Jeanty selling, Novato rip-off halted, Tajine back
This week’s SCOOP will be shorter, because listeners who heard me on Ronn Owens’ radio show last Thursday on KGO wanted me to list the restaurants I recommended. (They follow the news.)
Jeanty at Jack’s drama continues. Manager Duc Chamberlain has, in fact, talked to owner-chef Phillippe Jeanty about replacing the closed bistro with an oyster bar, but that’s only half the story.
“Everyone would like to have a restaurant,” says Jeanty, “but do they have the backing?”
He explains that he is interested in selling the historic building for $5 million dollars. Since it is a registered landmark, first built in 1864, no part of the exterior can be changed, nor can it be torn down.
Jeanty further explained that he did what he wanted to do in San Francisco (with the restaurant) and is happy to concentrate now on Bistro Jeanty in Yountville.
The well-regarded chef is known to be a major real estate owner in the Napa Valley.
We have news of the Novato rip-off artist, who we reported on last week. This local character sent identical letters to at least three Novato restaurants claiming in each letter to have spent exactly $65 and to have found a hair on his steak.
Henry Hautau, owner of Finnegan’s in old town Novato alerted other restaurateurs via email.
Shah Bahreyni co-owner of Boca Steak called the police, who paid a visit to the hustler’s home. The local gendarmes told him to return all the gift certificates he’d collected.
Meanwhile, Shahram Bijan, owner of Toast in Novato read about the scam in our Yummy letter and alerted all his servers to watch out for this dude, who he had already sent a gift certificate to.
By the way, Bijan says in the first 80 days of business, he has served 50,000 people at his Novato Toast. To celebrate, he has also decided to add an Early Bird special for breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. Diners get two eggs cooked any way, bacon or sausage, toast and a beverage for $6.95; and seniors receive a 10% discount Monday through Friday on all breakfast items.
Finnegan’s is offering a kids’ menu of 12 items with beverage for $3.99 any time; kids eat free on Sunday evening.
Another bargain can be had in Berkeley at one of my all-time favorites, Digs Bistro. By popular demand, Digs is hosting Monday Night Supper on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Monday of every month. It’s a $25 prix fixe.
We heard late yesterday from Mohamed, the chef-owner of TajineMoroccan Restaurant that we discovered lo, those many years ago in the Tenderloin. A move to Polk Street didn’t fly, but he’s now in bigger digs and open at 2080 Van Ness Ave. near Pacific. His hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 5:00 to 10:00 p.m. (Call 415-440-1718 for more information.) I can’t wait to try it.
Hold onto your forks! In early August, Andrew Freeman and Company in conjunction with Visa Signature will throw a chef, restaurant and wine bash that will knock your socks off. Check out the Web site and stay tuned to SCOOP for more information.
We all know local TV chef luminaries like Joey, Michael and Tyler, but are you tuned into the “Hippy Gourmet”?
Mike C (yes, that is his real name) appears weekly on KOFY, Channel 20 for half an hour, beginning at 5 p.m. Although the Bay Area is his backyard, Mike has taken the show to Belize, Nassau, Mexico, and New Zealand.
For over three years he and his partner Olivier Said have run a cooking school, Kitchen on Fire, adjacent to Chez Panisse in Berkeley, located in the Epicurious Garden, a place for tea, take out and gourmet goodies. He has classes in basic skills, 12 weeks, for $695, and a stand-alone knife skills class as well.
Here is a video of Mike C showing how to peel ginger.
Mike C says that his show tries to present food that is organic, local and sustainable.
Sounds good to me.
I was watching the ballgame the other night with Cosmo “The Wonder Dog” and a commercial came on for Chef Michael’s Canine Creations. The gist of the ad was that a chef named Michael had created this new dog food. (“Whenever chef Michael cooked at home, Bailey would dance in anticipation at his feet, her tail wagging madly.”)
It also showed him serving some of his “creation” to his dog, who bounded up to her dish. In my house, Cosmo approaches his dog food with the suspicious look of a dog who is used to being poisoned. This is in spite of the fact I cook up chicken livers and mix them into Natural Balance or Paul Newman’s dog food.
Well, I have bad news for Cosmo.
It’s our old pals at Purina who created the Chef Michael brand, in a big factory.
But I do give points to their copywriter, who describes dog food as pâté:
“A delightful pâté blend of meat garnished with vegetables. This delectable dish is soaking in meaty juices that will make your dog's mouth water…Your dog will lose herself in the tenderness and mealtime pleasure, savoring the robust flavor that satisfies even the most hearty appetite.”
Sounds almost orgasmic. Sorry, Cosmo isn’t buying it, nor am I.
And finally, thanks to everyone who emailed me about my appearance on Ronn’s show. The count is up to 152 and they are still coming in. I’m gonna have to be very, very nice to the Radio King next time I see him.
A couple of years ago, I set up a lunch date with him (we go out to lunch every once in awhile) and we went to Americano. He hadn’t been there. We had a great time and even took a tour of the Hotel Vitale. The next time I did his show, during a commercial break he called Americano for a lunch reservation and asked for “his regular table.”
Here are the restaurants I talked about on Ronn’s show last Thursday:
My three favorite restaurants – one new, one renewed, and one that I finally got to:
I think Michael Chiarello’s Bottega in Yountville is just wonderful. Have the tender grilled octopus, the ragu with house-made pasta, the crudo with smoked olive oil, and the whole wood-oven baked fish (in my case it was orata). The décor is comfortable, particularly the tables on the patio near the fireplace. It’s been open only five months.
Cetrella in Half Moon Bay closed down for five months and reopened with a terrific chef, Sylvan Montassier. Start with the oysters on the half shell – a test by me to see if the kitchen can open them, and they were perfect. Five years ago, I swore off foie gras after visiting a foie gras farm in Canada. But when I was in New York with my business partner, Susan, she ordered the foie gras doughnuts at Telepan. How could I not pop one in my mouth? Well the same thing happened at Cetrella. Montassier created an irresistible dish of pickled ramp (like a skinny leek), a couple of pickled beet quarters and sautéed foie on brioche with a terrine of strawberries: sweet, tart, luscious, yum. For my entrée I ate a piece of satiny olive oil-poached salmon with fresh hearts of palm, organic peas and artichokes.
Bar Bambino has been open almost two years and after I dined there (three times) I was consumed with guilt that I had not been there sooner. I loved everything I had: the minestrone soup with pesto (for the recipe, see COOK), the bruschetta, the house salumi, the artisan cheeses, the silky ravioli, the meatballs, and the eggplant meatballs. Fabulous!
The rest of the line-up:
I finally made it down to Sent Sovi in Saratoga to try chef-owner Josiah Stone’s food. The occasion was the Fifth Annual King of Mushrooms dinner. Obviously, lovely fungi were in every course. Yum-City. I can’t wait to go back and try more of Stone’s food soon. I dream of his candy cap mushroom napoleon, made from candy cap mushrooms, which taste like maple syrup.
Years ago I dated a sports nut, and being a sports nut also, we used to go to Knuckles in the Wharf Hyatt hotel to watch games, sip cocktails and munch on peanuts. Well, the peanut shells on the floor are gone – the décor is comfortable and there is a new menu. The shrimp cocktail, which also includes avocado, was very good. The fried calamari was perfect, light, not greasy, and almost tempura-like. My favorite of everything I tried was the roasted vegetable wrap. There is also a selection of barbecue items, spaghetti, and fish and chips. Oh, and there are still a zillion monitors showing sports. Cool!
In San Jose, I found a very interesting place serving both Mexican and Cuban food. It’s called El Habanero and it’s owned by the two main cooks – both are Cuban and both are married to Mexican men. Don’t miss the fried yucca (cassava) served with a sprightly garlic oil for dipping. The pollo al ajillo is a pallard of chicken breast pounded very thin, sautéed with garlic and finished with a white wine sauce; rice and black beans accompany the dish. Be sure to finish with the Cuban rice pudding topped with a blizzard of cinnamon.
Ku Day Ta tea lounge is located in the Great Mall in Milpitas, near the Century theater complex. Owner Bee-Bee Liew, who is originally from Malaysia, has studied tea for several years. In her beautiful lounge she sells loose tea, tea paraphernalia, tea drinks, a cheese plate, cookies, quiche, and a vast array of pastries. “Ku Day Ta” is phonetic for coup d’etat, a French word that means revolution. Liew hopes to create a revolution with her serene lounge.
For more information about GraceAnn’s tours of North Beach, Chinatown, The New Mission, and Nob Hill, visit
Jeanty at Jack’s drama continues. Manager Duc Chamberlain has, in fact, talked to owner-chef Phillippe Jeanty about replacing the closed bistro with an oyster bar, but that’s only half the story.
Meanwhile, Shahram Bijan, owner of 
time; kids eat free on Sunday evening. 
We heard late yesterday from Mohamed, the chef-owner of 
It’s our old pals at Purina who created the Chef Michael brand, in a big factory. 
My three favorite restaurants – one new, one renewed, and one that I finally got to:
Bar Bambino
Years ago I dated a sports nut, and being a sports nut also, we used to go to 
In San Jose, I found a very interesting place serving both Mexican and Cuban food. It’s called 
