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Scott J,
I tried that Log Cabin place a few years ago. Expensive! The food was decent, but it was like $11 bucks each for us and that sort of soured the deal. If you want food that's probably just as good,try Momma's Royal Cafe in Oakland down near the Kragens on Broadway near auto row.
If you all like german food, and Beer that you can't buy anywhere else, as in the rich, dark Dunkles and Heifenweisens, try Speicekammer in Alameda right there on Lincoln ave. Great atmosphere too- and saurkraut that's amazing.

East Bay MLS (Alameda & Contra Costa), www.ebrdi.com, reports 8644 active listings, going up on average between 50-100 listings per day over the last couiple of weeks.

@nomadtoons, it was my understanding that there would be no math.

@nomadtoons2,

All right, the next time I'm around Oakland in the morning I'll try momma's royal cafe. The closest thing I've come to German food is in Hayes valley ~ Suppenkuche (sp?), since I'm about as non German as one can get, I have no clue as to its authenticity. So I'll give the place in Alameda a try cuz I love me some saurkraut.

Speaking of Oakland, I enjoy chicken and waffles at Merrit Restaurant on E. 18th. I can't eat that all the time, but twice a year or so, its great.

Surfer X. Are there any more pressing issues that you would likt to adress with my post concerning gas?

Hey Scott,
I've seen the Chicken and Waffles place- the one in Jack London Square. I've never tried it though. Maybe I'll give it a try this weekend.I've heard its

nomadtoons2 Says:

> It cost me $28 to fill it up. I cannot imagine what it
> costs to fill up an Escalade. That’s serious money.

It was just over $60 to fill up my SUV (that is smaller than an Escalade) at the Chevron at the bottom of Ski Run Blvd. on Sunday...

Bay Area Homeowner,
As I've said before, I'm outta here as soon as my target financial savings are met. There is more to do in life than pay for a damned house. I am perfectly willing and happy to move where the quality of life is better, and have the plans to do so now.

peter, youre going to get mercury poisoning. there is an urban legend in NY about a sushi afficionado and a tapeworm. ill leave it at that.

Potential death is not a sufficient deterrent to stop me from eating sushi.

I’m sorry the title sounded like a downer, but this thread is meant to accentuate the positives of BA living.

Okay, let's talk about food...

Any suggestion for a good New York style comtemporary Italian restaurant?

Most people who live here attribute the wonderful weather to the reasoning for wanting to pay out the A## to stay here. That said... what if the rather abnormal weather we've been having for the last 2 years, with 100 year record breaking rain All freakin' winter long becomes the norm. It's not out of the question that with global weather patterns that the Bay Area could be in for a long period of extended wet winters.( There was a mini Ice age in the mid 1800's) Honestly, the weather here is about to drive me insane. Now.. I can understand someone not liking cold or humid weather.. but 6 god-damned months of solid rain!?
So.. if the unthinkable happens and SF's weather is altered in this pattern for who knows- a 50 year time period- is it possible to think that Home prices will fall even more as a result of crappy weather? My parents kidded me all winter long that they had mostly sunny, 70 Degree weather in TN while we got pummled, and they've had winters like this for the past 3 years now.

If you were actually concerned about mercury poisoning, I found this site via wikipedia

I am not concerned at all. But thanks!

Take this from tropical medicine person, tapeworm stories are NOT urban legend, but on the upside they are easy to treat and they can keep your weight down!

Since my weight is still stable, perhaps I do not have a tapeworm yet. :)

Yes, proper tapeworms are easy to treat (praziquatil), but the sushi worms can require surgery!

Yes, but it is probably far more risky driving to eat sushi.

Yes, I have been almost killed in a car accident but my worst food experience was a nasty salmonella (maybe typhae, not sure).

Oh no.

I may have to get a big SUV next time just to be safe.

Anyone here have advice on specialty grocery stores or farmer’s market? In particular, I really want to start eating humanely raised poultry and meats without signing over my whole paycheck.

There are Draeger's and Whole Food. You are not against foie gras, are you? :)

I hope you’re being sarcastic. Lots of reports about SUV safety have already come out. They’re generally no safer for their occupants compared to large sedans and wagons, and much more dangerous for everyone else.

They are not safer in single vehicle crashes but they may protect passengers better in multiple vehicle crashes. Many studies assume that the crash is with a similar vehicle in terms of weight and size. This is not realistic at all. Physics will eventually prevail.

I cannot afford a sedan that is heavy enough (about 3 ton). The cheapest one starts at 200K.

Used Rolls are cheap. Have fun parking it.

Very expensive to maintain though.

That would reduce your sushi budget.

Hopefully, I can still afford the rice part. :)

Nothing against foie gras, I just find real free range chicken and pork much more tasty than caged animals. Plus, factory farming is such a cruel practice that I prefer to avoid it if options are available.

Good. I agree. :)

I heard that the French actually prefer duck liver to goose liver, can anyone confirm or deny?

That is odd. But if Peking duck liver tastes better...

Bay Area guy,
I'm taking advantage of my low rent- high savings situation. I'm planning for the future. Basically, I've been house-sharing with 3 other people for the last 4 years.Happily and comfortably in a large house I wouldn't be able to afford to buy. That means I pay $450 a month to rent with few other costs. I've never bought anything unless I had all the cash up front. That's the way I do business, and so far it's kept me out of financial trouble. I had hoped to buy a home out here, but since the prices are impossible, and I don't want to have to make decisions in life- like should I stay at this job to pay the mortgage, or NOT have kids... because of the mortgage, or NOT retire at the age of 50... because of the mortgage. Instead, I'm turning a bad situation into a good one, which would be a house that is paid for, savings in the bank or in other investments, and the freedom to make those choices, at will, without as many consequences. I will be 31 by the time I make the big move, and to own your home free and clear, have signifigant savings, and be free to live life to the fullest without financial burden will be well worth 3 more years of grunting it out for the other 50 or so more years I may have to enjoy it. I know very few people who have this kind of status in the Bay, and frankly, I believe the future of national economic development is heading in the direction I am planning to move. Of course this is all my own opinion, and I certainly hope that less rather than more people come to this conclusion or else the severe advantage I'm poised to take a piece of may be gone.

A well made sedan or wagon with side airbags, good frame and good brakes will probably get you more safety for your dollars and be a lot more fun to drive.

True, but lower height makes sedans less safe when they are broadsided by higher vehicles.

Side airbags are absolutely essential.

As far as vehicular safety, Well much can be said about my 2nd car- a 1955 Mercury with what you can really call "bumpers" because they're made out of 1/4" thick steel, weigh almost 100 pounds for the front, and almost 50 in the back. I installed shoulder belts, and new disc brakes. If anyone hits me, well they'll probably ricochet. I've actually nailed a gaurd rail with this thing and it did no noticeable damage to the car. There's a lot to be said for having a car built like a Sherman tank.

There’s a lot to be said for having a car built like a Sherman tank.

Cool.

I can't recommend anything in SF, but here are some SoCal suggestions:

Tam O' Shanter on Los Feliz in LA. This restaurant was the inspiration for the Lawry's prime rib chain, but it's cheaper. They have all kinds of weird English dishes that are hard to find elsewhere, like Yorkshire pudding and Scotch rarebit. And it's not just unique -- the food is great! You can basically get the same meal you would have at Lawry's for about half the price.

King Taco. This is a chain that can only be found in immgrant neighborhoods, though they recently opened one on Old Town Pasadena for some unknown reason. Although it is a chain, the food is as hardcore Mexican as you will ever find. The tacos are stricly onions, cilantro, and meat, no lettuce, cheese, or chopped tomatoes here. They sell all of the exotic Mexican meats, like lengua, cabeza, tripa, etc. The salsa is fantastic, but the red stuff is toxically hot, I mean hot. This place is not for the faint of heart, it is hardcore working-class Mexican food, but if you have a taste for that and speak Spanish (the menu is in Spanish only) there is nothing else like it.

Neptune's Net in Malibu. This is our absolute favorite resteraunt. It's a seafood dive way up the coast on the PCH, on the LA/Ventura County border, that draws bikers, surfers, and rich Malibu residents in roughly equal numbers. I do mean dive, by the way, the place is alwyas filled with drunken bikers, surrounded by clouds of marajuana smoke, and there are no bathrooms, only port-a-potties. The food is basic fried fish, but the quality is extremely high and the prices are very low. They also have fresh stuff like lobster and crab, but I would suggest that you stick with the fish becuase we have tried the lobster and it is not that good. The restaurant is right on the PCH and overlooks the beach and the ocean, the setting is magnificent.

The Pantry, downtown LA. The food here is horrible, really awful, but the restaurant is interesting becuase the menu literally has not changed since 1940. So if you are in the mood for some London Broil or Creamed Chipped Beef, this is the place for you. Again, the food is revolting, absolutely inedible, but it is really interesting to eat in a diner that was literally transported forward in time from the late 1940's, so you might want to check it out.

California Roll Factory, Beverly Hills. There are two of these, they are storefront sushi places that offer every kind of CA roll imaginable at dirt cheap prices. Dirt cheap. The quality is superior, the prices are increidbly low. The one on Olympic is actually run by FOB Japanese guys, they will scream out your order to one another in Japanese and shout "Hai!" when you step up to the counter, and the cool thing is that they are not putting on an act, they really are that into making your sushi.

SUVs are a collective action problem. The way to make everyone truly safer is to make SUVs scarce except where they’re needed.

Yes, very true. It is comparable to nuclear arm race. Hopefully, higher gas price will reduce the median vehicle weight on the road over time.

I propose a proposition to tax vehicles by inches over 50” off the ground as a solution to your dilemma.

That makes sense. Of course, we need exemptions for commercial vehicles like big rigs.

And really, if you drive fast enough on the 5, LA and SF are only distant suburbs of each other

How fast? At reckless speed (90mph+) it will still take more than 4 hours.

Unless you fly a Cessna. :)

Also, we already have a rail transportation system. Why can’t more transportation happen there, instead of competing for road space with commuters?

Rail is way too expensive for many types of goods. It is really not a feasible alternative.

We need to get back the 55mph speed limit for everyone. And we need to aggressively enforce that.

We also need much better driver education.

Food recommendations? Hmmm....
Here are two of my San Gabriel Valley favorites:

MEXICAN

Carambas, Main Street Alhambra (1 block east of Huntington Drive).
Best Mexican food in the entire valley, IMO --and cheap too. The salsa is fresh, spicy & hot --just the way it should be. Their ranchero sauce is best I've ever had, and the chile verde is right up there. Ambiance is 1970s era dive: vinyl seats, cottage-cheese ceiling, velvet paintings on the wall (no joking).

LEBANESE

Caesar's Grill, 488 N. Allen, Pasadena.
Small, family-run place off the beaten track (not in Old Town or Colorado corridor) that serves excellent fresh kebabs at decent prices. You will not leave hungry or disatisfied. I recommend anything with the word "lula" in it. If you go, tell Tatteo "HARM sent me".

For dessert, I recommend a big helping of California housing soufflé. Now available EVERYWHERE.

I have also wondered about our latest weather patterns. When the earthquake that caused the tsunami hit, they (meaning the experts) said that it actually caused the earth to shift on its axis. I am no scientist, but it seems to me that something that drastic could very well have lasting effects, such as a change in the weather pattern.

I wonder if that will change my horroscope.

Hey HARM-

Do you live in the SG Valley? We are in Alhambra, on First and Garfield, just a few blocks away from the first restaurant you suggested.

@Joe Schmoe,

Yup, we live in Alhambra too. BTW, agree with your recommendations on Tam O’ Shanter & King Taco. My family's been going to the Tam (aka "Great Scot") since I could hold a fork. I thought you were a tad hard on the Pantry, though. Most of the lunch/dinner menu's pretty bad, I agree, but breakfast is pretty darned good. Great place to visit just for the history, as you said.

Astrid-

You said it! There is something about the 5 that just cries out for speeding. it. I am a fairly conservative driver, but for some reason the 5 turns me into a reckless driver. Even as a crazy teenager, I never broke the 100mph mark, but the very first time I drove from LA to San Diego I hit 100 somewhere between San Juan Capistrano and Oceanside and just kept going until I reached San Diego. Of course, I had an 8:30 court appearance in San Diego, and had only made it to Irvine by 7:00 (I left the house at 5:00, but traffic was that bad) -- but I arrived in San Diego by 8:00! During rush hour! It did require three quarters of a tank of gas, but it was worth it.

The same was true on our last trip to SF. As soon as we passed the exit to Tulare, ZOOM, 110 MPH. My wife was pregnant at the time (!) but she still could not resist cracking three figures. The whole trip only took us four hours.

Interstingly, driving at 100 mph isn't really that fun. It doesn't feel much faster than 60, but any mistake at 100 will kill you, so it's really a stupid thing to do when you think about it objectively. But something about the 5 just makes people go fast.

Interstingly, driving at 100 mph isn’t really that fun. It doesn’t feel much faster than 60, but any mistake at 100 will kill you, so it’s really a stupid thing to do when you think about it objectively. But something about the 5 just makes people go fast.

I don't know, 80mph feels too fast for me, even on 5. I am an uber-conservative driver.

I don’t know, 80mph feels too fast for me, even on 5.

Are you over 65, Peter P? ;-)

Are you over 65, Peter P?

Huh?

I hate driving on 5 for the reason that people like to go so fast. My truck and the wife's 91 Civic will go 75-80, and that's about all they will do. That seems fast enough to me, but when we get on 5, there's always some dude in a bimmer or vette' driving 100 that pulls up on your ass.
I can recall the last time I went to Vegas and at 10:00 PM, there was some dude in a minivan who pulled right up on my bumper- almost touching it. There was a truck next to me so I couldn't get over, He starts to flash his lights, honk, swerve around. I get out of the way, and because I was tired and irratated gave him the finger. Anyhow, he speeds off. That was the end of that.. until I pulled up into a gas station at the next exit. There he was! The guy looked like Coolio and had a van full of kids. So he gets out of the van and walks over to me and asks "what they hell that was all about." I kind of told him exactly what I thought of the situation and he shouldn't be driving around like an idiot with 4 kids in the van, but covered my ass by saying that we both had been acting stupid. He agreed.. walked away. I continued my trip to Vegas and had a great time.

Are you over 65, Peter P?
Huh?

Just messin' with ya. Most older drivers tend to be slower drivers.

We are vegetarians and health freaks, so we voluntarily give up lots of joy of eating at fantastic restaurants here so as to keep SFWoman happy (you are not subsidizing us! and we are in the same darn shoes). :-)

Our favorite restaurant that we visit at least 3 times a week is Sweet Tomatoes (not to be confused with fresh choice, fresh choie is anything but fresh). They have this most amazingly natural and delicious chicken noodle soup, plus 7 other selections of soups every day. Their salad materials are the most varied and freshest in town, we would much rather eat out there than preparing at home, it's actually cheaper. The best part of it is the price, 7.29 for lunch and 7.99 for dinner (same menu except that you get free cookies for dinner too), where else can you find all-you-can-eat fresh salad and soup at such a jaw-dropping price?

In the rare circumstances that we break down from our vegetarian code of life and crave for sushi, we like to go to Fuki Sushi in Palo Alto to pig out. Another place that we like a lot is Tofu house next to Fuku Sushi, the Kimchee Tofu pot is to die for.

Pluto's on University Avenue is also a good vegetarian choice. But they usually put in too much seasoning and unlike Sweet Tomatoes, we can do salad exactly the way we want it.

We find the term "vegetarian dishes" misleading in most restaurants, and they are just a marketing scheme. The hardcore vegetarians like us believe that vegetables must remain uncooked to qualify for the term "vegetarian", because Vit C is entirely destroyed when temperature is above 60 C, so cooked vegetables are just a bunch of fibre with little nutrition left.

If anyone has some good vegetarian restaurants to recommend, please do.

I stay on the right lane on 5. They can pass me if they want.

People should get a pilot license if they want to be that fast.

In the rare circumstances that we break down from our vegetarian code of life and crave for sushi, we like to go to Fuki Sushi in Palo Alto to pig out.

Try Kaygetsu in the Sharon Height shopping mall, it is better than Fuki. It is my current favorite restaurant.

For Americans to stay fit, we need to eat less, much less!

One thing I observed in Japan while living there was, people barely eat anything! Japan's air is quite polluted compared to US standard, their water is not the highest grade in the world, and the vegetables they take pride in is kinda of a laughing quality compared to California-grown stuff.

But, on NHK and in real life, you see sooooo many Japanese old men and women in their 80s and 90s still working in the fields or living independently on their own. The biggest contrast is, there are no obese seniors. Obesity is a self-inflcted curse. We are what we eat, and it takes about 7 years of replenishment of cells to get rid of every single bit of poisonous stuff we take into our body. My wife and I are determined that we will stay off pills for as long as we can when we grow old.

Americans eat way too much super-sized stuff, even the portions served at restaurants are way too big. The dessert is also way too sweet, the sugar level is something that I can still not get used to even after living here for almost 16 years.

BA is quite health conscious, comparatively speaking. One thing I can't stand visiting the South is, there are so many obese people, I just can't imagine living among them, it will be too depressing. Letting one's health go is the most pathetic things in life.