The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1895-03-06
DINNERS In FRISCO.
CURIOUS COSMOPOLITAN RESTAu-
RANTS ON THE COAST.

One May Dine In the Manner OF Difrcr-
ent Country Every Night In the Week.
A Dirty italian Restaurant ON the Water
Front That Is Very Popular.
One of the features Of cosmopolitan
Ban Francisco Is its restaurants Every
foreign colony boasts of place where
its native cooking can be had, and ad-
venturous San Franciscans who care to
look these places up can dine in the
manner Of different country every
night in the week. If an elaborate Chi
nese dinner, with its numberless impos-
sible courses, each accompanied by
sweetmeats, proves unattractive, He
waiian dinner, with poi and salted fish,
can bo had by walking few blocks.
For those who like highly spiced din
ners there are the Italian and Spanish
restaurants to choose from, and for those
with small appetites, who look for nov
city in service, there are the Turkish
restaurants, with their unpronounceable
dishes and delicious coffee.
The most popular of the foreign res.
taurants are the Italian. There are sew
eral of these scattered about the Latin
quarter, which are much frequentod by
San Franciscans ON account of the excel
lence OF the cooking. Most of them are
dirty, very dirty, as to floors and walls,
and tho Italians arc not oversqueamish
regarding the table linen. Whom party
OF Americans enter, however, there is u
general shuttle among the walters to So
cure the service of the table and tho
prospective tip. The question of prece-
dence being settled, the wine stained
tableoloth is whiskod off and replaced by
one not always newly laundored or else
suspiciOusly damp.
These restaurants are rarely on the
main streets and have to be approached
through dark alleys. ono situated be-
hind tho county Jail occupies the back
room Of small Italian grocery store.
In going there one is reminded of dark
deeds and sharp stilettos but the din
ner is worth the journey. The chef of
this place is famous for cooking Italia
RIM, paste made by himself and cut
in strips and cooked with sauce made
of tomatoes, spices and mushrooms
1t is extremely rich and very peppory,
but all Italian dishes are strongly dashed
with chill peppers.
Tho dinner Is attended with great
ceremony. A bottle of their sour claret
is served with each dinner. Every ltal.
ian drinks about two quarts of it with
his dinner, SO the bottle supply some
times runs short. In this event the
waiter goes to the bar, fills an empty
bottle from demijoln, drives in a cork,
and then carries tho bottle TO the table
where it is needed, sometimes four feet
from the bar, and impressively produc-
ing his corllscrew draws the cork as
carefully rs though he were handling the
finest burgundy. His demeanor is so se-
rious throughout tho performance that
one dare not look amused.
A very popular restaurant is Baz-
zuro's, which is situated near the water
front. This is greatly patronized by the
Italian fishermen, who file in after their
days work. still wearing their gum
boots and smelling strongly Of their
craft. 1t is also frequontod by tho Ital-
ian vegetable gardeners. who drive in
from the outskirts of town, and after dis.
posing Of their stock stop to dine. When
the place is reasonably well filed, there
is babel of voices They are all talk
ing at once, and out Of tho confusion
the word "scudi" is distinguished above
all others.
This means money, which the pro.
prietor says, with shrug, they talk
about all the time, all the time" The
fishermen bring the best of their day.
catch here, and the gardeners offer Their
choicest vegetables. The chef, whose
kitchen is back of the dining tables and
in full view of the room, is merry fel
low, and between his juggling feats, toss
ing his pan into the air to turn the cook
ing fish or meat exchanges gossip and
jests with the diners. This place IL
kept comparatively clean. The floor IL
covered with sawdust and the ceiling
festooned with gaudy oolored paper cut
in fanoiful designs. Two parrots add to
the general din, and all sorts and con.
ditions of cats prowl around the floor.
| 4uo ItbtuuTuut 10 COuuuCt6u ny wv
brothers, one Of whom waits ON table,
while the other attends bar and looks
after the cash receipts. Every italian
after dining stops at the bar for a chat
and drink. Instead of liquor, the
host pours generous glasses of olaret foI
himself and his guests. and these are
speedily tossed off. A casual visitor, aft.
er witnessing this ceremony about 20
times in quick succession. is apt to grow
nervous about the health of the host,
but he appears none the worse for his
conviviality at the end Of the evening.
The younger brother sometimes relieves
his brother at the bar. He is quite as
hospitable, and his invariable drink be-
ing absinthe and seltzer his case seems
even more alarming
This restaurant, at 1880 in the even
ing, when dinner is in full swing, pre-
sents an odd sight, the Italians sitting
around the tables, most Of them with
their hats ON, gestioulating and talking
excitedly across tho room, while they
| roll the spaghetti round their forks and