Postrio closes -- chowhounds yawn?
I just noticed on Chronicle food page that Postrio closed last night (after two nights of special farewell dinners). Did no one here know, or did no one here care (the last mention a search turned up described Postrio as "very '80s")?
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CarrieWas218
Jun 25, 2009 07:30 PM
I would hazard to guess that no Chowhounders could get in; it seemed that the Industry booked it up before John Q. Public had an opportunity to get there and say Goodbye.
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Marc Veyrat
Jun 25, 2009 02:08 PM
Well, I for one, am going to miss the ol' girl. And it's not just because I hadn't yet used the Postrio dinner-for-two certificate my realtor gave me years ago as a thank you after I bought my house at the height of the market. No, it's more sentimental than anything else. I was there when it opened and have followed its downward trajectory ever since. I used to love going there on Sunday mornings for a superb breakfast. There was time when all the old time San Franciscans went there, either for weekend breakfasts or the occasional dinner. Everyone bounded from table to table, socializing and catching up. Of course, I haven't eaten there in years...
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mariacarmen
Jun 18, 2009 08:52 PM
Postrio never did it for me, tho i've been to a Spago, Chinois, and the now-closed Granita in Southern Cal, and liked them all to one degree or other. I also found Postrio's food dull and the atmosphere of the restaurant heavy and gloomy.
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While I can't quibble with Robert's crticism of Postrio and its legacy, I do have to say that last night was quite a remarkable experience for those in attendance. The mood was truly electric, with chefs Puck, Passot, Stoll, Gingrass, Birnbaum and many others hanging out in the dining area and sharing stories about the early Postrio years. Willie Brown gave a touching toast and everyone just seemed to be really enjoying themselves. The peking duck, kobe beef tartare and quail ravioli were all fantastically prepared and the prices were ridiculously low. A very special farewell.
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Paul H
Jun 17, 2009 02:48 PM
Postrio is closing tonight after the 2nd night of farewell dinners. Chef Puck is in attendence was was making the rounds last night to every table thanking folks. Every table was full, the display kitchen was staffed by 30 or so white-toqued chefs and there was an electric vibe about the whole enterprise.
Postrio was not a place I frequented often, but the farewell dinners (with 1990's pricing) were not to be missed.
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re: Paul H
Ruth Lafler
Jun 17, 2009 03:54 PM
LOL. I could have predicted these two responses. You and Robert have diametrically opposed tastes in restaurants, although I value each of your opinions their own ways.
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re: Ruth Lafler
Robert Lauriston
Jun 18, 2009 10:52 AM
Postrio's success was almost as unaccountable as Square One's.
The problems were clearly Puck's fault. When the chefs went off to their own place, Hawthorne Lane, they made it one of the best restaurants in the City. In its heyday, the food, service, wine list, and decor were all exemplary.
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re: chompy
I would be interested in Robert's comments on Square One, too. My wife and I loved that restaurant for the 11 years it was in existance and were devastated when it closed. Joyce's cooking, to us, was awesome and the menu changed every day. Its was one of those restaurants that, for me, had so many good selections, it was difficult to decide what to order. She also had a great staff throughout those 11 years and a lot of employees who were there the entire time. We have all her cookbooks and I frequently run into her at the Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market on Saturdays.
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re: chompy
Robert Lauriston
Jun 18, 2009 11:16 AM
Joyce Goldstein was an incompetent chef. The ingredients were first-rate and the execution was excellent, but the conceptions were often way off.
For example, they once did a version of aushak that combined perfectly made ravioli, a great meat sauce, and a great yogurt sauce. The only flaw was that instead of the traditional filling of strong-flavored leek greens they used the delicate Italian combination of ricotta and spinach, which was utterly overpowered by the highly seasoned sauces.
The most extreme example was a dessert that paired an exquisite grapefruit sorbet with a fabulous chocolate sauce. The combination tasted like vomit.
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re: Robert Lauriston
Chuckles the Clone
Jun 19, 2009 12:40 PM
>"as unaccountable as Square One's."
Plenty of free parking.
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re: Ruth Lafler
I used to work at postrio early in my careere as a chef, it had it's problems did'nt see this coming I had a ball working there learned alot there alot of the guys there were my classmates in culinary school Im sad there out of a job all I can say is Ievery restaurant has it's good and bad nights mabe the had one to many sorry guys you had a good run good luck to all
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Robert Lauriston
Jun 17, 2009 02:36 PM
Knew, good riddance. Very 80s Los Angeles. All toque and no clogs.
The food was so lame and the service so obnoxious the one time I went, not long after it opened, that while waiting outside for my friends to come out I asked the valet parking guy, who are these people? and he said, nouveau riche.
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re: Robert Lauriston
Glencora
Jun 18, 2009 03:03 PM
In what way was the food lame? I'm not doubting you, just curious. I used to sell vegetables there. The two chefs were friendly, not snooty, and paid cash on delivery instead of making me wait, beg, threaten, etc. But, yes, the guests were vulgar. It was the 80s! Maybe the permed hair and shoulder pads put you off the food?
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re: Glencora
Robert Lauriston
Jun 19, 2009 09:19 AM
Most of the dishes had the typical Wolfgang Puck mistake of adding two or three too many ingredients. Of the dozen dishes I tasted, only two were good (and both of those were very much in the style of Hawthorne Lane).
The other guests didn't bother me per se. The problem was that, apparently as a result of being used to waiting on clueless diners, the server was condescending and overly familiar.
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