Some of the possibilities of dining in San Francisco may be understood when we tell you of a progressive dinner. We had entertained one of the Exposition Commissioners from a sister State and he was so well pleased with what he had learned in a gastronomic way that he said to us: "The Governor of my State is coming and I should like to give him a dinner that will open his eyes to San Francisco's possibilities. Would it be asking too much of you to have you help me do it?" "We shall be glad to. What do you want us to do?" "Take charge of the whole business, do as you please and go as far as you like." "That is a wide order, General. What is the limit of price, and how many will be in the party?" "Just six. That will include the Governor and his wife, you two and myself and wife. Let it be something unusual and do not let the cost interfere. What I want is something unusual." lOS BOHEMIAN It has been told us that when the Governor got back home he tried to tell some of his friends about that dinner, but they told him he had ac- ABOUT quired the California habit of talking DINING wide. This is the way we carried out the dinner, everything being arranged in advance: At 6:30 we called at the rooms of the Governor in the Palace Hotel and had served there dry Martini cocktails with Russian caviar on toasted rye bread. An automobile was in waiting, and at seven o'clock we were set down at Felix's, in Montgomery street, where a table was ready for us and on it were served salami of various kinds, artichokes in oil and ripe olives. Then came a service of soup, for which this res- taurant is famous, followed by a combination salad, with which was served a bottle of Pontet Canet. The automobile carried us then over to Broadway and at the Fior d'ltalia our table was waiting and here we were served with sand-dabs au gratin, and a small glass of sauterne. All the haste we made was on the streets, and when we finished our course at the Fior d'ltalia we whirled away over toward North Beach to the Gianduja, where had been prepared especially for us tagliarini with chicken livers and mushrooms, and because of its suc- cess we had a bottle of Lacrima Chrisli Spumanti, the enjoyment of which delayed us. Again in the automobile to Coppa's where Chicken Portola was served, with green peas. Accompanying this was a glass of Krug, and this was followed by a glass of zabaione for dessert. Back again to the heart of the city and we stopped at Raggi's, in Montgomery street near Commercial where we had a glass of brandy in which was a chinotti (a peculiar Italian preserved fruit which is said to be a cross between a citron and an orange). 10^ SAN FRANCISCO Then around the corner to Gouailhardou& Rondel's, the Market Cafe, where from a plain pine table, and on sanded floor, we had our coff'ee royal. As a fitting climax for this evening ABOUT we directed the chauffeur to drive to DINING the Cliff House, where, over a bottle of Krug, we talked it all over as we watched the dancing and listened to the singing of the cabaret performers. This dinner, including everything from the automo- bile to the tips cost but fifteen dollars for each one in the party. 105 BOHEMIAN Cooking is sometimes a pleasure, sometimes a duty, sometimes a burden and sometimes a martj'rdom, all according to the point of view. The

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Some of the possibilities of dining in San Francisco may be understood when we tell you of a progressive dinner. We had entertained one of the Exposition Commissioners from a sister State and he was so well pleased with what he had learned in a gastronomic way that he said to us: "The Governor of my State is coming and I should like to give him a dinner that will open his eyes to San Francisco's possibilities. Would it be asking too much of you to have you help me do it?" "We shall be glad to. What do you want us to do?" "Take charge of the whole business, do as you please and go as far as you like." "That is a wide order, General. What is the limit of price, and how many will be in the party?" "Just six. That will include the Governor and his wife, you two and myself and wife. Let it be something unusual and do not let the cost interfere. What I want is something unusual." lOS It has been told us that when the Governor got back home he tried to tell some of his friends about that dinner, but they told him he had ac- ABOUT quired the California habit of talking DINING wide. This is the way we carried out the dinner, everything being arranged in advance: At 6:30 we called at the rooms of the Governor in the Palace Hotel and had served there dry Martini cocktails with Russian caviar on toasted rye bread. An automobile was in waiting, and at seven o'clock we were set down at Felix's, in Montgomery street, where a table was ready for us and on it were served salami of various kinds, artichokes in oil and ripe olives. Then came a service of soup, for which this restaurant is famous, followed by a combination salad, with which was served a bottle of Pontet Canet. The automobile carried us then over to Broadway and at the Fior d'ltalia our table was waiting and here we were served with sand-dabs au gratin, and a small glass of sauterne. All the haste we made was on the streets, and when we finished our course at the Fior d'ltalia we whirled away over toward North Beach to the Gianduja, where had been prepared especially for us tagliarini with chicken livers and mushrooms, and because of its success we had a bottle of Lacrima Chrisli Spumanti, the enjoyment of which delayed us. Again in the automobile to Coppa's where Chicken Portola was served, with green peas. Accompanying this was a glass of Krug, and this was followed by a glass of zabaione for dessert. Back again to the heart of the city and we stopped at Raggi's, in Montgomery street near Commercial where we had a glass of brandy in which was a chinotti (a peculiar Italian preserved fruit which is said to be a cross between a citron and an orange). 10^ Then around the corner to Gouailhardou& Rondel's, the Market Cafe, where from a plain pine table, and on sanded floor, we had our coffee royal. As a fitting climax for this evening ABOUT we directed the chauffeur to drive to DINING the Cliff House, where, over a bottle of Krug, we talked it all over as we watched the dancing and listened to the singing of the cabaret performers. This dinner, including everything from the automobile to the tips cost but fifteen dollars for each one in the party. Cooking is sometimes a pleasure, sometimes a duty, sometimes a burden and sometimes a martj'rdom, all according to the point of view. The

Bohemian San Francisco