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The culinary culture that is San Francisco

I am all in favor of San Francisco’s $13 per hour minimum wage (which rises to $15 by 2018), plus mandatory paid sick leave, parental leave and employer health care contributions. But labor costs at restaurants are inching past 50 … Continue reading

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Espita Mezcaleria

Espita Mezcaleria, web site, 1250 9th Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-621-9795 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Google+ | WaPo | Zagat | Washingtonian | TripAdvisor | City Paper | Ylp | Gayot] South Mexican, this is probably … Continue reading

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Kyirisan

Kyirisan, Chinese-French, web site, 1924 8th Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-525-2942 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Zagat | WaPo | Washingtonian | TripAdvisor | City Paper | Arlington Mag | Ylp] There are also Filipino and Korean … Continue reading

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El Sol Restaurante

El Sol Restaurante, web site, 1227 11th Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-815-4789 (there is another branch in DC at 3911 14th Street NW, 202-545-0081) (the 11th Street location is open mornings, there is conflicting information on exactly when, it is … Continue reading

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Distinct Taste

Distinct Taste, web site, another web site, 617 S. Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg, MD, 301-987-0800 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Google+ | Ylp] What a weird restaurant! No one seems to go here, and when I called for … Continue reading

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Where to dine in London

I recommend two Indian places, neither super cheap but each worth it: Amaya, and Gymkhana Both are good for vegetarians, the former especially. Trishna is another good Indian place in London, though I won’t get to visit this time around. … Continue reading

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Brussels bleg

I’ll be there next week, in fact just in time for the Brexit vote. Above and beyond the obvious guidebook sights, what do you all recommend that I do? And where should I eat? Here is a good Ian Buruma … Continue reading

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Singapore

In any case, I am happy to be here once again. For dining, I recommend Sinar Pagi Nasi Padang, at Geylang Serai hawker centre, get the beef rendang. National Kitchen, in the new National Gallery is also very good for … Continue reading

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Notes from Changsha, Hunan province

Changsha is the ugliest and most ungainly Chinese city I have seen, which is saying something. Nonetheless for a food pilgrimage it is a serious rival for #1 spot in the world, perhaps surpassing Chengdu for the quality and novelty … Continue reading

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Discussions about restaurants in the New York Times

The data start in 1880 and run through 2013. Based on my visual reading of the chart, discussion of Chinese restaurants appears to have peaked in the 1940s (!). German restaurants are the biggest loser over time, with plunges during … Continue reading

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