Had an excellent meal at Mendocino Grill on Saturday evening. The chicken liver pate was outstanding, as was the grouper with a corn flan (or was it corn panna cotta? I can't remember). The heirloom tomato salad was so perfect for a warm summer night. And Mendocino continues to have one of the more reasonable mark-ups on wine in the city. We enjoyed a 2002 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir. It wasn't quite the right temp when served, but our server was so nice about chilling it down for us.
Now, I just have to mention a humorous moment with our server. He was describing that evening's specials. The appetizer special that evening was a tamal, he said. Tamal? I'd never heard of that--what is it? Well, it is corn meal baked in a corn husk and topped with creme fraiche... Oh! You mean a tamale!!!
So, Chef Trautmann, if you didn't sell too many tamale appetizer specials that evening, mispronunciation may be the cause!!