the best restaurant in the city, and it is still one of the noted
places. Later Blanco opened a fine restaurant in Mason street, between
Turk and Eddy, reviving the old name of the Poodle Dog, and here all the
old traditions have been revived. Both of these savor of the old type of
French restaurants, catering to a class of quiet spenders who carefully
guard their indiscretions.

In the early '50s and '60s the most noted places were not considered
respectable enough for ladies, and at restaurants like the Three Trees,
in Dupont just above Bush street, ladies went into little private rooms
through an alley. Peter Job saw his opportunity and opened a restaurant
where special attention was paid to lady patrons, and shortly after the
New York restaurant, in Kearny street, did the same.

Merging the post-pioneer, era with the pre-fire era came the Maison
Doree, which became famous in many ways. It was noted for oysters a la
poulette, prepared after the following recipe:

Oysters a La Poulette

One-half cup butter, three tablespoons flour, yolks of three eggs. One
pint chicken stock (or veal), one tablespoonful lemon juice, one-eighth
teaspoon pepper, one level teaspoon salt. Beat the butter and flour
together until smooth and white. Then add salt, pepper and lemon juice.
Gradually pour boiling stock on this mixture and simmer for ten minutes.
Beat the yolks of eggs in a saucepan, gradually pouring the cooked sauce
upon them. Pour into a double boiler containing boiling water in lower
part of utensil. Stir the mixture for one and one-half minutes. Into
this put two dozen large oysters and let cook until edges curl up and
serve hot.