Another New York/San Francisco Discussion.

Michael Bauer, the food editor for the San Francisco Chronicle, blogged today on the closing of the very well respected Rubicon. He contacted the owner, who operates mostly in New York, and a some very interesting points concerning the differences between the Coasts as far as dining goes. In my opinion, some of these translate to the cocktail world as well. Gary Regan focused a column on this awhile back (wherein I was featured...guess this whole post is just here to point that out...again,) and many of the same points were echoed.

Here are the points I agree with most as they translate to drinks:

• San Francisco is less trendy. "They seem to be more interested in the rituals of dining rather than just going out to say they've gone to the latest place," he says.
  Diners and chefs are more respectful of and knowledgeable about the ingredients here.
  I think a better way to phrase this is that in San Francisco is cooler to know about what you are consuming than to consume it in a cool place.
• People eat earlier in San Francisco; it's difficult to get people to accept a reservation after 9 p.m.
  Definitely the same with drinks. Very few bars are full at last call during the week...damn 9-to-5ers.
• "There's a very tight food community here where everyone plays their part," he says. That level of camaraderie doesn't exist in other places, he says.
  Word.