23005 Mon Feb 17 10:23:25 -0800 2003 21 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 86369 So, I'm escaping the late-winter blues here in Italy and coming back to SF for tulips, plum blossoms, meyer lemons, thai food, and takeout coffee (and, more prosaically, doing my taxes and doing a book signing/demo for my book about honey). I've been gone since August--what's new and great ? Haven't really kept up with openings/closings--but curious to know what the 'hounds think is worth a visit. Probably anything but Italian food--although, oddly enough, I am craving good pizza, since the pizza I've had in Bologna has been pretty universally thin, bland, and taste-free. Thanks! Mon Feb 17 10:23:25 -0800 2003 0 dixieday 1 86391 That's a tough one, Dixieday, since as you know we're still in a slump here, with more places closing than opening. I'm not quite sure when you left, but some of the hot new kids on the block are Chez Spencer, Chez Papa and Piperade (I've only eaten at the latter and it was excellent and unique in SF). Limon was getting rave reviews, but unfortunately the chef was killed in an altercation a couple of weeks ago, and although the restaurant is still open, I don't know how the food has held up. Welcome home! The citrus has been especially good this winter, so tuck in and enjoy! Mon Feb 17 14:07:41 -0800 2003 86369 0 Ruth Lafler 2 86394 Actually it's the chef from Platanos who was killed. Far as I know the chef at Limon is alive and well...and there's still a line out the door at Platanos. Mon Feb 17 14:58:00 -0800 2003 86391 0 Windy 3 86403 Mea Culpa! Okay, well then, Limon is new and hot! Mon Feb 17 15:32:39 -0800 2003 86394 0 Ruth Lafler 4 86425 And Platanos was also using several lead chefs throughout their brief history, as I understand it, and the place remains packed--I'd definitly recommend it for lower-priced, interesting Central American/Mexican food. Especially the guacamole. Yum. Also second the recommendations for Limon and Piperade. Both excellent. Mon Feb 17 17:46:48 -0800 2003 86403 0 wlw18 1 86402 Book about honey? After months of asking for it at the various farmers markets around Northern California, I've concluded that there is no chesnut honey produced here. Would you agree? As to "new and unmissable in SF," I would say that the restaurant scene is going through a weeding-out process. Things got out of hand during the dot-com era, but now reservations are easier to get at the hot restaurants, service is better and prices are down. Restaurateurs figured out that if they drop the prices (mostly by eliminating the extravagant ingredients and preparations) then they'll get much more business. So now diners appear to be attracted to either the very top restaurants which are as full as ever (but easier to get in), or to the "value" restaurants. The in-between places are having a harder time, and some of them are either re-inventing themselves or going out of business. Survival of the fittest. Mon Feb 17 15:29:01 -0800 2003 86369 0 svL 2 86412 more info Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/289458#1567426 Mon Feb 17 16:11:26 -0800 2003 86402 0 vn 2 86476 No, there is no (or very little) chestnut honey produced in the US, because of the chestnut blight that killed most mature chestnut trees. A few nurseries are slowly reintroducing blight-resistant trees, but chestnuts are not common anymore. However, you can find wonderful French and Italian chestnut honey in gourmet shops like AG Ferrari and the Pasta Shop. Right now I have some organic chestnut honey made in the foothills of the Appenines, that we bought at a little "mountain fair" in the main square last fall. It's super tasty! Wonderful with gorgonzola or other cheeses. Link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0811832384/qid=1045555789/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/002-5394318-5658458?v=glance&s=books&n=507846 Tue Feb 18 03:10:41 -0800 2003 86402 0 dixieday 1 86405 Since August, the single best new place I am aware of is Piperade. It's well worth a trip. If you can get about seven friends to go along, reserve the bench in the center of the floor and order family style. Tbere is also a new chef at the Grand Cafe and the food there is much improved. Even the bar menu out front is great. Mon Feb 17 15:38:18 -0800 2003 86369 0 Paul H 2 86567 I second the recommendation for Piperade—great food, wonderful service, warm atmosphere. It's the new version of Pastis, Gerard Hirigoyen's restaurant near Levi Plaza, and the food is more Basque than the old place. Wed Feb 19 01:50:30 -0800 2003 86405 0 Denise B 1 86407 The biggest restaurant news since you left is arguably the closing of Stars. There was also a crab festival - a first for SF - that was by all accounts a total flop, in spite of this being one of the best crab seasons in recent memory. I would recommend that you revisit your old favorites while back in SF. Mon Feb 17 15:40:28 -0800 2003 86369 0 Bay Gelldawg 1 86429 La Table on upper Sacramento has been getting some good buzz, but I haven't tried it yet. Part of the Bay Breads empire. Some reports on this board. I don't know if you left before Gregoire opened near Chez Panisse in Berkely. Here's a post below that links to Limster's post when he visited recently. If you are at the SF Ferry Plaza market you MUST get June Taylor's cherry and almond conserve. Like eating fresh bing cherries. I've never had a successful cherry conserve before and this is outstanding. She uses Lanier's cherries. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/22920#85853 Mon Feb 17 18:34:04 -0800 2003 86369 0 Stanley Stephan 2 86480 Speaking of the farmer's market, what's likely to be available three weeks from now? I'm actually heading back to the Bay Area for a visit too, so I'm following this thread quite greedily. I have to be in the East Bay at noon on a Saturday, so I'm trying to decide whether I should make a run into SF first thing in the morning to visit the market... Tue Feb 18 05:27:55 -0800 2003 86429 0 chibi 3 86502 Glad to see you back for a while. Tida has been more of a regular of the market than I have been recently. I did go last week, and we are still in winter mode, lots of greens, oranges and root veggies. That June Taylor Cherry and Almond conserve that I mentioned in this tread is really special. However you can order June Taylor's full line on-line now, so you might save yourself the trip (well, it's really mail order with a $25 order minimum). Marshall's will have their spring honey's like acacia/eucalyptus. Tida may have a better feel, but I'm thinking three weeks from now we will be in the asparagus season, citrus (blood oranges) and the beginning of the strawberry season. For flowers, at that time, blossoms/daffodils/tulips. I think the move is scheduled for March 22nd. So if you go, this will be a farewell to the old site. Here's the link to the market site (which has the June Taylor link). Do a check just before you come to get an idea on where the market is. Lot's of empty spaces as of last week with fewer vendors. Link: http://www.ferryplazafarmersmarket.com/saturday.htm#top Image: http://junetaylorjams.com/images/jamie_oliver3.jpg Tue Feb 18 16:01:36 -0800 2003 86480 0 Stanley Stephan 4 86516 In the next three weeks, you'll probably see a lot more asparagus and when Zuckerman's starts frying theirs, you'll have to beat me off with a stick. Hazel Dell Farms may have black trumpet mushrooms. I think this is a spring mushroom but now I can't remember if it usually appears that early or not. Green garlic, ramps, fiddlehead ferns all may appear for the early spring. There have been some wonderful winter vegetables that will still be around. The carrots and leeks and Canpy Farms (sp?) are wonderful. Lacinato kale, the chards, and the mustards are great . Mariquita Farms has white and red carrots that are pretty and tasty. There will still be wonderful citrus from meyers to blood oranges to pomelos and hopefully these delightful sweet limes I enjoyed recently. The Asian vegetable stand near Acme bread had gorgeous- albeit-pricey-in-comparison-to-what-you-get-in-Chinatown pea shoots 2 weeks ago. I don't know that you can go wrong :> Tue Feb 18 17:03:24 -0800 2003 86502 0 Tida 5 86522 Tida, you're making me cry as I sit here in NYC - and if I opened my window, my tears would freeze. But the pile of snow on the sill outside makes opening it difficult, even if I wanted to. It's months until spring veggies come around here locally, whatever the calendar says. Tue Feb 18 18:20:46 -0800 2003 86516 0 Caitlin McGrath 6 86528 Caitlin- You need to move back. It's sunny, 55-60 degrees, and a little bit breezy. There are times when I miss NYC terribly but right now is not one of them. If you want a Meyer lemon care package, send me your address! Stay warm:> Tue Feb 18 18:37:24 -0800 2003 86522 0 Tida 7 86533 We're working on it, but it'll be a couple more years. I'm being a crybaby; I don't really mind the snow, but I mind the short seasons and more limited variety for good local produce. At holiday time, my folks sent me more Meyer lemons than I could use before they went bad, so I have a supply of juice and zest in my freezer (oh, and they're also available at the upscale produce shop for $5-6/lb!). Tue Feb 18 19:42:40 -0800 2003 86528 0 Caitlin McGrath 5 86572 Oh, I can't wait! Of course, there are tons of blood oranges here in the Italy (mostly the "tarocco" kind) and lots of raddicchio, lacinto kale, puntarelle, rucola (arugula), fennel, etc., but I miss the organics, farmer connection, and general camaraderie of the markets in SF. And of course, the Meyer lemons--Looking forward to it! Wed Feb 19 07:10:57 -0800 2003 86516 0 dixieday 6 86579 Just curious, dixieday. Are the tarocco oranges in Italy sour like they are here? I just have my Berkely Bowl experience, but it seems the Morro's are the sweet ones. Do they still wrap oranges in lovely paper with designs like the labels they put on fruit crates here. I still have a wrapper with an orange I bought in Brindisi that was gilded with cherubs flying all around. I keep meaning to frame it. It was a regular orange, not a blood orange. Wed Feb 19 12:07:36 -0800 2003 86572 0 Stanley Stephan 7 86600 As far I've been able to taste, the tarocco ones are sweet--they've gotten sweeter as the season has gone on. In fact, I've had my eye out for the Seville "bitter" (marmalade) oranges, but haven't seen them. I haven't seen any special orange-wrapping papers--mostly, at the open-air markets, they're just piled up, no special treatment. I'll look for them, though! Wed Feb 19 17:09:16 -0800 2003 86579 0 dixieday 5 86645 Thank you for the update! I can already taste that Hayes Valley Grill scrambled egg sandwich with char-grilled bread. Or do I want an Aidell's sausage? Decisions decisions, and I'm not ever there yet. I am looking forward to getting some fruit preserves and Rechiutti chocolates to bring back as delightful tastes of SF. If only I could bring Meyer Lemons too... Sat Feb 22 20:09:40 -0800 2003 86516 0 chibi