Jonathan Kauffman says he had a hard time getting past the fact that vegan Mexican joint Gracias Madre was a spinoff of Café Gratitude. “When faced by the prospect of Café Gratitude, Mexican edition, I was put off by the thought of ordering ‘Soy intuitivo’ tamales.” But in the end he says, “I wouldn’t call myself a lover, but I get the Madre love.” Basically he’d rather eat there with his vegan pals than this temple of blandness. [SF Weekly]
We know Reidinger reviewed Heart. And we know he called the small plates “vivid” and the place over all as a “wine bar meets beer hall.” But we don’t know what else he said because the Guardian hasn’t mastered the web yet, and the review doesn’t seem to be there where it’s supposed to be. Well, anyway, we’re sure like most of his reviews he writes two paragraphs about the setting, and then says a few descriptive but vaguely opinion-free things about the dishes. There, now you don’t have to read it. [SFBG]
Patti U. heads to North Beach to visit the new-ish Caffe Baonecci (formerly known as Danilo Bakery), making the bold statement that it “may be the most authentic, and endearing” Italian eatery in town. [SF Examiner]
Also, just prior to the whole Top 100 brouhaha, Michael Bauer revisited the decade-old Ana Mandara last week, saying that “the flavors are still bright and exciting [but] a touch of lethargy seems to have crept into the poetically named combinations.” [Chron]
