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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chou Chou: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=860\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=851\">full episode video\u003c/a> |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other ways to watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp306iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/chouchou13.jpg\" alt=\"Petrale Sole with Mushrooms in a Cream Sauce Topped with Frisee Salad\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/chouchou14.jpg\" alt=\"Pate and Charcuterie\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/chouchou18.jpg\" alt=\"Chocolate and Walnut Tart\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nPetrale Sole with Mushrooms in a Cream Sauce Topped with Frisée Salad; Pâté and Charcuterie; Chocolate and Walnut Tart\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/bob-sarlatte.jpg\" alt=\"Bob Sarlatte\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Bob\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Comedian\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Chou Chou\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Chou Chou:\u003c/strong> Monday February 18, 2008\u003cbr>\n\u003cbr clear=\"all\">\u003cbr>\n Chou Chou has become THE favorite hangout for my entire family! It is an ultra charming bistro in the heart of the city with the “feel” of what might be your “clubhouse” if you were living in Paris.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because of my own profession, first impressions and how I am greeted at restaurants and other social gatherings is very important, and the “Front of House” man (maître d’ Nick) does not disappoint. Because we are regulars, we are greeted like family — and more than most of the time — with hugs and Kir Royales as well! There is usually classic French music playing, ranging from Piaf to current Euro-disco sounds. The service is top-rate, yet not intrusive. Fresh and HOT baguettes are delivered on a regular basis to our table. Oh, and we also received a complimentary crab appetizer as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The night we were there, one of my daughters and I had a lovely mushroom soup for an appetizer, my other daughter enjoyed tuna tartare with taro chips. The second courses included a warm goat cheese crottin with baked pears and arugula — fabulous — Scottish salmon with peas, rice pilaf, and an orange citrus beurre blanc, and the aforementioned Petrale sole that I enjoyed!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I inquired about one Sauvignon Blanc, our waiter suggested another, a Westerly, that was excellent. Chou Chou is just such a comfortable place to be, we seem to never want to leave, thus the ordering of a cheese plate with accompanying Sauternes and then another complimentary port brought over by Nick himself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chou Chou is lively, fun, reminiscent of the best neighborhood bistros in Paris, and a place I return to often, mostly with family, but occasionally with friends who marvel at such a place in this neighborhood of the city!\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/emma-logan.jpg\" alt=\"Emma Logan\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Emma\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Human Resources Director\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Bette’s Oceanview Diner\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Chou Chou:\u003c/strong> Wednesday February 20, 2008\u003cbr>\n\u003cbr clear=\"all\">\u003cbr>\nTrekking out to Forest Hill was an adventure, and we were happy to find the restaurant as easily as we did after coming out of the Muni station. We were early but seated immediately; being just after 6 on a Wednesday, the cozy, brightly-colored restaurant wasn’t full, and we chose a seat by the window.\n\u003cp>We ordered a half bottle of wine, the frisée salad, and tuna tartare appetizer to share, and I chose the salmon dish, complete with two of my all-time favorite ingredients: peas and arugula. My guest ordered the flank steak with frites, asparagus, and a shallot pan sauce.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A minute after ordering, the waitress brought out a full bottle of the wine we ordered — we didn’t think about the discrepancy until we saw the bill and realized the mistake — ah, well. The food arrived very quickly, and I fell in love with the frisée salad. It was wonderfully dressed with a super-salty vinaigrette, crispy pancetta, and a poached egg. The tuna tartare, by comparison, was completely without flavor. I wanted to like the addition of cucumber and the sprouts on top in a cleanses-the-palate sort of way, but the whole dish just ended up very bland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our main dishes came out almost too close to the removal of our starter dishes, but the salmon was perfectly cooked. The orange beurre blanc, although initially interesting, ended up tasting more like an experiment than a good flavor combination, and the rice pilaf was chewy, but ultimately I was satisfied with my dinner. The steak was tasty but not write-home-able, and the frites tasty but limp, however the shallot sauce and asparagus were very well-executed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Immediately, the dessert menu was presented, and we chose to share one of the tarts that the restaurant specializes in. The chocolate and walnut tart arrived and we enjoyed both the ganache-style filling of the tart, and the perfect froth of the cappuccinos we had ordered to go with it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The check arrived, and we were out the door on our way home within an hour of setting foot in the restaurant. I appreciate speedy service to a degree, but we did feel a little rushed, and overall, though definitely decent, the quality of food we received did not line up with the price tag.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/patrick-cournoyer.jpg\" alt=\"Patrick Cournoyer\" hspace=\"4\" align=\"left\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Patrick\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> In-Flight Training Manager\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Redwood City\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Stella Alpina Osteria\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Chou Chou:\u003c/strong> Saturday February 23, 2008\u003cbr>\n\u003cbr clear=\"all\">\u003cbr>\nOverall Chou Chou is a good little restaurant. We went for dinner on a stormy Saturday evening. I originally had reservations for Friday night, but had a conflict and had to change them a few days before. When I called, they were very accommodating to the change. When we arrived, parking was very easy (one of the easiest areas in the city to park). When you walk in the restaurant the first thing you notice is the size. It is very small and quaint. The colors on the walls are fun and my date noticed the warm colors on the bottom and cool colors on the top. We were greeted quickly and seated at a two-top near the door (it was a little chilly). It was not very busy with only about five of the tables occupied. (Again, a very stormy evening.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We ordered appetizers and wine to start. The wine list is extensive with many choices in all price ranges. We had wine by the glass so that I could taste a few. The La Violette Viognier was very tasty. I am a huge fan of escargot so the decision for my appetizer was clear. I was going to try the mussels (they looked great!) but the escargot won out. The escargot was good — bright with a lot of citrus flavor. The baguette on the table was a great pairing with the oil from the escargot. The beet and mozzarella salad was not very good. It was very bland with a bizarre texture. I would not recommend it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Right after the appetizers, the owner (Nick) sat down at the open table next to us and welcomed us to the restaurant. He was very friendly and told us about the history of the restaurant and how it was a neighborhood favorite. We felt very welcome. I asked the waiter for some suggestions and appreciated that he was honest about his favorites. On his recommendation I chose the cassoulet. It was served piping hot, and the server cut it open for me at the table: nice touch. There was a lot of flavor in it. The lamb was very lean and tender. The potatoes had a firmness to them which I really liked. This dish has a lot of rosemary in it (choose a different entree if you do not like rosemary).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had done some research on this place before going and they are known for their tarts. I am a chocolate fanatic so, of course ordered the triple chocolate tart. I would definitely recommend it. The decaf cappuccino was a great pair. After a bit more conversation with the owner about the meal — he wanted to know how we liked the meal and was very open to the honest feedback about everything, including the not so great beet and mozzarella salad — he brought over complimentary glasses of Banyuls Domaine de La Tour Vielle Vendages 2002.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Overall this is a good little restaurant. The food is tasty and the wine list is extensive. The service was good and the owner, Nick, knows how to welcome new guests. I would recommend checking this place out. I will definitely be back for another meal.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong>\r\n400 Dewey Boulevard (at Laguna Honda Blvd)\r\nSan Francisco, CA 94116\r\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong> 415-242-0960\r\n\u003cstrong>Website:\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://www.chouchousf.com\">www.chouchousf.com\u003c/a>\r\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Winter 2008",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chou Chou: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=860\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=851\">full episode video\u003c/a> |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other ways to watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp306iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/chouchou13.jpg\" alt=\"Petrale Sole with Mushrooms in a Cream Sauce Topped with Frisee Salad\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/chouchou14.jpg\" alt=\"Pate and Charcuterie\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/chouchou18.jpg\" alt=\"Chocolate and Walnut Tart\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nPetrale Sole with Mushrooms in a Cream Sauce Topped with Frisée Salad; Pâté and Charcuterie; Chocolate and Walnut Tart\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/bob-sarlatte.jpg\" alt=\"Bob Sarlatte\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Bob\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Comedian\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Chou Chou\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Chou Chou:\u003c/strong> Monday February 18, 2008\u003cbr>\n\u003cbr clear=\"all\">\u003cbr>\n Chou Chou has become THE favorite hangout for my entire family! It is an ultra charming bistro in the heart of the city with the “feel” of what might be your “clubhouse” if you were living in Paris.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because of my own profession, first impressions and how I am greeted at restaurants and other social gatherings is very important, and the “Front of House” man (maître d’ Nick) does not disappoint. Because we are regulars, we are greeted like family — and more than most of the time — with hugs and Kir Royales as well! There is usually classic French music playing, ranging from Piaf to current Euro-disco sounds. The service is top-rate, yet not intrusive. Fresh and HOT baguettes are delivered on a regular basis to our table. Oh, and we also received a complimentary crab appetizer as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The night we were there, one of my daughters and I had a lovely mushroom soup for an appetizer, my other daughter enjoyed tuna tartare with taro chips. The second courses included a warm goat cheese crottin with baked pears and arugula — fabulous — Scottish salmon with peas, rice pilaf, and an orange citrus beurre blanc, and the aforementioned Petrale sole that I enjoyed!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I inquired about one Sauvignon Blanc, our waiter suggested another, a Westerly, that was excellent. Chou Chou is just such a comfortable place to be, we seem to never want to leave, thus the ordering of a cheese plate with accompanying Sauternes and then another complimentary port brought over by Nick himself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chou Chou is lively, fun, reminiscent of the best neighborhood bistros in Paris, and a place I return to often, mostly with family, but occasionally with friends who marvel at such a place in this neighborhood of the city!\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/emma-logan.jpg\" alt=\"Emma Logan\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Emma\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Human Resources Director\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Bette’s Oceanview Diner\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Chou Chou:\u003c/strong> Wednesday February 20, 2008\u003cbr>\n\u003cbr clear=\"all\">\u003cbr>\nTrekking out to Forest Hill was an adventure, and we were happy to find the restaurant as easily as we did after coming out of the Muni station. We were early but seated immediately; being just after 6 on a Wednesday, the cozy, brightly-colored restaurant wasn’t full, and we chose a seat by the window.\n\u003cp>We ordered a half bottle of wine, the frisée salad, and tuna tartare appetizer to share, and I chose the salmon dish, complete with two of my all-time favorite ingredients: peas and arugula. My guest ordered the flank steak with frites, asparagus, and a shallot pan sauce.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A minute after ordering, the waitress brought out a full bottle of the wine we ordered — we didn’t think about the discrepancy until we saw the bill and realized the mistake — ah, well. The food arrived very quickly, and I fell in love with the frisée salad. It was wonderfully dressed with a super-salty vinaigrette, crispy pancetta, and a poached egg. The tuna tartare, by comparison, was completely without flavor. I wanted to like the addition of cucumber and the sprouts on top in a cleanses-the-palate sort of way, but the whole dish just ended up very bland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our main dishes came out almost too close to the removal of our starter dishes, but the salmon was perfectly cooked. The orange beurre blanc, although initially interesting, ended up tasting more like an experiment than a good flavor combination, and the rice pilaf was chewy, but ultimately I was satisfied with my dinner. The steak was tasty but not write-home-able, and the frites tasty but limp, however the shallot sauce and asparagus were very well-executed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Immediately, the dessert menu was presented, and we chose to share one of the tarts that the restaurant specializes in. The chocolate and walnut tart arrived and we enjoyed both the ganache-style filling of the tart, and the perfect froth of the cappuccinos we had ordered to go with it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The check arrived, and we were out the door on our way home within an hour of setting foot in the restaurant. I appreciate speedy service to a degree, but we did feel a little rushed, and overall, though definitely decent, the quality of food we received did not line up with the price tag.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/patrick-cournoyer.jpg\" alt=\"Patrick Cournoyer\" hspace=\"4\" align=\"left\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Patrick\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> In-Flight Training Manager\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Redwood City\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Stella Alpina Osteria\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Chou Chou:\u003c/strong> Saturday February 23, 2008\u003cbr>\n\u003cbr clear=\"all\">\u003cbr>\nOverall Chou Chou is a good little restaurant. We went for dinner on a stormy Saturday evening. I originally had reservations for Friday night, but had a conflict and had to change them a few days before. When I called, they were very accommodating to the change. When we arrived, parking was very easy (one of the easiest areas in the city to park). When you walk in the restaurant the first thing you notice is the size. It is very small and quaint. The colors on the walls are fun and my date noticed the warm colors on the bottom and cool colors on the top. We were greeted quickly and seated at a two-top near the door (it was a little chilly). It was not very busy with only about five of the tables occupied. (Again, a very stormy evening.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We ordered appetizers and wine to start. The wine list is extensive with many choices in all price ranges. We had wine by the glass so that I could taste a few. The La Violette Viognier was very tasty. I am a huge fan of escargot so the decision for my appetizer was clear. I was going to try the mussels (they looked great!) but the escargot won out. The escargot was good — bright with a lot of citrus flavor. The baguette on the table was a great pairing with the oil from the escargot. The beet and mozzarella salad was not very good. It was very bland with a bizarre texture. I would not recommend it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Right after the appetizers, the owner (Nick) sat down at the open table next to us and welcomed us to the restaurant. He was very friendly and told us about the history of the restaurant and how it was a neighborhood favorite. We felt very welcome. I asked the waiter for some suggestions and appreciated that he was honest about his favorites. On his recommendation I chose the cassoulet. It was served piping hot, and the server cut it open for me at the table: nice touch. There was a lot of flavor in it. The lamb was very lean and tender. The potatoes had a firmness to them which I really liked. This dish has a lot of rosemary in it (choose a different entree if you do not like rosemary).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had done some research on this place before going and they are known for their tarts. I am a chocolate fanatic so, of course ordered the triple chocolate tart. I would definitely recommend it. The decaf cappuccino was a great pair. After a bit more conversation with the owner about the meal — he wanted to know how we liked the meal and was very open to the honest feedback about everything, including the not so great beet and mozzarella salad — he brought over complimentary glasses of Banyuls Domaine de La Tour Vielle Vendages 2002.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Overall this is a good little restaurant. The food is tasty and the wine list is extensive. The service was good and the owner, Nick, knows how to welcome new guests. I would recommend checking this place out. I will definitely be back for another meal.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anchor Oyster Bar & Seafood Market: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=820\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=813\">full episode video\u003c/a> |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other ways to watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp305iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/anchoroysterbar3.jpg\" alt=\"Oysters\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/anchoroysterbar19.jpg\" alt=\"Crab Cakes\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/anchoroysterbar21.jpg\" alt=\"Shellfish Combination\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nOysters, Crab Cakes, Shellfish Combination\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/katie-cronin.jpg\" alt=\"Katie Cronin\" hspace=\"4\" align=\"left\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Katie\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Casting Director\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Anchor Oyster Bar & Seafood Market\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Anchor Oyster Bar & Seafood Market:\u003c/strong> Friday January 25, 2008\u003cbr>\n\u003cbr clear=\"all\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anchor Oyster Bar in the Castro is my favorite neighborhood restaurant. If you want fresh seafood, cooked the way seafood is supposed to be cooked, this is The Place. I’ve been to this restaurant numerous times. Just recently I locked myself out of my apartment and thought, “Oh well, I guess I’m eating at The Anchor Oyster Bar.” It was early, about 5pm, and I sat at the bar and had their delicious clam chowder and a glass of wine and joked with the staff at my fortunate circumstance of being “stuck” in their restaurant. This restaurant feels so warm and cozy in any season. For a small restaurant, it is well designed for eating. There are tables by the window and along the wall, or you can eat at the bar. The lighting at night is soft and welcoming. It is my favorite place to have a long luxurious meal in a comforting atmosphere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> Last Friday I took my very special friend Nancy to The Anchor Oyster Bar for her birthday. We sat at the window watching the rain fall and started with a sampling of all the oysters on the menu with a half bottle of Pinot Grigio. Each variety of mussels tasted like they were farmed that morning. They always ask if you want bread, and unless you are watching your carb intake, I highly recommend their bread, it’s always fresh and crunchy on the outside. They have a board above the bar with all the specials of the day. Right below all the choices of oysters were the cod cakes. I had never had these before, and boy, that was the great find on the menu for me. These cakes were perfect; the outside was lightly fried and the inside tasted light and filling at the same time. How do I describe them? You can taste the fresh fish, but it was so delicate. “Yum” is all I can say; “Yum,” and “I’m going back for the cakes.” We then shared a crab salad with blue cheese dressing. Because it was crab season, it really doesn’t get any better than this, but I have to admit I usually have one of their salads only to top it with their blue cheese dressing, Mmmmm — it’s so good and really tastes like it’s good for you. Well, for your soul anyway.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The pasta of the day was shrimp in a creamy red sauce and I honestly savored every warm creamy bite, it was soooo good. I have had this dish before and am always looking for it on their daily special board. I wish I were eating it right now. We finished the Pinot Grigio, and my friend wanted to try the house white wine, which I had never had due to the fact that I thought I wouldn’t like it. I was wrong. It’s fresh with a light body; perfect with fish. Even though we both were pretty full, I ordered a cup of the clam chowder. I wanted Nancy to try it. She lives near Fishermen’s Wharf and has tried many clam chowders in her neighborhood. Her face lit up when she took her first taste; it’s a perfect clam chowder. Not too creamy with just enough clams and tiny pieces of potatoes. I love it and now she loves it!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’m crazy about this restaurant and I take a lot of pride in it because it’s in my neighborhood. I have come to know most of the waitstaff and the chefs. They are amazing at what they do, real professionals. Oh, and you can buy fresh fish there as well. I have gone down many times to buy the freshest fish you can get at a reasonable, market price. Many times John, the night chef, will give me tips on how to cook whatever fish I have chosen. This restaurant epitomizes why San Francisco is known for its great food! And we San Franciscans know what great food is.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/patrick-redington.jpg\" alt=\"Patrick Redington\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Patrick\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> MBA Student\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Lalime’s Restaurant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Anchor Oyster Bar & Seafood Market:\u003c/strong> Saturday February 2, 2008\u003cbr>\n\u003cbr clear=\"all\">\u003cbr>\nRemember the feelings you get at the end of a great first date? Well, that’s what I was experiencing after my first meal at Anchor Oyster Bar. I was giddy; I was a bit too excited and afraid I was getting carried away; I was trying not to go head over heels; I wondered how long I should wait to call again!\u003cbr>\nAnchor is pretty easy to love. It’s popular and stylish, but not in the least bit stuck up. It’s petite and cute. It does its thing and does it well. It does some everyday things in an adorably different way. It makes you comfortable. It’s cool. It’s got grace and good manners, and you want to introduce it to all of your friends because you know they’ll be impressed. What a catch!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I went to Anchor for an early Saturday dinner with two friends prior to catching a movie at the Castro Theatre’s film noir festival. We ended up staying at the restaurant so long that we had to catch the later movie. We started our meal with glasses of deliciously sweet Pinot Grigio and a sampler of the day’s fresh oysters. The variety of oysters changes frequently, but I doubt the quality does. They were great! Oysters are presented in a round on a nicely chilled bed of rock salt. The drawn butter is gentle enough to allow the subtle flavors of each different oyster to come through. The cocktail sauce had a nice touch: freshly grated horseradish on top. We could already tell this was a special place. One of my friends, who had sworn she would never eat an oyster, actually tried one and liked it! I guess it’s easy to get caught up in the moment with the right company. We were going with the flow and decided to try as many dishes as we could. Next came a revelation dressed as a Caesar salad. This salad is so common now as to be almost pedestrian in most places, but Anchor Oyster Bar makes a great Caesar! The dressing is fresh and creamy without being too heavy. What makes their Caesar a standout is the inclusion of hot croutons. Hot croutons! Who knew? They added a wonderful contrast to the cool and crispy fresh lettuce.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Boston clam chowder was very nice, smooth and velvety. In fact, a dinner of Caesar salad and clam chowder alone would be a great, complete meal at Anchor, but we were enjoying ourselves and were hungry for adventure, so we somehow found room for a few more dishes. The garlic bread was delicious, warm and comforting. The crab cake entrée was good too. I can’t say they were the best I’ve ever had, but they were satisfying with plenty of crab and not too much breading. I guess I can’t say the clam chowder was the world’s best either, but I liked it. I could eat it all the time and not get tired of it. It was just… simply yummy! The mahi mahi was nicely done as well, freshly pan-cooked and buttery without being overpowering. It was a star quality fish dish that would be right at home in any of the Bay Area’s best seafood houses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And finally, I must say a word about the service. It was impeccable and quietly graceful. I wasn’t expecting great service at a small restaurant where almost half the seats are at the bar. What a joy to find such skilled and attentive waitstaff! Our server was very helpful with recommendations and information about the daily specials. Moreover, he was there when we wanted him and wasn’t there when we didn’t. He had that sixth sense that all great waiters have about caring for their guests: a great combination of timing and intuition. We never lacked for wine or food, and felt welcome to enjoy the meal at our own pace, which is quite unusual for a small restaurant with tables in high demand. I was very impressed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anchor Oyster Bar does everything well and does some things extraordinarily well. You can spend as much or as little as you like and walk away satisfied. For great seafood in a casual atmosphere in the Castro, you cannot beat Anchor! Oh, I think I might be getting carried away. I can’t wait to see this place again.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/dan-ross.jpg\" alt=\"Dan Ross\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Dan\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Director of Operations, Test Prep Exams\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Fremont\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Indian Aroma\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Anchor Oyster Bar & Seafood Market:\u003c/strong> Sunday January 27, 2008\u003cbr>\n\u003cbr clear=\"all\">\u003cbr>\n We arrived at the restaurant around 6:30, and we almost missed it due to the filming of \u003cem>Milk\u003c/em>. We ended up waiting 20 minutes for a table in what had to be the worst weather of the week. There were other people waiting as well, so I was convinced this place was good. Stepping in, I found myself transported to a SpongeBob SquarePants episode, as the restaurant looked like the Krabby Patty kingdom and was about the size of my television set. It was tiny inside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We got a nice seat by the window and waited about ten minutes for our first round of bread. I was questioning the service, but then I came to realize there were four people total working in the restaurant! The people at the tables seemed to linger longer than one would in a typical restaurant, but this may have been due to the dumping rain outside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We started with the clam chowder. It was good, but it was not the best I’ve had. It was a bit watery, and there were only a few, small pieces of minced clams present. We added lots of fresh pepper to enhance the flavor, but I still found it lacking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Next up was the crab cake appetizer. These crab cakes were a step up from the clam chowder. They were fried perfectly and the crab was fresh and about an inch and a half thick. They were the best things we had from the dinner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The oyster shooters were a nice surprise. They came in larger shot glasses (about 8 ounces), and the oysters were covered with a spicy Bloody Mary mixture with a lemon wedge and a narrow celery spear. Once they came out, we had a person next to us comment on how appealing they looked. The oysters were quite fresh, and the shooter was a nice complement to the dinner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The last thing we shared was the shellfish combination. This was a large bowl of clams, two types of mussels, and shrimp, all steamed in a white wine sauce. While there were plenty of clams and mussels, there were only two shrimp. Overall, I found this to be hearty, though lacking in flavor. The steaming juice consisted of white wine, fresh Italian parsley, butter, pepper, and garlic. I didn’t really see shallots present, which seem to be a common ingredient in most recipes, and that may account for the lack of substance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All in all, I thought the restaurant to be a good spot to take special out-of-towners, but not for a regular dining experience. One issue that came up was our waiter did not tell us there were specials. Halfway through the meal, I realized that cioppino had been a main dish option, and I was disappointed the waiter did not tell us about this or the other specials.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I found Anchor to be a place to experience, but the price is not for the average Joe looking for seafood. The price and atmosphere seemed to be juxtaposed. I’m eating $11 crab cakes while the dishwasher is four feet from me, throwing dirty dishwater into a ground vent. Not only that, to use the restroom, you have to walk through the kitchen. Walking through, I was tempted to flip some crab cakes as I passed by. You don’t get that sort of experience at any other restaurant I’ve been to, but I’d rather grab some crab at fisherman’s wharf and save a few bucks.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong>\r\n579 Castro Street (at 19th)\r\nSan Francisco, CA 94114\r\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong> 415-431-3990\r\n\u003cstrong>Website:\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://www.anchoroysterbar.com\">www.anchoroysterbar.com\u003c/a>\r\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Winter 2008",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anchor Oyster Bar & Seafood Market: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=820\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=813\">full episode video\u003c/a> |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other ways to watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp305iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/anchoroysterbar3.jpg\" alt=\"Oysters\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/anchoroysterbar19.jpg\" alt=\"Crab Cakes\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/anchoroysterbar21.jpg\" alt=\"Shellfish Combination\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nOysters, Crab Cakes, Shellfish Combination\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/katie-cronin.jpg\" alt=\"Katie Cronin\" hspace=\"4\" align=\"left\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Katie\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Casting Director\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Anchor Oyster Bar & Seafood Market\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Anchor Oyster Bar & Seafood Market:\u003c/strong> Friday January 25, 2008\u003cbr>\n\u003cbr clear=\"all\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anchor Oyster Bar in the Castro is my favorite neighborhood restaurant. If you want fresh seafood, cooked the way seafood is supposed to be cooked, this is The Place. I’ve been to this restaurant numerous times. Just recently I locked myself out of my apartment and thought, “Oh well, I guess I’m eating at The Anchor Oyster Bar.” It was early, about 5pm, and I sat at the bar and had their delicious clam chowder and a glass of wine and joked with the staff at my fortunate circumstance of being “stuck” in their restaurant. This restaurant feels so warm and cozy in any season. For a small restaurant, it is well designed for eating. There are tables by the window and along the wall, or you can eat at the bar. The lighting at night is soft and welcoming. It is my favorite place to have a long luxurious meal in a comforting atmosphere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> Last Friday I took my very special friend Nancy to The Anchor Oyster Bar for her birthday. We sat at the window watching the rain fall and started with a sampling of all the oysters on the menu with a half bottle of Pinot Grigio. Each variety of mussels tasted like they were farmed that morning. They always ask if you want bread, and unless you are watching your carb intake, I highly recommend their bread, it’s always fresh and crunchy on the outside. They have a board above the bar with all the specials of the day. Right below all the choices of oysters were the cod cakes. I had never had these before, and boy, that was the great find on the menu for me. These cakes were perfect; the outside was lightly fried and the inside tasted light and filling at the same time. How do I describe them? You can taste the fresh fish, but it was so delicate. “Yum” is all I can say; “Yum,” and “I’m going back for the cakes.” We then shared a crab salad with blue cheese dressing. Because it was crab season, it really doesn’t get any better than this, but I have to admit I usually have one of their salads only to top it with their blue cheese dressing, Mmmmm — it’s so good and really tastes like it’s good for you. Well, for your soul anyway.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The pasta of the day was shrimp in a creamy red sauce and I honestly savored every warm creamy bite, it was soooo good. I have had this dish before and am always looking for it on their daily special board. I wish I were eating it right now. We finished the Pinot Grigio, and my friend wanted to try the house white wine, which I had never had due to the fact that I thought I wouldn’t like it. I was wrong. It’s fresh with a light body; perfect with fish. Even though we both were pretty full, I ordered a cup of the clam chowder. I wanted Nancy to try it. She lives near Fishermen’s Wharf and has tried many clam chowders in her neighborhood. Her face lit up when she took her first taste; it’s a perfect clam chowder. Not too creamy with just enough clams and tiny pieces of potatoes. I love it and now she loves it!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’m crazy about this restaurant and I take a lot of pride in it because it’s in my neighborhood. I have come to know most of the waitstaff and the chefs. They are amazing at what they do, real professionals. Oh, and you can buy fresh fish there as well. I have gone down many times to buy the freshest fish you can get at a reasonable, market price. Many times John, the night chef, will give me tips on how to cook whatever fish I have chosen. This restaurant epitomizes why San Francisco is known for its great food! And we San Franciscans know what great food is.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/patrick-redington.jpg\" alt=\"Patrick Redington\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Patrick\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> MBA Student\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Lalime’s Restaurant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Anchor Oyster Bar & Seafood Market:\u003c/strong> Saturday February 2, 2008\u003cbr>\n\u003cbr clear=\"all\">\u003cbr>\nRemember the feelings you get at the end of a great first date? Well, that’s what I was experiencing after my first meal at Anchor Oyster Bar. I was giddy; I was a bit too excited and afraid I was getting carried away; I was trying not to go head over heels; I wondered how long I should wait to call again!\u003cbr>\nAnchor is pretty easy to love. It’s popular and stylish, but not in the least bit stuck up. It’s petite and cute. It does its thing and does it well. It does some everyday things in an adorably different way. It makes you comfortable. It’s cool. It’s got grace and good manners, and you want to introduce it to all of your friends because you know they’ll be impressed. What a catch!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I went to Anchor for an early Saturday dinner with two friends prior to catching a movie at the Castro Theatre’s film noir festival. We ended up staying at the restaurant so long that we had to catch the later movie. We started our meal with glasses of deliciously sweet Pinot Grigio and a sampler of the day’s fresh oysters. The variety of oysters changes frequently, but I doubt the quality does. They were great! Oysters are presented in a round on a nicely chilled bed of rock salt. The drawn butter is gentle enough to allow the subtle flavors of each different oyster to come through. The cocktail sauce had a nice touch: freshly grated horseradish on top. We could already tell this was a special place. One of my friends, who had sworn she would never eat an oyster, actually tried one and liked it! I guess it’s easy to get caught up in the moment with the right company. We were going with the flow and decided to try as many dishes as we could. Next came a revelation dressed as a Caesar salad. This salad is so common now as to be almost pedestrian in most places, but Anchor Oyster Bar makes a great Caesar! The dressing is fresh and creamy without being too heavy. What makes their Caesar a standout is the inclusion of hot croutons. Hot croutons! Who knew? They added a wonderful contrast to the cool and crispy fresh lettuce.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Boston clam chowder was very nice, smooth and velvety. In fact, a dinner of Caesar salad and clam chowder alone would be a great, complete meal at Anchor, but we were enjoying ourselves and were hungry for adventure, so we somehow found room for a few more dishes. The garlic bread was delicious, warm and comforting. The crab cake entrée was good too. I can’t say they were the best I’ve ever had, but they were satisfying with plenty of crab and not too much breading. I guess I can’t say the clam chowder was the world’s best either, but I liked it. I could eat it all the time and not get tired of it. It was just… simply yummy! The mahi mahi was nicely done as well, freshly pan-cooked and buttery without being overpowering. It was a star quality fish dish that would be right at home in any of the Bay Area’s best seafood houses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And finally, I must say a word about the service. It was impeccable and quietly graceful. I wasn’t expecting great service at a small restaurant where almost half the seats are at the bar. What a joy to find such skilled and attentive waitstaff! Our server was very helpful with recommendations and information about the daily specials. Moreover, he was there when we wanted him and wasn’t there when we didn’t. He had that sixth sense that all great waiters have about caring for their guests: a great combination of timing and intuition. We never lacked for wine or food, and felt welcome to enjoy the meal at our own pace, which is quite unusual for a small restaurant with tables in high demand. I was very impressed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anchor Oyster Bar does everything well and does some things extraordinarily well. You can spend as much or as little as you like and walk away satisfied. For great seafood in a casual atmosphere in the Castro, you cannot beat Anchor! Oh, I think I might be getting carried away. I can’t wait to see this place again.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/dan-ross.jpg\" alt=\"Dan Ross\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Dan\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Director of Operations, Test Prep Exams\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Fremont\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Indian Aroma\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Anchor Oyster Bar & Seafood Market:\u003c/strong> Sunday January 27, 2008\u003cbr>\n\u003cbr clear=\"all\">\u003cbr>\n We arrived at the restaurant around 6:30, and we almost missed it due to the filming of \u003cem>Milk\u003c/em>. We ended up waiting 20 minutes for a table in what had to be the worst weather of the week. There were other people waiting as well, so I was convinced this place was good. Stepping in, I found myself transported to a SpongeBob SquarePants episode, as the restaurant looked like the Krabby Patty kingdom and was about the size of my television set. It was tiny inside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We got a nice seat by the window and waited about ten minutes for our first round of bread. I was questioning the service, but then I came to realize there were four people total working in the restaurant! The people at the tables seemed to linger longer than one would in a typical restaurant, but this may have been due to the dumping rain outside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We started with the clam chowder. It was good, but it was not the best I’ve had. It was a bit watery, and there were only a few, small pieces of minced clams present. We added lots of fresh pepper to enhance the flavor, but I still found it lacking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Next up was the crab cake appetizer. These crab cakes were a step up from the clam chowder. They were fried perfectly and the crab was fresh and about an inch and a half thick. They were the best things we had from the dinner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The oyster shooters were a nice surprise. They came in larger shot glasses (about 8 ounces), and the oysters were covered with a spicy Bloody Mary mixture with a lemon wedge and a narrow celery spear. Once they came out, we had a person next to us comment on how appealing they looked. The oysters were quite fresh, and the shooter was a nice complement to the dinner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The last thing we shared was the shellfish combination. This was a large bowl of clams, two types of mussels, and shrimp, all steamed in a white wine sauce. While there were plenty of clams and mussels, there were only two shrimp. Overall, I found this to be hearty, though lacking in flavor. The steaming juice consisted of white wine, fresh Italian parsley, butter, pepper, and garlic. I didn’t really see shallots present, which seem to be a common ingredient in most recipes, and that may account for the lack of substance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All in all, I thought the restaurant to be a good spot to take special out-of-towners, but not for a regular dining experience. One issue that came up was our waiter did not tell us there were specials. Halfway through the meal, I realized that cioppino had been a main dish option, and I was disappointed the waiter did not tell us about this or the other specials.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I found Anchor to be a place to experience, but the price is not for the average Joe looking for seafood. The price and atmosphere seemed to be juxtaposed. I’m eating $11 crab cakes while the dishwasher is four feet from me, throwing dirty dishwater into a ground vent. Not only that, to use the restroom, you have to walk through the kitchen. Walking through, I was tempted to flip some crab cakes as I passed by. You don’t get that sort of experience at any other restaurant I’ve been to, but I’d rather grab some crab at fisherman’s wharf and save a few bucks.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lalime’s Restaurant: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=821\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=823\">recipe\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=813\">full episode video\u003c/a> |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other ways to watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp305iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/lalimes17.jpg\" alt=\"Carpaccio of Yellowfin Tuna\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/lalimes20.jpg\" alt=\"Grilled California Yellowtail\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/lalimes24.jpg\" alt=\"Angels Pillows\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nCarpaccio of Yellowfin Tuna, Grilled California Yellowtail, Angel’s Pillows\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/patrick-redington.jpg\" alt=\"Patrick Redington\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Patrick\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> MBA Student\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Lalime’s Restaurant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Lalime’s Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Saturday January 26, 2008\u003cbr>\n\u003cbr clear=\"all\">\u003cbr>\nIt was a dark and stormy night.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>No, really, it was. I was soaked with rain on the short walk from my car to Lalime’s on a Friday evening. It was the kind of ugly Bay Area weekend that makes one want to cuddle up in a comfy house with someone special and forget about the outside world. Lucky for me, that’s just the kind of experience Lalime’s delivers without fail every time I visit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Upon arrival, my lucky dining companion and I were immediately ushered to our table by the gracious hostess. The restaurant was full and vibrant, but not so loud that it detracted from the feeling of intimacy and casual comfort. Our server greeted us soon after we were seated, and for the rest of the evening we were wrapped in the warm embrace of the magical dining experience that is Lalime’s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The best restaurants in the world are those that can, with seeming effortlessness, deliver an experience that transforms every guest’s outlook on the world through the simple act of feeding them. With a sublime combination of memorably impeccable service and dishes that delight not just the taste buds, but also the soul, Lalime’s possesses that intangible sorcery that can turn a cold and wet evening into a warm and wonderful night.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On this particular evening, every course was brilliant and unusual, but seemed somehow as familiar as an old friend. We began with two seafood appetizers. The Dungeness crab salad combined deliciously crunchy lettuces with a peppery bite and perfect buttery bits of sweet crab. The textures meshed well together with bits of avocado-topped toast. We also shared the carpaccio of yellowfin tuna, which was such a thrill! While tuna carpaccio is perhaps one of the most overdone dishes in American restaurants these days, I’ve never had one that tasted quite like this. The secret to this dish is truly in the sauce, an arugula vinaigrette drizzled ever so lightly atop the fish, which is then sprinkled with edamame. The chef’s delicate touch could have easily been overwrought; too much dressing or too many edamame, and the meaty satisfaction of the fish could have been drowned out. As it was presented, however, these ingredients perfectly complemented each other and added to the sense of freshness that one demands in a seafood carpaccio. It was a great way to start the meal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our main courses took us deeper into the bliss that great dining can be. Grilled Eel River grass-fed NY steak with mashed potatoes and red wine jus was earthy and solid, true comfort food; but the roast rack of lamb with Meyer lemon confit, couscous, and pine nuts was out of this world! Every bit of flavor was exciting to taste, either on its own or as a “combo bite” with all the other ingredients. The lamb was succulent and tender, and the citrus flavors sang together like a choir of angels. It deserves a standing ovation. That is exactly the type of dish one should come to Lalime’s to experience. With an ever-changing menu, I can’t promise it will be available the following week, but I can guarantee you that something deeply satisfying will take its place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A word now about the wine list: I think Lalime’s wine list is great. It’s not overpriced, nor so long as to be daunting. One can certainly find a wine that perfectly complements the food and not feel frightened by the price tag. Most wines seem to fall in the $30-50 range. We shared a bottle of Brown Estate Zinfandel ($63), which brought out the fruity flavors in the lamb quite nicely. Then, all too soon, the bottle was empty, and our plates were, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But we did find room for a bit of dessert. The Noisette was greatly satisfying for my chocaholic date, but I preferred the Angel’s Pillows. It was like four lightly sweet cheese ravioli, topped with a richly satisfying blueberry sauce. It was served just slightly warm and was a soothing and fresh way to end the meal, especially when washed down with a bit of Taylor Fladgate port.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I don’t think it’s too much to say that Lalime’s is a magical place because, like a great magician, the chef and staff at Lalime’s and even its unsuspecting street front locale have mastered the art of surprise in a way that delights and amazes the senses. Every dish seems sprinkled with a bit of mood-enhancing mystery. And I swear, they may be cooking up something even more powerful in the kitchen than the food… they might control the weather, too. Because as we left the restaurant, the last drops of rain ceased falling from the sky, and I felt warm, dry, and cozy all night long. I’m not entirely sure the magicians in the kitchen didn’t have something to do with that, either.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/dan-ross.jpg\" alt=\"Dan Ross\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Dan\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Director of Operations, Test Prep Exams\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Fremont\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Indian Aroma\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Lalime’s Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Sunday February 3, 2008\u003cbr>\n\u003cbr clear=\"all\">\u003cbr>\nWe arrived in Berkeley/Albany around 6:45, and the streets were quiet. Lalime’s is situated in a nice neighborhood with little shops and cottage homes. A large picture window-front framed the restaurant from the sidewalk giving passers-by a glimpse of the linen-tablecloth life. It looked very inviting with orchids modeling on tables and snazzy waiters and bussers eager to assist, and fixtures straight from Restoration Hardware.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We made a reservation, but for that night, it was not necessary. Three were plenty of empty tables. The hostess was warm and inviting, and we were seated immediately. A half-loaf of fresh, crusty bread and butter found its way to our table.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We started with the carpaccio of yellowfin tuna. It was a delightful, rather large-slice of yellowfin with arugula vinaigrette, edemame, and sesame crisps. I found it to be very good and the lemon wedge that came on the plate took away any sense of fishiness. We saved some of the bread for the carpaccio, which was a solid move on our part. Sipping my beer, the restaurant evoked years to come. I think we were the youngest people in there and the air of sophistication was palpable. No regard for the Super Bowl, just a nice dinner. You got a good sense of the true foodies who come to enjoy Lalime’s. Come dressed for a nice dinner and some good eavesdropping.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For our entrees, we have the seafood stew and the grilled yellowtail (do you sense a theme?) I thought the seafood stew once one of the best I’ve ever had! I had a wonderfully bold seafood broth displaced by large shrimp, mussels, and rockfish. The dish also came with a toasted piece of bread, which held up nicely in the broth. The other dish was the grilled yellowtail (seared medium-rare) over a bed of lentils and flanked by roasted fennel. Topping off the fish was a blood orange sauce and thinly sliced fennel. We both thought the fish was excellent and cooked perfectly. It was a good hunk of tuna and could easily be shared by two people. As a side dish, we shared the white beans with the dinosaur kale. I would have liked to see more kale and fewer beans. The beans were cooked nicely and the buttery beans went well with the fish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For desert, we shared the apple chausson. This was an awesome dessert and the portion was monstrous! I noticed the person next to us ordered the same dessert, but it lacked size. It came on a large rectangular plate with a pastry turnover crowned with vanilla ice cream and surrounded by flambéed Fuji apples. I found the pastry to be a bit salty, but other than that, it was a great dessert.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All in all, I found the experience to be quite enjoyable. The food was good and one would expect that with the price. This is not a cheap place, but if you were going for an anniversary dinner or a parent’s birthday, I would recommend this place. The price reflects the service, food and atmosphere. For the money, I would expect nothing else and Lalime’s was solid on all accounts.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/katie-cronin.jpg\" alt=\"Katie Cronin\" hspace=\"4\" align=\"left\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Katie\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Casting Director\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Anchor Oyster Bar & Seafood Market\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Lalime’s Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Wednesday February 6, 2008\u003cbr>\n\u003cbr clear=\"all\">\u003cbr>\n Lalime’s is a welcoming, beautifully lit restaurant in a charming neighborhood in Berkeley. I wanted to fall in love with this restaurant, and as we walked in, I was instantly wishing it was in my neighborhood. Unfortunately, my food experience failed with each dish. I hate that feeling of going to a nice restaurant and walking out feeling I had made the wrong decisions on what I ordered, as if it were up to me to know what to order and what not to order. This, of course, makes you a little angry on your way home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I invited my partner, Patricia, to a dinner at Lalime’s on a Wednesday night. The hostess and our waitress were attentive and welcoming and yet we felt rushed. What was the reason for that? It was a Wednesday night at 7:00, it wasn’t necessarily busy. As we ordered our first glass of wine, our waitress informed us that if we were ordering a cassoulet there was a 35-minute wait on that. Again, what was the hurry? I started out with the onion soup with Gruyère toast, and Patricia had a salad with blue cheese dressing. Her salad was fantastic. It was another cold night, and I wanted hot soup to warm me up. There was no broth in this soup. It was a piece of bread with cheese on it surrounded by pureed onions. My first thought was, “Is this how it’s served in France?” I’ve never been there; maybe this is how it’s done. The onions tasted very good, but I really wanted some soup.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Within minutes of our soup and salad dishes being removed from our table, our main dishes were served, mine being the duck cassoulet. The 35-minute dish arrived 20 minutes after ordering it from the waitress. Both Patricia and I were wondering why they served it so quickly, we would have loved a little break and possibly ordered more wine. Patricia’s a vegetarian and was going to side dishes for her meal, but the waitress strongly recommended that she order the one veggie dinner item. Patricia did order the one item, crêpes with mushrooms. She loved it, instantly giving it the thumbs up. My cassoulet at the beginning was very good. There was a slight broth to it, which helped satisfy my broth craving, and the flavor was delicious along with the white beans. My surprise was biting into the duck and it was COLD! It was cold, and I couldn’t believe it. I had to send it back. While we were waiting, Patricia ate her meal. I could tell she was trying to stretch it out, but I encouraged her to eat it while it was still warm. After about 12 minutes or so, my cassoulet came back and not only was the duck warm, but the cassoulet itself was dry; it was like mush. I was so disappointed and I believe that is when I gave up. I ate most of it because I was hungry and then after putting my fork down, I discovered that I was thirsty from all of the salt in the dish. So salty in fact that I wasn’t interested in the beautiful looking desserts going by. I just wanted to drink a glass of water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After returning home I reflected upon my experience at Lalime’s. I thought about how there really wasn’t any fun in going to this restaurant. Although it is a very nice looking place and people are very nice, there wasn’t any character there. It is a neighborhood restaurant and yet I didn’t feel anything very special about this place except nice lighting and fancy food. It was disturbingly quiet to the point where we could hear conversations right next to us. Maybe they need some music or a piano player? Something to give it some character, something special, because to me it wasn’t in the food. Would I go back? Probably not. I choose restaurants carefully and look at them almost as an investment. An investment of my time and money. I would not invest my time or money into Lalime’s. My advice to those of you who go is to be careful what you order.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong>\r\n1329 Gilman Street\r\nBerkeley, CA 94706\r\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong> 510-527-9838\r\n\u003cstrong>Website:\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://www.lalimes.com\">www.lalimes.com\u003c/a>\r\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Winter 2008",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lalime’s Restaurant: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=821\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=823\">recipe\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=813\">full episode video\u003c/a> |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other ways to watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp305iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/lalimes17.jpg\" alt=\"Carpaccio of Yellowfin Tuna\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/lalimes20.jpg\" alt=\"Grilled California Yellowtail\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/lalimes24.jpg\" alt=\"Angels Pillows\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nCarpaccio of Yellowfin Tuna, Grilled California Yellowtail, Angel’s Pillows\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/patrick-redington.jpg\" alt=\"Patrick Redington\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Patrick\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> MBA Student\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Lalime’s Restaurant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Lalime’s Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Saturday January 26, 2008\u003cbr>\n\u003cbr clear=\"all\">\u003cbr>\nIt was a dark and stormy night.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>No, really, it was. I was soaked with rain on the short walk from my car to Lalime’s on a Friday evening. It was the kind of ugly Bay Area weekend that makes one want to cuddle up in a comfy house with someone special and forget about the outside world. Lucky for me, that’s just the kind of experience Lalime’s delivers without fail every time I visit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Upon arrival, my lucky dining companion and I were immediately ushered to our table by the gracious hostess. The restaurant was full and vibrant, but not so loud that it detracted from the feeling of intimacy and casual comfort. Our server greeted us soon after we were seated, and for the rest of the evening we were wrapped in the warm embrace of the magical dining experience that is Lalime’s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The best restaurants in the world are those that can, with seeming effortlessness, deliver an experience that transforms every guest’s outlook on the world through the simple act of feeding them. With a sublime combination of memorably impeccable service and dishes that delight not just the taste buds, but also the soul, Lalime’s possesses that intangible sorcery that can turn a cold and wet evening into a warm and wonderful night.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On this particular evening, every course was brilliant and unusual, but seemed somehow as familiar as an old friend. We began with two seafood appetizers. The Dungeness crab salad combined deliciously crunchy lettuces with a peppery bite and perfect buttery bits of sweet crab. The textures meshed well together with bits of avocado-topped toast. We also shared the carpaccio of yellowfin tuna, which was such a thrill! While tuna carpaccio is perhaps one of the most overdone dishes in American restaurants these days, I’ve never had one that tasted quite like this. The secret to this dish is truly in the sauce, an arugula vinaigrette drizzled ever so lightly atop the fish, which is then sprinkled with edamame. The chef’s delicate touch could have easily been overwrought; too much dressing or too many edamame, and the meaty satisfaction of the fish could have been drowned out. As it was presented, however, these ingredients perfectly complemented each other and added to the sense of freshness that one demands in a seafood carpaccio. It was a great way to start the meal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our main courses took us deeper into the bliss that great dining can be. Grilled Eel River grass-fed NY steak with mashed potatoes and red wine jus was earthy and solid, true comfort food; but the roast rack of lamb with Meyer lemon confit, couscous, and pine nuts was out of this world! Every bit of flavor was exciting to taste, either on its own or as a “combo bite” with all the other ingredients. The lamb was succulent and tender, and the citrus flavors sang together like a choir of angels. It deserves a standing ovation. That is exactly the type of dish one should come to Lalime’s to experience. With an ever-changing menu, I can’t promise it will be available the following week, but I can guarantee you that something deeply satisfying will take its place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A word now about the wine list: I think Lalime’s wine list is great. It’s not overpriced, nor so long as to be daunting. One can certainly find a wine that perfectly complements the food and not feel frightened by the price tag. Most wines seem to fall in the $30-50 range. We shared a bottle of Brown Estate Zinfandel ($63), which brought out the fruity flavors in the lamb quite nicely. Then, all too soon, the bottle was empty, and our plates were, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But we did find room for a bit of dessert. The Noisette was greatly satisfying for my chocaholic date, but I preferred the Angel’s Pillows. It was like four lightly sweet cheese ravioli, topped with a richly satisfying blueberry sauce. It was served just slightly warm and was a soothing and fresh way to end the meal, especially when washed down with a bit of Taylor Fladgate port.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I don’t think it’s too much to say that Lalime’s is a magical place because, like a great magician, the chef and staff at Lalime’s and even its unsuspecting street front locale have mastered the art of surprise in a way that delights and amazes the senses. Every dish seems sprinkled with a bit of mood-enhancing mystery. And I swear, they may be cooking up something even more powerful in the kitchen than the food… they might control the weather, too. Because as we left the restaurant, the last drops of rain ceased falling from the sky, and I felt warm, dry, and cozy all night long. I’m not entirely sure the magicians in the kitchen didn’t have something to do with that, either.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/dan-ross.jpg\" alt=\"Dan Ross\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Dan\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Director of Operations, Test Prep Exams\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Fremont\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Indian Aroma\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Lalime’s Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Sunday February 3, 2008\u003cbr>\n\u003cbr clear=\"all\">\u003cbr>\nWe arrived in Berkeley/Albany around 6:45, and the streets were quiet. Lalime’s is situated in a nice neighborhood with little shops and cottage homes. A large picture window-front framed the restaurant from the sidewalk giving passers-by a glimpse of the linen-tablecloth life. It looked very inviting with orchids modeling on tables and snazzy waiters and bussers eager to assist, and fixtures straight from Restoration Hardware.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We made a reservation, but for that night, it was not necessary. Three were plenty of empty tables. The hostess was warm and inviting, and we were seated immediately. A half-loaf of fresh, crusty bread and butter found its way to our table.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We started with the carpaccio of yellowfin tuna. It was a delightful, rather large-slice of yellowfin with arugula vinaigrette, edemame, and sesame crisps. I found it to be very good and the lemon wedge that came on the plate took away any sense of fishiness. We saved some of the bread for the carpaccio, which was a solid move on our part. Sipping my beer, the restaurant evoked years to come. I think we were the youngest people in there and the air of sophistication was palpable. No regard for the Super Bowl, just a nice dinner. You got a good sense of the true foodies who come to enjoy Lalime’s. Come dressed for a nice dinner and some good eavesdropping.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For our entrees, we have the seafood stew and the grilled yellowtail (do you sense a theme?) I thought the seafood stew once one of the best I’ve ever had! I had a wonderfully bold seafood broth displaced by large shrimp, mussels, and rockfish. The dish also came with a toasted piece of bread, which held up nicely in the broth. The other dish was the grilled yellowtail (seared medium-rare) over a bed of lentils and flanked by roasted fennel. Topping off the fish was a blood orange sauce and thinly sliced fennel. We both thought the fish was excellent and cooked perfectly. It was a good hunk of tuna and could easily be shared by two people. As a side dish, we shared the white beans with the dinosaur kale. I would have liked to see more kale and fewer beans. The beans were cooked nicely and the buttery beans went well with the fish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For desert, we shared the apple chausson. This was an awesome dessert and the portion was monstrous! I noticed the person next to us ordered the same dessert, but it lacked size. It came on a large rectangular plate with a pastry turnover crowned with vanilla ice cream and surrounded by flambéed Fuji apples. I found the pastry to be a bit salty, but other than that, it was a great dessert.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All in all, I found the experience to be quite enjoyable. The food was good and one would expect that with the price. This is not a cheap place, but if you were going for an anniversary dinner or a parent’s birthday, I would recommend this place. The price reflects the service, food and atmosphere. For the money, I would expect nothing else and Lalime’s was solid on all accounts.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/katie-cronin.jpg\" alt=\"Katie Cronin\" hspace=\"4\" align=\"left\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Katie\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Casting Director\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Anchor Oyster Bar & Seafood Market\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Lalime’s Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Wednesday February 6, 2008\u003cbr>\n\u003cbr clear=\"all\">\u003cbr>\n Lalime’s is a welcoming, beautifully lit restaurant in a charming neighborhood in Berkeley. I wanted to fall in love with this restaurant, and as we walked in, I was instantly wishing it was in my neighborhood. Unfortunately, my food experience failed with each dish. I hate that feeling of going to a nice restaurant and walking out feeling I had made the wrong decisions on what I ordered, as if it were up to me to know what to order and what not to order. This, of course, makes you a little angry on your way home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I invited my partner, Patricia, to a dinner at Lalime’s on a Wednesday night. The hostess and our waitress were attentive and welcoming and yet we felt rushed. What was the reason for that? It was a Wednesday night at 7:00, it wasn’t necessarily busy. As we ordered our first glass of wine, our waitress informed us that if we were ordering a cassoulet there was a 35-minute wait on that. Again, what was the hurry? I started out with the onion soup with Gruyère toast, and Patricia had a salad with blue cheese dressing. Her salad was fantastic. It was another cold night, and I wanted hot soup to warm me up. There was no broth in this soup. It was a piece of bread with cheese on it surrounded by pureed onions. My first thought was, “Is this how it’s served in France?” I’ve never been there; maybe this is how it’s done. The onions tasted very good, but I really wanted some soup.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Within minutes of our soup and salad dishes being removed from our table, our main dishes were served, mine being the duck cassoulet. The 35-minute dish arrived 20 minutes after ordering it from the waitress. Both Patricia and I were wondering why they served it so quickly, we would have loved a little break and possibly ordered more wine. Patricia’s a vegetarian and was going to side dishes for her meal, but the waitress strongly recommended that she order the one veggie dinner item. Patricia did order the one item, crêpes with mushrooms. She loved it, instantly giving it the thumbs up. My cassoulet at the beginning was very good. There was a slight broth to it, which helped satisfy my broth craving, and the flavor was delicious along with the white beans. My surprise was biting into the duck and it was COLD! It was cold, and I couldn’t believe it. I had to send it back. While we were waiting, Patricia ate her meal. I could tell she was trying to stretch it out, but I encouraged her to eat it while it was still warm. After about 12 minutes or so, my cassoulet came back and not only was the duck warm, but the cassoulet itself was dry; it was like mush. I was so disappointed and I believe that is when I gave up. I ate most of it because I was hungry and then after putting my fork down, I discovered that I was thirsty from all of the salt in the dish. So salty in fact that I wasn’t interested in the beautiful looking desserts going by. I just wanted to drink a glass of water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After returning home I reflected upon my experience at Lalime’s. I thought about how there really wasn’t any fun in going to this restaurant. Although it is a very nice looking place and people are very nice, there wasn’t any character there. It is a neighborhood restaurant and yet I didn’t feel anything very special about this place except nice lighting and fancy food. It was disturbingly quiet to the point where we could hear conversations right next to us. Maybe they need some music or a piano player? Something to give it some character, something special, because to me it wasn’t in the food. Would I go back? Probably not. I choose restaurants carefully and look at them almost as an investment. An investment of my time and money. I would not invest my time or money into Lalime’s. My advice to those of you who go is to be careful what you order.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Indian Aroma: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=822\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=813\">full episode video\u003c/a> |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other ways to watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp305iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/indianaroma15.jpg\" alt=\"Chicken Tikka Masala\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/indianaroma21.jpg\" alt=\"Vegetable Samosa\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/indianaroma20.jpg\" alt=\"Chana Masala\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nChicken Tikka Masala, Vegetable Samosa, Chana Masala\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/dan-ross.jpg\" alt=\"Dan Ross\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Dan\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Director of Operations, Test Prep Exams\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Fremont\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Indian Aroma\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Indian Aroma:\u003c/strong> Thursday January 31, 2008\u003cbr>\n\u003cbr clear=\"all\">\u003cbr>\nWe were at the restaurant, and just like ever other time I’ve been there, the place was pretty quiet. There was a spattering of couples dining in the small dining room, but it appeared like more because of the large mirrors flanking the walls. Tulu, our usual waiter, recognized my girlfriend and me, and gave us our choice of seats. He knew I liked the Flying Horse lager and brought one out for me and brought my girlfriend a large glass of wine. He also gave us some pappadam for no charge as an appetizer! These are light lentil wafers that come with two types of chutney. This was an excellent way to start off the meal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The air smelled great in the restaurant, and instantly I knew it was the fresh naan coming out of the tandoor oven. From our seat, we could see the small kitchen, which had finely grilled tandoori chicken hanging in plain sight. This is served typically as an appetizer and consists of a plateful of tandoori chicken chunks, marinated to perfection and garnished with freshly sliced onions. That is my usual pick for dinner, but we went with something different.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We went with a special dish, which is not on the menu, but Tulu has the kitchen make it for us when we request it. It’s as okra aloo, a take on their okra bhaji which consists of nicely crisp and tender slices of okra in a mix of onions, tomatoes, and herbs with perfectly cooked potatoes. I think this may be my favorite dish and I lobby quite hard to get it on the menu. Along with this, we get the best naan you’ll find in the city: Indian Aroma’s garlic naan. The naan is light, fluffy, and crispy with the perfect brushing of garlic and butter. The slightly charred edges are excellent for dipping with our next main dish, fish tikka masala. We’ve had the king prawn tikka in the past which comes with a good number of large prawn slathered in the same great masala sauce. On the side, we had some plain basmati rice. I don’t know how they do it, but the rice is so fluffy and non-clumpy. It makes for great leftovers, if you can stand to not eat it all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This was the first time I’ve had the fish tikka, and I thought it was awesome! The nice, light, white fish was perfectly cooked first in a clay oven and then added to the masala sauce. Slightly sweet and spicy, I could drink a cup of this Bengali-style sauce with no problem at all. The dish came in a handsome iron bowl and we had enough for the two of to share and we even had leftovers to boot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All in all, I recommended this restaurant because I think it’s the best place to have a nice dinner with friends for the value, vibe, and service. They are very accommodating and are willing to answer any questions you may have about the food. I have never had a bad dish or experience here. Parking can be rough, though, due to the neighborhood. The food is simplistic by design, yet packed with flavor, and when you couple that with a large selection of meat, seafood, and vegetarian fare, this is the place you need to go to for a large group or just a few friends to have dinner and feel like you’re at home. It’s in the heart of the action on Polk St. and is a great starting point for an awesome night out.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/katie-cronin.jpg\" alt=\"Katie Cronin\" hspace=\"4\" align=\"left\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Katie\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Casting Director\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Anchor Oyster Bar & Seafood Market\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Indian Aroma:\u003c/strong> Wednesday January 30, 2008\u003cbr>\n\u003cbr clear=\"all\">\u003cbr>\n Four friends and I ate at Indian Aroma Restaurant last night. I don’t feel like an “expert” when it comes to Indian food, so it was helpful to bring along friends who love Indian food, and one friend has spent a lot of time in India. For the most part, this restaurant is a great find, especially for the price.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> It was probably one of the coldest nights of the year so we chose a table more towards the back of the kitchen. It’s a small restaurant, but we had no problem getting a table for the five of us, and the waitstaff was nothing but sweet and attentive. I appreciated that the five of us could easily have a conversation without yelling over music or sitting at tables that were too close together. This is a great restaurant to meet up with friends and have some fun. We started out with cold Indian beers and the mixed vegetarian appetizer; which consists of samosas, vegetable fritters, and dal puri. The samosas were fantastic! Probably the best I’ve ever had. The crust was flaky and tasty and the potatoes inside were creamy and flavorful. The other two fried items tasted just like fried dough to me. I could not taste much of anything other than wasted calories, although my girlfriend, Patricia, loved the vegetable fritters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We ordered heavy on the vegetables. The chana masala was perfect, great sauce and great chickpeas. The began aloo (eggplant) was mushy with no flavor and after everyone had one taste, it sat there for the rest of the meal. I personally didn’t care for the saag paneer (spinach dish), I thought it was too milky, but other people at the table liked it. My favorite of the vegetables was the Kashmiri vegetable korma. I didn’t do any of the ordering and I’m sure I asked my friends at least three times what it was I was eating. The vegetables were perfectly cooked, the green beans still had a bit of snap to them. The sauce was a light cream sauce with a mild flavor that didn’t overwhelming the vegetables. I think I grabbed the last couple of spoonfuls of it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our only non-veggie item was the chicken tikka masala, and I LOVE this dish. I might not know much about Indian food, but I do know, “I LOVE me some chicken tikka masala.” It’s one of my favorite dishes, and I was not disappointed. This dish alone will bring me back to Indian Aroma restaurant. It was perfect. Sauce: perfect. Chicken: perfect. We loved it so much that instead of ordering another non-veg item we ordered another plate of it after our first taste. It was sooooo good.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yes, we had nan: garlic, onion, and plain. The nan was good, but I have had better. The rice was good. The mango chutney was adequate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So, my friends, would I go back to Indian Aroma Restaurant? Yes! I would go back for the chicken tikka masala and the Kashmiri vegetable korma…very good stuff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The level of service for the prices (attention to detail about taking the plates, silver bowls, asking if it was ok to take the plates away, not rushing us out) was pretty spectacular. The décor was unpretentious and very clean and the cloth napkins were a nice touch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We were please to find that they deliver. Although we all had such a good time and the waitstaff was welcoming, the smoke from the kitchen was a little intense and after leaving the restaurant, our eyes were irritated. My friend Amy believes it was the tandoori oven, and that that’s a good sign….next time we’ll sit near the door.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/patrick-redington.jpg\" alt=\"Patrick Redington\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Patrick\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> MBA Student\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Lalime’s Restaurant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Indian Aroma:\u003c/strong> Friday February 1, 2008\u003cbr>\n\u003cbr clear=\"all\">\u003cbr>\nOn the cover of the menu of this hole in the wall Indian joint on Polk street, one finds the following text: “Indian Aroma Restaurant. Aroma of India. Also known as and doing business as Scenic India Restaurant.” When even the name of a place is hard to figure out, it follows that their food might be just as confusing. In the case of, well, let’s call it “Scenic Aroma,” confusion seems to be the main ingredient in everything.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I went out with three friends on a Friday night for what I hoped would be a nicely priced casual Indian meal. At Scenic Aroma, I was sorely disappointed by the food quality, service, and overall value. The best thing I can say about any of the dishes is that some were just fine. Others were an affront to the art of cooking, and some were even downright frightening. Then there are all the dishes I wish I could review, because we ordered them, but they never appeared (except on the bill). On the plus side, I didn’t get sick.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We started with two orders of vegetable samosas. They weren’t half bad, but not at all memorable. No, I take that back; they were memorable because they actually arrived on the table without much delay. Also, they didn’t inspire the slightest bit of terror within any of us, which was a pretty good sign. We also ordered a chutney and raita, but those never appeared. One of my friends had heard that the place served decent breads, so we each ordered a different type to have with our main courses. Unfortunately, only two of the breads ever made it out of the kitchen. The plain nan was not among them, nor was the onion kulcha. We did receive our garlic nan and keema nan, unfortunately.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The garlic nan was a pungent bread, full of “scenic aroma” and nearly overflowing with mashed cloves of barely cooked, possibly raw garlic. The best thing I can say about it is that all of us agreed there must not be any vampires working in the kitchen, because there was surely enough garlic in there to scare them away. That was an important piece of information, it turns out, because the keema nan was downright scary. From beneath the perforations in an otherwise perfectly respectable piece of flatbread, a red fluid oozed out creepily. When we tore into the bread, feeling a bit like hyenas at a kill, we took pause. The “minced” lamb inside was in fact thinly sliced strips of some sort of flesh, covered in this red sauce. A vigorous debate ensued over whether the sauce was blood or just red dye #5. After the garlic nan, however, we decided it must simply be food coloring, but we weren’t sure the meat was actually lamb.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After a while, and then another while, and another round of some decent Kingfisher Beer, our main courses arrived. The lamb vindaloo was ordered “spicy,” but came out mild. It was utterly unimaginative, and we nibbled at it dispassionately. The chana masala was quite easy on the palate and was perhaps the best thing on the menu, if you don’t count the beer. It was kind of refreshing, but in a creepy way, like how you wouldn’t mind the drunken old lady sitting next to you on BART if the alternative was to be handcuffed to Joan Rivers. The sag paneer wasn’t so bad either, but when “inoffensive” counts as a positive attribute, you know your dinner wasn’t so great. Our last dish was the most confusing of all: tandoori mixed grill. At $14.95, this is the most expensive dish on the menu and should consist of five meats. We counted only four, however: bright red funny chewy meat, pink tough meat, grayish rubber sausage-like meat, and cardboard-colored meat. I don’t think it included shrimp. It was lovingly presented as a giant pile of indistinguishable mess on a big plain plate. We spent about five minutes trying to decide what was what on the plate. We never agreed on any of them, except that the one we all thought was chicken didn’t actually taste like chicken. We picked it over for a while but left about half of it sitting there, untouched and staring at us. We felt bad for the poor creatures that wound up in that dish. We considered becoming vegetarians.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then it was time to leave, so we could go home and wash off the mystifying scent of Indian Aroma. However, there was the matter of the check. All the dishes we had ordered but never received were still on our final bill. I managed to argue enough to get the raita and chutney removed from our tab, but I didn’t want to push it. I was afraid I might end up in the keema nan if I upset the chef.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’m a fan of Indian food and I’ve been to several great Indian restaurants in the Bay Area (Ajanta, in Berkeley, ranks right up there with the best). But after eating at Indian Aroma, I’m going to have to lay off Indian for a while. That terrible experience just lingers in my memory like a nightmare. If you love Indian food, do yourself a favor and don’t go to Scenic India, er, Indian Aroma, er, anything known as and “doing business as” Aroma of India.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Indian Aroma: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=822\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=813\">full episode video\u003c/a> |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other ways to watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp305iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/indianaroma15.jpg\" alt=\"Chicken Tikka Masala\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/indianaroma21.jpg\" alt=\"Vegetable Samosa\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/indianaroma20.jpg\" alt=\"Chana Masala\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nChicken Tikka Masala, Vegetable Samosa, Chana Masala\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/dan-ross.jpg\" alt=\"Dan Ross\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Dan\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Director of Operations, Test Prep Exams\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Fremont\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Indian Aroma\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Indian Aroma:\u003c/strong> Thursday January 31, 2008\u003cbr>\n\u003cbr clear=\"all\">\u003cbr>\nWe were at the restaurant, and just like ever other time I’ve been there, the place was pretty quiet. There was a spattering of couples dining in the small dining room, but it appeared like more because of the large mirrors flanking the walls. Tulu, our usual waiter, recognized my girlfriend and me, and gave us our choice of seats. He knew I liked the Flying Horse lager and brought one out for me and brought my girlfriend a large glass of wine. He also gave us some pappadam for no charge as an appetizer! These are light lentil wafers that come with two types of chutney. This was an excellent way to start off the meal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The air smelled great in the restaurant, and instantly I knew it was the fresh naan coming out of the tandoor oven. From our seat, we could see the small kitchen, which had finely grilled tandoori chicken hanging in plain sight. This is served typically as an appetizer and consists of a plateful of tandoori chicken chunks, marinated to perfection and garnished with freshly sliced onions. That is my usual pick for dinner, but we went with something different.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We went with a special dish, which is not on the menu, but Tulu has the kitchen make it for us when we request it. It’s as okra aloo, a take on their okra bhaji which consists of nicely crisp and tender slices of okra in a mix of onions, tomatoes, and herbs with perfectly cooked potatoes. I think this may be my favorite dish and I lobby quite hard to get it on the menu. Along with this, we get the best naan you’ll find in the city: Indian Aroma’s garlic naan. The naan is light, fluffy, and crispy with the perfect brushing of garlic and butter. The slightly charred edges are excellent for dipping with our next main dish, fish tikka masala. We’ve had the king prawn tikka in the past which comes with a good number of large prawn slathered in the same great masala sauce. On the side, we had some plain basmati rice. I don’t know how they do it, but the rice is so fluffy and non-clumpy. It makes for great leftovers, if you can stand to not eat it all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This was the first time I’ve had the fish tikka, and I thought it was awesome! The nice, light, white fish was perfectly cooked first in a clay oven and then added to the masala sauce. Slightly sweet and spicy, I could drink a cup of this Bengali-style sauce with no problem at all. The dish came in a handsome iron bowl and we had enough for the two of to share and we even had leftovers to boot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All in all, I recommended this restaurant because I think it’s the best place to have a nice dinner with friends for the value, vibe, and service. They are very accommodating and are willing to answer any questions you may have about the food. I have never had a bad dish or experience here. Parking can be rough, though, due to the neighborhood. The food is simplistic by design, yet packed with flavor, and when you couple that with a large selection of meat, seafood, and vegetarian fare, this is the place you need to go to for a large group or just a few friends to have dinner and feel like you’re at home. It’s in the heart of the action on Polk St. and is a great starting point for an awesome night out.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/katie-cronin.jpg\" alt=\"Katie Cronin\" hspace=\"4\" align=\"left\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Katie\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Casting Director\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Anchor Oyster Bar & Seafood Market\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Indian Aroma:\u003c/strong> Wednesday January 30, 2008\u003cbr>\n\u003cbr clear=\"all\">\u003cbr>\n Four friends and I ate at Indian Aroma Restaurant last night. I don’t feel like an “expert” when it comes to Indian food, so it was helpful to bring along friends who love Indian food, and one friend has spent a lot of time in India. For the most part, this restaurant is a great find, especially for the price.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> It was probably one of the coldest nights of the year so we chose a table more towards the back of the kitchen. It’s a small restaurant, but we had no problem getting a table for the five of us, and the waitstaff was nothing but sweet and attentive. I appreciated that the five of us could easily have a conversation without yelling over music or sitting at tables that were too close together. This is a great restaurant to meet up with friends and have some fun. We started out with cold Indian beers and the mixed vegetarian appetizer; which consists of samosas, vegetable fritters, and dal puri. The samosas were fantastic! Probably the best I’ve ever had. The crust was flaky and tasty and the potatoes inside were creamy and flavorful. The other two fried items tasted just like fried dough to me. I could not taste much of anything other than wasted calories, although my girlfriend, Patricia, loved the vegetable fritters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We ordered heavy on the vegetables. The chana masala was perfect, great sauce and great chickpeas. The began aloo (eggplant) was mushy with no flavor and after everyone had one taste, it sat there for the rest of the meal. I personally didn’t care for the saag paneer (spinach dish), I thought it was too milky, but other people at the table liked it. My favorite of the vegetables was the Kashmiri vegetable korma. I didn’t do any of the ordering and I’m sure I asked my friends at least three times what it was I was eating. The vegetables were perfectly cooked, the green beans still had a bit of snap to them. The sauce was a light cream sauce with a mild flavor that didn’t overwhelming the vegetables. I think I grabbed the last couple of spoonfuls of it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our only non-veggie item was the chicken tikka masala, and I LOVE this dish. I might not know much about Indian food, but I do know, “I LOVE me some chicken tikka masala.” It’s one of my favorite dishes, and I was not disappointed. This dish alone will bring me back to Indian Aroma restaurant. It was perfect. Sauce: perfect. Chicken: perfect. We loved it so much that instead of ordering another non-veg item we ordered another plate of it after our first taste. It was sooooo good.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yes, we had nan: garlic, onion, and plain. The nan was good, but I have had better. The rice was good. The mango chutney was adequate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So, my friends, would I go back to Indian Aroma Restaurant? Yes! I would go back for the chicken tikka masala and the Kashmiri vegetable korma…very good stuff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The level of service for the prices (attention to detail about taking the plates, silver bowls, asking if it was ok to take the plates away, not rushing us out) was pretty spectacular. The décor was unpretentious and very clean and the cloth napkins were a nice touch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We were please to find that they deliver. Although we all had such a good time and the waitstaff was welcoming, the smoke from the kitchen was a little intense and after leaving the restaurant, our eyes were irritated. My friend Amy believes it was the tandoori oven, and that that’s a good sign….next time we’ll sit near the door.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/10/patrick-redington.jpg\" alt=\"Patrick Redington\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Patrick\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> MBA Student\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Lalime’s Restaurant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Indian Aroma:\u003c/strong> Friday February 1, 2008\u003cbr>\n\u003cbr clear=\"all\">\u003cbr>\nOn the cover of the menu of this hole in the wall Indian joint on Polk street, one finds the following text: “Indian Aroma Restaurant. Aroma of India. Also known as and doing business as Scenic India Restaurant.” When even the name of a place is hard to figure out, it follows that their food might be just as confusing. In the case of, well, let’s call it “Scenic Aroma,” confusion seems to be the main ingredient in everything.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I went out with three friends on a Friday night for what I hoped would be a nicely priced casual Indian meal. At Scenic Aroma, I was sorely disappointed by the food quality, service, and overall value. The best thing I can say about any of the dishes is that some were just fine. Others were an affront to the art of cooking, and some were even downright frightening. Then there are all the dishes I wish I could review, because we ordered them, but they never appeared (except on the bill). On the plus side, I didn’t get sick.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We started with two orders of vegetable samosas. They weren’t half bad, but not at all memorable. No, I take that back; they were memorable because they actually arrived on the table without much delay. Also, they didn’t inspire the slightest bit of terror within any of us, which was a pretty good sign. We also ordered a chutney and raita, but those never appeared. One of my friends had heard that the place served decent breads, so we each ordered a different type to have with our main courses. Unfortunately, only two of the breads ever made it out of the kitchen. The plain nan was not among them, nor was the onion kulcha. We did receive our garlic nan and keema nan, unfortunately.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The garlic nan was a pungent bread, full of “scenic aroma” and nearly overflowing with mashed cloves of barely cooked, possibly raw garlic. The best thing I can say about it is that all of us agreed there must not be any vampires working in the kitchen, because there was surely enough garlic in there to scare them away. That was an important piece of information, it turns out, because the keema nan was downright scary. From beneath the perforations in an otherwise perfectly respectable piece of flatbread, a red fluid oozed out creepily. When we tore into the bread, feeling a bit like hyenas at a kill, we took pause. The “minced” lamb inside was in fact thinly sliced strips of some sort of flesh, covered in this red sauce. A vigorous debate ensued over whether the sauce was blood or just red dye #5. After the garlic nan, however, we decided it must simply be food coloring, but we weren’t sure the meat was actually lamb.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After a while, and then another while, and another round of some decent Kingfisher Beer, our main courses arrived. The lamb vindaloo was ordered “spicy,” but came out mild. It was utterly unimaginative, and we nibbled at it dispassionately. The chana masala was quite easy on the palate and was perhaps the best thing on the menu, if you don’t count the beer. It was kind of refreshing, but in a creepy way, like how you wouldn’t mind the drunken old lady sitting next to you on BART if the alternative was to be handcuffed to Joan Rivers. The sag paneer wasn’t so bad either, but when “inoffensive” counts as a positive attribute, you know your dinner wasn’t so great. Our last dish was the most confusing of all: tandoori mixed grill. At $14.95, this is the most expensive dish on the menu and should consist of five meats. We counted only four, however: bright red funny chewy meat, pink tough meat, grayish rubber sausage-like meat, and cardboard-colored meat. I don’t think it included shrimp. It was lovingly presented as a giant pile of indistinguishable mess on a big plain plate. We spent about five minutes trying to decide what was what on the plate. We never agreed on any of them, except that the one we all thought was chicken didn’t actually taste like chicken. We picked it over for a while but left about half of it sitting there, untouched and staring at us. We felt bad for the poor creatures that wound up in that dish. We considered becoming vegetarians.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then it was time to leave, so we could go home and wash off the mystifying scent of Indian Aroma. However, there was the matter of the check. All the dishes we had ordered but never received were still on our final bill. I managed to argue enough to get the raita and chutney removed from our tab, but I didn’t want to push it. I was afraid I might end up in the keema nan if I upset the chef.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’m a fan of Indian food and I’ve been to several great Indian restaurants in the Bay Area (Ajanta, in Berkeley, ranks right up there with the best). But after eating at Indian Aroma, I’m going to have to lay off Indian for a while. That terrible experience just lingers in my memory like a nightmare. If you love Indian food, do yourself a favor and don’t go to Scenic India, er, Indian Aroma, er, anything known as and “doing business as” Aroma of India.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cyrus: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=781\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=773\">full episode video\u003c/a> |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other ways to watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp304iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/cyrus10.jpg\" alt=\"Gnocchi with Escargot\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/cyrus14.jpg\" alt=\"Thai Marinated Lobster with Avocado\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/cyrus18.jpg\" alt=\"Warm Chocolate Torte\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nGnocchi with Escargot, Thai-Marinated Lobster with Avocado, Warm Chocolate Torte\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/carrie-scott.jpg\" alt=\"Carrie Scott\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Carrie\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Marketing Director\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Cyrus\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Cyrus:\u003c/strong> Sunday February 10, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cyrus is located just off the square in Healdsburg, and I strongly recommend getting to Healdsburg early and walking around before your meal. There are wonderful shops, wine tastings, and art galleries to peruse before you get to Les Mars Hotel, and the street parking is plentiful and easy to come by.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When you walk through the doors of Les Mars Hotel you know you are somewhere special. The lobby welcomes visitors with unique 17th and 18th century antiques and an understated elegance that feels more like a well-appointed home than an opulent or “stuffy” hotel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When you first enter the restaurant Cyrus (just off the lobby of Les Mars), you are greeted by a hostess who both confirms your reservation and provides you with the option of first having a drink at the bar or instead choosing to be seated at your table. Always choose the drink at the bar! It is a wonderful way to start your evening and the cocktail menu is unrivaled in my opinion. This was my second time dining at Cyrus, and I knew I couldn’t live another day without indulging in their signature Manhattan, the perfect blend of orange and vanilla infused bourbon, sweet vermouth, bitters, and Amarena cherries (instead of maraschino and makes all the difference in the world, lemme tell ya!). My boyfriend was going to order Cyrus’s version of “The Last Word” since we were eager to cite any differences between this Last Word and The Slanted Door’s Last Word, but once he noticed the martinis at a nearby table with the olives artfully dancing on a wisp of bamboo balanced carefully over the drink’s edge, he changed his mind!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bar was a bit busy this particular evening, and it took several minutes to place our drink order, but once we sat with drink in hand, we were oblivious to any other distractions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Upon moving into the dining room, we were ensconced by the warm palette of inviting colors and textures (the curtains are drawn completely, which gives the feeling of being inside a cocoon). The decor is impeccable (cloister ceilings and pearly Venetian plaster walls), and from the moment you sit, you are doted on by perceptive (not overbearing) waitstaff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The glorious caviar and Champagne offering is the first treasure to come by on a cart. You are presented with myriad options (caviar, caviar tasting, Champagne, frozen vodka service) and without hesitation we indulged. On our last visit we didn’t even consider our pocketbook whilst ordering, but on this visit we opted for a more conservative entry into the evenings culinary indulgences and began with 1/2 ounce of the California Select and a glass of champagne. The caviar is served with two different types of potato — a more traditional “hash” style and an inventive “grit.” I can’t tell you which I preferred because they both presented the perfect foundation for the caviar, crème fraîche, scallions, and egg. The combination of flavors sings on your palette. I think I could have eaten that all night long. But alas, I had to reserve room for all of the other wondrous delights that were to come my way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One fun thing about eating at a restaurant like Cyrus is that you are constantly getting little treats you weren’t even expecting. Like the canapés starter and the amuse bouche. (Not to mention the onslaught of desserts at the close of the meal). I love surprises, so chef’s tasting menu aside (a cornucopia of surprises), there are those unexpected incremental courses. It’s like Christmas!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My boyfriend and I found ourselves counting the courses as they arrived because with each course we knew we had one less to look forward to and we were already dreading the end. We even played a quick round of the “what if” game, in this case: what if you were given the choice of a two-week stay at a Villa in the South of France, complete with butler, maid, and chef, OR one dinner a month at Cyrus for a year. We both picked Cyrus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Of all the courses, I think, hands down, the foie gras served two ways was my fav. It is so rich and yet so delicate…the foie gras served warm with the quail egg “bulls-eye” literally melts in the mouth. The foie gras served chilled as a terrine with shortbread crusts, almost tastes like dessert. It’s hard to imagine a world without foie gras when it tastes THAT good.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the fourth course, Cyrus’s take on chicken and dumplings, we were presented with a beautiful wooden box and inside was the most glorious Italian black truffle I’d ever seen. For a mere (wink) $22 per person we could add three shavings of said truffle to this dish. We opted to pass. Just kidding! We added it without hesitation. It was worth the $7.33 per bite. Truly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Course five, the Wagyu beef, was dreamy. For those not familiar with this type of beef, it is known worldwide for its marbling characteristics, naturally enhanced flavor, tenderness and juiciness, setting it apart from any other beef experience you’ll ever have. Not kidding. This beef melts in your mouth like butter. In fact, one might argue that between the foie gras and the Wagyu, my consumption of unsaturated fat that evening surpassed my intake for the month. Again, all worth it. (And whilst on the subject of butter, let me say you are presented with both a goat milk butter and cow milk butter alongside your épi baguette, and despite ample warning not to eat too much bread, it’s impossible not to….).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The cheese course is a longtime favorite. Mainly because at Cyrus you aren’t forced to choose three cheeses and stare longingly at the rest still untouched on the cart. You are asked a number of probing questions about your likes and dislikes in the fromage dept (i.e., strong vs. innocuous, runny vs. firm, etc.) and then the Maître Fromager takes over, presenting you with the most perfect balance of all the things you love about cheese. In this case we opted for an Epoisse (standout in my mind), a dry-aged cheddar, and a perfect blue among others. The cheese is served with ginger infused apple, dates, and candied nuts (as well as a fruit/nut bread that I’ll never remember the name of but is to die for).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the food weren’t enough, you can opt to have every course paired with a perfectly matched wine (and we did). The first time I visited Cyrus I went with the “grand wine pairing” which is a “must do” at some point in one’s life….this time we went with the traditional wine pairing and found it just as enjoyable. The sommelier earns every penny for his attention to detail, and we just sat back and relished his handiwork.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the seven courses, intermittent surprises and gorgeous wine pairings weren’t enough, come dessert time, you are again blown away by what can only be described as heaven right here on earth. The cardamom ice cream was so smooth we thought at first we were having a panna cotta! The blood orange soufflé with Champagne anglaise warranted us demanding they leave the anglaise at the table. (Nothing fazes the food servers at Cyrus — they cleaned up the small pitcher and promptly returned it to the table). The chocolate torte was the smoothest, most decadent chocolate you’ll ever place upon your tongue. And THEN….there is what is known as “mignardises,” a sampling of candies and goodies that you can have as many of as you like AND a take-home goodie box to boot!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I can’t say enough about Cyrus. I am only attempting to wrap up this short novel about my love for Cyrus so that KQED can publish it within the parameters of their website.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In summary, I can say without hesitation that Cyrus is the finest dining experience of my lifetime. (And I like to dine well). From the moment you walk through the doors at Cyrus you are made to feel like a guest in someone’s exquisite home. The décor is stunning, the waitstaff attentive, but not pretentious, and the food the best you will ever taste. If I had to identify that which truly sets Cyrus apart from the other exquisite dining experiences of the world, it’s the incredibly well-orchestrated presentation of foods; beyond that which is served on the plate (stunning in itself), it’s the way in which the plate is delivered to your table. Like a well-played symphony, courses are presented by an equal number of food servers as are guests seated at the table and lowered in unison. They say God is in the details, and restaurant Cyrus had me praying for another swift return.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pricey? Sure. Worth it? MOST DEFINITELY!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’ll take Cyrus over a vacation any day, any time.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/jamie-kutch.jpg\" alt=\"Jamie Kutch\" hspace=\"4\" align=\"left\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Jamie\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Winemaker\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> The Slanted Door\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Cyrus:\u003c/strong> Wednesday March 5, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The most descriptive word for dining at Cyrus would be perfection, since from the moment I stepped into the restaurant, until the moment I walked out everything was simply amazing, especially the food! Upon entering, there is a small room with a bar in front. Several people were dining at the bar, as the menu is the same (save for the priced fixed tasting menu). There are also four small cocktail tables, and you can either sit there and eat without a reservation, or simply enjoy a cocktail.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The dining room is beautiful. Elegant and classic with an underlying tone of sophistication. The staff was incredibly attentive and professional, never missing a beat, and upon delivery of each dish they would explain nearly every ingredient in it. The first dish to arrive was the foie gras, which looked like edible art. The balance of foods placed strategically around the crisp white dish was beautiful. Two servers presented the dish, and upon it being placed on the table, the one server poured what I assume was some type of liquor, and it was set ablaze. After a few seconds, the other server relinquished the fire with what I believe was some type of a pineapple juice. The dish was divine. An explosion of the senses. It was tropical and different than the staple foie gras I have had at fine French restaurants. A welcome change and very unique. It paired perfectly with a bottle of 1985 Dr. Loosen Spatlese I ordered.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Did I mention their wine list was gigantic? While most everything on the list is fairly young (Cyrus has only been around for 4 years now), there were some cherries, and I thought I did fairly well with a 28-year-old Spatlese for $68! My second course was gnocchi with escargot, which when ordering, seemed a bit unusual. Being I love both separately, I thought WOW, what would it be like together? Well, it hit the spot and blew my mind. Between the texture of the small handmade gnocchi, which were as light as a pillow and the texture of the escargot, this was a pairing in heaven. The dish screamed for a white Chablis which the staff generously poured me a small glass of.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Finally to conclude, out came my order of “duck three ways.” I am an enormous duck fan and when I see it on the menu at a fine restaurant, I almost always order it. I’ve had this dish at two other ultra premium restaurants in both Napa and San Francisco, and while they were both good, this one took home the gold. A beautiful compilation of flavors and textures evoked a standing ovation by my taste buds. Having been extremely fortunate just three days prior to this dinner in eating dishes created by the hands of Daniel Boulud, Michael Mina, Traci Des Jardins, and Regis and Jacques Marcon, I can honestly say that the meal at Cyrus won my heart. If you haven’t been, you haven’t lived! Bravo…\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/nancy-mcgee.jpg\" alt=\"Nancy McGee\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Nancy\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Health Care Consultant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> The Yellow Submarine\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Cyrus:\u003c/strong> Saturday February 23, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My boyfriend and I started with a cocktail in the bar while we waited for our reservation. In choosing the cocktails, we were presented with a forty-four-page book of possible cocktails and liquors to choose from — we selected a house special Manhattan with infused bourbon and a gin cocktail. The Manhattan would have been better if the bourbon was not infused, the gin cocktail seemed a bit overly complex. We did find very amusing that on the last page of the book the listing of beers included Pabst Blue Ribbon. We asked the cocktail waitress if they sell a lot of PBR, and she said that when the locals come in, they love it, as a result, they do sell a great deal of PBR.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We were seated in the dining room. Atmosphere was very beautiful with large flower arrangements created from branches of blooming trees. We noticed the glass door to the kitchen was activated automatically and it gave the appearance of a space age \u003cem>Star Trek\u003c/em> type door. Shortly after being seated, the cart of champagne and caviar came over, and we learned about various special champagnes and caviars. Although we are not caviar experts, we decided we would choose to sample the least expensive option because we probably would not appreciate the subtleties of the more exotic choices. We enjoyed two different glasses of Champagne and a half ounce of caviar that was carefully weighed on an old scale. Nice touch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Next, we received our menus and discussed the option of doing the 7-course chef’s menu versus ordering a few courses from the set menu. Although the 7-course menu sounded interesting, it seemed like too much food for us. As a result, we each chose 4 items from the menu (total of 8) and asked the server to send out the plates in whatever order the chef thought that they would best be paired, in addition, we would share each plate and wanted paired wines. We really appreciated that the server was up to the challenge, it is not easy to pair dishes and wines from a large menu and make all of the flavors work well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We started with the lobster as one plate and the shiitake mushrooms as the other first course. These were absolutely delicious. The lobster was, by far, our favorite of all of the courses that evening. The meat was perfectly prepared and it was placed on a bed of shredded mint, cilantro, and basil. Fantastic. The shiitake mushrooms arrived at the table with a waiter who poured steaming broth over the mushrooms. The flavors were great. Both wines matched well with the plates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Next, we had the two kinds of foie gras. I loved the cold version and my boyfriend loved the seared foie gras. Paired wines went nicely and complemented the flavors well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The third course was the winter vegetables and the pea and pancetta risotto. I was not a fan of the winter vegetables. There were three types of vegetables, separately prepared and I felt that the vegetables were overwhelmed by sauce. I enjoyed the peas in the risotto, however, my boyfriend felt that the flavors were a bit off. Wines were good.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The final course was the meat course: lamb and rabbit. Both of us felt that the flavors of the courses became dramatically heavy at this point, and the wines did not quite complement the dishes. The cabbage with the rabbit was particularly salty, and the lamb roulade was wrapped in what we at first thought was fatty bacon, but later we thought that maybe it was a part of the lamb, we weren’t sure. The first three courses were pretty good, however, this last course seemed a bit too dense for the conclusion of the meal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both of us were very full, as a result, we skipped the cheese course, as well as the desserts. Each guest is presented with a brownie and a selection of small desserts. We definitely felt that we had a dessert, even though we did not order one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As with the other two restaurants I reviewed, I did check out the bathroom — it was in excellent condition!\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong>\r\n29 North Street (at Healdsburg Avenue)\r\nHealdsburg, CA 95448\r\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong> 707-433-3311\r\n\u003cstrong>Website:\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://www.cyrusrestaurant.com\">www.cyrusrestaurant.com\u003c/a>\r\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Winter 2008",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cyrus: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=781\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=773\">full episode video\u003c/a> |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other ways to watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp304iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/cyrus10.jpg\" alt=\"Gnocchi with Escargot\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/cyrus14.jpg\" alt=\"Thai Marinated Lobster with Avocado\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/cyrus18.jpg\" alt=\"Warm Chocolate Torte\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nGnocchi with Escargot, Thai-Marinated Lobster with Avocado, Warm Chocolate Torte\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/carrie-scott.jpg\" alt=\"Carrie Scott\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Carrie\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Marketing Director\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Cyrus\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Cyrus:\u003c/strong> Sunday February 10, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cyrus is located just off the square in Healdsburg, and I strongly recommend getting to Healdsburg early and walking around before your meal. There are wonderful shops, wine tastings, and art galleries to peruse before you get to Les Mars Hotel, and the street parking is plentiful and easy to come by.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When you walk through the doors of Les Mars Hotel you know you are somewhere special. The lobby welcomes visitors with unique 17th and 18th century antiques and an understated elegance that feels more like a well-appointed home than an opulent or “stuffy” hotel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When you first enter the restaurant Cyrus (just off the lobby of Les Mars), you are greeted by a hostess who both confirms your reservation and provides you with the option of first having a drink at the bar or instead choosing to be seated at your table. Always choose the drink at the bar! It is a wonderful way to start your evening and the cocktail menu is unrivaled in my opinion. This was my second time dining at Cyrus, and I knew I couldn’t live another day without indulging in their signature Manhattan, the perfect blend of orange and vanilla infused bourbon, sweet vermouth, bitters, and Amarena cherries (instead of maraschino and makes all the difference in the world, lemme tell ya!). My boyfriend was going to order Cyrus’s version of “The Last Word” since we were eager to cite any differences between this Last Word and The Slanted Door’s Last Word, but once he noticed the martinis at a nearby table with the olives artfully dancing on a wisp of bamboo balanced carefully over the drink’s edge, he changed his mind!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bar was a bit busy this particular evening, and it took several minutes to place our drink order, but once we sat with drink in hand, we were oblivious to any other distractions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Upon moving into the dining room, we were ensconced by the warm palette of inviting colors and textures (the curtains are drawn completely, which gives the feeling of being inside a cocoon). The decor is impeccable (cloister ceilings and pearly Venetian plaster walls), and from the moment you sit, you are doted on by perceptive (not overbearing) waitstaff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The glorious caviar and Champagne offering is the first treasure to come by on a cart. You are presented with myriad options (caviar, caviar tasting, Champagne, frozen vodka service) and without hesitation we indulged. On our last visit we didn’t even consider our pocketbook whilst ordering, but on this visit we opted for a more conservative entry into the evenings culinary indulgences and began with 1/2 ounce of the California Select and a glass of champagne. The caviar is served with two different types of potato — a more traditional “hash” style and an inventive “grit.” I can’t tell you which I preferred because they both presented the perfect foundation for the caviar, crème fraîche, scallions, and egg. The combination of flavors sings on your palette. I think I could have eaten that all night long. But alas, I had to reserve room for all of the other wondrous delights that were to come my way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One fun thing about eating at a restaurant like Cyrus is that you are constantly getting little treats you weren’t even expecting. Like the canapés starter and the amuse bouche. (Not to mention the onslaught of desserts at the close of the meal). I love surprises, so chef’s tasting menu aside (a cornucopia of surprises), there are those unexpected incremental courses. It’s like Christmas!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My boyfriend and I found ourselves counting the courses as they arrived because with each course we knew we had one less to look forward to and we were already dreading the end. We even played a quick round of the “what if” game, in this case: what if you were given the choice of a two-week stay at a Villa in the South of France, complete with butler, maid, and chef, OR one dinner a month at Cyrus for a year. We both picked Cyrus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Of all the courses, I think, hands down, the foie gras served two ways was my fav. It is so rich and yet so delicate…the foie gras served warm with the quail egg “bulls-eye” literally melts in the mouth. The foie gras served chilled as a terrine with shortbread crusts, almost tastes like dessert. It’s hard to imagine a world without foie gras when it tastes THAT good.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the fourth course, Cyrus’s take on chicken and dumplings, we were presented with a beautiful wooden box and inside was the most glorious Italian black truffle I’d ever seen. For a mere (wink) $22 per person we could add three shavings of said truffle to this dish. We opted to pass. Just kidding! We added it without hesitation. It was worth the $7.33 per bite. Truly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Course five, the Wagyu beef, was dreamy. For those not familiar with this type of beef, it is known worldwide for its marbling characteristics, naturally enhanced flavor, tenderness and juiciness, setting it apart from any other beef experience you’ll ever have. Not kidding. This beef melts in your mouth like butter. In fact, one might argue that between the foie gras and the Wagyu, my consumption of unsaturated fat that evening surpassed my intake for the month. Again, all worth it. (And whilst on the subject of butter, let me say you are presented with both a goat milk butter and cow milk butter alongside your épi baguette, and despite ample warning not to eat too much bread, it’s impossible not to….).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The cheese course is a longtime favorite. Mainly because at Cyrus you aren’t forced to choose three cheeses and stare longingly at the rest still untouched on the cart. You are asked a number of probing questions about your likes and dislikes in the fromage dept (i.e., strong vs. innocuous, runny vs. firm, etc.) and then the Maître Fromager takes over, presenting you with the most perfect balance of all the things you love about cheese. In this case we opted for an Epoisse (standout in my mind), a dry-aged cheddar, and a perfect blue among others. The cheese is served with ginger infused apple, dates, and candied nuts (as well as a fruit/nut bread that I’ll never remember the name of but is to die for).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the food weren’t enough, you can opt to have every course paired with a perfectly matched wine (and we did). The first time I visited Cyrus I went with the “grand wine pairing” which is a “must do” at some point in one’s life….this time we went with the traditional wine pairing and found it just as enjoyable. The sommelier earns every penny for his attention to detail, and we just sat back and relished his handiwork.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the seven courses, intermittent surprises and gorgeous wine pairings weren’t enough, come dessert time, you are again blown away by what can only be described as heaven right here on earth. The cardamom ice cream was so smooth we thought at first we were having a panna cotta! The blood orange soufflé with Champagne anglaise warranted us demanding they leave the anglaise at the table. (Nothing fazes the food servers at Cyrus — they cleaned up the small pitcher and promptly returned it to the table). The chocolate torte was the smoothest, most decadent chocolate you’ll ever place upon your tongue. And THEN….there is what is known as “mignardises,” a sampling of candies and goodies that you can have as many of as you like AND a take-home goodie box to boot!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I can’t say enough about Cyrus. I am only attempting to wrap up this short novel about my love for Cyrus so that KQED can publish it within the parameters of their website.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In summary, I can say without hesitation that Cyrus is the finest dining experience of my lifetime. (And I like to dine well). From the moment you walk through the doors at Cyrus you are made to feel like a guest in someone’s exquisite home. The décor is stunning, the waitstaff attentive, but not pretentious, and the food the best you will ever taste. If I had to identify that which truly sets Cyrus apart from the other exquisite dining experiences of the world, it’s the incredibly well-orchestrated presentation of foods; beyond that which is served on the plate (stunning in itself), it’s the way in which the plate is delivered to your table. Like a well-played symphony, courses are presented by an equal number of food servers as are guests seated at the table and lowered in unison. They say God is in the details, and restaurant Cyrus had me praying for another swift return.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pricey? Sure. Worth it? MOST DEFINITELY!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’ll take Cyrus over a vacation any day, any time.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/jamie-kutch.jpg\" alt=\"Jamie Kutch\" hspace=\"4\" align=\"left\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Jamie\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Winemaker\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> The Slanted Door\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Cyrus:\u003c/strong> Wednesday March 5, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The most descriptive word for dining at Cyrus would be perfection, since from the moment I stepped into the restaurant, until the moment I walked out everything was simply amazing, especially the food! Upon entering, there is a small room with a bar in front. Several people were dining at the bar, as the menu is the same (save for the priced fixed tasting menu). There are also four small cocktail tables, and you can either sit there and eat without a reservation, or simply enjoy a cocktail.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The dining room is beautiful. Elegant and classic with an underlying tone of sophistication. The staff was incredibly attentive and professional, never missing a beat, and upon delivery of each dish they would explain nearly every ingredient in it. The first dish to arrive was the foie gras, which looked like edible art. The balance of foods placed strategically around the crisp white dish was beautiful. Two servers presented the dish, and upon it being placed on the table, the one server poured what I assume was some type of liquor, and it was set ablaze. After a few seconds, the other server relinquished the fire with what I believe was some type of a pineapple juice. The dish was divine. An explosion of the senses. It was tropical and different than the staple foie gras I have had at fine French restaurants. A welcome change and very unique. It paired perfectly with a bottle of 1985 Dr. Loosen Spatlese I ordered.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Did I mention their wine list was gigantic? While most everything on the list is fairly young (Cyrus has only been around for 4 years now), there were some cherries, and I thought I did fairly well with a 28-year-old Spatlese for $68! My second course was gnocchi with escargot, which when ordering, seemed a bit unusual. Being I love both separately, I thought WOW, what would it be like together? Well, it hit the spot and blew my mind. Between the texture of the small handmade gnocchi, which were as light as a pillow and the texture of the escargot, this was a pairing in heaven. The dish screamed for a white Chablis which the staff generously poured me a small glass of.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Finally to conclude, out came my order of “duck three ways.” I am an enormous duck fan and when I see it on the menu at a fine restaurant, I almost always order it. I’ve had this dish at two other ultra premium restaurants in both Napa and San Francisco, and while they were both good, this one took home the gold. A beautiful compilation of flavors and textures evoked a standing ovation by my taste buds. Having been extremely fortunate just three days prior to this dinner in eating dishes created by the hands of Daniel Boulud, Michael Mina, Traci Des Jardins, and Regis and Jacques Marcon, I can honestly say that the meal at Cyrus won my heart. If you haven’t been, you haven’t lived! Bravo…\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/nancy-mcgee.jpg\" alt=\"Nancy McGee\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Nancy\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Health Care Consultant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> The Yellow Submarine\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Cyrus:\u003c/strong> Saturday February 23, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My boyfriend and I started with a cocktail in the bar while we waited for our reservation. In choosing the cocktails, we were presented with a forty-four-page book of possible cocktails and liquors to choose from — we selected a house special Manhattan with infused bourbon and a gin cocktail. The Manhattan would have been better if the bourbon was not infused, the gin cocktail seemed a bit overly complex. We did find very amusing that on the last page of the book the listing of beers included Pabst Blue Ribbon. We asked the cocktail waitress if they sell a lot of PBR, and she said that when the locals come in, they love it, as a result, they do sell a great deal of PBR.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We were seated in the dining room. Atmosphere was very beautiful with large flower arrangements created from branches of blooming trees. We noticed the glass door to the kitchen was activated automatically and it gave the appearance of a space age \u003cem>Star Trek\u003c/em> type door. Shortly after being seated, the cart of champagne and caviar came over, and we learned about various special champagnes and caviars. Although we are not caviar experts, we decided we would choose to sample the least expensive option because we probably would not appreciate the subtleties of the more exotic choices. We enjoyed two different glasses of Champagne and a half ounce of caviar that was carefully weighed on an old scale. Nice touch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Next, we received our menus and discussed the option of doing the 7-course chef’s menu versus ordering a few courses from the set menu. Although the 7-course menu sounded interesting, it seemed like too much food for us. As a result, we each chose 4 items from the menu (total of 8) and asked the server to send out the plates in whatever order the chef thought that they would best be paired, in addition, we would share each plate and wanted paired wines. We really appreciated that the server was up to the challenge, it is not easy to pair dishes and wines from a large menu and make all of the flavors work well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We started with the lobster as one plate and the shiitake mushrooms as the other first course. These were absolutely delicious. The lobster was, by far, our favorite of all of the courses that evening. The meat was perfectly prepared and it was placed on a bed of shredded mint, cilantro, and basil. Fantastic. The shiitake mushrooms arrived at the table with a waiter who poured steaming broth over the mushrooms. The flavors were great. Both wines matched well with the plates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Next, we had the two kinds of foie gras. I loved the cold version and my boyfriend loved the seared foie gras. Paired wines went nicely and complemented the flavors well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The third course was the winter vegetables and the pea and pancetta risotto. I was not a fan of the winter vegetables. There were three types of vegetables, separately prepared and I felt that the vegetables were overwhelmed by sauce. I enjoyed the peas in the risotto, however, my boyfriend felt that the flavors were a bit off. Wines were good.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The final course was the meat course: lamb and rabbit. Both of us felt that the flavors of the courses became dramatically heavy at this point, and the wines did not quite complement the dishes. The cabbage with the rabbit was particularly salty, and the lamb roulade was wrapped in what we at first thought was fatty bacon, but later we thought that maybe it was a part of the lamb, we weren’t sure. The first three courses were pretty good, however, this last course seemed a bit too dense for the conclusion of the meal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both of us were very full, as a result, we skipped the cheese course, as well as the desserts. Each guest is presented with a brownie and a selection of small desserts. We definitely felt that we had a dessert, even though we did not order one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As with the other two restaurants I reviewed, I did check out the bathroom — it was in excellent condition!\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Yellow Submarine: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=782\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=773\">full episode video\u003c/a> |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other ways to watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp304iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/yellowsubmarine19.jpg\" alt=\"Steak Sandwich\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/yellowsubmarine10.jpg\" alt=\"Home Cut Fries\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/yellowsubmarine23.jpg\" alt=\"Italian Combo Submarine\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nSteak Sandwich with Homemade Hot Sauce, Hand-Cut Fries, Italian Combo Submarine\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/nancy-mcgee.jpg\" alt=\"Nancy McGee\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Nancy\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Health Care Consultant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> The Yellow Submarine\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed The Yellow Submarine:\u003c/strong> Wednesday February 20, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our party of five quickly found street parking for two cars in the neighborhood without meters. Orders were taken by two extremely cute older ladies behind the counter. We ordered five medium-sized sandwiches: two steak with all of the fixings and homemade hot sauce, one veal piccata, and two meatball sandwiches. We shared one order of fries. All of the sandwiches come on large cut Italian bread that is made by a small bakery in downtown San Francisco. The bread is cut, cheese is placed on the bread, and then it is toasted in Yellow Submarine’s ovens to a warm, toasty perfection. This is no Quizno’s toasting on a conveyor belt, this is real-deal toasting in an oven. The meat for the steak sandwiches was grilled on the grill with onions. Once the bread is sufficiently toasted, the grilled meat is placed on the sandwich, and then the fixings (lettuce, mustard, mayo, pickles, and don’t forget the homemade hot sauce!) are applied. The sandwich is served in a plastic basket. The meatball sandwich and veal sandwiches were prepared similarly. Fries are cut like large potato chips and are delicious when they are just out of the frying basket.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the best things about Yellow Submarine sandwiches is the delicious contrast between the hot meat, crusty toasted bread, and cold fixings. The sandwich does not fall apart or turn into a drippy mess. Instead, it is sandwich perfection — the ultimate comfort food! The meatball sandwich had generous sized meatballs that did not fall apart or fall out of the sandwich. Instead, they squished nicely in the bread and every bite included a bit of the meatball. Similarly, the veal was also well done. The medium is the best size to order, it will leave you completely full. However, if you are feeling particularly Neanderthal, live it up and order the large!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The location is in a very pleasant neighborhood right next to Golden Gate Park, making Yellow Sub an excellent picnic choice for a lunch in the park. In addition, it is a neighborhood institution run by a very nice family. The mom typically makes the sandwiches while her sons help work the grill and run the cash register. As customers arrive in the small kitchen area, she takes orders and memorizes them as more and more customers arrive. Yellow Sub is definitely not a fancy place, it’s a neighborhood hang out that provides generously sized sandwiches for a little over $5. There is no publicly available bathroom at Yellow Sub.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you want excellent comfort food at a reasonable price in a great neighborhood — go to Yellow Sub!\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/jamie-kutch.jpg\" alt=\"Jamie Kutch\" hspace=\"4\" align=\"left\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Jamie\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Winemaker\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> The Slanted Door\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed The Yellow Submarine:\u003c/strong> Friday February 15, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like a true submarine, the beginning of my adventure to this Boston style sandwich joint began with pressure. Pressure to find a parking spot that is! Be prepared to circle the block several times, as this establishment is basically on a residential street. To get down to it: while the sandwiches are quickly prepared, the atmosphere is unique, and the eats are cheap. Overall, I left slightly disappointed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Let me get through some more positives, though, first. I am a stickler for cleanliness at eateries that serve sandwiches and have a grill, and I was glad to see that there was no concern, as this place was spotless. To add to the experience, the kitchen was tended by two older women who look as though they may have opened the eatery circa 1970s (I can’t remember the exact date, though it’s been around). While service doesn’t come with a big smile, they mean business, and business is getting sandwiches made quickly. One thing for sure about the women is that they certainly give the place character, as does the primitive cartoon menu, circa 1977. It was fun to observe over one’s meal. As for seating, there is a side room off the ordering counter, and the tables and layout remind me of a pizza parlor. Casual and simple.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Speaking of simple, unfortunately that about sums up my experience with the two sandwiches I tried. Steak and Cheese, plus an Italian Combo. I should give full disclosure in that I spent thirty years in NY and twelve of those in NYC, so my standards are lofty. To top it off, I have been to sandwich joints in Boston a few dozen times and in my opinion, the Yellow Submarine wouldn’t survive in either city. The quality just wasn’t there. It started off on the wrong foot when I watched my sandwich meat being weighed. Another pet peeve was observing the Italian meats coming out of the fridge already cut. How can meat stay fresh pre-cut? I miss the days of observing the meat being freshly cut as the sandwich is prepared. This leads to the quality of the meat, which I felt was sub-par. To be sure, I tried some of the Italian meat alone, without bread etc. It just wasn’t good quality. To go further, where’s the beef? My sandwich meat was less than 1/2 an inch thick. Finally, the bread, while toasted, it was about as bland as you can get. The ladies were also as tight as a submarine’s living quarters with their tomatoes and pickles. On a final note, I will give high ratings to the french fries. They were cut for a T-Rex, they are so BIG! I can’t fathom where they get the potatoes for the fries. Not cut in the traditional style, more in the cut of a flat potatoes chip, they were delicious.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If I lived a block or two away, I would drop in perhaps every other month, as it was easy and quick, but unfortunately I would never drive across town again for I felt the Submarine was taking on water.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/carrie-scott.jpg\" alt=\"Carrie Scott\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Carrie\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Marketing Director\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Cyrus\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed The Yellow Submarine:\u003c/strong> Sunday February 10, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yellow Submarine is located at 6th and Irving, a fun, thriving part of San Francisco’s avenues. The parking is scarce because there are sooo many great restaurants, shops, and coffee houses over there. It’s best to head off of Irving up into the hills a bit (Parnassus and beyond) to park. Otherwise, take MUNI, a bike, or just walk, and save yourself the headache.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My boyfriend and I headed out to the Yellow Submarine for lunch on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon and were nervous when we saw a line. Luckily, the folks congregating outside the front door had already ordered and were just waiting for their sandwiches to be made. Phew.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We walked inside and saw that the grill, cashier, fridge, etc. were all nestled into a roughly 300 square foot space. Three jovial men behind the counter (brothers perhaps?) ran the joint with aplomb (clearly born from having run a successful business for thirty-three years! Note: They didn’t look old enough to have been there that long, but kudos to them!) All busy with various tasks — one cooking up a storm, one taking food orders, and one popping in and out of the back on various assignments — they kept things moving like a well-oiled machine. The fellow behind the grill was very easy going, and when I mentioned this was a first time for me, he was incredibly patient with my onslaught of questions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I asked if all the sandwiches were cold or hot or if there was a combination of offerings and he said that all the sandwiches were prepared hot. (The menu on the wall didn’t specify, so that was helpful to know.) After a minute of hemming and hawing over what I should order, I went with a longtime favorite, the Italian combination. My boyfriend ordered the Italian Sausage, because he had it in his head that it would taste like his favorite Italian Sausage sandwich from a spiffy little place in Novato called Italian Delight! Never order something hoping it will taste like a favorite because you will invariably be disappointed. And he was. Poor guy. (He ended up eating half of mine because it was DELISH!)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After we placed the order for two medium sandwiches (the bread is baked daily \u003cem>for\u003c/em> the shop, but it’s not made on the premises) we also added some fries and root beers (they also had Corona!) to the tab to experience the full “flavor.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We took a seat in the adjoining room (at least twice the size of the first room with approximately ten tables in there) and we noticed straight away that the area was clean and didn’t smell like anything (cleaning agents, food, or otherwise), which was a relief. The tables were wiped down, the chairs were clean, and the premises felt cared for. There wasn’t a bathroom, however, which can be a good and bad thing. Bad if you have to go, but good if you don’t want to deal with that added foot traffic while you’re consuming your sub!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We sat with our root beers and continued to monitor the throng of visitors that kept this joint hoppin’ on a lazy Sunday. Old, young, working and non-workin, it was clearly a local’s favorite. In fact, while we were waiting for our sandwiches we overheard a “regular” complimenting the fellas on their glowing review in the Sunday Chronicle. Nice work guys!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our subs arrived and they looked great. Big, beefy-looking sandwiches served piping hot in baskets. Our fries were in their own basket on the side. Mmm. They smelled good and we wasted no time digging in. (I had intentionally skipped breakfast so I would be good and hungry). Mine was quite good. The bread was fresh — soft on the inside and crisped on the outside from having been lightly toasted. The sandwich contents had been grilled — the salamis complemented by peppers, onions, and “the works” (lettuce, spices, vinegar, mayo, etc.). I could see right away that the medium was going to be more than enough food (I could only eat half), and I filled up a bit on the AWESOME home cut fries, sliced thin and fried on the spot for freshness. (They weren’t too crispy and I like them on the softer side. My boyfriend did say that they could have been crispier, though.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unfortunately, my boyfriend didn’t love his Italian Sausage sandwich. Again, he had very high hopes that it would taste like this other sandwich that he clearly once had a love affair with and thus, Yellow Sub’s version fell a bit short. No peppers or cheese, just sausage and tomato (that admittedly burst onto my shirt when I took a bite of his sandie). Ah well, can’t win ‘em all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That said, I will point out that I don’t eat sandwiches that often, but of any sandwich I’ve ever had, Michael’s Sourdough on Digital Drive in Novato is a standout. They do bake their bread on the premises, and the ingredients are incredibly fresh and flavorful. It’s hard to compare other sandwiches to those; just thinking about them makes me hungry again!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the price was certainly right for the fare. The sandwiches, drinks, and fries came in around $18, and we left a few bucks in the tip jar.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This spot is definitely a favorite among students and locals who are looking for a fast, cheap eat. You can take the sandwiches to go or eat there, which was quite pleasant actually.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the end of our meal I asked if there was somewhere to wash up and because there wasn’t, the guys were nice enough to give me a wet paper towel with a spot of soap on it! I very much appreciated that because I had to shop Irving after the meal! (Wishbone on the corner of 7th and Irving is fabu.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Net net: I think if you’re in the mood for a big, filling sub you’ll be quite pleased with Yellow Submarine. It is FAR better than Subway, Quizno’s, or any other “chain sub shop” advertised in the area.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong>\r\n503 Irving Street (at 6th Avenue)\r\nSan Francisco, CA 94122\r\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong> 415-681-5652\r\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Winter 2008",
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"title": "The Yellow Submarine: Reviews | KQED",
"description": "Location:\r\n503 Irving Street (at 6th Avenue)\r\nSan Francisco, CA 94122\r\nPhone: 415-681-5652\r\nReviewed: Winter 2008",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Yellow Submarine: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=782\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=773\">full episode video\u003c/a> |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other ways to watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp304iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/yellowsubmarine19.jpg\" alt=\"Steak Sandwich\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/yellowsubmarine10.jpg\" alt=\"Home Cut Fries\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/yellowsubmarine23.jpg\" alt=\"Italian Combo Submarine\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nSteak Sandwich with Homemade Hot Sauce, Hand-Cut Fries, Italian Combo Submarine\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/nancy-mcgee.jpg\" alt=\"Nancy McGee\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Nancy\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Health Care Consultant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> The Yellow Submarine\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed The Yellow Submarine:\u003c/strong> Wednesday February 20, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our party of five quickly found street parking for two cars in the neighborhood without meters. Orders were taken by two extremely cute older ladies behind the counter. We ordered five medium-sized sandwiches: two steak with all of the fixings and homemade hot sauce, one veal piccata, and two meatball sandwiches. We shared one order of fries. All of the sandwiches come on large cut Italian bread that is made by a small bakery in downtown San Francisco. The bread is cut, cheese is placed on the bread, and then it is toasted in Yellow Submarine’s ovens to a warm, toasty perfection. This is no Quizno’s toasting on a conveyor belt, this is real-deal toasting in an oven. The meat for the steak sandwiches was grilled on the grill with onions. Once the bread is sufficiently toasted, the grilled meat is placed on the sandwich, and then the fixings (lettuce, mustard, mayo, pickles, and don’t forget the homemade hot sauce!) are applied. The sandwich is served in a plastic basket. The meatball sandwich and veal sandwiches were prepared similarly. Fries are cut like large potato chips and are delicious when they are just out of the frying basket.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the best things about Yellow Submarine sandwiches is the delicious contrast between the hot meat, crusty toasted bread, and cold fixings. The sandwich does not fall apart or turn into a drippy mess. Instead, it is sandwich perfection — the ultimate comfort food! The meatball sandwich had generous sized meatballs that did not fall apart or fall out of the sandwich. Instead, they squished nicely in the bread and every bite included a bit of the meatball. Similarly, the veal was also well done. The medium is the best size to order, it will leave you completely full. However, if you are feeling particularly Neanderthal, live it up and order the large!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The location is in a very pleasant neighborhood right next to Golden Gate Park, making Yellow Sub an excellent picnic choice for a lunch in the park. In addition, it is a neighborhood institution run by a very nice family. The mom typically makes the sandwiches while her sons help work the grill and run the cash register. As customers arrive in the small kitchen area, she takes orders and memorizes them as more and more customers arrive. Yellow Sub is definitely not a fancy place, it’s a neighborhood hang out that provides generously sized sandwiches for a little over $5. There is no publicly available bathroom at Yellow Sub.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you want excellent comfort food at a reasonable price in a great neighborhood — go to Yellow Sub!\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/jamie-kutch.jpg\" alt=\"Jamie Kutch\" hspace=\"4\" align=\"left\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Jamie\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Winemaker\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> The Slanted Door\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed The Yellow Submarine:\u003c/strong> Friday February 15, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like a true submarine, the beginning of my adventure to this Boston style sandwich joint began with pressure. Pressure to find a parking spot that is! Be prepared to circle the block several times, as this establishment is basically on a residential street. To get down to it: while the sandwiches are quickly prepared, the atmosphere is unique, and the eats are cheap. Overall, I left slightly disappointed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Let me get through some more positives, though, first. I am a stickler for cleanliness at eateries that serve sandwiches and have a grill, and I was glad to see that there was no concern, as this place was spotless. To add to the experience, the kitchen was tended by two older women who look as though they may have opened the eatery circa 1970s (I can’t remember the exact date, though it’s been around). While service doesn’t come with a big smile, they mean business, and business is getting sandwiches made quickly. One thing for sure about the women is that they certainly give the place character, as does the primitive cartoon menu, circa 1977. It was fun to observe over one’s meal. As for seating, there is a side room off the ordering counter, and the tables and layout remind me of a pizza parlor. Casual and simple.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Speaking of simple, unfortunately that about sums up my experience with the two sandwiches I tried. Steak and Cheese, plus an Italian Combo. I should give full disclosure in that I spent thirty years in NY and twelve of those in NYC, so my standards are lofty. To top it off, I have been to sandwich joints in Boston a few dozen times and in my opinion, the Yellow Submarine wouldn’t survive in either city. The quality just wasn’t there. It started off on the wrong foot when I watched my sandwich meat being weighed. Another pet peeve was observing the Italian meats coming out of the fridge already cut. How can meat stay fresh pre-cut? I miss the days of observing the meat being freshly cut as the sandwich is prepared. This leads to the quality of the meat, which I felt was sub-par. To be sure, I tried some of the Italian meat alone, without bread etc. It just wasn’t good quality. To go further, where’s the beef? My sandwich meat was less than 1/2 an inch thick. Finally, the bread, while toasted, it was about as bland as you can get. The ladies were also as tight as a submarine’s living quarters with their tomatoes and pickles. On a final note, I will give high ratings to the french fries. They were cut for a T-Rex, they are so BIG! I can’t fathom where they get the potatoes for the fries. Not cut in the traditional style, more in the cut of a flat potatoes chip, they were delicious.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If I lived a block or two away, I would drop in perhaps every other month, as it was easy and quick, but unfortunately I would never drive across town again for I felt the Submarine was taking on water.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/carrie-scott.jpg\" alt=\"Carrie Scott\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Carrie\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Marketing Director\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Cyrus\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed The Yellow Submarine:\u003c/strong> Sunday February 10, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yellow Submarine is located at 6th and Irving, a fun, thriving part of San Francisco’s avenues. The parking is scarce because there are sooo many great restaurants, shops, and coffee houses over there. It’s best to head off of Irving up into the hills a bit (Parnassus and beyond) to park. Otherwise, take MUNI, a bike, or just walk, and save yourself the headache.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My boyfriend and I headed out to the Yellow Submarine for lunch on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon and were nervous when we saw a line. Luckily, the folks congregating outside the front door had already ordered and were just waiting for their sandwiches to be made. Phew.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We walked inside and saw that the grill, cashier, fridge, etc. were all nestled into a roughly 300 square foot space. Three jovial men behind the counter (brothers perhaps?) ran the joint with aplomb (clearly born from having run a successful business for thirty-three years! Note: They didn’t look old enough to have been there that long, but kudos to them!) All busy with various tasks — one cooking up a storm, one taking food orders, and one popping in and out of the back on various assignments — they kept things moving like a well-oiled machine. The fellow behind the grill was very easy going, and when I mentioned this was a first time for me, he was incredibly patient with my onslaught of questions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I asked if all the sandwiches were cold or hot or if there was a combination of offerings and he said that all the sandwiches were prepared hot. (The menu on the wall didn’t specify, so that was helpful to know.) After a minute of hemming and hawing over what I should order, I went with a longtime favorite, the Italian combination. My boyfriend ordered the Italian Sausage, because he had it in his head that it would taste like his favorite Italian Sausage sandwich from a spiffy little place in Novato called Italian Delight! Never order something hoping it will taste like a favorite because you will invariably be disappointed. And he was. Poor guy. (He ended up eating half of mine because it was DELISH!)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After we placed the order for two medium sandwiches (the bread is baked daily \u003cem>for\u003c/em> the shop, but it’s not made on the premises) we also added some fries and root beers (they also had Corona!) to the tab to experience the full “flavor.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We took a seat in the adjoining room (at least twice the size of the first room with approximately ten tables in there) and we noticed straight away that the area was clean and didn’t smell like anything (cleaning agents, food, or otherwise), which was a relief. The tables were wiped down, the chairs were clean, and the premises felt cared for. There wasn’t a bathroom, however, which can be a good and bad thing. Bad if you have to go, but good if you don’t want to deal with that added foot traffic while you’re consuming your sub!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We sat with our root beers and continued to monitor the throng of visitors that kept this joint hoppin’ on a lazy Sunday. Old, young, working and non-workin, it was clearly a local’s favorite. In fact, while we were waiting for our sandwiches we overheard a “regular” complimenting the fellas on their glowing review in the Sunday Chronicle. Nice work guys!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our subs arrived and they looked great. Big, beefy-looking sandwiches served piping hot in baskets. Our fries were in their own basket on the side. Mmm. They smelled good and we wasted no time digging in. (I had intentionally skipped breakfast so I would be good and hungry). Mine was quite good. The bread was fresh — soft on the inside and crisped on the outside from having been lightly toasted. The sandwich contents had been grilled — the salamis complemented by peppers, onions, and “the works” (lettuce, spices, vinegar, mayo, etc.). I could see right away that the medium was going to be more than enough food (I could only eat half), and I filled up a bit on the AWESOME home cut fries, sliced thin and fried on the spot for freshness. (They weren’t too crispy and I like them on the softer side. My boyfriend did say that they could have been crispier, though.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unfortunately, my boyfriend didn’t love his Italian Sausage sandwich. Again, he had very high hopes that it would taste like this other sandwich that he clearly once had a love affair with and thus, Yellow Sub’s version fell a bit short. No peppers or cheese, just sausage and tomato (that admittedly burst onto my shirt when I took a bite of his sandie). Ah well, can’t win ‘em all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That said, I will point out that I don’t eat sandwiches that often, but of any sandwich I’ve ever had, Michael’s Sourdough on Digital Drive in Novato is a standout. They do bake their bread on the premises, and the ingredients are incredibly fresh and flavorful. It’s hard to compare other sandwiches to those; just thinking about them makes me hungry again!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the price was certainly right for the fare. The sandwiches, drinks, and fries came in around $18, and we left a few bucks in the tip jar.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This spot is definitely a favorite among students and locals who are looking for a fast, cheap eat. You can take the sandwiches to go or eat there, which was quite pleasant actually.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the end of our meal I asked if there was somewhere to wash up and because there wasn’t, the guys were nice enough to give me a wet paper towel with a spot of soap on it! I very much appreciated that because I had to shop Irving after the meal! (Wishbone on the corner of 7th and Irving is fabu.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Net net: I think if you’re in the mood for a big, filling sub you’ll be quite pleased with Yellow Submarine. It is FAR better than Subway, Quizno’s, or any other “chain sub shop” advertised in the area.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Slanted Door: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=783\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=773\">full episode video\u003c/a> |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other ways to watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp304iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/slanteddoor24.jpg\" alt=\"Crispy Imperial Rolls\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/slanteddoor27.jpg\" alt=\"Green Papaya Salad\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/slanteddoor29.jpg\" alt=\"Blue-nosed Bass\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nCrispy Imperial Rolls, Green Papaya Salad with Tofu, Rau Ram, and Roasted Peanuts, Bluenose Bass\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/jamie-kutch.jpg\" alt=\"Jamie Kutch\" hspace=\"4\" align=\"left\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Jamie\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Winemaker\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> The Slanted Door\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed The Slanted Door:\u003c/strong> Friday February 22, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Walking into the Slanted Door is like walking into a trendy hip restaurant in NYC with buzzing energy. Before I even get into the unique and delightful smells coming from the kitchen, my eyes are welcomed by the beautiful people of San Francisco sitting along the massively long bar. If that’s not enough, directly behind the bar are several community cocktail tables and couches where friends seem to be catching up over desert island sort of drinks. My wife and I choose to start with one of these mixology delights and aren’t disappointed. Eric, a tall good looking guy with a shaved head works his magic and comes up with a drink they call “Ginger Limeade.” With Kaffir Lime Vodka, fresh ginger, and lime, this isn’t to be missed, especially if Eric is making it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After being walked across the dining room, which is very “see and be seen,” we sit down at a beautiful table with comfortable chairs. The place is buzzing, as are the eclectic waitstaff whose attention throughout the evening was far from lacking. While the menu offers options for everyone, including vegetarians, it comes off very sophisticated and geared toward the changing of the season. We choose a staple, which we have every time we go: the green papaya salad. As usual, it doesn’t disappoint with its layered flavors of freshness. Then come the spring rolls, which we choose to wrap in a small piece of lettuce while pulling some pieces of mint and stuffing them inside. Before the first bite, I dip mine into some delicious peanut sauce while my wife requests their fish sauce, which also pairs perfectly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Let me back up for a moment as I nearly forgot the wine! We choose a German Riesling with dinner, which pairs with the Slanted Doors cuisine much like a glove does to a hand. The sweet and sour and often slightly spicy foods scream out for bright acidic wines, and the Riesling delivers the goods. I should state that the wine list ROCKS and is geared towards food-friendly, low alcohol styled wines that pair wonderfully with the cuisine at the Slanted Door.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>More food arrives, and we sink our appetites into a claypot of Vietnamese catfish. The flavors of the fish culminate in a perfect balance between sweet and spicy. The other dish is the Niman Ranch double cut pork chops with ginger soy shallot sauce. One bite leaves you craving for more, as the saltiness of the sauce works perfectly with the cooked-to-perfection chops. For a side, we choose some jasmine rice and Chue Farms baby bok choy. The bok choy was far from bland (as I often unfortunately make it), this one is brimming with flavors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Overall the meal tasted healthy and didn’t leave me weighed down. The wine was light, but so complex and while I wouldn’t call the food light fare, I would call it clean and definitely delicious. To finish, we shared a Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée, which just about disappeared as quickly as it arrived. To pair, we each had tea. More specifically Art Tea from the list. Basically it is a jasmine infused green tea with lychee flower. It’s served in a tall clear glass and starts off much like something that resembled a walnut. With time the tea opens and forms a long flower from the bottom of the glass to the top. Not just aesthetically pretty, the nose and taste left me hypnotized and in a very happy state. I hope to go back next week!\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/carrie-scott.jpg\" alt=\"Carrie Scott\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Carrie\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Marketing Director\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Cyrus\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed The Slanted Door:\u003c/strong> Friday February 8, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Slanted Door is located in the Embarcadero’s Ferry Building. That said, parking isn’t plentiful. In fact, be prepared to pony up $10 and park in a nearby lot. That’s what my boyfriend and I did on a recent Friday evening.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The night we chose to visit the restaurant may have been unusually busy (though I’m guessing this is par for the course based on the lack of availability on OpenTable.com). Actually, “busy” is an understatement, it was PACKED. It looked like most of the people there at that hour had just finished their work day and poured in like the cool, tall drinks each held in their hand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There was a queue just to get to the hostess and these people all had reservations! Luckily the line moved fairly quickly and we didn’t lose patience from the get-go. To be honest, we couldn’t get a reservation for that evening, so we showed up “reservation-less” and were accommodated despite the crowds. This was incredibly impressive to us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We were seated at a table with views of the water, bridge, and ferry, and as the sun went down, we were in awe of just how beautiful the location is. The inside of The Slanted Door is spacious. Very high ceilings with unusual and contemporary lighting, floor to ceiling windows, and uncluttered walls. I only noticed one painting from where we were sitting and everything felt clean and well appointed. The tables were a combination of natural wood meets high design. Diners weren’t seated so closely that you could hear their every conversation and luckily the acoustics were amazing — I’m guessing the architect planned it that way! I would have to guess that the place easily seats well over a hundred at any given time. That said, there seemed to be adequate waitstaff for that many diners.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Moving on to the topic of wait staff. Our food server, Satchi, a very animated, informative, and adorable young woman from Hawaii made our experience even better. From the moment she approached the table she was full of helpful suggestions. For example: she recommended the cocktail that we had \u003cem>several of\u003c/em>, and it was the most delicious combination of gin and chartreuse with just a bit of lime. This special drink is known as The Last Word, and had we continued drinking them it might have very well lived up to its name! I will say that the first round of drinks took a bit longer to reach our table than we would have liked. We understood that the bar was jam packed, but we always say if you can get a drink in our hands when we walk in the door, everything else can slide a little!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We asked Satchi for some food recommendations, and she walked us through some of the more popular dishes and some of HER favorites. We ended up ordering nearly every suggestion she brought forth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We started with six perfectly chilled fresh oysters: two Malpeque, two Beau Soleil, and two Hama Hama. Mmm…just thinking about them makes me want more. Then, we had a \u003cem>half order\u003c/em> of the Japanese yellowtail (let me diverge for a moment and say that the restaurant is most accommodating by way of allowing diners to have half orders of items so as to try that much more!). The yellowtail was okay in my opinion, the texture was very nice, but there was a moment of fishiness when I first put it in my mouth, and so of all the things we ordered that evening, this is something I wouldn’t order again (and my boyfriend agreed!).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We followed that with half orders of the crispy vegetarian imperial roll and fresh spring rolls with shrimp, pork, mint, and peanut sauce. I personally would have probably just ordered the fresh roll, but Satchi recommended trying both and I’m glad she did! Despite the added calories, the fried roll was worth it. Not greasy or heavy, just a light bite of imperial delight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite Satchi’s recommendation to order the pork belly (which sounded delish) my boyfriend has a soft spot for carpaccio so we ordered that. Thank goodness! I’m not sure how I lived before tasting this perfectly prepared raw beef with roasted peanuts, rauram sauce, and fresh lime juice. It was a symphony of flavors — all complementing one another — and it came with a sesame rice cracker/flat bread that was helpful in getting the beef on your fork or chopstick and tasted nice and light too!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By this time we had finished our Last Words and we moved on to a bottle of pinot noir. We were going to order a bottle of Carter, but Satchi recommended the Emeritus (same price but “more than just a mouthful of cherries”), so we did. She was right! It was delicious and worked well with the next course — the Meyer Ranch Shaking Beef — a delicate balance of garlic, watercress, and red onions. We ordered organic brown rice (instead of white), which was a lovely addition and more healthful considering all of our eating this evening. We also took the recommendation of our food server and placed an order for the cellophane noodles with Dungeness crab. Oh my. That was something I could have placed three more orders of. It was delicious. Not too much sauce (in fact, I couldn’t even \u003cem>see\u003c/em> a sauce), but the flavors were so balanced and robust. The chard we ordered as a side completed our trio of entrees perfectly. Prepared with caramelized shallots and garlic, these “veggies” were to die for.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across the board, portion size was just right for sharing. The dishes weren’t so small that you felt saddened by the one bite you eked out of the dish, but not so large that you couldn’t have many, many more. Like the story of Goldilocks, it was “just right”!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the fact that we were soooooooooo full we thought we might burst, we HAD to have dessert. There were many delicious-sounding things to choose from, and we almost went with the chocolate tart, but again Satchi saved the day by recommending the panna cotta instead. We couldn’t resist the pear crisp, and thank goodness we didn’t because it was heaven in a terrine. Mmmm mmm good. The panna cotta was rich and creamy with visible specks of fresh vanilla and fresh, bright grapefruit on the side. In contrast, the pear crisp was warmed, with a buttery, salty topping, and fresh ice cream. The pears tasted like they’d just been picked from the tree and were perfectly cooked (not mealy or squishy).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We went into The Slanted Door knowing its reputation and assuming we would pay more than we are accustomed to paying for Vietnamese fare. That said, at nearly $150/head it \u003cem>is\u003c/em> spendy for this type of food, but, in our opinion, quite worth it.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/nancy-mcgee.jpg\" alt=\"Nancy McGee\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Nancy\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Health Care Consultant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> The Yellow Submarine\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed The Slanted Door:\u003c/strong> Tuesday February 19, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our party of five people arrived at Slanted Door on time for our 8pm reservation and waited approximately 5 minutes to be seated. We parked on the pier next to the Ferry Building complex. We had a lovely table that had a view of the Bay Bridge for some of the diners, while the others had views of the restaurant. The restaurant was packed. Our waitress was extremely attentive from start to finish. She has worked at Slanted Door for the past 3 years and was very knowledgeable about the cocktails, wine, food, and order that the food should appear at the table for maximum flavor effect. We started with several delicious cocktails and the imperial rolls. When they arrived at the table, unfortunately we did not get an explanation from the waiter that brought the appetizer regarding how we were to eat the rolls for maximum effect. The plate arrives with 6 rolls, several leaves of lettuce, fresh mint, and some rice noodles. Luckily, one of the members of our party was from Laos and Vietnam and could show us how to wrap the rolls in the lettuce, include some noodles, mint, and dip in the sauce. They were delicious, and our Laos/Vietnam guest was very impressed with the flavor. We also enjoyed the BBQ pork ribs as an appetizer; they were generous in size and tasted delicious. Lastly, we ordered the papaya salad, which is a classic for this type of cuisine. We all agreed that we have had better papaya salads in other Vietnamese restaurants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For dinner, because we had a party of five, we ordered a variety of main course dishes. The waitress suggested a Gewurztraminer that another table had sent back that the restaurant was selling by the glass to avoid wasting it. The wine was a perfect paring for the flavors we experienced in our main course selections, and we were very impressed with our waitress’ knowledge of the subtleties of the wine. The pours she gave were also generous, which was nice, especially since this was a wine that another table had technically “sent back.” The first dishes to arrive at the table were the shaking beef and a plate of broccoli, both were flavorful and cooked very well. The beef was tender, the onions on the beef were delicious, and the broccoli was not over cooked. We also had jasmine rice and brown rice, both were cooked well. Next, the Bluenose bass arrived at the table. The skin was nice and crisp. However, while most of the meat of the fish was cooked nicely, there was a portion that one of our guests noted was a bit dry. The final main dish that we had was the claypot catfish. Hands down, this was the most delicious dish of the main courses that we ordered. The sauce was phenomenal and really complemented the taste and texture of the catfish. We asked our waitress if she had the food sent to the table in a particular order and she replied that she had sent them in this order to maximize the taste of each dish — had the claypot catfish been served first, the sauce would have overwhelmed the tartness of the sauces for the beef and bass. While we could all understand why a lot of people recommend Slanted Door’s claypot chicken, as the chicken is probably an excellent substrate for the fantastic sauce, our table universally advocate a little adventure for future guests to Slanted Door — try the catfish claypot, you won’t be disappointed!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We concluded our meal with three desserts. We had the bourbon chocolate torte, which was beautiful and very delicious. We had the pear crisp, which was nice. Lastly, we had the pot de crème, which was also nice. We enjoyed a coffee that was very flavorful, chrysanthemum tea, which smelled very nice, and a glass of dry Gewurztraminer that complemented the flavors in the desserts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our major complaint about Slanted Door was the unisex bathroom area. In the bathroom area there is a communal sink that is shaped like a long trough, then there are several private unisex toilets. While the effect is very cool and modern, the effect is less than desirable for a number of reasons. First, the women in our party universally agreed that they did not like the communal sink because they felt that they did not have privacy from the men in the area when they wanted to tend to their hair, apply lipstick, and otherwise primp in the mirror before returning to the table. In addition, I used one of the unisex toilets and apparently turned the lock the wrong way and almost had a male visitor during an inopportune moment. Lastly, all three women in our party were greeted by the seat being “up” in the bathroom stall, which is never very pleasant to manage when using a public toilet in a restaurant. The men in our group did not mind the unisex bathroom; however, they did not care for the trough sink. In fact, they said that it made them feel like they were at a State Fair and should be looking for the funnel cake and deep-fried Snickers bar vendors. Lastly, there was no bathroom attendant to ensure that the stalls were clean after use.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Overall experience: best waitress I have experienced in a long while, very knowledgeable, and customer service oriented. The food was great with the highlight being the claypot catfish and the excellent wine paring suggested by the waitress. The noise level in the restaurant was fairly loud. As a result, I would recommend this restaurant for group dinners, but not for dates or private business meetings where intimacy is desired. Bathrooms were a universal disappointment. We felt that the cost of the meal was appropriate for the service and food we received.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong>\r\nOne Ferry Building #3\r\nThe Embarcadero\r\nSan Francisco, CA 94111\r\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong> 415-861-8032\r\n\u003cstrong>Website:\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://www.slanteddoor.com\">www.slanteddoor.com\u003c/a>\r\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Winter 2008",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Slanted Door: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=783\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=773\">full episode video\u003c/a> |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other ways to watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp304iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/slanteddoor24.jpg\" alt=\"Crispy Imperial Rolls\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/slanteddoor27.jpg\" alt=\"Green Papaya Salad\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/slanteddoor29.jpg\" alt=\"Blue-nosed Bass\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nCrispy Imperial Rolls, Green Papaya Salad with Tofu, Rau Ram, and Roasted Peanuts, Bluenose Bass\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/jamie-kutch.jpg\" alt=\"Jamie Kutch\" hspace=\"4\" align=\"left\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Jamie\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Winemaker\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> The Slanted Door\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed The Slanted Door:\u003c/strong> Friday February 22, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Walking into the Slanted Door is like walking into a trendy hip restaurant in NYC with buzzing energy. Before I even get into the unique and delightful smells coming from the kitchen, my eyes are welcomed by the beautiful people of San Francisco sitting along the massively long bar. If that’s not enough, directly behind the bar are several community cocktail tables and couches where friends seem to be catching up over desert island sort of drinks. My wife and I choose to start with one of these mixology delights and aren’t disappointed. Eric, a tall good looking guy with a shaved head works his magic and comes up with a drink they call “Ginger Limeade.” With Kaffir Lime Vodka, fresh ginger, and lime, this isn’t to be missed, especially if Eric is making it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After being walked across the dining room, which is very “see and be seen,” we sit down at a beautiful table with comfortable chairs. The place is buzzing, as are the eclectic waitstaff whose attention throughout the evening was far from lacking. While the menu offers options for everyone, including vegetarians, it comes off very sophisticated and geared toward the changing of the season. We choose a staple, which we have every time we go: the green papaya salad. As usual, it doesn’t disappoint with its layered flavors of freshness. Then come the spring rolls, which we choose to wrap in a small piece of lettuce while pulling some pieces of mint and stuffing them inside. Before the first bite, I dip mine into some delicious peanut sauce while my wife requests their fish sauce, which also pairs perfectly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Let me back up for a moment as I nearly forgot the wine! We choose a German Riesling with dinner, which pairs with the Slanted Doors cuisine much like a glove does to a hand. The sweet and sour and often slightly spicy foods scream out for bright acidic wines, and the Riesling delivers the goods. I should state that the wine list ROCKS and is geared towards food-friendly, low alcohol styled wines that pair wonderfully with the cuisine at the Slanted Door.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>More food arrives, and we sink our appetites into a claypot of Vietnamese catfish. The flavors of the fish culminate in a perfect balance between sweet and spicy. The other dish is the Niman Ranch double cut pork chops with ginger soy shallot sauce. One bite leaves you craving for more, as the saltiness of the sauce works perfectly with the cooked-to-perfection chops. For a side, we choose some jasmine rice and Chue Farms baby bok choy. The bok choy was far from bland (as I often unfortunately make it), this one is brimming with flavors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Overall the meal tasted healthy and didn’t leave me weighed down. The wine was light, but so complex and while I wouldn’t call the food light fare, I would call it clean and definitely delicious. To finish, we shared a Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée, which just about disappeared as quickly as it arrived. To pair, we each had tea. More specifically Art Tea from the list. Basically it is a jasmine infused green tea with lychee flower. It’s served in a tall clear glass and starts off much like something that resembled a walnut. With time the tea opens and forms a long flower from the bottom of the glass to the top. Not just aesthetically pretty, the nose and taste left me hypnotized and in a very happy state. I hope to go back next week!\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/carrie-scott.jpg\" alt=\"Carrie Scott\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Carrie\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Marketing Director\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Cyrus\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed The Slanted Door:\u003c/strong> Friday February 8, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Slanted Door is located in the Embarcadero’s Ferry Building. That said, parking isn’t plentiful. In fact, be prepared to pony up $10 and park in a nearby lot. That’s what my boyfriend and I did on a recent Friday evening.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The night we chose to visit the restaurant may have been unusually busy (though I’m guessing this is par for the course based on the lack of availability on OpenTable.com). Actually, “busy” is an understatement, it was PACKED. It looked like most of the people there at that hour had just finished their work day and poured in like the cool, tall drinks each held in their hand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There was a queue just to get to the hostess and these people all had reservations! Luckily the line moved fairly quickly and we didn’t lose patience from the get-go. To be honest, we couldn’t get a reservation for that evening, so we showed up “reservation-less” and were accommodated despite the crowds. This was incredibly impressive to us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We were seated at a table with views of the water, bridge, and ferry, and as the sun went down, we were in awe of just how beautiful the location is. The inside of The Slanted Door is spacious. Very high ceilings with unusual and contemporary lighting, floor to ceiling windows, and uncluttered walls. I only noticed one painting from where we were sitting and everything felt clean and well appointed. The tables were a combination of natural wood meets high design. Diners weren’t seated so closely that you could hear their every conversation and luckily the acoustics were amazing — I’m guessing the architect planned it that way! I would have to guess that the place easily seats well over a hundred at any given time. That said, there seemed to be adequate waitstaff for that many diners.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Moving on to the topic of wait staff. Our food server, Satchi, a very animated, informative, and adorable young woman from Hawaii made our experience even better. From the moment she approached the table she was full of helpful suggestions. For example: she recommended the cocktail that we had \u003cem>several of\u003c/em>, and it was the most delicious combination of gin and chartreuse with just a bit of lime. This special drink is known as The Last Word, and had we continued drinking them it might have very well lived up to its name! I will say that the first round of drinks took a bit longer to reach our table than we would have liked. We understood that the bar was jam packed, but we always say if you can get a drink in our hands when we walk in the door, everything else can slide a little!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We asked Satchi for some food recommendations, and she walked us through some of the more popular dishes and some of HER favorites. We ended up ordering nearly every suggestion she brought forth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We started with six perfectly chilled fresh oysters: two Malpeque, two Beau Soleil, and two Hama Hama. Mmm…just thinking about them makes me want more. Then, we had a \u003cem>half order\u003c/em> of the Japanese yellowtail (let me diverge for a moment and say that the restaurant is most accommodating by way of allowing diners to have half orders of items so as to try that much more!). The yellowtail was okay in my opinion, the texture was very nice, but there was a moment of fishiness when I first put it in my mouth, and so of all the things we ordered that evening, this is something I wouldn’t order again (and my boyfriend agreed!).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We followed that with half orders of the crispy vegetarian imperial roll and fresh spring rolls with shrimp, pork, mint, and peanut sauce. I personally would have probably just ordered the fresh roll, but Satchi recommended trying both and I’m glad she did! Despite the added calories, the fried roll was worth it. Not greasy or heavy, just a light bite of imperial delight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite Satchi’s recommendation to order the pork belly (which sounded delish) my boyfriend has a soft spot for carpaccio so we ordered that. Thank goodness! I’m not sure how I lived before tasting this perfectly prepared raw beef with roasted peanuts, rauram sauce, and fresh lime juice. It was a symphony of flavors — all complementing one another — and it came with a sesame rice cracker/flat bread that was helpful in getting the beef on your fork or chopstick and tasted nice and light too!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By this time we had finished our Last Words and we moved on to a bottle of pinot noir. We were going to order a bottle of Carter, but Satchi recommended the Emeritus (same price but “more than just a mouthful of cherries”), so we did. She was right! It was delicious and worked well with the next course — the Meyer Ranch Shaking Beef — a delicate balance of garlic, watercress, and red onions. We ordered organic brown rice (instead of white), which was a lovely addition and more healthful considering all of our eating this evening. We also took the recommendation of our food server and placed an order for the cellophane noodles with Dungeness crab. Oh my. That was something I could have placed three more orders of. It was delicious. Not too much sauce (in fact, I couldn’t even \u003cem>see\u003c/em> a sauce), but the flavors were so balanced and robust. The chard we ordered as a side completed our trio of entrees perfectly. Prepared with caramelized shallots and garlic, these “veggies” were to die for.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across the board, portion size was just right for sharing. The dishes weren’t so small that you felt saddened by the one bite you eked out of the dish, but not so large that you couldn’t have many, many more. Like the story of Goldilocks, it was “just right”!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the fact that we were soooooooooo full we thought we might burst, we HAD to have dessert. There were many delicious-sounding things to choose from, and we almost went with the chocolate tart, but again Satchi saved the day by recommending the panna cotta instead. We couldn’t resist the pear crisp, and thank goodness we didn’t because it was heaven in a terrine. Mmmm mmm good. The panna cotta was rich and creamy with visible specks of fresh vanilla and fresh, bright grapefruit on the side. In contrast, the pear crisp was warmed, with a buttery, salty topping, and fresh ice cream. The pears tasted like they’d just been picked from the tree and were perfectly cooked (not mealy or squishy).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We went into The Slanted Door knowing its reputation and assuming we would pay more than we are accustomed to paying for Vietnamese fare. That said, at nearly $150/head it \u003cem>is\u003c/em> spendy for this type of food, but, in our opinion, quite worth it.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/nancy-mcgee.jpg\" alt=\"Nancy McGee\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Nancy\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Health Care Consultant\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> The Yellow Submarine\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed The Slanted Door:\u003c/strong> Tuesday February 19, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our party of five people arrived at Slanted Door on time for our 8pm reservation and waited approximately 5 minutes to be seated. We parked on the pier next to the Ferry Building complex. We had a lovely table that had a view of the Bay Bridge for some of the diners, while the others had views of the restaurant. The restaurant was packed. Our waitress was extremely attentive from start to finish. She has worked at Slanted Door for the past 3 years and was very knowledgeable about the cocktails, wine, food, and order that the food should appear at the table for maximum flavor effect. We started with several delicious cocktails and the imperial rolls. When they arrived at the table, unfortunately we did not get an explanation from the waiter that brought the appetizer regarding how we were to eat the rolls for maximum effect. The plate arrives with 6 rolls, several leaves of lettuce, fresh mint, and some rice noodles. Luckily, one of the members of our party was from Laos and Vietnam and could show us how to wrap the rolls in the lettuce, include some noodles, mint, and dip in the sauce. They were delicious, and our Laos/Vietnam guest was very impressed with the flavor. We also enjoyed the BBQ pork ribs as an appetizer; they were generous in size and tasted delicious. Lastly, we ordered the papaya salad, which is a classic for this type of cuisine. We all agreed that we have had better papaya salads in other Vietnamese restaurants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For dinner, because we had a party of five, we ordered a variety of main course dishes. The waitress suggested a Gewurztraminer that another table had sent back that the restaurant was selling by the glass to avoid wasting it. The wine was a perfect paring for the flavors we experienced in our main course selections, and we were very impressed with our waitress’ knowledge of the subtleties of the wine. The pours she gave were also generous, which was nice, especially since this was a wine that another table had technically “sent back.” The first dishes to arrive at the table were the shaking beef and a plate of broccoli, both were flavorful and cooked very well. The beef was tender, the onions on the beef were delicious, and the broccoli was not over cooked. We also had jasmine rice and brown rice, both were cooked well. Next, the Bluenose bass arrived at the table. The skin was nice and crisp. However, while most of the meat of the fish was cooked nicely, there was a portion that one of our guests noted was a bit dry. The final main dish that we had was the claypot catfish. Hands down, this was the most delicious dish of the main courses that we ordered. The sauce was phenomenal and really complemented the taste and texture of the catfish. We asked our waitress if she had the food sent to the table in a particular order and she replied that she had sent them in this order to maximize the taste of each dish — had the claypot catfish been served first, the sauce would have overwhelmed the tartness of the sauces for the beef and bass. While we could all understand why a lot of people recommend Slanted Door’s claypot chicken, as the chicken is probably an excellent substrate for the fantastic sauce, our table universally advocate a little adventure for future guests to Slanted Door — try the catfish claypot, you won’t be disappointed!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We concluded our meal with three desserts. We had the bourbon chocolate torte, which was beautiful and very delicious. We had the pear crisp, which was nice. Lastly, we had the pot de crème, which was also nice. We enjoyed a coffee that was very flavorful, chrysanthemum tea, which smelled very nice, and a glass of dry Gewurztraminer that complemented the flavors in the desserts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our major complaint about Slanted Door was the unisex bathroom area. In the bathroom area there is a communal sink that is shaped like a long trough, then there are several private unisex toilets. While the effect is very cool and modern, the effect is less than desirable for a number of reasons. First, the women in our party universally agreed that they did not like the communal sink because they felt that they did not have privacy from the men in the area when they wanted to tend to their hair, apply lipstick, and otherwise primp in the mirror before returning to the table. In addition, I used one of the unisex toilets and apparently turned the lock the wrong way and almost had a male visitor during an inopportune moment. Lastly, all three women in our party were greeted by the seat being “up” in the bathroom stall, which is never very pleasant to manage when using a public toilet in a restaurant. The men in our group did not mind the unisex bathroom; however, they did not care for the trough sink. In fact, they said that it made them feel like they were at a State Fair and should be looking for the funnel cake and deep-fried Snickers bar vendors. Lastly, there was no bathroom attendant to ensure that the stalls were clean after use.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Overall experience: best waitress I have experienced in a long while, very knowledgeable, and customer service oriented. The food was great with the highlight being the claypot catfish and the excellent wine paring suggested by the waitress. The noise level in the restaurant was fairly loud. As a result, I would recommend this restaurant for group dinners, but not for dates or private business meetings where intimacy is desired. Bathrooms were a universal disappointment. We felt that the cost of the meal was appropriate for the service and food we received.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Capannina: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=742\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=733\">full episode video\u003c/a> |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other ways to watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp303iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/capannina20.jpg\" alt=\"Risotto Nero Con Capesante alla Veneziana Black Ink Risotto with Seared Scallops and Lobster Bisque\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/capannina30.jpg\" alt=\"Mixed Seafood Grill\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/capannina31.jpg\" alt=\"Tiramisu\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nRisotto Nero Con Capesante alla Veneziana Black Ink Risotto with Seared Scallops and Lobster Bisque; Mixed Seafood Grill: Grilled Salmon, Halibut and Prawns; Tiramisu\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/jules-older.jpg\" alt=\"Jules Older\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Jules\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Writer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Capannina\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Capannina:\u003c/strong> Sunday January 20, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I went to Capannina on opening night. After the meal, the owner, Michele, introduced himself and asked how we found everything. “Just lovely,” we said, “Except,” my wife added, “the salmon was a bit salty.” In his rich Italian accent, he said, “I know just what you mean. We fix that.” So we got to talking, and I asked where he was from. “The Isle of Capri,” he said. “Hmm, that’s funny. The only other human being I know from Capri \u003cem>also\u003c/em> owns a restaurant. I think it’s the best restaurant is Vermont.” Michele gasped. “That’s-a cousin Tonina!” Sure enough, my favorite restaurant in the Olde State was run by the cousin of my favorite in the New. And, turns out, a third cousin runs another back on Capri. If he’s half as good as his American relatives, I wanna go there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What makes Capannina such a standout? Always, I start with the food. Every dish, from the risotto in squid ink to the dessert cannoli that rival New York’s Little Italy, every one makes your stomach thank your mouth. Even the buffalo mozzarella is the real deal. Even the pesto that comes with the bread calls you to sop up every drop and beg for more. I find Capannina one of a very few San Francisco restaurants that makes the long leap from very nice to “wow.” Capannina is definitely wow. But it’s not just the food that makes it so. The service defines Italian warmth. Everybody, from the bussers to the owner, seems genuinely glad to see you, genuinely glad to serve you, genuinely glad you’re there. The waiters are at your table when you want them, will advise you when you ask them, and they leave you in peace when you wish to be alone. They obviously like doing what they do, and they’re good at it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the problems I have with many San Francisco restaurants, especially fashionably hip ones, is that the noise level is designed to do permanent damage to your hearing. (In Vermont, it’s the opposite problem: restaurants where everybody whispers and where if you laugh out loud, you feel like you’re creating a public nuisance.) Capannina finds the middle path; neither ear-splitting nor as silent as a tomb, it’s the sound of people enjoying themselves over a wonderful dinner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are four, maybe five restaurants in San Francisco I heartily recommend. Capannina is at the top of that short, select list.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/dianne-gates-anderson.jpg\" alt=\"Dianne Gates-Anderson\" hspace=\"4\" align=\"left\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Dianne\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Environmental Engineer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Union City\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Capannina:\u003c/strong> Sunday January 20, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Hike-In Dining in San Francisco”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Okay, so I’m from the East Bay, but I can do San Francisco dining, or so I thought. I was really looking forward to dining at Capannina and made a reservation for my husband and myself for 6:00pm on a Sunday. My thinking was that on a Sunday, traffic wouldn’t be as hectic and parking should be easier. Unfortunately, I was only right on one point — traffic was the least of our problems. Parking was impossible anywhere near the restaurant. After an extensive parking space search throughout the neighborhood, we ended up parking about a mile away. More accurately it was a mile away and uphill from the restaurant. By the time we arrived at the restaurant, more than thirty minutes late, due to our parking woes, we were more than a bit frazzled.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We were greeted warmly at the entrance to the “cozy” restaurant and allowed to select a table along either of the two long benches that lined the two walls of the restaurant. My husband took the bench seat, while I occupied the outer seat that overlapped the route of the multiple servers. I felt a little like I was sitting on an airport runway. The service was very friendly and accommodating. Our server, Sergio, explained our options clearly and wasn’t too obtrusive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had the trio of crab cake appetizer (Trio di Polpettine di Granchio, $15), which included 3 healthy portions of crab cakes, each in an individual dish with a different sauce (tomato, corn, and saffron). The cylindrical crab cakes were quite good with a crispy panko coating. They had a nice crabby flavor, but I would have preferred lump crabmeat to the finely shredded crab in the cakes served here. The sauces were a nice touch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had the seafood mixed grill (Misto Griglia de Pesce, $21) for my entrée, and my husband had the Tuscan brick-pressed chicken (Pollo al Mattone, $18). Both entrees were outstanding. The seafood mixed grill included grilled salmon, halibut, and prawns with a light lemon caper sauce. The portion size was perfect. I ate everything on my plate and didn’t feel stuffed or the least bit guilty about the amount of food I ate. The sauce was so good I used the bread to sop up every last drop of the mingled sauce and drippings from the seafood. My husband was also very impressed with his chicken, which was nicely seasoned with crispy skin. The Swiss chard that accompanied his chicken was also very good with a peppery bite to it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My favorite part of any meal is always the dessert, and to say that I was looking forward to the warm chocolate cake with hazelnut soup and hazelnut ice cream that I ordered, is an understatement. Unfortunately, it was not as good as I had hoped it would be. The cake was barely warm and the ice cream had crystals in it, like it had been frozen and thawed one time to many. I still remained hopeful for the tiramisu my husband ordered. It was both beautifully presented and delicious. The generous square of tiramisu was encased by 4 sheets of white chocolate. Usually I get to eat all of my dessert and half of my husband’s dessert when we go out. But not this time, after I had taken my second spoonful of my husband’s tiramisu, he looked at me and told me keep my spoon to myself. And this was after I gave him my ice cream.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now I get to the tough part about being a restaurant reviewer. I must answer 2 key questions: 1) Would I go to this restaurant again? and 2) Would I recommend the restaurant to someone else? I cannot see myself going to this restaurant again, even though I thoroughly enjoyed the food and found the service very accommodating. Three things would keep me away: the parking logistics, the noise level, and the prices. For the price that we paid for our dining experience ($87 including tip), I expect a quiet, romantic atmosphere. I like my husband to able to whisper sweet nothings to me, not have to lean over and shout in order to have a conversation. I would not discourage my friends from dining at Capannina. I would leave it to them to decide if excellent Italian food is worth the hike and the money. One person’s combat parking, hike-in dining experience may be another person’s edgy urban triumph.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/sylvia-lee.jpg\" alt=\"Sylvia Lee\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Sylvia\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Director of Marketing\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Playground\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Capannina:\u003c/strong> Friday February 8, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco is a tough town for Italian restaurants. There are so many to choose from, ranging from low to high priced, northern to southern cuisine, that I wonder how can another one survive in this town. After a visit to Capannina, I am now clued into the secret to success.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Capannina is centrally located in the Cow Hollow/Marina neighborhood where, I find, food can be a bit boring. But I’m now eating my words after a great night of excellent service and flavorful, perfectly cooked Italian cuisine. My friend, another very picky foodie like me, sat down in the busy restaurant on a Friday night and was greeted by a very warm, friendly host. We immediately ordered red wine after our helpful server assisted us in our choices.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We started with the stuffed calamari, four luscious pieces of calamari stuffed with crab and potato covered in a fresh tomato sauce. This was my favorite part of the meal if you twisted my arm and made me choose. The potato bound the crab into a light, flavorful filling and two each was a perfect choice to start the dinner. We also polished off the complimentary breadbasket, due to the irresistible pesto dipping sauce. We were spooning the pesto practically straight into our mouths using the bread as a leverage point.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My friend, T, had the spectacularly presented linguini with fresh scampi in vodka sauce. The two scampi shells were placed on top of the mound of linguini with plenty of scampi pieces found in the tomato based sauce. The helpful waiter had helped her make her main course choice, and she was thrilled that she made the right choice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had the veal scaloppine, a classic Italian dish that I order on rare occasions. The generous portions of 5 medallions were gently sautéed in the classic manner with a wine butter sauce. However tender and delicious the veal was, I was still more interested in the side of parmesan risotto and sautéed spinach sitting next to the veal. Next time, I’ll go straight to the pasta or risotto options.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We did leave room for dessert, and since we are both cannoli fans, ordered one to share. There were four cute portions, and again, served with an impeccable presentation with dots of raspberry coulis. We found the dessert a bit disappointing as the ricotta filling had lumps of candied fruit, which didn’t really do much for the pastry cream as, let’s say, chocolate or pistachios would, as a personal taste. But we did finish the plate, helped with a shot of smooth espresso and dessert wine for T.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The code for survival of the fittest Italian restaurant has been cracked by Capinnina, and I’m looking forward to seeing it around for a while.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong>\r\n1809 Union Street (at Octavia)\r\nSan Francisco, CA 94123\r\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong> 415-409-8001\r\n\u003cstrong>Website:\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://www.capannina.us\">www.capannina.us\u003c/a>\r\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Winter 2008",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Capannina: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=742\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=733\">full episode video\u003c/a> |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other ways to watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp303iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/capannina20.jpg\" alt=\"Risotto Nero Con Capesante alla Veneziana Black Ink Risotto with Seared Scallops and Lobster Bisque\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/capannina30.jpg\" alt=\"Mixed Seafood Grill\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/capannina31.jpg\" alt=\"Tiramisu\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nRisotto Nero Con Capesante alla Veneziana Black Ink Risotto with Seared Scallops and Lobster Bisque; Mixed Seafood Grill: Grilled Salmon, Halibut and Prawns; Tiramisu\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/jules-older.jpg\" alt=\"Jules Older\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Jules\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Writer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Capannina\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Capannina:\u003c/strong> Sunday January 20, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I went to Capannina on opening night. After the meal, the owner, Michele, introduced himself and asked how we found everything. “Just lovely,” we said, “Except,” my wife added, “the salmon was a bit salty.” In his rich Italian accent, he said, “I know just what you mean. We fix that.” So we got to talking, and I asked where he was from. “The Isle of Capri,” he said. “Hmm, that’s funny. The only other human being I know from Capri \u003cem>also\u003c/em> owns a restaurant. I think it’s the best restaurant is Vermont.” Michele gasped. “That’s-a cousin Tonina!” Sure enough, my favorite restaurant in the Olde State was run by the cousin of my favorite in the New. And, turns out, a third cousin runs another back on Capri. If he’s half as good as his American relatives, I wanna go there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What makes Capannina such a standout? Always, I start with the food. Every dish, from the risotto in squid ink to the dessert cannoli that rival New York’s Little Italy, every one makes your stomach thank your mouth. Even the buffalo mozzarella is the real deal. Even the pesto that comes with the bread calls you to sop up every drop and beg for more. I find Capannina one of a very few San Francisco restaurants that makes the long leap from very nice to “wow.” Capannina is definitely wow. But it’s not just the food that makes it so. The service defines Italian warmth. Everybody, from the bussers to the owner, seems genuinely glad to see you, genuinely glad to serve you, genuinely glad you’re there. The waiters are at your table when you want them, will advise you when you ask them, and they leave you in peace when you wish to be alone. They obviously like doing what they do, and they’re good at it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the problems I have with many San Francisco restaurants, especially fashionably hip ones, is that the noise level is designed to do permanent damage to your hearing. (In Vermont, it’s the opposite problem: restaurants where everybody whispers and where if you laugh out loud, you feel like you’re creating a public nuisance.) Capannina finds the middle path; neither ear-splitting nor as silent as a tomb, it’s the sound of people enjoying themselves over a wonderful dinner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are four, maybe five restaurants in San Francisco I heartily recommend. Capannina is at the top of that short, select list.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/dianne-gates-anderson.jpg\" alt=\"Dianne Gates-Anderson\" hspace=\"4\" align=\"left\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Dianne\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Environmental Engineer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Union City\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Capannina:\u003c/strong> Sunday January 20, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Hike-In Dining in San Francisco”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Okay, so I’m from the East Bay, but I can do San Francisco dining, or so I thought. I was really looking forward to dining at Capannina and made a reservation for my husband and myself for 6:00pm on a Sunday. My thinking was that on a Sunday, traffic wouldn’t be as hectic and parking should be easier. Unfortunately, I was only right on one point — traffic was the least of our problems. Parking was impossible anywhere near the restaurant. After an extensive parking space search throughout the neighborhood, we ended up parking about a mile away. More accurately it was a mile away and uphill from the restaurant. By the time we arrived at the restaurant, more than thirty minutes late, due to our parking woes, we were more than a bit frazzled.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We were greeted warmly at the entrance to the “cozy” restaurant and allowed to select a table along either of the two long benches that lined the two walls of the restaurant. My husband took the bench seat, while I occupied the outer seat that overlapped the route of the multiple servers. I felt a little like I was sitting on an airport runway. The service was very friendly and accommodating. Our server, Sergio, explained our options clearly and wasn’t too obtrusive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had the trio of crab cake appetizer (Trio di Polpettine di Granchio, $15), which included 3 healthy portions of crab cakes, each in an individual dish with a different sauce (tomato, corn, and saffron). The cylindrical crab cakes were quite good with a crispy panko coating. They had a nice crabby flavor, but I would have preferred lump crabmeat to the finely shredded crab in the cakes served here. The sauces were a nice touch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had the seafood mixed grill (Misto Griglia de Pesce, $21) for my entrée, and my husband had the Tuscan brick-pressed chicken (Pollo al Mattone, $18). Both entrees were outstanding. The seafood mixed grill included grilled salmon, halibut, and prawns with a light lemon caper sauce. The portion size was perfect. I ate everything on my plate and didn’t feel stuffed or the least bit guilty about the amount of food I ate. The sauce was so good I used the bread to sop up every last drop of the mingled sauce and drippings from the seafood. My husband was also very impressed with his chicken, which was nicely seasoned with crispy skin. The Swiss chard that accompanied his chicken was also very good with a peppery bite to it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My favorite part of any meal is always the dessert, and to say that I was looking forward to the warm chocolate cake with hazelnut soup and hazelnut ice cream that I ordered, is an understatement. Unfortunately, it was not as good as I had hoped it would be. The cake was barely warm and the ice cream had crystals in it, like it had been frozen and thawed one time to many. I still remained hopeful for the tiramisu my husband ordered. It was both beautifully presented and delicious. The generous square of tiramisu was encased by 4 sheets of white chocolate. Usually I get to eat all of my dessert and half of my husband’s dessert when we go out. But not this time, after I had taken my second spoonful of my husband’s tiramisu, he looked at me and told me keep my spoon to myself. And this was after I gave him my ice cream.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now I get to the tough part about being a restaurant reviewer. I must answer 2 key questions: 1) Would I go to this restaurant again? and 2) Would I recommend the restaurant to someone else? I cannot see myself going to this restaurant again, even though I thoroughly enjoyed the food and found the service very accommodating. Three things would keep me away: the parking logistics, the noise level, and the prices. For the price that we paid for our dining experience ($87 including tip), I expect a quiet, romantic atmosphere. I like my husband to able to whisper sweet nothings to me, not have to lean over and shout in order to have a conversation. I would not discourage my friends from dining at Capannina. I would leave it to them to decide if excellent Italian food is worth the hike and the money. One person’s combat parking, hike-in dining experience may be another person’s edgy urban triumph.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/sylvia-lee.jpg\" alt=\"Sylvia Lee\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Sylvia\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Director of Marketing\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Playground\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Capannina:\u003c/strong> Friday February 8, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco is a tough town for Italian restaurants. There are so many to choose from, ranging from low to high priced, northern to southern cuisine, that I wonder how can another one survive in this town. After a visit to Capannina, I am now clued into the secret to success.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Capannina is centrally located in the Cow Hollow/Marina neighborhood where, I find, food can be a bit boring. But I’m now eating my words after a great night of excellent service and flavorful, perfectly cooked Italian cuisine. My friend, another very picky foodie like me, sat down in the busy restaurant on a Friday night and was greeted by a very warm, friendly host. We immediately ordered red wine after our helpful server assisted us in our choices.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We started with the stuffed calamari, four luscious pieces of calamari stuffed with crab and potato covered in a fresh tomato sauce. This was my favorite part of the meal if you twisted my arm and made me choose. The potato bound the crab into a light, flavorful filling and two each was a perfect choice to start the dinner. We also polished off the complimentary breadbasket, due to the irresistible pesto dipping sauce. We were spooning the pesto practically straight into our mouths using the bread as a leverage point.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My friend, T, had the spectacularly presented linguini with fresh scampi in vodka sauce. The two scampi shells were placed on top of the mound of linguini with plenty of scampi pieces found in the tomato based sauce. The helpful waiter had helped her make her main course choice, and she was thrilled that she made the right choice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had the veal scaloppine, a classic Italian dish that I order on rare occasions. The generous portions of 5 medallions were gently sautéed in the classic manner with a wine butter sauce. However tender and delicious the veal was, I was still more interested in the side of parmesan risotto and sautéed spinach sitting next to the veal. Next time, I’ll go straight to the pasta or risotto options.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We did leave room for dessert, and since we are both cannoli fans, ordered one to share. There were four cute portions, and again, served with an impeccable presentation with dots of raspberry coulis. We found the dessert a bit disappointing as the ricotta filling had lumps of candied fruit, which didn’t really do much for the pastry cream as, let’s say, chocolate or pistachios would, as a personal taste. But we did finish the plate, helped with a shot of smooth espresso and dessert wine for T.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=740\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=733\">full episode video\u003c/a> |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other ways to watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp303iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/angelines11.jpg\" alt=\"Shrimp Po-boy\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/angelines19.jpg\" alt=\"Buttermilk Fried Chicken\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/angelines20.jpg\" alt=\"Creole Pecan Pie \" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nShrimp Po-boy, Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Creole Pecan Pie\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/dianne-gates-anderson.jpg\" alt=\"Dianne Gates-Anderson\" hspace=\"4\" align=\"left\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Dianne\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Environmental Engineer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Union City\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen:\u003c/strong> Saturday February 2, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I am from the south, and as much as I love the Bay Area, one thing that I sometimes miss is food that reminds me of home. That’s why I was thrilled when I discovered Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen in Berkeley. The food servers may be Berkeley quirky, but the food is good ole down home southern goodness. Their particular style of food is New Orleans Cajun, and many of the standards can be found on their menu.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I recently took out of town guest to Angeline’s for lunch. Our server was pierced, tattooed, and talkative, but also very attentive to our every need. I ordered my usual: Shrimp Po’ Boy ($10.95) and Bananas Foster Bread Pudding with Rum Caramel Sauce ($5.75). I knew from previous visits that this would be all the food I would be able to eat in one sitting. The shrimp po’ boy is \u003cem>loaded\u003c/em> with well-seasoned, lightly cornmeal-coated (not smothered in battered) fried shrimp. The shrimp po’ boy comes on a hoagie style bun and is dressed with lettuce, pickles, and a homemade dressing. When you pick it up to eat, shrimp fall out of the back end. My mother, who also ordered a shrimp po’ boy, just ate hers with a fork and knife. I, on the other hand, ate mine as a sandwich and chased down every escapee shrimp and put it in its proper place (my mouth). My husband ordered the penne pasta with chicken ($11.95) and was very pleased with both the portion size and flavorfulness of the dish. On a previous visit to Angeline’s, I ordered their gumbo ($5.95/cup). Unfortunately, it didn’t quite meet up to my southern expectations. You could tell it was made from a nicely browned roux, but it just didn’t have enough seafood in it to suit me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you visit Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen, make sure you leave room for dessert. I always opt for the bananas Foster bread pudding with rum caramel sauce. It takes a while for them to prepare this when you order it, but it is well worth the wait. What you get is a healthy portion of a rich, layered bread pudding that has banana slices between the layers of bread. I know it might sound weird, but the combination of the two southern desserts really works. What makes this dish really scream (a good thing) is the rum caramel sauce. If it weren’t for the fact that I was in a restaurant, I would have licked the plate to get every bit of the sauce. My 10-year-old nephew ordered apples slices with caramel sauce. I was expecting the apples to be sautéed, but the dish is simply a plate of uncooked apple slices with a generous portion of caramel sauce for dipping. My nephew deemed the dish delicious, and just right following his meal of southern fried catfish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In summary, Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen is a southern gem located within walking distance of the Downtown Berkeley Bart station. I appreciate being able to experience the Berkeley vibe, while enjoying well-prepared southern/Cajun standards. I have never felt rushed or have had to wait longer than I thought appropriate for my food to arrive. The service is friendly and efficient and the overall ambiance of the restaurant is casual and relaxed. Because the restaurant is small, even when full the noise level remains low enough to allow comfortable conversation during your meal. All ages will feel comfortable here. When you go, just remember to pace yourself and leave room for dessert.\u003cbr>\n******\u003cbr>\nI recently returned to Angeline’s with a group of 5 for a Saturday evening meal. Weekend dinnertime can be quite hectic at Angeline’s. Fortunately I had made a reservation the day before, so we did not have to wait long for a table (about10 minutes). But, boy did we have to wait for our food. In fact our wait was so long the manager came over to our table, apologized for the delay and reduced our bill by 50%. We made the best of the long (1 hour +) wait just talking, gawking at my new grandchild, and enjoying the house music, which is a combination of zydeco, blues and jazz. So it wasn’t a painful wait, since I was with good company and everybody in the place seemed happy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By the time our food arrived we were starving. Once again, I ordered the shrimp po-boy ($10.95). Others in my party ordered the buttermilk-fried chicken with mashed sweet potatoes, green beans, and tasso cream gravy ($12.50); shrimp Creole with rice ($14.50); and the fried catfish with potato salad and hush puppies ($12.50). All of the food arrived piping hot and carefully arranged on plain white dishes. Everyone loved their entrees. I tasted all of the entrees and, although I wouldn’t trade my shrimp po-boy for any of them, they were all quite tasty, especially the fried chicken.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We concluded our meal with a trio of desserts, which we all shared. We had beignets ($4.50), Creole pecan pie ($5.50), and the bananas Foster bread pudding with rum caramel sauce ($5.75). All of the desserts are out-of-this-world good. The pecan pie is clearly homemade, and I think they stole my recipe (just kidding). You can taste the butter, eggs, and toasted pecans in this pie. It is not overly sweet or gluey like most prepared pecan pies. The beignets were also a big hit, that is, once you dug them out of the mountain of powdered sugar they were buried in. They were hot, light, fluffy, and not the least bit greasy. But be warned, if you plan on ordering the beignet, do not wear all black because you will be wearing powdered sugar after eating these. My favorite dessert is still the bananas Foster bread pudding with rum caramel sauce (see above).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In conclusion, I love this place. I enjoy the food and I enjoy the atmosphere. Just remember this is not a nine-button glove, tiara wearing, fancy food place. This is laid back, southern, homestyle dining at it’s best. Enjoy!\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/sylvia-lee.jpg\" alt=\"Sylvia Lee\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Sylvia\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Director of Marketing\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Playground\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen:\u003c/strong> Thursday February 7, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My cravings for N’awlins have been met after having dinner at Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen. The service was outstanding, and the food was solid. My city-dwelling friend, whose family is from New Orleans, and I ventured over the Bay Bridge and found rock star parking on busy Shattuck Ave. We immediately sat down at our reserved table and had just about the nicest server I’ve ever met. We instantly liked the vibe of the casual décor and the blues/jazz tunes. We decided to splurge and order a glass of Champagne to start. We then moved onto Louisiana beer, and so far, so good; very much a NoLa place with great music and booze.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Onto the food, we shared an order of the hush puppies, as our server assured us we would love their sweeter version of the Southern side dish. And she was right, they were perfectly fried — clean, not greasy — with a soft, fluffy slightly sweet center offset with a sprinkling with salt on the crusty outside. I didn’t even need the honey butter for the hush puppies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Knowing that Creole/Cajun food is pretty heavy, we opted to order a couple of sides and shared a main dish. The gumbo is available as a cup or bowl, main dish size, and the cup was tasty and smoky, but a bit too “meaty” for my taste. The cup of gumbo was full of sausage and had just one lonely shrimp, and seemed a bit too thin. The house salad sounded promising, a mixed green plate with fig vinaigrette, candied pecans, and raisins (blue cheese optional). I should have had the blue cheese as the salad was overpowered by sugar, but the dressing was lively, and greens very fresh.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Voo Doo BBQ Shrimp (bbq shrimp in Louisiana means seasoned and grilled), arrived in a gorgeous brown roux-based sauce with white rice. The shrimp were tender, and the sauce was very rich and flavorful, just as you would expect it would be. I’m glad we decided to share the dish because, although I’m not afraid of butter and cream, we did over order and I was full from eating too many hush puppies. (I couldn’t help myself!) After my one bite of the Voo Doo Shrimp, I concentrated on the Brussels sprouts, one of my favorite vegetables. But who knew that if they were sautéed in lots of butter and fresh sage they would take on a whole new meaning of delicious?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since I was driving, I switched to good old Southern brewed iced tea (unsweetened for me), which was crisp and refreshing even at 9pm.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We didn’t have any room for dessert, even though I was eyeing someone’s mile high plate of beignets underneath a pile of powdered sugar (yum!), and we left in a food coma. If I, a) ever recover from my hush puppy overdose, and b) venture across the bridge, I’ll definitely plan on going back to Angeline’s for the super service and reasonably priced taste of Louisiana.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/jules-older.jpg\" alt=\"Jules Older\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Jules\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Writer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Capannina\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen:\u003c/strong> Saturday January 26, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Expectations and reality sometimes diverge.\u003cbr>\nExpectation: Restaurant with Creole name in the middle of Berkeley = \u003cem>party!\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nReality: Despite its name, location, and largely student clientele, on my Saturday afternoon there, Angeline’s was a pretty quiet, almost sedate place. For the first hour, except the faint sound of the kitchen radio, there was no music. Conversations were grad-student serious, not spring break in the French Quarter. Only the waitress broke the sober atmosphere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Waitress. I liked her. She’s young and smart and quirky and from Dallas. She knows the menu, and she doesn’t mind sharing her opinions. She also has between four and five, depending on how you count doubles, visible silver studs on and around her face.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I kinda like studs. What I like about them is, unlike tattoos, when you outgrow them, you take ‘em out, and \u003cem>whoosh\u003c/em>, you’re ready for the next stage of life. Tattoos: pretty much forever. But I have something of an aversion to studs and plugs and ear stretchers and nose rings and eyebrow pins on food handlers. And though I make something of an exception for young, smart, quirky, opinionated waitresses, it’s not a trend I want to encourage. We’re very close to a yuck factor here — close enough that I changed butchers when mine turned up one day with too much facial steel. End of skin-jewelry-and-food-handling sermon. Next one’s on catfish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So Angeline’s was a bit quieter than expected. But for me, a place lives or dies not on the color of the feature wall (in this case, exposed brick) or what’s on it (a Currier & Ives view of old New Orleans and a pink gator made of bottle caps) or the party level (and at two, zydeco music started playing, warming the spirit), but on what it does to the inside of my mouth. And here Angeline’s gets high, high grades. Let’s start, as I did, with the Oysters Bordelaise. For $10.95, out came a plate-full of succulent, just barely cooked bivalves, roughly coated with a light, crispy Southern batter. Couldn’t have been better. Though I resolved not to eat the whole thing, I ate the whole thing. And half my wife’s sweet ‘n’ tangy Creole-style BBQ shrimp. Both dishes were so good, I made a major ordering mistake. Which brings us to our second sermon, The Catfish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Outside of the Deep South, I never, ever order catfish. It’s an ugly, bottom-feeding scavenger, and don’t go telling me now that it’s being farm-raised, how chefs are doing such wonderful things with it. They aren’t. Oh, somewhere south of Atlanta, they’ve got some Dixie mojo going that makes it palatable, but that aside, this is a fish to avoid, a fish put on Earth to clean fish tanks and river bottoms. Even the talented chef at Angeline’s couldn’t make it better than bad. To me. If you’re a catfish lover, god rest your soul, I’m sure it’s fine. My fault — I broke Older’s Law #147: Don’t Eat Bottom Feeders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the desserts made me forget the fish. Angeline’s beignets were classic N’awlins, and they came in such abundance, half went home with us. The pecan pie, well, that was even better. By the final bite, I was ready to dance. With or without the zydeco.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong>\r\n2261 Shattuck Avenue (at Kittredge)\r\nBerkeley, CA 94704\r\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong>510-548-6900\r\n\u003cstrong>Website:\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://www.angelineskitchen.com\">www.angelineskitchen.com\u003c/a>\r\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Winter 2008",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=740\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=733\">full episode video\u003c/a> |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other ways to watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp303iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/angelines11.jpg\" alt=\"Shrimp Po-boy\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/angelines19.jpg\" alt=\"Buttermilk Fried Chicken\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/angelines20.jpg\" alt=\"Creole Pecan Pie \" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nShrimp Po-boy, Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Creole Pecan Pie\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/dianne-gates-anderson.jpg\" alt=\"Dianne Gates-Anderson\" hspace=\"4\" align=\"left\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Dianne\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Environmental Engineer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Union City\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen:\u003c/strong> Saturday February 2, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I am from the south, and as much as I love the Bay Area, one thing that I sometimes miss is food that reminds me of home. That’s why I was thrilled when I discovered Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen in Berkeley. The food servers may be Berkeley quirky, but the food is good ole down home southern goodness. Their particular style of food is New Orleans Cajun, and many of the standards can be found on their menu.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I recently took out of town guest to Angeline’s for lunch. Our server was pierced, tattooed, and talkative, but also very attentive to our every need. I ordered my usual: Shrimp Po’ Boy ($10.95) and Bananas Foster Bread Pudding with Rum Caramel Sauce ($5.75). I knew from previous visits that this would be all the food I would be able to eat in one sitting. The shrimp po’ boy is \u003cem>loaded\u003c/em> with well-seasoned, lightly cornmeal-coated (not smothered in battered) fried shrimp. The shrimp po’ boy comes on a hoagie style bun and is dressed with lettuce, pickles, and a homemade dressing. When you pick it up to eat, shrimp fall out of the back end. My mother, who also ordered a shrimp po’ boy, just ate hers with a fork and knife. I, on the other hand, ate mine as a sandwich and chased down every escapee shrimp and put it in its proper place (my mouth). My husband ordered the penne pasta with chicken ($11.95) and was very pleased with both the portion size and flavorfulness of the dish. On a previous visit to Angeline’s, I ordered their gumbo ($5.95/cup). Unfortunately, it didn’t quite meet up to my southern expectations. You could tell it was made from a nicely browned roux, but it just didn’t have enough seafood in it to suit me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you visit Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen, make sure you leave room for dessert. I always opt for the bananas Foster bread pudding with rum caramel sauce. It takes a while for them to prepare this when you order it, but it is well worth the wait. What you get is a healthy portion of a rich, layered bread pudding that has banana slices between the layers of bread. I know it might sound weird, but the combination of the two southern desserts really works. What makes this dish really scream (a good thing) is the rum caramel sauce. If it weren’t for the fact that I was in a restaurant, I would have licked the plate to get every bit of the sauce. My 10-year-old nephew ordered apples slices with caramel sauce. I was expecting the apples to be sautéed, but the dish is simply a plate of uncooked apple slices with a generous portion of caramel sauce for dipping. My nephew deemed the dish delicious, and just right following his meal of southern fried catfish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In summary, Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen is a southern gem located within walking distance of the Downtown Berkeley Bart station. I appreciate being able to experience the Berkeley vibe, while enjoying well-prepared southern/Cajun standards. I have never felt rushed or have had to wait longer than I thought appropriate for my food to arrive. The service is friendly and efficient and the overall ambiance of the restaurant is casual and relaxed. Because the restaurant is small, even when full the noise level remains low enough to allow comfortable conversation during your meal. All ages will feel comfortable here. When you go, just remember to pace yourself and leave room for dessert.\u003cbr>\n******\u003cbr>\nI recently returned to Angeline’s with a group of 5 for a Saturday evening meal. Weekend dinnertime can be quite hectic at Angeline’s. Fortunately I had made a reservation the day before, so we did not have to wait long for a table (about10 minutes). But, boy did we have to wait for our food. In fact our wait was so long the manager came over to our table, apologized for the delay and reduced our bill by 50%. We made the best of the long (1 hour +) wait just talking, gawking at my new grandchild, and enjoying the house music, which is a combination of zydeco, blues and jazz. So it wasn’t a painful wait, since I was with good company and everybody in the place seemed happy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By the time our food arrived we were starving. Once again, I ordered the shrimp po-boy ($10.95). Others in my party ordered the buttermilk-fried chicken with mashed sweet potatoes, green beans, and tasso cream gravy ($12.50); shrimp Creole with rice ($14.50); and the fried catfish with potato salad and hush puppies ($12.50). All of the food arrived piping hot and carefully arranged on plain white dishes. Everyone loved their entrees. I tasted all of the entrees and, although I wouldn’t trade my shrimp po-boy for any of them, they were all quite tasty, especially the fried chicken.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We concluded our meal with a trio of desserts, which we all shared. We had beignets ($4.50), Creole pecan pie ($5.50), and the bananas Foster bread pudding with rum caramel sauce ($5.75). All of the desserts are out-of-this-world good. The pecan pie is clearly homemade, and I think they stole my recipe (just kidding). You can taste the butter, eggs, and toasted pecans in this pie. It is not overly sweet or gluey like most prepared pecan pies. The beignets were also a big hit, that is, once you dug them out of the mountain of powdered sugar they were buried in. They were hot, light, fluffy, and not the least bit greasy. But be warned, if you plan on ordering the beignet, do not wear all black because you will be wearing powdered sugar after eating these. My favorite dessert is still the bananas Foster bread pudding with rum caramel sauce (see above).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In conclusion, I love this place. I enjoy the food and I enjoy the atmosphere. Just remember this is not a nine-button glove, tiara wearing, fancy food place. This is laid back, southern, homestyle dining at it’s best. Enjoy!\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/sylvia-lee.jpg\" alt=\"Sylvia Lee\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Sylvia\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Director of Marketing\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Playground\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen:\u003c/strong> Thursday February 7, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My cravings for N’awlins have been met after having dinner at Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen. The service was outstanding, and the food was solid. My city-dwelling friend, whose family is from New Orleans, and I ventured over the Bay Bridge and found rock star parking on busy Shattuck Ave. We immediately sat down at our reserved table and had just about the nicest server I’ve ever met. We instantly liked the vibe of the casual décor and the blues/jazz tunes. We decided to splurge and order a glass of Champagne to start. We then moved onto Louisiana beer, and so far, so good; very much a NoLa place with great music and booze.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Onto the food, we shared an order of the hush puppies, as our server assured us we would love their sweeter version of the Southern side dish. And she was right, they were perfectly fried — clean, not greasy — with a soft, fluffy slightly sweet center offset with a sprinkling with salt on the crusty outside. I didn’t even need the honey butter for the hush puppies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Knowing that Creole/Cajun food is pretty heavy, we opted to order a couple of sides and shared a main dish. The gumbo is available as a cup or bowl, main dish size, and the cup was tasty and smoky, but a bit too “meaty” for my taste. The cup of gumbo was full of sausage and had just one lonely shrimp, and seemed a bit too thin. The house salad sounded promising, a mixed green plate with fig vinaigrette, candied pecans, and raisins (blue cheese optional). I should have had the blue cheese as the salad was overpowered by sugar, but the dressing was lively, and greens very fresh.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Voo Doo BBQ Shrimp (bbq shrimp in Louisiana means seasoned and grilled), arrived in a gorgeous brown roux-based sauce with white rice. The shrimp were tender, and the sauce was very rich and flavorful, just as you would expect it would be. I’m glad we decided to share the dish because, although I’m not afraid of butter and cream, we did over order and I was full from eating too many hush puppies. (I couldn’t help myself!) After my one bite of the Voo Doo Shrimp, I concentrated on the Brussels sprouts, one of my favorite vegetables. But who knew that if they were sautéed in lots of butter and fresh sage they would take on a whole new meaning of delicious?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since I was driving, I switched to good old Southern brewed iced tea (unsweetened for me), which was crisp and refreshing even at 9pm.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We didn’t have any room for dessert, even though I was eyeing someone’s mile high plate of beignets underneath a pile of powdered sugar (yum!), and we left in a food coma. If I, a) ever recover from my hush puppy overdose, and b) venture across the bridge, I’ll definitely plan on going back to Angeline’s for the super service and reasonably priced taste of Louisiana.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/jules-older.jpg\" alt=\"Jules Older\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Jules\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Writer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Capannina\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen:\u003c/strong> Saturday January 26, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Expectations and reality sometimes diverge.\u003cbr>\nExpectation: Restaurant with Creole name in the middle of Berkeley = \u003cem>party!\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nReality: Despite its name, location, and largely student clientele, on my Saturday afternoon there, Angeline’s was a pretty quiet, almost sedate place. For the first hour, except the faint sound of the kitchen radio, there was no music. Conversations were grad-student serious, not spring break in the French Quarter. Only the waitress broke the sober atmosphere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Waitress. I liked her. She’s young and smart and quirky and from Dallas. She knows the menu, and she doesn’t mind sharing her opinions. She also has between four and five, depending on how you count doubles, visible silver studs on and around her face.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I kinda like studs. What I like about them is, unlike tattoos, when you outgrow them, you take ‘em out, and \u003cem>whoosh\u003c/em>, you’re ready for the next stage of life. Tattoos: pretty much forever. But I have something of an aversion to studs and plugs and ear stretchers and nose rings and eyebrow pins on food handlers. And though I make something of an exception for young, smart, quirky, opinionated waitresses, it’s not a trend I want to encourage. We’re very close to a yuck factor here — close enough that I changed butchers when mine turned up one day with too much facial steel. End of skin-jewelry-and-food-handling sermon. Next one’s on catfish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So Angeline’s was a bit quieter than expected. But for me, a place lives or dies not on the color of the feature wall (in this case, exposed brick) or what’s on it (a Currier & Ives view of old New Orleans and a pink gator made of bottle caps) or the party level (and at two, zydeco music started playing, warming the spirit), but on what it does to the inside of my mouth. And here Angeline’s gets high, high grades. Let’s start, as I did, with the Oysters Bordelaise. For $10.95, out came a plate-full of succulent, just barely cooked bivalves, roughly coated with a light, crispy Southern batter. Couldn’t have been better. Though I resolved not to eat the whole thing, I ate the whole thing. And half my wife’s sweet ‘n’ tangy Creole-style BBQ shrimp. Both dishes were so good, I made a major ordering mistake. Which brings us to our second sermon, The Catfish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Outside of the Deep South, I never, ever order catfish. It’s an ugly, bottom-feeding scavenger, and don’t go telling me now that it’s being farm-raised, how chefs are doing such wonderful things with it. They aren’t. Oh, somewhere south of Atlanta, they’ve got some Dixie mojo going that makes it palatable, but that aside, this is a fish to avoid, a fish put on Earth to clean fish tanks and river bottoms. Even the talented chef at Angeline’s couldn’t make it better than bad. To me. If you’re a catfish lover, god rest your soul, I’m sure it’s fine. My fault — I broke Older’s Law #147: Don’t Eat Bottom Feeders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the desserts made me forget the fish. Angeline’s beignets were classic N’awlins, and they came in such abundance, half went home with us. The pecan pie, well, that was even better. By the final bite, I was ready to dance. With or without the zydeco.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Playground: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=741\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=733\">full episode video\u003c/a> |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other ways to watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp303iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/playground26.jpg\" alt=\"Kan Poong Saewoo\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/playground25.jpg\" alt=\"Galbi\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/playground14.jpg\" alt=\"Kimchee\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nKan Poong Saewoo: Wet Fried Shrimp; Galbi: BBQ Beef Short Ribs; Kimchee\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/sylvia-lee.jpg\" alt=\"Sylvia Lee\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Sylvia\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Director of Marketing\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Playground\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Playground:\u003c/strong> Wednesday February 6, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most Americans think of BBQ meats when they think of Korean cuisine, but Playground will make you think again. There is no grill-at-your-table-my-clothes-smell-like-BBQ here. Instead, you’ll leave with a taste of a typical casual Korean bar/restaurant, including Korean pop songs playing on the TVs hung on the wall, and maybe even a bit of private karaoke in one of the three rooms for rent (reserved at $30/per hour) above the restaurant. I love Playground for its typical Korean quirkiness, as well as the tasty food, soju cocktails, and friendly service.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Playground is tucked away in Japantown, inconspicuously located above a Denny’s on Post Street. The food is very flavorful and has a very authentic Korean bar/restaurant scene, catering to a younger Asian crowd. The staff are always smiling, polite, and are there to make you feel at home. I typically start with an appetizer of “Korean seafood pancakes,” which are made with mung beans or flour and full of seafood served with a soy sauce based dipping sauce. As with most Korean dishes, these are meant to be shared with your friend. Wash them down with yogurt soju cocktails, served in a carafe (no martini glasses) and shared in small shot glasses. Soju is to Koreans what sake is to Japanese.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our “panchan,” complimentary side dishes that range from day to day but always includes kimchee, are then placed on the table without you having to order it. There are hundreds of variations of kimchee, but Playground always has a delicious version of the classic, perfectly seasoned kimchee: cold pickled napa cabbage that has been lovingly soaked in vinegar, red pepper, and garlic. To me, good quality panchan is a test of what to expect from a Korean restaurant. Enjoy the panchan alone and as an accompaniment to your main dishes to add more texture and compliment flavors. The corn with melted cheese panchan is always a hit and is quite tasty.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recently, my friends and I ordered a few main dishes and soups to share, including soon to bu ji-gae, which is a type of fiery hot stone “ji-gae” stew/soup with soft tofu, clams, and a Korean-style miso base soup. This time around it was a bit spicier than I like, so I mellowed the ji gae by eating the stew with some rice. We also ordered a steaming bowl of mandoo duk gook, one of my favorite soups. It’s a comforting, clear, beef-based soup with rice dumplings called “duk” — pressed rice cakes that are sliced into the soup — along with mandoo, a Korean version of pot stickers, with a swirl of eggs “dropped” into the soup to add richness to the soup. The mandoo was perfect, with just the right amount of pork filling stuffed inside a thin wonton-like wrapper. We also shared the dolsot bibimbap, a hot stone bowl full of rice, chopped vegetables, marinated meat and a fried egg. I like to add some gojujang sauce (red pepper sauce that looks like ketchup) and mix the bimbimpap together and eat with a spoonful with some kimchee. We also had the simple and comforting bowl of jajangmyun, a northern Chinese noodle dish with black bean sauce that Koreans have adopted as their own.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unable to finish our food, our nice waitress brought over our check, and we squealed in delight on our bargain of the day, and left feeling happy and a bit more Korean.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/dianne-gates-anderson.jpg\" alt=\"Dianne Gates-Anderson\" hspace=\"4\" align=\"left\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Dianne\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Environmental Engineer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Union City\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Playground:\u003c/strong> Friday February 8, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical going out to dine at the Playground. For one thing, I Do Not do karaoke, and for another thing I had never had Korean food before. I don’t know why, but I’ve always thought of Korean food as being bad Chinese food that stank because of kimchee. I must wholeheartedly apologize for my prejudices.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had a fantastic time at the Playground during a Friday evening meal. I went with a group of four friends that included one kimchee lover who promised to help with menu interpretation. He would have liked to help with the menu, but unfortunately the print on the menu is so small only those with young eyes and 20/20 vision could read their menu at night. Fortunately, the menu had pictures and my other friend had a small flashlight on her keychain. Also the server made a few food suggestions, since we admitted that some of us were Korean food virgins.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We ordered 4 entrees and 1 noodle dish for all of us the share, family style. The entrees were the grilled beef short ribs (galbi, 13.95), barbequed boneless chicken (dahk gui, $13.95), wet fried shrimp in spicy garlic sauce (kan poong saewoo, $14.95) and pancake with green onion and assorted seafood (haemul pajeon, $11.95). The noodle dish we ordered was fresh homemade noodles with a black bean sauce (jaengban jjaing, $11.95). I don’t feel qualified to judge Korean food at the Playground in term of its authenticity as Korean food. I can share that we all thoroughly enjoyed the food at the Playground and had a remarkable dining experience. The restaurant is so welcoming and accommodating. They even moved one of their booths around so my friend’s 6’7 husband could be seated more comfortably. The food portions were generous and all of the food was brought out to our table as it was completed, so everything was hot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Things got off to a good start with the barley tea, cheesy corn appetizer, and condiments that were brought to the table in advance of the entrees. Who ever had the idea to combine cheese with whole kernel corn should have a star named after them. While it may sound strange, it is actually quite tasty. And the melted cheese makes it easier to eat corn with chopsticks. The condiments included kimchee, pickled vegetables, fish cakes, and a few other items that escape me. A word about kimchee. All I had ever heard about kimchee is that it is fermented cabbage that stinks and can sometimes be lethally hot. So, I thought a gas mask would be required to be in the same room with kimchee. I was wrong. Not only did I taste the kimchee, I liked it. I ate kimchee by itself and also combined it with some of the entrees to flavor things up a bit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The group’s favorite entrée was the wet fried shrimp. These were huge tempura style shrimp with a light garlic sauce. Be warned, those sliced green things on top of the shrimp aren’t bell peppers. My friend found that out the hard way, when she accidentally swallowed one. Apparently they are very hot. The only dish I did not care for was the noodles with black bean sauce. It was fun cutting the noodles with scissors, but in my opinion they occupied space on my very small plate (actually more like a saucer) that could have been more suitably occupied by one of the yummy entrees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In summary, I thoroughly enjoyed dining at the Playground. I liked the casual, laid-back style of the restaurant and think it would be worth re-visiting the next time I find myself in San Francisco in need of a well prepared, good value meal.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/jules-older.jpg\" alt=\"Jules Older\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Jules\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Writer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Capannina\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Playground:\u003c/strong> Friday February 8, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How do you describe a restaurant? With Playground, it’s hard to know where to start. Here’s what I mean.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>TAKE 1\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nWhat can you say about a Korean restaurant above Denny’s in Japantown?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>TAKE 2\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nHow rare it is to walk into a restaurant and find yourself instantly bathed in neon light.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>TAKE 3\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nI’d say that Playground is a perfect example of a Cheap On Cheerful except it really isn’t particularly cheap.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>TAKE 4\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nIf you’re spending an evening at Playground, you have to make a major choice long before you see the menu. Do you want to eat? Or do you want to shut yourself and your friends in one of the upstairs karaoke rooms along with a lot of alcohol and some snacks, and shout along to videos in English or Korean?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>TAKE 5\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nWhat can you say about a restaurant named Playground anyway?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That last one is the real challenge. Playground is basically an under-30s hangout with pretty good food, pretty good service, a pretty loud crowd, and four flat screen TVs — three of them featuring dancing Korean cheerleaders and variety shows. The whole thing bathed in that weird neon light. And bilingual karaoke chambers are one flight up. It’s odd. It’s distinctly odd. But popular. When I got there at 7 on a Friday night, I worried that, except for a Korean party in the far corner and me, the place would be stone empty. By the time I left at 9:30, there wasn’t a free seat in the house. And, with the exception of a black family and a couple of Asian businessmen, the only ones over 30 were at my table.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I only had one dish I disliked, jaengban jjaing, noodles overwhelmed with black bean sauce, and when the kind waitress saw that it was less than a hit at our table, she whisked it away and replaced it with a variation where we ladled your own sauce on our own noodles. She even provided a pair of scissors to cut said noodles, which were the length of San Francisco fire hoses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Playground describes itself as Korean Fusion cooking, which means a strong Chinese influence. Indeed, the kan poong saewoo (heavily breaded sweet and sour shrimp) could have come from Ruby Foo; showy, tasty and the opposite of subtle. The mool mandoo steamed dumplings were flavorsome, garlicky and considerably daintier. Some of the galbi, BBQ short ribs, were more rib than meat. If you were lost in the forest with only galbi to eat, starvation could be an issue. The dahk gui — BBQ chicken — was tender, juicy, and the best dish of the evening. The night I was there, Playground ran out of one of its two or three desserts; we shared a yoghurt ice cream, described as “a hip and happening dessert from LA” that tasted an awful lot like many a frozen yoghurt cone I’d had in many a less happening locale. The too-sweet Fruity Pebbles on the side didn’t add an ounce of flavor or hipness. Despite the neon, the TVs, and the mixed quality of the dishes, I kinda liked the place. It was different from my usual haunts. The servers were friendly and helpful. The patrons, who by 8:30 were a nice mix of the races of San Francisco, were having a fine time. Would I rush back? Nah. Was I glad I went? Sure thing.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Playground: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=741\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=733\">full episode video\u003c/a> |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other ways to watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp303iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/playground26.jpg\" alt=\"Kan Poong Saewoo\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/playground25.jpg\" alt=\"Galbi\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/playground14.jpg\" alt=\"Kimchee\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nKan Poong Saewoo: Wet Fried Shrimp; Galbi: BBQ Beef Short Ribs; Kimchee\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/sylvia-lee.jpg\" alt=\"Sylvia Lee\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Sylvia\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Director of Marketing\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Playground\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Playground:\u003c/strong> Wednesday February 6, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most Americans think of BBQ meats when they think of Korean cuisine, but Playground will make you think again. There is no grill-at-your-table-my-clothes-smell-like-BBQ here. Instead, you’ll leave with a taste of a typical casual Korean bar/restaurant, including Korean pop songs playing on the TVs hung on the wall, and maybe even a bit of private karaoke in one of the three rooms for rent (reserved at $30/per hour) above the restaurant. I love Playground for its typical Korean quirkiness, as well as the tasty food, soju cocktails, and friendly service.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Playground is tucked away in Japantown, inconspicuously located above a Denny’s on Post Street. The food is very flavorful and has a very authentic Korean bar/restaurant scene, catering to a younger Asian crowd. The staff are always smiling, polite, and are there to make you feel at home. I typically start with an appetizer of “Korean seafood pancakes,” which are made with mung beans or flour and full of seafood served with a soy sauce based dipping sauce. As with most Korean dishes, these are meant to be shared with your friend. Wash them down with yogurt soju cocktails, served in a carafe (no martini glasses) and shared in small shot glasses. Soju is to Koreans what sake is to Japanese.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our “panchan,” complimentary side dishes that range from day to day but always includes kimchee, are then placed on the table without you having to order it. There are hundreds of variations of kimchee, but Playground always has a delicious version of the classic, perfectly seasoned kimchee: cold pickled napa cabbage that has been lovingly soaked in vinegar, red pepper, and garlic. To me, good quality panchan is a test of what to expect from a Korean restaurant. Enjoy the panchan alone and as an accompaniment to your main dishes to add more texture and compliment flavors. The corn with melted cheese panchan is always a hit and is quite tasty.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recently, my friends and I ordered a few main dishes and soups to share, including soon to bu ji-gae, which is a type of fiery hot stone “ji-gae” stew/soup with soft tofu, clams, and a Korean-style miso base soup. This time around it was a bit spicier than I like, so I mellowed the ji gae by eating the stew with some rice. We also ordered a steaming bowl of mandoo duk gook, one of my favorite soups. It’s a comforting, clear, beef-based soup with rice dumplings called “duk” — pressed rice cakes that are sliced into the soup — along with mandoo, a Korean version of pot stickers, with a swirl of eggs “dropped” into the soup to add richness to the soup. The mandoo was perfect, with just the right amount of pork filling stuffed inside a thin wonton-like wrapper. We also shared the dolsot bibimbap, a hot stone bowl full of rice, chopped vegetables, marinated meat and a fried egg. I like to add some gojujang sauce (red pepper sauce that looks like ketchup) and mix the bimbimpap together and eat with a spoonful with some kimchee. We also had the simple and comforting bowl of jajangmyun, a northern Chinese noodle dish with black bean sauce that Koreans have adopted as their own.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unable to finish our food, our nice waitress brought over our check, and we squealed in delight on our bargain of the day, and left feeling happy and a bit more Korean.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/dianne-gates-anderson.jpg\" alt=\"Dianne Gates-Anderson\" hspace=\"4\" align=\"left\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Dianne\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Environmental Engineer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Union City\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Playground:\u003c/strong> Friday February 8, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical going out to dine at the Playground. For one thing, I Do Not do karaoke, and for another thing I had never had Korean food before. I don’t know why, but I’ve always thought of Korean food as being bad Chinese food that stank because of kimchee. I must wholeheartedly apologize for my prejudices.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had a fantastic time at the Playground during a Friday evening meal. I went with a group of four friends that included one kimchee lover who promised to help with menu interpretation. He would have liked to help with the menu, but unfortunately the print on the menu is so small only those with young eyes and 20/20 vision could read their menu at night. Fortunately, the menu had pictures and my other friend had a small flashlight on her keychain. Also the server made a few food suggestions, since we admitted that some of us were Korean food virgins.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We ordered 4 entrees and 1 noodle dish for all of us the share, family style. The entrees were the grilled beef short ribs (galbi, 13.95), barbequed boneless chicken (dahk gui, $13.95), wet fried shrimp in spicy garlic sauce (kan poong saewoo, $14.95) and pancake with green onion and assorted seafood (haemul pajeon, $11.95). The noodle dish we ordered was fresh homemade noodles with a black bean sauce (jaengban jjaing, $11.95). I don’t feel qualified to judge Korean food at the Playground in term of its authenticity as Korean food. I can share that we all thoroughly enjoyed the food at the Playground and had a remarkable dining experience. The restaurant is so welcoming and accommodating. They even moved one of their booths around so my friend’s 6’7 husband could be seated more comfortably. The food portions were generous and all of the food was brought out to our table as it was completed, so everything was hot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Things got off to a good start with the barley tea, cheesy corn appetizer, and condiments that were brought to the table in advance of the entrees. Who ever had the idea to combine cheese with whole kernel corn should have a star named after them. While it may sound strange, it is actually quite tasty. And the melted cheese makes it easier to eat corn with chopsticks. The condiments included kimchee, pickled vegetables, fish cakes, and a few other items that escape me. A word about kimchee. All I had ever heard about kimchee is that it is fermented cabbage that stinks and can sometimes be lethally hot. So, I thought a gas mask would be required to be in the same room with kimchee. I was wrong. Not only did I taste the kimchee, I liked it. I ate kimchee by itself and also combined it with some of the entrees to flavor things up a bit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The group’s favorite entrée was the wet fried shrimp. These were huge tempura style shrimp with a light garlic sauce. Be warned, those sliced green things on top of the shrimp aren’t bell peppers. My friend found that out the hard way, when she accidentally swallowed one. Apparently they are very hot. The only dish I did not care for was the noodles with black bean sauce. It was fun cutting the noodles with scissors, but in my opinion they occupied space on my very small plate (actually more like a saucer) that could have been more suitably occupied by one of the yummy entrees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In summary, I thoroughly enjoyed dining at the Playground. I liked the casual, laid-back style of the restaurant and think it would be worth re-visiting the next time I find myself in San Francisco in need of a well prepared, good value meal.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/jules-older.jpg\" alt=\"Jules Older\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Jules\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Writer\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Capannina\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Playground:\u003c/strong> Friday February 8, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How do you describe a restaurant? With Playground, it’s hard to know where to start. Here’s what I mean.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>TAKE 1\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nWhat can you say about a Korean restaurant above Denny’s in Japantown?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>TAKE 2\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nHow rare it is to walk into a restaurant and find yourself instantly bathed in neon light.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>TAKE 3\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nI’d say that Playground is a perfect example of a Cheap On Cheerful except it really isn’t particularly cheap.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>TAKE 4\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nIf you’re spending an evening at Playground, you have to make a major choice long before you see the menu. Do you want to eat? Or do you want to shut yourself and your friends in one of the upstairs karaoke rooms along with a lot of alcohol and some snacks, and shout along to videos in English or Korean?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>TAKE 5\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nWhat can you say about a restaurant named Playground anyway?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That last one is the real challenge. Playground is basically an under-30s hangout with pretty good food, pretty good service, a pretty loud crowd, and four flat screen TVs — three of them featuring dancing Korean cheerleaders and variety shows. The whole thing bathed in that weird neon light. And bilingual karaoke chambers are one flight up. It’s odd. It’s distinctly odd. But popular. When I got there at 7 on a Friday night, I worried that, except for a Korean party in the far corner and me, the place would be stone empty. By the time I left at 9:30, there wasn’t a free seat in the house. And, with the exception of a black family and a couple of Asian businessmen, the only ones over 30 were at my table.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I only had one dish I disliked, jaengban jjaing, noodles overwhelmed with black bean sauce, and when the kind waitress saw that it was less than a hit at our table, she whisked it away and replaced it with a variation where we ladled your own sauce on our own noodles. She even provided a pair of scissors to cut said noodles, which were the length of San Francisco fire hoses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Playground describes itself as Korean Fusion cooking, which means a strong Chinese influence. Indeed, the kan poong saewoo (heavily breaded sweet and sour shrimp) could have come from Ruby Foo; showy, tasty and the opposite of subtle. The mool mandoo steamed dumplings were flavorsome, garlicky and considerably daintier. Some of the galbi, BBQ short ribs, were more rib than meat. If you were lost in the forest with only galbi to eat, starvation could be an issue. The dahk gui — BBQ chicken — was tender, juicy, and the best dish of the evening. The night I was there, Playground ran out of one of its two or three desserts; we shared a yoghurt ice cream, described as “a hip and happening dessert from LA” that tasted an awful lot like many a frozen yoghurt cone I’d had in many a less happening locale. The too-sweet Fruity Pebbles on the side didn’t add an ounce of flavor or hipness. Despite the neon, the TVs, and the mixed quality of the dishes, I kinda liked the place. It was different from my usual haunts. The servers were friendly and helpful. The patrons, who by 8:30 were a nice mix of the races of San Francisco, were having a fine time. Would I rush back? Nah. Was I glad I went? Sure thing.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "New Kapadokia: Reviews [CLOSED]",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>New Kapadokia: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=700\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=691\">full episode video\u003c/a> |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other ways to watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp302iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/newkapadokia16.jpg\" alt=\"Lentil Soup with Mint\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/newkapadokia18.jpg\" alt=\"Kofte Kebab\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/newkapadokia20.jpg\" alt=\"Kebab Combo\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nLentil Soup with Mint; Köfte Kebab: succulent beef patties seasoned with turkish spices flame-broiled and served with rice; Kebab Combo: grilled lamb, chicken breast, lamb chop, and köfte kebab\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/mark-duncanson.jpg\" alt=\"Mark Duncanson\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Mark\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Youth Worker\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Livermore\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> New Kapadokia\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed New Kapadokia:\u003c/strong> Saturday February 9, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After years of literally dreaming of recreating the Turkish culinary experience I had grown to love, having lived in Turkey for two years, my wife and I accidentally happened upon New Kapadokia two years ago on our way home from an art show. Just the name, New Kapadokia, shot me right back to my early teenage years, trekking through Kapadokia during a week-long Thanksgiving bus trip. I will spare you the details of that trip and encourage you to read the brief, yet extremely accurate description of the Kapadokia region of Turkey which can be found in their menu and on their website, but needless to say, the trip was fantastic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The atmosphere of New Kapadokia is simple, casual, and intimate. Everything from the glass cases filled with various copper effects and hookahs, to the decorative plates on the walls screamed, “Turkey!” There is nothing pretentious or stuffy about this place, they want you to come as you are and bring the whole family. This is my kind of place! When my wife and I arrived, New Kapadokia was hoppin’ with a diverse and friendly crowd of smiling and laughing faces, including the staff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mmm, my sense of smell kicked in, and I couldn’t wait to get another taste of that Turkish cuisine. Frankly, I already new what I wanted, I didn’t need to look at the menu. If this was any kind of self respecting Turkish establishment, they would have my favorite Turkish dish, Köfte Kebab, simple miniature beef patties seasoned with salt, pepper, cumin, parsley, and, I am convinced, a bit of lemon that gives it a pleasantly distinct tart flavor. Guess what — they had it, and it was good and “flamed broiled to perfection”! I started out the evening with Sigara Böregi, yep as in “it looks like a cigar,” but it’s basically (for lack of a better description) a Turkish spring roll filled with feta cheese and potato, wrapped in filo dough. I then polished off a true Turkish Salad, made with cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley, and their delicious lemon and olive oil vinaigrette on small bed of romaine lettuce; it was almost enough to make me give up meat (almost). Everything was fantastic. But then there was that issue of dessert. Again, I knew what I wanted (baklava), but I just had to see the selection, so our server brought the platter filled with a variety of desserts mostly in the filo dough genre. I just kept staring at the baklava, pointed at it and told him, “That’s the one.” As we waited for our dessert, we were entertained by the Turkish tea, as small glasses of tea were swung 360° around on a metal plate hanging from small metal chains by servers; I haven’t seen them spill a drop yet. Oh, and it should be of no surprise that the baklava was fantastic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s it; I was full, happy and ready to do it again. The portions were generous enough for a man of my generous proportions. I ended up taking some of my main dish home, in fact. When asked about ingredients and preparation, the serving staff was very knowledgeable and seemed excited to share the information. The price of the dishes was extremely respectful to mine and my wife’s wallets being those of a youth worker and teacher. I would and have recommended this restaurant to family and friends, and will continue to do so. If you are looking on taking a trip to Turkey, but don’t want to bother with the long flights, New Kapadokia in Redwood City will get you there way quicker and with way less jetlag.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/modesto-tamez.jpg\" alt=\"Modesto Tamez\" hspace=\"4\" align=\"left\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Modesto\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Exploratorium Teacher-in-Residence\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Aperto\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed New Kapadokia:\u003c/strong> Saturday February 2, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The restaurant was a delightful and friendly place with tasty food. This was a family run restaurant where the waitstaff worked very hard to make you feel part of their family and it succeeded. Turkish hospitality prevailed. The restaurant was small, but you did not feel cramped. In contrasts to too many new San Francisco restaurants, the sound level was great. Just enough ambient noise to give you a sense of community, but the level always permitted unstrained conversation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The walls had art works and photographs from Turkey, and the dishes where not your ubiquitous white porcelain plates. The plates, cups, glasses, and even the beer mugs (copper), were not of this culture. You did get the feeling that you were no longer in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The food, also, was not your average Mediterranean food. We frequent many Turkish restaurants in the Bay Area, and this had items on the menu we had never seen before. First we ordered our drinks, Turkish tea for my wife and Turkish beer for me. The tea was brought out by our very nice waitress. The tea was suspended on a platter held by three chords. Being a science teacher, I told the waitress that she could do a great centrifugal force experiment with her tray. She then proceeded to twirl the tray with drink on top completely upside down. She had obviously done her physics homework. Very entertaining! My beer in the copper mug was very good. I think it was a Pilsner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The appetizers were displayed on a large platter by another waitress, a friend of the family who was helping out that evening. We chose a spread made up of many spices, tomatoes, and green peppers. This paste was then spread on this wonderful Turkish leavened bread. Next, the best lentil soup I have ever had was served. It was extremely spicy, which was a pleasant surprise. My wife had a vegetable lamb stew called sebzeli guvec, amazing! My dish was adana kebab, a spicy beef kabob on delicious rice pilaf. My dish was very good, my wife’s dish was exceptional! For dessert we had baklava. Yummy!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We really liked the restaurant, and if it was closer, we would definitely go more often. My only problem is that compared to most Turkish restaurants we have gone to in the Bay Area, it is a little pricier. Having said this, after leaving the restaurant, we wanted to book a flight for Turkey.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/rachel-cary.jpg\" alt=\"Rachel Cary\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Rachel\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Art Director\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Oakland\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Masa’s\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed New Kapadokia:\u003c/strong> Tuesday February 19, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>New Kapadokia is a Bay Area gem that is not to be missed. We really enjoyed our meal here.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We stopped in without reservations on a Tuesday night at about 7pm. We were warmly greeted by the owner, who seated us promptly. I could tell right away that it was a family-run business. The owner and his family were speaking Turkish in the back. The room was decorated with traditional Turkish decor (lots of “evil eyes”) and photographs of Turkey. The walls had a lovely warm yellow on them; overall the feeling when you walk in is very nice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our meal was excellent. I had no idea Turkish food was this good. I overheard the owner explaining to another guest that Turkish food is considered to be among the best of all the cuisines in the world, and I think he could be right.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We started with appetizers, which were brought out on a tray for us to choose from. There was a wide assortment (about 10-12 different dishes ranging from hummus and baba ghanoush to eggplant or pepper salads, meat patties, dolmas and more). I expected the appetizers to have a “Greek” taste, as many of the ingredients/dishes were similar. But it was nothing like Greek food. We chose the Cevizli Ezme, which is a paste of walnuts, Turkish red pepper paste, and tomato paste mixed with fresh garlic, olive oil, and cumin. We ate this on the Turkish bread they served, and it was outstanding. A bit spicy and the flavor combinations were yummy!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From that we moved on to Lentil Soup and Turkish Salad. The soup was fantastic, wonderful flavors, including mint, that blended perfectly. The Turkish Salad was a chopped salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, and spices. The vinaigrette dressing on it was particularly good, not at all heavy. I’m asking for the recipe when I go back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For our main course, we both chose kebobs, which were mostly lamb. Mine had a lamb chop, some chicken, and meat patties as well. From the first bite, I thought, “whoever made this knows their way around a piece of meat,” especially the lamb chop. All were perfectly cooked and seasoned, very tender and succulent. The vegetables and rice that accompanied both had great flavor, and were just right in terms of preparation. I’ve had so many overcooked, bland vegetables dishes in restaurants, it’s nice to see someone getting it right. Also, I appreciated a healthy balance of ingredients in our meal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our waiter — who had a nice way about him and was as friendly as the owner (his father?) — suggested a red Turkish wine, saying, “You’ll like it,” with a wink. We did, it was a very smooth red that went very well with the meal. Next time I’ll order a second glass.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For dessert, the owner’s wife brought over a tray of desserts to choose from… we chose Baklava, which was excellent. Next time we’ll be a little more adventurous as the other desserts looked just as good.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I finished the meal with a mint tea which was simply a few strands of bright green, fresh mint leaves in boiling water, served in a tiny clear glass on a saucer. It was dainty, and so fresh and really nice way to finish such a great meal. Be sure to get a coffee or tea, if you go…but find out why they twirl it around on the serving tray. I forgot to ask, and now I’m wondering!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I often expect meals at “ethnic” restaurants to be heavy and greasy. Along with the fact that this is really, really delicious food, I want to complement the chef for the healthy preparation. Our steamed vegetables were delicious, and all of the meat was perfectly cooked.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had the impression that the owner is very proud of his Turkish heritage, and that is wonderful to see. I overhead him explaining the history of the region of Kapadokia in Turkey, the history of Turkish cuisine to another guest. You had the impression that he wanted to share this with his guests, and that just adds to the overall loveliness of the restaurant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The restaurant is in downtown Redwood City, and I had no idea that the area was as cute as it is. The San Mateo County Courthouse is a beautiful structure, and there is a lot of other interesting historic architecture such as the Fox Theatre. It was too dark, rainy and late to walk around, but we both will come back for another delicious meal, and to tour the area. This would be a great location for a summer date/getaway, and we’re looking forward to coming back when the weather is nice enough to visit the area a bit on foot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Overall, I highly recommend giving New Kapadokia a try; I think most people will not be disappointed.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong>\r\n2399 Broadway Street (at Winslow Street)\r\nRedwood City, CA 94063\r\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong> 650-368-5500\r\n\u003cstrong>Website:\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://www.newkapadokia.com\">www.newkapadokia.com\u003c/a>\r\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Winter 2008",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>New Kapadokia: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=700\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=691\">full episode video\u003c/a> |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other ways to watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp302iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/newkapadokia16.jpg\" alt=\"Lentil Soup with Mint\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/newkapadokia18.jpg\" alt=\"Kofte Kebab\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/newkapadokia20.jpg\" alt=\"Kebab Combo\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nLentil Soup with Mint; Köfte Kebab: succulent beef patties seasoned with turkish spices flame-broiled and served with rice; Kebab Combo: grilled lamb, chicken breast, lamb chop, and köfte kebab\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/mark-duncanson.jpg\" alt=\"Mark Duncanson\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Mark\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Youth Worker\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Livermore\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> New Kapadokia\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed New Kapadokia:\u003c/strong> Saturday February 9, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After years of literally dreaming of recreating the Turkish culinary experience I had grown to love, having lived in Turkey for two years, my wife and I accidentally happened upon New Kapadokia two years ago on our way home from an art show. Just the name, New Kapadokia, shot me right back to my early teenage years, trekking through Kapadokia during a week-long Thanksgiving bus trip. I will spare you the details of that trip and encourage you to read the brief, yet extremely accurate description of the Kapadokia region of Turkey which can be found in their menu and on their website, but needless to say, the trip was fantastic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The atmosphere of New Kapadokia is simple, casual, and intimate. Everything from the glass cases filled with various copper effects and hookahs, to the decorative plates on the walls screamed, “Turkey!” There is nothing pretentious or stuffy about this place, they want you to come as you are and bring the whole family. This is my kind of place! When my wife and I arrived, New Kapadokia was hoppin’ with a diverse and friendly crowd of smiling and laughing faces, including the staff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mmm, my sense of smell kicked in, and I couldn’t wait to get another taste of that Turkish cuisine. Frankly, I already new what I wanted, I didn’t need to look at the menu. If this was any kind of self respecting Turkish establishment, they would have my favorite Turkish dish, Köfte Kebab, simple miniature beef patties seasoned with salt, pepper, cumin, parsley, and, I am convinced, a bit of lemon that gives it a pleasantly distinct tart flavor. Guess what — they had it, and it was good and “flamed broiled to perfection”! I started out the evening with Sigara Böregi, yep as in “it looks like a cigar,” but it’s basically (for lack of a better description) a Turkish spring roll filled with feta cheese and potato, wrapped in filo dough. I then polished off a true Turkish Salad, made with cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley, and their delicious lemon and olive oil vinaigrette on small bed of romaine lettuce; it was almost enough to make me give up meat (almost). Everything was fantastic. But then there was that issue of dessert. Again, I knew what I wanted (baklava), but I just had to see the selection, so our server brought the platter filled with a variety of desserts mostly in the filo dough genre. I just kept staring at the baklava, pointed at it and told him, “That’s the one.” As we waited for our dessert, we were entertained by the Turkish tea, as small glasses of tea were swung 360° around on a metal plate hanging from small metal chains by servers; I haven’t seen them spill a drop yet. Oh, and it should be of no surprise that the baklava was fantastic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s it; I was full, happy and ready to do it again. The portions were generous enough for a man of my generous proportions. I ended up taking some of my main dish home, in fact. When asked about ingredients and preparation, the serving staff was very knowledgeable and seemed excited to share the information. The price of the dishes was extremely respectful to mine and my wife’s wallets being those of a youth worker and teacher. I would and have recommended this restaurant to family and friends, and will continue to do so. If you are looking on taking a trip to Turkey, but don’t want to bother with the long flights, New Kapadokia in Redwood City will get you there way quicker and with way less jetlag.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/modesto-tamez.jpg\" alt=\"Modesto Tamez\" hspace=\"4\" align=\"left\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Modesto\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Exploratorium Teacher-in-Residence\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Aperto\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed New Kapadokia:\u003c/strong> Saturday February 2, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The restaurant was a delightful and friendly place with tasty food. This was a family run restaurant where the waitstaff worked very hard to make you feel part of their family and it succeeded. Turkish hospitality prevailed. The restaurant was small, but you did not feel cramped. In contrasts to too many new San Francisco restaurants, the sound level was great. Just enough ambient noise to give you a sense of community, but the level always permitted unstrained conversation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The walls had art works and photographs from Turkey, and the dishes where not your ubiquitous white porcelain plates. The plates, cups, glasses, and even the beer mugs (copper), were not of this culture. You did get the feeling that you were no longer in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The food, also, was not your average Mediterranean food. We frequent many Turkish restaurants in the Bay Area, and this had items on the menu we had never seen before. First we ordered our drinks, Turkish tea for my wife and Turkish beer for me. The tea was brought out by our very nice waitress. The tea was suspended on a platter held by three chords. Being a science teacher, I told the waitress that she could do a great centrifugal force experiment with her tray. She then proceeded to twirl the tray with drink on top completely upside down. She had obviously done her physics homework. Very entertaining! My beer in the copper mug was very good. I think it was a Pilsner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The appetizers were displayed on a large platter by another waitress, a friend of the family who was helping out that evening. We chose a spread made up of many spices, tomatoes, and green peppers. This paste was then spread on this wonderful Turkish leavened bread. Next, the best lentil soup I have ever had was served. It was extremely spicy, which was a pleasant surprise. My wife had a vegetable lamb stew called sebzeli guvec, amazing! My dish was adana kebab, a spicy beef kabob on delicious rice pilaf. My dish was very good, my wife’s dish was exceptional! For dessert we had baklava. Yummy!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We really liked the restaurant, and if it was closer, we would definitely go more often. My only problem is that compared to most Turkish restaurants we have gone to in the Bay Area, it is a little pricier. Having said this, after leaving the restaurant, we wanted to book a flight for Turkey.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/rachel-cary.jpg\" alt=\"Rachel Cary\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Rachel\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Art Director\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Oakland\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Masa’s\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed New Kapadokia:\u003c/strong> Tuesday February 19, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>New Kapadokia is a Bay Area gem that is not to be missed. We really enjoyed our meal here.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We stopped in without reservations on a Tuesday night at about 7pm. We were warmly greeted by the owner, who seated us promptly. I could tell right away that it was a family-run business. The owner and his family were speaking Turkish in the back. The room was decorated with traditional Turkish decor (lots of “evil eyes”) and photographs of Turkey. The walls had a lovely warm yellow on them; overall the feeling when you walk in is very nice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our meal was excellent. I had no idea Turkish food was this good. I overheard the owner explaining to another guest that Turkish food is considered to be among the best of all the cuisines in the world, and I think he could be right.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We started with appetizers, which were brought out on a tray for us to choose from. There was a wide assortment (about 10-12 different dishes ranging from hummus and baba ghanoush to eggplant or pepper salads, meat patties, dolmas and more). I expected the appetizers to have a “Greek” taste, as many of the ingredients/dishes were similar. But it was nothing like Greek food. We chose the Cevizli Ezme, which is a paste of walnuts, Turkish red pepper paste, and tomato paste mixed with fresh garlic, olive oil, and cumin. We ate this on the Turkish bread they served, and it was outstanding. A bit spicy and the flavor combinations were yummy!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From that we moved on to Lentil Soup and Turkish Salad. The soup was fantastic, wonderful flavors, including mint, that blended perfectly. The Turkish Salad was a chopped salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, and spices. The vinaigrette dressing on it was particularly good, not at all heavy. I’m asking for the recipe when I go back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For our main course, we both chose kebobs, which were mostly lamb. Mine had a lamb chop, some chicken, and meat patties as well. From the first bite, I thought, “whoever made this knows their way around a piece of meat,” especially the lamb chop. All were perfectly cooked and seasoned, very tender and succulent. The vegetables and rice that accompanied both had great flavor, and were just right in terms of preparation. I’ve had so many overcooked, bland vegetables dishes in restaurants, it’s nice to see someone getting it right. Also, I appreciated a healthy balance of ingredients in our meal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our waiter — who had a nice way about him and was as friendly as the owner (his father?) — suggested a red Turkish wine, saying, “You’ll like it,” with a wink. We did, it was a very smooth red that went very well with the meal. Next time I’ll order a second glass.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For dessert, the owner’s wife brought over a tray of desserts to choose from… we chose Baklava, which was excellent. Next time we’ll be a little more adventurous as the other desserts looked just as good.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I finished the meal with a mint tea which was simply a few strands of bright green, fresh mint leaves in boiling water, served in a tiny clear glass on a saucer. It was dainty, and so fresh and really nice way to finish such a great meal. Be sure to get a coffee or tea, if you go…but find out why they twirl it around on the serving tray. I forgot to ask, and now I’m wondering!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I often expect meals at “ethnic” restaurants to be heavy and greasy. Along with the fact that this is really, really delicious food, I want to complement the chef for the healthy preparation. Our steamed vegetables were delicious, and all of the meat was perfectly cooked.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had the impression that the owner is very proud of his Turkish heritage, and that is wonderful to see. I overhead him explaining the history of the region of Kapadokia in Turkey, the history of Turkish cuisine to another guest. You had the impression that he wanted to share this with his guests, and that just adds to the overall loveliness of the restaurant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The restaurant is in downtown Redwood City, and I had no idea that the area was as cute as it is. The San Mateo County Courthouse is a beautiful structure, and there is a lot of other interesting historic architecture such as the Fox Theatre. It was too dark, rainy and late to walk around, but we both will come back for another delicious meal, and to tour the area. This would be a great location for a summer date/getaway, and we’re looking forward to coming back when the weather is nice enough to visit the area a bit on foot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Overall, I highly recommend giving New Kapadokia a try; I think most people will not be disappointed.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Aperto: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=701\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=698\">recipe\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=691\">full episode video\u003c/a> |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other ways to watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp302iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/aperto19.jpg\" alt=\"Seared Hamachi on Couscous\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/aperto18.jpg\" alt=\"Roasted Chicken\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/aperto10.jpg\" alt=\"Lamb Shank\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nSeared Hamachi on Couscous, Roasted Chicken, Lamb Shank\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/modesto-tamez.jpg\" alt=\"Modesto Tamez\" hspace=\"4\" align=\"left\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Modesto\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Exploratorium Teacher-in-Residence\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Aperto\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Aperto:\u003c/strong> Friday February 8, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We have been going to and enjoying Aperto for almost 15 years, and this last visit, as usual, did not disappoint. We took two of our good friends to Aperto. This is our favorite place to take people from out of town. In my opinion, this is the quintessential San Francisco restaurant. The location on top of Potrero Hill gives you magnificent views of the city and the interior of the restaurant could be a set for a romantic movie. The restaurant is small and intimate, but the intelligent use of space gives you a feeling of privacy, and the acoustics, unlike many new restaurants in San Francisco, are first rate. You can actually have a pleasant conversation without raising your voice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The experience starts by entering this charming room, filled with natural light coming in thought the giant windows. I will start with the only caveat that I can think of. They always start your dinner by serving the most delicious home made focaccia and a lovely virgin olive oil for dipping, and here in lies the problem. The bread is soooo good, you may be tempted to continue to eat this bread and not leave enough room for the delicious meal to come.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before this feast started we planned ahead and ordered the chocolate soufflé cake, which typically takes longer to cook then other desserts. The four of us decided in order to taste as much as possible, family style would be our plan of attack. The two appetizers that started our dinner were delectable crab cakes and a wonderful white bean bruschetta. For entrees, we ordered the special fish, a seared hamachi, cooked to perfection on top of some couscous. We continued with the special meat dish, a rib-eye steak with some yummy vegetables. We also ordered from the regular menu. The roasted chicken on top of fingerling potatoes always are within the best part of my comfort zone. Finally, the lamb shank has always been one of our favorite items on the menu, and our friends concurred. Only two of us drank wine, so we ordered by the glass. Their wine list is small, but there is always something special to choose from. We had a scrumptious Chianti reserve.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As mentioned above, we preordered the soufflé and also ordered a chocolate cheesecake (never too much chocolate!) We have had this soufflé dozens of times, and this was probably the only surprise. Usually this dish is a killer! This time it was just excellent, but the cheesecake took its place on the killer list. This cheesecake was to die for!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The reason we love this place so much is that, beyond the great food, the lovely ambience, and the serene environ, the friendly waitstaff is there to make your evening special, and all this at a very fair price. Many times when we go to a newly reviewed restaurant and it misses the mark and is over priced my wife and I look at each other and say we could have been at Aperto. Added to all this, when you leave the restaurant, go out the door, turn right, take two steps, face south, you will gaze into the most beautiful sparkling city below. If you were not in a romantic mood when you arrived, you will be when you depart.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/rachel-cary.jpg\" alt=\"Rachel Cary\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Rachel\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Art Director\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Oakland\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Masa’s\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Aperto:\u003c/strong> Saturday February 16, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I have to preface this review by saying that I know how hard it is to run a restaurant. It’s tough work, long hours, and not always good pay. So, I do appreciate the hard work that goes into running a place. However, our dinner at Aperto is up there with the more mediocre restaurants I’ve eaten at in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I called about two weeks in advance to ask if they took reservations. I was told they did not, but they asked for my name and the number in my party. I asked when a good time to arrive would be, and was told that it was busy at 7:30, but that if we came at 8pm, they could fit us in. I assumed this meant, “fit you in for regular dining.” You know what they say about assuming…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We got there at 8pm sharp, and they did not ask for our name (I didn’t bother to give it to them, to be honest, but what’s the point of taking my name if you’re not going to ask for it?) We were told that it would be an hour wait, or we could sit at the counter. Not that big of a deal really, but I was wondering why they didn’t mention that when we called. Seems they should have. We took the last counter seats available that faced a wall (the others had a window on the street), which were within sight and sound (and smell) of the only bathroom, about six feet away. I was a little surprised that they didn’t have at least a screen of some kind separating the bathroom from the dining room. It had an unsanitary feel that was unsettling during the dinner. Also, the maître d’ said he would move us as soon as the couple next to us left. He never mentioned it again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our waitress was a very nice young woman who did a great job of telling us the specials and taking our order. The service was slow, however. I do not fault her, I’m pretty sure it was the kitchen. It was almost 25 minutes after we were seated before the first course came. The couple next to us (who got the good counter seats that we had been promised) had their first course within 10-15 minutes, max.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both of the barstool chairs we were seated on were extremely wobbly. They’re a health hazard and they need to be fixed. The decor of the room is Potrero Hill funky. Fresh red roses were a nice touch in the room, which is kind of industrial. I kept wondering if it used to be a drycleaners, the light fixtures looked original 50s. Nice warm yellow walls with red-brown accents. The kitchen is front and central, so you can see what is going on. It’s a very small room, about 10+ tables the counter. Extremely noisy room, which I really dislike in restaurants. I hate having to yell, and I hate it when others are yelling so loud I can hear their conversations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The maître d’ seemed to know his wine list pretty well. We both ordered a glass of Pinot Noir, having asked for the smoothest wine he had. It was smooth, basic, drinkable.\u003cbr>\nThe food was pretty bad, for the most part. The squash soup was tasteless (other squash and ginger flavors) and had the consistency of a soupy puree. The green onion crème fraîche dollop was nice, and did pair well, and actually gave it a finished taste. It could have used some salt, as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The butter leaf salad was awful. Tasteless, bland, I kept wondering where the “creamy herb-goat cheese buttermilk dressing” was… whatever dressing was on there was watery and bland, although there was some goat cheese. They might consider doing candied pecans and a better dressing to improve it. My husband’s beet salad was just as bad.\u003cbr>\nThe main course was the worst, although my husband’s was a bit better. We both chose pasta. The one thing I will say in their favor is that the pasta was not overcooked. But the rest…? Not good. As I said, the dominant flavor in mine was burnt garlic, and everything else was bland. I ended up adding salt and pepper, which I almost never do in restaurants. My husband’s tagliatelle pasta was better, but still quite bland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dessert was an oddity: a warm apple pastry with caramel sauce. The apples tasted as if they’d been super-doused with lemon and the caramel sauce had the most bizarre taste I’ve ever had in a restaurant: it was either burnt, or they’d used something in it (baking powder?) that was really, really off. The consistency of the pastry was very good, but again, where was the salt? The vanilla gelato paired with it was decent enough, but nothing special.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This wasn’t a good dining experience for us, in any respect. I recommend going just one block farther up 18th Street to Chez Papa, a French bistro place that is excellent and about the same price. We showed up there with 4 people (and no reservation) a while back, and they had no problem getting us a real table.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/mark-duncanson.jpg\" alt=\"Mark Duncanson\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Mark\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Youth Worker\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Livermore\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> New Kapadokia\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Aperto:\u003c/strong> Sunday February 17, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Living as suburbanite on the 580 Corridor, east of the 680 interchange, visiting Aperto made me feel like one hip San Francisco native (I think). With the exception of being seated directly to the right of the front door (quite cold), therefore being directly in the line of entering patron foot traffic and a bustling Aperto staff team, this was a good experience. I even found a sweet parking spot one block down the hill. The interior was intimate, warm, and friendly. The seating was a bit too close to others for my comfort level, but the diverse and friendly crowd made it tolerable, and I settled in quite well after a while.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I should divulge the fact that I am, by no means, an Italian cuisine enthusiast. On any given night, if you asked me what I am in the mood for, Italian is always furthest from my mind, much to my wife’s chagrin. I chose the crab cakes as an appetizer, and they were absolutely delicious. They were fried to perfection and married well with a spicy aioli that gave just the right amount of heat and sweet to the bed of fennel and frisee salad. I chose to go for the spaghetti with shrimp dish after it and the braised short ribs battled it out in my head. The spaghetti was fantastic — an excellent blend of herbs, spices, mushrooms, tomato, arugula, and perfectly seasoned shrimp. Speaking as a guy that is not at all into pasta, I loved it. The pasta was cooked just right, to the point that I had to ask if it was house-made; it wasn’t, but it didn’t change a thing about the experience. For dessert, I had the apple crostata; sort of an open-faced apple pie with a puff pastry crust drizzled with caramel sauce with a small scoop of vanilla bean gelato on the side. I even enjoyed that, and I am not much of a dessert guy. How can you go wrong when a meal ends with any kind of gelato?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s the kicker: all the dishes my wife (a lover of Italian food) ordered — the “Bruschetta” with Tuscan bean puree, broccoli rabe, balsamic syrup, and manchego cheese as an appetizer, and her main course of linguine pasta with shelling beans, butternut squash, broccoli rabe, garlic, chicken broth, butter, and grana cheese — she described as simply, above okay. The low point of the meal came when we tasted the “Bruschetta.” The bread wasn’t the traditional crispy, but grilled which gave it more of a burned taste, and I did miss the tomatoes in that appetizer. I guess that’s why it came in quotation marks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Overall, I found myself enjoying the meal, tolerating the cold air as the door open and closed throughout the night, settling into the “intimacy” of the evening and really liking the friendly staff. I would definitely recommend Aperto for the food, but would also give fair warning about the seating.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong>\r\n1434 18th Street (at Connecticut)\r\nSan Francisco, CA 94107\r\n\u003cstrong>Phone:\u003c/strong> 415-252-1625\r\n\u003cstrong>Website:\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://apertosf.com\">apertosf.com\u003c/a>\r\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed:\u003c/strong> Winter 2008",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Aperto: Reviews\u003c/strong> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=701\">restaurant info\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=698\">recipe\u003c/a> | \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?p=691\">full episode video\u003c/a> |\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other ways to watch episode online (and on video iPod):\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/tv/checkplease/cp302iPod_Hi.mp4\">\u003cstrong>Download episode\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> (requires \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/\">iTunes\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html\">QuickTime\u003c/a>)\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/?page_id=122\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe to Video Podcast\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/aperto19.jpg\" alt=\"Seared Hamachi on Couscous\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/aperto18.jpg\" alt=\"Roasted Chicken\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/aperto10.jpg\" alt=\"Lamb Shank\" hspace=\"3\">\u003cbr>\nSeared Hamachi on Couscous, Roasted Chicken, Lamb Shank\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/modesto-tamez.jpg\" alt=\"Modesto Tamez\" hspace=\"4\" align=\"left\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Modesto\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Exploratorium Teacher-in-Residence\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Aperto\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Aperto:\u003c/strong> Friday February 8, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We have been going to and enjoying Aperto for almost 15 years, and this last visit, as usual, did not disappoint. We took two of our good friends to Aperto. This is our favorite place to take people from out of town. In my opinion, this is the quintessential San Francisco restaurant. The location on top of Potrero Hill gives you magnificent views of the city and the interior of the restaurant could be a set for a romantic movie. The restaurant is small and intimate, but the intelligent use of space gives you a feeling of privacy, and the acoustics, unlike many new restaurants in San Francisco, are first rate. You can actually have a pleasant conversation without raising your voice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The experience starts by entering this charming room, filled with natural light coming in thought the giant windows. I will start with the only caveat that I can think of. They always start your dinner by serving the most delicious home made focaccia and a lovely virgin olive oil for dipping, and here in lies the problem. The bread is soooo good, you may be tempted to continue to eat this bread and not leave enough room for the delicious meal to come.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before this feast started we planned ahead and ordered the chocolate soufflé cake, which typically takes longer to cook then other desserts. The four of us decided in order to taste as much as possible, family style would be our plan of attack. The two appetizers that started our dinner were delectable crab cakes and a wonderful white bean bruschetta. For entrees, we ordered the special fish, a seared hamachi, cooked to perfection on top of some couscous. We continued with the special meat dish, a rib-eye steak with some yummy vegetables. We also ordered from the regular menu. The roasted chicken on top of fingerling potatoes always are within the best part of my comfort zone. Finally, the lamb shank has always been one of our favorite items on the menu, and our friends concurred. Only two of us drank wine, so we ordered by the glass. Their wine list is small, but there is always something special to choose from. We had a scrumptious Chianti reserve.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As mentioned above, we preordered the soufflé and also ordered a chocolate cheesecake (never too much chocolate!) We have had this soufflé dozens of times, and this was probably the only surprise. Usually this dish is a killer! This time it was just excellent, but the cheesecake took its place on the killer list. This cheesecake was to die for!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The reason we love this place so much is that, beyond the great food, the lovely ambience, and the serene environ, the friendly waitstaff is there to make your evening special, and all this at a very fair price. Many times when we go to a newly reviewed restaurant and it misses the mark and is over priced my wife and I look at each other and say we could have been at Aperto. Added to all this, when you leave the restaurant, go out the door, turn right, take two steps, face south, you will gaze into the most beautiful sparkling city below. If you were not in a romantic mood when you arrived, you will be when you depart.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/rachel-cary.jpg\" alt=\"Rachel Cary\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Rachel\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Art Director\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Oakland\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> Masa’s\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Aperto:\u003c/strong> Saturday February 16, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I have to preface this review by saying that I know how hard it is to run a restaurant. It’s tough work, long hours, and not always good pay. So, I do appreciate the hard work that goes into running a place. However, our dinner at Aperto is up there with the more mediocre restaurants I’ve eaten at in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I called about two weeks in advance to ask if they took reservations. I was told they did not, but they asked for my name and the number in my party. I asked when a good time to arrive would be, and was told that it was busy at 7:30, but that if we came at 8pm, they could fit us in. I assumed this meant, “fit you in for regular dining.” You know what they say about assuming…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We got there at 8pm sharp, and they did not ask for our name (I didn’t bother to give it to them, to be honest, but what’s the point of taking my name if you’re not going to ask for it?) We were told that it would be an hour wait, or we could sit at the counter. Not that big of a deal really, but I was wondering why they didn’t mention that when we called. Seems they should have. We took the last counter seats available that faced a wall (the others had a window on the street), which were within sight and sound (and smell) of the only bathroom, about six feet away. I was a little surprised that they didn’t have at least a screen of some kind separating the bathroom from the dining room. It had an unsanitary feel that was unsettling during the dinner. Also, the maître d’ said he would move us as soon as the couple next to us left. He never mentioned it again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our waitress was a very nice young woman who did a great job of telling us the specials and taking our order. The service was slow, however. I do not fault her, I’m pretty sure it was the kitchen. It was almost 25 minutes after we were seated before the first course came. The couple next to us (who got the good counter seats that we had been promised) had their first course within 10-15 minutes, max.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both of the barstool chairs we were seated on were extremely wobbly. They’re a health hazard and they need to be fixed. The decor of the room is Potrero Hill funky. Fresh red roses were a nice touch in the room, which is kind of industrial. I kept wondering if it used to be a drycleaners, the light fixtures looked original 50s. Nice warm yellow walls with red-brown accents. The kitchen is front and central, so you can see what is going on. It’s a very small room, about 10+ tables the counter. Extremely noisy room, which I really dislike in restaurants. I hate having to yell, and I hate it when others are yelling so loud I can hear their conversations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The maître d’ seemed to know his wine list pretty well. We both ordered a glass of Pinot Noir, having asked for the smoothest wine he had. It was smooth, basic, drinkable.\u003cbr>\nThe food was pretty bad, for the most part. The squash soup was tasteless (other squash and ginger flavors) and had the consistency of a soupy puree. The green onion crème fraîche dollop was nice, and did pair well, and actually gave it a finished taste. It could have used some salt, as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The butter leaf salad was awful. Tasteless, bland, I kept wondering where the “creamy herb-goat cheese buttermilk dressing” was… whatever dressing was on there was watery and bland, although there was some goat cheese. They might consider doing candied pecans and a better dressing to improve it. My husband’s beet salad was just as bad.\u003cbr>\nThe main course was the worst, although my husband’s was a bit better. We both chose pasta. The one thing I will say in their favor is that the pasta was not overcooked. But the rest…? Not good. As I said, the dominant flavor in mine was burnt garlic, and everything else was bland. I ended up adding salt and pepper, which I almost never do in restaurants. My husband’s tagliatelle pasta was better, but still quite bland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dessert was an oddity: a warm apple pastry with caramel sauce. The apples tasted as if they’d been super-doused with lemon and the caramel sauce had the most bizarre taste I’ve ever had in a restaurant: it was either burnt, or they’d used something in it (baking powder?) that was really, really off. The consistency of the pastry was very good, but again, where was the salt? The vanilla gelato paired with it was decent enough, but nothing special.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This wasn’t a good dining experience for us, in any respect. I recommend going just one block farther up 18th Street to Chez Papa, a French bistro place that is excellent and about the same price. We showed up there with 4 people (and no reservation) a while back, and they had no problem getting us a real table.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr size=\"1\" noshade>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/checkplease/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2008/04/mark-duncanson.jpg\" alt=\"Mark Duncanson\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"4\">\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Name:\u003c/strong> Mark\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Occupation:\u003c/strong> Youth Worker\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Location:\u003c/strong> Livermore\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Favorite Restaurant:\u003c/strong> New Kapadokia\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Reviewed Aperto:\u003c/strong> Sunday February 17, 2008\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Living as suburbanite on the 580 Corridor, east of the 680 interchange, visiting Aperto made me feel like one hip San Francisco native (I think). With the exception of being seated directly to the right of the front door (quite cold), therefore being directly in the line of entering patron foot traffic and a bustling Aperto staff team, this was a good experience. I even found a sweet parking spot one block down the hill. The interior was intimate, warm, and friendly. The seating was a bit too close to others for my comfort level, but the diverse and friendly crowd made it tolerable, and I settled in quite well after a while.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I should divulge the fact that I am, by no means, an Italian cuisine enthusiast. On any given night, if you asked me what I am in the mood for, Italian is always furthest from my mind, much to my wife’s chagrin. I chose the crab cakes as an appetizer, and they were absolutely delicious. They were fried to perfection and married well with a spicy aioli that gave just the right amount of heat and sweet to the bed of fennel and frisee salad. I chose to go for the spaghetti with shrimp dish after it and the braised short ribs battled it out in my head. The spaghetti was fantastic — an excellent blend of herbs, spices, mushrooms, tomato, arugula, and perfectly seasoned shrimp. Speaking as a guy that is not at all into pasta, I loved it. The pasta was cooked just right, to the point that I had to ask if it was house-made; it wasn’t, but it didn’t change a thing about the experience. For dessert, I had the apple crostata; sort of an open-faced apple pie with a puff pastry crust drizzled with caramel sauce with a small scoop of vanilla bean gelato on the side. I even enjoyed that, and I am not much of a dessert guy. How can you go wrong when a meal ends with any kind of gelato?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s the kicker: all the dishes my wife (a lover of Italian food) ordered — the “Bruschetta” with Tuscan bean puree, broccoli rabe, balsamic syrup, and manchego cheese as an appetizer, and her main course of linguine pasta with shelling beans, butternut squash, broccoli rabe, garlic, chicken broth, butter, and grana cheese — she described as simply, above okay. The low point of the meal came when we tasted the “Bruschetta.” The bread wasn’t the traditional crispy, but grilled which gave it more of a burned taste, and I did miss the tomatoes in that appetizer. I guess that’s why it came in quotation marks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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},
"californiareport": {
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"info": "KQED’s statewide radio news program providing daily coverage of issues, trends and public policy decisions.",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareport",
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"order": 8
},
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},
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"info": "Every week, The California Report Magazine takes you on a road trip for the ears: to visit the places and meet the people who make California unique. The in-depth storytelling podcast from the California Report.",
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM3NjkwNjk1OTAz",
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"meta": {
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"source": "City Arts & Lectures"
},
"link": "https://www.cityarts.net",
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"order": 1
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"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
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"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
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"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
"link": "/radio/program/commonwealth-club",
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
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"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
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"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
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"order": 9
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"airtime": "SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/freakonomics-radio",
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"id": "fresh-air",
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"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
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"hidden-brain": {
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"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
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"source": "NPR"
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"how-i-built-this": {
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"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
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"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
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"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
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"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
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"order": 15
},
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},
"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
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"order": 18
},
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},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
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"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
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},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
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"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
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},
"masters-of-scale": {
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"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
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"source": "WaitWhat"
},
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"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
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"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/stories-teachers-share",
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}
},
"morning-edition": {
"id": "morning-edition",
"title": "Morning Edition",
"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3am-9am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morning-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/",
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"link": "/radio/program/morning-edition"
},
"onourwatch": {
"id": "onourwatch",
"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Our-Watch-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "On Our Watch from NPR and KQED",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
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