I often get asked about new restaurants when people see me. With my increasingly busy schedule, I have less time to update the website, but there are always new places that I visit. After a little bit of house cleaning, I am realizing that I am still behind on a number of reviews, with over a hundred menus strewn around my desk in various piles - some from vacations and others from regular visits. The abundance of restaurants shows that despite the economical downturn, people still desire good food and variety. In recent weeks, the restaurants that I have frequented have been more than half full - revealing that there is always a market for good eats.
July 6, 2008
The style of serving dim sum in the San Francisco Bay Area has changed dramatically over the last two decades. As a kid, I remember those large stainless carts, about the size of a shopping cart, weaving through the aisles of restaurants as the waitstaff shouted out the dishes she was carting around. However, over time, the carts have reduced greatly, therefore maximizing the ratio of revenue to square footage of the facility as the aisles no longer need to accommodate the carts. Instead, now you have people carrying trays of steaming hot goodies, or items covered in plastic covers. Although it means more crowded restaurants in some cases, it usually means you won't get bumped by a steaming cart. This change has also translated into perhaps fresher food as the waitstaff now needs to make more frequent runs to the kitchen rather than maneuvering the same cart around the restaurant. The days of the cart haven't disappeared, but there are few carts for sure. And less challenges related to cart parking and bumper carts too.
February 18, 2008
I went and enjoyed some dim sum recently and saw a non-Asian couple come into the restaurant and sit down. There was nothing unusual about their arrival at first, but perhaps it's because I've been taking so many tests lately that I had exams on the brain. As they started looking at the dim sum menu, their face turned blank, their brows changed, and you could see the deer in the headlights expression come upon them. It's just how I feel each time I take an exam. Oh how I wanted to offer help, but you could see their tension lift as they picked up a cell phone and called a friend for help. The phone a friend option not only works for television games, but for dim sum menu assistance as well.
September 28, 2007
I was watching the Barefoot Contessa the other day and she was talking about how she made her husband a large shoebox of chocolate brownies when they first started dating. She called this gesture of giving away brownies the culinary equivalent of a low cut dress. I found this analogy terribly amusing :) and thought I would share it here in case you might be considering a romantic way to get someone's attention.
September 4, 2007
I've been reading articles about companies that have emotional requirements - for example, when you're at the Safeway checkout counter and the person thanks you for shopping by name with a smile. One article talked about two restaurant critic's view (don't try this at home - it's pretty rude and you don't want any retaliation, but it was interesting to read even though I don't agree with the approach). From Unterman & Sensor, 1984 - "Nothing can put a damper on a meal quicker than having a water bug you with "Hi, my name's Bruce" and continuing with "Is everything satisfactory?" about twenty times. When you see that sort of behavior going on at other tables, bring out a good put-down line. We've found one that works: as soon as the waiter walks up, stick out your hand and say in a cheerful a voice you can manage, "Hi, my name's Dave and I'm your customer tonight." That's guaranteed to stop them speechless. " I suppose that's one way of going about it...
July 1, 2007
Americans have had quite the influence on food. From fortune cookies that didn't exist in China to Greek salads that have lettuce, when they don't have lettuce in the authentic Greek salad in Greece, you can see how food changes once it travels. Food is customized to fit the palates of the customers in a specific region. Somehow, it's harder to find spicy Malaysian food in California while in Malaysia, it seems like everything is spicy. So think about what foods we know here that don't exist in the old country. You might be surprised to find out that it's an American creation.
March 5, 2007
Shocking service? Have I got a story for you. I recently went to a restaurant where it took about fifteen minutes for the server to come to the table, another half an hour for the salad we ordered to arrive, and another half an hour after that for the server to tell us they were out of one of the side dishes I ordered. If that's not enough to make you disturbed, we were served our BBQ ribs without the BBQ sauce. Now, is this the fault of the kitchen or the server? Well, some things you can forgive, but both have a hand in the situation. The business of running a kitchen is not an easy task. There is much to do including timing those 'to go' orders so you don't put them ahead of those placed by your customers sitting at tables. The unity plan - everyone has a job to do and the end goal is the same - make your customer delighted to have dined at your restaurant. Yet, some establishments still miss the point. Service - remember to treat your customer like royalty.
February 18, 2007
It was a bit of a late start this month due to some server problems, but trAde is back. This month, we feature some Chinese restaurants in honor of Chinese New Year's! This is the Year of the Pig. To share some Chinese tradition with you, the New Year's Day meals are traditionally comprised of vegetarian dishes. This avoids killing animals and so you won't have death involved on the first day of the new year. Today, the tradition for some has morphed into having a typical Chinese vegetarian dish served side by side with meat dishes. No matter what traditions you hold, if you are enjoying some eats, know that you are blessed. Happy New Year!
January 4, 2007
The number of new ethic restaurants in the North Bay seem to be growing at a faster pace than usual. As of late, more pupuserias have appeared along with more Vietnamese restaurants. It's a welcome change in Sonoma County and a great way for people to explore new cuisine. For the month of January, trAde will feature those ethic restaurants that are new to the Sonoma County scene.
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