The San Francisco call., 1909-02-07

dish is carefully selected. and if it is
something new the patron wants 10
know exactly how it is prepared and
served. The arrangement of the table
is carefully scrutiL.led. Every fork
and spoon and glass must be the cor
rect thing and in it's proper place. In
the main, however. the routine is much
the same We are still engaged in in
venting new dishes and trying to please
our patrons with them.
1T is true that women drink less
wine. AS for the desserts I don't think
the change is so m-I-1ed. III there is
any difference it lies in this respect.
that we have 10 serve our desserts
much more elaborately. The more dis
play along this line the better it suits
a great many. This is how we are able
to tell the veteran diner out. He is a
stickler for simplicity. and before or
dering new dish, which he sees upon
the card he will ask how il is served.
If it is likely to draw attention from
the neighboring tables he Will not
think of ordering it.
This very simplicity of taste is the
mark of the man familiar with the cafe
life of New York. He does not wander
after strange and saudy idols He
leaves that to the visitor from else
where. who is after new sensation
and the more curiosity he arOuses the
better he likes it,"
William G. Muschenhelm of the
Hotel Astor has views on the subject
and he expresses them like a gentle
man, scholar and professor.
81 am waiting. waiting for the renais-
sance I'm the art cuisine" he said with
a laugh. I'VE have had all ages In
other arts. why not in the one that min
listers more nearly than any other to
hod he
renaissance in literature. painting and
architecture. Its freshness and the soft
grace of its lines appeal to us wherever
we see It. Perhaps we may not recog-
nize the renaissance in the art OF cui-
sine until II has come among us and
is already established in favor.
Are foods simpler? Well, to return
to architecture for simile, I do not
believe that its simplicity is Doric in
It's sternness. There is nothing Of the
boiled beef and cabbage about IT, al
though we do notice a change in the
style of the dishes ordered. We gather
this knowledge In several ways, but
the best source of information lies In
our bill for supplies.
when I say that people are eating
palmer foods you must bear In mind
that this applies particularly to New
Workers. Our regular patrons do not
show the anxiety to experiment with
dishes that is displayed by people
from out of town. New Workers car
not be called exactly blase, but they
seem to have discovered that every dish
with French name is not always good
for the digestion. Then some of the ole
favorites are losing their supremacy
The lobster brigade has dwindleC
down to a corporafs guard. The choru:
girl has been surfeited on the tooth
some but dyspepsia producing shell
fish. and her admirer foots the bill
for something that is better adapted
to a midnight repast. The Welsl
rarebit must gather its devotee'
outside of the town, for aside from
young folks out for a lark it Il
seldom ordered by New Workers
There is no need to specify what reg
uIar patrons select. for tastes differ
and the task would be impossible
Generally speaking, however. they have
passed the experimental stage and theil
food, like their clothes, Is in quiet good
taste, not likely to cause the most un
ruly digestion to rebel.
'eVisitors from out of town are diner