As we noted earlier in the week, Willie dropped by Locanda in the Mission where the food is Roman and the parking is Angeleno. Vehicular pleasantries aside, Willie says the food is "not very expensive, but it's good" - as if those two things were mutually exclusive. His menu highlights include the butter (it was salted slightly) and "some fish dish that [he] didn't recognize or eat." Willie had the beef, which he describes as "sliced". He did not clear his plate, apparently, and thus deserved no dessert.
For his other restaurant review this week, Da Gourmayor dined at Atelier Crenn. Chef/Owner Dominique Crenn's been making a name for herself with the creative food coming out of the kitchen there, but Willie couldn't care less. Instead, he notes the (nameless) fish dish must have been inspired by Thomas Keller, the server was a disciple of Stanlee Gatti and and the restaurant as a whole was "at the same level as Danko and Quince." - Funny, that's what he said about Tommy Toy's last week. As for the crowd at Atelier Crenn, everyone is trés chic. Someone was even wearing "Larry King-like braces attached to his trowsers" [sic].
In other dining-about-town news: the former mayor was spotted at one of this favorite power lunch spots, Le Central last week with fellow polyamorous politician Arnold Schwarzenegger. Our tipster, Examinista Melissa Griffin tells us, "Arnold looked haggard. Willie paid for lunch. Arnold has his own budget problems these days, I guess." Behold, your blurry paparazzi photo:
Speaking of philandering politicos, Willie's defended Gavin Newsom's move to Marin, telling Marinites to relax. If you believe Willie, Gavin has no interest in running for Rep. Lynn Woolsey's congressional seat. Nor does he care about the Governor's office, apparently (although some at the Chronicle disagree). Willie, expert strategist that he is, thinks Newsom will end up in the Senate where he'll get the most use out of "his talents as a thinker."
Temporary Mayor Ed Lee's Fourth of July party on the Hyde Street Pier sounds like a blast: it was catered by McCall's (of course) and Willie it's now putting the odds of Ed Lee running for a full term at 50-50. Very noncommittal, that Willie.
In movie reviews, Willie really identifies with the Cameron Diaz' titular character in Bad Teacher. Like Willie, Diaz is "horrendous, objectionable, caustic, uncaring", but they're both good for a laugh. Larry Crowne, on the other hand, was just another typical Tom & Julia.
[InsideScoop]
[Willie's World]
