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| Karen Solomon's Articles: 1 to 10 of 24 | Previous Page 1 2 3 Next Page |
 | Done, but not Overdone Americans have grown accustomed to the politically charged images of Baghdad in flames in recent years. Either in spite of or because of the current military climate, a culture of which we knew nothing a decade ago has been slowly creeping into our own; in media, in language, and -- what’s of most interest to us here -- in food. Does this Iraqi restaurant go beyond the same old Middle Eastern fare that has made hummus as mainstream as salsa?More |  | A Legend Continues to Thrive Who am I, mere mortal, to laurel or dart the dining experience of the legendary Chez Panisse? As far as restaurants and food movements go, this kitchen is the Mesopotamia of California cuisine. This is the very birthplace of sparklingly fresh, high quality ingredients coaxed to maximum flavor, and a menu that drops farm names as is they were boutique designers. Chez Panisse is credited with creating the sustainable, farmer-friendly agricultural wheel. Superstar owner and operator Alice Waters has also indirectly sparked some of the nation’s best eats from the kitchen’s Harvard-like alumni.More |  | Want Community With That Pastrami? Replacing Klein's Deli atop Potrero Hill in May 2007, Jay's is a new sandwich joint/wine bar with a coffee shop vibe, whose owners are doing all they can to please the local clientele. The food is decent coffee shop fare—bagels, sandwiches, soups, housemade side salads, and fair trade coffee, as well as beer, wine, cheese and chocolate. The tenor of the dining room makes it feel more like your own personal living room, with neighbors gathering to think, work, talk, and give their laptops a change of scenery. The eats may be better at Hazel’s down the hill, but this casual seating and meeting space meets a neighborhood need with gusto.More |  | A Finer Diner The corner of 18th and Guerrero has not been kind to the restaurant industry. The spot seems like a shoe-in, due to its proximity to all of the Mission Grande Dames (Delfina, Tartine, Limon, Maverick, Range, etc.), but it appears to be a cruel mistress. It was a decent Eritrean restaurant for a number of years. Then Platanos moved in, and reinvented itself more times than Madonna. Now there’s a new contender in the ring -- a diner, bravely attempted by a San Francisco restaurant newcomer.More |  | New Chef at Hawaiian Expense Account Heaven With its beautiful décor doused in soft lighting, crisp linens, and stylish elbow room, Roy's fits right in with San Francisco's downtown restaurant scene, and one might never guess that it is just one of founder Roy Yamaguchi's 20+ dining establishments across the country.More |  | Off the Hook I’m always happy to crouch on a rickety stool with a paper plate on my lap if the food is good enough to merit the potential for grease stains on my knees. Take me to that Chinatown back alley with the awesome grub and trash bags for tablecloths any day; it's far preferential to the overblown, posh eatery serving paste on fine china and watery gruel in top-tier Swarovski. Pacific Catch may use real crockery instead of paper plates, but a food-first approach makes for long waits at this always-crowded Marina beehive.More |  | The Tide is High -- and Dry I’ve often wondered how restaurants that serve three different menus a day manage not to go manic. How can one be an expert baker in the morning, and then a genius with a quiche come noon, and then follow it all up with a full roster of dinner entrees just a few hours later? This challenge is rarely, if ever, executed well, but I always admire the goals these eateries set for themselves -- and often wish for simpler fare.More |  | Double Your Pleasure It's an old school SF dining address with modern lacquer; it's novel and casual Cal-American cuisine with a silver-haired clientele. It's Two, the latest incarnation of Hawthorne Lane, and it's two restaurants in one. After 22 Hawthorne Lane's namesake reign of over twelve years, this reinvented eatery has received a youthful makeover.More |  | Rockin’ Out The casual front porch, the friendly wooden bar, the cozy dining room, the visible kitchen -- it’s all so charming that one simply cannot help but be a smitten kitten for this parboiling Bernal Heights/Outer Mission hot spot, opened in late summer 2006 by the folks behind Emmy's Spaghetti Shack.More |  | Where the Lobster Rolls Rule the School When I saw that Market Street’s old World Sausage Grill had become a salty East Coast seafood shack, I had visions of lobster boils bubbling in my head. Hand-painted signs promising fried Ipswich clam rolls beckoned. But the proof, as they say, remained to be tasted. And like all culinary tourism, some was superb, and some made me remember longingly that there’s no place like home.More |
| Karen Solomon's Articles: 1 to 10 of 24 | Previous Page 1 2 3 Next Page |
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