Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations visit to San Francisco underwhelmed me, perhaps inevitably, considering that it's the city with which I'm most familiar. He visited some good restaurants and ate some good meals, I don't doubt, but aside from overindulging in the inevitable veganism riff, he didn't really convey anything about the place. Ah well, you can't please everybody, and I don't suppose he'll be losing any sleep over my carping.
The episode is months old, so why comment on it at all? Only because of a couple of grace notes I noticed today: (1) as far as I can recall, the only featured span in the show was the Bay Bridge, which is generally given no air time by visiting film crews even though it's arguably the most important bridge in the Bay Area; and (2) at Red's Java House, he ordered and prominently displayed an Anchor Steam. The label was so perfectly turned toward and framed by the camera that it must have been a paid placement, sad to say, but I hope he tippled at least a little of the local brew.
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