A nice hideaway in Times Square

Review of: Collins the

By: Avery Glasser

Rating: 4

Read review on Judy’s Book.

I don’t get over to New York City all that often, and usually I am stuck at the Times Square Marriott for a trade show. So I’m extremely happy to have found a good bar within stumbling distance from the elevators.

Focusing on pseudo-dive bar chic, the Collins is a great place. Over a number of alcohol induced hours, we drank happy hour beer, loaded the jukebox selections and played a number of games of darts.

For a Times Square bar, the beer selection was very well chosen and quite fairly priced. If you happen to be stuck in the neighborhood, I highly recommend stopping in for a pint.

Yeah, it’s prime rib… but from what animal?

Review of: Austins American Grill

By: Avery Glasser

Rating: 2

Read review on Judy’s Book.

I was shocked to find out that Austin’s American Grill wasn’t owned by Chili’s, Applebee’s or Friday’s, because it just smacked of being a chain restaurant. Even the menus look like they were built by a marketing team – corporate and bereft of character.

Austin’s is, essentially, a steak house – offering grilled salmon, delmonico steaks, buffalo, roasted chicken and prime rib. At least they called it “prime rib” but I’d be very surprised if it was USDA prime (someone call the inspectors from the big Dept. of Agriculture campus down the street) – more like choice grade beef, which was cooked in a manner that simultaneously drained this noble cut of beef of all flavor while retaining all of the connective tissue internal in the meat. The accompanying garlic mashed potatoes were, well, dry and flavorless. Butter would have helped. Cream would have helped. Gravy would have helped.

Maybe a new chef would have helped.

They get a couple of points for the spacious bar with a decent selection of local beer as well as their 4 course dinner special ($18.68 for an appetizer, salad, entree and dessert).

Having never eaten in Fort Collins before, I am sure you could do better.

Great Fusion Cuisine in North Beach

Review of: House the

By: Avery Glasser

Rating: 4

Read review on Judy’s Book.

If I could give a half-star, House would certainly be a 4.5 star venue. Not to say that everything wasn’t excellent, but there were some small details that keep it from getting that last star.

Tonight, a group of five of us rolled in for our 7pm reservation on time – but as is typical these days, the table wasn’t ready. Take note restauranteurs: make sure you’re budgeting enough time for table turnover, especially in small restaurants. But I digress… we waited about 20 minutes, dodging obnoxious panhandlers who just didn’t get the hint, before getting the table.

The food and wine was very good, possibly even fantastic but not outstanding. The very amiable waiter ran down the specials and brought us our bottle of 2003 Elk Cove Pinot Noir (only mentioned by name because it is a great Pinot for the price, and so I’ll remember it in the morning).

I started with a classic Hot and Sour soup with Manila clams. This was a perfect hit, as I love good Hot and Sour soup and I love Manila clams – and the combination of both was unique and exceptional: spicy with a delicate seafood note.

The “Wagyu Skirt Steak with Mashed Potatoes” wasn’t that at all, but it was still a fantastic main course. Instead, it was actually a Wagyu Flank Steak, cooked perfectly to my specification of rare, with a beef and truffle reduction and served with a small bowl of white rice, which was a much better starch for this dish than the aforementioned mashed potatos. A quarter point was taken off for the white asparagus, which was a little underdone, but it was still one of the best steak dishes I have had in a long time.

Dessert was a plum crisp with vanilla ice cream – a dish that is reminiscent of a Bavarian dessert whose name I can no longer recall – simple and very, very tasty. Take another quarter-point off for a lack of an espresso maker – de rigeur in San Francisco and especially in North Beach.

House won’t give food lovers a life changing meal, but it is great food – better than ever expected in North Beach.”

Loud “Dudes” in Striped Shirts Abound!

Review of: Harrys Bar

By: Avery Glasser

Rating: 1

Read review on Judy’s Book.

Walking into Harry’s Bar during the torrential rain this afternoon, I felt like I was walking into a frat-party, and that’s not a good thing in my book.

Next to us was a group of men in their late 20s acting like they were in their late teens – hitting each other in the arm, commenting about their sexual conquests and loudly proclaiming that “they are so drunk”, followed by group hi-fiving. I know, it’s that bad.

To top it off, the Mojito one friend had was sub par as was my irish coffee. For the prices they charge, I expected much better.

Needless to say, I won’t be back.

Glad it is closed!

Review of: Leticia’s

By: Avery Glasser

Rating: 1

Read review on Judy’s Book.

Visit Date: 1/28/06
Closed: 1st Quarter 06

I can’t comment about the food at Leticia’s, having only munched on some chips with salsa and guacamole, but the margaritas were large and well balanced. When we needed to get a cab afterwards, not only did the manager offer to call one, but when he got a busy signal, he opened up the phone book to find alternative cab companies to call.

Years and years ago, back when Leticia’s was in the Castro, my wife and I went there and weren’t overly impressed by the food, but as a place for a hefty cocktail, it wasn’t a bad place to go to escape from the rain.

Heavenly Har Gao

Review of: Ton Kiang Restaurant

By: Avery Glasser

Rating: 4

Read review on Judy’s Book.

It takes two buses and over 40 minutes to get to Ton Kiang from where I live, and it’s usually followed by at least a 20 minute wait for a table but once inside, any hassle is immediately forgotten.

The dim sum here is certainly not the best in North America – Lai Wah Heen in Toronto currently holds the top spot in my book, but I’m not about to take a 5 hour flight just to get some of their heavenly dumplings.

However, as dim sum restaurants in San Francisco proper go, it’s a perfect balance of quality and price. I’ve never had a bad piece of dim sum there, and the mochi filled with coconut custard is one of my favorite desserts regardless of cuisine.

Standout dishes: snow pea shoots with garlic, rice noodles with char siu, crab claws in seafood mousse, shrimp with snow pea shoots, har gow, mango pudding and the mochi-custard. The Pu Erh tea is good, but not outstanding.

On top of that, four of us ate until we almost burst and it only cost us $20 a head, half of what we would have paid at Yank Sing. Expect a wait, but it’s worth it.