bau-ing out

Last night I set my menu and today I went to the neighborhood Asian market to do the preliminary grocery shopping for my annual Oshogatsu. Unlike most Japanese who host one, I do not serve the traditional food that goes along with the celebration. I’ve learned from many past open houses I’ve [...]

duck! 2: electric boogaloo

Two animals have been on my mind of late – the duck and the tiger.  The duck, because it seems to be the subject of the day(s), at least for me.  The tiger, because on Christmas day there was a mauling at the San Francisco Zoo (a teen boy was killed by an escaped, errant [...]

duck!

Christmas dinner 2007 was a bit of a crap shoot. The night of the 24th and the dawn of the 25th brought high winds up throughout Southern California and brought down the power at my sister’s house in Fontana, where we were to dine on the requisite roast turkey and accoutrements. The Christmas dinner scene in [...]

Chix, and garlix, and tails from an ox

There is something unnatural about running the car air conditioner on Christmas Eve, but it had to be done. A bank thermometer read 81 degrees in the Valley today and I still didn’t get my chili burger on. I picked up a friend who was in town from the east coast and who [...]

chilly today, chili tomorrow

The weather in San Francisco has definitely been wonderful winter weather. For San Francisco, that is. I do love waking up to find frost on the roof, gearing up with scarf and gloves, and seeing my breath as I sing to the radio in my car. But alas, I’ll be spending the holidays with my [...]

something I sank my teeth into

One bad dining experience certainly deserves to be followed by an exceptional one and I have only two words for it: Piperade, Chef. Okay, it doesn’t hurt that Piperade’s Basque owner/chef Gerald Hirigoyen is as charming as all can get out (could it be that French-Spanish accent of his?). But I was not prepared to [...]

Shanghai’d

Good lord, the service was bad at Shanghai 1930.
1. The bar waitress didn’t take my drink order until 15 minutes after I sat down in the desolate lounge. When she did, she bent over in a condescending way and said, “Would you like a drink,” which could have been followed by, “…little girl?”
2. I ordered [...]

Dining with a chef

There is something inherently cool about eating out with a chef. Not only does that person know what to order, but can explain to you all the different layers of a simple All-American burger or a Mexican enjococado sauce and what that dish is lacking or too full of.

Off the menu

Ordering items that aren’t on the menu…how does one do this?
When did you first learn what “animal style” meant when ordering an In ‘n Out burger?
How are folks ordering a “Gibraltar” coffee at Blue Bottle Coffee Co. when it’s not on their menu?
What other delicacies are hidden behind what’s not printed on the menu [...]

The Old is my New

Wasn’t it just this past week when I lamented the fact that not only had it been a while since I’ve eaten a most excellent Chinese meal, but, it had been even longer since I’ve I worn a sh*t-eating grin from having the most divine food that had completely blown me away? Last [...]