Scowl, Nu?

I just don’t see it

Review of: Taqueria Cancun

By: Avery Glasser

Rating: 2

Read review on Judy’s Book.

Yeah, the burritos are massive, and sure, the prices are still pretty affordable, but I just don’t get what the fuss is over Cancun’s burritos.

Earlier this week, I stopped in while walking through the Mission to have a quick burrito. Seeing that the super burritos were under $5, I figured they would be small compared to Pancho Villa, but I wasn’t starved, so that would be fine. Boy, was I wrong. This burrito was the size of a quart of milk. But I digress, before I talk about the size of the food, I should talk about the order.

The first disappointment was that Cancun didn’t offer carnitas or chile verde – my two favorite preparations of pork. Instead, I had to settle for the Al Pastor – a dry rubbed pork that is grilled or roasted before service. The meat had a sort of funky seasoning to it, tasting of cinnamon and allspice. Though it wasn’t an offputting taste at all, it didn’t really go well with the rest of the burrito fillings.

Let’s dissect the burrito further. The tortilla was actually superb, tasting a little wheaty and nicely elastic. The beans, on the other hand, were bland, as was the rice. The ratio of rice to beans to other fillings was way off as well – half the rice would have been fine and the resulting product would have tasted much better. The guacamole, salsa and sour cream were fine – not bad but not outstanding.

Personally, I’d rather pay a little more and get a better if smaller burrito than get this rice filled gut bomb.

Better than average Thai in the TenderNob

Review of: Ar Roi Restaurant

By: Avery Glasser

Rating: 4

Read review on Judy’s Book.

Invariably, I end up having Thai food at least three times a month. Usually, I’m going to Koh Samui and the Monkey for lunch or Osha for pre-drinking Thai noodle goodness. Occasionally, I make the trek out to the Lower Haight for the excellent dishes at Thep Phanom. As you can see, I take my Thai food seriously.

So, when faced with trying to put together a last minute meal for four yesterday (Saturday) in a location close to Rye for after dinner drinks, I immediately thought about choosing a Thai restaurant, and the location that came to mind was Ar Roi.

I’ve been to Ar Roi at various points throughout the past decade, most recently with a large group of coworkers in 2004. Back then, it was a solid Thai restaurant, and I wondered how it stood the test of time.

The answer is that they stood the test of time very well.

The restaurant interior has been updated since my last trip – deep copper tones accented by dark greens and purples. It was warm and definitely felt Thai without being kitschy. Since it was a larger group, we went with two appetizers, a soup, and three entrees.

We started with the Goong Hoompa (aka Goong Gaborg) – shrimp wrapped in wonton wrappers and deep fried as well as an order of Pork Sate. The shrimp were larger than most, extremely fresh, and very well prepared. The pork sate was good, but there was nothing special or distinctive about it.The soup – Tom Kha Goong – or spicy coconut soup with shrimp was better than average – full of flavor and without the typical sheen of oil on top.

For the main courses, we ordered Gangaree Gai (yellow curry chicken with potatos), Gai Grapao (chicken with chili and basil) and a seafood talay (mixed spicy seafood). The curry was mild but richly flavored and for a non-spicy option, it was fantastic. The talay was fine – but the calamari, mussels and scallops were overcooked (the shrimp were fine). The outstanding dish was the grapao – instead of the typical sliced chicken, it was minced and sauteed in a fantastic spicy basil sauce. It’s been 24 hours and I am still thinking about that dish.

All of this and three Thai iced teas came to $75 without tip.

They’re certainly on the list for good Thai in the city. It’s not as good as Thep Phanom, but for the price and location, they’re certainly going to be part of my regular restaurant rotation.

Beer geeks rejoice!

Review of: d.b.a.

By: Avery Glasser

Rating: 5

Read review on Judy’s Book.

Yeah, the beer geek is here for another review. D.B.A. was recommended many moons ago by Dave Keene, proprietor of the legendary Toronado in San Francisco as “the place” for beer in the Lower East Side, and since my first visit there in the late 1990s, I make sure to stop in every time I pass through the Big Apple.

Yes, it’s still a very good beer bar, with an admirable tequila and scotch selection. On my last trip, I brought a home brewer, a beer drinker, and a Great American Beer Festival judge with me, all of them had a great time experiencing beers that they couldn’t get at home.

The point comes off for two reasons. First off, kill the sports on the TV. You’re a beer bar, not some testosterone-laden jock bar. Oh, and though the bartenders are very nice, they seem to lack the ability to actually find the bottle of beer that I am looking for – even when I call it from the printed list.

For well selected beer, it’s one of the best on the East Coast and highly recommended.

Great Ballpark Wine and Spirits

Review of: K & L Wine Merchants

By: Avery Glasser

Rating: 4

Read review on Judy’s Book.

If I were a wine aficionado, I would probably fall completely in lust with K&L, considering I can practically see it from my window. But I’m not a wino, I’m a self-avowed alkie. I like my distillates, and when it comes to fermented grape juice, my palate is just not that precise.

With that said, K&L has an amazing selection of whiskeys, including some scotch that I didn’t think was being imported into the states.

While the staff is extremely knowledgable, all purchasing for spirits is handled from the Redwood City location, which means that when I need a special order, I need to contact the remote location, find the spirit buyer and make my request.

The selection is massive and the prices are more than fair… and the distillate section leans heavily towards scotch and irish whisky, which makes me very happy.

It probably deserves 5 stars, but having the whisky buyer stationed at another location knocks it down a point.

Shine on…

Review of: Shine

By: Avery Glasser

Rating: 4

Read review on Judy’s Book.

We’re fans of Sauce, so when I got my notice that there was an event at Shine tonight, I jumped at the chance.

It’s Sauce, but redone as a bar. Lots of tech kitsch like the photo booth, great ventilation, a nice space and a bar that is comfortable almost to the point of being too comfortable, especially when Trip is making the drinks.

10 points for having mini-fridge bottle service, something that is sorely lacking on the Left Coast. For about $200, you get table space and a mini-fridge with a fifth (or two splits) of premium alcohol, a good selection of mixers and a half-dozen airplane “minis” ranging from Don Julio tequila to Fernet Branca. Yep. Get 5 of your friends to pony up about $35 a head and you’re drinking in style for the night.

I haven’t been here on a regular night, so I might have to amend it when I see the non-party crowd, but based on what I have seen so far, it’s a definite four stars.

Good cleaners near Caltrain

Review of: Fanta Deluxe Cleaners

By: Avery Glasser

Rating: 4

Read review on Judy’s Book.

Quality: 5 Stars
Price: 4 Stars

From the complimentary tagged blue nylon laundry bags that allows me to get in and out of there in minutes, even when it is busy, to the excellent job they do on repairs and stain removal, it’s the best place in the ballpark area. But be prepared – you’ll pay for it. They’re a little more expensive than the other places in the area, but the clothes come out clean without reeking of chemicals.