• This weekend marks the inaugural Gastronomy by the Bay conference at San Francisco's Ferry Building. Food big wigs will be discussing all the usual hot topics, from organic produce to food blogs. [Zagat Buzz]

• Fried chicken at Chez Panisse? Now we've seen everything! [Between Meals]

• Scotch eggs, explained. [Becks & Posh]

• AHT offers some grilling tips for your holiday weekend festivities. [A Hamburger Today]

• Here's more than you ever wanted to know about calling men and women fat. For instance, men are "portly" while women are "plump." Conclusion: the University of California Press is spending their money very well. [The Grinder]

As the city takes its last summer weekend in Tahoe or wherever, the Menuniverse also had some travel fun with planes, trains and automobiles (and one heroic boat) this week.

MP: Boston found a soda train! We didn't know what that was either!

Heavens. MP:SoFla shared the scary tale of a Florida restaurant-owner getting shot, dumped in the bay and then fished out by some nice people in a boat. Luckily, he's ok (considering).

MP: Chicago took a Tribunal tour of the Windy City suburbs, perhaps avoiding the city's storms.

MP: Philly took a look at what the tourism department is doing. They're trying to make themselves more gay-friendly and woman-friendly. Let us know when you meet 1993, Pennsylvania.

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.

Usually, we dedicate this feature to pointing out a pattern of reviews, or possibly shining light on some humorous anecdotes and/or malapropisms. This week--maybe since it's Friday on a holiday week--we're going to present one review that caught our eye. There are no words. We just ... wow.

i went here one night and got utterly fujumbled. they got this new bartender who goes by the name Mr. [redacted]. i thought he was gonna be a bitch ass at first but he hooked it up. shots and beers like whoa. bitches flashing and people partying like it''s 1999. an old asian man came in claiming to be Mr. [redacted]'s long lost uncle and wanted a free beer but couldnt prove it so all he got was a tossing out of the bar like you see in the movies, the motha#### landed right on his face. i highly recommend this establishment. good times and good beers. after all, isn''t life all about beers, bitches and bling?

The theme of this year's shindig is "Eat Local" (creative, right?) and participants have been asked to showcase "items that use ingredients grown or produced within three hours of their final destination." Of course, the aforementioned final destination will be Justin Herman Plaza, and if last year's event (shown above) is any indication, there should be at least 1,500 food and wine enthusiasts in attendance.

VIP tickets (with "exclusive" access to the VIP tent, where one gets a flight o' wine) are going for $150; normal tickets ($80) get you into the event with food/wine tastings, chef demos, music and the rest of the hubbub.

FallFest 2007 [Official Site]

Laura Compton shines the Bargain Bite spotlight on the new location of Belgian-fry sanctuary Frjtz. It's hard to go wrong with fries to begin with, but Frjtz shines in plenty of other ways:

The Mission Frjtz - the original in Hayes Valley is about to close and move next door - is bigger and boasts more Euro style, from the French pop soundtrack, skateboards and glass mosaic art by owner Santiago Rodriguez on the wall to a black-and-white, curvilinear Art Nouveau decor by Natasha Shah Designs.

An order of frjtz, which stop just short of steak cut, costs $3.25 to $4.75 depending on the number of dips. The 19 offerings range from curry ketchup and creamy wasabi mayo to a surprisingly addictive spicy yogurt peanut. Splurgers can upgrade to white truffle oil frjtz for 75 cents more.

Bargain Bite: Frjtz [SFGate]
Frjtz [MenuPages]
Frjtz [Official Site]

Try as we might, we can't track down every single menu in the city. That's where you, dear user, come in. Menu Mission is a feature where we make a plea to our users to send us an commonly-requested menu.

In the underground world of San Francisco dining, Chowhounds and Yelpers reign supreme. It's only the tough, intelligent diners that uncover--rather, are willing to uncover-- the hidden gems beneath the gentrified veneer of the fair city.

One of these so-called diamonds in the rough is the Mariposa Cafeteria. Tucked away somewhere between the cutesy stretch now known as the "Dogpatch" and the not-so-cutesy stretch known as the "projects," the Mariposa Cafeteria is a place you don't just "pass by." It's destination dining.

The Monday special is roast pork. The Tuesday special is also roast pork. The Wednesday special is .... you get the idea, but they actually have a sign that spells it out for you. In other words, opt for the roast pork. They'll pile it in a (now-illegal) styrofoam clamshell over rice and if you can finish it in one sitting, the next one's on us.

But we need a menu for the little dive. Send it our way via email or fax (415.358.5770).

Mariposa Cafeteria, 1599 Tennessee St, (Btwn 25th& 26th St), 415-285-5105

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: Takeout places on our Hot Menus list.

• Bok Choy Garden, 1820 Clement St (At 19th Ave), 415-387-8111

• Naan n Curry, 642 Irving St (Btwn 7th & 8th Ave), 415-664-7225

• Original Buffalo Wings, 2499 Lombard St (At Divisadero St), 415-931-8181

• Tao Yin, 3515 20th St (Btwn Mission & San Carlos St), 415-285-4926

• Opening and operating a restaurant in San Francisco is hard. Very hard. [Bay Area Bites]

• Pres a Vi has another encouraging review to put in its portfolio. [Daily Feed]

• Hard Knox Cafe: still a great name for a soul food joint, still holding down the Dogpatch and still delicious. [GrubGirl]

• The finest Middle Eastern restaurants in San Francisco. Marrakech is on the list but Tajine isn't? Curious, no? [Gridskipper SF]

This Sunday marks San Francisco's tentative step into the world of celebrity chefdom as Jack Falstaff hosts the Cook-Off For Afterschool, a food and wine show with a feature event called (say it with us in your best action movie voiceover voice) ... Ultimate Chef Challenges!

The "chef challenges" are two 30-minute competitions that pit some of the industry's biggest names against each other in fun and whimsy ways.

The first contest will pit mankind versus their ancient rival, womankind: Elizabeth Faulkner (Citizen Cake) and Christine Mullen (CAV Wine Bar) will "throw down" (Thanks Bobby) against Joseph Manzare (Zuppa et al.) and Hiro Sone (Ame). Who has the edge? We'd have to go with the laaadies ...

The main event begs you to "see what happens when the cameras aren't rolling!" We don't quite get what that means, but it has something to do with television chefs going up against restaurant chefs: Tyler Florence (Food Network) and Joey Altman (KRON} take on Craig Stoll (Delfina ) and Beard Award nominee Nate Appleman (A16). If Stoll and Appleman blow this one, then our faith in two of the best Italian restaurants in the city country will be shaken. (...though we will undoubtedly continue to frequent them)

Submit your picks now.

Cook-Off For Afterschool [Afterschool Alliance]
Jack Falstaff [MenuPages]
Jack Falstaff [Official Site]

You can buy her products at the Ferry Building and through her website. If that's not good enough for you, she offers hands-on classes about the entire jam process, from fruit tasting evaluations to cooking and jarring.

Jam, Packed [CHOW]
June Taylor Jams [Official Site]

With MB on the sidelines, Tara Duggan took the reins in this week's Chronicle Food Section and headed straight to the Mission's Popul Vuh to indulge in the latest mini-trend to hit the 'hood: Yucatecan food. There was a time when Mi Lindo Yucatan and run-of-the-mill taquerias were the lone options, but Roger Magana's little gem has clearly broken away from the pack:

Popol Vuh stands out for its freshly made food and friendly service. Those unfamiliar with Mayan cuisine might take a while to warm up to some of the specialties, but they are almost uniformly delicious...

The moody, darkly lit room isn't precious at all, but has much more atmosphere than most budget-minded Mexican restaurants nearby. And the food is definitely several steps above what most of them have to offer.

After the jump, we've got (separate) ruminations on steak and cafe culture, so jump along.

At the Bay Guardian, Meredith Brody waxes poetic on the nationwide renaissance of steak ("Steak is having one of its moments right now") in her visit to Boboquivari's, but then wonders why San Francisco is slow to hop on the red
meat beefwagon. Her questions might have been partly answered with the, um, curious atmosphere at one of the city's finest steakhouses:

Acting on a tip about their dry-aged prime meat, I showed up late one night, alone, at a steakhouse called Bobo's on Lombard. It occupies a small stand-alone building in front of a Travelodge, with the welcome and infrequent offer of free valet parking. The entrance was in the throes of renovation: I stepped through a frame of raw wood into a crowded little foyer, with a confusion of awkward rooms beyond it. The fussy décor was vaguely Venetian, vaguely reddish whorehouse, with tacky puppets that turned out to be boboquivaris — court jesters. I was led to a singularly uncomfortable, high little table tucked in what little space was left over from a U-shaped bar. I felt close enough to touch the bar's noisy patrons, and I was more than close enough to be party to their every verbal sally. The view across the street was of another uninspiring motel.

Around the rest of the interwebs, Paul Reidinger likes what he sees at Elisa's Cafe and L's Caffe, despite his confusion over the various spellings of "cafe." Meanwhile, the Chowhounds are lukewarm on Boulevard, Miriam Morgan has nothing but nice things to say about San Mateo classic Ristorante Capellini and The Tablehopper opts for a literary review instead of a gastronomic one.

[Photo courtesy: Yelp/Nicole N.]

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: As requested by users.

• Cafe Al Dente, 485 Sacramento St (At Sansome St), 415-772-8933

• Greens Restaurant, Fort Mason Center, 415-771-6222

• Mandalay, 4348 California St (At 6th Ave), 415-386-3895

• Singapore Malaysian Restaurant, 836 Clement St (Btwn 9th & 10th Ave), 415-750-9518

• Tlaloc, 525 Commercial St (At Sansome St), 415-981-7800

Tomorrow evening, August 29th, a very special event will be held at Dolce, a bar/club on Broadway between Montgomery and Kearny, right at the base of Telegraph Hill and North Beach. The event is a benefit for Logan Severance, a seven-year old boy with Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Logan and his family have been through a lot and are trying to raise money to buy a van that accommodates his wheelchair.

They've rented out Dolce for the night, and a host of Giants (below) will be guest bartending. The $15 cover, plus drinks/tips, will go to helping the cause. Here's the full body of information:

Guest Bartenders from the SF Giants and Oakland Athletics including Rich Aurilia, Noah Lowry, Matt Cain, Vinnie Chulk, Kevin Correia, and Tim Lincecum.

[This] Wednesday evening [August 29], a few of us will be hosting a benefit for Logan Severance (a little boy with Spinal Muscular Atrophy) and his family.

Logan and his family have had significant financial as well as emotional hardships over the years as a result of Logan's illness.

On August 29 (an off-night followed by an off-day for both the Giants and the A's), we have reserved Dolce on Broadway for a night of fun and good will.

Bay Area and Giants/Warriors DJ Add1 will be providing the music. We will also have a raffle featuring various autographed items and more.

There will be a $15 donation cover at the door, and of course the more you drink and tip, the greater you support the cause. We're hoping to raise enough money from the night to buy the Severance family a new van that accommodates Logan's wheel chair and/or minor home improvements. To find out more information on Logan and his "Freedom Ride" go to www.logansfreedomride.com!

This is a grassroots effort, so not officially sponsored by the Giants, A's, or FSN, though we're hoping to pull enough of us together to make this a great event that supports a great cause and a very deserving family.

Feel free to bring your friends (and your check books), and of course be in touch with any questions. Also be aware, Dolce has a 250 person capacity, so be sure to show up early (or risk waiting in line!)

Dolce [Official Site]
Logan's Freedom Ride [Official Site]

[UPDATE: Forgot to say the time: 7pm to close]

We live in a food world where fast food is destined (maybe) to fall by the wayside unless it continues to evolve--and to be fair, McDonald's and company are doing plenty to keep up with the health food movement.

So where does the Big Mac--which is reportedly the hardest sandwich to prepare--and its 29 grams of fat stand in this literal survival of the fittest? Will McDonald's give the Big Mac a shakeup? Will the Big Mac remain in the corner of a futuristic menu of local ingredients and healthy options, a relic from the great age of trans fat? Or will McDonald's give it a modern facelift in the near future, perhaps opting for grass-fed organic beef, fresh bread, organic microgreens and locally-grown heirloom tomatoes? What will be the fate of the Big Mac?

And now, here's what the rest of the internet thinks about the soon-to-have-a-midlife-crisis burger:

• Discover Insanity revealed some interesting factoids about the Big Mac, like how many are sold per second (17) and how many sesame seeds are on a bun (about 178).

• In Pennsylvania, a Big Mac Museum was opened in honor of the big 4-0. The museum will showcase the burger's original packaging, "Big Mac collectibles" and a bronze bust of the creator. People, this is why the rest of the world hates America!

• The American Pundit reminds us that the Big Mac is so big that there's a currency-evaluation system based upon it.

• Even our own little MenuPages: Boston got into the act by sharing some Big Mac Q&A, with a nod from Albion.

Yes, we know that Mojo Bicycle Cafe opened earlier in the summer, but we finally snagged a menu for the little Western Addition cafe/bike shop, so we thought we'd announce it to the world.

Simply put, Mojo is a neighborhood gem and its snowballing popularity is a testament to how well it's doing the little things it set out to do: high-quality coffee and espresso, healthy breakfasts (try the granola), fresh sandwiches, sunny outdoor patio seating, a friendly environment and plenty of, um, bike-related stuff. The reviews on Yelp are nearly glowing across the board.

It's a perfect fit for the 'hood.

Mojo Bicycle Cafe [MenuPages]
Mojo Bicycle Cafe [Official Site]

The Michael Bauer weekend review took its road show to the upscale Mexico DF (named for the nation's capital, Distrito Federal) and like Bauer's earlier review of another upscale Mexican joint earlier this year (Tres Agaves), the results were none too pretty.

The first hiccup came with the extensive--and confusing--drink menu; with over 60 tequilas and an entire page of fancy fruity cocktails, Bauer had a hard time finding a normal margarita (" trying to translate the menu was akin to reading a Japanese menu when you don't know the language").

The other big problems were service-oriented, including our biggest avocado-related pet peeve ever:

In addition, the staff has the annoying tendency to upsell. On each visit, when the waiter asks if you want to order a drink, it's followed by, "Can I get you started with some guacamole?" At lunch we ordered chilaquiles ($11.50), tortilla chips bathed in salsa roja, crema and cotija cheese and topped with strips of grilled chicken; it was available with fried egg on request for $1.50 extra. We didn't request it, but we got it anyway, along with the extra charge.

Service issues aside, there were some high points in Bauer's Mexico DF visit, and they centered around the food, which is certainly promising for the DF crew. The carnitas (sold by the pound) are a good option, as are the tacos, large plates and dessert (the burnt caramel flan was one of the best Bauer has ever had).

Mexico DF has only been open for a couple months, and its shortcomings certainly seem correctable. Here's hoping for improvement with time. But until then, say no to upselling.

Mexico DF shows promise, but ultimately disappoints [SFGate]
Mexico DF [MenuPages]
Mexico DF [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: Comfort food.

• Hard Knox Cafe, 2526 3rd St (At 22nd St), 415-648-3770

• Hidive, Pier 28 1/2 (At Bryant St), 415-977-0170

• Mangia Tutti Ristorante, 635 Clay St (Btwn Kearny & Montgomery St), 415-788-2088

• Original Buffalo Wings, 2499 Lombard St (At Divisadero St), 415-931-8181

• The New Yorker's annual food issue hits this week. [An Obsession With Food]

• Giants fans have a new watering hole and dining option in the area: Pete's Tavern. Coming soon to a MenuPages near you. (Hopefully this one) [Zagat Buzz]

• Hot dog pizza? Shrimp roll pizza? Only in Korea. So far. [Slice]

• Bunrabs made some delicious-looking quince paste, reminding us of our favorite quince quote from Rosie Perez. Name that movie: "What's a quince? It's a food Billy that starts with the letter Q, and I got seven more! I can't believe you lost the goddamn money!" [Bunrabs]

The little business getting jacked is the Java House, a mom-and-pop breakfast and burger joint on Pier 40, just up the street from AT&T Park. It just got served notice that its rent is jumping more than fivefold, from $800 to $4,429 a month, effective this coming Saturday.

"There's no way we can make a go at this rent," said owner Phil Papadopoulos, who along with his wife and daughter has been working the counter for the past 23 years.

From that point, it's a he-said, she-said argument. Papadopoulus says the Port of San Francisco decided to reneg on the deal, and the Port Commission contends that Papadopoulus "dragged his feet" in order to keep the $800 rent as long as possible. Of course, when asked for evidence that Java House stalled the paperwork, the city had nothing to offer. The Port Commission now says that the two sides can begin new negotiations on a new lease, but only after the astronomical $4,429 rent (plus a $8,800 security deposit) is paid this month.

On a totally unrelated note, San Francisco touts itself as a city ready to "support and enhance an environment where small businesses can succeed and flourish." And for the record, here are some of the restaurants on the Embarcadero waterfront around Java House: Palomino, Chaya Brasserie and Gordon Biersch. Yep, all upscale chains.

S.F. waterfront institution Java House faces rent hike on steroids [SFGate]
Java House [MenuPages]
Java House [Official Site]

Perhaps more than any other season, the apex of summer is about finding the very best in seasonal ingredients, from basil to tomatoes to stone fruit to ... mussels?

Yes, we are in the heart of the peak harvest of the Northwest aquaculture farms, and they are pumping out some delicious mussels that the Chronicle's Olivia Wu describes as the "peaches of the ocean":

Large, succulent and pristine, without a trace of muddy-bottom flavor, they are superlative. A wonderful spring plays off your teeth when you bite down; there's no mush anywhere. Most important though, is the clean taste - there is not a trace of dirty guts in any mussel I've slurped from Washington state. You just get firm but tender muscle.

Washington mussels can be found at the following San Francisco dining establishments, among others: Kuleto's, Foreign Cinema and Anchor Oyster Bar.

Seafood by the Season: Northwest's mussel beach [SFGate]

[Photo courtesy: Whole Foods]

Well, to be more specific, we're confused by the San Francisco entry on the list: Squat & Gobble Cafe:

This aptly named San Francisco chain of creperies offers quick, in-and-out meals that are easily devoured solo. For a savory snack, try the Mama Mia, a combination of cheddar, mozzarella and cottage cheese, plus onions, spinach, eggplant, tomatoes, mushrooms and walnuts, topped with marinara sauce and parmesan.

Now, to be clear, we really enjoy all locations of Squat & Gobble. They are homey, comfortable and reasonably-priced. However, S&G is nowhere near the caliber of the other restaurants around the world that also find themselves on the list.

To wit: The Bar Room at The Modern is one of the premier, upscale three/four-star dining destinations in Manhattan. The other New York entry, Gotham Bar & Grill, is a popular business lunch spot. DC's Seasons in the Four Seasons Hotel is the perfect place for a lonesome traveler to enjoy a nice meal. Chicago's Park Grill is similarly upscale and in the midst of a travel hub. Even the more casual places on the list, like Boston's Wagamama and London's Itsu, offer communal tables and/or bar seating.

Squat & Gobble, while delicious, is none of these things. We don't remember communal tables last time we went--more of a malleable layout really. And there is no table service per se. And it's not exactly impressive dining. And none of the locations--two in the Haight, one in the Castro and one in West Portal--are exactly convenient to the downtown traveler/businessman.

Can anyone explain this?

Perfect Places To Dine Solo [Forbes]
Squat & Gobble Cafe [MenuPages]
Squat & Gobble Cafe [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: West Portal restaurants.

• Bursa Kebab, 60 West Portal Ave (Btwn Vicente & Ulloa St), 415-564-4006

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

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

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

• Here's all the information for what will probably be one of San Francisco's top culinary events of the year: “Women Chefs of San Francisco Celebrating 20 Years of James Beard.” [Jalapeno Girl]

• Even though "Ratatouille" may have struggled at the box office, it was a hit among the critics and food industry alike. Plus, it sparked a new trend: kids and food. [The Grinder]

• A tea gadget worth buying. [Chez Pim]

• Hotel dining: you can't stop it, you can only hope to contain it. [Between Meals]

• Which Napa winery has "the most pleasing aesthetics"? [2cents]

• San Francisco's finest "Irish Pubs for Heavy Drinking." [Gridskipper SF]

• Some buzz about the Amateur Gourmet's upcoming book. Yay bloggers! [Amateur Gourmet]

This week, the MenuBlog Universe experienced all types of cah-razy foods ...

MP: Boston tried some cat crap coffee along with her morning ravioli. O HAI, I'Z IN YER CUP, MAYKIN YER CAWFI.

MP: Chicago pondered the merits of purchasing a pound of $130,000 ginseng and of purposefully eating glass.

MP: Philly spent some time with snails in France's "Snail Capital of the World."

MP: SoFla drooled at a pretty plate o' dolphin. Thankfully, it was just mahi-mahi, not Flipper. She then went home and arranged vegetables in face-like patterns.

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.

This week saw a deluge of reviews for the Mission's new swanky Italian joint and focacceria, Farina. Earlier in the summer, Farina received some harsh reviews upon its relatively well-publicized opening on 18th Street. "Anonymous" merely recommended the Italian-craving diner opt for the nearby Delfina, a sentiment echoed in a longer review left by "render ferguson":

I went here for dinner the other night. I was initially impressed with its quaint location and lack of parking. They seem to have copied the north beach atmosphere with a mexican twang. The food was a step above Olive Garden, with a disagreeable after-taste. I would suggest Del Fina for an authentic mission experience.

Took the excuse of some out of town friends visiting to try this place out and had a simply perfect evening. Each course was even more amazing that the last. All the wines we tried from their selection were lovely, and the grappa selection was an equal match.
If you are one of the few people that responded with a negative review, I highly suggest giving it another shot and enlisting the advice of the staff. The few suggestions they made at our request were great compliments to the choices we had already made. A more authentic genovese meal can not be had in San Francisco! I can't wait to go back.

Being born in Genova, I wanted to try this place. It was great. The food was outstanding and so was the service. We were seated upstairs ( on a Saturday night) and we felt like we were the only people that mattered with all the attention and prompt service we received.If there's a complaint, it would be the background music. Somehow the Latin music was, I almost want to say, annoying. I'm sure there's plenty of Italian music that could be played and I just don't mean "O Sole Mio" and the like. There's plenty of modern Italian music out there. But this was a minnor thing. For those who complained that the portions were too small, they need to know that portions in restaurants in Italy are generelly on the small size, since you just don't order one thing, but a series of courses. For too long Italian restaurants have been what "Americans" thought they should be: huge portion of pasta with globs of runny sauce which you don't know whether to eat or drink it and the biggest no-no of all: meat served on top of the pasta or alongside on the same dish. Not Italian. Besides, if you want a big portion at Farina, order the veal chop, it's huge.Keep up the good work, Farina, we will definetely be back. And yes, the focaccia, just like we had in Recco, buonissima!!

Farina [MenuPages]

If you frequent a certain San Jose Jamba Juice, you should probably stop by the doctor's office and receive a hepatitis A vaccine, as an employee was discovered to be infectious for nearly two weeks:

A food handler at the smoothie franchise's store at 1140 Lincoln Ave. tested positive for the disease and was infectious for 12 days this month while working, officials said. The employee worked Aug. 1-3, 6-9 and 11-16.

People who have been vaccinated for hepatitis A or have had the illness in the past are not at risk of infection.

Jamba Juice will reportedly pay for treatment for those affected. More information about hep A, including symptoms and treatment, is available on the Santa Clara County Public Health website.

Hepatitis A warning at San Jose Jamba Juice [SFGate]
Public Health Department [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: As requested by users.

• Frascati, 1901 Hyde St (At Green St), 415-928-1406

• Herbivore, 531 Divisadero St (Btwn Hayes & Fell St), 415-885-7133

• House of Prime Rib, 1906 Van Ness Ave (At Washington St), 415-885-4605

• Lettus Cafe Organic, 3352 Steiner St (At Chestnut St), 415-931-2777

• Zoya, 465 Grove St (Btwn Gough & Octavia St), 415-626-9692

A week or two ago, we took note of several restaurants that were temporarily closed for the summer due to renovations or the like, including Jardiniere. Today, via Zagat Buzz, it seems another big-name, quintessentially San Francisco restaurant will also be taking a break:

Citizen Cake, Elizabeth Falkner's beloved eatery on Grove Street, has closed for the rest of August for remodeling. Come September 1st, the restaurant known for its pastries is expecting to re-open with a larger dining room and bar. In the meantime if you simply must, Cake's sister operation, Citizen Cupcake, is still open for business.

Citizen Cake Closed, Temporarily [Zagat Buzz]
Citizen Cake [MenuPages]
Citizen Cake [Official Site]
Earlier: Openings/Closings: Not Dead, Just Resting [MenuBlog]
Earlier: Jardiniere To Close ... For A Month [MenuBlog]

Northern California's alleged "flagship" Whole Foods has opened its sliding doors to the denizens of Cupertino. The new 64,000 square-foot monstrosity is the largest Whole Foods in the western United States and replaces the one across the street. It is full of all kinds of amenities, going far and beyond your run-of-the-mill supermarket:

.. this Whole Foods at 20955 Stevens Creek Blvd. features a Market Bistro (open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily) that serves made-to-order sandwiches, soups and salads. The store includes a center for cooking classes, as well as free wireless Internet access.

Shoppers will get their fill with a carvery and tossed-to-order salad station, a dim sum bar, a wood-fired pizza oven, hot teriyaki bowls and an expanded sushi section. Besides a bountiful organic produce section, the Cupertino store - reflecting its surrounding community's large Asian-American population - will boast a large selection of Asian produce.

More Morsels: California's biggest Whole Foods opens [Mercury News]

The burger craze is officially arrived.

Custom Burger is now serving lunch and dinner on the corner of 7th and Howard in SoMa. As seems to be the requisite with new San Francisco restaurants these days, all ingredients are locally sourced, from meat from Golden Gate Meat Company to buns by Bay Bread (say that five times fast).

Rather than a traditional menu, Custom Burger has a five-step guide to creating "your perfect custom burger." First you select your patty (Angus beef, American "Kobe" beef or Veggie). Then, you encounter a bevy of options, some free and some not. And there are a lot. Uncommon toppings vary from grilled pineapple and hoisin glaze to a fried egg (a la Fat Burger, we presume). Also, an interesting twist comes with the inclusion of one free sauce, and like the toppings, the sauces are very ... eclectic: ketchipotle, peppercorn ranch, Spanish romesco, cucumber raita and more.

Yelp reviews have been pretty positive so far. Anyone have further details to share?

Custom Burger [MenuPages]

[Photo courtesy: Yelp/Ed. U]

Across the pond, a 12-year old south Manchester boy has been accused of throwing a sausage at an old man. (Talk about a banger!) Unfortunately, the 74-year-old victim thought he had been hit with a rock and called the police. The police, already investigating a series of hooligan-related incidents in the area, arrested the preteen and charged him with assault:

[The accused boy] denied the charge in a hearing at a Manchester Youth Court, where the judge questioned the decision to prosecute.

Greater Manchester Police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) are now reviewing the case, which the boy's mother described as an "utter joke".

She told the BBC: "They came to arrest him in my house, they took him into a police van. They took him to Elizabeth Slinger [police station], put him in a cell, took his photographs, his fingerprints, then interviewed him.

"And then they decided to charge him with common assault - with a sausage.

After all, it was one of the wurst experiences of his life.

Boy is accused of sausage assault [BBC]

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: As requested by users.

• Crustacean, 1475 Polk St (At California St), 415-776-2722

• Osaka on Fillmore, 1923 Fillmore St (Btwn Pine & Bush St), 415-346-6788

• Shiso, 3452 Mission St (At 30th St), 415-642-1987

• Tao Yin, 3515 20th St (Btwn Mission & San Carlos St), 415-285-4926

• The Slanted Door , 1 Ferry Building (At The Embarcadero), 415-861-8032

• That elusive Korean BBQ truck that the Chowhounds were looking for? Bunrabs found it. [Daily Feed]

• Taylor's Automatic Refresher in Helena is getting a lot of votes as one of the best burgers in the entire country. [A Hamburger Today]

• Contests are always fun, especially those that involve words like "Chocolate Adventure Recipes." [Bay Area Bites]

• This week's sign of the apocalypse: an Italian nutritionist has created an "anti-wrinkle" pizza. [Slice]

• One of the main downfalls of food blogs is their penchant for releasing reviews after a mere single visit. On the other hand, newspaper reviewers often go at least three times. [Amateur Gourmet]

• This week in the Eatsdropper: "Your tag-li-a-tell" [Hedonia]

With the recent earthquake in Peru in mind, we bring you the following service announcement from Tablehopper:

James Schenk, the chef and owner of ~DESTINO~ is contributing a portion of his restaurant sales to assist earthquake victims in Peru. Schenk mentioned the Consulate General of Peru in San Francisco has initiated an urgent campaign within the Bay Area to support the Peruvian citizens affected by this tragedy. If you wish to contribute directly to this campaign, you can make donations by contacting the Consulate General of Peru in San Francisco: 1-877-490-7378. Donations may consist of: nonperishable canned or bottled foods, tents, sleeping bags, sleeping mats, and air mattresses, plus financial contributions. James has also been accepting donations at Destino—in fact, he just carted a huge truckload of items to the consulate yesterday.

Destino [MenuPages]
Destino [Official Site]

Food writing gurus will be interested to hear that there's quite a bit of buzz going on over on the other coast regarding the anonymity of several high-profile restaurant critics.

In the City of Brotherly Love, brothers aren't getting along very well, with Philadelphia magazine slated to print a picture of the Inquirer food critic Craig LaBan, thereby eliminating the anonymity his reviews provide. Predictably, LaBan and his newspaper aren't too happy about this development and are doing everything possible to stop it from happening. LaBan even showed up in court with a disguise. He had to remove it, but still.

Meanwhile, over in Manhattan, the big news in the restaurant world and food blogosphere is the first review from the Daily News food critic: Danyelle Freeman of Restaurant Girl fame. Why is important? Well, she's not anonymous. Like, at all. Food writing Hall of Famer Gael Greene recently shared a meal with the blogger-newly-gone-critic and expressed her dismay over Freeman's lack of anonymity:

Danyelle is suspiciously thin for a restaurant critic in a summery cotton halter dress.

“They say I can’t be a critic because my photograph is out there. I don’t think you need to be anonymous.”

“I think you do,” says her mentor.

“They can’t bring in a new chef,” she argues.

“But they can insist the chef come in if he’s on his day off. Jean Georges is always appearing in immaculate whites whenever I wander in – anonymously – to one of his restaurants. Let’s order and get it over with”

Thoughts from the Michael Bauer crowd? Anonymity is clearly important in reviews, but is it necessary?

Déjà Vu with Restaurant Girl At Fabio’s [Insatiable Critic]
Mag blows food critic's cover [Philly Daily News]

In some ways, restaurant reviews are like reality shows: a good deal of entertainment is garnered from conflict!

Compared to some other high-profile reviewers, our Michael Bauer is pretty tame with his negative output (Tres Agaves aside). He rarely blasts restaurants to showcase his writing flair; rather, we feel he offers fair, constructive criticism in most cases (much to our chagrin). Or perhaps he doesn't visit a lot of disaster restaurants (if you're looking for some, Mike, we've got some tips...).

So it's with great pleasure that we present Bauer's (re)visit to Oakland's Pearl Oyster Bar. First reviewed in 2004, POB's been swirling with rumors of decline with the recent chef shuffle, so naturally, Bauer had to investigate. Here are some of the lowlights:

• the poke: "clunky, with big cubes of over-marinated big-eye tuna on a bed of equally coarse cucumber."

• arctic char: "tasted mostly like salt"

• grilled flatbread: the crust had a " raw, floury quality"

• flat-iron steak: "looked like a gray hockey puck without a bit of pink in the center"

• chocolate pot de creme: "turned out to resemble thick, chilled frosting"

In all fairness, there were many standout dishes and the prices ("a great value considering the surroundings") are more than doable. Unfortunately, the end result of the lackluster experiences is a star slashing for the Rockridge seafood joint: from a trio of stars to a lonely pair. [SFGate]

More reviews post-jump:

Meredith Brody indulges in the wonder that is the izakaya at Hime Restaurant. She gives a little background on izakayas, since San Francisco seems to have a puzzling paucity of the Japanese sake bars, and then goes to town on the extensive Japanese menu:

It offers almost any kind of Japanese food you've heard of, more than most izakaya have on offer, including ippin ryori (small plates, often called "Japanese tapas"), yakitori (grilled chicken skewers), kushiyaki (grilled meat and vegetable skewers), tempura, donburi (a variety of ingredients served over rice), udon (noodles), tofu, salads, and bento boxes that artfully combine several of these dishes.

Rounding up the rest of the lil dogies: Madame Tablehopper gets in deep at Laiola, The Guardian goes trendy at Sudachi, The Chronicle enjoys its outing to Kensington's Post Meridian and Chowhounds track a mysterious Korean BBQ truck.

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: Opened in the last year (or thereabouts).

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

• farmerbrown, 25 Mason St (At Market St), 415-409-3276

• Joe DiMaggio's Italian Chophouse, 601 Union St (At Stockton St), 415-421-5633

• La Ciccia, 291 30th St (At Church St), 415-550-8114

• Terzo, 3011 Steiner St (At Union St), 415-441-3200

• Woodhouse Fish Company, 2073 Market St (At 14th St), 415-437-2722

Sick of stout? Lackadaisical about lager? Burnt out on Belgian ale?

Have no fear, courtesy of Anheuser-Busch, there are some new Buds for you!

By the end of the year, Anheuser-Busch will introduce 60 new products, nearly doubling its current number of 68. If you're like us, then you probably: A) didn't even know that there were that many A-B products on the market and B) can't even imagine what the new products will be.

Well, here are some of the newest (and more puzzling) developments in alcoholic technology.

• Cheleda: a mix of Clamato and Budweiser.

• Bud Tea: an alcoholic tea-based beverage

• Red Bridge Sorghum Beer: a gluten-free beer made with sorghum (a species of grass raised for grain that may contain cyanide)

• The expansion of its line of "Peels": 5% premium malt beverages with fruity flavors, like cranberry peach

Real men of genius, wherefore art thou?

A-B New Product Assembly Line Goes into Overdrive [Brew Blog, via The Grinder]

Last week's article in the New York Times Travel section about the super duper coolness of the NoPa district ("Colonizing an Urban Frontier") was no exception. We've already expounded upon the newfound trendiness of the neighborhood that's known as "North of the Panhandle," but the Times takes it a step further by (probably correctly) pointing out that the 'hood's rise was sparked by the tremendous success of Nopa:

But what really put the neighborhood — and its name — on the map is the restaurant Nopa (560 Divisadero Street; 415-864-8643; www.nopasf.com).

The restaurant, which opened last year, has created quite stir, not only for its organic kitchen (a grass-fed beef hamburger is $12), but for making a point of serving filtered tap water as a greener alternative to bottled. The large space is housed in a former bank and has concrete floors, a communal table and an open kitchen that stays open until 1 a.m., a welcome anomaly in a city that goes to bed early.

In any event, there's no denying that NoPa is the next rising star neighborhood of the City. But what will its fate be? Will it become a yuppie wasteland like the Marina? Will it become stroller central like Noe Valley? Will it be a hipster depot like the Mission? Discuss.

Colonizing an Urban Frontier [NY Times]
Nopa [MenuPages]
Nopa [Official Site]
Earlier: Bar Crudo Spinoff/Sequel Coming To NoPa [MenuBlog]

[Image courtesy: Geocities]