My first blog is about, quite naturally, dining out in San Francisco. Eating, usually with good friends, is one of my great passions and also the single biggest line item in my monthly accounting spreadsheet. Ever watch Tampopo or Babette's Feast? They illustrate beautifully the power of food, the complex social, cultural, and even spiritual nuances of cooking, eating, sharing food.
Friends and coworkers are always asking for restaurant recommendations. I usually respond with a series of questions: what cuisine do you like? what sort of ambience are you looking for? how much are you willing to spend? I'm certainly no Michael Bauer or Ruth Reichl, but I suppose I've eaten at enough restaurants to at least help them choose a short list to consider, or what restaurants to steer away from. It's a compulsion - a sickness really. I can't help but rave about a restaurant, to cheer it on so they stay in business. But a good critic is judged, perhaps, by what restaurants he doesn't like - and I try to maintain a cold critical stance on those restaurants that fall short of the $150 or even the $5 you pay to nourish your body and your soul.
Happy eating.
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