It is when one goes to these places in the morning
and sees the cheapness of these foods that he can un-
derstand in a small way why it is that so many Italian
restaurants can give such good meals for so little money.
One wonders at a table d'hote dinner of six or seven
courses for twenty-five cents, or even for half a dollar,
and one accustomed to buying meats, fish, vegetables
and fruits at the exorbitant prices charged at most of
the markets and fruit and vegetable stands now sees
why the thrifty foreigner can make and save money
while the average American can hardly keep more than
two jumps ahead of the sheriff.
79
BOHEMIAN
Probably the most frequent question asked us by
those who come to San Francisco is: "Where can we
, get the best fish?" With San Fran-
T^uT^m Cisco's wonderful natural advantages
^'-Anrcrxv ^^ ^ ^^^ market one is sometimes
vAHlbli surprised that more attention is not
given to preparing fish as a specialty.
But one restaurant in the city deals exclusively with sea
food, and even there one is astonished at an overlooked
opportunity.
Darbee & Immel have catered to San Francisco in
ovsters for many years and after the fire they opened
the Shell Fish Grotto, in O'Farrell street, between Powell
and Mason streets, and this is one of the very few dis-
tinctive fish restaurants of the countrv. It is when one
considers the possibilities that a shock comes from the
environing decorations. White and gold pillars, with
twining ivv renching to the old gold and rose mural and
ceiling embollishments seem out of place in a restau-
rant that is devoted entirely to catering to lovers of fish.
Nothing in the place indicates its character except the
big lobster in front of the building. Not even so much
as a picture to bring a sentiment of the ocean to the
mind.
We are going to take a liberty, and possibly Darbee
& Tmmel may call it an impertinence, and give them a
bit of advice. It costs them nothing consequently they
can act on it or not and it will make no difference. This
is our suggestion :
Change the interior of the place entirely by having
aroimd fbe walls a series of large glass aquaria, with as
mnnv different kinds of fish swimming about as it is
possible to get; something on the order of the interior
of the nquarium in Pottery Park in New York. Paint
the ceiling to reorescnt the surface of the water as seen
from bolow. Have seaweed and kelp in place of ivy,
and a fish net or two caught up in the corners of the
80
SAN FRANCISCO
room, with here and there a star fish or a crab — not too
many, for profuseness in this sort of decoration is an
abomination. Then you will have a
restaurant that will be talked about FISH IN
wherever people sit at meat. But to THEIR
get back to our talk about fish, and VARIETY
Page 43
Presented as published in 1914. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
It is when one goes to these places in the morning and sees the cheapness of these foods that he can understand in a small way why it is that so many Italian restaurants can give such good meals for so little money. One wonders at a table d'hote dinner of six or seven courses for twenty-five cents, or even for half a dollar, and one accustomed to buying meats, fish, vegetables and fruits at the exorbitant prices charged at most of the markets and fruit and vegetable stands now sees why the thrifty foreigner can make and save money while the average American can hardly keep more than two jumps ahead of the sheriff.
Probably the most frequent question asked us by
those who come to San Francisco is: "Where can we
, get the best fish?" With San Fran-
T^uT^m Cisco's wonderful natural advantages
^'-Anrcrxv ^^ ^ ^^^ market one is sometimes
vAHlbli surprised that more attention is not
given to preparing fish as a specialty.
But one restaurant in the city deals exclusively with sea
food, and even there one is astonished at an overlooked
opportunity.
Darbee & Immel have catered to San Francisco in ovsters for many years and after the fire they opened the Shell Fish Grotto, in O'Farrell street, between Powell and Mason streets, and this is one of the very few distinctive fish restaurants of the countrv. It is when one considers the possibilities that a shock comes from the environing decorations. White and gold pillars, with twining ivv reaching to the old gold and rose mural and ceiling embellishments seem out of place in a restaurant that is devoted entirely to catering to lovers of fish. Nothing in the place indicates its character except the big lobster in front of the building. Not even so much as a picture to bring a sentiment of the ocean to the mind.
We are going to take a liberty, and possibly Darbee & Immel may call it an impertinence, and give them a bit of advice. It costs them nothing consequently they can act on it or not and it will make no difference. This is our suggestion :
Change the interior of the place entirely by having around the walls a series of large glass aquaria, with as many different kinds of fish swimming about as it is possible to get; something on the order of the interior of the aquarium in Pottery Park in New York. Paint the ceiling to represent the surface of the water as seen from bolow. Have seaweed and kelp in place of ivy, and a fish net or two caught up in the corners of the
room, with here and there a star fish or a crab — not too many, for profuseness in this sort of decoration is an abomination. Then you will have a restaurant that will be talked about FISH IN
wherever people sit at meat. But to THEIR
get back to our talk about fish, and VARIETY