The J-Kauff Arrives, Takes a Trip Down Memory Lane

Seattle Weekly import Jonathan Kauffman pens his first column at his new post as the restaurant critic for SF Weekly. His maiden voyage isn't a formal review, but rather, a homecoming tour de force that sees the man revisit some of his favorite spots from his last go-around in the Bay a decade or so ago.

In alt fashion, The Kauff Drop hits up a number of ethnic dives like Old Mandarin Islamic ("nothing significant was missing") and El Zocalo, plus some more renowned spots like Blue Bottle and Pauline's Pizza ("only Tomasso's can beat Pauline's 20-year record for consistency").

He also passes quick judgment on a few mainstays, saving his strongest words for the macaroons at La Boulange that have "lost their magic." On the positive side, he's got lofty words of praise for Yank Sing: "there's no dim sum with the same flash and delicacy between here and British Columbia."
· Jonathan Kauffman: Remapping the city, one memorable dish at a time [SFW]
· Seattle's Jonathan Kauffman Takes SF Weekly Gig [~ESF~]
· SF Weekly Cuts Meredith Brody, Seeks New Critic [~ESF~]