The last of the turkey is gone from the fridge. The Beaujolais Nouveau has been slurped down. The extra cans of pumpkin filling have been hidden on the back shelf until next year. And we were thankful for the chance to stretch out our stomachs in preparation for a long, hard season of eating. Hope you all had a gratifying holiday -- and Harry'll see you at the Xmas party ....
Hang the DJ
The Restaurant LuLu empire expands with the forthcoming debut of Azie, a showcase for chef Jody Denton's Asian-inspired menu next door to the mother pod. One of the features of this new venture, besides the usual good stuff to eat and drink, will be a live DJ spinning while you dine.
Another December SOMA opening is Martel Toler and Nabiel Musleh's (last names are back in, remember?) Sushi Groove South, across from the Holy Cow on Folsom at 11th Street. The city's top-dog promoters will provide a new venue for fans of the scratch and cut, along with a sake bar and killer raw fish. P.S. Seems ironic that all of these restaurants featuring DJs have living spaces above them. Keeps the acoustic tilers in business, I suppose.
Eat It and Beat It
A recent article in the Chron caught my attention and should catch yours: Restaurant workers at the Radisson at the Berkeley Marina have filed a class-action suit against their employer. The suit alleges that waiters have been illegally forced to pay the checks of customers who dine-and-dash.
I could understand this if the waiter was outside making out with one of the cooks while the customer was wandering the floor trying to pay his check -- it's part of a waiter's job description to make sure that the customer is charged for all the ordered items and that payment is tendered correctly. But if the diner takes a powder after eating his meal, most places absorb the cost as part of regular losses, and won't make the waiter pay. Similarly, I've never known of a restaurant that actually charged its bartenders -- or dishwashers, for that matter -- for broken glassware. If they did, they'd have a hard time holding on to good help. Hey, waiters: If your employer is taking you for a ride, you don't have to buckle up and pay all the tolls. Just bail out. And if any punch-and-run diners happen to be reading this (and I sincerely doubt any are), think about who is going to pay your bill when you don't.
A Toast
The Queen of North Beach and the city's most colorful socialite, Jeanette Etheridge, invited all her friends to celebrate the 80th anniversary of her beloved Tosca. Many of the celebrities, well-connecteds, and actually-importants arrived to pay their respects and cut a little rug at the coolest spot in this little burg. One invitee was sorely missed -- but I'll bet Pat was smiling down on the proceedings with a heavenly Jack Daniel's highball raised in toast.
Know something Harry doesn't? E-mail Coverte@aol.com and sweep the dirt out from under the rug.
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