24093 Sun May 11 19:51:44 -0700 2003 4 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 93186 Brainwash Café and Laundromat - Yes Grandma, I had breakfast in this café, sipping caffe latte while I listened to grunge rock, and tumble-dried my Levis. Food isn't bad. People watching is good. No recommendation. Café Bastille - Located in Belden Place, the home of Plouf, B44 and other sidewalf cafes, the menu is solid French Bistro food. Nothing to write home about, and not worth a special trip, but there is nothing wrong here either. A fun summer activity is working your way through all of the choices in this European-like alley. Recommended. Café de la Presse - A newsstand/cafe catering to Europeans at the corner of Grant and Bush across the street from the French Consulate General's office. As you sit here eating, perhaps, Moule Frites (which Google translates as "mold chips") and watching people stroll through the ornate gates to Chinatown, you realize you aren't in Kansas anymore. Not the best French Bistro food in the city, but the atmosphere can't be beat, and the menu is pure bistro comfort food. Recommended. Café Monk - A child of the dot-com bubble, now closed. Near the end, the food was pretty good. I remember a rack of lamb done to perfection. According to the still-functioning website, "Monk has gone into temporary hibernation while it waits for the neighborhood to pull itself together." and "Our exciting next iteration of the Monk Menu depends on respecting the diets of the Monks of Asia. Expect this when we reopen." Does this mean vegetarian? (Monk resurrection watch at: http://www.cafemonk.com) No recommendation. Sun May 11 19:51:44 -0700 2003 0 Paul H 1 93187 I'm enjoying this. nice work. hard work too I'm sure. Sun May 11 20:23:15 -0700 2003 93186 0 baker 2 93196 baker, thanks. There will be a short pause (a day, two days?) while I write up a few more of these. Sun May 11 22:01:37 -0700 2003 93187 0 Paul H 1 93921 Here's a link to the next in the series. At this link see Stanley Stephen's reply for a link to the first set of reviews. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/24092#93185 Mon May 19 01:46:02 -0700 2003 93186 0 Paul H 1 96657 Monk update. A rumor (from a very good source) has it that Monk will reopen in November as a cross between Kyo-ya and Minako with live jazz for entertainment. It could be interesting. Fri Jun 20 15:16:45 -0700 2003 93186 0 Paul H