Archive for the ‘Reviews’ Category
The Blue Star was here first. It is like the older sister of Nosh, which I wrote about here
recently. The two restaurants share the same owner, and are lively, energetic venues where
the chefs get creative, even a bit carried away. There’s something to be said about experi-
menting with new foods, but I decided not to order the fried alligator and waffles.
I love good service at a restaurant, especially when it complements good food. The Blue
Star knows the value of such a marriage. The place was packed but our server was patient,
answered questions, and remained attentive long after our meal was served. I’m also
impressed when the owner stops by. This happened when we dined at Nosh last month,
and again at The Blue Star. I am certain he has neither a twin nor a clone.
My husband ordered the Burger with Cheddar after confirming Crème Brulee was available
for dessert. I ordered a Grilled Apple Salad with a creamy blue cheese vinaigrette. Although
good, it was superfluous. I couldn’t finish my entrée of Mini Crab Cakes, thick with pieces of
crab augmented by piquant colors and tastes on either side: a splash of wasabi mayonnaise
and bright chile paste. Jasmine rice shaped like the crab cakes was a welcome addition to
the plate.
Although, I suspect Fridays are always hopping, especially right after work, this particular
Friday was electric with weekend anticipation – and the apparent need to use a Groupon be-
fore its expiration date.
The Blue Star
Four Plates
1645 S. Tejon St.
Colorado Springs, CO
Anne Tyler is a gifted story teller. Her characters are ordinary, and if you live in
Baltimore — her setting of choice — they could easily be your next door neighbors.
She makes the potentially banal into something sublime. Such is the case with
The Beginner’s Goodbye, a finely-threaded novel about a man, Aaron, left to
scrutinize his marriage following the death of his wife in a freak household accident.
The story’s beauty deepens as Aaron is ultimately forced to confront his relation-
ship with not only his deceased wife, Dorothy, but also with his sister, co-workers,
and others he’d rather ignore.
The beginner in the title comes from the succession of books published at Aaron’s
small, family-run publishing house. Humorously based on the Dummies’ series, the
Beginner’s books address everything from kitchen remodeling to dog training, from
wine tasting to bird watching. In a way, Tyler’s novel is about how to avoid dealing
with grief. Aaron is pathetic, and, if not for glimmers of humor, would be a completely
disagreeable protagonist due to his efforts to deflect expressions and gestures of sym-
pathy as well as support. By the way, Aaron stutters and his right side is crippled. He
has a history of impeding assistance, which he mistakes for pity. He has always kept
everyone at bay. From Aaron’s perspective, so did Dorothy. Ironically, Dorothy’s re-
appearance as an apparition helps him acknowledge this and other truths.
This is no ghost story or smoke and mirrors tale. Instead, it’s about love, loss and un-
derstanding.
Four Bookmarks
The Beginner’s Goodbye
Alfred A. Knopf, 2012
197 pages
I ordered a quarter portion of The Thing and still couldn’t finish everything on the
plate. Don’t worry, the name isn’t reflective of the unknown. It’s one of several over-
abundant menu items at King’s Chef Diner. The Thing is constructed on a base of
Texas Toast, which I pretty much ignored, covered in a mound of the yin and yang
creamy/crunchy hash browns. Scrambled eggs, bacon, green chile and cheese com-
plete the hodgepodge. The quarter portion did an impressive job of concealing the
dish, but I knew it was there somewhere.
It’s important to know a few things about King’s Chef Diner. First, the green chili:
if this doesn’t make your eyes water like you’re watching a Hallmark card commercial,
nothing will. Of course, the chili is far edgier than it is sentimental. If the servers sus-
pect you are ordering the green chili for the first time, they’ll suggest getting it on the
side rather than having it doused over your breakfast. Be forewarned. It’s also import-
ant to know that most of the entrees, from the Breakfast Burrito to The Grump, a var-
iation of The Thing but smothered in gravy, are Extra Extra Large in size. Some half
and quarter options are available, but even those test the limits of the common appetite.
If by chance everything on the plate is consumed, servers come by to acknowledge your
admittance to The Clean Plate Club. It earns a sticker boasting of the accomplishment,
although a bulging belly does the same thing.
Four Plates
King’s Chef Diner
131 E. Bijou St.
Colorado Springs, CO
Cash Only
Open “7 a.m. to 4 p.m.-ish Everyday”
When I entered Corridor 44 in Denver for dinner I thought it was clear from the narrow
shape why corridor is part of the name. But I couldn’t figure out 44. Perhaps it’s the num-
ber of different types of champagne bottles lining one wall, or maybe it’s the many differ-
ent cocktails, featuring the bubbly, included in the drinks menu. Possibly, simply it’s the
owner’s favorite number. As it turns out, it’s the length (in feet) of the narrow hallway con-
necting the front of the restaurant to the private dining room in back. This mini-mystery
was but a slight distraction to an otherwise lovely meal.
Nonetheless, it seems people go to Corridor 44 for the creative alcoholic beverages as much
as for the food – at least this is the case earlier in the evening. As night progresses, the drink-
ing crowd completely takes over. This might explain the discrepancy in size between the ex-
tensive drinks menu and the diminutive list of dinner options. Beverage offerings range from
the sublime “Raspberry Truffle” (made with raspberry vodka, Godiva chocolate liqueur and
champagne) to the dignified “Tranquility” (made with blue curacao, amaretto and champagne).
The menu is more straightforward: Steamed Halibut, Roasted Chicken, Seared Scallops. All
were well-prepared, but the surprise dish of the evening was the succulent, flavorful chicken
with garlic mashed potatoes. I rarely order chicken; it’s too easy to prepare well at home. Some-
how I made the wrong call, so I had to settle for a few bites – some offered, some stolen.
Corridor 44
Three-and-a-half Plates
1433 Larimer Square, Denver, CO
Although I read a fair amount of nonfiction, my preference has always leaned toward fiction. As
I read Katherine Boo’s Behind the Beautiful Forevers, I had to remind myself this is a true
story – in in fact, many true stories; it’s simply written with the smooth, eloquent narrative that
makes it read like a really good novel. But, it’s sad and it’s true.
Boo writes of the Annawadi slum in Mubai, India. For three years she follows the lives of several
families and child-scavengers all trying to survive in an overcrowded, rat-infested community of
makeshift structures that serve as homes. Mubai has numerous slums that fit this decription, but
Annawadi is the one located in the shadow of the international airport with its cosmopolitan hotels.
What makes Boo’s chronicle so intriguing are the people and their efforts to make more of their lives.
As if poverty alone were not enough to keep them down, they face government corruption, lapses of
moral judgment, and fear generated by religious differences. Boo’s account includes the experience
of Abdul who, with his father and older sister, is charged with murder when a vindictive neighbor
lights fire to herself. The family’s efforts to move out of Annawadi are thwarted as income is lost and
bribes must be paid.
This description of trying to exist in Mubai’s slums is much, much more than what most think of as a
hard-knock life. Yet, for their individual and collective foibles, these people continue to dream that
someday they will have more.
Behind the Beautiful Forevers
Four Bookmarks
Random House, 2012
256 pages
Small plates don’t mean little flavor; and a tapa here a tapa there while din-
ing at Nosh make it impossible to leave hungry. In fact, it’s easy to eat dish
after dish, just because they’re smaller portions and served separately. It’s
also possible my husband and I simply over-ordered.
To start, we selected the tempura Calamari served with tart, spicy dipping
sauce. The menu changes frequently at Nosh, but I was glad to see a long-
standing favorite still available: Roasted Cauliflower with caramelized onions
and cashews, enhanced with fresh basil. We also had the Nosh Burger, Fried
Chicken with Waffle, Housemade Potato Chips, and dessert – I’ll come back
to that.
We overheard our server describe the fried chicken and waffle as a “breakfast-
for-dinner kind of thing,” and then add, “And guys seem to like it more than
women.” Hah! It’s nothing like breakfast, especially since the syrup drizzled
around the plate was flavored with smoked Serrano. As for it being a guy thing,
I’m amazed at sexism in women. I thoroughly enjoyed the combination of an
airy Belgium Waffle with a crispy fried chicken; the honey butter was overkill
though. The burger is a slider on steroids served with wisps of fried onions on
a bun made in-house.
Desserts are exceptionally small: think shot glasses with baby spoons. This is
good and bad. It’s bad because it makes Chocolate Pot de Crème, Crème Brulee,
and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pop seem like controlled substances, and
good because we’d already over-eaten.
“Nosh”
Four-and-a-half Plates
121 S. Tejon St.
Colorado Springs, CO
I’m a careful driver, but some days I forget having passed a certain roadside
marker, or I have no recollection of having turned left at the light. Based on
Charles Duhigg’s The Power of Habit, it has less to do with a faulty memory
and is more about habit – the consistent recurrence of a deliberate choice.
Duhigg looks at habit from three perspectives: personal, corporate, and socie-
tal. The first two are the most fascinating and well-developed. With thorough
research and a conversational style, Duhigg relates scientific studies about
individuals and the patterns their brains establish to create habits. The author
considers individuals who completely alter their lifestyles by choice, as well
as those whose lives are changed by trauma or illness. He identifies three ne-
cessary elements: cues, routines, and rewards needed to establish habits.
The most interesting, albeit disturbing, aspects are found in the corporate view.
Duhigg reinforces what we already know: our spending habits are not secret.
This loss of privacy is not a new concern, but how we lose it is disconcerting.
Duhigg examines everything from how employees are trained to respond, to how
data is manipulated. The book’s weak link comes as Duhigg combines habitual
actions that evolve into addiction with those resulting from a physical medical
condition when examining societal aspects.
Although the focus of the book is to consider “why we do what we do in life and
business,” Duhigg does offer some suggestions for breaking the triad of habit,
which might be worth a try.
The Power of Habit
Three-and-a-half bookmarks
Random House, 2012
291 pages, plus notes and index
Rather than write individual reviews of the places we ate on our recent trip
to San Francisco, I decided to just share some brief impressions.
Our hotel was close to Japantown, so that’s where we went for a late dinner. We
found a Japanese Barbecue restaurant across from a small ramen house. The lat-
ter had a crowd lingering at the door. We noticed very few people at the barbecue
place. I thought the line at Suzu, the noodle shop, said something we needed to
discover for ourselves. Suzu makes three types of noodles: ramen; udon; and soba.
I ordered ramen with cilantro, which came in a large bowl deep enough for me to
put my face into. This was a good thing since it made it easier to slurp the long, silky
noodles soaking in a seasoned broth. Scallions, bamboo shoots, cilantro, of course,
and thinly sliced pieces of pork were mixed with the ramen. It was comforting, filling,
and the wait was surprisingly short.
1825 Post St.
Bambino’s Ristorante, located in the Haight, is small with an attentive but unob-
trusive staff offering a range of traditional Italian dishes. Although I suspect the food
can stand on its own to create a perfect dining experience, I think the dining party
also played a huge role in the meal’s success. My husband and I enjoyed asking our son
and niece about life in San Francisco. In their mid-20s, they embrace their experiences
and opportunities with humor and appreciation. Yes, my Angel Hair Pasta with arti-
hoke hearts, tomatoes, pepper flakes and shrimp was delectable. We shared tiramisu
and crème brulee for dessert. On the heels of an appetizer of perfectly fried calamari,
the pasta, bread, and wine, they were excessive – but enjoyable. Yet, I think the laugh-
ter, the conversation, and the ambiance of the restaurant contributed to a completely
pleasurable evening.
945 Cole St.
The Ferry Building Marketplace is a tourist mecca with good reason. It features a vari-
ety of shops with a range of fresh ingredients and locally-sourced products; and it has
several good restaurants. Since it was midday we opted for Gott’s Roadside. Given its
location, it obviously wasn’t roadside – that’s reserved for the Napa and St. Helena sites.
The menus are the same though. Gott’s started as a walk-up burger joint, but has evolv-
ed into an upscale gourmet dining establishment with fresh ingredients as a driving force.
Food is ordered at the counter, wrapped in paper and served in plastic baskets, but that’s
where the ties to the past end. I had blackened shrimp tacos with avocado, creamy cole slaw,
peppers and sour cream. The thick strawberry milkshake had bits of fruit and lots of
flavor. What a treat!
1 Ferry Building, Space 6
One possible way to avoid the wait for a table at Burma Superstar might be to
show up as soon as the doors open at 11:30 a.m. Otherwise, be sure to bring some
patience along with your appetite because this ultra-popular eatery in San Francisco’s
Inner Richmond neighborhood attracts quite a crowd throughout the day. Nonethe-
less, the food is worth every minute spent in anticipation.
Although I am unfamiliar with Burmese food, it’s still easy to appreciate fresh,
distinctive flavors – and equally effortless to take some cues from other diners
and the wait staff. We started with the Vegetarian Samusa Soup, which boasts a
creamy base with a hint of cumin and is full of an unusual but remarkably well-
matched combination of ingredients including samusas, cabbage, onions, and lentils.
Our graduate student son insisted we dine at Burma Superstar during our week-
end visit. He suggested we order a noodle dish and mango beef. However, it turns
out the latter is a seasonal dish, so it wasn’t available. Instead our server recom-
mended Steak Kabat, a medium-spicy blend of tender pieces of beef, tomatoes, onions,
peppers, and mint. He stressed that it was not overly-spiced; apparently the super-
spiced dish is the Chili Lamb. “The chef cannot even make this medium,” he said. The
Kebat was fiery enough. A cool complement was the Nan Pia Dok, coconut curry chicken
with flour noodles.
The small restaurant itself is rather nondescript, which is fine since the focus is so
clearly on the food and service.
Burma Superstar
Four Stars
309 Clement St.
San Francisco, CA
Julian Barnes’s The Sense of An Ending succintly examines the lackluster
life of Tony Webster, an uninspiring British gentleman deficient in confidence
and family background. Tony narrates the story of his very ordinary life from his
school days to his retirement; but don’t worry, it’s not as tedious as it sounds.
Whole elements, from marriage to parenting to divorce, are simply allotted a
passing mention. Although, intrigue is found, as contradictory as this may seem,
in the mundane when Tony’s conventional past rear-ends his present day exist-
ence forcing him to scrutinize incidents more closely.
Tony’s story relies on his memory, which is like everyone’s: a bit faulty. The
novel’s retrospective focus is on Veronica, Tony’s first real girlfriend, and Adrian,
his school chum. Both play a large part in Tony’s younger life, although Barnes’s
tone is particularly casual toward them. It’s as if these relationships are no more
significant than passersby on the street. Herein is one of Tony’s major flaws, as
identified by Veronica: nothing excites him. This inability to be moved, or even
demonstrate it, is part of Veronica’s palpable frustration with him. Not that she
is free from fault either. He admits he sees only the obvious, which is interesting
given that he is oblivious to so much. Nonetheless, a mystery ensues with Tony
trying to finally understand the connection with Veronica, her family, and Adrian
to vague recollections of long-past incidents and snippets of conversations.
This terse novel suggests a lot about how and what we choose to remember.
“The Sense of An Ending”
Four Bookmarks
Alfred A. Knopf, 2011
163 pages
The Blue Page Special 