I fear becoming that person who starts too many sentences with the phrase "Well, when I lived In New York..." as it throws off this air of both accompishment and failure. No matter how earnest whatever comes after, the antecedent sets up the premise the speaker assumes some sort of earned worldliness based on having lived in Manhattan, as I did for 14 years. However, we're talking restaurants here, and since I've lived in two of the best cities for dining out, I have to go there. I don't have a single favorite locale for dining.
For VIP treatment and feeling slightly chic, I love Pastis. They treat me like a princess, the food is stellar and this is an odd favorite dish to have at any eatery, but their green beans are what I want to eat when I'm in heaven, if it exists. I have also had the good fortune of dining at what is arguably the USA's finest restaurant, the French Laundry in Napa and the hype is well deserved. Best Crab and abilty to blur space and time while dining goes to Crustacean, (SF) and the best old school carnivore delight is easily House of Prime Rib (SF). It doesn't hurt HoPR they have a superfoxy bartender who mixes a kickass Manahttan, either.
But my life is not one of chic boites and evening gowns, so I would be remiss if I neglected to mention the sheer joy that is West Side Sushi (9th Ave at 49th St, NYC), The Olive Tree on MacDougal (NYC) which makes the best hummus in the world, and back to the west coast for El Farolito on 24th and Alabama in San Francisco, which has the ambiance of a Tiajuana truckstop and for 5 bucks makes a burrito the size of a baby's arm that is positively unparalleled for freshness and yum factor. I also find myself missing Cho Dan Gol, which makes their own Muk Gul Li and Kimchee and takes Korean food to a whole new level. (NYC, 36th between 5th and 6th).
Detroit is the land of the Coney, and while there are several beautiful places to eat here, I have only found two that really grabbed my attention, in dowtown Royal Oak. A Belgian place, and it may say something about either them or me I can not remember the name. The second is a vegetarian place that is so well thought out and inventively menued you don't even notice it's half veg half vegan and that's Inn Season, a long time local legend.
You've been through the desert on a horse with no name. Except your horse does have a name. What is it?
Thirsty. Because the desert is dry, get it? Oh my cleverness always ceases to amaze me.
In other news, today I learned that if you swear at all in Radio Shack, you are immediately attended to by a manager. The employee calls the manager over and repeats what you said to the manager but where you swore they say "Swear word" instead. For example, if you were to say "I would not be fucking exchanging it if it worked," they say to the manager "This customer said she "would not be swear word exchanging it if it worked." Then the manager will ask you, even if you look sleepy and are standing very still and leaning in a non threatening way on the counter:"M'am, is this a stuation that may escalate?" At that point, you might want to say "No, but I applaud your careful following of the training video," because that will leave them both completely flummoxed and frightened you are a mystery shopper or someone from corporate and then the staffers will quickly do anything you ask, including square dance with you in the iPod accessories aisle.
