A blog about food and cooking by Chris Norris

Welcoming 2010 in San Francisco!

Welcoming 2010 in San Francisco!

2010 is here and another three days of “living la vida loca” in San Francisco is in the record books!

New Year’s Eve is one of the few times that virtually all of the streets in San Francisco are flooded with people well into the evening.  Even the financial district sees some action.  And by SF standards, it’s pretty safe & sane partying and a generally happy crowd.  Add it to your list of memorable ways to see the New Year arrive!

While it’s technically true that we don’t have a clue about what’s going on after 2 am… Except for Ruby Skye – which still has partiers coming and going at 3am – all easily observed from a room at the Donatello hotel across the street – but that’s another story.  Regardless, until at least 2am it’s a great time to be wandering and celebrating.

This year we celebrated the birth of the New Year at one of our favorite tapas venues – B44 – near Union Square. We’re allergic to prix fixe menus on New Year’s Eve – actually, we’re allergic to prix fixe menus all the time – and B44 broke from the masses.  We have three other strict criteria for our New Year’s celebrations:  Gotta be open on New Year’s Eve – that’s pretty important.   There simply must be a bar, because restaurants without bars are restaurants without fun.  And finally, the restaurant has to be open past midnight.  I’ve got no interest in standing outside and milling around at the magic moment!    This year, B44 delivered.  Two bottles of champagne – the last consumed en mass from water glasses – and a great selection of tapas  led us to the door step of the New Year, which we celebrated by cheering along with the rest of the restaurant and documented, at least partially, with Laura’s new Flip video thingamajig.

While doing some basic research for our evening, we did uncover one sad fact.  The restaurants in San Francisco have had a tough 2009.  First, Myth, one of our favorite restaurants in SF was sold, lost it’s head chef (Sean O’Brien), and then went out  of business.  Pres a Vi, another long time favorite, has closed its doors.  And finally, even the French mainstay Jeanty at Jack’s is a goner.  Let’s hope for better in 2010.

But on the bright side, B44 was humming, the First Crush Wine Bar is still serving great food and great wines, and the Ponzu bar  stirred a mean martini!

Happy New Year!

– Chris



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