Wednesday, February 22, 2006

a velvet hole?

This article contains a lot of things that smiller doesn't like. First, there are a lot of mentions of Ruth's Chris Steak House which is a nonsensical business name that drives him insane. Then there is the phrase "hunker down". When I first started reading this article, which is about the Broiler and more specifically the female head chef, I could tell that Mike Dunne was not writing it. It's way overwritten. Although Dunne is too afraid to criticize in his reviews, he's a good, concise, writer. Sure enough, it's written in the characteristically folksy style of Bob Sylva. Here's a sample sentence that makes very little sense (and contains 4 adjectives-well, unless wide-eyed is somehow not an adjective, my last grammar lesson was a long time ago) I can picture Sylva writing this article with his thesaurus clutched close to his breast:

Stice - apprehensive, alarmingly wide-eyed - gives the impression that she might be the tender entree.

And exactly how is she giving that impression? I've read the whole article and I don't know.

How about this sentence?

The Broiler's history, though old, isn't quite as stupendous. It was started in 1950 by a Croatian immigrant named Joseph B. Anticevich, who opened the restaurant in a velvet hole, at 1013 J St.

A velvet hole?

Some bad news in this article is that Sam's Kosher Style Deli in CH has closed. Now that that place and the Hot Pastrami are both closed there aren't many places to get a pile o' meat style sandwich.

I was glad to see that the Bee had an article on Espanol, which is not a favorite of mine but it's a piece of Sac restaurant history, but here's the pointless little piece. It's cool to find out that it was started to feed Basque shepherds, but no review of the food.

And in a review that Dunne wrote, which he starts by saying that people call him asking why there are no French bistros in Sac (so I'm not the only one that wonders. I've been contemplating writing a letter to the chef of the Waterboy and imploring him to think about a homey French bistro for the new place he's going to open), and he writes a pretty critical review of the only one, L'Image. But not as critical as the one that was in sacrag. I felt really sorry for the writer. Nothing is more disappointing than dropping that much on a subpar prix-fixe meal. Well, except maybe showboating right when you are about to win a gold medal and then biting it really hard in front of a global audience. That's why no one should go out to fancy places on Valentines Day.

This entry has taken me a while to compile so I'm going to post my review of the Greek Village Inn in a little bit.

11 comments:

leon said...

Sam's Kosher Style Deli in CH has closed

Finally!

Anonymous said...

I'd like to add "There's only one The Broiler" to the list of phrases I don't like in that article.

miller

beckler said...

leon, why are you a sam's hater? Is it because you're anti-Semitic. One of those self-hating Jews? Speaking of Jews, I have been daydreaming lately about buying a weinerdog and naming it a Jewish name. My top idea is Morty Zuckerman. And of course I will train it to hold a cigar in its mouth.

beckler said...

I'll also train it to love saunas and get a tiny white towel for around its waist. So then we can take a schvitz together. Also, I will teach it to bark "Oy" on command.

beckyjsacto said...

For a pile o' meat sandwich, have you tried Bud's Buffet on 10th Street between J & K? Their French Dip is one of the best -- be sure to have them dip your bread in the au jus & get some horseradish spread on it too. For French Bistro without the cost or other issues at L'Image, try Cafe Rolle on H Street (across from Selland's.) It's casual, authentic, reasonably priced, and it's in the Entertainment book.

leon said...

No.. I love those crazy Jews and GOOD Jewish food (the starchy kind)! I'm sad there aren't any good places around town.

The worst potato pancakes I have ever eaten in my life were from Sams (even worse than the ones I tried to make once). They were soo bad, I was thinking maybe the chef there was anti-semtic...but anyway folks...

Maybe they had good roast beef, but being a meat hater, I wouldn't know.

Speaking of doggies:
Heylove's real name (AKC registered) is "Canter's Black and White Cookie".

Anonymous said...

Is that a reference to Canter's? Talk about the best Rueben in the world! And WHY has no deli named their sandwich the Paul Reuben????
You'd think Dad's would have jumped on that one. Oh yeah...and Beckmeister, that IS an adjective.

- Patrone

Anonymous said...

A) The only The Broiler is perhaps one of the worst restaurants in this steak-house plagued town. I went there on my birthday and was treated to a crappy meal with the worst service I've ever had. Sizzler makes a better steak.

B) Leon, your knishes make up for any latke shortcomings you may have. Seriously, dude. Your knishes rock.

C) If I ever had a weiner dog, it will be female and her name will be Miss Kubelik, after Shirley McLaine's character in "The Apartment."

Anonymous said...

did we already have a Reuben sandwich discussion? If not, I vote for Vic's reuben as best in Sac.

Anna

Anonymous said...

I second buds on tenth,

PS two people can split one samwich, The are "Ginormous", hehe.

beckler said...

Mason's has a lunch reuben with housemade sauerkraut. Anna, you should try that and report back. The one time I tried to make potato pancakes they came out great. Leon, what was wrong with yours, perhaps I can offer some advice. I know you need to wring out the shreds of potato in a kitchen towel with all your might.