Cybernet Expo - My Show & Culinary Report

[Toby]

Show Report
In general I think the show went well. It was a bit hard to get a gauge on overall attendance as people seem to be arriving and departing mid-show. Seminars were well attended. I think there were fewer paysite programs represented, but there seemed to be an increase in seconday vendors. Copywriters, marketing, SEO etc.

I managed to meet up with the short list I had before I left Houston, and made another 6 or 8 contacts in addition. That's about par for me based on prior shows. I got to meet a few more people that I'd only known from the boards. I even had a little chat with B2B Bruce and I think we each better understand where the other is coming from.

Overall, based on the abysmal reviews of some other recent shows I'd call this a resounding success.


Culinary Report

Thur - Lunch at Pearl's Diner
Voted the best burger in SF. I had the Phat Bobb and a blueberry shake.

Roll up your sleeves and get plenty of napkins. Thick juicy flavorful burger patty. Once you pick it up, you don't dare put it down again. And the fresh blueberry shake was yummy.

Friday - Dinner at Nob Hill Grille
Private menu by special request. Fresh Columbia River King Salmon.

Course #1 - House Cured Smoked Salmon
Capers, shallots, creme fraiche and garlic croutini
partnered with Dungeness crab Sunomono

Course #2 - Salmon Chowder
along side coriander and fennel salad

Course #3 - Grilled Salmon
roasted butternut squash, carrot & asparagus salad with heirloom tomato vinaigrette

Course #4 - Pan Seared Salmon
roasted red potato, smokey honey butter, and sauteed baby sunburst squash.

Every course was amazing, but the chowder and pan seared stood out. Even the two guys that had never eaten salmon before were impressed.

Saturday - Dinner at Bar Jules
menu for 6/27 (changes daily)

Appetizers
spring vegetable soup with pesto
little gem lettuces with cucumbers, radishes, and creamy vinaigrette
mussel salad with potatoes, peas, and chervil
la quercia prosciutto with fresh mozzarella and grilled squash blossoms
steak tartare with all the fixings
asparagus vinaigrette with hard cooked egg

Entrees
wood grilled yellowfin tuna with green beans, sweet corn, and basil
wood grilled berkshire pork chop with roasted figs, fennel, arugula, and walnuts
marin sun farms shortribs braised in red wine with white beans, spring onions, and horseradish cream

Desserts
strawberry shortcake
river cafe' chocolate nemesis

There were six of us, so we ordered one each of the appetizers and shared, and two each of the entrees and shared. We even managed to gang up and put away one of both desserts.

All of the selections were out of this world. Everything super fresh and expertly prepared, a total gastronimic delight. SF has dozens of these small 30-40 seat restaurants, where the owner is usually right there working nightly waiting tables, tending bar or doing the cooking. Most of these places require reservations well in advance. Getting a table for six on relatively short notice was a real coup. Thanks to Liz, Chad and Indy for including me.

Sunday - Dinner at my brothers place
Appetizer - pan fried lobster ravioli
Main course - Kobe beef roast, dry roasted with Tuscan herb rub. dry roasted baby red potato and steamed broccoli

Monday - Dinner at my brothers place
pork wellington, stuffed with sharp white cheddar. mushroom risotto and a large garden salad.

I've been afraid to get on the scale this morning.

[miz_wright]

Originally Posted by Toby

Show Report
In general I think the show went well. It was a bit hard to get a gauge on overall attendance as people seem to be arriving and departing mid-show. Seminars were well attended. I think there were fewer paysite programs represented, but there seemed to be an increase in seconday vendors. Copywriters, marketing, SEO etc.

I managed to meet up with the short list I had before I left Houston, and made another 6 or 8 contacts in addition. That's about par for me based on prior shows. I got to meet a few more people that I'd only known from the boards. I even had a little chat with B2B Bruce and I think we each better understand where the other is coming from.

Overall, based on the abysmal reviews of some other recent shows I'd call this a resounding success.


Culinary Report
[snip]

Saturday - Dinner at Bar Jules
menu for 6/27 (changes daily)

Appetizers
spring vegetable soup with pesto
little gem lettuces with cucumbers, radishes, and creamy vinaigrette
mussel salad with potatoes, peas, and chervil
la quercia prosciutto with fresh mozzarella and grilled squash blossoms
steak tartare with all the fixings
asparagus vinaigrette with hard cooked egg

Entrees
wood grilled yellowfin tuna with green beans, sweet corn, and basil
wood grilled berkshire pork chop with roasted figs, fennel, arugula, and walnuts
marin sun farms shortribs braised in red wine with white beans, spring onions, and horseradish cream

Desserts
strawberry shortcake
river cafe' chocolate nemesis

There were six of us, so we ordered one each of the appetizers and shared, and two each of the entrees and shared. We even managed to gang up and put away one of both desserts.

All of the selections were out of this world. Everything super fresh and expertly prepared, a total gastronimic delight. SF has dozens of these small 30-40 seat restaurants, where the owner is usually right there working nightly waiting tables, tending bar or doing the cooking. Most of these places require reservations well in advance. Getting a table for six on relatively short notice was a real coup. Thanks to Liz, Chad and Indy for including me.
[snip]
I've been afraid to get on the scale this morning.[/size][/font]

I was only there for the Bar Jules experience, and HOLY GOD, I can honestly say that I would have done dirty, dirty things to that pork chop. I wanted to bathe in the soup. And taking a bite of the shortcake WITH the flourless chocolate cake with dead sea salt seriously caused some... Um. Never mind.

BUT! The actual coup was not the short notice - it was getting a reservation at all, as they don't take them. Ever. It's completely catch-as-catch-can, but they DID take one for us.

[JFK]

sounds like a great culinary experience

[gonzo]

Originally Posted by JFK

sounds like a great culinary experience

You dont own Bar Jules?

[JFK]

Originally Posted by gonzo

You dont own Bar Jules?

eh , no and they quit sending the royalty checks for my name as well

[Toby]

Originally Posted by JFK

eh , no and they quit sending the royalty checks for my name as well

That might have something to do with the fact that Jules is the owner's dog.

[JFK]

Originally Posted by Toby

That might have something to do with the fact that Jules is the owner's dog.

Bow wow

[miz_wright]

Just so you guys know: you can all feel free to take me to Bar Jules any ol' time you want.

Toby, I think there is discussion of Chez Panisse next year.

[Toby]

Originally Posted by LizAEBN

Toby, I think there is discussion of Chez Panisse next year.

Oh my, looks yummy.

[Hell Puppy]

I knew Toby and Liz would do us proud in the culinary department.

[Hell Puppy]

Originally Posted by LizAEBN

I was only there for the Bar Jules experience, and HOLY GOD, I can honestly say that I would have done dirty, dirty things to that pork chop. I wanted to bathe in the soup. And taking a bite of the shortcake WITH the flourless chocolate cake with dead sea salt seriously caused some... Um. Never mind.

this gives me an idea for a niche site...

[mmemmer]

Ok Hell Puppy, I see how it is where was my invite during all of this. Sound like some great times and Good Eats.

As to the show I am working still to rate it a success, thanks to a bit of time with Dirty D and Kevin we have some potential in the works and as to other opportunities well we can only wait to see how things develop.

For any of you who were contemplating a server, hit me up directly and I can still give you the show special!

[miz_wright]

Originally Posted by mmemmer

Ok Hell Puppy, I see how it is where was my invite during all of this. Sound like some great times and Good Eats.

As to the show I am working still to rate it a success, thanks to a bit of time with Dirty D and Kevin we have some potential in the works and as to other opportunities well we can only wait to see how things develop.

For any of you who were contemplating a server, hit me up directly and I can still give you the show special!

Mark, it's worth noting that HP wasn't there - Toby was his direct emissary in all matters food-related. I am lucky enough to know a few other food-geeks, and we joined forces to seek out deliciousness.

My other dining experiences included
Essencia on Thursday (when we originally tried to go to Bar Jules, but they were SLAP FULL, so we walked down the street and checked out this little haven of yummy).

We started with the Sea Bass ceviche (and ordered a second one, because it was so lovely), but the rest of the menu that is currently posted is not helping me determine what all else we had. I CAN tell you that thefive of us sat in there for a GOOD two and a half hours, savouring every single thing that we ate. I do know that I had the pork loin, and while it was a little tough, it was incredibly well-flavoured and presented. The accompaniments were well chosen and made nice compliments to the main dish itself.

A16 on Friday, where my companions and I dined upon --
Starters:
-- Mozzarella burrata with olive oil, sea salt and crostini (I know not a one of us is shocked that I had to have this, right?)
-- Arugula salad with pluots, fennel and house-made ricotta salata
-- Roasted Monterey sardines with fried breadcrumbs, currants, pickled chiles and herbs (turns out, I am still not a fan of sardines, no matter how well presented)
-- Roasted local calamari with garlic and leek scapes, meyer lemon, chiles, basil and pine nuts (I am not typically a fan of calamari at all, but this was tender, not breaded, and completely delicious)

Salumi:
-- La Quercia tasting: Americano, Berkshire and speck prosciutto (all of my companions at dinner that night are lovers of good charcuterie, so we were excited to sample theirs. Sadly, the varieties provided were not particularly exciting)

Pizza:
The organiser of the dinner is a HUGE pizza fan, so of course we had to give these a try:
-- Margherita – tomato, mozzarella, grana padano, basil, olive oil
-- Funghi – roasted mushrooms, smoked mozzarella, grana padano, garlic, oregano, wild arugula
(Both were lovely and well presented, with tender, flavourful crusts)

FINALLY, we got to the main courses:
-- Local rock cod, Penn Cove mussels and bay scallops in acqua pazza with chiles and basil
-- Watson Farms lamb sausage with fennel, carrots, radishes and herbs
-- Roasted half-chicken with roasted cipolline, wheatberries and fino verde basil
-- Scaloppine of Berkshire pork shoulder with anchocress and lemon
Everyone seemed pleased with their selections.

They also had a lovely coffee presentation, though as part of the local/ slow food movement, there was no Diet Coke to be had (GAH! WHAT ABOUT MY NEEDS!), instead having some sort of concoction called GUS -- which would've been fine, except it was 99% CAFFEINE FREE. We mustn't have such silliness. (We actually encountered this a few places, due to the high-fructose corn syrup content of Diet Coke, no one carried it. (Clearly, A16 made more of an impression on me, but I was also more familiar with their menu going in, as I knew we'd be dining there one night)

Delicious!

One last note about Bar Jules - the grilled squash blossoms that accompanied the quercia prosciutto (which was an incredible iteration of prosciutto) with fresh mozzarella (we all know how I feel about same-day mozz - I would live on it, were it possible)? Actually were my favourite part of that dish. Seriously.

[Toby]

I just uploaded some photos from the show and Bar Jules.

http://www.oprano.com/msgboard/album.php?albumid=45

[TheEnforcer]

The "fine dining" experience generally isn't quite my cup of tea as I am such a picky eater there are a TON of things I just don't eat.

[miz_wright]

Originally Posted by TheEnforcer

The "fine dining" experience generally isn't quite my cup of tea as I am such a picky eater there are a TON of things I just don't eat.

This... makes me unutterably sad for you.

There are so many things in the world that SOUND disgusting and taste like heaven on a cracker. And really, compared to so many things we willingly put ourselves through that have the potential for much greater disaster, getting a slightly icky bit of charcuterie is a pretty small risk.

I hate missing out on life due to fear

[Hell Puppy]

Originally Posted by mmemmer

Ok Hell Puppy, I see how it is where was my invite during all of this. Sound like some great times and Good Eats.

I'm just messing around cuz I wasn't there. But I do have a reputation as a food hound to uphold, thus I appointed Toby and Liz as my dedicated eaters. There isn't as much of Toby as there used to be, but he shares very similar tastes in food to me including a love for left coast salmon.

And then there's Liz. She knows her food and has probably eaten in at least as many fine restaurants as I have. And the cool thing about Liz is, like me, she does not suffer from "pretentious palette syndrome" as a result. By that I mean I know her to enjoy a good burger from a dive just as much as a sophisticated meal at a 5 star restaurant.

But as for me, I sometimes end up being the pied piper of food. Not sure when it started, but whether in industry or just with friends, my nose has a reputation. You can drop me out in any random city, and I'll put my nose in the air and within minutes will be on the scent of some of the best food that city has to offer.

As a result I've been fortunate enough to eat in some of the best restaurants all over the U.S.....especially steakhouses.

[miz_wright]

Originally Posted by Hell Puppy

this gives me an idea for a niche site...

You and my fella both! He's always threatening to film me eating and sell the footage *cracking up* It's nice he thinks anyone would pay money to see me do much of anything, if a little misguided!

Originally Posted by Hell Puppy

I'm just messing around cuz I wasn't there. But I do have a reputation as a food hound to uphold, thus I appointed Toby and Liz as my dedicated eaters. There isn't as much of Toby as there used to be, but he shares very similar tastes in food to me including a love for left coast salmon.

And then there's Liz. She knows her food and has probably eaten in at least as many fine restaurants as I have. And the cool thing about Liz is, like me, she does not suffer from "pretentious palette syndrome" as a result. By that I mean I know her to enjoy a good burger from a dive just as much as a sophisticated meal at a 5 star restaurant.

But as for me, I sometimes end up being the pied piper of food. Not sure when it started, but whether in industry or just with friends, my nose has a reputation. You can drop me out in any random city, and I'll put my nose in the air and within minutes will be on the scent of some of the best food that city has to offer.

As a result I've been fortunate enough to eat in some of the best restaurants all over the U.S.....especially steakhouses.

*curtsies* That's an awfully nice thing for you to say! It's only been in the past few years I've upped the ante on the nicer restuarants (my waistline can tell!) - but I did work in some higer-end joints through high school and college, and my is an outstanding cook. The adventurousness bit I lay squarely on the shoulders of Anthony Boudain - his descriptions made my mouth water, and I started seeking out things beyond my comfort zone 'cos he made a lot of sense about what's the worst that can happen if you order something that you're not wild about?

If you haven't read Kitchen Confidential and A Cook's Tour, I highly reccomend them. He's gotten a bit unsufferable as a personality in the last few years, but those two books can't be beat for their descriptions of life-altering food experiences and the food behind them.

[Evil Chris]

I figured out the name of the Sushi place we went to. Ryoko

http://sanfrancisco.citysearch.com/profile/863470/

It was some of the best I've ever had, and the wine bar at the Taylor Hotel next door has some incredible Pinot Noir in stock too. We had a couple of glasses in there while waiting for our table at Ryoko to open up.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=3...,289.01,,0,4.6

[bluemoney]

Originally Posted by Toby

I just uploaded some photos from the show and Bar Jules.

http://www.oprano.com/msgboard/album.php?albumid=45

Great stuff Toby!

I hope I get to meet some of the MP folks one day.

[TheEnforcer]

Originally Posted by LizAEBN

This... makes me unutterably sad for you.

There are so many things in the world that SOUND disgusting and taste like heaven on a cracker. And really, compared to so many things we willingly put ourselves through that have the potential for much greater disaster, getting a slightly icky bit of charcuterie is a pretty small risk.

I hate missing out on life due to fear

LOL

No, my taste buds just know what they like and they don't like. I've tried many, many things and I know what I like and don't like.

[Toby]

Originally Posted by bluemoney

Great stuff Toby!

I hope I get to meet some of the MP folks one day.

Thanks.

The MP guys usually do just the Summer Internext show, since Kevin lives in Florida. I haven't been to that since 2006, but I might get to another one once the dust settles and some of the existing shows go buh-bye. I just don't see how all the current shows can survive given the economy and poor attendance. That should make the remaining shows better by consolidating things a bit and putting more people in the same place at the same time.

[EmporerEJ]

Originally Posted by TheEnforcer

LOL

No, my taste buds just know what they like and they don't like. I've tried many, many things and I know what I like and don't like.

I'm with you....
as a young man, I thought I wanted to be a chef for a while, and apprenticed at Wickey Helmick's stove.

With a few exceptions, I still like the same "stuff" I've always liked.
And none of it swims, and all of it has been cooked.
(Except tuna fish of course...a rare exception....PA Dutch tuna fish is mostly "other" stuff, little tuna)

[Hell Puppy]

Originally Posted by Toby

Thanks.

The MP guys usually do just the Summer Internext show, since Kevin lives in Florida. I haven't been to that since 2006, but I might get to another one once the dust settles and some of the existing shows go buh-bye. I just don't see how all the current shows can survive given the economy and poor attendance. That should make the remaining shows better by consolidating things a bit and putting more people in the same place at the same time.

I would love to see a consolidation or reduction in the number of shows for the simple reason that the ones left behind would be stronger and more well attended.

Other than MAYBE January vegas show, all have become essentially regional shows for all practical purposes.

That MIGHT make me consider a summer show in Florida, but i'd really rather it be in Tampa than Miami. This year will be same as previous decade or so for me, Miami in August is just too damned hot, so I'm gonna pass.

Tampa guarantees my attendance just because it's an excuse to go to Bern's.

If you love food, Bern's is like a mecca. And if I get to go with Liz, I am shooting the video.

[griffin8r]

See, now this sounds like a crew of folks I should have invited to the BBQ we had on the 21st. Dunno how you guys would've felt about the musical accompaniment, though. Noisecore can be a bit disruptive to the digestion...

[TheEnforcer]

Originally Posted by griffin8r

See, now this sounds like a crew of folks I should have invited to the BBQ we had on the 21st. Dunno how you guys would've felt about the musical accompaniment, though. Noisecore can be a bit disruptive to the digestion...

Good food and good company cab allow you to ignore bad music!!

[softball]

Originally Posted by Hell Puppy

I would love to see a consolidation or reduction in the number of shows for the simple reason that the ones left behind would be stronger and more well attended.

Other than MAYBE January vegas show, all have become essentially regional shows for all practical purposes.

That MIGHT make me consider a summer show in Florida, but i'd really rather it be in Tampa than Miami. This year will be same as previous decade or so for me, Miami in August is just too damned hot, so I'm gonna pass.

Tampa guarantees my attendance just because it's an excuse to go to Bern's.

If you love food, Bern's is like a mecca. And if I get to go with Liz, I am shooting the video.

I just looked at their menu...wow. Not expensive either. Someday.....

[miz_wright]

Originally Posted by Hell Puppy

I would love to see a consolidation or reduction in the number of shows for the simple reason that the ones left behind would be stronger and more well attended.

Other than MAYBE January vegas show, all have become essentially regional shows for all practical purposes.

That MIGHT make me consider a summer show in Florida, but i'd really rather it be in Tampa than Miami. This year will be same as previous decade or so for me, Miami in August is just too damned hot, so I'm gonna pass.

Tampa guarantees my attendance just because it's an excuse to go to Bern's.

If you love food, Bern's is like a mecca. And if I get to go with Liz, I am shooting the video.

*face palm*

You are a strange one, mister.

I was in town this weekend, but didn't have your number.

[griffin8r]

Originally Posted by TheEnforcer

Good food and good company cab allow you to ignore bad music!!

Ha! True enough!

The show actually came off really well with the handful that showed up. We definitely made too much food, though. Cooking for 40-50 and having 20 actually make it makes for a lot of leftovers...

[Hell Puppy]

Originally Posted by LizAEBN

*face palm*

You are a strange one, mister.

I was in town this weekend, but didn't have your number.

now you do....or you will when you check pm.

[miz_wright]

Originally Posted by Hell Puppy

now you do....or you will when you check pm.

Got it!

Test message sent.

Now! About food - what are your thoughts about Murphy's in Virgina Highlands?

[Hell Puppy]

Originally Posted by LizAEBN

Got it!

Test message sent.

Now! About food - what are your thoughts about Murphy's in Virgina Highlands?

And pinged back in my own special way...

Only know Murphy's by reputation. I'm an OTP person by nature and Murphy's is very ITP.

for the non locals that's "outside the perimeter" and "inside the perimenter".

There are some gems in the neighborhoods like that, but you can also make those type of finds up the railroad corridors in the burbs as well. There are two primarily, one runs up northeast along hwy 23 parallel to the tracks. The other lies along what is the Old Dixie Hwy. Small towns with depots were all along these railways.

Now, in the last 40+ years, we've become an interstate, mall and wal-mart society and the big businesses moved over onto the new highways leaving these old downtowns all but abandoned. Now, as subdivisions have sprung up all around, the money influx has made it possible for them to redevelop these areas, build nice parks and put lots of small niche shops and great small-ish restaurants in place. Great places to walk around, window shop and stuff your face.....and forget you're square in the middle of suburbia.

Chef Henry is my favorite example of this type of place. That restaurant almost single handedly brought downtown Acworth back to life. His 2+ hour waits for tables created a market for other shops to provide stuff to do while waiting and other good restaurants to catch his overflow.

If you like cajun, cant recommend him enough:

http://www.chefhenrys.com

[Toby]

Damn! Now I'm hungry. Back later, time to rustle up some lunch...

[miz_wright]

Originally Posted by Hell Puppy

And pinged back in my own special way...

Only know Murphy's by reputation. I'm an OTP person by nature and Murphy's is very ITP.

for the non locals that's "outside the perimeter" and "inside the perimenter".

There are some gems in the neighborhoods like that, but you can also make those type of finds up the railroad corridors in the burbs as well. There are two primarily, one runs up northeast along hwy 23 parallel to the tracks. The other lies along what is the Old Dixie Hwy. Small towns with depots were all along these railways.

Now, in the last 40+ years, we've become an interstate, mall and wal-mart society and the big businesses moved over onto the new highways leaving these old downtowns all but abandoned. Now, as subdivisions have sprung up all around, the money influx has made it possible for them to redevelop these areas, build nice parks and put lots of small niche shops and great small-ish restaurants in place. Great places to walk around, window shop and stuff your face.....and forget you're square in the middle of suburbia.

Chef Henry is my favorite example of this type of place. That restaurant almost single handedly brought downtown Acworth back to life. His 2+ hour waits for tables created a market for other shops to provide stuff to do while waiting and other good restaurants to catch his overflow.

If you like cajun, cant recommend him enough:

http://www.chefhenrys.com

The friends I was visiting are ITP - just off Peachtree St, so usually, I end up being primarily ITP on visits. We had brunch there Sunday before I shoved off back up 85, and the crab cake benedict was quite tasty. Jalapeno hollandaise made a clever accompaniment for the poached eggs and slightly spicy crab.

[gonzo]

Originally Posted by LizAEBN

The friends I was visiting are ITP - just off Peachtree St, so usually, I end up being primarily ITP on visits. We had brunch there Sunday before I shoved off back up 85, and the crab cake benedict was quite tasty. Jalapeno hollandaise made a clever accompaniment for the poached eggs and slightly spicy crab.

Andrew says FUCK ITP and fuck you for ordering a burger.

[miz_wright]

Originally Posted by gonzo

Andrew says FUCK ITP and fuck you for ordering a burger.

Perhaps you meant that for BlueMoney, since I only order burgers at burger joints.