wasabi, which never bothers me because I don’t ever use it.... The key here is these guys have promise. They have the potential to force the rest of the top tier — particularly Tomi, Koma, Kitsho, Kuni, Sam, Yuzu... (18 replies, last updated by rworange December 16, 2007)

are the best places in America’s 2nd tier? (31 replies, last updated by rockandroller1 November 22, 2007)

It’s a bit last-minute, but a few friends and I have just made dinner reservations at Perry St. for dinner on Christmas Day. It seemed very easy to make them, so it raises a few eyebrows. A few other places we were... (2 replies, last updated by nyc711 December 24, 2008)

memory, with a Nobu-inspired fusion menu that could someday end up raising the bar for everyone else in the top tier. And then there’s Sura, just a mile south on El Camino in Mountain View, which, by comparison ... OK,... (2 replies, last updated by P. Punko February 12, 2008)

‘farm to table’ place showcasing local and sustainably raised meats and produce —Along the same lines, a farmer’s market with vendors selling grass fed beef or heritage pork —A bar with very well made... (4 replies, last updated by JeremyEG March 6, 2009)

Pete Miller’s is really a steak place, and not a bad one at that (though I don’t think they’d make it into the top tier in the city) What I like best there though is a great burger in the bar room where you can... (5 replies, last updated by Lakeshore Woman March 7, 2002)

The Hasty-Bake is a great grill and a relatively good smoker (so, a great hybrid). The ability to raise and lower the coals gives you great control over grilling temperatures. The access to the coals from the side is very handy... (5 replies, last updated by Cathy June 1, 2000)

if no table within reasonable proximity to the stage is open. I actually prefer the first tier of booths to most of the floor tables due to the raised elevation of the new stage. Also, unless you are seeing a soloist, the... (7 replies, last updated by oaklandfoodie April 28, 2004)

Chez Panisse and Oliveto feature meat, poultry, and fish which has been raised/harvested responsibly, often featuring the source name of the ranch on the menu. Picante recently was featuring Niman carnitas. Believe it or not,... (8 replies, last updated by Limster May 28, 2002)

that the small banquette on the left or a table along the banquette on the raised tier would be among the quieter locations. At least the noise would only be coming from one direction rather than the situation in a free-standing... (7 replies, last updated by wookyluvr December 26, 2006)

I’ve been trying hard to find a reason to hate this place, but haven’t succeeded. Yeah, the ambiance is pretty corny, and their ambitious approach to represent so many regions/styles raised a flag, but the fact of the... (1 reply, last updated by Sant January 30, 2006)

I’m pretty certain that restaurants of a certain tier (Grace, Lucques, Campanile, etc.) purchase most of their stuff from organic farms, small cattle farms, etc. You can always just call the restaurant and ask who their... (5 replies, last updated by condiment December 20, 2005)

, at the intersection of routes 16 and 13. It is the best of many I’ve had, and they will sell you a gallon of the sauce. But I think they don’t open until memorial day. Not surprisingly, chicken barbecue is also found... (3 replies, last updated by Mark DiBlasi April 22, 2003)

is a highly orthodox sushi experience, without giving the customer the feeling of being in a gastronomic shrine. The bar meets my three basic requirements for a top-tier sushi operation: all the fish are clearly on display, you... (3 replies, last updated by StillHungryInSanRafael March 17, 2006)

Does anyone know of information available that shows what the correlation of raising menu prices vs lost sales is? What I mean is lets say your business drops off 10% and you need to raise prices to cover your fixed overhead. If... (23 replies, last updated by Bill Hunt December 1, 2008)