We will only say this once, but we feel it must be said: Michael Mina is expensive. We think to a fault. But nonetheless, the man is serious about his menu action and we found ourselves part of a dinner reservation for 4 at this restaurant this week so we're ready to gab.

There are two options: order from the three course sampling menu ($100 per person) or order from the seasonal tasting menu ($135 per person). We initially found the menu overwhelming because we didn’t receive the training manual until well after we’d all figured it out. Basically, each course has its own page and on each page there are 4 “categories,” each with three entrees featuring a central ingredient. Each page also has a short list of “Classics” that don’t rely on theme, but rather timelessness.

For instance, Sweetie got the Scallops, Lamb and Cheeses and he sampled three different scallop preparations, three different lamb entrees and a cheese selection for dessert. We went with Classics for both course one and two—the Tuna Tartar and the Lobster Pot Pie—and the berry themed dessert option for our final course. The meal itself was epic, taking around 2 and half hours with coffee and tea to finish everything.

Everything was interesting and much of the experience of Michael Mina seems to concern the presentation of the dishes. There was lot of “on the left of the plate you have the blah, blah, blah and to the right the yada, yada, yada.” Ears would perk up when recognizable items were named—corn, potato, tuna, chowder—but for the most part we nodded and ate what was put in front of us without actually knowing what we were eating. The wait staff was very attentive and appropriately cautious of our nut allergy so we didn’t have to worry that a sliver of the green stuff on the right might send us to the emergency room.

There was much conversation about the meal in cab ride home. “Was that worth all that money?" The conclusion was this: You pay (a lot) for ingenuity and presentation at Michael Mina. The food is good—of course it is—but it may not be the best lamb or duck or lobster you’ve had in your life and if you’re the type of person to eat at Michael Mina you’re apt to find yourself presented with the opportunity to eat other equally fine or even finer versions of the entrées you’ll have at this restaurant. However, you may not have the combinations of food quite like you will at Michael Mina and by all means, if someone offers to take you, there’s little reason to say no. Just be be prepared for the bill. We didn't pick up the tab, but were pretty sure that the 4 orders, a bottle of wine, two cocktails and coffee came close to $1000. We won't say it again because we promised it would only be said once, but man, Michael Mina isn't messin' around.

Michael Mina [MenuPages]
Michael Mina [Official Site]

Today is the first day of our diet. Actually, that’s not true. Today is the first day of our healthier lifestyle.

This comes after 6 months of eating whatever we’ve wanted, with a particular emphasis on this past weekend when we skipped lunch during a downtown shopping spree with Sweetie and ended up overcompensating during early dinner at Little Dehli on Eddy at Mason Street.

What happens in these shopping adventures is simple: You’re downtown doing the shopping thing, trying on and re-trying on, cashing out then going to “one more store” to see if there’s a better/cheaper/bigger pair of pants and the next thing you know it’s 4p.m. The last time you ate was 10:30 in the morning and you find yourself desperately weighing your downtown dining options.

Union Square. Powell Street. Market between 5th and 4th. What do you eat without dropping even more cash? There’s King of Thai Noodle House, the reliable faster-food Thai chain that serves good curry at affordable prices. You can also always go for a spin around the Westfield Mall food court—the newer wing of the mall brings more fashionable foodie options like Askew Grill (serving a variety of tasty and adventurous kebobs and sides) and the counter version of The Slanted Door, Out the Door, open again after being closed for renovations.

But we wanted to sit down to a proper meal and while we wanted food fast (blood sugar levels dropping by the minute as two department store-crazed shoppers wandered from garish tourist café to outlandishly priced tourist restaurant in search of sustenance), we also wanted it to be a decent dining experience.

Little Delhi is affordable Indian food restaurant that serves all of the recognizable dishes (Masalas, Paneers, Naans) without sacrificing taste for price. Do you go here to impress people? Nah. Do you do here when you want pretty good food off, but near the tourist epicenter when you’re downtown? Absolutely. Do you go here when you’re starving and everything on the menu looks good so your order almost everything on the menu? No, because this is why we’re embarking on a new diet.

We had Samosas, Mattar Paneer, Naan, Seekh Kabab, and Papri Chat-- homemade chips, garbanzo beans, potatoes, yogurt, & chutney—which tasted like Indian nachos. It was all good, but everything also kind of tasted the same, which we guess is okay since it was good. In any case, we certainly did not need to order that much food for two people, but we did and we ate it all, which should pretty much sum up the experience.

Little Dehli [MenuPages]
King of Thai Noodle House [MenuPages]
Asqew Grill [Menupages]
Asqew Grill [Official Site]
Out the Door [Menupages]
The Slanted Door [Menupages]
The Slanted Door [Official Site]

[Photo via Pargon/Flickr]

Apparently salumi is the new cupcake because salumi plates and appetizers have been popping up on menus all over the Bay Area. And because people just can’t seem to get enough of their cured meats, Boccalone Salumeria, has opened in the Ferry Building to make sure we know that shopping for pork isn’t just about bringing home the bacon.

Here's the website blurb:

"Boccalone Salumeria is the first retail location of the artisanal salumi venture from Chris Cosentino and Mark Pastore of Incanto Restaurant. The Salumeria features more than 20 varieties of Boccalone’s handmade cured meats. Boccalone’s salumi are handcrafted in small batches across the Bay in Oakland, using sustainably raised, heritage-breed pork and the highest quality spices and salts."

We bought a relatively basic salami to test the waters when we visited on Tuesday (fatty, great with mustard and the cheese we got from Bi-Rite), but they do have some interesting options including a Brown Sugar and Fennel flavored salami as well as some rather nice looking pancetta and prosciutto. The shop itself is crisp and clean looking--a warm yellow paint job with a bright red accent color that basically makes it impossible to walk by without saying, ”Hey, what’s all this?”

Shop owners Cosentino and Pastore have been kind of a big deal with Incanto in Noe Valley for some time, making the Chronicle's list of 100 best Bay Area restaurants this year, so we can imagine that they know what they’re doing with this specialty food store.

That said, now that we’ve passed Salami 101 we’re ready to try out one of the panini’s or even, gasp, a meat cup or some blood sausage.

Boccalone Salumeria [Official Site]
Incanto [Menupages]
Incanto [Official Site]

[Photo via bgreenlee/Flickr]

It’s that time again. Fog-obscured fireworks, tofu barbecue ribs, “Impeach Bush” signage—sounds like July 4 in San Francisco.

Even if we like to celebrate a little differently than some of our more traditionally patriotic neighbors, San Franciscans never balk at the chance to celebrate something (we’re pretty sure we have a red, white and blue feather boa laying around somewhere). It’s also one of the very few times that San Franciscans will be caught at Pier 39 without relatives or company in town. It can’t be helped. This is where the City hosts its massive fireworks display.

Wanna check out the festivities at the Wharf and still get your Independence Day burger on? No fear, there’s an In-N-Out Burger and Johnny Rockets within walking distance of the sea lions. If you’d rather go for sea food try to get a table at Scoma’s, but be warned: tourists + good food + huge portions = long waits.

And of course, for the Foodie Elite, there’s Gary Danko, just far enough from and close enough to the masses to be able to experience the holiday without sacrificing too much in the way taste bud dignity. If you didn’t make your reservations two months ago you’re not going to get a table, but if your idea of acknowledging our stars and stripes is eating at a five star restaurant then we recommend trying to get a seat at the bar—same food, no fuss.

In-N-Out Burger [MenuPages]
In-N-Out Burger [Official Site]
Johnny Rockets [Menupages]
Johnny Rockets [Official Site]
Scoma’s [Menupages]
Scoma’s [Official Site]
Gary Danko [Menupages]
Gary Danko [Official Site]

[Photo via http2007/Flickr]

Remember when we got all fascinated with Burritoeater's relatively high 8.42-mustache review of Herbert's Mexican Grill in the Herbert Hotel at Union Square? Well, this month's issue of that site's Intestinal Apocalypse newsletter includes just a hint of the scads of blow-back we expect Charles Burritoeater to be getting:

"You've lost serious credibility with me by giving that new place off Union Square, Herbert's, a positive review. I could deal with your recent love for La Salsa Downtown, because I don't actually think their slabs are lame. But Herbert's? That's like eating a Hydrox cookie in a city full of Oreos."

Good question. According to Burritoeater, Andale is the only place outside Herbert's that even edges into 8-mustache territory, with a straight 8.0 average.

Further up Market Street you'll find the non-Mission outpost of Taqueria Cancun. It's small and kind of scummy, but it is, bar-none, the best burrito you can get downtown. Note: the link here is to the Mission location with the same menu. Look for a dedicated Market Street listing here within the next couple days.

Also, there are two outposts of El Faro , which serves good, if unorthodox burritos, smothered in the juice from the meats that fill them. Neither is right on Union Square, but if you're eating this many burritos, you need a bit of a walk, anyway.

The Intestinal Apocalypse [Burritoeater]
Andale [MenuPages]
Andale [Official Site]
Taqueria Cancun [MenuPages]
El Faro [MenuPages]
El Faro [MenuPages]

Photo Credit: Burritoeater

A Sunday Grubgirl post sang the praises of wonton noodle soup from the tiny Ming's on Second Street and Jessie downtown. Ming's is a cool place to know about, but it's not the only budget noodle soup, or even necessarily the best, that that office-lunch-heavy area has to offer. As a former 9-5 denizen of that neighborhood, MPSF has a couple tips of our own:

If you like udon, and we certainly do, the Oishii Cafe on Market slings it to go. Well, if you insist on sitting there, they've got a couple little stools, but it's mostly a takeout joint. At $5.95 it's a good lunch deal, especially when the fog/wind/rain is whipping. They've also got halfway decent bentos and sushi.

Probably our favorite noodle experience in the area is right across the street from our old office at the Tea Garden . Serving Taiwanese snacks such as pork buns and tea eggs and bubble tea as well as big bowls of meaty noodles, this place really covered a lot of bases for us: mid-afternoon munchies, cold-weather broth infusion, freaky drink fixation. Taken care of. It's pretty small and can get a bit crowded, so give yourself some minutes and don't set your heart on eating there, as they only have one table and a small counter space.

Ming’s Coffee Shop - Fast & Cheap Chinese Food in SoMa [Grubgirl]
Oishii Cafe [MenuPages]
Tea Garden [MenuPages]

Photo: Beef noodle soup at the Tea Garden [Yelp]

A post yesterday on SF-Lunch got us all nostalgic for the whirlwind days of reporting from City Hall. Those hours-long legislative hearings, chatting up supervisors in hopes they'll drop the facade, standing around waiting for press conferences to start, listening to politicians gas on and on...

Wait, did we say whilwind? More like no wind. The most exciting time of day at City Hall is lunchtime. SF-Lunch highlighted a pretty decent taco truck at nearby Polk and Hayes, but when you're there five days a week, you need options. Here are a few more decent lunches to tide you over through that long afternoon committee meeting:

Monday: you're covered. Go to the taco truck. Or if you want to sit inside, you can hit up Taqueria El Castillito over on Golden Gate. These burritos are consistently strong, and the Quesadillas Castillitos can give you the hot grease injection you need to spring back to life after that public safety hearing this morning.

Tuesday: It's time to bring it on home with an all-American deli sandwich. The best in the neighborhood, and one of the best in town, can be gotten at Quincy's deli on Market St. Many aides and hall staffers go there, so you can often pick up some dirt in line. But you better get there early. There can be a wait and you've got a Board of Supervisors' meeting at 2 p.m.

Wednesday: That middle of the week budgetary pinch doesn't need to squeeze so hard if you get a Banh Mi. Both Wrap Delight and Saigon Sandwiches sell the ridiculously under-priced Vietnamese sandwiches a block away from one another for less than $3.00. You can even get chips and a soda and get change back for your $5 bill. Amazing.

Thursday: Okay, enough sandwiches. Time to pick up a pair of chopsticks. This is best done at Iron Wok , just down Market from Quincy's. Good, hot Chinese food, inexpensive and decent table service and a nice atmosphere will do a lot to shorten the longest day of the week. Until you head back to that Planning Commission meeting, that is.

Friday: Okay, you made it through another week. You deserve a big ol' burger and a cold beer. Maybe you can even get some information in the process if you invite a supervisor's aide or two. Head over to Flipper's in Hayes Valley. You can even sit on the patio. Take long enough and you might be able to talk yourself into skipping the rest of the afternoon.

An itinerant Chowhound cast a bottle into the inter-waves Friday containing a message of resonance to all who find themselves downtown with an appetite and no date: Where to dine solo around Union Square. This particular conference attendee seems to want a higher caliber joint than the taqueria to which we'd try to send him or her, and the Chowhounds responded in kind. Many suggested Canteen, which the OP took under advisement.

It's a tricky question to recommend a restaurant in this situation, as solo dining preferences seem to be less predictable than for diners with company. One person's idea of the perfect solo restaurant may be one with bright enough lighting to read by, while another's may be one with a lively singles scene. In this case, the diner seems to be focused primarily on the actual food, and even provides a detailed, delicious-sounding report. Is it lunch time yet?

Dining alone, Fri. night in Union Sq. [Chowhound]
Canteen [MenuPages]
Canteen [Official Site]

An post on Eggbeater Friday promised the inception of a new dessert from Sens pastry chef/blogger Shuna Fish Lydon. It was hard to tell by simply looking at the website Monday if the new dessert had made it onto the menu.

Here's how Lydon described her burgeoning creation:

as with all my desserts there is familiarity and comfort with this one. think popsicles and ice cream sandwiches. think winterfruits. think strong flavors, cold icy creamy textures, and deep salty caramels.

But since we just saw that today, and all we have to go on is the restaurant's online text, it's hard to tell if that intention has been borne out. Do any of our Financial District readers/agents want to take one for the team and swing by Sens for a treat? We'd love the tip.

[Eggbeater]
Sens [Menupages]
Sens [Homepage]

A recent post on Gridskipper inspired us to relate a birthday outing on which we were taken a few years ago. The theme was “The Mile-High Club,” or something like that. We were taken around to bars at the tops of hotels, drinking a cocktail at each and having too much at that. It was a great night out, probably the best birthday outing ever. Our friend Mike Burton, a local hotel concierge, limo driver and cocktail expert, came up with the idea and organized the outing, God bless him.

Drinks were pretty expensive, in the $10-$15 range at each of these places, but for a special occasion, one or all stops would do perfectly. Here’s the itinerary as we remember it:

1. The View Lounge, Mariott Hotel: This was our first stop and staging ground. It was still daylight when we met here, and because of the South-of-Market location, you could see the Bay Bridge perfectly, along with lots of freight and tanker ships and the City of Oakland. It was raining and the clouds looked very nice.

2. The Onyx Lobby Lounge at the Westin St. Francis: We know this isn't a top-floor bar, but we got a little confused. Our heroic organizer warned us that there was no bar at the top of the St. Francis, but we insisted there was. So on our way to the next stop, we persueded the party to check. No luck, but we sat in the Onyx for a round, anyway, and listened to the piano player. Pretty good.

3. Harry Denton's Starlight Room: This is the destination around Union Square for drinking and dancing way up in the sky. While the view was partially obscured by another nearby hotel, it regained favor because of the precipitous dance-floor, which goes right up to the glass in the big picture window. You can cut a rug inches from the drop-off.

4. Top of the Mark: This bar is very important to us. Our grandmother used to come dancing here in the 40s during the war. We celebrated our 21st birthday here with her and mourned her passing here. It is one of the classiest spots in the whole city and, perched at the top of Nob Hill, has one of the best views. Soldiers and sailors would drink here during the war, and their wives and girlfriends, including our grandmother, would watch their significant others pass under the Golden Gate Bridge from the "Weepers' Corner" in the northwest part of the room. This place is expensive and sometimes charges a cover, but it is worth it.

5. The Equinox at the Hyatt Regency: Well, the restaurant/bar at the top of the Embarcadero Hyatt is now closed, apparently. This is too bad. The finale of our outing, we were lucky enough to experience a lightning storm over the bay as we sat in the circular, glass room. We will remember it fondly.

These are not, by any means, all of the bars in San Francisco boasting million-dollar views. The Carnelian Room at the Bank of America building and the Cityscape Restaurant atop the Hilton both overlook The City from downtown, and of course the Cliff House commands a view of the Pacific. But for one night, we feel we took a good sampling of some of the best downtown had to offer, and after five Manhattans, we know it took the best from us, as well.

Still, we can't wait for Dungeness season, bittersweet as it may be.

Closings: A. Sabella's To Call It Quits [MenuBlog]

Yesterday, the Chronicle's Inside Scoop reported that the venerable Fisherman's Wharf Italian-seafood restaurant will close on November 4:

"My sister and I, we just think it's time," said Antone Sabella II, the fourth generation of his Sicilian family to work the corner of Taylor and Jefferson streets since 1920. Their first fish market and restaurant was kitty-corner to the current location at 2966 Taylor.

Sabella first worked at the restaurant 45 years ago, when he was 12, and has been running it for almost 20 years, most recently with his sister, Laureen. When he realized it was time to remodel again and no one from the next generation wanted to take over, he asked himself, "Do I want to keep doing this?" The answer was no.

A. Sabella's to close after 87 years [Inside Scoop]
A. Sabella's Restaurant [MenuPages]
A. Sabella's Restaurant [Official Site]

[Photo courtesy: SF Boating]

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]

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]

When it burst onto the national stage in 1995, The Slanted Door combined the local, organic flavor of Alice Waters with the flair and exoticism of Vietnamese fare.

Now, a dozen years later, Charles Phan's restaurant is still one of the hardest tickets in town, and as can be seen from the clip above, he's still running his flagship with plenty of fresh ideas, enthusiasm and precision.

The Slanted Door [MenuPages]
The Slanted Door [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: Downtown & the Mission.

• Little Henry's, 955 Larkin St (Btwn Post St & Geary Blvd), 415-776-1757

• Luna Park, 694 Valencia St (At 18th St), 415-553-8584

• Mixt Greens, 120 Sansome St (At Pine St), 415-433-6498

• Mixt Greens, 475 Sansome St (At Commercial St), 415-296-9292

• Rue Saint Jacques, 1098 Jackson St (At Taylor St), 415-776-2002

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: All Around Town.

• Maykadeh, 470 Green St (At Grant Ave), 415-362-8286

• McCormick & Kuleto's, 900 N Point St (In Ghirardelli Sq), 415-929-1730

• Nob Hill Cafe, 1152 Taylor St (Btwn Sacramento & Clay St), 415-776-6500

• North Beach Sushi, 745 Columbus Ave (Btwn Filbert & Greenwich St), 415-788-8050

• Pizzelle, 314 Columbus Ave (At Broadway), 415-398-3555

• Shiki, 251 3rd St (Btwn Howard & Folsom St), 415-512-8138

In all likelihood, the skyline of San Francisco will evolve greatly over the next ten years or so, thanks in big part to the megatower that will compose the new transit center/skyscraper on Mission Street. With three proposals on the table, the competition is well underway. The Chronicle's urban design writer John King's favorite proposal is Richard Rogers' daring design featuring "scaffold-like braces of brightly colored steel [that] reach 1,225 feet into the air" (about 400 feet higher than the TransAmerica Building). Even more provoking is the added bonus that is--quite literally--atop the Richards plan:

Only one proposal includes a restaurant perched 1,100 feet in the air: the complex proposed by a team led by Forest City Enterprises and the architectural firm Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners.

The restaurant would cap an 80-story tower with room for offices, a 300-room hotel and 192 condominiums along with a large lower floor reserved for a cultural use such as college programs. There'd also be a small plaza along First Street.

Transbay Terminal tower designs have chance to redefine San Francisco [SFGate]
Plan A: Architects: Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners [SFGate]
The River Cafe [Official Site]

[Photo courtesy: Transbay Transit Center/ Richard Rogers Partnership and Forest City Enterprises with MacFarlane Partners]

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 around the Financial District, Union Square and the Civic Center.

• Beale Street Bar & Grill, 133 Beale St (At Mission St), 415-543-1961

• Cafe Mediterraneo, 357 Kearny St (Btwn Pine & Bush St), 415-397-5850

• Persimmon, 582 Sutter St (At Mason St), 415-433-5525

• Pizzelle, 50 Post St ( Btwn Kearny & Montgomery St), 415-398-4442

• Saha, 1075 Sutter St (Btwn Larkin & Hyde St), 415-345-9547

On this Sunday, August 12th, from 12pm to 4pm, Bravo's ever-popular Top Chef will be conducting open call casting at Postrio.

But don't just show up with a smile and a photo of the newly-single Padma Lakshmi (who, by the way, might have the worst blog in the world); interested candidates must bring the following items: a completed application, a completed certification of veracity (i.e., no Jags allowed), a photo and a recent resume.

Good luck to all San Francisco chefs. We hope to see you rapping cooking on cable television soon.

Open Call Casting [Bravo]
Top Chef [Bravo]
Postrio [MenuPages]
Postrio [Official Site]

The trio behind the successful Town Hall and recent hit Salt House plan to open a takeout pizza joint by the spring of 2008. Doug Washington and brothers Mitchell and Steven Rosenthal would like to create a casual FiDi eatery that has perfected the art of the Napoletana pizza; they are even sending Steven to Italy to earn his pizzaiolo certification.

Mitchell Rosenthal, who grew up in New Jersey, says, "Sure, I could make New York pizza and sell it by the slice. But at my age I can't take all that cheese." The big challenge, he says, is creating Napoletana pizza, which is thin-crusted and lightly-topped, that can travel well.

The Inside Scoop [SFGate]
Town Hall [MenuPages]
Town Hall [Official Site]
Salt House [MenuPages]
Salt House [Official Site]

While stumbling through our usual summer menu updates, we noticed an oddity on the dinner menu for the Financial District's Bix: "Heirloom tomato cart: Prepared tableside. $9.75"

Huh?

Surely this couldn't be what we thought it was. We've heard of cheese carts and dessert carts--even chocolate carts--but a tableside apparatus adorned with a controversial fruit/vegetable like the tomato? And heirlooms at that?

Well, this week's edition of the Tablehopper pretty much confirmed our suspicions. The results are in, and they sound delicious:

Primo tomatoes are served with formaggio de Ferrante mozzarella and finished tableside with extra virgin olive oil, aged balsamic, basil, sea salt, and fresh pepper. To partake in the tomato feast will put ya back $9.75 per plate. The tomato cart should be wheeling around the restaurant until Halloween.

Bix [MenuPages]
Bix [Official Site]
July 31, 2007 Newsletter [Tablehopper]

[Photo courtesy: Papagenos]

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 up and down Mission.

• Cafe InFusion, 829 Mission St (At 4th St), 415-808-0808

• Medjool, 2522 Mission St (Btwn 21st & 22nd St), 415-550-9055

• Roy's, 575 Mission St ( Btwn 1st & 2nd St), 415-777-0277

• Savanna Jazz, 2937 Mission St (Btwn 25th and 26th St), 415-285-3369

• The Blue Plate, 3218 Mission St (At Valencia St), 415-282-6777

• Zante, 3489 Mission St (Btwn Cortland Ave & Kingston St), 415-821-3949

"Alcohol is the anesthesia by which we endure the operation of life."
--George Bernard Shaw, who was born on this date (July 26th) exactly 151 years ago

Frisson [MenuPages]
Frisson [Official Site]

[Photo courtesy: Flickr/Thomas Hawk]

Food Philosophy Video #3: Crab Rolls at Fisherman's Wharf [YouTube]
Nick's Lighthouse [MenuPages]
Nick's Lighthouse [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 on the water, or thereabouts.

• Bistro Boudin, 160 Jefferson St (At Taylor St), 415-928-1849

• Boulettes Larder, 1 Ferry Building (At The Embarcadero & Market St), 415-399-1155

• Butterfly, Pier 33 (At Bay St), 415-864-8999

• LuLu Petite, 1 Ferry Building (At The Embarcadero & Market St), 415-362-7019

• Neptune's Palace, Pier 39 (At The Embarcaderot), 415-434-2260

• One Market, 1 Market St (At The Embarcadero), 415-777-5577

• Teatro ZinZanni , Pier 29 (At The Embarcadero & Battery St), 415-438-2668

• Tsar Nicoulai Caviar Cafe, 1 Ferry Building (At The Embarcadero & Market St), 415-288-8630

Nothing says classic San Francisco like simple seafood, prepared in a simple seafood joint, so what better way to cap off your Thursday than with this Savory San Francisco video of the one and only Swan Oyster Depot?

Swan Oyster Depot [Savory SF]
Swan Oyster Depot [MenuPages]

You get this excellent video.

The commentary could use a bit of improvement (like when he says nothing but "...awesome!" after trying one pork bun) and the audio is a little low, but overall, we approve and look forward to future episodes of Dishola videos.

Restaurants/bakeries mentioned include Kay Cheung, Golden Gate Bakery, Eastern Bakery and Dishola's favorite, Mon Kiang.

Best BBQ Pork Bun in Chinatown [YouTube]
Dishola [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 with uncreative names.

• Chinatown Restaurant, 700 Washington St (At Wentworth Alley), 415-392-7958

• Ferry Plaza Seafood, 1 Ferry Building (At The Embarcadero), 415-447-4226

• Geary Street Pizza, 4124 Geary Blvd (At 5th Ave), 415-668-7600

• Indonesia Restaurant, 678 Post St (Btwn Jones & Taylor St), 415-474-4026

• La Taqueria, 2889 Mission St (At 25th St), 415-285-7117

• Marina Pizza, 2139 Lombard St (Btwn Fillmore & Steiner St), 415-931-3333

Just about 30 years ago, Greens Restaurant in Fort Mason revolutionized the world of vegetarian cooking, eating and living. It still remains a bastion of vegetarian fare, but as is the case with most innovators, Greens has spawned an entire generation of followers.

Chief among the disciples has long been Connecticut's famous Bloodroot, and now the Bloodroot folks are releasing a two-volume cookbook set, titled "The Best of Bloodroot." One volume is rife with vegetarian recipes, while the other concentrates on vegan only:

But flesh-eating hubris aside, this new two-cookbook set, The Best of Bloodroot, from the 30-year-old Connecticut restaurant, will open a window (and perhaps a few minds) on the kind of voluptuous, plant-based cooking that makes you forget about meat. It echoes the kindred spirit of Greens Restaurant at Fort Mason in San Francisco, which captured the meatless fancy 30 years ago.

Cookbook offers vegetarian recipes at their best [The Dallas Morning News]
Bloodroot [Official Site]
Greens Restaurant [MenuPages]
Greens Restaurant [Official Site]

This delectable deity comes to us from Acme Bread, via the always-excellent Bunrab Daily Feed.

Wednesday, July 11, 2007 [Daily Feed]

Dear MenuPages,

Sincerely,
Confitused

Continue reading "Ask MenuPages: What Is Confit?" »

It's almost as if yesterday's success story inspired MenuPages users, because today, we received yet another menu from a prior Menu Mission. Coincidence or not, if you guys keep this up, we just might have to make this a regular feature. We're scared too.

In any event, we've been jonesing for Sotto Mare's menu for weeks now, and the North Beach seafood destination doesn't disappoint. You'll find daily specials and some staples--like chowder, sand dabs and crab louis--along with some cheapie items ($1 oysters, clams) perfect for a post-work outing.

The menu, interestingly enough, is short but not sweet. In lieu of a "traditional" dessert menu, Sotto Mare supposedly presents the diner with this thank you note: "After 12 years (in the restaurant business) and 62 years of life, coffee and dessert are bad for my diabetes, gout and cholesterol. In good conscience I cannot serve this to my customers. ... There are lots of places here in North Beach where you can have an excellent espresso and dessert, rub elbows with poets and even learn a little Italian. ... Mille Gracie."

Sotto Mare [MenuPages]
Earlier: Menu Mission: Sotto Mare [MenuBlog]

[Photo courtesy: TruthDig]

Yesterday, we put in a plea for a menu in our regular Menu Mission feature. Lo and behold, before the day could break, one of our users--a dear "Roger from North Beach"--sent us a menu for legendary dim sum spot Dol Ho.

Like most dim sum menus, prices are moderate. You'll find a cornucopia of standard buns and dumplings, along with some fun ones too (beef tripe with ginger, shark fin dumpling). Anyway, we hope you check out Dol Ho and report back here. Those Chowhounds can't say enough nice things and they're usually pretty knowledgeable about this food thing.

Dol Ho [MenuPages]

Here at MenuPages, the two types of menus we have a hard time getting our greasy paws on are brand-new restaurants and small, hole-in-the-wall joints. Dol Ho is the latter. We mentioned Dol Ho earlier today, and with all the positive energy it's getting on Chowhound, we figured we should turn to the MenuPages community to help track down a menu for the dim sum place. To whet your appetite, here's how one Chowhound describes it:

Its main constituency consists of elderly Chinese people who are very nice and very serious about dim sum. Everything I have had there lately has been excellent, but the real phenomenon is something called chicken and rice. The people there are so happy when the chicken and rice cart appears that it makes you want to cry. What a great place.

Dol Ho, 808 Pacific Ave (At Stockton St), 415-392-2828

Dol Ho is a national treasure [Chowhound]

[Photo courtesy: Leland Wong via Yelp]

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: Business dining in the city.

• Ame, 689 Mission St (At 3rd St), 415-284-4040

• Farallon, 450 Post St (Btwn Mason & Powell St), 415-956-6969

• Moose's, 1652 Stockton St (Btwn Union & Filbert St), 415-821-7652

• The Cosmopolitan Cafe, 121 Spear St (Btwn Mission & Howard St), 415-989-7800

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

Haven't gotten enough independence celebration for the month? Bastille Day is next Saturday, July 14th. There are well over 100 French restaurants in the city, and it's probably safe to say that the majority of them will be celebrating "Fête Nationale." Unlike, say the Fourth of July, Bastille Day is a great "holiday" for food-lovers, for the simple fact that it's a great opportunity to celebrate the inimitable French bistro fare.

Some of our favorite bistros include Chez Maman, Clementine and Zazie; if you just want a quick taste of France, we recommend a quick pastry or tartine at either Tartine Bakery or the newly-opened A Bon Port.

At Cafe Claude, there will be a special prix-fixe menu. Continuing our habit of revealing holiday menus before they drop, we have an menu from Cafe Claude that is sure to impress you. There's even a palate cleanser or two...

Continue reading "Bastille Day 2007 Is Coming" »

SNOB Wine Bar [MenuPages]
SNOB Wine Bar [Official Site]

Try as we might, we can't track down every singl