The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-17

OCner restaurants Ildt serve com plote
and satisfactory meals for Is cents which
came under my observation are the "New
Capitol" 204 and 206 Fourth street; Sand
rev & Koskey's, 495 Fourth street: the
TRANSFER restaurant" 1913 Third street.
Reagan's restaurant, 81 and SO Third
street; Rosenberg Il Co., So Second street;
a chophouse at 113 Second street another
of the same kind at 153 Third street and
family restaurant at so Third street.
l found that all of the places named
serve soup two kinds of meat, an album
dance OF Vegetables, bread, butter, pickles.
and coffee, tea or milk, for Is cents. And
the hungriest man will depart with his ap-
petite appeased.
I went to 614 Clay street. Taking a seat
at one of the tables arranged for patrons l
awaited the bill of fare.
Hardly had the red-ribbed oilcloth
table-cover dawned upon me before a
heaping plate of cut bread, fully loaf and
half was placed in front of me and
gentlemanly voice inquired, What will
you have sir? A full dinner, sir?''
eyes, that will do" | answered, while
gazing upon the sign at the rear end of
the room which read Full dinners 10
cents. wine or beer included"
The full dinner was heralded by soup.
While disposing of this connection I was
enabled to analyze its contents and view
my fellow-oreatures who dined upon
Sat urday night for 10 cents. Immediately
in front of me and helping himself to the
plate of bread, which was fast disappear
ing under the mastication of my ncighbor
ana self, was longshoreman, who slipped
his wine with an air of connoisseur He
was thoroughly posted on the question of
diving" and freely gave me a few
pointers regard ng San Francisco restaur-
ants. He sa id:
'Say. You amt onto yourself See?
Ifyou was ye'd tackle this place every
day. Why, ] come here right along when
L has the stuff, and when amt, why
just jollies. See? Watch de guy what
ONES here. Say, Tom, fetch us full lay
out, will We, and don't be too long about it
yether." Will that the waiter departed
and returned with soup for my neighbor,
and a dish of stewed beef, with rich gravy
sprinkled with carrots for myself. This
supposed was the ''full layout called for,
but few moments later big slice of NUT
ton, tender as could be, was placed on the
table, in front of me, as q portion OF the
''lay-out."
Wine in bottles was deposited in front of
each individual, unless he called for coffee,
tea or beer. No checks were given.
Neither was any butter, because as my
fellow-feeder said What does yes want
for 10 cents?" A little girl, wearing dark
glasses to protect her innocent eyes from
the poverty-stricken features of the patrons
of the house, received the two nfckels |
laid on the counter with a polite Thank
you" and then went to filling the small
bottles of wine which have helped to make
the place SO popular.
While the place at GA Clay street has
reputation among certain classes for abig
feed for 10 cents' the houses across the
street are receiving fair share of the
patronage. Little difference is found in
any of the 10-cent places on Clay street.
unless perhaps the giving of butter in some
of them might so be termed.
Along Commercial street it is different.
Here are found the lodging houses, where a
meals served in the 10-cent restaurants are
equal to and above the surrounding cir
cumstanceS.
The 10-cent restaurant has become such
a favorite among the habitues of the 'city
proper" that Sacramento, Clay, Kearny
and Commercial streets are lined with
them. If any one has any doubt regarding
this and desires to satisfy hunger for one
dime he will only have to visit 615 or 533
Commercial or 623 or GIG Sacramento or 621,
626, 635 Washington street to demon
strate the truth of the statement that for 10
cents person can secure good square
meal.
that he can go to 425 Pine, $40 Sacramento
615 Commercial, 624 Pacific GOT Kearnv or
$40 kearny, where Is cents will secure suf-
ficient food to more than satisfy hunger
French dinners are popular. These can
be had, a la carte, for Is cents, either at 500
Bush, where true French dinners are served
in the privacy of the basement known as
the Gambetta restaurant, presided over by
petite woman, or 434 Bush, 1913 Bush, 423
Pine, 616K California (where Bohem ;ana
congregate), GIT Montgomery or 7O6 Mont
gomery, where either froglegs or maca-
roni may be had in French or Italian
dishes.
Any one of the restaurants named will
furnish man meal for two bits or less,
according to the place he may visit; but
for hungry man whose resources are
limited and for whom economy means
continuation of life, the 10-cent meals of
San Francisco will fill the bill and give
satisfaction.
The Palo Alto cafe is cheerful little
restaurant, located at 304 Grant avenue.
1t is not especially gorgeous in appear
ance, but it is thoroughly neat. 1t is COM
poSeu VI one large room, WHICH is QlVlQeQ
by low partition which nearly hides the
view of one set of diners from the other.
One side is for gentlemen and the other
for ladies, as the legends indicate. Though
unpretentious as to size, many people APP
pease their appetites there during the
twenty-four hours, for it is open day and
night. 1t attracts trade, not only on ac-
count of its central locality, but because of
the cheapness and cleanliness of the food
supplied.
When / entered, a neat-looking, middle
aged lady approached, and with be-
coming smile bowed me to seat. She
then deity placed bill of fare in my
hands, as / inquired:
What can you give me for Is cents?'
Don't you see" she replied, that is all
a meal costs here, unless you want extras"
"Weil, then, what do | get?''
"Rice-tomato soup to begin with, and
then you may order what you want from
the bill.''
There was enough to select from to