Someone been takin' bitter pills: Guest-whining at Eater SF, Citysearch editor Patrick Heig gets his 2(x)ists in a twist over what he suggests is the city's bogus street-food fad. In Heig's cosmology there's authentic street food (like Manhattan's falafel carts) and pathetic, lemonade-stand street food. If we're so desperate for street food that we're willing to bestow that title on a guy selling cookies in Dolores Park, c'mon, let's not embarrass ourselves here. It's a fucking snickerdoodle. Calm down. Whatever, dude -- give it time.
Grease junky: Mid-20th century America may have been the Age of Parkay, but there's been an epochal shift: Welcome to the Age of Lard. Food writer Regina Schrambling tells the nation what S.F. already knows: Lard's negative connotations of flowing flesh and vats of grease and epithets like lardass and tub of lard have been absurd hurdles. But no longer. Embrace the grease at Salon.
Shake up one part sweet vermouth (preferably Carpano) to three parts scotch with a dash of Angostura bitters and plenty of ice, strain into a chilled cocktail glass and imbibe. The vermouth tempers the smokiness of the scotch without submerging it altogether, and the bitters add a pleasant hint of invigorating snark. Despite the gentling sweetness of the Carpano, the Rob Roy is a strong, robust cocktail worthy of its swashbuckling namesake, so don't screw it up with a maraschino cherry.
Our tips for the choicest spots to check out? The New American splendors of Spruce (3640 Sacramento at Spruce), which is making its Dine About Town debut; Jamie Lauren's French-Cali cuisine at Absinthe Brasserie and Bar (398 Hayes at Gough); neo-fish-house classics at Anchor & Hope (83 Minna at Second St.); and modern Indian at Dosa on Fillmore (1700 Fillmore at Post). Check out the full list of participating restaurants and make reservations at Open Table. Skim Absinthe's sample lunch menu after the jump.
-Breakfast po'boy with scrambled eggs, cheese, scallions, bacon, and tomato ($7)
-Butterscotch biscuit bites with Maldon sea salt and cinnamon ($4 for 10 pieces)
-Stone-ground grits ($3); with cheese ($3.50) or sausage ($4)
Maybe y'all should stick to a salad and iced tea for din-din tonight -- just so you wake up with plenty of room to pack it all into.
Last month's first installment featured Elanor Starmer, research analyst for the food program at Food and Water Watch, who sought to demystify the USDA -- explaining what they actually do -- and dissect the Obama admin's policy approach. The second session is scheduled for Tuesday, June 23. Called What to Eat: A Revolutionary Act, the speaker is Jessica Prentice, a partner in the subscription prepared-foods biz Three Stone Hearth and the woman who reportedly coined locavore, which the New Oxford American Dictionary deemed word of the year for 2007. There'll also be a teaser for Edible City, a feature-length documentary about the local food movement.
What to Eat: A Revolutionary Act At Linden Tree, in the offices of Sagan-Piechota Architecture, 315 Linden (at Gough), 6:30-8:30 p.m. $10 suggested donation. Space is limited -- RSVP to ktt@civileats.com or call 925-785-0713.
| Lollyphile's maple-bacon suckers. |
