Rivalries

WTF, CHOW?: ‘S.F. Has a Lot to Learn from L.A.’

As they wrap up the L.A. leg of their Innovation Tour, the CHOW gals have some interesting, and completely traitorous thoughts to share with regard to the S.F. vs. L.A. food rivalry. They had great meals at Chego! and The Langham (calling Voltaggio “the most innovative chef in L.A.”), but they say overall L.A. has terrible service compared to up here, probably because of the whole actor thing. They go on to say, however, that L.A. is “more fun,” and they quote Animal chef Vinny Dotolo calling it “a city of happy excess.” And this is where they really cross the line.

And we quote:


“In SF, maybe it’s the perma-fog or the proximity to sanctimonious Alice Waters, but people—chefs and diners—are just so damned earnest… Would the Zen-like Daniel Patterson, of SF’s Coi, ever serve something as campy as a miniature flowerpot full of tiny radishes and coffee-cardamom ‘soil’? And the SF population would probably boycott a restaurant with as much glittery flash as José Andrés’s Bazaar before they even gave it a chance. LA to SF: Loosen up.”

Whatever, CHOW. We’d be tempted to say you’re dead to us, but we’ll wait to see whether you throw us under the bus after six days in New York.

San Francisco Has a Lot to Learn from Los Angeles [CHOW]
Earlier: What CHOW Talks About When It Talks About Innovation [Grub Street]

WTF, CHOW?: ‘S.F. Has a Lot to Learn from L.A.’