Some strip malls, no matter how well located, seem to have problems keeping long-term tenants. Today there's a parakeet groomer, tomorrow there's a spatula sharpener in their old spot. Despite plenty of cars in the parking lot, few of those little storefronts stay long. The strip mall on Eureka Way, once anchored by Safeway and now by Ace Hardware ( Read more... )

That Peck's Bad Boy of the Travel Channel, Anthony Bourdain, recently commented in the New York Times that San Francisco is "a two-fisted drinking town, a carnivorous meat-eating town, it’s dirty and nasty and wonderful…" and Femme de Joie would pretty much agree on all counts. Never having lost her love of that deliciously wicked town and all its ( Read more... )

Sherven Square, that block of Market Street between Tehama and Shasta, boasts a surprising number of restaurants within a short walking distance: Sandwichery, Grilla Bites, Fasolini’s Pizza, Los Gordos, La Cabana, Kobe’s, Maxwell’s, Fatboy’s BBQ. Last fall, Village Deli opened its doors too, right across the street from Old City Hall. It’s easy to ( Read more... )

It's been five years since Femme de Joie set foot in International House of Pancakes, and that was only because she was in an unfamiliar city for an unpleasant reason and didn't feel up to looking for a decent place to eat. The only memory she carries with her of that breakfast was how horrifyingly, overwhelmingly sweet everything was ( Read more... )

It was 1968 that Buz’s Crab Stand opened for business in a slightly grotty location between a dry cleaner’s and Safeway. Back then, after placing an order, customers had to keep one ear peeled for staff yelling through the noisy restaurant that their order was ready. The menu was short and sweet: fish and chips, a few broiled fish dishes, clam ( Read more... )

A few months ago Femme de Joie was searching the shelves at Winco for a decent loaf of whole-wheat sandwich bread without high-fructose corn syrup, when she chanced upon Dave's Killer Blues Bread. Attracted by the catchy graphics and healthy ingredients, she bought a loaf on impulse. After Amico del Signore had a taste, he went back to Winco for ( Read more... )

Femme de Joie loves her a good sandwich, the drippier and messier the better. French dip with red onions and pepper Jack cheese, meatball with sauce, gooey chicken salad, Po’ Boy with olive salad, even that 70’s standby of avocado-tomato-sprouts-cheese… bring it on. But it seems to be well-nigh next to impossible to find a decent sandwich roll: ( Read more... )

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