Tretakoff Musings
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Reservations Required
This summer, the movie business has seen its ups and downs. Iron Man was a huge hit; Speed Racer was a crash and burn. Sex and The City was a sleeper surprise; The Love Guru just needed to be put to sleep. Always reliable Pixar served up another hit with Wall-E, and The Dark Knight is on the horizon; hopefully, those will make up for the duds that look to be in the form of Step Brothers and Tropic Thunder. In short, the movies maintain their boom or bust approach, even as they scream about the increased piracy and pressure, and the ticket prices keep skyrocketing.
So, imagine my surprise when I found a theater that was actually innovating. No, not bigger screens or louder sounds, or 3D gimmicks. Instead, Robert Redford's Sundance company bought two theaters: one in Madison, WI, and one here in San Francisco. They decided to make movie going an adult experience: comfortable seats, including loveseats, balconies for 21 and over to allow access to a bar for adult beverages, and more. But best of all? Reserved seats! Yes, you can now choose the very seats you want, and have them reserved for you, in advance. No scramble to get into the theater to secure your ideal viewing angle. Instead, a civilized reservation, ensuring you the very one you want, allowing you to meander to your seats in a relaxed fashion.
Well done, Kid. I thank you from the bottom of my wallet.
UPDATE: Just saw my first movie at this theater, and the experience is even better than I expected. First, we reserved Balcony seats, right at the front of the balcony: all that was between us and the screen was a low wall to rest your feet on and some safety railings that did not obscure your view at all. The lobby is equally civilized: three story high ceilings with soaring skylights, and bamboo trees reaching to the light. The back walls of the lobby are reclaimed wood, with cutouts at the second floor for their swanky café/lounge. The screens at the box office lines alert you to the status of each theater: In Progress, Now Seating, or being Cleaned. Forgot to buy tix online? Head to the kiosks tucked away in an alcove to the side of the lines. How civilized.
Escalators to the first floor bring you to a Peet's Coffee, for your refreshment pleasure. But we headed to the third floor, for the balcony seats. How to ensure they are for 21 and over? The entrance to the balcony can only be reached by entering the bar at the top floor, where a bouncer is ready to card you. The bar is long and relaxed, candles on each table, where you can sit and order a drink or from the extensive menu of gourmet appetizers, sandwiches, or personal pizzas. Oh, those drinks? No plastic cups or tacky paper plates here: tasteful glassware and china. And surprisingly affordably priced, for top shelf drinks. Worried about finishing your meal or drink before showtime? Uh uh: you are encouraged to take it in with you. Yep, you read that right; the waitstaff will even take your order and deliver to your seat for you when its ready, if you prefer. Ah, the joys of assigned seating.
Head to the balcony and get ready for more surprises. Big, overstuffed reclining seats, with lots of legroom, segmented into duos, with a single armrest between them. What to do with those heavy glasses and plates? On either side of the duos are tasteful tables, offering you a full foot of space between duos. Plenty of room for the plates, napkins, and more. Those drinks fit nicely into elegant recessed cup holders in the tables, easily able to handle wine glasses, highballs, or bottles. And the coup de grace: padded, fabric elbow rests along the edge of each table side, ensuring your comfort during the show.
My friends, this is how to see a movie. Add in validated parking in the underground garage, and the plethora of Japanese dining options in the surrounding Japantown, only a few steps away, and you have the absolute ultimate movie house. My only comments on how they could improve slightly on the experience is to have a tasteful screen in the large balcony bar that informed patrons when their theater had been cleaned and was ready for seating, and perhaps a bit more attention from the bar/wait/cleaning staff. Beyond those minor issues, the Sundance Kabuki has easily become my first choice to see a non-IMAX film.
So, imagine my surprise when I found a theater that was actually innovating. No, not bigger screens or louder sounds, or 3D gimmicks. Instead, Robert Redford's Sundance company bought two theaters: one in Madison, WI, and one here in San Francisco. They decided to make movie going an adult experience: comfortable seats, including loveseats, balconies for 21 and over to allow access to a bar for adult beverages, and more. But best of all? Reserved seats! Yes, you can now choose the very seats you want, and have them reserved for you, in advance. No scramble to get into the theater to secure your ideal viewing angle. Instead, a civilized reservation, ensuring you the very one you want, allowing you to meander to your seats in a relaxed fashion.Well done, Kid. I thank you from the bottom of my wallet.
UPDATE: Just saw my first movie at this theater, and the experience is even better than I expected. First, we reserved Balcony seats, right at the front of the balcony: all that was between us and the screen was a low wall to rest your feet on and some safety railings that did not obscure your view at all. The lobby is equally civilized: three story high ceilings with soaring skylights, and bamboo trees reaching to the light. The back walls of the lobby are reclaimed wood, with cutouts at the second floor for their swanky café/lounge. The screens at the box office lines alert you to the status of each theater: In Progress, Now Seating, or being Cleaned. Forgot to buy tix online? Head to the kiosks tucked away in an alcove to the side of the lines. How civilized.Escalators to the first floor bring you to a Peet's Coffee, for your refreshment pleasure. But we headed to the third floor, for the balcony seats. How to ensure they are for 21 and over? The entrance to the balcony can only be reached by entering the bar at the top floor, where a bouncer is ready to card you. The bar is long and relaxed, candles on each table, where you can sit and order a drink or from the extensive menu of gourmet appetizers, sandwiches, or personal pizzas. Oh, those drinks? No plastic cups or tacky paper plates here: tasteful glassware and china. And surprisingly affordably priced, for top shelf drinks. Worried about finishing your meal or drink before showtime? Uh uh: you are encouraged to take it in with you. Yep, you read that right; the waitstaff will even take your order and deliver to your seat for you when its ready, if you prefer. Ah, the joys of assigned seating.
Head to the balcony and get ready for more surprises. Big, overstuffed reclining seats, with lots of legroom, segmented into duos, with a single armrest between them. What to do with those heavy glasses and plates? On either side of the duos are tasteful tables, offering you a full foot of space between duos. Plenty of room for the plates, napkins, and more. Those drinks fit nicely into elegant recessed cup holders in the tables, easily able to handle wine glasses, highballs, or bottles. And the coup de grace: padded, fabric elbow rests along the edge of each table side, ensuring your comfort during the show. My friends, this is how to see a movie. Add in validated parking in the underground garage, and the plethora of Japanese dining options in the surrounding Japantown, only a few steps away, and you have the absolute ultimate movie house. My only comments on how they could improve slightly on the experience is to have a tasteful screen in the large balcony bar that informed patrons when their theater had been cleaned and was ready for seating, and perhaps a bit more attention from the bar/wait/cleaning staff. Beyond those minor issues, the Sundance Kabuki has easily become my first choice to see a non-IMAX film.
Labels: movies, reviews, San Francisco
Monday, July 07, 2008
David Burke dessert
Sunday, June 01, 2008
The 5th Best Indiana Jones Movie
Last night, I finally had a chance to check out the new Indiana Jones movie, after months of anticipation. Let's set the stage: I grew up with Indiana Jones. 27 years ago, this movie burst on the scene, with Han Solo himself finally getting a movie all of his own. And what a movie! A tribute to the classic 1930's serials, with Spielberg's trademark action and humor, and Lucas' soaring script...it was like the all-star game of moviedom. Like all others, I was hooked on the Fedora and whip. We suffered through the next prequel (I maintain that no prequels have ever, nor may ever, succeed on the big screen...but that's a blog for another day), and were rewarded with the masterful final movie, eight years after it began.
And then Indiana Jones was gone...until last weekend, where, defying all odds of age, fatigue, the master Raider unfurled his whip, and swung back into our stunned and delighted hearts.
Uh...no.
There is much to like about this film, primarily that it even exists. So many great films with fantastic characters, we want to see again and again, even if they can't recapture the original spirit. The epic trilogy of Star Wars, for example, inspired an entire universe of films, TV, books, comics, merchandise...it goes on. Raiders of the Lost Ark single handedly revived that hat business. So, if we see the classic team up again, it's just great to see them. But so often, after so long, the magic cannot be recaptured. Think of Godfather III, which might have been a good movie, if not for poor casting. Or, more recently, the abomination that were the new Star Wars films. Alas, like those, this new installment didn't make the grade.
What I liked:
- They did a very good job of trying to reflect that time had passed in Indiana Jones' world, as well. They cleverly caught you up on what he'd been doing with a few offhanded comments about the OSS, the war, spying on the Russians, etc. They also did a good job, despite reviewers saying to the contrary, on handling the reveal and consequent adaptation of the existence of Mutt, Indiana Jones' newfound son. And major kudos to bringing back Karen Allen: yes, she may have aged (who among us has not), but Marion Ravenwood is still the best Indy female foil. I miss her drinking contests, sure, but she still had that trademark cocksure bravado.
- They used a good combination of camera angles and effects to mask Harrison Ford's doubles in the more physical scenes. The man is 66 years old, after all; let's let him have a double and agree it's Ok. Still, it was impressive to see him bounding up those boxes in the warehouse still; Indy's still got some spunk.
- The plot was typically epic, and the characters were as wonderfully two dimensional as ever. Cate Blanchett's Soviet villain was actually spot-on, as was Shia LaBeouf's easily irked Mutt.
- Hey, who can resist the classic score, and the scenes of the red line tracing across the map as the montage of planes run in the background? Nobody does it like Spielberg.
- As East Coast Charles pointed out, the sounds of punches in the Indiana Jones movies are unlike any other film. They have a snap that is the perfect balance of comic, cartoon, and classic serial. And this latest installment kept throwing perfect haymakers.
- Love the in-jokes. The warehouse, with the broken box revealing just a hint of the Ark of the Covenant, was perfect, as were the self-deprecations about his age and references to Sean Connery's character. And the breeze blowing the Fedora to Shia's feet at the end was a nice setup.
Ok, now time for the bad news. What I did not like:
- The movie is entitled Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull. See those first two words? Actually, see that first word? Great: that's the only time you will see or hear it all movie. Yup, Indy, the coolest name ever, is now Henry. You remember, at the end of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the fantastic comic reveal of Indy's given name? Well, apparently, that killed the name Indiana Jones for this entire film. Instead, he's Henry Jones, Jr., invoked so often, you want to kill the screenwriter. In fact the only person who utters Indy's moniker at all is Marion Ravenwood, and that with only the occasional "Indy!" Scream in peril or surprise. Even his buddy, Mack, calls him "Jonesy." One word for this: sacrilege.
- The plot is utterly unengaging. If you have not seen it, I won't spoil it, but it starts in 1957 at Area 51...guess what the movie's about? The previous films focused on various religious iconography and their treasures. With this subject matter, the climactic final scene was obvious from the first locations.
- Um, I think Indiana Jones used some iconic weapon...something that every kid for decades after wanted to master. Oh, right, the bullwhip. Glad I remembered it...I wish the makers of this film had. Know how many times we saw the whip? Twice. Yes, that's it. Know what it was doing? Once it was used in classic style, as you have no doubt seen from the trailers, swinging through the warehouse. The other time? A lame toss to help Mack to safety. This is THE WHIP. C'mon!!! Not to mention that you introduced a story element where the treasure was magnetic, making most guns useless: could you not have come up with a clever fact that the only good weapon would have been the leather whip?? What a miss.
- Harrison Ford was perfect as Indiana Jones as he always expressed a mix of energy, enthusiasm, grizzled experience, and utter astonishment that he kept surviving these unbelievable situations. Here, he's just tired and grizzled. The snappy patter that used to be his trademark is flat, and bereft of any snap. And let's be true here: we came to see Indy, not a tired Henry Jones Jr., but that's what we mostly got. Give us what we paid for.
- The supporting cast was wasted, which was never the case in past films. Karen Allen and John Rhys-Davies in Raiders. Sean Connery and Denholm Elliot in Crusade. And in Temple of Doom....ok, forget Temple of Doom (so many have tried). But still, you had rich characters here who do almost nothing. Shia Lebouf, who was so good in everything else before now, was almost window dressing. Ray Winestone, who was perfect in The Departed, was a caricature here. What the hell was John Hurt doing here? He was practically a mime! Only Cate Blanchett shined.
- Where is the classic horrifying end to our villains? The climactic Ark scene of melting faces of Raiders still gives me nightmares. Temple of Doom gave us still-beating hearts ripped from the chest. And we had the rapid aging and disintegration at the end of the Last Crusade. These were scary, and for kids made the films all the more poignant: this was adult stuff. Here? A digital dissolve into dust. Perfect for today's sensitive children. Blech.
In essence, this film was not better than any of the three previous ones. But I titled this post that it was the 5th best; why? I contend that The Mummy was an Indiana Jones movie, and a damned good one. You had the scholarly aspects, the derring-do, the religious backdrop that leads to treasure and grave robbing...it was probably the third best Indiana Jones film, even though it did not involve Indiana Jones. This one ranks below it, and, in my opinion, below Temple of Doom.
Indy (excuse me, Henry), it was nice to see you, and thanks for coming back. Always great to get together, and talk about old times. Next time, maybe we can just pop in the Raiders DVD instead. Or maybe we can just hope for more with August's release of The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. In any case, it's time to let Henry get back to the classroom, and out of the field.
Last night, I finally had a chance to check out the new Indiana Jones movie, after months of anticipation. Let's set the stage: I grew up with Indiana Jones. 27 years ago, this movie burst on the scene, with Han Solo himself finally getting a movie all of his own. And what a movie! A tribute to the classic 1930's serials, with Spielberg's trademark action and humor, and Lucas' soaring script...it was like the all-star game of moviedom. Like all others, I was hooked on the Fedora and whip. We suffered through the next prequel (I maintain that no prequels have ever, nor may ever, succeed on the big screen...but that's a blog for another day), and were rewarded with the masterful final movie, eight years after it began. And then Indiana Jones was gone...until last weekend, where, defying all odds of age, fatigue, the master Raider unfurled his whip, and swung back into our stunned and delighted hearts.
Uh...no.
There is much to like about this film, primarily that it even exists. So many great films with fantastic characters, we want to see again and again, even if they can't recapture the original spirit. The epic trilogy of Star Wars, for example, inspired an entire universe of films, TV, books, comics, merchandise...it goes on. Raiders of the Lost Ark single handedly revived that hat business. So, if we see the classic team up again, it's just great to see them. But so often, after so long, the magic cannot be recaptured. Think of Godfather III, which might have been a good movie, if not for poor casting. Or, more recently, the abomination that were the new Star Wars films. Alas, like those, this new installment didn't make the grade.
What I liked:
- They did a very good job of trying to reflect that time had passed in Indiana Jones' world, as well. They cleverly caught you up on what he'd been doing with a few offhanded comments about the OSS, the war, spying on the Russians, etc. They also did a good job, despite reviewers saying to the contrary, on handling the reveal and consequent adaptation of the existence of Mutt, Indiana Jones' newfound son. And major kudos to bringing back Karen Allen: yes, she may have aged (who among us has not), but Marion Ravenwood is still the best Indy female foil. I miss her drinking contests, sure, but she still had that trademark cocksure bravado.
- They used a good combination of camera angles and effects to mask Harrison Ford's doubles in the more physical scenes. The man is 66 years old, after all; let's let him have a double and agree it's Ok. Still, it was impressive to see him bounding up those boxes in the warehouse still; Indy's still got some spunk.
- The plot was typically epic, and the characters were as wonderfully two dimensional as ever. Cate Blanchett's Soviet villain was actually spot-on, as was Shia LaBeouf's easily irked Mutt.
- Hey, who can resist the classic score, and the scenes of the red line tracing across the map as the montage of planes run in the background? Nobody does it like Spielberg.
- As East Coast Charles pointed out, the sounds of punches in the Indiana Jones movies are unlike any other film. They have a snap that is the perfect balance of comic, cartoon, and classic serial. And this latest installment kept throwing perfect haymakers.
- Love the in-jokes. The warehouse, with the broken box revealing just a hint of the Ark of the Covenant, was perfect, as were the self-deprecations about his age and references to Sean Connery's character. And the breeze blowing the Fedora to Shia's feet at the end was a nice setup.
Ok, now time for the bad news. What I did not like:
- The movie is entitled Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull. See those first two words? Actually, see that first word? Great: that's the only time you will see or hear it all movie. Yup, Indy, the coolest name ever, is now Henry. You remember, at the end of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the fantastic comic reveal of Indy's given name? Well, apparently, that killed the name Indiana Jones for this entire film. Instead, he's Henry Jones, Jr., invoked so often, you want to kill the screenwriter. In fact the only person who utters Indy's moniker at all is Marion Ravenwood, and that with only the occasional "Indy!" Scream in peril or surprise. Even his buddy, Mack, calls him "Jonesy." One word for this: sacrilege.
- The plot is utterly unengaging. If you have not seen it, I won't spoil it, but it starts in 1957 at Area 51...guess what the movie's about? The previous films focused on various religious iconography and their treasures. With this subject matter, the climactic final scene was obvious from the first locations.
- Um, I think Indiana Jones used some iconic weapon...something that every kid for decades after wanted to master. Oh, right, the bullwhip. Glad I remembered it...I wish the makers of this film had. Know how many times we saw the whip? Twice. Yes, that's it. Know what it was doing? Once it was used in classic style, as you have no doubt seen from the trailers, swinging through the warehouse. The other time? A lame toss to help Mack to safety. This is THE WHIP. C'mon!!! Not to mention that you introduced a story element where the treasure was magnetic, making most guns useless: could you not have come up with a clever fact that the only good weapon would have been the leather whip?? What a miss.
- Harrison Ford was perfect as Indiana Jones as he always expressed a mix of energy, enthusiasm, grizzled experience, and utter astonishment that he kept surviving these unbelievable situations. Here, he's just tired and grizzled. The snappy patter that used to be his trademark is flat, and bereft of any snap. And let's be true here: we came to see Indy, not a tired Henry Jones Jr., but that's what we mostly got. Give us what we paid for.
- The supporting cast was wasted, which was never the case in past films. Karen Allen and John Rhys-Davies in Raiders. Sean Connery and Denholm Elliot in Crusade. And in Temple of Doom....ok, forget Temple of Doom (so many have tried). But still, you had rich characters here who do almost nothing. Shia Lebouf, who was so good in everything else before now, was almost window dressing. Ray Winestone, who was perfect in The Departed, was a caricature here. What the hell was John Hurt doing here? He was practically a mime! Only Cate Blanchett shined.
- Where is the classic horrifying end to our villains? The climactic Ark scene of melting faces of Raiders still gives me nightmares. Temple of Doom gave us still-beating hearts ripped from the chest. And we had the rapid aging and disintegration at the end of the Last Crusade. These were scary, and for kids made the films all the more poignant: this was adult stuff. Here? A digital dissolve into dust. Perfect for today's sensitive children. Blech.
In essence, this film was not better than any of the three previous ones. But I titled this post that it was the 5th best; why? I contend that The Mummy was an Indiana Jones movie, and a damned good one. You had the scholarly aspects, the derring-do, the religious backdrop that leads to treasure and grave robbing...it was probably the third best Indiana Jones film, even though it did not involve Indiana Jones. This one ranks below it, and, in my opinion, below Temple of Doom.
Indy (excuse me, Henry), it was nice to see you, and thanks for coming back. Always great to get together, and talk about old times. Next time, maybe we can just pop in the Raiders DVD instead. Or maybe we can just hope for more with August's release of The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. In any case, it's time to let Henry get back to the classroom, and out of the field.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Spokeo: Pulse, without Plaxo
As you may have noticed, I've been become more and more fascinated with the evolution of Web 2.0 to harness the "cloud" of the Web to make the online world more relevant. In other words, using the web to enhance the social nature of interactions. This hearkens back to my early days as a BBS sysop, and actually has the potential to make the web ubiquitous. I've been quite congratulatory towards Plaxo for recognizing one of the key tenets of this, the ability to automatically discover interactions, and display and classify them, in the form of Plaxo's Pulse, which gives you a "news feed" of what your connections are doing, all over the web. I've also mentioned that Plaxo sometimes, rightly or wrongly, gets a bad rap as being a Facebook imitator or worse, but I have to tell you, the Pulse is addictive: like all good "push" applications, it keeps you up to date on everything. But what if you could have Pulse, without Plaxo?
Enter Spokeo, which does exactly that. Enter your GMail, Yahoo, or other major mail service credentials, and it will scan your online address book, pull it down, and create a news feed of all of your contacts actions on the popular networks. Your college roommate posts some images to Flickr? Bam, there they are. Your old girlfriend Twitters on her canceled flight? Now you share her pain. That guy you went to high school with creates a new mix to listen to on Pandora? Tune in, and hear how Travis Tritt has invaded his taste. And so on.
Before you go all George Orwell, hang on: Spokeo only finds publicly accessible info on your friends. If your friend doesn't publicly publish their Twitter feed, for instance (ahem...Carlos???), you will have to authenticate before it can appear in your feed. If your Flickr account is inactive, for instance, it will denote as such. It uses a slick interface that neatly arranges your list of friends on the left, divided into those that have active and inactive accounts, and on the right is the latest activity from them all. You can drill down to the individual or service you want to see. The image to the right here is from my feed, today.
I've played around with it for a couple of days, and here's some observations:
- It's free.
- It's slow. They got slammed with a Techcrunch story that is pegging their servers, but hey, it's free.
- They seem to have a 1001 limit of friends, and it goes alphabetically by first name. For folks with over 8000+ contacts like me, that's a drag, since I get as far as friends with first names starting with "C," and that's it (sorry, Vasska; guess I'll just pick you up on Pulse). Pulse has that completely beat, with up to 10K.
- Their "spidering" of your Yahoo contacts seems flawed: it loses the first name of the contact, giving your contacts a fabulouso Hollywood "Madonna" one word name. ;-)
- Did I mention it's slow? Took almost 15 minutes to handle 1001 contacts, and pegged my CPU while it did it.
- It has one killer feature Pulse is missing: the ability to manually add any RSS feed to any contact. For instance, I could add the RSS feed for my corporate blog to my contact, and see new posts in that blog associated with me.
Overall, Spokeo, like Pulse, offers a glimpse into an entirely new way of perceiving the web: a personal feed. In many ways, this is a rudimentary first step to what my fellow high school alumnus, Nova Spivack, calls the "semantic web:" the ability to perceive not just data, but meaningful data. Overall, I still very much prefer Pulse, but if you are turned off by Plaxo for some strange reason, I encourage you to try Spokeo, and get hooked on what your friends are up to.
Enter Spokeo, which does exactly that. Enter your GMail, Yahoo, or other major mail service credentials, and it will scan your online address book, pull it down, and create a news feed of all of your contacts actions on the popular networks. Your college roommate posts some images to Flickr? Bam, there they are. Your old girlfriend Twitters on her canceled flight? Now you share her pain. That guy you went to high school with creates a new mix to listen to on Pandora? Tune in, and hear how Travis Tritt has invaded his taste. And so on.
Before you go all George Orwell, hang on: Spokeo only finds publicly accessible info on your friends. If your friend doesn't publicly publish their Twitter feed, for instance (ahem...Carlos???), you will have to authenticate before it can appear in your feed. If your Flickr account is inactive, for instance, it will denote as such. It uses a slick interface that neatly arranges your list of friends on the left, divided into those that have active and inactive accounts, and on the right is the latest activity from them all. You can drill down to the individual or service you want to see. The image to the right here is from my feed, today.I've played around with it for a couple of days, and here's some observations:
- It's free.
- It's slow. They got slammed with a Techcrunch story that is pegging their servers, but hey, it's free.
- They seem to have a 1001 limit of friends, and it goes alphabetically by first name. For folks with over 8000+ contacts like me, that's a drag, since I get as far as friends with first names starting with "C," and that's it (sorry, Vasska; guess I'll just pick you up on Pulse). Pulse has that completely beat, with up to 10K.
- Their "spidering" of your Yahoo contacts seems flawed: it loses the first name of the contact, giving your contacts a fabulouso Hollywood "Madonna" one word name. ;-)
- Did I mention it's slow? Took almost 15 minutes to handle 1001 contacts, and pegged my CPU while it did it.
- It has one killer feature Pulse is missing: the ability to manually add any RSS feed to any contact. For instance, I could add the RSS feed for my corporate blog to my contact, and see new posts in that blog associated with me.
Overall, Spokeo, like Pulse, offers a glimpse into an entirely new way of perceiving the web: a personal feed. In many ways, this is a rudimentary first step to what my fellow high school alumnus, Nova Spivack, calls the "semantic web:" the ability to perceive not just data, but meaningful data. Overall, I still very much prefer Pulse, but if you are turned off by Plaxo for some strange reason, I encourage you to try Spokeo, and get hooked on what your friends are up to.
Labels: beta, lifehacks, Plaxo, reviews, social networks, Twitter, Web 2.0
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Am I Getting A Good Seat?
Thanks to a clever link from my new favorite travel site, TripIt, I found SeatGuru.com. Ever wondered whether the seat on the plane you are choosing is any good? Does it fully recline? Are there power outlets for the laptop? Does it suck? No more guesswork: SeatGuru has the answer.
A service of the always great TripAdvisor.com, SeatGuru has a hell of a mission statement:
With it, I was able to book seats for an upcoming Texas trip on American Airlines, avoiding the "Poor Seats" and "Be Aware" seats with complete confidence. Interestingly, even some of the First Class seats on my flight were marked to "Be Aware." Thanks, SeatGuru!
Thanks to a clever link from my new favorite travel site, TripIt, I found SeatGuru.com. Ever wondered whether the seat on the plane you are choosing is any good? Does it fully recline? Are there power outlets for the laptop? Does it suck? No more guesswork: SeatGuru has the answer.A service of the always great TripAdvisor.com, SeatGuru has a hell of a mission statement:
"In October 2001 frequent flyer Matthew Daimler launched SeatGuru.com with a single color-coded interactive airplane seating chart. Having realized the vast differences between airline seats, he was determined to build a repository of this useful information and share it with other travelers. Over ten million visitors later, SeatGuru has enjoyed incredible success and has expanded to over 275 airplane seatmaps from over 40 different airlines."
With it, I was able to book seats for an upcoming Texas trip on American Airlines, avoiding the "Poor Seats" and "Be Aware" seats with complete confidence. Interestingly, even some of the First Class seats on my flight were marked to "Be Aware." Thanks, SeatGuru!
Sunday, December 31, 2006
The Beauty In My Backyard
Having lived in the Bay Area for more than a decade now, I always appreciate it, but sometimes forget just how amazing every place can be. For instance, Christmas Eve Day was an overcast, cold (Northern California cold; all you Midwesterners, pipe down) kind of a day, perfect for a late breakfast to warm the bones. We headed out to try someplace new, the Lighthouse Café in Sausalito: I ride by it on my bike, daily, and it was always busy. Seems like a good sign.
**WARNING: Mini Dining Review ahead...skip down if you don't care (also will be posted on Yelp)**
The café is right on Bridgeway, the main approach to Sausalito, but before downtown. From the outside, it's kind of cool and kitschy, with a scaled down, two story lighthouse built in to the structure. Inside, small, with a long counter by the open grill, and several booths. Two people service the whole place, plus the cooks.
While the look of the place is classic working-class coffee shop, the food and prices are very definitely Sausalito. Nearly $40 for breakfast for two is ok once in a while, but the food here was not worth the price. Amy's pancakes looked like they'd been beaten down to prevent any fluffiness, and not quite finished; my 3 egg omelet, while good, was hardly worth the $10 menu price. Service was OK; they were pretty busy, and had their hands full. They also have a Scandinavian influence on the food, so it's good for any hardy Nordic types, hankering for a taste of the homeland.
Food: 3 stars
Price: 2 stars
Service: 3 stars
Overall: 2.5 stars
REVIEW DONE...on to other things.
Thus fortified, we headed for a drive. We decided to stay local, and headed out to the Headlands, by means of the greatest tunnel ever invented. If you've not had the chance to drive in the tunnel from Sausalito (Alexander Ave.) to the Headlands, make a point of doing so. It's one lane, so you wait on either end for 5 minutes for the traffic to clear before you can proceed. Once you get in, it's pure 1940's military: you can almost hear the jeeps roaring through. On the other side, you are transported instantly into a pristine wilderness; you'd have no idea that you are 10 minutes from San Francisco.
Most residents think the Headlands are where you take your out of town visitors for a great view of the Golden Gate: that road, right off 101 that snakes up to the top. True, but that's just the beginning of this national treasure: 9/10 more is open to hikers, riders, surfers, and casual drivers, and the Alexander Ave. tunnel is the best way to see it. You come in on the valley floor, with the cliffs of Hawk Hill on your left, and the ridge separating you from Tennessee Valley on the right. Broad, open plains, with meandering trails and brush are hung with fog from the nearby Pacific, and you drive through converted Army buildings, now turned to residences.
The Headlands Center for the Arts is here: Presidio-era buildings now converted for artists to have working studio space overlooking the serenity of the valley. A major horse boarding and jump-training facility catches your eye as you drive on. You reach a fork: turn right, and it's Armstrong Beach, a hidden gem for surfers and birdwatchers, open to the vast breakers of the Golden Gate. Turn left, and it's on to Point Bonita, with it's former batteries and classic early 1900's lighthouse. With the grey of the day, I snapped a quick picture, as the winds chilled around me.
From there, on to the lesser-traveled roads and the former Nike missile facility, now standing as a sentry over the Marine Mammal Center and the open ocean. A few roads more, and you are in the back roads of the Headlands Center, visiting an open Hostel and dodging fallen trees and startled deer.
We crossed out again through the tunnel, amusingly watching two cyclists waiting patiently for the light to turn, along with the cars (unbeknownst to them, the tunnel has dedicated bike lanes on either side). We came out on the other side, and did a short u-turn into Fort Baker. While still a working Coast Guard base, most of the classic buildings were abandoned with the Army, years ago, and now the Bay Area Discovery Museum is the biggest draw...but not for long. An investment group has purchased most of the grounds, and is now turning it into an ultra-chic resort. They are refurbishing all of the classic buildings as guest bungalows and adding to this wonderful setting.
Outside of Treasure Island, this area has some of the most stunning views of the city and bridge to be had; the picture to the right was snapped with my cameraphone from the secluded marina in Fort Baker, which I had never visited. Isolated, with the raw power of the surf held by a jetty, it's seconds away from the Golden Gate (as you can see), with a breathtaking view of the City's skyline. Yet, it feels like you are walking in some remote wilderness: an undiscovered gem in the midst of the dazzling Bridge and Sausalito downtown.
We finished our explorations by heading back to Sausalito proper, and visiting the twisted roads and hillsides that make the place so unique, complete with surprising apartment complexes and adorable cottages. Some coffee to fortify, and we headed home. The whole trip? Less than 10 miles from our doorstep.
Yep, it's a pretty nice way to spend a holiday: vacationing, in your own backyard.
**WARNING: Mini Dining Review ahead...skip down if you don't care (also will be posted on Yelp)**
The café is right on Bridgeway, the main approach to Sausalito, but before downtown. From the outside, it's kind of cool and kitschy, with a scaled down, two story lighthouse built in to the structure. Inside, small, with a long counter by the open grill, and several booths. Two people service the whole place, plus the cooks.
While the look of the place is classic working-class coffee shop, the food and prices are very definitely Sausalito. Nearly $40 for breakfast for two is ok once in a while, but the food here was not worth the price. Amy's pancakes looked like they'd been beaten down to prevent any fluffiness, and not quite finished; my 3 egg omelet, while good, was hardly worth the $10 menu price. Service was OK; they were pretty busy, and had their hands full. They also have a Scandinavian influence on the food, so it's good for any hardy Nordic types, hankering for a taste of the homeland.
Food: 3 stars
Price: 2 stars
Service: 3 stars
Overall: 2.5 stars
REVIEW DONE...on to other things.
Thus fortified, we headed for a drive. We decided to stay local, and headed out to the Headlands, by means of the greatest tunnel ever invented. If you've not had the chance to drive in the tunnel from Sausalito (Alexander Ave.) to the Headlands, make a point of doing so. It's one lane, so you wait on either end for 5 minutes for the traffic to clear before you can proceed. Once you get in, it's pure 1940's military: you can almost hear the jeeps roaring through. On the other side, you are transported instantly into a pristine wilderness; you'd have no idea that you are 10 minutes from San Francisco.
Most residents think the Headlands are where you take your out of town visitors for a great view of the Golden Gate: that road, right off 101 that snakes up to the top. True, but that's just the beginning of this national treasure: 9/10 more is open to hikers, riders, surfers, and casual drivers, and the Alexander Ave. tunnel is the best way to see it. You come in on the valley floor, with the cliffs of Hawk Hill on your left, and the ridge separating you from Tennessee Valley on the right. Broad, open plains, with meandering trails and brush are hung with fog from the nearby Pacific, and you drive through converted Army buildings, now turned to residences.
The Headlands Center for the Arts is here: Presidio-era buildings now converted for artists to have working studio space overlooking the serenity of the valley. A major horse boarding and jump-training facility catches your eye as you drive on. You reach a fork: turn right, and it's Armstrong Beach, a hidden gem for surfers and birdwatchers, open to the vast breakers of the Golden Gate. Turn left, and it's on to Point Bonita, with it's former batteries and classic early 1900's lighthouse. With the grey of the day, I snapped a quick picture, as the winds chilled around me.From there, on to the lesser-traveled roads and the former Nike missile facility, now standing as a sentry over the Marine Mammal Center and the open ocean. A few roads more, and you are in the back roads of the Headlands Center, visiting an open Hostel and dodging fallen trees and startled deer.
We crossed out again through the tunnel, amusingly watching two cyclists waiting patiently for the light to turn, along with the cars (unbeknownst to them, the tunnel has dedicated bike lanes on either side). We came out on the other side, and did a short u-turn into Fort Baker. While still a working Coast Guard base, most of the classic buildings were abandoned with the Army, years ago, and now the Bay Area Discovery Museum is the biggest draw...but not for long. An investment group has purchased most of the grounds, and is now turning it into an ultra-chic resort. They are refurbishing all of the classic buildings as guest bungalows and adding to this wonderful setting.
Outside of Treasure Island, this area has some of the most stunning views of the city and bridge to be had; the picture to the right was snapped with my cameraphone from the secluded marina in Fort Baker, which I had never visited. Isolated, with the raw power of the surf held by a jetty, it's seconds away from the Golden Gate (as you can see), with a breathtaking view of the City's skyline. Yet, it feels like you are walking in some remote wilderness: an undiscovered gem in the midst of the dazzling Bridge and Sausalito downtown. We finished our explorations by heading back to Sausalito proper, and visiting the twisted roads and hillsides that make the place so unique, complete with surprising apartment complexes and adorable cottages. Some coffee to fortify, and we headed home. The whole trip? Less than 10 miles from our doorstep.
Yep, it's a pretty nice way to spend a holiday: vacationing, in your own backyard.
Labels: dining, photos, reviews, San Francisco
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Dining Review: Umami, San Francisco
The Marina has a new contender for the art of Asian fusion, and it's name is Umami. The former Yoshida-Ya, famous for it's various meat skewers and vast seating is no more. Instead, the building has been gutted, redone, and become an edgy, dark fusion of ultra lounge and restaurant.
First, it's impossible to discuss this pace without commenting on décor. It's phenomenal: every detail has been paid attention to. Yes, it's very much on the dark side, but the rice paper wall paper, the rich cherry wood floors and tables and the subtle sandal wood accents are great. The place is more bar than restaurant, at least on the ground floor, and they favor high tables with some of the best stools ever made: woven leather seats, plentifully padded, and mounted on wrought iron stems with fantastic footpegs. Lots of small candles made the dark room alight with small intimate pools.
One other note, and a strange one for a dining review: the bathrooms. They have to be seen to be believed. Like the rest of Umami, they are dark beyond belief. Adding to the mystery is the piped in sounds of what seems to be a "how to learn Japanese" tape: voices, speaking a word or phrase in English, followed by another voice repeating it in Japanese. In a dark, small room, it's eerie. The sink, however, is worth the trip: looking like a long water-work piece of slate, it's just perfect to see.
Ok, enough of the odd stuff. The food is, as our server emphasized, not fusion. Instead, like Betelnut, it tries to offer key dishes from all Asian cultures. Sushi, Korean barbecue, Dim Sum, and Pho were all on the menu, as were other salads and appetizers. This is definitely an Asian tapas approach, and meant to have small dishes. We tried the Imperial Rolls, along with the chicken skewers and some sort of meatballs. The food was under whelming: most of the cooked pieces were either overcooked, too hot, or too spicy. The meatballs were the strangest ones: they tasted like no beef we had ever had, and the waiter later informed us it was a mix of pork and beef. Still, that flavor, not entirely pleasant, was not what we expected.
A few other notes:
- The tea was great, and they kept it coming. Genmai for me!
- The heat was out. Blew just after they opened, last week. It'll be at least a week until it's fixed, and it's COLD in there. Combined with the dark, and dining in your jacket/coat, it's not a good combo.
- The downstairs is MUCH more bar than restaurant: it's loud, crowded, and not my scene. Younger people might like it, though the lack of light would make it a challenge for singles scoping.
- The Sushi "bar" is three stools to the right as you walk in. It used to to be the coatroom in the old Yoshida-Ya. My advice is for them to chuck the bar, and put in some more seats, lounge style, for the clientèle they are aiming for.
Umami is no Yoshida-Ya, nor is it trying to be. They just opened, so maybe they'll work the kinks out, but it's definitely better as a bar right now. The money they poured into the place is clearly substantial; I hope on the trendy center of Union and Webster they get the clientèle to pay it off. For now, worth seeing, but not staying.
Food: 3 Stars
Service: 3 Stars
Ambience: 4 Stars
Overall: 3 Stars.
The Marina has a new contender for the art of Asian fusion, and it's name is Umami. The former Yoshida-Ya, famous for it's various meat skewers and vast seating is no more. Instead, the building has been gutted, redone, and become an edgy, dark fusion of ultra lounge and restaurant.First, it's impossible to discuss this pace without commenting on décor. It's phenomenal: every detail has been paid attention to. Yes, it's very much on the dark side, but the rice paper wall paper, the rich cherry wood floors and tables and the subtle sandal wood accents are great. The place is more bar than restaurant, at least on the ground floor, and they favor high tables with some of the best stools ever made: woven leather seats, plentifully padded, and mounted on wrought iron stems with fantastic footpegs. Lots of small candles made the dark room alight with small intimate pools.
One other note, and a strange one for a dining review: the bathrooms. They have to be seen to be believed. Like the rest of Umami, they are dark beyond belief. Adding to the mystery is the piped in sounds of what seems to be a "how to learn Japanese" tape: voices, speaking a word or phrase in English, followed by another voice repeating it in Japanese. In a dark, small room, it's eerie. The sink, however, is worth the trip: looking like a long water-work piece of slate, it's just perfect to see.
Ok, enough of the odd stuff. The food is, as our server emphasized, not fusion. Instead, like Betelnut, it tries to offer key dishes from all Asian cultures. Sushi, Korean barbecue, Dim Sum, and Pho were all on the menu, as were other salads and appetizers. This is definitely an Asian tapas approach, and meant to have small dishes. We tried the Imperial Rolls, along with the chicken skewers and some sort of meatballs. The food was under whelming: most of the cooked pieces were either overcooked, too hot, or too spicy. The meatballs were the strangest ones: they tasted like no beef we had ever had, and the waiter later informed us it was a mix of pork and beef. Still, that flavor, not entirely pleasant, was not what we expected.
A few other notes:
- The tea was great, and they kept it coming. Genmai for me!
- The heat was out. Blew just after they opened, last week. It'll be at least a week until it's fixed, and it's COLD in there. Combined with the dark, and dining in your jacket/coat, it's not a good combo.
- The downstairs is MUCH more bar than restaurant: it's loud, crowded, and not my scene. Younger people might like it, though the lack of light would make it a challenge for singles scoping.
- The Sushi "bar" is three stools to the right as you walk in. It used to to be the coatroom in the old Yoshida-Ya. My advice is for them to chuck the bar, and put in some more seats, lounge style, for the clientèle they are aiming for.
Umami is no Yoshida-Ya, nor is it trying to be. They just opened, so maybe they'll work the kinks out, but it's definitely better as a bar right now. The money they poured into the place is clearly substantial; I hope on the trendy center of Union and Webster they get the clientèle to pay it off. For now, worth seeing, but not staying.
Food: 3 Stars
Service: 3 Stars
Ambience: 4 Stars
Overall: 3 Stars.
Labels: dining, reviews, San Francisco
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Dining Review: Noonan's Bar & Grill
This week, courtesy of Open Table, I had the chance to try Noonan's Bar & Grill in Larkspur. On the surface, sounds like a typical suburban eatery, but in Marin, things can be a bit different. First, the owner owns several popular brewpubs in the county, including Moylan's and the Marin Brewing Company; neither made a great impression on me, but they are popular among the younger crowd. Second, there's not really much of a singles scene in Marin, but Noonan's seems to have become one of the spots. Despite this, we headed over with trepidation on a Monday night.
The menu is surprisingly upscale for a bar & grill; average entree is $24. And the menu is quite unique. For instance, we started with a Trio of Mini Duck Burgers. Yes, you read that right: imagine three "sliders," but with the best duck meat fashioned into a patty, topped with delicious chutney and an impeccable golden egg bread bun. Yum! And the drink list? WOW. three pages of Vodka choices, four for tequilas, and the list goes on and on. No skimping on the wine or beer, either: this is a SERIOUS drinking establishment. I had a full and great Zin that, while not cheap, was all it was cracked up to be.
Ok, here's the secret for seafood lovers and Noonan's: Monday nights are the time to be there. Why? One simple reason: $24.95 all you can eat oysters. I'm not talking cheap, small oysters here; we're saying Tomales Bay 4-5" oysters per shell. They start you off with a dozen raw on the half shell with two scrumptious sauces. After you've managed to plow through those, here comes the real treat: 24 oysters, 6 of every kind. The best BBQ Oysters I have ever had; Oysters Rockefeller that are to die for; Oysters Casino that were easily one of my new favorites; and the underwhelming Oysters Noonan's, which purported to be a BBQ variant, but were actually tomato sauce. These oysters were on a par with Hog Island Oysters, and the plates kept coming. Remember: Monday night's, it's all you can eat. This is the best Oyster deal, ever.
Amy's Day Boat Scallops were sensational, and the service was friendly without obtrusiveness. Yes, the bill was $80 for the two of us, with drinks, but unlike other Marin dining, this was completely worth it. The best part? As we left the table, one of the waiters smiled kindly at me, and said, "See you next Monday?" Now THAT'S a local restaurant.
Food: 5 Stars
Service: 4.5 Stars
Ambience: 3.5 Stars (it's a bar and grill; dress it up, but it still is)
Overall: 4 stars.
The menu is surprisingly upscale for a bar & grill; average entree is $24. And the menu is quite unique. For instance, we started with a Trio of Mini Duck Burgers. Yes, you read that right: imagine three "sliders," but with the best duck meat fashioned into a patty, topped with delicious chutney and an impeccable golden egg bread bun. Yum! And the drink list? WOW. three pages of Vodka choices, four for tequilas, and the list goes on and on. No skimping on the wine or beer, either: this is a SERIOUS drinking establishment. I had a full and great Zin that, while not cheap, was all it was cracked up to be.
Ok, here's the secret for seafood lovers and Noonan's: Monday nights are the time to be there. Why? One simple reason: $24.95 all you can eat oysters. I'm not talking cheap, small oysters here; we're saying Tomales Bay 4-5" oysters per shell. They start you off with a dozen raw on the half shell with two scrumptious sauces. After you've managed to plow through those, here comes the real treat: 24 oysters, 6 of every kind. The best BBQ Oysters I have ever had; Oysters Rockefeller that are to die for; Oysters Casino that were easily one of my new favorites; and the underwhelming Oysters Noonan's, which purported to be a BBQ variant, but were actually tomato sauce. These oysters were on a par with Hog Island Oysters, and the plates kept coming. Remember: Monday night's, it's all you can eat. This is the best Oyster deal, ever.Amy's Day Boat Scallops were sensational, and the service was friendly without obtrusiveness. Yes, the bill was $80 for the two of us, with drinks, but unlike other Marin dining, this was completely worth it. The best part? As we left the table, one of the waiters smiled kindly at me, and said, "See you next Monday?" Now THAT'S a local restaurant.
Food: 5 Stars
Service: 4.5 Stars
Ambience: 3.5 Stars (it's a bar and grill; dress it up, but it still is)
Overall: 4 stars.
Monday, September 04, 2006
Dining Review - Slanted Door
There is simply no better example of the quintessential San Francisco dining experience than Slanted Door. Named one of the Top 100 restaurants in the US, I was lucky enough to be introduced to this gem years ago, and I have been an addict ever since. They have moved several times, but their current location in the Ferry Building looks to be the last move. While I have eaten there on many wonderful occasions, I was lucky to head back there this last week, taking a client who was in from out of town. It occurred to me I never shared the amazing experience of a Slanted Door dinner with you!
Slanted Door is Vietnamese, but has evolved into something uniquely San Francisco. First, a word of warning: don’t try to have dinner here without reservations. It just can’t be done unless you come very early, or eat very late. Second, if you ignored my first words of advice, don’t be afraid of the bar: it's a full menu, and sometimes the service is even better, as well as more intimate dining. Lastly, as my dining guest this week commented, "I feel cool just BEING here!" Embrace the atmosphere. Yes, there's a DJ spinning dining music. Yes, everyone is in tight black T-shirts. Go with it.
We had reservations at 8:30, and we could not be seated sooner. We strolled around the Ferry Building, then waited in the lounge. They tried to get us in earlier, to no avail. Finally, we were seated in the main rear section: louder than I like, but a small price to pay. Service was perfect: he was there when we needed him, and invisible when we did not.
Ok, skip to the good stuff. Appetizers: Imperial Rolls: perfectly flaky, flavorful, and hot. Niman Ranch Beef Carpaccio with peanuts and lime sauce: incredible; it exploded with flavor in your mouth. Main Courses: Meyer Ranch shaking beef: cubed filet mignon with garlic, watercress and organic red onions - incredibly tender, yet so much flavor. Out of this world. The crispy five spiced Liberty Farm duck legs with braised baby carrots, turnips and yellow finn potatoes were all duck should be, with remarkable intensity of flavor. Even though the crab is not yet in season, the cellophane noodles with fresh Dungeness crab meat were amazing. Oh, did I mention the green beans? Worth eating on their own.
A glass of French Red kept me happy, and Amy and our guest split the Strawberry mousse napoleon for dessert. Yes, we had food to take home, and they did a nice trick: they cleared the plates before dessert, and brought us the remainder of our dinner to take home only after dessert had been finished. Nice!
You simply can’t go wrong with Slanted Door. Lunch is easier, and they even have their to go storefront in the main Ferry Building, Out The Door. But dinner, on the water with the twinkling of the Bay Bridge behind you, and the amazing food and service, is a treat unto itself.
* Service: 5 stars
* Food: 5 stars
* Ambience: 5 stars
* Overall: 5 stars
There is simply no better example of the quintessential San Francisco dining experience than Slanted Door. Named one of the Top 100 restaurants in the US, I was lucky enough to be introduced to this gem years ago, and I have been an addict ever since. They have moved several times, but their current location in the Ferry Building looks to be the last move. While I have eaten there on many wonderful occasions, I was lucky to head back there this last week, taking a client who was in from out of town. It occurred to me I never shared the amazing experience of a Slanted Door dinner with you!Slanted Door is Vietnamese, but has evolved into something uniquely San Francisco. First, a word of warning: don’t try to have dinner here without reservations. It just can’t be done unless you come very early, or eat very late. Second, if you ignored my first words of advice, don’t be afraid of the bar: it's a full menu, and sometimes the service is even better, as well as more intimate dining. Lastly, as my dining guest this week commented, "I feel cool just BEING here!" Embrace the atmosphere. Yes, there's a DJ spinning dining music. Yes, everyone is in tight black T-shirts. Go with it.
We had reservations at 8:30, and we could not be seated sooner. We strolled around the Ferry Building, then waited in the lounge. They tried to get us in earlier, to no avail. Finally, we were seated in the main rear section: louder than I like, but a small price to pay. Service was perfect: he was there when we needed him, and invisible when we did not.
Ok, skip to the good stuff. Appetizers: Imperial Rolls: perfectly flaky, flavorful, and hot. Niman Ranch Beef Carpaccio with peanuts and lime sauce: incredible; it exploded with flavor in your mouth. Main Courses: Meyer Ranch shaking beef: cubed filet mignon with garlic, watercress and organic red onions - incredibly tender, yet so much flavor. Out of this world. The crispy five spiced Liberty Farm duck legs with braised baby carrots, turnips and yellow finn potatoes were all duck should be, with remarkable intensity of flavor. Even though the crab is not yet in season, the cellophane noodles with fresh Dungeness crab meat were amazing. Oh, did I mention the green beans? Worth eating on their own.
A glass of French Red kept me happy, and Amy and our guest split the Strawberry mousse napoleon for dessert. Yes, we had food to take home, and they did a nice trick: they cleared the plates before dessert, and brought us the remainder of our dinner to take home only after dessert had been finished. Nice!
You simply can’t go wrong with Slanted Door. Lunch is easier, and they even have their to go storefront in the main Ferry Building, Out The Door. But dinner, on the water with the twinkling of the Bay Bridge behind you, and the amazing food and service, is a treat unto itself.* Service: 5 stars
* Food: 5 stars
* Ambience: 5 stars
* Overall: 5 stars
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Dining Review - San Diego Edition: Dakota Grill
In the heart of the Gaslamp quarter, the Dakota Grill was one of several theme restaurants in the Cohn Restaurant Group's repertoire. Elegantly appointed, with the right mix of casual and class, the place was big, but not cavernous. Tinkling pianos came from the upstairs lounge, and we were seated on a Thursday night immediately.
First, the wine list. Nothing terribly remarkable, especially for a semi-chain in SoCal, but they did have a great option: flights! If you are not familiar with wine flights, buckle in. For a little more than the price of a single glass, a flight usually gives you a taste of three different wines, paired to let you really taste the difference. Usually, they are the same varietals, varied by year or vineyard, but Dakota offered a little different: irreverent pairings, titled "Red Red Wine" or "Sideways" and the like. I went for the Red Red Wine: Charles Krug Cabernet, a Zin from Paso Robles, and a blend from Alexander Valley.
Ok, the food: outstanding. The bread was freshly baked: sourdough and brown bread. Amy and Fenna shared the Peppercorn Crusted Ahi Tuna Salad, and both raved about it. I had the uniquely titled Pork Prime Rib, with apricot mustard glaze, green beans, and creamed spinach: unreal, and enormous portions. I wish I remembered what everyone else had, but I was lost in how good the food was, as well as the complexity of the wines. Got to pick up the Krug Cabernet, and stop talking down about central California Zins after that flight.
The cost was reasonable for what we ate. The only downsides? Parking is not easy or inexpensive, and there is a club downstairs: the entire floor was shaking in the later part of the evening, as the club started to get going. They explained they usually close off the area we were in on Thursday nights, but they were trying an experiment. Suffice it to say, ask for a table upstairs.
In the heart of the Gaslamp quarter, the Dakota Grill was one of several theme restaurants in the Cohn Restaurant Group's repertoire. Elegantly appointed, with the right mix of casual and class, the place was big, but not cavernous. Tinkling pianos came from the upstairs lounge, and we were seated on a Thursday night immediately.
First, the wine list. Nothing terribly remarkable, especially for a semi-chain in SoCal, but they did have a great option: flights! If you are not familiar with wine flights, buckle in. For a little more than the price of a single glass, a flight usually gives you a taste of three different wines, paired to let you really taste the difference. Usually, they are the same varietals, varied by year or vineyard, but Dakota offered a little different: irreverent pairings, titled "Red Red Wine" or "Sideways" and the like. I went for the Red Red Wine: Charles Krug Cabernet, a Zin from Paso Robles, and a blend from Alexander Valley.
Ok, the food: outstanding. The bread was freshly baked: sourdough and brown bread. Amy and Fenna shared the Peppercorn Crusted Ahi Tuna Salad, and both raved about it. I had the uniquely titled Pork Prime Rib, with apricot mustard glaze, green beans, and creamed spinach: unreal, and enormous portions. I wish I remembered what everyone else had, but I was lost in how good the food was, as well as the complexity of the wines. Got to pick up the Krug Cabernet, and stop talking down about central California Zins after that flight.
The cost was reasonable for what we ate. The only downsides? Parking is not easy or inexpensive, and there is a club downstairs: the entire floor was shaking in the later part of the evening, as the club started to get going. They explained they usually close off the area we were in on Thursday nights, but they were trying an experiment. Suffice it to say, ask for a table upstairs.
- Service: 4 stars
- Food: 5 stars
- Ambience: 4 stars without the club; 3 with
- Overall: 4 stars
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Dining Review: Boca
What is it about Marin? One of the highest concentrations of $ in the world, and yet the dining options are hardly commensurate. Sure, you have a few exceptions: Lark Creek Inn, Kitchen, Fork, but few others.
That may just starting to change. In the last year, several new restaurants have opened, and Novato seems to be the center of some of the best. Rickey's was one of the first. Then came Kitchen, with a flourish. Now, we discover Boca.
Now, I'm no talented foodie blogger, like the Restaurant Whore, but I think I need to share some of these places with the fellow Bay Areans, as well as Marinites. Boca is an Argentinean steak restaurant: think lots of great meat, with a plethora of sauces. The location is odd: it's in a part of Novato lacking any appeal and charm, and it seems completely out of place. It's definitely upscale, next to a nondescript office suite, and surrounded by gas stations, dry cleaners, and other daily necessities. Don't let that puzzle you too long: head in!
Inside is a treat: the architecture is evocative of a lodge, crossed with a Nordic/Arts & Crafts feel. Big, thick wood is everywhere, though all in light color. The place meanders: several large rooms and a sprawling, acres-wide deck, make for intimate dining with incredible capacity. Seating, even on a Saturday night, was a breeze; we made reservations with Open Table, but not sure we needed it. There is a full bar, and an impressive wine chiller, as you enter, but you are quickly whisked to your table, passing multiple handsome portraits of cattle (as if they are family members!) and a truly impressive dominating 8 Ft high wooden lattice, adorned with multi colored votives.
Ok, you're getting it: I like this place. Let's get down to business. First, the menu. Impressively diverse, there were literally dozens of choices for dinner, appetizers, and sides. Most were very reasonably priced, which was a surprise; about $20, on average. Of course, the menu featured at least 10 different beef dishes, but an equal amount of other choices, as well, and none of the obligatory ones you expect they have for the one person who wants something else: all excellent.
Ok, on to the food. How was it? Exquisite. Appetizers: Calimari, which was perfectly done, and plentiful for 4 people; Lobster Corn Dogs, which are a poor name for these treats. Picture a miniature corn dog, 1/4 the size, filled with lobster meat (no beef), and an amazing dipping sauce. Out of this world.
We had 2 different salads, Caesar & Butter Lettuce. Both were artful, fresh, and surprisingly full portioned; it belies their looks.
Main courses: Colorado Lamb Chops with a Pinot Noir-Blackberry sauce; a mixed grill of 2" thick pork chops, New York Strip brochettes, and lamb; and Argentinean Filet Mignon, grass fed. Every morsel was tender, flavorful, and sensational. The presentation was simple, with sides served on separate plates. Interestingly, this made you really taste the flavor, without diluting in an accompanying side (though I wish I ordered the creamed spinach!). Surprising the amount of meat: 3 out of the 4 or us finished our meals, but we were pretty full! There were four different sauces to garnish your meat, including chimiurri, smoked paprika, and Bernaise.
Service: pleasant, well paced, and not intrusive. Only demerit was they should have taken the menus away (and taken our order) before the appetizers were served. With smaller tables, it's hard to hold onto them while you are eating.
We brought a bottle of Ravenswood 2004 Zin, but also had a few bar drinks, and a couple more glasses of Cline Syrah. No dessert; we were stuffed. Total cost per person: about $55, sans tip. For all we ate and drank, that's a fair deal.
Conclusion: this is a keeper. The owner, and onetime chef, now tends bar on occasion. The staff is attentive and prompt. The place is great to look at, and the deck seems ideal for warm evenings. But the food is the star here: this is an Atkins dream, and a hearty and succulent choice. I'd give it 4 stars (out of 4), and I highly recommend you try it.
What is it about Marin? One of the highest concentrations of $ in the world, and yet the dining options are hardly commensurate. Sure, you have a few exceptions: Lark Creek Inn, Kitchen, Fork, but few others.
That may just starting to change. In the last year, several new restaurants have opened, and Novato seems to be the center of some of the best. Rickey's was one of the first. Then came Kitchen, with a flourish. Now, we discover Boca.
Now, I'm no talented foodie blogger, like the Restaurant Whore, but I think I need to share some of these places with the fellow Bay Areans, as well as Marinites. Boca is an Argentinean steak restaurant: think lots of great meat, with a plethora of sauces. The location is odd: it's in a part of Novato lacking any appeal and charm, and it seems completely out of place. It's definitely upscale, next to a nondescript office suite, and surrounded by gas stations, dry cleaners, and other daily necessities. Don't let that puzzle you too long: head in!
Inside is a treat: the architecture is evocative of a lodge, crossed with a Nordic/Arts & Crafts feel. Big, thick wood is everywhere, though all in light color. The place meanders: several large rooms and a sprawling, acres-wide deck, make for intimate dining with incredible capacity. Seating, even on a Saturday night, was a breeze; we made reservations with Open Table, but not sure we needed it. There is a full bar, and an impressive wine chiller, as you enter, but you are quickly whisked to your table, passing multiple handsome portraits of cattle (as if they are family members!) and a truly impressive dominating 8 Ft high wooden lattice, adorned with multi colored votives.
Ok, you're getting it: I like this place. Let's get down to business. First, the menu. Impressively diverse, there were literally dozens of choices for dinner, appetizers, and sides. Most were very reasonably priced, which was a surprise; about $20, on average. Of course, the menu featured at least 10 different beef dishes, but an equal amount of other choices, as well, and none of the obligatory ones you expect they have for the one person who wants something else: all excellent.
Ok, on to the food. How was it? Exquisite. Appetizers: Calimari, which was perfectly done, and plentiful for 4 people; Lobster Corn Dogs, which are a poor name for these treats. Picture a miniature corn dog, 1/4 the size, filled with lobster meat (no beef), and an amazing dipping sauce. Out of this world.
We had 2 different salads, Caesar & Butter Lettuce. Both were artful, fresh, and surprisingly full portioned; it belies their looks.
Main courses: Colorado Lamb Chops with a Pinot Noir-Blackberry sauce; a mixed grill of 2" thick pork chops, New York Strip brochettes, and lamb; and Argentinean Filet Mignon, grass fed. Every morsel was tender, flavorful, and sensational. The presentation was simple, with sides served on separate plates. Interestingly, this made you really taste the flavor, without diluting in an accompanying side (though I wish I ordered the creamed spinach!). Surprising the amount of meat: 3 out of the 4 or us finished our meals, but we were pretty full! There were four different sauces to garnish your meat, including chimiurri, smoked paprika, and Bernaise.
Service: pleasant, well paced, and not intrusive. Only demerit was they should have taken the menus away (and taken our order) before the appetizers were served. With smaller tables, it's hard to hold onto them while you are eating.
We brought a bottle of Ravenswood 2004 Zin, but also had a few bar drinks, and a couple more glasses of Cline Syrah. No dessert; we were stuffed. Total cost per person: about $55, sans tip. For all we ate and drank, that's a fair deal.
Conclusion: this is a keeper. The owner, and onetime chef, now tends bar on occasion. The staff is attentive and prompt. The place is great to look at, and the deck seems ideal for warm evenings. But the food is the star here: this is an Atkins dream, and a hearty and succulent choice. I'd give it 4 stars (out of 4), and I highly recommend you try it.
