Baobab

On Friday night, I was taken out to the Mission. I wasn't told where exactly we would go nor what exactly we would be in store for. We ended up at Bissap Baobab, a Sengalese restaurant. Immediately, upon walking in, you are greeted warmly and asked to wait at the bar (there's always a wait due to their popularity).

There's a high-energy buzz in the place, African music playing, and the bar makes some potent ginger and tamarind drinks. After a bit, they'll come get you and take you to your table.

It's a real mixed crowd: very international in feel. We had (some salty) beef pastries which were balanced out by a sweet plantain dish (with tamarind dipping sauce). For the main courses, we tried a tilapia (dry) in a wonderful sweet and creamy coconut sauce and a (also dry) chicken kabob with a nice mafe dish on the side. Mafe is basically peanut sauce and they don't skimp on the amount you get. Overall, the sauces definitely were great, but for some reason the actual meat itself was overcooked.

I would definitely go back, though, as the place itself is a lot of fun. There are large groups, people on dates, and everyone enjoying the food, music, interesting African-inspired decor, and the unmistakable energy of the place.

"After your meal, take a few steps around the corner to the Little Baobab. Bursting with energy, this little juke joint has a big heart that beats to the rhythms of music from around the world. " Their website does not lie, it was a great mixture of African music (heavy on the beats), reggae, and salsa. Even more international feeling crowd than in the restaurant and more of those potent ginger and tamarind drinks.

Summer Festivals in San Francisco

May 16-27 SF International Arts Festival

May 19 Uncorked! Public Wine Festival
May 19 San Francisco Oyster & Beer Fest
May 20 Bay to Breakers
May 20-June 17 Mountain Play (Mt. Tam)

May 26-27 Carnaval

June 2-3 Union Street Festival

June 8-10 Harmony Festival (Santa Rosa)
June 10 Haight Ashbury Street Fair

June 16-17 North Beach Festival
June 17-August 19 Stern Grove

June 20-24 Sonoma-Marin Fair (Petaluma)

June 29-July1 Pinot Days
June 30-July 1 Fillmore Jazz Festival

July 6-September 29 Marin Shakespeare Company Festival (Forest Meadows)

July 14-15 International Chocolate Salon

July 25-29 North Beach Jazz Festival

Local and Reused

One way you can be a bit greener is to "think global, act local." In fact, a localvore is a person who eats only locally-grown and produced food. You could extend that definition to one who also shops and supports locally owned businesses.

For example, a localvore would shop and eat locally rather than patronizing national or international chains. The San Francisco Locally Owned Merchants Alliance can help you find locally-owned businesses. The following is taken - often verbatim - from that site.

Supporting local businesses reduces environmental impact. Locally owned businesses can make more local purchases requiring less transportation and generally set up shop in town or city centers as opposed to developing on the fringe. This generally means contributing less to sprawl, congestion, habitat loss and pollution.

There are many other reasons, though, such as significantly more money re-circulates in your city when purchases are made at locally owned, rather than nationally owned, businesses; most new jobs are provided by local businesses; your city's one-of-a-kind businesses are an integral part of your distinctive character; and local business owners invest in community.

Other reasons are that oftentimes customer service is better; competition and diversity leads to more choices; public benefits far outweigh public costs; encourages investment in your city; and non-profits receive greater support as non-profit organizations receive an average 350% greater support from local business owners than they do from non-locally owned businesses.

Stores like Cole Hardware or Standard 5 & 10 instead of large hardware chains. Amoeba Music instead of the mall CD store. Book Passage or Books Inc. instead of Borders or Barnes & Noble. Rainbow Grocery or farmers' markets instead of big supermarket chains. For a good guide to organic and green stores and restaurants, look to the Green Zebra.

For even less impact on the environment, look to purchase reused / recycled / vintage at places like the once-a-month Alameda Flea Market. Looking to redo your home, look to Ohmega Salvage in Berkeley. Across the street from Ohmega, you may want to see if there's any vintage clothes you might like at Twisters Vintage, Dolled Up Vintage, or Retro Diva / Icon Vintage. Those stores are more focused on the 50's, 60's, 70's vintage clothes. Closer to home in San Francisco and sporting more recent styles look to any of the various Crossroads.

Alembic

Seven months ago, the owners of Magnolia Brewery opened up a restaurant called The Alembic on Haight, near Cole.

Soft glow from Edison bulbs hanging from the ceiling, dark wood, that similar tin ceiling (as seen in Bourbon & Branch), blackboards with lists of rye, bourbon, and Scotch, make you think that you've walked into a bar.

The Cole Valley crowd gathered around the bar sipping well-crafted drinks, the above mentioned whiskeys, or Magnolia Brewery beers will confirm that you are in a bar. However, if you continue walking further back, you'll see a smattering of tables and people eating different bits of food here and there.

The menu - divided up into drinks and eats - is a small plates menu meant to be shared. These are not light dishes, though. They're heavy, good fall weather eating along with a scotch or ale from Magnolia. We sampled a few dishes and thought they were a bit too much on the heavy side (too much oil on the calamar) but I thought overall they were tasty. Be prepared, though, for the food to be on the more gamey side - with rabbit, porcini mushrooms, duck.

Art you don't know about this weekend

While the SF International Film Festival ends tomorrow tonight, there's other ways to get your cultural fix this weekend.

Emergining indie artists and designers are showing their creations in Noe Valley on Saturday at the Maven Craft Fair.

Over in the Mission, artists of Workspace Limited will be holding Open Studios all weekend long.
A new exhibition of Martin Munkaci's photographs opens up at the SFMoMA. (Yeah, I've never heard of him either, but he's influenced Henri Cartier-Bresson and Richard Avedon).

Zazie

On Saturday morning, we had brunch at Zazie. They have a nice assortment of sweet and savory.

For their French Breads, they use challah bread so the slices are nice and thick. They also have gingerbread pancakes on the menu, plus of course there's a rotating selection of specials.

On the savory side, they have a variety of different eggs benedict with a light hollandaise sauce. There's usually a very long line, due to the fact that the food is so good. In addition, there's good people watching and you can hit Egg or Cole Hardware while you wait.

Hint: the four tables outside are first come, first serve (no need to wait in line).

Once - great movie

Saw a great movie at the SF International Film Festival last night. Once is very un-Hollywood - there's no big explosions, you won't recognize any of the actors. You may even have a little trouble understanding the accents sometimes. Set in Ireland, it tells the story of two people (played by non-actor musicians Glen Hansard and Market Iglova) who find each other.

The music is incredible as Glen, lead singer of the Frames. and classically-trained Czech pianist Market create beautiful, romantic, poignant, and in-the-end extremely catchy songs together.

Sometimes described as a modern musical, don't let that put you off. Rather, the songs really do fit well into the story which shows a relationship developing bit-by-bit. Hopefully, this movie will get some decent distribution, rather than be shown only at film festivals (at which it has picked up awards this year).

Some music for you

Hit a few shows recently at the Fillmore and the Independent.

Gym Class Heroes (their video - http://youtube.com/watch?v=eiiU-Fky18s) and RX Bandits opened up

Also went to the Silversun Pickups show at the Independent and and Dangerbird Records labelmates Sea Wolf opened up (2 of their songs)
http://www.seawolfmusic.com/media/youreawolf.mp3
http://www.seawolfmusic.com/media/Thegardenthatyouplanted.mp3

In between, I went to see A Pack of Wolves, a brother of one of my friends is in it.

Top 100 Restaurants

These are the top 100 restaurants for 2007, according to the SF Chronicle.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/food/top100/2007cuisine

Some of my favorites (link through the above website)

Buckeye Roadhouse (Mill Valley)
Chow (San Francisco and Lafayette)
French Laundry (Yountville)
Michael Mina
Tartine Bakery
Town Hall
Betelnut
Bocadillos
Coco500
Foreign Cinema
Gary Danko
Nopa
Scott Howard
Koi Palace (Daly City)
Ton Kiang
Yank Sing
Bistro Jeanty (Yountville)
Bouchon (Yountville)
Dosa
A16
Ozumo
Sushi Ran (Sausalito)
Zuni Cafe
La Taqueria
Tres Agaves
Limon
Aqua
Hog Island Oyster Co.
Slanted Door

Mark your calendars: May 16-20

Good god, I just saw what's all going on the weekend of the 16th-20th (what, your weekends don't start on Wednesdays?). I was reading the Guardian on the bus and then had a couple e-mails in my inbox. Thought I'd share.

The SF International Arts Festival will start the 16th with the Zachho Dance Theater doing a free dance/installation off the top of the roof of SFO. Note that it's starting about one week after the SF International Film Festival ends, which is currently going on.

My favorite beatboxer, Kid Beyond, will open up for the New Deal at the Independent on the 17th (note: the New Deal's playing 2 nights at the Independent and only one night with Kid B opening up).

I'm pretty excited that Cantina is finally going to open over in the Tenderloin at Sutter and Mason. Cantina's the brainchild of the former bar manager at Frisson. He's doing a soft launch starting the weekend of the 18th (the official opening will likely come a couple weeks later). Here's a sample of their drinks menu.

O'Reilly's is hosting it's 8th annual "Oysters & Beer Festival" featuring, um, oysters and, uh, beer on Saturday the 19th. Also some music (of the Flogging Molly and Tea Leaf Green variety).

In addition, that Sunday is Bay to Breakers.

Gasolina

As most people don't yet have compressed-air cars or hybrids (but if you look out for them in SF, you'll constantly see Priuses on the road), you can take the bus or bike to work, especially on May 17.

However, the reality is that most people still rely heavily on their car. It's unfortunate, especially as it looks like gas prices will continue to rise into the $4 per gallon category.

There's a pretty useful site called Gas Buddy which allows you to find the best-priced gas stations in your area. The local SF version is at http://www.sanfrangasprices.com/

Point Reyes, Olema

We were up in western Marin this weekend, a beautiful one-hour drive north of San Francisco.

West Marin is very much at the forefront of the local, organic, sustainable farming movement. If you want to get a better understanding of the why behind that, head over to Marin Organic, which is a collection of farmers that believes in sustainable farming.

The Olema Inn is a 130-year old bed-and-breakfast located in Olema (population: 55). There are only six rooms, and its restaurant attempts to use as much local, organice food as possible. So, breakfast includes fresh local fruits (strawberries, kiwis, kumquats, blood oranges to name a few), local organic cheeses, and buttery croissants made with organic flour.

At night, their dinner really shines. We started off with Hogs Island oysters and an incredibly fresh salad (Point Reyes blue cheese, walnuts, and beets were featured along with the greens). We then had a Niman Ranch pork chop and some wontons. Both were able to balance out the sweet and savory. We had some local wines and for dessert we had a strawberry-and-apple tart with vanilla ice cream

On Saturday, we headed north. On the way from Olema to Marshall, we stopped off at Point Reyes Station (population: 350) to make sure we picked up some cheese from Cowgirl Creamery.

For the third year in a row, a group of us converged at Tomales Bay Oyster Company to barbecue oysters and enjoy kicking back on the beach. This was the biggest group yet (we were 25 people strong) and everyone contributed - beer, wine, shrimp kabobs, sausages, salmon, salads, chips, pita, hummus, dips, sauces, and for dessert: carrot cake and pecan pie. In addition, the Olema Inn was kind enough to send us off with a large cup of their classic mignonette to help with the oysters (we also had garlic butter, hot sauce, limes, and vodka for shooters). The weather, sunny and warm, cooperated nicely.

Afterwards, we drove along the beautiful 1 (winding roads, through redwood forests and on tops of cliffs along the coast) towards Muir Woods. There, a traditional pub (The Pelican Inn) features shepherds pie, fish & chips, cider, and a host of ales on tap. They have several rooms to stay at as well.

On Sunday, we explored Point Reyes. We checked out the lighthouse, hiked amongst wildflowers, headed over to Chimney Rock to check out the seals, and had a picnic lunch featuring Cowgirl Creamery's Mt Tam cheese, salami from a local Berkeley producer, and some other foods we had purchased in Point Reyes Station. We also just made it before closing time at Drakes Bay Oysters, where you can shuck your own oysters. On the way back, we stopped to look at The Embers (all that remains of Mankas Inverness Lodge).

We again took the 1, catching some beautiful views over the Pacific Ocean, before making it back to San Francisco.

Menlo Park

While in Menlo Park earlier this week, I spent quite some time browsing a great bookstore that's been part of the community for over 50 years, taking the book I bought next door to a family-run cafe. Finally, I hit a dive bar that's been around for 40 years for a burger and a beer.

Kepler's is set up to appreciate books. When I walked in, an author was finishing up his book reading by answering one last question. The book store has author events about 3 times a week, plus other events 2 other days. Their fiction offerings snake along the wall, while their nonfiction books create the aisles. There's even a section dedicated to what different book clubs are reading.

After you purchase your book, head over to Cafe Borrone for a latte or even a full meal. This place is always packed, so expect a line. Then, either lose yourself in your book or spend some time checking out the scene: there's a group of Italians, there's a family, a couple on a date, two college students flirting with the venture capitalists at the other table, and on it goes. On weekends, they have live music.

If instead you are looking for a place where you can kick back with the game on the TV, multiple beers on tap, juicy burgers at the ready, and a pool table, then head over to the Dutch Goose. Having been around for 40 years, you can take some time poring over the etchings people have scratched into the tables. Also, make sure to get a bag of peanuts and throw the shells on the floor.

San Francisco International Film Festival

Today marks the opening of the 50th anniversary of the San Francisco International Film Festival, the longest-running film festival in the Americas.

Some highlights include the opening night film Golden Doors, centerpiece film Delirious, and closing night film La Vie en Rose. George Lucas, Spike Lee, Robin Williams, Rosario Dawson, and Sam Rockwell will all receive various awards.

Other films that seem interesting include the following:
- Forever, Dutch documentarian Heddy Honigmann's look at Pere-Lachaise cemetery (anyone who's spent more than a week in Paris while in their teens or early 20's probably spent some drunken afternoon looking for Jim Morrison's grave...or maybe that was just me). By the way, she's also receiving an award.
-All in this Tea, which follows a tea importer who travels throughout China trying to find the best possible tea (ideally handpicked).
-After This Our Exile, Patrick Tam's return after 15 years picked up best picture awards in Hong Kong and best Asian film at the Tokyo Film Festival.

There's several films about music:
-Fabricating Tom Ze, a documentary about one of tropicallismo's pioneers
-The Old, Weird America: Harry Smith's Anthology of Folk Music
-Punk's Not Dead, which follows the history of punk rock from the Clash and Sex Pistols through the underground 80's and into the commercial success it has today (but, by definition, how can DIY punk be commercially successful?). Go see this, and then go check out the Vivienne Westwood exhibit at the DeYoung.
-Once, a little Irish film about musicians that charmed Sundance.

There are also six movies which combine film and live onstage performance, highlighted by a 1921 classic silent film. "The Phantom Carriage rides again with a new score composed and presented live by local icon Jonathan Richman." (By the way, you know him from the guy who sang in There's Something About Mary). Other films that have a live onstage performance can be found here.

There are also shorts, many new directors highlighted, and even several horror films.

Fort Mason Tonight

I am looking forward to checking out the SFMOMA Artists' Warehouse Sale. The CCA (California College of the Arts) 100-year celebration is also tonight. We may stop by there as well.

Update: we did go to the 100-year celebration and saw some extremely talented seniors show their designs on a runway.

French bistros: brunch

There are quite a few French cafes throughout the city, most of which serve brunch.

This weekend, I headed to South Park to eat at The Butler and the Chef. A classic Perrier umbrella out front, French cafe chairs and Cinzano tables. The scene definitely depicts typical French bistro. The menu doesn't disappoint either: savory and sweet crepes, gauffres (belgian waffles), quiches, croques monsieurs, and various types of eggs. Various types of coffee as well. Note as well that they use organic ingredients where possible, such as organic milk, organic eggs and organic flour in all their breads. Their portions are huge, so bring a big appetite. They serve brunch all day on weekends. Walk it off by strolling around the park and checking out the deals for both men and women at Jeremy's. Or, it's a great place to get some brunch before heading over to check out the Giants on a weekend afternoon game, a few blocks away.

Over in Noe Valley, I've been to Le Zinc several times. On a nice day, make sure to get a table out back in the sun-lit garden. The name of the place comes from the classic zinc bar, which is an antique from France. Their menu has some interesting takes on crepes (both savory and sweet), and various egg dishes. Great fresh-squeezed orange juice and various coffees on the menu, plus an extensive wine menu should you choose to imbibe. Portions are more French-sized. Post-brunch, walk along 24th Street checking out shoes at Rabat (no website, 4001 24th Street), women's clothes at Ambiance, or pick up some Belgian chocolate at the only place in SF that sells Leonidas: Belgano.

In Pacific Heights, I'm often at La Boulange, part of the Bay Bread Group, which makes organic artisan breads. They have croques monsieurs, quiches, various types of breads and pastries, salads, and of course buttery croissants (with pots of marmalade and nutella to put on as much as you want). They also have great fresh orange juice and coffees. There's too many choices of where to go afterwards on Fillmore Street, but some choices include Jonathan Adler (home decor), Bittersweet (chocolate), In Water (flowers),

ROY RULES

http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/#mea=94842

Cultural Options in SF

This month, at some of the leading cultural centers in the city, there are a lot of options.

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art - I get to the SFMOMA about twice a month. This month, check out the Picasso exhibit (how Picasso impacted modern American artists like Jasper Johns, Willem de Kooning, Jackson Pollock, etc.) and the Brice Marsden exhibit.

DeYoung - I get to the DeYoung about once a month. This month, check out the Vivienne Westwood exhibit.

Legion of Honor - I don't get to the Legion of Honor nearly enough. This month, check out the Masterpieces of French Jewelry.

Yerba Buena Center of Arts - The YBCA has art exhibits, plays, dance, and other performance options. This month, I caught Alonzo King's Lines Ballet's performance with the Shaolin Monks. I've always wanted to see Shaolin monks showing their martial arts skills. This combination with ballet dancers was an amazing merging of West/East movement.

I'm a sushi chef

I've been meaning to make my own sushi for a while.

We headed off to a book store to dig up a "how the hell do you make a sushi roll" book of some kind. They sell these cheap kits (like $20 or less) that offer the book, a little bamboo mat, and some other sushi paraphernalia (sp?).

Then, it was off to Yum Yum Fish (no website, 2181 Irving Avenue between 22nd and 23rd Street). This is an excellent place to buy your sushi-grade fish. They had some salmon, tuna, hamachi, and other fish lying ready to be picked up by us and transformed into spicy tuna rolls and whatever else we decided to make.

The great thing about Yum Yum is that you've got a couple of dolts (that would be me, or you - if you go) who are "going to make some sushi! Yup!" An older Japanese gentleman grumbles a bit and cuts up some fish for you and then the softer side comes out. "You no eat this part." OK? why? Will we get sick? "grumble" What? "grumble" OK. He then cuts out the parts that you shouldn't eat. You can also pick up some wasabi, pickled ginger, and sushi rice here if you'd like.

Now that you've got your fish, you would still have to get some cucumber, avocado, and other accoutrements for your rolls. Maybe you'll also make some miso soup? Go next door to the market (I have no idea what the name is), and you'll be able to pick up miso paste, green onions, mushrooms, and tofu. You better know what your veggies look like, because everything is labeled in Cantonese.

Cheesesteaks

A few years ago, I was in Philadelphia. I ran up the art museum stairs and struck my Rocky pose, took in a Phillies game, and of course had a cheesesteak.

Here in SF, there's two places that vie for cheesesteak supremacy. Jay's (no website) and The Cheese Steak Shop. Either one is a decent option, but for my money I have to recommend The Cheese Steak Shop.

Jay's just fell short - the steak is not as succulent, they did not have as much cheese, and the sandwiches are frankly smaller. Hey, if you're looking to eat healthy, don't have a cheesesteak.

As for The Cheese Steak Shop - big sandwiches, loaded with gooey cheese, and the right amount of peppers. The steak was better too.

Both are on Divis - TCSS between Bush and Sutter, while Jay's is between Fell and Hayes (Jay's has another outpust on 21st Street).

Mmmmmmm DOSA

DOSA is a great Southern Indian restaurant.

Read any review and they will rave about the variety of dosas. The best way to describe dosas are what the restaurant itself says, "Dosa is one of the world’s great culinary delicacies. Similar to a crepe, it is served with a variety of fillings that will offer you the most authentic and tantalizing flavors of South India."

However, that's only one thing on the menu, which focuses on South Indian food. So,here's some suggestions on how to navigate your way through the menu:
-order a soup or a salad (for example the mung sprouts salad)
-then, have a starter. Actually, not just any starter but a Dahi Vada. It's lentil dumplings, topped with yogurt, tamarind, mint, and spices.
-next would be the dosa. Dosas come with potatoes, chutney, vegetables, or any of a host of fillings
-you could continue on to the curries if you would like, but the above would already be quite filling
-finally, they have a range of south Indian delicacies

The drinks are great. Rather than the typical Taj Mahal beer, there's a well-selected wine list and the drinks at the bar are made not only with the ubiquitous soju but lillet. Lillet's a wine, which pairs well with fruit juices and are a great way to start the evening.

We enjoyed the food so much at dinner, we came back for brunch a week later. We tried a different dosa and had the dahi vada again. Also tried a refreshing mango lassi.

Green

A couple months ago, the IPCC produced its report on global warming (see link at the bottom). Since then, global warming has dominated the headlines from Republican Bush announcing plans to reduce emissions in the State of the Union Address to Democrat Gore picking up an Oscar for An Inconvenient Truth (see link at the bottom of this e-mail). Cutting across political lines, 5 Western states signed an agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions quicker than the federal government has pledged.

Political posturing aside, and for all of you who simply want to make money, even Wall Street is getting in on the act. "Climatic Consequences" is a 120-page analyst report put out by Edward Kerschner at Citigroup that shows you where you should invest.

If Wall Street recognizing that money can be made is not proof enough, here's further proof that going green is going mainstream. The NY Times magazine just had a very long article by Thomas Friedmann (also at the bottom). Levi's is now marketing organic denim jeans. And of course, Ah-nold the Governator drives a bio-fueled Hummer.

But, the key question for you is likely to be "what can I do to make a difference?" To make a difference you should consider: how can I reduce my carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions?

By looking at your own behavior, you can reduce your carbon footprint (which is a measure of how much greenhouse gases you produce). In addition, by choices you make on what you consume and purchase, you can benefit companies that have a lower carbon footprint (or potentially encourage other companies to have a lower carbon footprint). There are things I do every day which achieve that:
Drive less: walk, bike, take mass transit, and when I drive, I keep my tires inflated
Recycle more
Avoid products with a lot of packaging
Adjust my thermostat down 2 degrees in winter and up 2 degrees in summer
Use less hot water by using cold/warm water when washing clothes and only running fully-loaded dishwashers
Buy locally grown & produced (ideally with sustainable farming methods), fresh (not frozen), organic foods (like those found at a farmer's market)
Turn off electronic devices when not using them
I've started looking at changing all my lightbulbs to CFL's
Other things I could be doing more of:
Carpool or join a car-share program
Install a low-flow shower head
When purchasing a new appliance, get one of these
Plant a tree
Unfortunately, San Francisco's PG&E does not allow me to switch to clean, renewable sources of energy
To get to completely zero impact, you would have to become carbon neutral, which means that you've reduced your global warming pollution to zero. All of the above will help you reduce your carbon footprint. No matter what you do, though, you will never get to zero (you still have to stay warm in the winter, you have to get to work, you don't always have the opportunity to recycle, you have to fly to places, you have a fuel-UNefficient car, etc.).

You can calculate your carbon footprint and purchase offsets at many different place, such as http://www.nativeenergy.com/. How does purchasing an offset work? If you produce 8 tons of emissions and you purchase 8 tons of reductions, you are at a net zero (or carbon neutral). Purchasing an offset means you are helping to finance and build new clean and renewable energy projects. These new projects are aimed to displace electricity generated from fossil fuels or reduce other greenhouse gas emissions making up for the CO 2 emissions you can't avoid.

A month-and-a-half ago, I looked at what I could do better, calculated my carbon footprint, and purchased the appropriate offsets. I also thought that I would post this to show that the actions you take don't have to be that drastic and you are probably incorporating them in your every day life already.

To find out more about global warming:http://www.ipcc.ch/
http://climatecrisis.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming
http://economist.com/research/articlesBySubject/display.cfm?id=7933604
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/15/magazine/15green.t.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin

Brick!

I'd heard about brick as the owners of solstice and fly (no website) decided to venture off Divis and move into the Tenderloin with a bigger place. Similar to fly and solstice, brick has its focus on both drinks and food.

While I'd heard about it, it was only recently that I'd been able to try it out. Upon walking in, you are greeted by a big rectangular bar in the middle of the restaurant. It's well worth sitting at the bar and trying one of their concoctions. They are potent and well crafted. In addition, they have a well-selected wine menu.

Their food is well prepared. We tried the calamari dish, which was grilled and had a spicy drizzle over it. We also had the hamachi sashimi. That's all I can recommend, though. The food is set up on the menu in traditional appetizer / entree style, but the concept of the place is to share. So it's sort of small/big plates? The appetizers work better in this setup, as I was not very impressed with the main dishes.

Andalu!

I've been to Andalu a few times now and it's a strange place. They get busy at times, or so they say, but whenever I've been there it's not been too crowded.

Upon arriving recently, I was told that there were no tables available. Looking around and counting 7 tables free, we shrugged and headed to the bar. We kept an eye on the tables and while a few did fill up, most stayed empty. Serendiptiously, though, sitting up at the bar gave us the chance to have the cheese fondue on the house and taste one of their desserts.

Another time, we showed up and it was half full, but the waitress told us it had been packed right before we showed up. We had the corner table with the windows which provided a full view of a girl suffering a meltdown due to (competing story assumptioins): having broken up with someone, it being her birthday, or her just being dramatic.

Anyway, Andalu's the typical tapas/small plates deal. Lots of great choices here: cheese foundue with apples and pears, various salads, duck dumplings with a dipping sauce, carpaccio, grilled shrimp, and a host of other options. While some dishes fall a little short, overall, the dishes are all prepared very well.

However, the standout dish is the Ahi Tartar Tacos with a mango salsa. Make sure to order these for your table. Great wine list and other mixed drinks. The desserts are excellent - everything from churros to donuts.

Viva la Revolution!

The Revolution Cafe is a perfect place to go on a lazy Saturday or Sunday morning. They'll have some eclectic music playing (when we went, it was folk). Tables strewn outside, with large doors that open up to allow breezes to come in from outside. Besides the eclectic music, there's an eclecit clientele, so also a good spot to people watch. Have a bowl of latte or mocha, and sit back. As for the food, well, it's okay if you go for the sweet stuff (chocolate chip pancakes with banana, for example), but the eggs were flavorless.

At night, a good place to stop for a wine or a beer.

Medjool

On a nice night in SF, this place is one of the best to head to. With a large outdoor deck, you can kick back with a drink or two (good mojitos and an extensive beer & wine list). Plus, they fire up the grill, so you can have a variety of grilled meats and veggie options.

Later, as it cools down, head to the mezzanine level where you can have a view over an expansive restaurant.

Green Bar

I've been to Elixir a few times because I like the friendly atmosphere and the drinks are very good.

The other day, I noticed that thimmakka.org had it listed as one of its green-certified bars. And then I found out that the city has green certified it, the first bar to have been certified as such.

They produce organic drinks, make sure to recycle, and have taken all the right steps.

Mediterranean

There's a couple great Mediterranean places throughout the city.

Depending on your mood, these are two great bets.

If you want something quick and easy, head over to the Mission to check out Truly Mediterranean (no website - 3109 16th Street @ Valencia). They have shwarma, falafel, and um, that's about it. It's tiny with only a few stools lined up facing a mirror. Absolutely worth it, and very well-priced.

For another option that's more of a sit-down place, head over to Fillmore or Noe for
La Mediterranee (they also have an outpost in Berkley). I really like the plate of fillo dough specialties. One is with feta and spinach, one is with cheese, one with lamb, and finally one with chicken (that could almost be a dessert). Their hummus, baba ghanoush, tableh, and others are great with some pita bread. They have a rotating menu of specials. All the food is very well-priced, as are the wines that help round out the meal.

Tapas!

I love coming to Ramblas and sip some of their (a bit too sweet, but strong) sangria and then decide what I'm in the mood for that particular day. It's by no means the best tapas place in the city, but it's loud and friendly and a good start to your evening.

If you want cold, they range from olives, a plate of cheeses, different jamons, Spanish tortilla, and other choices. As for hot, they have sausages, potatoes, mushrooms, calamari, and a host of other choices. I've not had their paella, but noticed it's on the menu.

Truckee

Here's a few places to check out next time you're up in North Tahoe. Most of these places are located along Donner Pass Road a/k/a Commercial Row.

Breakfast: Swing by Squeeze In for one of their amazing omelets.

Lunch: you'll have lunch on whichever mountain you're skiing.

Dinner: I don't know the real name of this place, but it has a big sign above it that simply says "Mexican Restaurant" (no website as far a I can find). This place is not on Commercial Rowe, but located next to Porter's and has excellent Mexican dishes plus a salsa bar.

Live music: Moody's is the place to go to check out live music, especially jazz.

Drinks: Tourist Club (no website) is a good place to hang out with locals and skiers/snowboarders. Friday night is karaoke night (you've been warned).

More drinks: Bar of America (no website) is a bigger spot that occasionally has live music. Go to jambase to find out who's playing.

Mom & Pop

There's a little restaurant in Hayes Valley that you've never heard of, but should check out. You haven't heard of it, because it's just one block off the beaten path and it's attached to the Day's Inn. You should check it out because this husband/wife team craft exceptional food and work together to create a wonderful ambiance.

When you arrive, you first come in downstairs where the small bar is. Tracey will greet you and take you upstairs to your table. There could not be more than 6 tables upstairs.

We arrived and ordered our meal. The waitress/wife/owner could not have been more helpful. Her suggestions on what we should have, and that we even might be ordering too much, were spot on. The food was all excellent as cooked by John, the chef/husband/owner - the wonderful lobster bisque (with 2 huge lobster pieces in it!), the 2 different salads, the lamb chops, and the filet Oscar. For dessert, we had a rice pudding that was a perfect light/sweet/creamy balance.

The waittres also went out of her way to make sure we would get to the symphony on time, which was an excellent extra touch of service.

Bahama Mama

I haven't posted in a while as I've been up to Tahoe (post about Truckee coming soon) and the last week of January and first few days of February I was in the Bahamas.

I'd highly recommend staying on Paradise Island. If you're more into the Vegas-type atmosphere or have kids, stay at Atlantis.

For a romantic, couples-only atmosphere, I'd stay at the One & Only Ocean Club.

Even if not staying at either place, they are worth visits. We particularly liked hanging out at Bimini Rooad (Atlantis) and Dune (Ocean Club).

Stick to local specialties (conch fritters, cracked conch, and other types of seafood) and wash it down with your choice of Kalik (the local beer), Goombay Smash, or a Bahama Mama.

Salsa and Meatballs

If you continue up Mission, when you cross Cezar Chavez you enter the Bernal Heights area. There, you will find a restaurant specializing in "urban Italian 4-star ghetto dining" called Emmy's Spaghetti Shack (no website). It is a small, intimate setting with a DJ spinning records from the 70's and 80's. Think comfort food like bbq ribs, risotto, spaghetti with meatballs, and the best brussels sprouts you've ever had. There's no reservations, so you'll have to wait. What you should do is head towards the restrooms and then go through the unmarked door which takes you into the local Latino dive bar next door. Play a game of pool, have a corona, and listen to some reggaeton. After that little appetizer of Latino music and after you've had your fill, walk down Mission a few blocks for a stroll into what-could-be-another-country: Roccapulco. With a live 10-piece band churning out salsa, meringue, mambo, and everything in between, you'll be dancing all night long even if (like me) you have no idea what the right steps are. When you get tired, kick back in the many booths and tables arrayed around and watch the floor show of people dancing.

Boogaloo

If you wake up hung over, head on over to 22nd and Valencia in the Mission for some greasy breakfast at Boogaloos, where watching the hipster assortment of freaks and free spirits is half the fun. Diagonally across the street is an amazing old school, NY-style deli called Lucca, which has fresh homemade ravioli, lasagna, and pesto; imported parma ham and other prosciutto; and other delicacies. Finally, back across the street again is a very cool t-shirt shop called Fabric8, which features local artists.

Coachella 2007

Damn, that's a tasty lineup.

Before or after the Indpendent

Heading down Haight and then taking a right on Divisadero takes you to the slowly-but-surely gentrifying part of the Western Addition now dubbed NoPa (North of Panhandle). This designation was further cemented with the opening of the same-named restaurant. Anchoring this stretch of Divis is The Independent, a great place to see a show. On Friday the Onion had their Celebration of Broken Resolutions with many local bands performing, including The Lovemakers, Chow Nasty, and Persephone's Bees. A couple blocks further north is Fly Bar (no website) where you can have unfiltered sakes, sake & soju cocktails and a healthy assortment of beers either before or after the show. If you go before, have one of their salads or pizzas.

beer & sausage

The Lower Haight is not the hippie-touristy section of the Haight, but rather has a more hipster vibe - sort of a mini-Mission. Toronado is a great place to grab a beer. Their selection is legendary and ever-changing. Rosamunde (no website) is located right next door. All they do is sausages (except on Tuesday afternoons when they serve up burgers). You can eat the sausage at the limited seating, take it to go, or take it next door to Toronado. Beer & sausage? Doesn't get much better than that.

Best films of the year

[Update - Oscar nominations announced http://www.oscars.org/79academyawards/noms.html]

Little Miss Sunshine is my favorite movie of 2006.
Just your typical black comedy about a dysfunctional family that goes on a roadtrip to enter their child in a beauty pageant. Death, Nitzsche, drugs, failed suicide attempts, and motivational speakers were never this darkly funny

Half Nelson
Ryan Gosling shines in this look at a drug addict who is a teacher at an inner city school

The Departed
While I still prefer the original Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs on which Scorcese based this movie, this was quite possibly the best movie of 2006

United 93
Moving and extremely well done, which points out the breakdowns in communication on 9/11 and serves as an homage to the passengers on this airplane (the only one of the 4 hijacked planes not to reach its target)

Borat
Wa wa wee wa! I like this cinemafilm very much. If you were Youtubing every scene before seeing the movie, it may not have lived up to expectations. This was a movie you needed to see early in a packed theater.

Babel
Intricate layered film that looks at how connected the world now is, while questioning the larger war on terror

Children of Men
Bleak vision of the future which actually takes a hard look at the current governments in power and terrorism

Pan's Labyrinth
A fairy tale for adults that intersperses a disturbing story about World War II with a darkly fantastic tale of a princess, a faun, fairies, and a monster.

Volver
I'm a big fan of Almadovar's movies and this was my favorite foreign film of the year. Penelope Cruz shines in this movie (as she always does in Spanish-language films).

An Inconvenient Truth
Best documentary of the year that is a must-see to understand global warming

Thank You for Smoking
Darkly funny and very politically incorrect

V for Vendetta
The movie I most anticipated in the early part of 2006 was a topical, intelligent take on the comic adaptation

Brick
Film noir (nods to Maltese Falcon) in a modern high school setting

Hard Candy
A disturbing, psychological thriller that heralds the emergence of Ellen Page

Sausalito Overview

A lot of people head over to Sausalito, not exactly sure of where they should go. They take the ferry or drive over the bridge and head to the main street downtown. There's a lot more to it than bad food and overpriced tsotchkes.

I'm not completely against the main portion of Bridgeway in Sausalito, though I do think that it's very touristy and that there could be more emphasis on real local touches as opposed to overpriced bad food and bad art in stores. Some of my favorite stops include

*The hole in the wall that does not have a name but simply serves hamburgers - these are some of the best hamburgers I've had (fresh high quality beef fired up on a grill). Always a long line. Eat them on a nice day in front of the fountain.

*Lappert's Ice Cream - it's not really local, but it's damn good. Lappert's is from Kauai, but they opened up a factory in Richmond (across the Bay) and so the ice cream is very fresh. Grab a cone and pretend you're a tourist.

*The candy store - I don't know the name, but I like the candy store. They have bins set up - old school style - where you can pick and choose which candy you want. They don't really mind you sampling a piece here and there. They have very good salt-water taffy.

*The Philipino guy balancing rocks - I always stop by to watch the Philipino guy balance rocks along the water. He's pretty cool.

Caledonia Street - most tourists stay on Bridgeway and along the water. Locals and SFers-in-the-know head one street back. If you're not in the mood for sushi, there's a great Italian place with live music, a tasty Thai restaurant, and an Indian restaurant as well. In addition, there's a movie theater that usually shows independent movies plus shops and art galleries. An organic-focused health and grocery store is located here too.

Sushi Ran - one of the best sushi restaurants in the entire Bay Area, and located on Caledonia. The restaurant side has a (slightly) longer menu, but you need reservatons. The more boisterous, relaxed cafe side does not need reservations. Besides the fresj sashimi and sushi, they have excellent, inventive cooked dishes.

Caffe Trieste - while I prefer the Caffe Trieste in North Beach (the original), this Caffe Trieste is really friendly and laid back. They have jazz some nights and it's a spot where locals, tourists, and bikers converge. Years ago, it changed hands and became an Italian restaurant. When it became a Caffe Trieste again, they kept the wood-burning oven so their pizzas are pretty good.

Bike trail to Tiburon & Mike's Bikes - Mike's Bikes is a great place to buy a bike and you can also rent them here. It's a good place to start the trail, which will wend its way through wetlands, cross over the 101 and then through Blackie's Pasture and end up in Tiburon. If you feel agressive, continue it all the way along Paradise Road and back. Otherwise, turn around and come back same way you came - end up at Caffe Trieste for a snack or a drink.

Fish - see my post yesterday.

Hiking trail at the top of Donahue Street - This hiking trail (and popular dog walking spot) runs along the top of a hill in the Marin Headlands. You have spectacular views over the water towards Tiburon. To get there: take the 101 and take the latter exit into Sausalito, continue past Marin City (home of Tupac!) and the shopping center, up to the top of Donahue Street.

Drive through the Marin Headlands to Rodeo Beach - This is probably one of the most beautiful drives in the world. You're on 101 and heading back to SF. Before you cross the GG Bridge, take a right for some amazing views through the GG Bridge back across to San Francisco. There's pullouts along the way. Continue on to Hawk Hill (look over at the birds flying south gathering up the courage to cross the SF Bay) and then plunge down a one-way road that hugs the side of the headlands. You can continue on to Point Bonita Lighthouse or turn inland a bit, along a lagoon and over to a black sandy beach to either surf (or watch the surfers surf). Climb up the hill for beautiful sunsets.

Fish.

Last night I was in Sausalito and went to my favorite restaurant. No, it's not overlooking the Bay (like Scoma's or Horizon's). It's not one of the best sushi restaurants in the Bay Area (Sushi Ran). It's tucked down a street that dead-ends in a parking lot, past the Mollie Stone's (directions on a cocktail napkin to the right).

This restaurant is very simple: think redwood picnic tables and drinks served in mason jars. They take cash only. Even the name is simple and to the point: Fish.

The seafood they serve though is a combination of comfort food (fish & chips, tuna melt) to haute cuisine (freshest fish prepared in inventive ways). They are very interested in sustainable farming, organic materials, overfishing issues, and focus on wild fish as opposed to farmed fish. The ingredients are always the freshest as possible and their specials are ever-changing.

Last night was typical. You order up at the counter, pay your cash and then find your own table. When it's a nice night or during the day, I prefer to sit outside on the patio overlooking the sailboats. On a cold night and when there's only 2 of you, grab one of the smaller round tables next to the fireplace. Don't forget to pick up your cutlery.

We started with one of their chowders (I prefer the red portugese). They had a few oysters and so we tried some of those (mix of small/flavorful and large/fresh-tasting). Simple adornments of lemon, vinegar, cocktail sauce, or tabasco are all that's needed.

Our main dish was a large crab prepared in a broth with noodles. They used lots of Asian ingredients (think ginger and lemongrass) to create a delectable spicy/sweet mixture. Putting on the crab bib, cracking crab legs and pulling out the tender meat is half the fun. Best to roll up your sleeves on this one.

They always have great sides too. This time we had a butternut squash which seemed to have been prepared with some type of butter/brown sugar/cinnamon for a real sweet vegetable.

To wash down all of this food, I usually go for one of the beers. The Newcastle Brown Ale is my personal favorite.

While they do have desserts, you may want to instead head into Sausalito itself and stop off at one of the ice cream shops and have a stroll around downtown, look at the Philipino guy placing rocks on top of each other, or watch the moon rise over San Francisco lit up in the distance, moonbeams cascading off the water in the Bay.

Laloop

Nai, a Thai woman I work with, recommended to me her favorite Thai restaurants in the city. Writing of Sai Jai Thai, she said, "My favorite in San Francisco. I usually get Pork Shoulder Salad but other things are also delicous."

Since then, I've been wanting to check out SAI JAI Thai Restaurant (no website - 771 Ofarrell St (at Hyde) / 415.673.5774). A month ago, I had a chance to go and today we had food from it delivered in for our company lunch.

I loved it. It was very authentic - everyone in the restaurant is Thai. It reminds me of going to a night market and just getting some food from the different vendors. The food was delicious. Although, they could turn down the lights some and the yellow/orange decor leaves something to be desired. You're there for the food, though.

Start with meng come (sometimes spelled mieng khum at other restaurants) which are laloop leaves topped with peanuts, coconut, onion, ginger, chili, and lime. You add a sweet tasting sauce to it and the different textures and flavors are a great introduction to Thai cuisine. The laloop leaves grow on the laloop tree, which is actually a bush, or a shrub. They don't grow in the city. There's a picture of the dish in the upper right hand corner of this post.

I've had several dishes now and every single one has been a great balance of sweet, salty, sour and spicy. Their chicken satay was typical. Tasty, good peanut sauce to accompany it. The penang curry was very delicious, while the green curry (which I usually don't get) was a mix of creamy, spicy, and had a freshness to it. I've now also had some of their chicken and tofu dishes, which also highlighted the important balancing act.

Their pad thai and other noodle dishes I've had there were very good. Sometimes you get the noodles that seem to have been sitting around (sticking together), but these felt and tasted freshlymade and had the requisite chopped peanuts, lime, beansprouts and other tidbits arrayed over it.

I highly recommend going. Make sure you get the laloop leaves!

Kiss Seafood

Kiss is tiny. Think of the smallest restaurant you have been in. Now halve it. That's the size of it. When we went, we arrived and there were 2 tables pushed together for 4 Japanese businessmen and the remaining table was taken up by a couple. There was one couple at the counter. When we sat down, the place was full.

We went for the tasting menus (or the omakase). You essentially put yourself in the chef's hands. Because of that, I highly recommend sitting at the counter, so that you can see him at work and ask him questions about what you are about to eat. He's also very interesting to talk to - we spoke about his youth in Sapporo, his love of skiing, and just helped continue the feel that you are in someone's kitchen.

Be prepared to be there for a while as the omakase are 6-course tasting menu. You never will quite know exactly what you will receive, but it will be some form of the following.

A little salad to start with (probably consisting of some seaweed). Then we had a platter of various dishes, including eggplant and roe.

The fish is fresh, unique, and varied. We received a large assortment of sashimi: various types of tuna, hamachi, salmon, toro, mackerel, and other fish that we did not know existed.

There was a tempura-battered creation at one point. Later there was a custard soup type of dish. We had sushi as well - again, a wide assortment of fish.

In classic Japanese dining, dessert consisted of one single fruit.

You can enjoy a variety of Japanese beers here (we went for a Sapporo) and then you can go for the sake. They have sweet to dry and they are poured in rather large sake glasses.

By the way, the symbol they use is one of a fish and joy, which together are pronounced Ki-Su. However, they chose to go with "Kiss." And, if you go on a date here, you will certainly receive one.

Superstar!

Burma Superstar is located on Clement Street near 3rd Street amongst lots of Chinese, Thai, Indonesian, Vietnames and other East Asian restaurants. What makes Burma Superstar stand out, though, is the interesting Burmese cuisine it produces with such high quality on a night-in, night-out basis.

There is a no-reservation policy, and people are willing to wait in line for a coveted table for hours. The smells emanating from inside only help stoke your hunger more. Keep that in mind: if you're starving head down the road a bit for a pint at the Plough and Stars so that your stomach does not drive you crazy.

So, what is Burmese food? Keep in mind that Burma touches China and Laos and is located in between Thailand and India, so you see influences of both South Asia and South East Asia. You'll see samusa on the menu next to egg rolls, for example.

You'll be smelling the amazing flavors and looking over at what your neighbors are having, and be tempted to try everything on the menu. A good way to approach it is to have an appetizer (the aformentioned samusas for example) followed by one of their salads.

The salads are amazing! Almost sublime. Try a salad made with tea leaves. Or one with pickled gingers. All of them have a tremendous amount of ingredients, but the Rainbow Salad -weighing in at 22 ingredients- is the heavyweight. Four types of noodles, green papaya, tofu, onions, dried shrimp, and a tamarind dressing.

Moving up to the main dishes, I highly recommend the Burmese Chicken Casserole with Cardamon Cinnamon Rice. It's actually not just chicken, there's shrimp in it as well. Plus a smattering of raisins and nuts. The flavors infuse each other and it hits the spicy/sweet mix just right.

The restaurant really warrants multiple visits as the menu is so extensive. What do you drink with this? They have a lemon/ginger infused beer which goes really well with the food. They also have an assortment of other beers and wines.

Dine about town 2007

Don't forget it's Dine About Town 2007 in January. That means three course prix fixe meals priced at $32 (dinner) and $22 (lunch). There is a very big list of great restaurants (bacar, Rubicon, Campton Place, Absinthe, to name a few) which you can find at both the official site and at OpenTable.

Happy New Year

I've been a slacker. I've been out of town so there's not been too many posts. I put up a few this week - mainly about music.

However, to make up for the lack of posting, the first week in 2007 I'll review 3 Asian restaurants located in the Inner Richmond (Burma Superstar), the Tenderloin (Sai Jai Thai), and Japantown (Kiss Seafood).

My favorite albums of 2006

My favorite album of 2006 was Silversun Pickups - Carnavas which features post-grunge fuzzed out brilliance channeling Billy Corgan. Here's an acoustic version of Lazy Eye.

Other albums that I liked, in fairly random order:
Cold War Kids - Robbers & Cowards
Raw, soul-flecked rock that reminds you that this rock-and-roll thing used to be FUN.

Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
Jumping from hip-hop to pop to soul to rock, Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse don't fit into any one genre and produce a dark album of introspective songs.

Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am That’s What I’m Not
Punk rockers from Sheffield - drunken pub nights followed by coffee-and-cigarette-fueled mornings.

Jenny Lewis - Rabbit Fur Coat and Cat Power - The Greatest
These two albums released within a week of each other are pure unabashed soul and Americana. Chan Marshall (a/k/a Cat Power) has probably the wider range, but who can resist Jenny Lewis (late of Rilo Kiley) and her backup bluegrass band The Watson Twins?

The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
Having sung about pirates, the Civil War and basing albums on Irish poems, why not come out with an album based on a Japanese story? Theatrical and lyrical, Colin Meloy puts out an amazing major-label debut.

The Flaming Lips - At War With the Mystics
Slamming Dubya at every turn, this album is a reaction to the War in Iraq and Dubya's presidency. At times ethereal, catchy, and dreamlike, the Flaming Lips (more than 20 years on) are still as relevant today as they have ever been.

Mogwai - Mr. Beast
Scotland's Mogwai eschewed its usual electronics for a more stripped down sound. They still have extremely hard sounding rock songs on here but are able to feature their slower side too.

We are Scientists - With Love and Squalor
Looking like math geeks, sounding like rock gods, this post-punk trio puts out danceable tracks in the same sense of Bloc Party and Franz Ferdinand.

Band of Horses - Everything All The Time
This year was all about bands with animals (think Wolf Parade, Wolfmother, Arctic Monkeys, to name a few). So, Band of Horses are an appropriate band to feature in a best-of-2006 overview. Melodies evoking Neil Young over raw rockness.

By the way, my favorite album for 2005 was Bloc Party – Silent Alarm.

Others included:
Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock and Roll
Beck – Guero
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Jose Gonzales – Veneer
Kaiser Chiefs – Employment
Kanye West – Late Registration
Of Montreal – The Sunlandic Twins
Ok Go – Oh No
Wolf Parade – Apologies to the Queen Mary

Shake your

bootie

http://www.bootieusa.com/bestofbootie2006/

If you like the mashups, this is a great compilation.

Merry Christmas!

Samberg & JT - Christmas wishes

http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/#mea=51414

Samberg & Parnell - Lazy Sunday

http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/#mea=2921

Samberg & Natalie Portman

http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/#mea=2922

Extremely Loud Night

My ears are still ringing from Jack White's blistering guitar and vocals work in fronting The Raconteurs.

Last night, Live105 put on its annual holiday concert, appropriately titled Not-So-Silent Night. The usually eclectic lineup of indie bands and alternative bands was again in evidence last night. In reverse order of my favorite performances:

The Shins proved very underwhelming in concert. Perhaps this is not the right venue for them, as this soft, atmospheric indie pop band may be better suited for more intimate settings. And, if you have only a 30-minute set, how do you not play your biggest hit (New Slang off the Garden State soundtrack)? Disappointed.

Modest Mouse has been making indie rock since 1993. However, their sound was not fully embraced by people (when "alternative" led by grunge masters Nirvana took over the public conscience and "indie" stayed underground). In 2004, though, with their second major-label album, they broke through to the masses with songs like Float On and Ocean Breathes Salty (both played last night). Their modest sound and laid-back attitude on stage paled in comparison to the top 3 bands of the night.

The Killers put on a glitzy finale befitting their Las Vegas roots. They knew what people wanted, balanced it with new offerings from their latest album and benefitted from being able to play for a full hour. Post-punk with keyboards to recall the 80's, they blasted through the songs everyone wanted - everyone singing along to Hot Fuss favorites like Somebody Told Me, Jenny Was a Friend of Mine, and Mr. Brightside. At one poin, in All These Things That I've Done, Brandon Flowers - in true showman form - got up on top of his piano turned the microphone around and allowed the audience to sing the chorus. Great show.

Silversun Pickups - a band I've written about previously - give you the fuzzed out bliss of songs that Billy Corgan could have written. Sounding like a mix of Pixies-meets-Smashing Pumpkins-by-way-of-My Bloody Valentine (or maybe I should just say post-grunge?), Brian Aubert puts his falsetto voice over pounding drums and distorted guitars. A tight, 30 minute performance that proclaimed they are every bit as good as their hype.

Jack White, the showman, the performer, was in full effect last night. While in The White Stripes, he shares the stage with only one other person, in the Raconteurs he is one of five (they have a touring keyboardist) and actually only one of two guitarists. He often doesn't sing lead and he only had one of the guitar solos. Yet, he was the star of the night. He commands such a presence on stage, and was able to guide the band from a near-country ballad to pop favorite Steady As She Goes to feedback-drenched rawk. They stole the show and were the best performance of the night.

Wonder who they'll line up next year...

Tagine!

When I traveled around Morocco, I would eat tagine whenever I got a chance. Tagine is both the type of pot it's cooked in and the meal itself. There's a picture here of what a tagine looks like. What is the food? It's usually a mixture of lamb, prunes or dates, almonds or some other nuts, chick peas, and couscous: a real spicy/sweet mix.

You don't have to travel all the way to Morocco to enjoy a good tagine, though. In fact, there's a great French-Moroccan restaurant called Baraka in Potrero Hill. Perched on the corner of 18th and Connecticut, it has a cozy, intimate feel to it.

Their menu is an interesting mix of typical French bistro offerings (foie gras, steamed mussels), Moroccan specialties (stuffed dates, tagine), and offerings from all over (prawns ceviche, dungeness crab cakes).

When we went, we had the prawns ceviche (presented on a plate - we were expecting to receive more than we got, but they were excellent) and the stuffed dates (stuffed with chorizo, cabrales, and jamon serrano). We had originally chosen a glass of wine each (she chose a rose, I chose a pinot noir), but the manager/sommelier came over and suggested that the rose we were going to get would not be as good as another rose. He preferred us to try the other rose and, if we did not like it, he would happily spend the rest of the night drinking the bottle himself.

He was right, the wine was excellent - from Provence, by a winemaker called Dott. Look for it when you are dining at Baraka. The great thing about rose is that it does not overpower the food you are eating and it accompanies things like Asian food and turkey exceptionally well. Pairing it up with a tagine works out well as well.

The tagine: the lamb was succulent, the prunes were bursting with sweet flavor, the almonds gave an interesting textural balance. Just an excellent all-around dish. With the ambience, nearly the whole bottle gone, and the wonderful food, this restaurant is an excellent date place. After, when you are walking back to your car, make sure that if it's a clear night like it was when we were there, to look back across to San Francisco's skyline with its lights twinkling.

Hill of Goat

I had dinner on Monday night in Potrero Hill. So, this week I thought I'd focus on this part of town. In particular, I like the corner of 18th and Connecticut with its assortment of restaurants, cafes and bars: Chez Papa, Chez Maman, Baraka, Aperto, Goat Hill Pizza, Lingba, Eliza's, Farley's to name a few.

The pizza at Goat Hill is some of the best in the city. It's a great place to go with a bunch of friends and have a lazy lunch of pizza and a pitcher.

Their crust is pretty unique - it's not the thick deep dish Chicago style, nor is it the thinner NYC style. It's a medium crust, and what makes it unique is that it is made from sourdough. They've been around since 1975, so they definitely know what they're doing and people still keep coming back.

The sauce is homemade as well and the toppings range from the traditional to the gourmet (think everything from pepperoni and sausage to sun-dried tomatoes and feta). Of course, you can come by here at night as well - it's usually pretty boisterous, fun atmosphere especially on the "all-you-can-eat" Mondays.

After Work Downtown

You are spoiled for choice when it comes to drinking options in the Financial District. I'll highlight four spots that might fit your mood.

Opened last year, Americano at the Hotel Vitale (one of the Joie de Vivre hotels) quickly became the trendy spot for financial types and the Gap-ettes who love them. It's a pretty strong singles scene and fits in a bit more in New York than laid-back San Francisco. Good mixed drinks, impossibly long lines, lots of wine choices, and surprisingly good food. During the nicer months the outside patio with its picnic tables is the place to hang out for a higher-priced afterwork drink.

Across the street in the Ferry Building, there are two great spots. First, MarketBar also features an outdoor patio (one side drinks only, the other side dinner only) and a great bar whose bartenders really know their stuff. They will sometimes whip up their own concoctions for you to try. They have an ever-changing wine-by-the-glass list. Food is excellent. Not as expensive as Americano, but still fairly hefty.

The other place I recommend in the Ferry Building is inside - it's the Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant. It's a wine shop with very knowledgeable people who work there, so you can simply buy some wine and leave. They allow you to bring in any food you wish, although they also have some basic snacks on offer. What I like doing is going to Cowgirl Creamery in the Ferry Building, purchasing some cheese, and then heading over to see what wines-by-the-glass are on offer that night. Every couple weeks or so, they feature a wine flight by a particular vineyard with the winemaker there to talk about their particular offerings. This place is reasonably priced.

Finally, if you're simply looking to grab a pitcher, catch the game, and snack on some mini tacos or hot dogs, then Beale Street Bar & Grill (no website - 133 Beale Street) is your spot. They have great deals during happy hour. They always have the games on (this was definitely World Cup HQ this past summer). And the people who work there are very friendly. So are the prices.