I don't know how involved she still is in the restaurant (she may well be, I just don't know).
For other readers who may not know, Alice Waters is one of the influential restaurateurs (restaurateuses?) who helped get the whole 'California Nouvelle Cuisine' thing going (was it in the early '70s? - I'm doing this without benefit of Google).
Her restaurant, Chez Panisse, actually has its own veggie garden nearby that they use to provide very fresh goodies for the menu (what a concept!). They also have working arrangements for supply with local farmers.
Unfortunately, such dedication to quality comes at a price, and that price is usually too much for my budget. We've had a few extraordinary dinners there, but, even then, we sat upstairs in the cheap seats.
Crepes languished in relative obscurity for years and would probably remain there today had they not been perfected by an enterprising and dedicated San Francisco restaurateur and then brought to the world's attention by a passionate San Francisco writer.
At our house, most of them are still in the dishwasher.
I am so glad you asked, though. You (and other skeptical readers of this blog) probably won't believe this, but the original Magic Pan was opened at Ghirardelli Square, in San Francisco, practically within sight of the Buena Vista, where Irish Coffee was perfected.
The key to the restaurant chain's success was the unique crepe machine invented by Hungarian immigrant Lazlo Fono.
So, it could accurately be stated that crepes languished in relative obscurity for years and would probably remain there today had they not been perfected by an enterprising and dedicated San Francisco restaurateur and then brought to the world's attention by passionate San Francisco writers.
You (and other skeptical readers of this blog) probably won't believe this, but the last Magic Pan to go out of business was in Paramus NJ in 1989, practically within sight of the Old Mill Bathing Beach where Matt Bevilaqua got whacked in the Sopranos.
The key to the restaurant chain's failure was the unique crepe machine invented by Hungarian immigrant Lazlo Fono.
I would believe both of those! I don't think we ever made it to the original one but we were in Mare Island (Vallejo area) for a little under 2 years while my dad's sub was being overhauled & I have some very fond memories of being taken out for dinner at a local Magic Pan.
hm, interesting if totally irrelevant word verification: scrchiti - what the kids do on the subway windows now that they've somehow stopped them from spraypainting the cars.
I think the first crepes I ever had were from a stand on the seafront in Biarritz in 1970. There were colored lights playing on the surf and music coming out of the lamp posts.
We vacationed in France and Switzerland quite often in the 70's and 80's and often ate crepes. In Britanny they have a savory crepe called a galette.
And my best memory of crepes is eating them in a small creperie in a Swiss ski resort, after skiing all day, Ravel's Bolero playing as background music in the restaurant, and looking out of the window to glimpse a distant view of the Matterhorn 25 miles away.
I don't think any of those places had a magic pan.
I imagine the noble crêpe had something of a history before Mr. Lazlo Fono happened along.
We Americans have a knack for taking something light and fine, industrializing the soul out of it, promoting the heck out of it, and then calling it our own.
I remember eating at some Magic Pan's and thinking the 'product' not too bad, although I doubt many French chefs would have been too impressed (it takes a lot to impress a French chef).
I also remember being in Switzerland in the early 80's (maybe we crossed paths in the Geneva train station). We did some of our first bike trips there, but never got to sample the crêpes. I usually limited myself to items on the menu that I could translate. We ate a lot of pizza, possibly the safest choice on a Swiss menu.
As I recall, anything ending in '-fleisch' could be something of a gamble.
Re: "I remember eating at some Magic Pan's and thinking the 'product' not too bad, although I doubt many French chefs would have been too impressed"...
I have to admit it didn't take much to impress me at the time. I was in fourth grade.
As I recall, they were fun places to eat that were maybe trying to show Americans that French food didn't have to be fussy or snooty. And, at a time when too many American restaurant menus were still built around lasagna and chopped sirloin.
Zen, the railroad crossing was on O Street. Does that count?
It could accurately be stated that Korean cakes languished in relative obscurity for years and would probably remain there today had they not been perfected by an enterprising and dedicated San Francisco restaurateur and then brought to the world's attention by passionate San Francisco writers.
Things were tougher when I was a kid. My university band played a concert inside the capitol rotunda - the acoustics were wild - but Ronald Raygun was governor. That sign read "Creepville", all the fruit was picked by workers in the UFW, which the growers and Teamsters were trying to destroy, and instead of powdered sugar and laptops we had dirt and yellow legal tablets.
Wordless Wednesday!
ReplyDeleteNICE!
ReplyDeleteWalk right in it's around the back,
ReplyDeletejust a half a mile from the railroad track
You can get anything you want.
ReplyDeleteCeptin' Alice
ReplyDeleteAlice doesn't live here anymore.
ReplyDeleteThere's a new cook, now.
Her name is Magill. She calls herself Lil. But everyone knows her as Nancy.
Is Alice Waters still in Berkeley?
ReplyDeleteI don't know how involved she still is in the restaurant (she may well be, I just don't know).
ReplyDeleteFor other readers who may not know, Alice Waters is one of the influential restaurateurs (restaurateuses?) who helped get the whole 'California Nouvelle Cuisine' thing going (was it in the early '70s? - I'm doing this without benefit of Google).
Her restaurant, Chez Panisse, actually has its own veggie garden nearby that they use to provide very fresh goodies for the menu (what a concept!). They also have working arrangements for supply with local farmers.
Unfortunately, such dedication to quality comes at a price, and that price is usually too much for my budget. We've had a few extraordinary dinners there, but, even then, we sat upstairs in the cheap seats.
And I did not know that oranges and limes grow on the same trees!!
ReplyDeleteCrepes languished in relative obscurity for years and would probably remain there today had they not been perfected by an enterprising and dedicated San Francisco restaurateur and then brought to the world's attention by a passionate San Francisco writer.
ReplyDeleteMagnificent photography. Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteWhere are the Magic Pans of yesterday?
ReplyDeleteAt our house, most of them are still in the dishwasher.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you asked, though. You (and other skeptical readers of this blog) probably won't believe this, but the original Magic Pan was opened at Ghirardelli Square, in San Francisco, practically within sight of the Buena Vista, where Irish Coffee was perfected.
The key to the restaurant chain's success was the unique crepe machine invented by Hungarian immigrant Lazlo Fono.
So, it could accurately be stated that crepes languished in relative obscurity for years and would probably remain there today had they not been perfected by an enterprising and dedicated San Francisco restaurateur and then brought to the world's attention by passionate San Francisco writers.
See, that's why the iPad needs an SD slot!
ReplyDelete(yes, I admit, the comment of a complete geek)
You (and other skeptical readers of this blog) probably won't believe this, but the last Magic Pan to go out of business was in Paramus NJ in 1989, practically within sight of the Old Mill Bathing Beach where Matt Bevilaqua got whacked in the Sopranos.
ReplyDeleteThe key to the restaurant chain's failure was the unique crepe machine invented by Hungarian immigrant Lazlo Fono.
I would believe both of those! I don't think we ever made it to the original one but we were in Mare Island (Vallejo area) for a little under 2 years while my dad's sub was being overhauled & I have some very fond memories of being taken out for dinner at a local Magic Pan.
ReplyDeletehm, interesting if totally irrelevant word verification: scrchiti - what the kids do on the subway windows now that they've somehow stopped them from spraypainting the cars.
PPS - that was mid-1970's, the absolute heyday of the Magic Pan.
ReplyDeleteI think the first crepes I ever had were from a stand on the seafront in Biarritz in 1970. There were colored lights playing on the surf and music coming out of the lamp posts.
ReplyDeleteWe vacationed in France and Switzerland quite often in the 70's and 80's and often ate crepes. In Britanny they have a savory crepe called a galette.
And my best memory of crepes is eating them in a small creperie in a Swiss ski resort, after skiing all day, Ravel's Bolero playing as background music in the restaurant, and looking out of the window to glimpse a distant view of the Matterhorn 25 miles away.
I don't think any of those places had a magic pan.
I imagine the noble crêpe had something of a history before Mr. Lazlo Fono happened along.
ReplyDeleteWe Americans have a knack for taking something light and fine, industrializing the soul out of it, promoting the heck out of it, and then calling it our own.
I remember eating at some Magic Pan's and thinking the 'product' not too bad, although I doubt many French chefs would have been too impressed (it takes a lot to impress a French chef).
I also remember being in Switzerland in the early 80's (maybe we crossed paths in the Geneva train station). We did some of our first bike trips there, but never got to sample the crêpes. I usually limited myself to items on the menu that I could translate. We ate a lot of pizza, possibly the safest choice on a Swiss menu.
As I recall, anything ending in '-fleisch' could be something of a gamble.
[ .... ]
ReplyDelete[ .... ] = zzzzz.... ?
ReplyDeleteSometimes the title "Out to Lunch" can be abused by the malicious. "Delicious journey"?
ReplyDeleteVW: puragon
A paragon of purity? An unsoilded paragon? Or the purification is all gone?
I think you said it all in the word verification, Pat: The VW Puragon is the newest electric station wagon from Volkswagen
ReplyDeleteNice, but nothing to do with O's, docks or boats...
ReplyDeleteStill
nice work.
word verification: undying
Re: "I remember eating at some Magic Pan's and thinking the 'product' not too bad, although I doubt many French chefs would have been too impressed"...
ReplyDeleteI have to admit it didn't take much to impress me at the time. I was in fourth grade.
:D
As I recall, they were fun places to eat that were maybe trying to show Americans that French food didn't have to be fussy or snooty. And, at a time when too many American restaurant menus were still built around lasagna and chopped sirloin.
ReplyDeleteZen, the railroad crossing was on O Street. Does that count?
Man does not blog by boats alone.
모두가 음식에 대해 얘기합니다. 그걸 알았다면 제가 구운 케이크를했을 오는 걸!
ReplyDelete이것은 나에게 그리스어이다. 더 케이크, 제발.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI tried and I tried, but the cake won't take.
ReplyDeleteIt could accurately be stated that Korean cakes languished in relative obscurity for years and would probably remain there today had they not been perfected by an enterprising and dedicated San Francisco restaurateur and then brought to the world's attention by passionate San Francisco writers.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that I can take it
ReplyDelete'Cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again.
Nibbling on sponge cake
ReplyDeleteWatching the sun bake
All of those tourists covered with oil
But that's a straw hat song. O Docker, I still have that Richard Harris album of my Mom's! The man named horse had a decent voice.
ReplyDeleteDumbledore!
ReplyDeleteMan, that guy's good. And lunch looks pretty delicious, also.
ReplyDeleteThings were tougher when I was a kid. My university band played a concert inside the capitol rotunda - the acoustics were wild - but Ronald Raygun was governor. That sign read "Creepville", all the fruit was picked by workers in the UFW, which the growers and Teamsters were trying to destroy, and instead of powdered sugar and laptops we had dirt and yellow legal tablets.
ReplyDeleteGreat pics.