Snap! Michael Bauer and a whole bunch of SF Gate commenters are just about ready to throw down with Wall Street Journal writer Raymond Sokolov, after he described our great City By The Bay as “a big white blank” on the culinary map of Northern California.
In his Saturday Dining Out column, Sokolov slams the city in favor of the East Bay, where this brilliant new restaurant called Chez Panisse, run by revolutionary young chef Alice Waters, has introduced a whole generation to local, seasonal produce.
Meanwhile, San Francisco, also known as Hick Town USA, struggles to get more than two ingredients onto a plate without making the, um, “masticating classes” (Sokolov’s words, not ours) barf.
Fortunately, Bauer and his readers have rushed to our city’s defense, especially a commenter named JHV, who is so incensed he’s gotten his metaphors in a bunch: “I say pay no attention to the man behind the curtain, because he’s wearing no clothes.”
Shoot, people like that are why people like Sokolov think we’re all ignorant yokels with palates of clay. Better to just quietly enjoy dining at high-quality, mid-priced restaurants like SPQR, Range and Bar Tartine, and let the Sokolovs of the world book up the Fisherman’s Wharf tours and tables at Boulevard .
Bay Watch [WSJ]
Is San Francisco a “big white blank”? [Between Meals]
SPQR [MenuPages]
SPQR [Official Site]
Range [MenuPages]
Range [Official Site]
Bar Tartine [MenuPages]
Bar Tartine [Official Site]
Boulevard [MenuPages]
Boulevard [Official Site]
