best Burrito (So-Cal Style):La Taqueria

Best Carpaccio: Joe DiMaggio's Italian Chophouse

Best Clam Pie: Pescheria

Best Ferry Building Bargain: $2 sausage on a stick

Best New Dish: Crab and grits at The Front Porch

Best Place to Get a 40 oz. During a Classy Date: Emmy's Spaghetti Shack

San Francisco - Best Of - Food & Drink (2007) [SF Weekly]

In this month issue's of Food & Wine, an intriguing idea is proposed by Salma Abdelnour: the elimination of menus.

Biased as we are here at MenuPages Headquarters, the proposal makes a lot of sense. Its basic tenet is to let the chef feed you:

I hate menus, and I wish more restaurants would just toss them out altogether. I don’t necessarily hate them because they can be pretentious, or derivative, or inscrutable or dull (although I often hate them for those reasons, too). I would just rather not bother with menus at all. When I’m in a restaurant, I don’t want to agonize over decisions, I don’t want to deal with pressure and I don’t want to second-guess my choices. I do enough of all that in my daily life. All I want to do is kick back, have free-flowing conversation and eat delicious food.

To some people, the absence of choice would be frustrating and disempowering. As contemporary restaurant-goers, we’re programmed to think of going out to eat as more like a shopping trip than like a dinner party or a performance: a series of active choices rather than a relaxed, somewhat passive experience full of surprises. I find the restaurant as dinner party or performance a much more appealing paradigm. Once I decide to go out for dinner, having no more decisions to make is the ultimate luxury... If the chef is a fantastic cook, I’m happy to have my whims trumped.

Of course, the biggest reason for advocating the end of menus (as we know them) is that the chef should know what's good, what's fresh and what's readily available. Here in the Bay Area, aside from the endless omakase options around, several restaurants abide by the menuless credo. At the top of the list are Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc, Jai Yun in Chinatown and even Chez Panisse; all three restaurants have essentially eliminated choice, instead relying upon the bounty of the land (and marketplace) to provide that evening's meal. Plus, it doesn't hurt to have three of the country's top chefs manning the kitchen.

So, what say you? Menuless dining: should it be more widespread?

A Modest Proposal: Let’s Abolish Menus [Food & Wine]

A couple days ago, we expressed our puzzlement over Gridskipper's list of restaurants that constitute the "San Francisco diet." Now, we get word of RealTravel's Top Ten Affordable Restaurants in San Francisco. The criteria--only described as "affordable"--is a bit murky. Are these restaurants that present a superior value for the quality of food received? Are they budget destinations?

Here's the list:

1. Park Chow
2. Taqueria Cancun
3. Magnolia
4. Shangri-La
5. Sparky's

The next five, along with our additions, coming up post-jump.

6. Seniore's Pizza
7. PJ's Oysterbed
8. Buca Di Beppo
9. Ali Baba's Cave Cafe
10. All You Knead

Our reactions: first of all, there is no way that a chain like Buca Di Beppo should be on any "Best Of" list, especially with the wealth of ethereal--and cheap--Italian eateries in San Francisco. If it's bargain Italian that you want, check out Emmy's Spaghetti Shack, Il Borgo or Zuppa instead.

We'd also be remiss if we didn't mention the great host of Italian delis and sandwich places, like A.G. Ferrari Foods and Molinari Delicatessen.

Also, Vietnamese restaurants are one of the best places to eat for practically nothing. For bahn mi, we love Saigon Sandwiches; for pho and the like, you can't beat Turtle Tower Restaurant.

Rounding out our cheap eats rec's: House of Nanking, Tajine and Pork Store Cafe.

RealTravel Reveals Top Ten Affordable Restaurants in San Francisco [eMediaWire]

Here at MenuPages, we are constantly updating our vast menu database. Every morning, we'll highlight five or so menu updates to bring you the latest in San Francisco culinary upheaval.

Today's updates: The magical bounty of Fisherman's Wharf and the immediate vicinity.

• A. Sabella's Restaurant, 2766 Taylor St (At Jefferson St), 415-771-6775

• Compass Grill, 2500 Mason St (At N Point St), 415-362-5500

• Hooters of San Francisco, 353 Jefferson St, 415-409-9464

• Joe's Crab Shack, 245 Jefferson St, 415-673-2266

• Nick's Lighthouse, 2815 Taylor St (At Jefferson St), 415-929-1300

• This week's sign of the apocalypse: eWine Match allows you to text an ingredient or dish to an easy-to-remember number (411511) and it will tell you what wines match. It works pretty well. Or so we've heard. [SFist]

• Hey ... so ... about those carcinogenic almonds you're eating ... [The Grinder]

• Restaurant critics can be unpopular amongst restaurateurs. [Between Meals]

• Who likes tiki bars? Eh? [Gridskipper SF]

We couldn't find a picture of that wackiness, but we did find this photo series via eGullet. There's nothing we like better than food porn, and nothing makes better food porn than nouveau, molecular-gastronomy-ish restaurants like Brick.

Above: Confit Buffalo Wings, Root Slaw, Gorgonzola Foam

Brick, casual yet elegant [eGullet]
Brick [MenuPages]
Brick [Official Site]

A pair of high-profile much-anticipated Italian restaurants were recently added to our vast menubase. Ducca is a swanky "urban Italian eatery" with a lounge area in SoMa's Westin Hotel. The interior has been described as "plush" yet the menu is fairly traditional, complete with an entire category of cicheti.

Also south of Market, albeit a little more south, lies Farina. Situated in an up-and-coming area of the Mission (18th between Valencia and Guerrero), Farina labels itself as a "Focacceria & Cucina Italiana" and has the menu itmes to prove it. However, reviews have been mixed, as diners aren't exactly embracing the prices, which do seem a bit high for the Mission:

We just had dinner and I have to strongly agree with the majority, what a joke !! They would have done just fine maybe in the Castro but Delfina (& Pizzaria) and Range have nothing to worry about...We had the white fish carpaccio, cheese foccacia and a pasta with walnut cream sauce ...It was good, not great and the cost was $50 for those three courses only...For that much money I expected the food to be fantastic and it just wasn't...Nothing was seasonal that we could tell, the bread was good but the foccacia was greasy. With the Bay Area Italian choices of Oliveto, Incanto, Quince, A16 and Delfina- there is no comparison.

In other news, everyone's favorite culinary academy is offering a shiny new summer menu at Educated Palate (get it?), and Levende's success in the Mission has allowed it to open a second branch in Oakland, appropriately named Levende East.

Finally, Welcome Home has closed and Columbus Ave stalwart Andrew Jaeger's will soon follow suit. It's a tough one, that restaurant business.

In a refreshing change of pace from the newly-opened, haute-cuisine norm, it seems that a great deal of this week's reviews took to nontraditional "reviewable restaurants." We've got a Mexican joint, a crossbay Thai place and even a cupcake haven or two, but first on the list is a Chinese restaurant whose bland, conspicuous sign has been noticed and subsequently ignored by just about every San Franciscan walking down Folsom.

As the Guardian's Paul Reidinger discovers, Canton is a pleasingly authentic Cantonese seafood and dim sum restaurant that eschews its dated, divey exterior and manages to serve some darn tasty (and unique) fare:

For one thing, the restaurant is one of a handful in town to offer the Cantonese specialty nor mai gai ($20), the skin of a whole chicken, stuffed with sausage-dotted sticky rice and deep-fried. The dish is more interesting for its presentational value and as a textural adventure than as one of taste, since in the mouth it's basically rice with a hint of salty sweetness (from the Chinese sausage) and a bit of poultry crunch (from the skin). Much of the flavor comes from the accompanying mystery sauce, a kind of sweet-sour vinaigrette laced with rounds of scallion.

Sticking with the week's ethnic theme, Senor Bauer didn't have many nice things to say about Tres Agaves, which he recently lauded on his Top 100 list. If only he could have a do-over; suffice to say, Bauer is bru-tal on Joseph Manzare's Mexican undertaking:

The first chip I picked up on a recent visit to Tres Agaves was a clue -- I should have packed it in and gone somewhere else.

The tortillas were so stale they tasted as if they had been left out in the fog for about three days. The chunky salsa consisted of huge irregular dicesof white onions, mushy tomatoes and a soupy broth.

Oh well, I thought, at least the margarita ($9) will be good; this is a place that prides itself on using 100 percent blue agave tequila in all eight versions. Wrong again.

Around the rest of the review world ...

The Guardian also stopped by the Shanghai Dumpling Shop, Meredith Brody checks out Kara's Cupcakes and others sweet treats in a dessert tour-de-force, Miriam Morgan goes to Rockridge for Thai food at Soi4, Mandy Erickson gets busy at Kitchen in Millbrae, the Hounds discuss Beard Papa and finally, Miss Tablehopper has nothing but nice things to say about old standby South Park Cafe.