From: Minotaur@cup.portal.com (Frank - Swilling)
Newsgroups: soc.motss
Subject: Re: CABAL stuff
Date: Thu,  8 Oct 92 18:03:05 PDT
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
  <67337@cup.portal.com> <1992Oct8.041422.26850@netcom.com>

Jack Hamilton takes the bait:

>In article <67337@cup.portal.com> Minotaur@cup.portal.com (Frank Swilling)
>writes:

>>Little Italy is being hailed as "great Italian"?  My taste buds all
>>just fainted dead away.

>I don't think it claims to be high cuisine.  It's sort of peasant or
>middle-class-during-a-recession cuisine.  I wouldn't say that the food is
>as refined as at Stars, and I wouldn't compare it with Panos.  Little Italy
>has comfort food at reasonable prices (reasonable for Noe Valley, anyway).
>I eat there more often than I eat at Panos because it's not as stressful as
>Panos (on the other hand, I eat at Stars Cafe more often than I eat at
>Panos and Little Italy put together).

>Jack Hamilton   jfh@netcom.com   P. O. Box 281107   SF, CA   94128-1107

All right, all right.  Rather than dwell on Little Italy's shortcomings,
allow me to instead offer you a small sampling of San Francisco restaurants
I have visited and found to be worthy of repeat business.

A Cafe For All Seasons -- The all-time champ for Saturday nights after
the movies.  California Cuisine, which as you all probably know is based
on classic French cooking with lighter sauces and an emphasis on fresh,
locally-found ingredients.  Vegetables may be a little too al dente for
some (like my Bernie) but not for me.

Ironwood Cafe -- California Cuisine again, emphasis on seafood.  This is
the favorite "special occasion" restaurant at our house.  A little pricier
than most of the other restaurants I frequent on a regular basis, but
worth every penny.

Caesar's -- One of the "great Italian" places in North Beach I mentioned.
Simple, unpretentious Southern Italian cooking; delicious, filling, and
reasonably priced.

Pizzeria Uno -- It's a chain, but you'll be hard-pressed to find a better
deep-dish pizza, which they bill as "Chicago-style", whatever that means.
The baby-back ribs are a knock-out, too.  And you thought I was a food snob.
:-)

LuPann's -- More California Cuisine, and right off 18th and Castro, so
you'll feel right at home.

Hong Kong -- Or, as I like to call it, Cheapo Chinese.  On Church at
Market, the place is a dump, it has all the atmosphere of a cafeteria,
but the food is cheap and plentiful and amazingly good for being such
Westernized Chinese.

Hunan -- This is the place to go when you're ready to try some hot
and nothing-held-back Hunan/Szechuan.  The original Henry Chung's
on Sansome is the best of a fine group.

Trattoria -- on Fillmore, down the street from the Clay theatre and
near Fillamento.  This is upscale Italian, exquisitely prepared and
priced way up there.  Great atmosphere, the very finest Italian gourmet
treats, portions could be bigger.

Chevy's -- Whaddaya know, another chain.  Love their fresh salsa, love
their Pork Fajitas, love their specialty Margaritas.

La Posada, Leticia's -- Standard American-style Mexican dishes, but
well-prepared, flavorful, and filling.  Great Salsa Verde.

God, there are so many terrific restaurants in this city I could never
name them all, and I'm *avoiding* the high-ticket, dress-up places
like Stars, Postrio, Square One, etc.

OK, just a couple more.

Max's Opera Cafe -- Deli food that only New Yorkers can compete with.
Like they say on their menus -- stay away if you're on a diet, because
even looking at these sandwiches and salads will fatten you.

Flying Saucer -- This place is so eclectic it's hard to describe.
Food is inventive post-modern Nouvelle Cuisine from an alternate
universe.  Just go and try to get a reservation; if you're one of
the Chosen who makes it in, you'll like it.

Pasha -- Turkish/Moroccan cuisine.  Not as much variety as I would have
liked, but what they have is delicious.

So, boys and girls, what're some of your favorites?

Frank
Minotaur@cup.portal.com