This Week's Restaurant Review: Michael Mina in SF

Every once in a while I have a dining experience that makes me happy just to be alive and in possession of taste buds that are in good working order. Food can be a miraculous thing if it’s prepared and presented with passion and this restaurant is so passionate about what they do that you can taste it in every bite. The name of the restaurant is Michael Mina in San Francisco – and once you’ve been there you won’t soon forget it.

One of the hottest young chefs in the country, Michael Mina, has fashioned a restaurant that is universally praised for its original concepts in American cuisine -- featuring elegantly prepared and artfully presented dishes that emphasize distinct tastes and bold flavors. This guy knows what he’s doing and isn’t afraid to take chances and create dishes that few chefs have even dreamed of creating. Other chefs go to Michael Mina to steal his ideas, I’m told. And I believe it!

If you want the very best San Francisco has to offer, Michael Mina is no doubt right up there at the very top of the list. No one else does it the way Mina does, featuring a mixture of the exotic with the basic; combining comfort food and fine dining in such a way that others have tried to imitate it over and over again, but without success.

Some of the signature entrees that we tried recently during our visit to Michael Mina included lobster pot pie, tuna tartare and fried chicken for two. Everything was spectacular and went way beyond already sky high expectations. They also feature a caviar cart, dessert bar and over 2,200 wines.

A warm and welcoming atmosphere, created by well-known California designer Barbara Barry, made us feel pampered, while the conscientious staff spoiled us from the instant we walked through the door. You don’t know what attentive service is until you’ve eaten at Michael Mina.

The best thing about Michael Mina is the very affordable price-fixe menu. It allows normal working stiffs like us to eat there without taking out a small business loan. The options range from the $98 price-fixe menu (3-course) to the $135 price-fixe menu (6-course). If you have the money, I would recommend the 6-course menu. I mean, how many times in your life are you going to be able to eat a meal that you’ll remember for the rest of your life?

Michael Mina is in the Westin St. Francis at 335 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA 94102. You basically can’t get into a place like this without reservations, so call them at (415) 397-9222. Hours: (Mon-Sat) 5:30 pm-10:00 pm; (Sun) 5:30 pm-9:30 pm.

The only thing I regretted when I left Michael Mina was that I didn’t have a couple of extra stomachs. It’s the only time in my life that I wanted to be a cow.

Nowak is Whacked!

AOL news reported that former astronaut Lisa Nowak is pursuing an insanity defense on charges that she assaulted and tried to kidnap a romantic rival, according to a document released Tuesday.

Defense attorney Donald Lykkebak wrote that Nowak suffered from major depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, insomnia and "brief psychotic disorder with marked stressors." He also added that she was gassy and had assorted phobias of crossword puzzles, poodles and anything involving Jerry Springer. Lykkebak noted that the already-petite Nowak had recently lost 15 percent of her body weight and was living on a diet of pop rocks and Tang."This notice does not challenge competence to stand trial, but only raises insanity at the time of the offense," he wrote. “In other words, Ms. Nowak is crazy when it suits her, primarily every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and every other Saturday.”

Nowak, 44, was charged with attempted kidnapping, removing a tag from a new mattress, jaywalking in space, breaking wind in a space capsule and blaming a fellow astronaut, battery and burglary with assault, after allegedly driving nearly 1,000 miles from Houston to Orlando to confront Colleen Shipman, the girlfriend of a former space shuttle pilot Nowak had been involved with. She was dismissed from the astronaut corps a month after her arrest.

Nowak is currently working at Chuck E. Cheese and doing testimonial ads for Snuggy diapers. “They have the stay-free gathers that prevents moisture from seeping out, which is a big deal, especially in outer space,” she said.

Nowak said that she hopes her trial will be over soon. “I want to get all of this behind me so that I can move into my new house….on Pluto.”Nowak has pleaded not guilty, and her trial is set for September. She plans on taking the stand during the trial, but will not speak, she claims. “I’ll be doing a series of shadow puppets to tell my story,” Nowak said. “And possibly some mime.”Circuit Court Judge Marc L. Lubet unsealed the notice of intent to rely on the insanity defense on Tuesday. Florida law requires such a notice before trial to let prosecutors prepare.

(Parts of this article are fictitious and provided for entertainment purposes only.)

Chalk it Up as Art

There were some great artists out in force this weekend at the Palo Alto Art & Wine Festival doing some incredible chalk art on the sidewalks of Downtown P.A. Here are some photos I took of the best drawings.

Vick Admits Guilt

www.Ultrapms.com

Ultrapms.com has great health products for women. Some of these are natural remedies for the naturally occurring life-cycle changes of women. Ultrapms.com has a progesterone creme that relieves and prevents the symptoms of PMS, Perimenopause, and Menopause. Correcting and reversing the effects of Estrogen Dominance, Fibromyalgia, and Osteoporosis. For practical purposes the safest, most affective, and convenient method of progesterone application is topical. The FDA allows up to 750 milligrams per ounce to be sold OTC, higher dosage per ounce requires a prescription. Renaissance progesterone cream contains the highest amount of progesterone allowed without a prescription. Natural progesterone is bio-identical to progesterone produced by the female ovaries. Provera is a "progestin" or synthetic product. It is not natural progesterone. Synthetic progesterone does not provide the protection against estrogen dominance "natural" progesterone does.

Chubby's All Stars to Play at Yuckfest 2007

The Chubby's All Stars band held a press conference today to announce that they will be playing at the 2007 Yuletide Yuckfest at Rooster T. Feathers Comedy Club in Sunnyvale on Sunday night, December 2nd.

"The All Stars are proud to be a part of the Yuckfest, which they feel is a very worthwhile fundraiser for Toys for Tots," said Jeff Seigel, spokesman for the band. "All of the band members are unified in the belief that giving back to community in which they live, play and jam is the right thing to do."

Need a Trophy Fast?

If you need a trophy fast, there’s a Web site out there called http://www.quicktrophy.com/. It’s a cool site where you can get a trophy fast and inexpensively. I get a few trophies a year, mostly for my annual Lowlife Weekend Houseboat Trip to Lake Shasta. Over the years, I’ve purchased trophies for our Sunfish Fantasy Football Tournament, Elmo’s Dart Tournament, the Slide Football Competition, ands more. Now I'm going to have to get a Rap Battle Tournament trophy for next year (see above), since I defeated Spillage in the event during this last trip!

A Great Web site for Furniture

There’s a web site that I can highly recommend called www.homeandliving.com. They have a great selection of very reasonably priced, high quality furniture that is some of the finest stuff you’ll find anywhere. I especially like their selection of dining room furniture. They have some really impressive dining room tables, chairs, hutches, cabinets and much more. Check them out if you’re in the market for any type of furniture!

My Fearless NFC Predictions

NFC Predictions

Seattle Seahawks: With Shaun Alexander back and healthy and with the continued improvement of QB Matt Haselback, the rainy city will reign supreme in the NFC West and could roll in the playoffs if the defense steps up. A reconfigured offense line, anchored by Walter Jones, should open holes; a crew of talented receivers, led by Nate Burleson and Ben Obomanu, and a coach who’s been on the font lines for a long time (Mike Holmgren), these gulls will be ball hawks in the clutch.

St. Louis Rams: With the best running back (Stephen Jackson) in the NFC; an all-pro quarterback (Mark Bulger) and a smart, aggressive head coach (Scott Linehan), the Rams will thrive if they can play any defense at all. The run defense was lamb stew last year, but first-round stud DE Adam Carriker and free agent DL James Hall should help enough that opposing teams won’t have the luxury of double-teaming Leonard Little on every play. The addition of free agent receivers Drew Bennett and TE Randy McMichael will give Bulger more weapons than he had last year.

Dallas Cowboys: New head coach Wade Phillips will be a breath of fresh air compared to the uptight, controlling Bill Parcells, who is gone but not missed. If QB Tony Romo can stay healthy and focused and the defense plays consistently, the Cowboys could once again be America’s Team. RB Marion Barber, WR Terrell Owens and OG Leonard Davis are standouts on offense; up-and-coming studs like OLB DeMarcus Ware, CB Ken Hamlin and DE Marcus Spears are the best defensive players you’ve never heard of.

Chicago Bears: Rex Grossman is the anti-QB, but the Bears’ defense is so awesome that they’ll win despite him. If Brian Griese was even halfway decent, he’d be the starter by now. Hopefully, Head Coach Lovie Smith will figure out the situation and dump Grossman before the season is over. He’s the only thing keeping this team from winning a Super Bowl. A stalwart defense led by veteran S Mike Brown, MLB Brian Urlacher and SS Adam Archuleta will keep the Bears in games. If RB Cedric Benson can ramble downhill and keep Grossman’s arm at his side, this team could make a second trip to the Big One.

Philadelphia Eagles: QB Donovan McNabb is healthy again (don’t hold your breath), RB Brian Westbrook is a diminutive game breaker and the defense revamped and one year smarter. Head Coach Andy Reid is a great strategist and motivator, too – even though he can’t control his own bratty kids. Off-season moves like getting free agent WR Kevin Curtis and trading for OLB Takeo Spikes will help Philly, while defensive studs like OLB Chris Gocong, DE Javon Kearse and FS Brian Dawkins will keep the offense off the field long enough for them to gel.

NFC Champion: Dallas Cowboys

Next week: My fearless AFC predictions.

The Sturgeon General

Some guys in Florida caught this 1,000-lb. sturgeon recently. Now, that's what I call a fish!