|
Reviewer: Foodnut.com |
Reviews for restaurants, bakeries and other spots we deemed not important enough for their own.
==
Last Visit: 3/1/2022
Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine
710 Florida St
San Francisco, CA 94110
http://farmhousesf.com
A trendy Thai restaurant in the Mission district of SF. They now have locations in Menlo Park and Oakland and Portland. Interesting atmosphere, decent modern Thai food, Insta appeal, and higher prices. Large portions, so come with several people and eat family style. I like Ler Ros a bit better. This place is has a party atmosphere. Prices are sharply higher in 2022 making it a poor value. We have also been to their Menlo Park location to eat on the patio.
Picks:
Vegan Fresh Rolls ($15.95) hit the spot. Good quantity plus a dark peanut sauce. 8.5/10
Papaya Salad ($18.95) is pretty spicy but full of interesting textures. 8/10
Yellow Curry ($20.85) is pretty basic with vegetables. $12 at most spots. 7.5/10
Panang Neua ($23.50) Slow braised bone in Short Rib in a Panang curry, grilled broccolini, bell pepper, onion,and fried basil. Blue rice. Very meaty and a large portion. Lots of veggies, which was nice. Now costs $46 in 2022! 8.5/10
Hat Yai Fried Chicken ($18) Thai Southern style, Mary’s organic chicken breast, turmeric & herbs, fried shallots roti bread,potato yellow curry for dipping and rice was one of the top dishes. Dip the Roti in the curry. Large portion of fried that was cut up. No egg batter. Fun purple rice. Now $34.95 in 2022. 9/10
Lobster Pad Thai ($43.95) is way expensive, a bit messy but Instagrammable. At least you get reasonable quantity. 8/10
Mango Sticky Rice ($14.50) looks nice with its blue rice. Lots of mango. Decent but pricey. 8/10
Thai Vacation ($9.50) is a nice coconut dessert with vanilla ice cream. Save room. $15 in 2022. 9/10
Just OK:
Brown Rice ($6) is pretty expensive. 7/10
Thai Ice Tea ($4.75) was very sweet and filled with ice. 7/10
Would not reorder:
Seau Rhong Hai ($34.95) Grilled Snake River Farm Wagyu Flank steak, grilled broccolini, house tamarind, and roasted rice sauce. Lacked any element of specialness. 6.5/10
24 Hours Beef Noodle Soup ($18.50) Slow cooked bone-in Beef Short Rib, Egg noodles, veal broth, broccolini, basil, bean sprouts, cilantro, green onion and pork rind garlic oil was just ok. Nothing special or robust flavors. Just like a typical Chinese noodle dish. 6/10
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Poor
Would we come back – Maybe
===
Last Visit: 7/24/2022
A Mano
450 Hayes St
San Francisco, CA 94117
https://amanosf.com
https://www.yelp.com/biz/a-mano-san-francisco-2
A Mano or by hand in Italian, is a California Italian restaurant from Adriano Paganini’s group that runs many local restaurants including Super Duper, Delarosa, and Belga. A nice neighborhood joint in the trendy Hayes Valley area. We are big fans of pasta and pizza, so we had to give it a try.
We like this place because you don’t need reservations and the food and prices rock. No reservations, so you may need to wait a while. Menu rotates from time to time.
We return in June 2022 and found the place even more popular. Lots of outdoor seating. The food is decent but the pizza is not authentic. Service was fine, but not outstanding. Yelp waitlist. Come for the Weekend Fried Chicken, beware it sells out fast.
Picks:
Fried Cauliflower, Lemon, Chili, Bagna Cauda ($10) was a bit greasy, but worth ordering. Lots of flavor and one of the best renditions. 9.5/10
Lettuce Strawberry salad ($13) was a nice blend of salad and fruit. Not too sweet. 8/10
Summer Stone Fruit, Wild Arugula, Pickled Red Onion, Gorgozola Dolce, Pistachio Gremolata ($14) is a seasonal salad. Refreshing with arugula and feta. 8.5/10
Chopped Salad ($15) with kale, wild arugula, farro, castelvetrano olives, red onion, finocchiona, ceci beans, ricotta salata was not as nice as the Strawberry salad. Lots of salami chunks and different ingredients. 7.5/10
Persimmon Salad ($15) with arugala was a nice and lite starter before the starch is brought in. 8/10
Margherita Pizza ($14) had a very crispy crust with a bread like edge. Decent cheese. Not exactly Neapolitan authentic like Tony’s pizza, but sure to satisfy most. 8/10
Salsiccia Pizza ($16) was also very crisp. This one was a bit salty, especially the olives. Also a bit greasy. 7.5/10
Pizza: asparagus, pancetta, green garlic, pecorino ($16) was surprising very good. Nice crispy crust, great flavors. You really do not taste the asparagus even though it is chopped up and all over the place. 8/10
Radiatori, Chanterelle Mushrooms, Fava, Pecorino ($20) eggless pasta. Was not as good as the Spaghetti, but decent if you want to avoid meat. 7.5/10
Spaghetti, Manila Clams, Garlic, Chili, Pangrattato, Bottarga ($20) has just a slight kick. Very well done with a nice flavors. Eggless pasta. 8.5/10
Pasta: rigatoni, pork sugo ($15) was good but not stellar. Eggless pasta.Very al dente like we want it! Slightly spicer than we wanted. We wonder how long this sugo was boiled. 8/10
Pasta Eggless Bucatini with sugo ($17) had nice thick noodles. This dish was on the spicy side and have small chunks of meat. 8/10
Cacio e Pepe ($15) was done well and also very al dente. Bold flavor. A bit spicier than the rigatoni. 8/10
Buttermilk Panna Cotta, Seasonal Fruit ($7) was smooth, rich and silky. 8.5/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Maybe
======================
Last Visit: 5/16/2018
Pho Ha Noi
969 Story Rd #6048
San Jose, CA 95122
(408) 239-0888
https://www.yelp.com/biz/pho-ha-noi-san-jose-6
Pho Ha Noi is a Vietnamese restuarant located in a new outdoor mall Vietnam Town Plaza in San Jose. The area is full of high quality Asian restaurants and shops. Their pho is some of the best in the SF Bay Area.
They have nice happy hour specials Mon-Thur 5-11pm.
Picks:
Shrimp Spring Rolls ($5.75) had 4 large pieces with a nice peanut sauce. A small dolup of chili in the sauce added an accent.
Pho Tai Dap ($9.50 regular) Rare Flank steak with rice noodle soup. We selected the fresh wide noodles and noticed the dish came with dragon coriander on the bean sprout plate. A great sign.
Very good broth, not too strong. Nice tender noodles and beef. This was really good.
Fresh Lemon Soda ($3.75) was also good. Fresh lemon extract and sugar on the bottom, along with a can
of club soda for you to pour in.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Yes
=================
Last Visit: 5/20/2018
DASH Japanese tapas & Sushi
204A 2nd Ave
San Mateo, CA 94401
(650) 340-1508
https://www.yelp.com/biz/dash-japanese-tapas-and-sushi-san-mateo-3
DASH Japanese is a small plate focues Japanese Restaurant in Downtown San Mateo. The food was good but expensive. You need to order a large items like Nabe or else you will spend $50-100 getting full!
Service was fair, even when the place was almost empty.
Picks:
Tuna – Avocado ($7)
Fish Tacos ($9)
Wagyu Carpaccio ($13)
Chanko Nabe ($22)
Just OK:
Baked Baby Scallop ($11) 2 tiny ones
Would not reorder:
Yaki Onigiri ($3)
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Maybe
======================
Last Visit: 6/16/2018
Grace’s Table
1400 2nd St
Napa, CA 94559
https://www.yelp.com/biz/graces-table-napa
Grace’s Table is a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand restaurant in downtown Napa. We were looking for a more moderately prized restaurant and decided to give this place a try. Most folks come here for breakfast or brunch, we dined here at supper time. The food was better than expected.
Service was decent but not over the top.
Picks:
Seared Ahi Salad ($18)
Large Cornbread ($9)
Roast Chicken ($24) was a star of the day. Really really good.
Halibut ($32) was another super star of the day. It is hard to do this well.
Gnocchi ($19)
Risotto with scallops ($31)
Steak Frites ($29)
Just OK:
Pork Belly ($12) was good but too small.
Pork Chop Special ($27) was too smothered in sauce.
Cassoulet ($27) is their specialty, but not done as well as other dishes.
Cheesecake ($8) is a must order, keep room.
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Yes
=====
Last Visit: 6/23/2018
La Mar San Francisco
Pier 1 1/2 The Embarcadero
San Francisco, CA 94105
415-397-8880
http://lamarsf.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/la-mar-cebicher%C3%ADa-peruana-san-francisco-4
La Mar is a high profile Peruvian restaurant on San Francisco’s waterfront, right near the Ferry Building. The location is primo with the nice views and tons of tourists walking by.
Peruvian food has calmed down after a major climb. This place is fun and convenient but you are paying for all that without a corresponding lift in quality. Service is lackluster. Come for the happy hour or just get cocktails and appetizers.
Andes Cafe in San Mateo is a sleeper Peruvian place that does dishes well and does not charge much.
https://www.yelp.com/biz/andes-café-san-mateo-2
Picks:
Mojito ($14) was full of ice but well made.
Pisco Sour ($13) was also well made, as it better be!
Quinoa Salad ($19) with Seasonal organic tomatoes, organic Peruvian quinoa, burrata cheese and basil dressing was decent but not expectional.
Anticucho Tasting with Octopus (Pulpo) ($49) was a nice sampler to share. The beef and chicken were over done and lacked flavor without the sauce.
The fish (Hawaiian White fish) was also over cooked.
Cebiche Mixto ($19.50) Catch of the day, shrimps, calamari, octopus, in rocoto leche de tigre had a ton of sauce and could have had more shrimp.
It seemed like a bunch of calamari.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Excellent
Service – Good
Value – Fair
Would we come back – No
One and done
=================================================
Last Visit: 9/17/2018
Morgan’s Lobster Shack
10087 W River St
Truckee, CA 96161
(530) 582-5000
http://morganslobstershack.com
https://www.yelp.com/biz/morgans-lobster-shack-and-fish-market-truckee-3
Morgan’s Lobster Shack is a combination seafood restaurant and fish market. This reminds us of similar places on the East coast. We can here for dinner. Keep in mind that the seafood is fresh and good, but you eat at a narrow counter. Great for a quick bite or to go. The place is not cheap but you get quality ingredients.
Picks:
Whole Steamed lobster ($38) was market priced, comes with fries, good size, and done well. Messy but worthwhile. Most folks should probably opt for the lobster roll with egg bun.
Scallops (3 for $26) Sauteed in garlic butter with a salad. 3 huge perfectly cooked scallops.
NE Clam Chowdah ($7) was a large cup of hot chowder. Pretty good quality like those back East.
Lobster Bisque ($9) was also creamy and hit the market.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Maybe
——————————————
Last Visit: 9/22/2018
Gao Viet Kitchen
313 S San Mateo Dr
San Mateo, CA 94401
(650) 477-2524
http://wwww.gaokitchen.com
https://www.yelp.com/biz/gao-viet-kitchen-san-mateo-5
Gao Viet Kitchen is a more fancy offshot of nearby Ben Tre Vietnamese restaurant.
Picks:
Fish Sauce Glazed Crispy Chicken Wings ($10) were not super spicy and still fairly crispy.
Just OK:
Banh Canh ($15) Every Vietnamese Favorite Udon Noodle Soup with Pork, Porkrib, Tiger Shrimp, Quail Egg was a bit on the bland side. Lots of ingredients though.
Suong Nuon Xa ($20) “24-Hours Marinated Pork Rib” Broiled and Grilled Lemongrass Sauce was a bit salty and not particularly special.
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Maybe
===============================
Last Visit: 10/21/2018
Iberia Restaurant
740 El Camino Real
Belmont, CA 94002
(650) 325-8981
https://www.yelp.com/biz/iberia-restaurant-belmont
Iberia is a Spanish restaurant in Belmont. We’ve heard their radio commercials and had a friend suggest this place.
Finally got a chance to dine and found the food okay, but not great. Having been around Spain, we know a little about Spanish food from different regions. They had only 1 waitress working that evening and she was overloaded. The main man sat in the bar watching TV..
We would spend 20% more and head to Bellota in SF instead.
Picks:
Sangria ($10.75) was good but pretty strong.
PAELLA IBERIA small, serves one to three ($39.95) Iberia’s award winning rendition of saffron-infused rice with chicken, pork and seafood was a healthy size and full of ingredients. Seafood included scallops and shrimp, not fish.
jamón iberico de pata negra ($18.80) – country bread rubbed with tomato, topped with the iconic ham of the black hoofed Iberian pig. The toast was a bit burnt, but this was a nice dish showing off jamon.
pisto manchego ($13.50) fron the land of Don Quijote: vegetable stew, cured pork belly (opt.) and poached egg (opt.) was suprisingly a good dish with some really well done pork. Not a big dish.
Just OK:
patatas bravas con allioli ($7.85) – spicy fried potatoes with garlic mayonnaise were nice and lightly fried but too spicy and salty. If you get it, have them ease up on that.
Would not reorder:
gambas al ajillo ($19.85) pan-seared prawns with toasted garlic, pimentón and fino sherry was overwhelmed in its sauce. Bellota has a nice fresh version.
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Good
Service – Fair
Value – Fair
Would we come back – Maybe
========================
Last Visit: 10/27/2018
True Food Kitchen
180 El Camino Real Ste 1140
Palo Alto, CA 94304
(650) 272-5157
https://www.yelp.com/biz/true-food-kitchen-palo-alto
True Food Kitchen is a restaurant chain that focuses on healthier, more nutritious food. It was founded by celebrity physician Dr. Andrew Weil.
We ate at the Palo Alto location when the Fall 2018 menu was served. We returned for takeout in 2020 during the Pandemic.
The food was better than expected, and healthy too!
Picks:
Charred Cauliflower ($10 V GF) harissa tahini, medjool date, dill, mint, pistachio. Interestingly ours looked different than our neighbors! Nice sweet notes made this more interesting. 8/10
Butternut Squash Soup ($7) V GF 10oz was very good. Nice spice notes. 8/10
Green Curry Cauliflower Soup ($8) was flavorful without being too heavy. 8/10
Roasted Brussels Sprouts ($10 V GF) asian mushroom, miso sesame vinaigrette, chili thread 7.5/10
Seasonal Ingredient Salad ($17 V GF) butternut squash, cauliflower, brussels sprout, cannellini bean, organic kale, toasted mulberry, pomegranate, horseradish vinaigrette hit the mark of a good salad. 8/10
Grass-fed Steak Tacos* ($19 GF) tomatillo avocado salsa, pickled jicama, dried sweet corn, coconut lime yogurt, anasazi bean. A bit on the spicy side. 7.5/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
Squash Pie ($9 V GF) graham crust, coconut whipped cream was not good.
Overall – Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
==============================
Last Visit: 11/1/2018
Angler
132 The Embarcadero
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 872-9442
https://www.yelp.com/biz/angler-san-francisco
https://www.anglerrestaurants.com/san-francisco/
Angler is a more casual seafood – meat restaurant from Three Michelin Star Saison’s Joshua Skenes.
It is located right on the Embarcadero and has a beautiful interior. The focus is on seafood and meats with a lots of wood hearth cooked items.
Prices are very high and the food was unique but with heavy handed flavor. Not much is left to subtlety.
Picks:
Mojito ($18) was good and strong but pretty darn expensive.
Oysters ($4 each) Marin Gems and Miyagis hit the spot.
Chad’s Bread ($8) was made by Tartine but was good as usual. Extra $3 for Butter is crazy.
Radicchio XO Salad ($13) was very unique. They even give you a bib to wear! A tall salad that gets your plate very purple.
Tomatoes & Honey Vinegar ($17) was also interesting. Strong topping and nice fresh tomato bottom.
Hot Grilled Rabbit ($40) had 2 big chunks of crunchy deep fried rabbit with a nice kick. Watch out for the little bones. Unique preparation.
Hen of the Woods ($18) were well done but also a little overwhelmed with the sauce.
Just OK:
Sea Urchin ($40) with lobster was strong on the lobster flavor and had nice uni texture. Not really worth $40. You can see they are live in the tank.
Lettuce & Herbs ($12) looked more ordinary and was also heavily dressed.
Would not reorder:
Artichokes ($18) were prepared well but the sauce was too sour.
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Excellent
Service – Very Good
Value – Poor
Would we come back – No
One and done
=============================================
Last Visit: 11/28/2018
Nabe
1325 9th Ave
San Francisco, CA 94122
b/t Irving St & Judah St
Inner Sunset
(415) 731-2658
https://nabesf.com
https://www.yelp.com/biz/nabe-san-francisco-3
Nabe is a Japanese hot pot restaurant in the 9th Avenue corridor.
Save money by going during happy hour. Service fades as the 2 people can’t keep up when the place is full.
Picks:
Sukiyaki Beef ($19 Happy Hour) has all the goodies in the sweet broth, you just add meat. Decent beef quality.
Shabu Shabu Pork – Miso ($19 Happy Hour) has you adding all the stuff yourself. Lots of the usual vegetables, mushrooms, etc.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
====================================================
Last Visit: 11/28/2018
Theorita
834 Divisadero St
San Francisco, CA 94117
b/t Mcallister St & Fulton St
Alamo Square
(415) 416-6980
http://www.theorita.com
https://www.yelp.com/biz/theorita-san-francisco
Theorita is an informal order at the counter high end diner spot from the Chez Fico folks in the Nopa area, downstairs from their hot Chez Fico Roman – Italian restaurant.
Prices are ‘reasonable’ and the food is decent. Good for brunch. We had to refill our water ourselves.
Picks:
Fried Chicken Sandwich ($17) was nice and crispy with a spicy siracha accent.
Theorita Cheese Burger ($18) was a huge double patty burger with cheese. A bit overdone. They should ask how we want to have it done.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
=====================================================
Last Visit: 12/28/2018
Rustic House Oyster Bar and Grill
920 El Camino Real
San Carlos, CA 94070
(650) 394-4534
https://rustichouse94070.com
https://www.yelp.com/biz/rustic-house-oyster-bar-and-grill-san-carlos-san-carlos
Rustic House Oyster Bar and Grill is an American restaurant with a seafood focus in San Carlos, CA. We went because we had some gift cards to the restaurant.
They have Happy Hour Tues-Fri 2-530pm with discount drinks and appetizers.
Without the discount, we would have been disappointed. Just slightly above average food.
Picks:
Clam Chowder, Fish and Chip Bits, Garlic Bread
Holiday Salad ($22)
Hooked Cocktail
Just OK:
Ceviche
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – No
==============================================
Last Visit: 1/19/2019
Sam Choy’s Poke To The Max
https://www.yelp.com/biz/sam-choys-poke-to-the-max-san-bruno-2
Sam Choy’s Poke To The Max
629 San Mateo Ave
San Bruno, CA 94066
(650) 763-0763
http://samchoyspoke.com
Sam Choy has battled on Iron Chef, now he has opened a Hawaiian cafeteria style eatery in sleepy downtown San Bruno. The food is decent but not worth a long drive.
Picks:
Loco Moco $11.99 with 2 scoops of rice and Mac Salad. This hit the mark, even more so than the poke!
Poke Rice Plate Classic Shoyu $12.99 Ahi Tuna or Salmon, Shoyu, Sesame Oil. Not a very huge portion of poke. It was good, but there are so many poke places that let you customize your bowls, having a fixed menu s limiting
Spam Musubi $3.99 was good, but skimpy with thin spam. L&L is much more generous.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Maybe
=======================================
Last Visit: 12/17/20
Stick & Steam
350 Adrian Rd
Millbrae, CA 94030
(650) 239-9240
https://www.yelp.com/biz/stick-and-steam-millbrae-4
Stick & Steam is a small stylish Modern Asian eatery in Millbrae from the Koi Palace folks. It is next door to In and out burger and Panera. Have fun navigating the parking lot past their ever present drive in line.
Unfortunately the pork belly was not available. Call ahead! Service tries to be good, but forgot an item on our first visit.
$2 draft beer promotion!
Picks:
Hainan Chicken Rice Plate ($13.75) was good but not too big a portion. 3 types of dipping sauces. Chicken was fairly bland, needing the sauce, while the rice had good flavor. 8/10
Chicken noodle soup ($13.75) basically substitues rice noodle soup for the rice. 8/10
Beef Noodle Soup ($9.50) hit the mark with lots of beef brisket and thin noodles.
Typhoon Ha Gao ($6.95) had 4 deep fried har gow shrimp dumplings. Crunchy and good. 9/10
Pink Dreamer ($5.25) with Strawberry popping boba is a nice boba drink. Not too sweet, fun popping action. 8/10
Strawberry Explosion ($5.50) was an excellent fruity drink. Almost like a sundae in a drink. 8.5/10
Drunken Chicken Noodle Soup ($14.95) had Shanghai style wine chicken with tender noodles. 8/10
NY Prime Steak Skewer ($4.50) had 2 nice cubes of medium rare beef. 8/10
Lamb Skewer ($2.75) was tiny but flavored well. 8/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
==============================
Last Visit: 1/26/2019
Ichi Ramen aka Hing Lung
1230 El Camino Real Ste P
San Bruno, CA 94066
(650) 873-3088
https://www.yelp.com/biz/ichi-ramen-san-bruno
This place is really Hing Lung (Too cheap to rename it!), which is known for its location in SF on Broadway near Stockton.
Reasonably priced Cantonese Chinese comfort food with quality and service that is better than expected. This spot like a smaller Cooking Papa of Foster City.
Picks:
Clay pot rice with spareribs ($11.95) was amazingly good. It takes 25 minutes, so order an appetizer.
Rice Noodle XO Sauce ($8.95) has a definite spice kit and hits the spot.
Just OK:
Stir fried pea sprouts in garlic ($14.95) were average but acceptable.
Sweet corn soup ($8.95) was also average
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
========================================
Last Visit: 2/17/2019
Pho To Chau
853 Villa St
Mountain View, CA 94041
(650) 961-8069
https://www.yelp.com/biz/pho-to-chau-mountain-view-2
Pho To Chau is a Vietnamese restaurant in downtown Mountain View. It was recommended by a Vietnamese person, and has been on our list for a while.
Their pho was very good, better than most around this area. Most of the better places to eat seem to be on side streets off the main drag, Castro street!
Alexander’s Bakery is nearby, for some fancy dessert action..
Picks:
Pho Bo Filet Mignon ($10.50 regular) – Any time you see Filet Mignon on the menu at a Vietnamese place, give it a go! Broth was good, meat quality was high. No dragon coriander though. This bowl was not huge..
Pho Tai Gan Sach ($8.80 regular) with rare steak, flank, tendon, tripe also hit the spot.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Excellent
Would we come back – Yes
=====================================
Last Visit: 3/6/2019
Garaje
475 3rd St
San Francisco, CA 94107
https://www.yelp.com/biz/garaje-san-francisco
Garaje has been on our cheap eats list for a while. It is located near Moscone Center, making it a great place to go if you are there for a show or work nearby. The dimly lit place looks better for after work – late night snacks and beer.
The place looks like a bar on the inside, dark n dingy.
You go up to the counter order and pay, only in cash. And the food is brought to you.
Prices are reasonable and quantities are huge, making this very busy.
Picks:
Zapatos with skirt steak asas ($12) are huge and full of good stuff. Slightly mushy.
The cheeseburger isn’t super cheap at $10, but it’s pretty huge chock-full of ingredients. Lots of lettuce. Wished that they asked how we wanted done
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Fair
Service – Fair
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Maybe
=====================
Last Visit: 2/25/2019
Souvla
2272 Chestnut St
San Francisco, CA 94123
https://www.yelp.com/biz/souvla-san-francisco-9
Souvla is a local chain of Greek – Mediterranean casual restaurants in San Francisco. We tried the recently open location in the SF Marina District.
High quality ingredients and good cooking = popular. They could use some portion control.
Picks:
Snake River Farms Pork Shoulder Salad ($13) was huge, almost too big. Lots of fresh veggies and nice pork. They should reduce the size of this by 25% and lower the price.
Mary’s Free-range chicken wrap ($13) was also pretty big and had a ton of nice chicken. You can see the chickens being roasted in the back of the shop.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Maybe
==========================
Last Visit: 3/16/2019
Iyasare
1830 Fourth St
Berkeley, CA 94710
510-845-8100
https://www.yelp.com/biz/iyasare-berkeley
Iyasare is a Japanese Restaurant in the posh Berkeley 4th Street corridor. We were passing by and decided to finally give it a try. Without reservations, we dined at the bar. Pacing was way off, but the food was fabulous. Definitely want to try more next time!
Be sure to check out the Amazon 4 star store. Pretty cool.
Picks:
Sendai Mule ($14) bulleit bourbon, cocchi americano, yuzu, ginger beer is their take on a Moscow Mule. A bit too much ice, but a nice balanced drink. Hidden potency.
BACON MOCHI ($13.50) crispy nori seaweed / grilled mochi & smoked bacon / housemade teriyaki is a bit chewy and crunchy, yet a nice contrast in textures and savoriness.
OCEAN UMAMI ($19) hokkaido scallop sashimi / ikura caviar / japanese sea urchin / nori ponzu / chive oil was great. Could have ordred another. Very delicate with the uni’s flavor powering the neutral scallop.
UMAMI GYU NIKU ($35) wagyu bavette steak / grillled cabbage / root vegetables is a good sized beef dish. Super tender meat. Well done.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
===================================
Last Visit: 4/24/21
Noodles & Things
79 E 3rd. Ave
San Mateo, CA 94404
650-393-5799
https://www.yelp.com/biz/noodles-and-things-san-mateo
Noodles & Things is a Chinese fast casual noodle focused restaurant in downtown San Mateo. It looks like a transplant from China, but they said this is their first location. The food is decent but on the expensive side.
Picks:
Chef Lung’s Signature Steamed Free-Range Chicken ($16 half order) is pretty good but very expensive for what you get. Rice costs $2 more. 7.5/10
Braised Ground pork over rice ($14.50) is also $$$. Greasy but decent. 7.5/10
Asian Greens in Supreme broth ($7.70) was done just fine. 7.5/10
Rice Noodles ($8.75) with Oyster Mushrooms (+$2) comes with lots of items included. No need to really add tofu skin, napa cabbage, mushrooms. 7.5/10
Their 20 hour broth is fine, nothing special.
Benn’s Red Bean Ice ($4) is good but why did they serve it first? Duh?
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Maybe
=======================================
Last Visit: 3/29/2019
Yayoi
389 Hillsdale Shopping center
San Mateo, CA 94403
650-315-2287
https://www.yelp.com/biz/yayoi-san-mateo
Yayoi is a Japanese restaurant with lots of automation, from electronic waitlist to ordering on an iPad. Far better than the Cheesecake Factory next door. The Yelp reviews are not good at 3.5, but the food was far better than you would think. Prices do add up.
Picks:
Salmon Don ($19) was a huge portion
3pcs Gyoza ($4.50)
Matcha Mochi ($5)
Tofu Salad ($12) was massive. Good value.
Yakiniki Ju ($22) was good size, lots of meat and flavor.
Zenzi ($8) is good but very sweet.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
===============
Last Visit: 4/20/2019
Cha Cha Matcha
373 Broome St
New York, NY 10013
b/t Mulberry St & Mott St
https://chachamatcha.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/cha-cha-matcha-new-york-8
Cha Cha Matcha is a legit tea shop for your matcha goodies. Line out the door. They did run out of some vegan items early. The place borders NYC Chinatown.
Picks:
Matcha Soft serve ($5) was smooth and balanced. Not too sweet. No egg.
Matcha Chai ($6) with homemade chai, milk and matcha hit the spot too.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
==================
Last Visit: 4/20/2019
Pho Bang
157 Mott St
New York, NY 10013
https://www.yelp.com/biz/pho-bang-restaurant-new-york?
Pho Bang is an average Vietnamese restaurant in NYC’s Chinatown. Cheap, quick, not worth a detour for.
Picks:
Pho Tai ($8.75) was average. Fairly bland broth.
Just OK:
Che Ba Mau ($4.25) was chock full of ice.
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Maybe
====================
Last Visit: 5/3/2019
Original Joe’s Westlake
11 Glenwood Ave
Daly City, CA 94015
650-755-7400
https://originaljoes.com/westlake/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/original-joes-westlake-daly-city-5
Original Joe’s Westlake is an updated version of the glory years of fine dining in the 70’s and 80’s. The interior is nicer,
the service folks are warm. The menu goes all over the place. The food has been updated and is acceptable. Card carrying foodies would eat elsewhere. Lots of folks in the 50’s+ were eating.
Picks:
Prime Rib Dip ($19.50) roasted prime rib, thinly sliced, on a french roll, french fries•au jus•horseradish sauce had lots of sliced up beef and a big side of fries. A satisfying lunch although the meat could have been rarer.
Classic Cobb Salad ($17.50) had romaine, grilled chicken, chopped bacon, grated egg, tomatoes, avocado, blue cheese crumbles, italian vinaigrette. Liberal size and good quality ingredients. Straightforward salad, nothing foo foo.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Maybe
============
Last Visit: 5/8/2019
Restaurant Jeanne D’ Arc
715 Bush St
San Francisco, CA 94108
b/t Powell St & Mason St
Union Square
(415) 421-3154
http://www.cornellhotel.com/restaurant-jeanne-d-arc
https://www.yelp.com/biz/restaurant-jeanne-d-arc-san-francisco
One and done. Restaurant Jeanne D’ Arc is a unique restaurant in the basement of the small Cornell Hotel de France. It has been there for over 50 years. The old school decor and rustic atmosphere are really cool, but the food is just slightly above average. Service was disjointed and slow. $56 4 course prix fix menu is of good value.
We would go visit Chapeau for some French charm and better food.
Picks:
Butternut squash soup – Reasonable.
Salade Princesse – Mixed Green salad with shrimp stuffed half avocado – Good size.
Escagot de Bourgogne – Very oily.
Sweetbreads with Madeira Sauce – Their specialty
Roast duck breast with raspberry sauce – Slightly overdone, not a lot of flavor
Souffle au Grand Marnier – Everyone gets it, looks great.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Excellent
Service – Fair
Value – Good
Would we come back – No
==============
Last Visit: 5/27/2019
Marugame Udon
3251 20th Ave
Space 184
San Francisco, CA 94132
415-680-1280
https://www.yelp.com/biz/marugame-udon-san-francisco-4
Marugame Udon is part of the Japanese way of restaurants to land in the US. We finally got the guts to brave the 30 minute line at dinner. Solid udon at reasonable prices ($9). If this spot was in SOMA, they could easily double the prices!
Picks:
Beef Udon ($8.90 large) had nice thick udon noodles with some shredded sweet beef. Satisfying cheap eats.
Chicken Curry udon ($9.90 large) had a nice kick. Frankly with the bold curry, you could omit the chicken.
Spam Musubi ($2.90) hit the spot. Better than L&L’s.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Maybe
=================================
Last Visit: 6/22/2019
Oren’s Hummus
261 University Ave
Palo Alto, CA 94301
650-752-6492
https://www.yelp.com/biz/orens-hummus-palo-alto
Oren’s is a casual Mediterranean restaurant with several locations in the Bay Area. We have been to the San Franciso and Palo Alto locations. Clearly marked vegan and gluten free items.
Picks:
Hummus Classic ($8.95 GF, V) Hummus with imported tahini, olive oil, and our secret sauce is very smooth and well done. Better than most. Noosh in SF is still tops around here.
Babaganoush Eggplant (GF, V) Fire roasted eggplant mashed with tahini, garlic and herbs is well done and a lot better than most.
Hummus Lamb ($17 GF) Hummus with pomegranate braised lamb shoulder with fresh mint is decent but has a very strong pomegranate flavor.
Beef Kebab ($18.95 GF) All natural ground beef and lamb with blended herbs and garlic, drizzled with tahini has 5 large pieces of ground meat. Good flavor.
Quick Fried Cauliflower Florets ($8 GF) With pesto labane is not exactly a fry but a lightly fried vegetable. Slightly greasy.
Just OK:
Vegetable Skewer ($16.95 GF, V) Onions, tomatoes, red bell peppers, eggplant and mushrooms is pretty costly for what you get.
Would not reorder:
Hummus Jaffa ($10.35 GF, V) A unique, thicker style of hummus with more garlic, pine nuts, olive oil and parsley. We prefer the classic one. This is too thick.
Lemonade ($5.10) is very sour and not cheap, but freshly made.
Overall – Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Yes
===========================
Last Visit: 7/5/2019
Papaito Rotisserie
26007 Eden Landing Rd
Hayward, CA 94545
510-200-7732
https://www.papaitorotisserie.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/papaito-rotisserie-hayward
Papaito is one of those restaurants you love to discover. Excellent food at really good prices, situated in the middle of nowhere. (Office park area near Highway 92) Their name directly translates to “good friend”. They have 2 locations, Hayward and San Leandro. Last visit in Spring 2020.
Lots of veggie options for vegans. We will be back to try more. Gotta try the chicken next time.
Picks:
Da’ Porchetta ($14) Cracklin Crusted Pork is the ticket here. Cheap and supergood. Crisp skin, juicy meat. A must get. Good portion size too.
Potatoes ($4 small) are done well and worth it.
Smoky Corn Salad ($4 Small) is a mixture and hits the mark.
Grilled Asparagus ($6) were a big skimpy but done just right.
Casserole Mushrooms ($4 small) were also stellar. In a lite cream sauce.
Just OK:
Brussel sprouts () were more on the healthy side and a bit bitter.
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Excellent
Would we come back – Yes
===
Last Visit: 7/25/2019
Taishoken
47 E 4th Ave
San Mateo, CA 94401
650-445-7579
https://www.taishokenusa.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/taishoken-san-mateo
Taishoken is the first US outpost of the legendary Japanese ramen chain, famous for dipping noodles. They have over 100 locations in Japan. This replaces Kisaku in Downtown San Mateo, where there is a Japanese restuarnt on almost every block.
We came on a Thursday night and had to wait 2 hours, but it is worthwhile.
Picks:
Doteni ($8) hatcho miso braised beef tendon with green onion come in a little skillet and resembled a long braised beef dish with lots of robust flavor. We need some rice to use up the nice gravy.
Tsukemen ($13) with rich dipping soup made with pork, chicken, dried anchovy, and dried bonito topped with pork Chasu, Menma, and green onion. Contains buckwheat, no egg. This is their signature dish and must order. Follow the instructions on how to grab noodles, dip, then top them. Its on the lunch menu! Very al dente noodles, bold flavors in the dipping soup.
Be sure to bring a container to bring the rest of the soup home. They did not have any.
Ramen ($12) rich broth made with pork and chicken topped with pork chashu, green onion, kikurage mushroom, and nori seaweed. This is well done. Eggless housemade thin noodles in a very unmami broth. Different that a lot of other places like Santa Ramen.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Yes
================
Pho Go
https://www.yelp.com/biz/pho-go-garden-grove
14271 Brookhurst St
Garden Grove, CA 92843
714-486-3207
Pho restaurant in the middle of Little Vietnam. Within a mile there are a ton of restaurants with the name Pho in it. We found this better than nearby Pho 45. Food comes out fast.
Cash only.
Two tip offs! Filet Mignon Pho plus Dragon Coriander in the plate of mix in condiments.
Pho Filet Mignon ($9 small)- Filet Mignon check, dragon coriander check. Steaming hot Hearty beef broth, ball of noodles = really good pho.
Some of the best around. Tons of quality meat, more than we have seen at other places.
Green Thai Tea was good.
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Excellent
Would we come back – Yes
===========================
Last Visit: 8/7/2019
Bussaba
534 Irving St
San Francisco, CA 94122
https://www.yelp.com/biz/bussaba-san-francisco
Bussaba is a new Thai restaurant in San Francisco’s Inner Sunset. Their service was very slow due to a lack of resources.
We would go back to Marnee before this spot.
Picks:
Drunk Noodles ($15) Beef was decent but lacked much beef.
Yellow curry Chicken ($14) was on the spicy side but also reasonable.
Just OK:
Larb Gai ($12) Was very meaty and not very balanced.
Would not reorder:
Yaowarat Stringbean ($7) was over spiced and salty.
Overall – Good
Food – Fair
Decor – Good
Service – Poor
Value – Good
Would we come back – No
==================
Last Visit: 8/11/2019
Liang’s Village Cupertino
19772 Stevens Creek Blvd
Cupertino, CA 95014
408-725-9999
https://www.liangsvillage.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/liangs-village-cupertino-cupertino
Liang’s Village is a family owned Taiwanese Chinese restaurant in a strip mall in Cupertino, California.
It has been on our hit list for a while, so we finally got a chance to try it.
Reasonably priced Authentic Taiwanese food is casual surrounding with fair drop and go service.
They were out of several items on the menu like Hainan Chicken and Vegetable soup. Lots of cool drinks.
Picks:
Jasmine Milk Tea ($4.75) hit the spot. They didn’t ask if we wanted boba though. Some folks came here for drinks to go.
Green Onion Pancake ($8.95) was deep fried and not pan fried. Frankly it was better the next day when we toasted them!
Steamed Seasonal Vegetables ($9) Spinach was a ball of healthy boiled spinach with a side of garlic dipping sauce.
Minced Pork Rice ($9.75) was a standout must get. Very nicely done with flavorful chopped pork.
Beef Noodle Soup ($14.50) was a bit pricey but their signature dish. Wide eggless hand cut noodles in a strong licorice soup. Ample quantities to share.
Just OK:
Stewed Bitter Melon ($4.50) was a bit over processed. Not too bitter.
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Fair
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Yes
===========
Last Visit: 8/13/2019
b&b – Banh Mi & Boba
1634 Irving St
San Francisco, CA 94122
b/t 18th Ave & 17th Ave
Inner Sunset
(415) 800-7001
https://www.yelp.com/biz/b-and-b-banh-mi-and-boba-san-francisco
Banh Mi & Boba has two of our favorites – Vietnamese Sandwiches and Boba Tea. This small spot recently opened in 2019
Picks:
5 Spiced Chicken Sandiwch ($8.25) was good and had great bread. Boy the jalapenos are spicy. Beware.
Bulgogi Beef Sandwich ($8.25) was also very good.
Matcha Latte ($5) with boba hit the spot
Just OK:
Slow Roasted Pork Sandwich ($8.25) was on the dry side. But still had great bread.
Jasmine Milk Tea ($4.50) with boba was average.
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Maybe
=============================
Last Visit: 8/15/2019
Zankou Chicken
1415 E Colorado St
Glendale, CA 91205
818-244-2237
https://www.yelp.com/biz/zankou-chicken-glendale
Zankou Chicken is a regional chain in the Los Angeles area known for its Rotisserie chicken! and Mediterranean food. We wanted to give it a try and found it has better food than most of the Mediterranean around. Definitely will be back.
Picks:
Lulu Kabob Plate ($13.99) took a while to arrive but had two long strips of delicious ground beef. Nice pita and hummus too.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Yes
===================================
Last Visit: 8/2/2019
VO’s Sandwiches
9131 Garden Grove Blvd
Garden Grove, CA 92844
https://www.yelp.com/biz/vos-sandwiches-garden-grove
VO’s Sandwiches is a really cheap Vietnamese restaurant in Garden Grove. The prices are very low and quality decent.
Picks:
Bahn Mi Special ($3.85) comes with decent bread and a good amount of meat at an incredible price.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Excellent
Would we come back – Maybe
===================================
Last Visit: //2019
Oakobing
3300 W 6th St Unit 2
Los Angeles, CA 90020
(213) 387-4392
htts://www.oakobing.com
https://www.yelp.com/biz/oakobing-los-angeles?osq=desserts
Oakobing is a Korean dessert place in Los Angeles’ Koreatown for bing su. Fun place to go with a group and share the huge desserts.
Better than Sul & Beans, which we visited the day before. Parking lot in the back charges for parking, otherwise its hard to park here at night.
Picks:
Green Tea Ice Flakes ($9.75) was well done and very tall. Sides of Mochi and red bean.
Melon Ice Flakes seems ($10.50) to be ordered by most folks. Huge portion plus you can dig into the melon itself afterward.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Yes
============================
Last Visit: 8/14/2019
Olympic Noodle
4008 W Olympic Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90019
https://www.yelp.com/biz/olympic-noodle-los-angeles
Olympic Noodle is a Korean Noodle restaurant in Los Angeles’ Koreatown. A friend recommended we give it a try.
Unlike the Korean BBQ joints, this spot is under the radar and more of a mom and pop restaurant. No BBQ here and a more limited noodle oriented menu.
Picks:
Sliced Noodle Soup with Chicken ($12) is the main dish. Massive quantity and lots of meat. Enough for 2.
Sliced Nooodle Soup with Beef ($12) is a variation with beef.
Steamed dumplings ($10.10) is a house specialty. A dozen home made dumplings freshly steamed.
Boiled Chicken with Korean Ginseng ($16.99) is a bit bland without the add ons. The powdered ginseng is very strong.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Maybe
=====================
Last Visit: 9/22/2019
Shihlin Taiwan Street Snacks
142 E 3rd Ave
San Mateo, CA 94401
650-558-1988
https://www.yelp.com/biz/shihlin-taiwan-street-snacks-san-mateo
Shihlin Taiwan Street Snacks is a small Taiwanese fast food restaurant that took the place of Quickly in downtown San Mateo.
They have locations in Milpitas and Berkeley. These guys are famous for the fried chicken.
This location is pretty small, so it may be hard to get a table to sit.
Picks:
Treasure Rice Box ($10.99) includes their Crispy Chicken, Tofu, egg, and some veggies. Nice mix of items. Yes their crispy chicken is good.
Not dry and no egg batter.
Grandma’s Braised Meat Rice ($7.49) is a minced meat classic. Decent although the one at Cupertino’s Liang’s Village is better..
Just OK:
Passion Fruit Green Drink with boba ($4.25) was very sweet. You cannot vary the sweetness!
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Yes
——————————
Last Visit: 9/29/2019
Fiery Shanghai
2717 Stoneridge Drive #103
Pleasonton, CA 94588
925-201-1131
https://www.yelp.com/biz/fiery-shanghai-pleasanton-2
Fiery Shanghai is in the Asian oriented Pearl Pacific center, right near the Premium Outlets. Nice little mall if you like Chinese food.
This place has 3.5 stars on yelp, as most Chinese spots go, you can’t really tell if it is any good other than the service sucks.
A typical spot lifted from China, decor wise. The Shanghai food is pretty authentic here, come if you are into this cuisine because you’ll probably not find any better around here. We still like Little Shanghai in San Mateo better foodwise.
Yeah it is not cheap, they have to pay for the high rent somehow!?
Picks:
Salt Pork Vegetable Fried Rice ($12.95) is very good. Not too salty.
Mung Bean Porridge ($3.95) perfect for vegetarians.
Celery with tofu ($10.95) also good for vegetarians. Lots of sliced tofu.
Pan fried Pork buns ($8.95) had no soup, but very good textures and flavor.
Soup dumplings or Xiao Long Bao ($9.95) were huge and overfilled with soup. Good thin skin. B+ vs A at Din Tai Fung.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – yes
=================
Last Visit: 9/30/2019
Maykadeh
470 Green St (Near Grant)
San Francisco, CA 94133
415-362-8286
https://www.yelp.com/biz/maykadeh-san-francisco
Maykadeh is a white tablecloth Persian restaurant in San Francisco’s North Beach. Great to see something aside from another Italian spot. This restaurant is similar to Shalizaar in Belmont but more intimate.
It was on our hit list, so we finally gave it a try. It was very quiet during midweek lunch. They have been here since 2005.
The server was very passionate about their food and helped educate us to the ingredients and traditions.
Picks:
Complimentary Pita, Onion, Radish, Basil leaves
Chelo-kebab Koobideh $28.95 (Skewered mixture of Certified Angus beef and leg of lamb. Ground daily, onion, Persian spices, and Basmati rice.) in combination with
Joojeh Kebab (Boneless chicken thighs marinated in saffron, onion and lime juice, vegetables, Basmati rice.) was recommended by our server. Both are very tender and juicy. Quality meats cooked just right. Ample quantity for 2 people.
Ghorme Sabzee $20 (Lamb shank cooked in finely chopped onion, leek, scallions, chives and herbs, dried lime, Basmati rice.) is very dark green in color but clearly cooked for many hours. A very different dish than the other one. Great if you like stews.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Fair
Would we come back – Maybe
=============
Last Visit: 9/27/2019
Sisters Kitchen
270 Lorton Ave
Hillsborough, CA 94010
https://www.yelp.com/biz/sisters-kitchen-hillsborough
Sisters Kitchen is a relatively new American counter service restaurant in Downtown Burlingame. Hard to tell what their angle is, lots of salads, everything clearly marked vegetarian or gluten free.
The place is better than the 3.5 stars on Yelp, although why they would waste 2 tables laying out their paperwork in the middle of evening supper time is beyond belief. Service is slow.
Picks:
half chicken plate ($17) Good sized, decent chicken plate.
soup and salad ($12) looked fresh and healthy. Clean simple food.
brussel sprouts ($7) were deep fried and quickly eaten.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Fair
Value – Good
Would we come back – Maybe
============
Last Visit: //2019
um.ma
1220 9th Ave
San Francisco, CA 94122
415-566-5777
https://www.ummasf.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/um-ma-san-francisco-3
um.ma is a modern Korean restaurant in the Inner Sunset. Its about 2 blocks away from another Korean spot.
Nice service, clean interior make it a safe bet. You need to drive to Santa Clara to get some exicting Korean food from places like Chungdam and Gooyi Gooyi.
Picks:
4 complimentary banchan dishes.
Sul Lung Tang ($13) bone broth, slicked brisket, somen egg less noodles was the star of the meal. Really worth getting.
Korean Fried Chicken ($12) double fried, gochujang honey glaze were good. Crisp, Eggless batter and not very spicy.
Just OK:
Kalbi ($16) prime short rib was just okay. We’ve had better at many places. At least the price is low.
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Maybe
================
Last Visit: 10/12/2019
Selby’s
3001 El Camino Real
Redwood City, CA 94061
https://www.selbysrestaurant.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/selbys-redwood-city-2
Selby’s is the newest restaurant from the restaurant group which runs Village Pub, and Spruce. We are liked those two restaurants, so we definitely look forward to eating at Selby’s. This spot draws on the rich Atherton crowd.
Prices are high, so expectations need to be met. Food quality was good, not great. A little disappointing frankly.
The service was just fair, not a good sign for such a fine dining establishment.
Selby’s has received a ton of press for an expensive $50 black label truffle hamburger. The cuisine at this restaurant is a little bit dumb down, compared to their other spots. Steakhouse guest clientele? One and done for us.
Picks
Mojito ($13) was strong and done just right.
Roubuchon’s Potatoes ($17) were smooth and buttery.
Ok
Lettuce and Herb Salad ($15) was pretty huge, nothing particularly special but OK.
Would not reorder
The crown of duck for two ($98) is really expensive, we ordered it as we had such a great version at sister restaurant Village Pub. This one was just so so. It looks great, but undercooked and chewy meat.
Lobster Consomme ($19) was an odd soup with nice chunks of lobster, and a bland bouillon like liquid
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Poor
Would we come back – No
====================
Last Visit: 10/28/2019
Surisan
505 Beach St
San Francisco, CA 94133
415-771-8449
https://www.surisansf.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/surisan-san-francisco
Surisan is a Korean Fusion restaurant in Fisherman’s Wharf of all places. It is ranked high on Yelp at 4.5 stars with over 1600 reviews
The food looked interesting so we came for lunch. Inventive, cool food for those open to exploration. Lots of dishes for breakfast/brunch/lunch.
Picks:
Bulgogi bap ($16) bulgogi, Yukon potato, vegetables, fried egg, rice came in a cool skillet. Reasonable portion size and good flavors. Very hot spicy sauce!
Pimped ramyun ($18) takes a $1 cup of noodle and kicks it up a notch. It is presented spilled out onto a tray with green onions, mushrooms, and more, Really nice slice of Millionaire’s Bacon.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
======================
Last Visit: 11/8/2019
Wildseed
2000 Union St
San Francisco, CA 94123
415-872-7350
https://www.wildseedsf.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/wildseed-san-francisco-2
Wildseed’s motto is Work out, Veg Out. A trendy new 100% plant based vegan restaurant in the Union street shopping district from the Back of the House Group (a Mano, Lolinda, Delarosa, Beretta, Super Duper, etc).
Perfect spot for the crowds that the Marina is known for. (I reminisce about Prego that was in this spot in the 90’s!) The restaurant was fairly new and already packed.
The food did not leave us wanted a steak afterwards. Hearty and satisfying. The service rushed us along, hopefully that will be addressed.
Save money by eating in the bar during happy hour.
Picks:
Ceviche Of King Trumpet Mushrooms ($11) leche de tigre, avocado, mango and seeded chips was recommended by our server. The sliced mushrooms soaked up the flavor and did not even taste like mushrooms. Nice crispy chip. On the spicy side. (7/10)
Spicy Yellow Curry ($16) ginger, turmeric, Thai basil, root vegetables, chard, eggplant, forbidden rice was also a fairly spicy dish. Very nice rice and rich coconut broth. Eggplant didn’t really taste it should! (7.5/10)
Rigatoni Bolognese ($16) mushrooms, ground Impossible, chard, parmesan (cg) plus sub gluten free penne $2 – Look like a normal rigatoni. Not a lot of meat, but nicely done pasta. Large portion size. (7/10)
Warm Chocolate Cake ($8) beet and chaga, Gio’s chocolate gelato, coco nibs (cg) is surpringly like those decadant molten chocolate cakes. Half baked cake with really nice gelato. (8/10)
Passion For Melons ($8) harvest peak sharlyn, canary, cantaloupe melons, passion fruit sorbet was a nice tropical mix of fruits and sorbet. Smooth and mellow. (7.5/10)
Just OK:
The Reset Salad ($14) kale, frisee, beets, cucumber, green beans, sprouted nuts and seeds with turmeric, black pepper vinaigrette is fine, but why get a normal salad when you have lots of other options? (6.5/10)
Beet Poke ($9) macadamia, baby cucumbers, ponzu, sesame & seaweed crackers was average, nothing special (6/10)
Would not reorder:
Mojito ($11) was not particular great. Not much flavor (4/10)
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
===================
HoDaLa
5801 Geary Blvd
San Francisco, CA 94121
415-702-9510
https://www.yelp.com/biz/hodala-san-francisco
HoDaLa is a Taiwanese Chinese restaurant in San Francisco’s Richmond district. It looked interesting and we were nearby, so we gave it a try. Try not to order non Taiwanese dishes and make sure you get the Happy Hour menu. Its a fun place for those who like Taiwanese cuisine and especially for those in 20’s and 30’s. Couple dishes were very good. We like Liang’s Village in Cupertino more.
Picks:
Sweet Touch Lychee ($5) is an interesting sweet beer. You can find this at 99 ranch. (7/10)
Taiwanese Pork Belly Bao ($8.95) had 3 big fatty baos. One of the better ones! (8.5/10)
Ground pork over rice ($7.95) was decent but not as good as Liang’s Village. (7.5/10)
Beef Wrap ($7.99) was also a really good dish. Rolled up and not flat. (8/10)
Beef Noodle Soup ($11.95) is a classic but this one was just reasonable. Non egg noodles, tender meat. (6.5/10)
Just OK:
Grass Jelly Wintermelon ($3.75) was ok, nothing special. (6/10)
Kimchi ($3) was ok.
Tofu ($3) was average.
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Maybe
================
Last Visit: 12/15/2019
Yum Cha Place
1039 El Camino Real
Menlo Park, CA 94025
650-752-6173
https://www.yumchamenlopark.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/yum-cha-palace-menlo-park
Yum Cha Place (3.5* on Yelp) is a Chinese restaurant in downtown Menlo Park, where Su Hong used to be. They serve dim sum during both lunch and dinner. It is about the only option down here (Taipan Palo Alto is about the same caliber), unless you trek up to the Millbrae – Burlingame area.
The place is clean and the food is reasonable, not excellent. Service is ok, not great. Prices are not cheap, no surprise. A good place to get dim sum if you are in the area and do not want to drive up to HL Peninsula or other restaurants north.
Picks:
Shrimp dumplings ($6.25) were medium sized and acceptable.
Pork & Peanut Dumpling (Chiu Chow) ($5.25) were fairly big and also fine.
Shirmp & Pea Sprouts Dumpling ($6.25) were on the large size and slighly above average.
Shrimp Paste Donut rice crepe Rolls ($6.25) was crisp on the inside and nicely done.
Spicy Pan Fried Lamb Bun ($4.25) is huge and can be cut apart. Nice change from the usual.
Blossom Shrimp Ball ($6.25) is deep fried goodness.
Roast Duck ($9) was passable.
Chinese Broccoli ($7) was done well.
Just OK:
Steamed BBQ Pork Buns ($4.25)
Red Bean Sesame Ball ($4.25) is average.
Would not reorder:
Pork Xiao Long Bao ($7.25) is forgettable. Never order this from a Cantonese restaurant.
Pork & Crab Xia Long Bao ($10.25) is also not worth it.
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
=================
Last Visit: 1/13/2020
Brenda’s Meat & Three
919 Divisadero St
San Francisco, CA 94115
415-926-8657
https://www.yelp.com/biz/brendas-meat-and-three-san-francisco-3
Brenda’s Meat & Three is a Southern restaurant in the San Francisco NoPa district. They also have an outpost in Oakland. Rib Sticking comfort food. While the quality is good, it is not great. The warm service made up for it. The servers did not come around enough though. 5% SF Mandate.
Picks:
BRENDA’S FRIED CHICKEN ($14.75) Two pieces of our spicy fried chicken with fries, cole slaw, cream biscuit & hot pepper jelly was not too spicy but on the dry side. Eggless batter.
BRENDA’S FRIED SEAFOOD PO’ BOY ($15.75) Choose from cornmeal-fried shrimp, oysters or catfish, with lettuce, tomato & chipotle rémoulade. We choose shrimp and found it to be pretty big and hearty. Lots of sauce with some nice bread.
Just OK:
CHOCOLATE Beignets ($9 for 3) Filled with molten Ghirardelli chocolate are not very sweet except for the sugar topping.
Cream Biscuit ($3.25) was VERY rich. This beast must be made with a pound of butter. How about throttling back a little?
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Maybe
=====================
Last Visit: 3/10/2023
Blue Sky Cafe
1625 El Camino Real Ste 9
Belmont, CA 94002
650-595-0228
https://www.yelp.com/biz/blue-sky-caf%C3%A9-belmont-3
Blue Sky Cafe is a casual Hong Kong style Chinese eatery in the middle of an industrial park in Belmont. Weird location but solid food and a popular destination. If you appreciate this type of food, run here as there is nothing like it on the Peninsula. A small homey spot with friendly servers, reasonable prices and ample parking. They served takeout only throughout much of the Pandemic, then restarted table service in early 2023. Service is gets sketchy when the place is super busy due to overload.
Other dishes to try: Oxtail clay pot, Pork Chop
During Covid 19 Pandemic – Call in for take out, contactless payments, etc.
Food Picks:
Scallop and egg white fried rice ($13.95) is a large size portion of well-done fried rice. Lots of flavor. 8/10
Salt and pepper fish fillet ($12.95) is deep fried and very nice. Ample quantities of this artery clogging dish. 8/10
Sweet-and-sour spareribs Hong Kong style ($14.95) uses eggless batter and is not too sweet. This got a little soggy by the time we made it home, but it is still worth ordering. 8/10
Spare Ribs Clay Pot Rice ($16.95 for small) takes about 20 minutes. They pour soy sauce on it tableside and help you scrape up the nice crisp rice crust. Done very well. Free soup to start. Beware that they started making it spicy with jalepenos in 2020. During the pandemic, with takeout, they carefully put the crispy rice in another container. 8.5/10
Chicken with Shitake Mushrooms Clay Pot Rice ($13.95 for small) is also a hit. Great if you like chicken. The chicken cut up for you.
Chinese Sausage Claypot rice ($13.95 for small) is also legit. Lots of lap cheung.
House Hainan chicken ($11.95 for half) is very good, but not as good as RIP ABC’s. Very boney and full of flavor. Alas, no chicken rice.
House special pan fried noodles ($12.50) were crispy and full of meat.
Sauteed Large Pea Shoots with Garlic ($17.95) hit the mark. Cooked just right and huge portion. 8.5/10
String Beans ($10.95) were okay. Not a lot of flavor, but cooked fine.
Soup of the day ($7.95) is Chinese style home made soup. Good stuff.
Milk Tea Hong Kong Style ($3.95 cold) was decent. Close to HK standards. 8.5/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Fair
Service – Very Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Yes
===
Last Visit: 1/25/2020
Oros Thai Chicken and Rice
6177 Santa Teresa Blvd
San Jose, CA 95123
408-809-7878
https://orosthai.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/oros-thai-restaurant-san-jose
Oros is a Thai chicken rice spot in San Jose. We happened to be nearby. Having been in Thailand 2 weeks ago, we were looking for something similar.
Picks:
Milk Tea with Boba $4.25 was fine.
Just OK:
Kao Mun Gai ($11.95) comes with a ton of nicely seasoned rice and some overcooked chicken. The soup was a little odd because of too much sweetness. Rooster and Rice in SF is better. Thailand is on a different level for 1/10 the price.
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – No
====
Last Visit: 1/27/2020
RT Rotisserie
101 Oak Street,
San Francisco, CA 94102
https://www.rtrotisserie.com/location/rt-rotisserie-hayes-valley/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/rt-rotisserie-san-francisco
RT Rotisserie is a casual no reservation counter service restaurant from the folks at Rich Table. The focus is on roast chicken but the menu has expanded over the years. We found one Michelin star Rich Table just ok, but have returned to this spot several times. They also have a location in NOPA. They hide their phone number. (boo!) 4 stars on Yelp
Picks:
Rotisserie Chicken ($10 half) comes with choice of 2 sauces. We love Nanny’s BBQ. Costco could learn a thing or two from RT. Nice crispy skin, moist meat, and nice flavor.
Sally Hurricane’s Southern Fried Chicken ($11) with charred cabbage, picked onions, chipotle yogurt, and brioche bun. Lightly breaded unlike Popeye’s! Huge chicken patty with nice crisp edge. yum.
Roasted Cauliflower with red beet tahini ($9) is HUGE. Cooked perfectly. A must get for plant based diets.
Roasted Brussels sprout caesar ($6) is a reasonably priced modern caesar. Nice sweet notes.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Yes
———————
Last Visit: 2/8/2020
Tam Tam
140 University Ave
Palo Alto, CA 94301
650-322-8000
https://www.tamtamrestaurant.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/tam-tam-restaurant-palo-alto
Tam Tam is a casual Vietnamese restaurant from the owners of upscale Tamarine in Palo Alto. Traditional dishes and flavors of chef Tammy Huynh’s childhood will be transformed through her contemporary approach to Vietnamese cuisine.
We love Tamarine and could not wait to try this more casual spot with a wide variety of dishes from all over Vietnam. We found the dish very authentic and solid, although service was slow and lack luster.
Food Picks:
Pho Bo Bac – Hanoi Style Beef Pho++ (gf) ($18) Sliced filet mignon & 30-hour slow-cooked brisket with star anise, cinnamon, ginger, beef broth. Served with rice noodles, cilantro, scallion, & Thai basil. We are big Pho fans and had to try this. The broth was pretty neutral. They were really skimpy on the wide noodles, but had a ton of tender meat. Weird. No bean sprouts. 7.5/10
Bun Cha – Grilled Pork & Rice Noodles (gf) ($21) Grilled pork and pork meatballs. Served with rice noodles, fresh herbs, & chili-fish sauce. This was very similar to versions we had in Hanoi. Excellent meat. The rice noodles were really sticky. 8.5/10
Com Nep – Mushroom & Sausage Sticky Rice* (gf) ($10) Sticky rice sauteed with shallots, Shiitake & King mushrooms, tamari, & sesame oil. Topped with Chinese sausage and a fried egg. Not as flavorful as most version, but still reasonable. 7.5/10
Mi Xao Toi – Salt & Pepper Garlic Noodles ($10) Egg noodles sauteed with garlic, butter, black pepper, salt, and scallion. Tastes like butter pasta. It isn’t like this in Hanoi! 7/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Maybe
====
Last Visit: 3/1/2020
IPOT Plus
121 El Camino Real
Millbrae, CA 94030
650-867-8860
https://www.yelp.com/biz/ipot-plus-millbrae
http://ipotplus.com/
IPOT Plus is an all you can eat for $30 hot pot restaurant in Millbrae. Its has a 4.5 rating of Yelp, so we gave it a try.
Pleasantly surprised by the quality of the meats and vegetables. Biang Biang Noodles are very good. The American Kobe Beef and Angus beef are good. Hot pot is as good as Mongolian Sheep.
You can also order some small dim sum items. Don’t expect miracles. Fried Buns with condensed milk are ok.
Lamb skewer was acceptable. (One per table)
Definitely need to come hungry as you will overeat!
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Yes
===
Last Visit: 3/3/2020
Porridge & Things
235 Broadway
Millbrae, CA 94030
(650) 692-2992
https://www.noodlesandthings.co/porridgeandthings
https://www.yelp.com/biz/porridge-and-things-millbrae
3 stars = A-OK. Porridge & Things has 3.5 stars on yelp. They’ve been around for 2 months and are part of the Noodles & Things group. The place is clean and not very busy. The food was fine but not cheap. If the quality was higher or the prices were cheaper, we could see coming back. This location is a couple blocks from their Noodles & Things.
Picks:
Abalone Chicken Sawo Porridge ($16) had nice jook with boney chicken and minimal abalone. Nice mix ins.
Chinese Greens with garlic ($16) were just fine. Just a little greasy.
Beef Fried Rice Noodle ($16) was also a bit on the greasy side. Flavors were fine.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – No
===============
Last Visit: 3/6/2020
Bill’s Place
2315 Clement St
San Francisco, CA 94121
415-221-5262
https://www.yelp.com/biz/bills-place-san-francisco-2
Bill’s Place has been around since 1959. Looks like it has not changed much except for higher prices. We tried it on a recommendation and found it stuck in the past. Time for an update.
Picks:
Famous Bill’s Hamburger ($9.05) was average at best. Nothing special. The included fries were undercooked.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Fair
Decor – Fair
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – No
====================================
Last Visit 3/28/2020
China Village
Belmont
During the Covid 19 Shelter in place, we tried their take-out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.
One of the few Chinese Restaurants open with dim sum. Selection was good, prices inflated.
We ordered some dishes that were not available, they should of told us.
Ordered directly from restaurant to avoid extra fees.
Safety Pluses – Social distancing.
Minuses – Took Credit Card, need to go inside, no pen quarantine
Food Picks:
Deep fried meat dumpling
XO pan Fried turnip cake
Har Gow
Deep fried sesame ball
Glutinous Rice in Lotus Leaf
Chinese broccoli
Food Pans:
Roast Duck
Vegetarian Dumpling
Steamed scallop dumpling
Food – Good
Value – Fair
=============
Last Visit 3/24/2020
SPQR
San Francisco
https://www.yelp.com/biz/spqr-san-francisco
https://www.spqrsf.com/take-away
During the Covid 19 Shelter in place in March 2019, we tried their take-out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.
SPQR satisfied our need for some quality Italian food. The menu is limited but included some larger family meals. Alyssa’s Pizza was also featured. Prices are high. (Welcome to SF)
Ordered directly from restaurant to avoid extra fees.
Safety Pluses – Social distancing. Took Credit card over phone, no pen quarantine
Minuses – Need to go inside.
Food Picks:
Fennel Rubbed chicken ($29 for half) was excellent. Zuni Quality
Strozzapreti Pasta ($28) with bolognese ragu was also excellent.
Bucatini pasta ($28) was also done well.
Food Pans:
House Salad was pretty ordinary ($16)
Food – Excellent
Value – Fair
=============
Last Visit 4/1/2020
A Mano
San Francisco
https://www.yelp.com/biz/a-mano-san-francisco-2?osq=a+mano
https://amano.alohaorderonline.com/
During the Covid 19 Shelter in place in April 2019, we tried their take-out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.
A Mano satisfied our need for some quality California Italian food. The menu is very limited 2 pasta, 3 pizzas, and some misc items.
Pricing was a lot more affordable than SPQR.
Ordered directly from restaurant to avoid extra fees.
Safety Pluses – Social distancing. Pen quarantine. Held credit card with napkin. Curbside.
Minuses – None
Food Picks:
Vodka Hibiscus Cocktail ($11)
Rigatoni Ragu ($16)
Fusilli Pasta ($15)
Salsiccia Pizza ($17)
Cauliflower ($7)
Food Pans:
Panna Cotta ($6)
Food – Excellent
Value – Very Good
=============
Last Visit 4/6/2020
Mina Family Kitchen
San Francisco
https://www.yelp.com/biz/mina-family-kitchen-san-francisco
During the Covid 19 Shelter in place in April 2019, we tried their take-out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.
Mina Family Kitchen satisfied our need for some high quality food spanning many genres from their various restaurants. Huge menu with everything from steak to pasta to sushi to ribs.. V, VEG, GF, DF all clearly labelled.
Pricing was high, $32 entrees. 10% discount ordering direct and picking up
Ordered directly from restaurant to avoid extra fees.
Safety Pluses – Social distancing. Took credit card over phone.
Minuses – Had to go inside
Food Picks:
Minerva’s Mezze Spread ($12)
Island style Ahi Tuna Poke Nachos ($16)
5 Piece nigiri ($22)
Shredded Kale & Quinoa Salad ($14) was really good!
Famous American BBQ St Lois Ribs ($32 full rack) Ayesha!
Asapragus ($8)
Coconut rice pudding with mango ($7)
Food Pans:
Kalbi Short Ribs ($32) were burnt
Miso Yaki Eggplant
Food – Very Good
Value – Poor
================
Last Visit 4/18/2020
Din Tai Fung
Santa Clara
https://www.yelp.com/biz/din-tai-fung-santa-clara-5
During the Covid 19 Shelter in place in April 2019, we tried their take-out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.
Din Tai Fung had most of the items on the normal menu. No non-alcoholic drinks.
We selected 6pm pickup from the restaurant and did not get our food until 6:30pm.
Ordered directly from restaurant to avoid extra fees.
Safety Pluses – Social distancing. Took credit card on their website.
Minuses – Had to wait
Food Picks:
Pork Xiao Long Bao 6pc $9.00 – Why we came. We walked to the car and slurped them down. OK, but 50% of the normal quality! Don’t even think about door dashing them.
Sauteed Kale $12.50
8 Treasure Rice $7.00
Pork Shanghai Rice Cake $13.75
Shrimp & Pork Wontons w/Spicy Sauce $12.50
Soy Noodle Salad $6.50
Food Pans:
Food – Very Good
Value – Good
====================
Last Visit 4/18/2020
Koi Palace
Daly City
https://www.yelp.com/biz/koi-palace-daly-city
During the Covid 19 Shelter in place in April 2019, we tried their take-out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.
Koi Palace had a subset of their lunch menu. Limited selection of dim sum. No sesame balls, coffee ribs, etc. Why do they offer 2 types of XLB that would be horrible during pickup?
We selected Noon pickup from the restaurant and got a notice it was ready at 11:30am
China Village in Belmont has a much bigger selection.
Ordered via DoorDash
Safety Pluses – Took credit card on their website. Not many people picking up
Minuses – Food was ready 30 minutes early than asked
Food Picks:
1 416. Shrimp Dumpling (Ha Gow) $6.95
1 609. Shrimp Rice Roll $7.95
1 411. Steamed BBQ Pork Bun $5.95
1 412. Stuffed Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaf Wrap $6.95
1 414. Pork Ribs in Black Bean Sauce (Pai Gwut) $5.95
1 801. Pan Fried Daikon Cake $6.95
1 707. Dried Scallop Egg White Fried Rice $20.00
1 #503 Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce $8.80
Food Pans:
Food – Very Good
Value – Good
————————
Last Visit 4/25/2020
Liang’s Village
Cupertino
https://www.yelp.com/biz/liangs-village-cupertino-cupertino
During the Covid 19 Shelter in place in April 2019, we tried their take-out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.
Food arrived early.
You can order using Ubereats or on their website.
Safety Pluses – Order online. Several tables outside the door to maintain distance.
Minuses – None
Food Pans:
Hainan Chicken was a bit dry
———————————
Last Visit 5/2/2020
Street Food Cafe
https://www.yelp.com/biz/street-food-cafe-san-mateo-2
During the Covid 19 Shelter in place in May 2019, we tried their take-out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.
Street Food Cafe, a Hong Kong style cafe, has only 3 stars on Yelp, but several Elite reviews we follow like it. We gave it a go and will dine in when we can!
Ordered via DoorDash
Safety Pluses – DoorDash delivery
Minuses – None
Food Picks:
1 Sesame Balls $4.25
1 Shrimp Dumplings $6.50
1 Steamed BBQ Pork Bun $6.25 – OK
1 Hai Nan Style Chicken Over Rice $15.95 – No yellow colored rice though
1 Beef Brisket Noodle Soup $10.95
1 Salty Fish & Chicken Fried Rice $16.95
1 Milk Tea (Hong Kong Style) (Cold) $4.95
1 Snow Lychee (Cold) $5.95
Food Pans:
Food – Very Good
Value – Very Good
—————————
Last Visit 5/3/2020
Dragon Beaux
https://www.yelp.com/biz/dragon-beaux-san-francisco
During the Covid 19 Shelter in place in May 2019, we tried their take-out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review
We were looking for some high end dim sum to celebrate. This hit the spot.
Alas our favorite dim sum spot, HL Peninsula is still closed.
Safety Pluses – Order online via Doordash
Minuses – Exorbitant fees
Food Picks:
Xo Pan Seared Rice Crepe Roll $7.28
Bamboo Charcoal Sponge Roll $7.30 – Never tried before. Well done
Classic Steamed BBQ Pork Bao $6.24
Classic Shrimp Dumpling $7.28
Black Bean Sauce Spare Ribs $5.20
Shrimp Rice Crepe Roll $8.32
Black Bean Sauce Chicken Paw $6.24
Food Pans:
Roasted Pork Belly $10.19 was over salted
Food – Very Good
Value – Fair
—————————
Last Visit 5/12/2020
Sushi Sam
https://www.yelp.com/biz/sushi-sams-edomata-san-mateo-2
During the Covid 19 Shelter in place in May 2019, we tried their take-out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review
We’ve reviewed this spot on our food blog in the past.
This a favorite Japanese spot in downtown San Mateo. The food is on point and always solid.
No need to wait in line at least.
Safety Pluses – Call in order
Minuses – No pen quarantine or touchless credit card
Food Picks:
Omakase Sushi $50 8pcs was very good as usual. This remains a top spot in this city full of Japanese restaurants.
Food Pans:
Food – Very Good
Value – Very Good
—————————
Last Visit 5/12/2020
Sushi Yoshizumi
https://www.yelp.com/biz/sushi-yoshizumi-san-mateo
During the Covid 19 Shelter in place in May 2019, we tried their take-out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review
We’ve reviewed this spot on our food blog in the past.
Sushi Maruyama is a small one Michelin starred restaurant in downtown San Mateo. They have a lower
cost (Than the previous dining room) takeout option each day. You need to reserve it days in advance.
The food is still stellar.
Safety Pluses – Order online, pay online
Minuses – Social distancing. Limited inventory
Food Picks:
Nigiri Suhi ($85) is still top notch and now comes in a nice stylish black cardboard box.
Food Pans:
Food – Excellent
Value – Very good
—————————
Last Visit 5/17/2020
Grand Harbor Dim sum
https://www.yelp.com/biz/grand-harbor-dim-sum-and-seafood-burlingame
During the Covid 19 Shelter in place in May 2019, we tried their take-out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review
We’ve reviewed this spot on our food blog in the past.
They are on the usual delivery services, but call them directly to order off their extensive menu, plus get non inflated prices. They just started takeout in Mid May, so they are getting started.
Previous to this we had been getting dim sum from China Village in Belmont. This place has a bigger selection and cheaper prices.
Safety Pluses – Order by Phone, wait outside
Minuses – No pen quarantine, no touchless credit card
Food Picks:
Xo Pan Seared Daikon Cakes $10.80
Classic Steamed BBQ Pork Bao $5.50
Baked BBQ Pork Bao
Classic Shrimp Dumpling $6.50
Black Shrimp Rice Crepe Roll $9.50
Coffee Ribs $10.80
Lotus wrapped Glutinous Rice $6.50
Sesame balls $4
Deep fried pork dumplings $6.50
Food Pans:
None
Food – Very Good
Value – Very Good
================
5/25/2020
Gooyi Gooyi – Santa Clara
http://www.gooyigooyi.com/
During the Covid 19 Shelter in place in May 2019, we tried their take-out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review
We’ve reviewed this spot on our food blog in the past.
A small restaurant in the same strip mall with a liquor store and adult store, but no worries, the food is great.
Spicy Rice Cake ($12.99) Huge and very spicy. Has dumplings and eggs too
8 Kinds of banchan – Good quality, the usual items. Good chap chae noodles. Mild but good homemade Kim Chee.
Yang Nyum Gal Bi ($34.99) – Korean Style BBQ Beef Short Rib on hot stone plate. Decent quality and quantity though.
Better than Jang Su Jang.
Sliced Black Pork Belly ($24.99) is a must order. Signature dish. Also get the optional Kim Chi fried rice. (Huge portion)
Dol Sot BiBimBap – Steamed rice w/beef & assorted vegetables in a sizzling hot stone pot ($11.99) Also a little lacking on the flavor side, but quality was right. Super hot stone pot that kept everything warm for a while.
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Fair
Service – Good
Value – Very Good
===========
Last Visit: 6/14/2020
HL Peninsula Pearl
1590 Old Bayshore Hwy
Burlingame, CA 94010
650-697-1288
https://www.hlpeninsula.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/hl-peninsula-pearl-burlingame-4
During the Covid 19 Shelter in place in June 2019, we tried their take-out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open.
This is one of the top dim sum spots in the San Francisco area.
We’ve reviewed this spot on our food blog in the past.
Had to wait a while for food, even having called in an order the previous day. They have several tables open for patio dining.
Limited dim sum menu, few fried items.
Safety Pluses – Order by Phone, Delivery services available
Minuses – No pen quarantine, no touchless credit card
Picks:
Shrimp dumplings ($6.20)
Pork Spareribs in black bean sauce ($5.20) – Lots of taro
Portugueses Custard Tarts ($6.20) – Hard to find egg tarts right now
Cripsy BBQ Pork Bao ($6.20)
Honey BBQ Pork Bao ($3.90) Slight sweet accent
Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaf ($6.20)
Shrimp Rice Noodle ($8.20)
Teo-Chow Dumplings ($5.20)
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
====================
Last Visit: 6/27/2020
Shang Cafe
Bollinger
San Jose, CA
408-320-2876
https://www.yelp.com/biz/shang-cafe-san-jose-2
During the Covid 19 Shelter in place in June 2020, we tried their take-out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open.
A friend who lives nearby recommended this Sichuan Chinese restaurant. It was pretty busy, a great sign.
The food is much better than the strip mall location would indicate. Try it if you like spicy food and are nearby
Next door is Tea Top, an above average boba spot.
Safety Pluses – Order by Phone, Delivery services available
Minuses – No pen quarantine, no touchless credit card
Picks:
Boiled live Fish with Pickled Cabbage and chili ($36) is a signature dish. More numbing than spicy.
Good flavors and lots of fish.
Kung Pao Chicken ($14) was a good sized dish, freshly make and done well
Sauteed Green Veggies ($13) was kicked up a notch with some 1000 year old egg cubes.
Just OK:
Rose Ice Jelley with Glutinous Rice Cake ($5) is ok, definitely an acquired taste.
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
====
Last Visit: 6/27/2020
Tea Top
6158 Bollinger Rd
San Jose, CA 95129
408-996-7899
https://www.teatopusa.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/tea-top-san-jose
Tea Top is a better than average boba tea shop. Its part of a global chain with franchised locations.
This location was pretty busy, sitting next door to very good Shang Cafe Sichuan restaurant. Prices are reasonable.
Picks:
#35 Red Bean Milk Slushy ($4.75) with boba. Brain freeze from the red bean float like drink.
#10 Passion Green Tea Medly ($4.75) was chock full of stuff. No wonder its on the top 10 list.
#1 Signature Alpine Green Tea ($3.75) is a solid drink with quality tea.
#34 Mango Slushy ($4.75) was perfect on a warm summer day.
Pans:
#2 Fresh Milk Trifecta ($4.95) just has too much stuff in it. Hard to drink!
=============
Last Visit: 7/9/2020
Ananda Fuara
1298 Market St
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 621-1994
https://www.yelp.com/biz/ananda-fuara-san-francisco
During the Covid 19 Shelter in place in June 2020, we tried their take-out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open.
Safety Pluses – Order by Phone, Delivery services available, pen quarantine
Minuses – None
Ananda Fuara is a vegetarian restuarant across the street from the Twitter building. With the big plant based trend, this spot is getting more popular. We called in our order, to save them fees.
Their good hit the spot. Perfect for plant based fans. Large portions of quality food at reasonable prices.
The vegan desserts really stand out.
Picks:
Soup & Salad Combo ($11.50) dinner salad paired with a cup of dal ( a spicy indian lentil soup) or the soup of the day. Substitute a bowl of soup for $1.00 more. Salad was pretty basic but the dressing fantastic. Dal was very good. 8/10
Portabello Quesadilla ($8.50) A yellow chipotle tortilla filled with sautéed portobello and melted cheese, with a side of salsa is very filling and satisfied a carnivore. Very large portion. 8/10
Nachos ($9.95) Organic corn chips, sharp cheddar cheese and black beans, topped with salsa, fresh guacamole, and sour cream. Really well done chips and guac. 7.5/10
Portobello Wrap ($13.95) Sauteed portobello mushrooms with roasted red bellpeppers, onions, garlic, fresh baby spinach and mozzarella cheese in a yellow chipotle tortilla. Got it with a gluten free wrap. Hits the mark perfectly. 8/10
Chocolate Cake ($5.50) Our best selling, award winning cake. Vegan. This cake was really really good but a tad sweet. 8/10
Peach Melba Pie ($5.50) Peach and raspberry filling with oatmeal brown sugar streusel topping. Vegan. We’d say this was even better than the cake! 8.5/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Yes
===
Last Visit: 7/14/2020
Plow
1299 18th St
San Francisco, CA 94107
b/t Mississippi St & Texas St
(415) 821-7569
https://www.eatatplow.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/plow-san-francisco
During the Covid 19 Shelter in place in July 2020, we tried their take-out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open.
Safety Pluses – Order by Phone, Delivery services available, outdoor seating
Minuses – None
Plow is famous for its brunch. Too lazy to wake up and line up for hours, but the Pandemic made it easy to get take-out!
The food is very good as expected. Definitely a place to go for brunch, lunch.
Prices are in line with typical City ones. Automatic 20% tip.
Picks:
Annie’s Almond flour Pancakes ($17) Gluten Free! butter, pure maple syrup were huge and hard to believe GF. 8/10
Arugula Salad ($15) nectarine, farro, cucumber, cherry tomato, almond, mint, fromage blanc, champagne vinaigrette hits the spot for vegans. 8/10
The Plow ($19) two eggs, two lemon ricotta pancakes + plow potatoes, choice of house made pork sausage, Nueske’s bacon, or chicken apple sausage is the type of dish you get here. Huge and hearty. 8.5/10
2 Egg Brekkie ($17.50) choice of house made pork sausage, Nueske’s bacon, or chicken apple sausage, plow potatoes + toast. This is classic done right, worth the wait. 8/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
===
Last Visit: 8/7/2020
Terun
448 South California Ave
Palo Alto, CA 94306
650-600-8310
http://www.terunpizza.com
During the Covid 19 Shelter in place in August 2020, we dined in front of the restaurant which is part of the California Ave closure.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open.
Safety Pluses – Order by Phone, Delivery services available, outdoor seating
Minuses – No credit card contactless payment, pen quarantine
Terun is a popular Italian restaurant in Palo Alto’s California Ave district, just down the street from our favorite Protege.
Interestingly, their side of the street was packed, while across the street, few were dining. Waiter wasn’t the most knowledgable about ingredients.
Picks:
Burrata Cheese appetizer ($16) wasn’t the most beautiful, with weird eggplant strips. Good cheese. 7.5/10
Risotto ($22) of the day was mushroom. Al dente, lots of mushrooms, just right. Perect for vegetarians. 8.5/10
San Daniele pizza ($22) Proscuitto San Daniele 24mo, cremini mushrooms, mozzarella, arugala, shaved grana padano, truffle oil is their signature pizza. Slightly underdone, but full of ingredients. 7.5/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
=============
Last Visit: 8/15/2020
Telefreric Barcelona
Town & Country Shopping Center
855 El Camino Real Ste 130
Palo Alto, CA 94301
650-321-0512
https://www.telefericbarcelona.com/
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in August 2020, we dined in the patio front of the restaurant. It occupies a long space that includes the area in front of the now closed Mayfield Bakery.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open. Reservations are a must.
Safety Pluses – Paper Menu, Delivery services available, outdoor seating, reservations.
Minuses – No credit card contactless payment, pen quarantine?
Teleferic Barcelona is a Spanish restaurants with a couple locations including one in Walnut Creek. The reviews of Walnut Creek at only 3.5 stars on yelp.
We gave this a try because we were sick of the same old food at home! Food was very good as was service. Pretty busy location with all the locals.
Picks:
Gotic Mojito ($15) hit the spot. Comes with a dry ice smoke show!
Sangria Barceloneta ($12) is a must for Spanish dining. They have 3 kids of sangria.
Jamón Iberico de Bellota Iberian pata negra ham 38 months cured (gf) $29 is available with traditional tomato sauce, be sure to get it. Very greasy, but deep flavors. Jamon was under $10 in Spain!
Patatas Bravas Potatoes topped with brava sauce & aioli (gfa, v) $9 was done well. A must order.
Paella Lobster – Seafood paella with lobster, gulf shrimp & cuttlefish (gf) $56 was also done well. Strong shell fish flavors, nice juicy lobster. Takes a while, so order it early.
Just OK:
Califlower- Crispy cauliflower with Romesco sauce & Manchego cheese foam (gfa, v, nuts) $11 is a bit over sauced.
Would not reorder:
Choco Magic – Chocolate ganache, red fruits, cotton candy, vanilla ice cream (gf, v) $10 was a melted mess.
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
==================
Last Visit: 8/30/2020
Chapeau!
126 Clement St
San Francisco, CA 94118
415-750-9787
https://www.chapeausf.com
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in August 2020, we dined on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant.They are open Wed-Sunday 4-8pm for outside dining. It was 60 and breezy, so wear layers.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open. Reservations are a must.
We’ve been here many time, see our food blog for full review.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, outdoor seating, reservations.
Minuses – No credit card contactless payment, no clear pen quarantine
Chapeau! still serves up great French food. All the tables were taken on a Sunday night, while B-Star across the street had 2 tables occupied.
Service isn’t like the old days, but this is the pandemic. Please survive!
3 course menu $60. Filet Mignon +$5 supplement
Picks:
mesclun salad ($14) creme dijonnaise . grape . roasted pistachio is great. Balanced dressing, good portion size.
soupe a l’oignon ($14) onion soup is a classic and done perfectly here. Not salty, not too cheesy. Spot on! Great for a cold evening
filet mignon ($45) mushroom, pommes de terre landaise, sauce a la perigourdine was Perfect. Cooked to a nice medium rare, very tender, perfect gravy and potatoes. A must get for any beef fans.
Vegetarian entree is not on the menu but was satisfying. 3 large mushrooms, broccoli and more.
Sorbets has 3 nice balls of home made mango sorbet.
Just OK:
None.
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Excellent
Food – Excellent
Decor – Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Excellent
Would we come back – Yes
==========
Last Visit: 10/1/20
RT Rotisserie
101 Oak St
San Francisco, CA 94102
https://www.yelp.com/biz/rt-rotisserie-san-francisco
https://www.rtrotisserie.com/
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in October 2020, we revisited RT Hayes Valley for take out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open. Reservations are a must.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering, social distancing.
Minuses – No phone number!
A great place for high quality casual meal especially if you like Chicken!
Picks:
Sally Hurricane’s Southern Fried Chicken ($11) is huge and crisp. Egg batter lined this top notch sandwich.
Chicken Sandwich ($11) was also very good. Chopped up chicken on a quality bun.
Umami Fries ($6) were season just right. Yum.
Roasted Cauliflower ($9) is a standout. Vegetarians need to jump on this.
Just OK:
None.
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Yes
===============
Donato Enoteca
1041 Middlefield Rd
Redwood City, CA 94063
(650) 701-1000
https://www.yelp.com/biz/donato-enoteca-redwood-city
https://www.donatoenoteca.com/
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in October 2020, we revisited Donato for sit down outdoor dinner.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open. Reservations are a must although they were not busy.
Visit my blog for our full review from several past visits
Safety Pluses – Delivery services available, social distancing.
Minuses – No contactless payments or visible pen quarantine.
These guys know how to cook. Donato continues to delivery Quality Italian Food on the Peninsula. Hope they survive.
This area is much more dead with few people visiting the theater. The mediocre mexican place down the block had more folks.
Picks:
Moscow Mule ($11) was done right. Refreshing.
Insalata Primaverile ($10) is pretty basic, but hit the spot.
Gameri Al Forno ($16) Wood burning oven roasted Wild caught whole gulf shrimp, olives crumbs Bianchi di spagna & cannellini beans medley , “salmoriglio” sauce was a standout. Very fresh shrimp done right.
Bigoli ($20) “Bigoli” eggless pasta with Nebbiolo braised oxtail & asparagus continues to hit the mark. Home made noodles and really well done oxtail.
Erbettte ($6) is bitter, but you knew that!
Zuccihine ($6) was done just fine.
Just OK:
None.
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Yes
===================
9/26/20
HL Peninsula
608 Dubuque Ave
South San Francisco, CA 94080
https://www.yelp.com/biz/hl-peninsula-restaurant-south-san-francisco-2
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in September 2020, we revisited HL for sit down outdoor lunch. They also served indoors.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open. This location is a lot less busy than the one in Burlingame. We’ve been here many times.
Nice outdoor area with pods to distance folks.
If you want high-quality innovative dim sum and Chinese Cantonese food, look no further than this place.
IMHO this is one of the top Chinese restaurants around here along with Koi Palace, Grand Harbor, Dragon Beaux
The audience is almost entirely Chinese, if that doesn’t float your boat try: Palette Tea House in San Mateo or SF, Yank Sing.
or order online.
Visit my blog if you want a full review.
The service is typical drop and go, hence the low yelp reviews.
During the pandemic, we have gotten takeout and also sat outside in their parking lot.
Hits
Shrimp Dumplings
Deep fried pork dumplings
Glutinous rice in Lotus Leaf
Crispy rice roll purple!
Pandan egg tarts
Baked pork buns
Black bean spare ribs
Okra
Pea shoots With with tofu skin
Overall – Very Good
Food – Excellent
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Yes
=================
Cha-Ya San Francisco
762 Valencia St
San Francisco, CA 94110
415-252-7825
https://www.yelp.com/biz/cha-ya-san-francisco-san-francisco-2
Cha-Ya San Francisco is a Vegetarian Japanese restuarant in the Mission district. We’ve been to their nearby rival Shi-Zen, so it was time to try thit place out.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in October 2020, we went for take out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open. Reservations are a must.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering, social distancing, pay online
Minuses – None
With less emphasis on rolls and a narrower menu, Cha-Ya differentiates itself from Shi-Zen. Both are great for vegetarians.
Picks:
Gome Ae (Gluten Free) Broccolini and Spinach with goma ae sesame dressing ($11) was pristine and cooked just fine. Good sauce.
Miso Vegan Harusame Noodle Soup ($16.50) had a flavorful broth and lots of veggies. Also worth ordering.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
==================
Last Visit: 10/23/2020
Killiney Kopitiam
522 Waverly St
Palo Alto, CA 94301
650-752-6039
https://killineykopitiam.getbento.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/killiney-kopitiam-palo-alto
Killiney Kopitiam is an outpost of the famous Singapore coffee shop chain. There isn’t much around here like this, so we had to give it a try.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2020, we revisited XXX for take out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open. Reservations are a must.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering, social distancing.
Minuses – None
Picks:
Teh with Condenses Milk ($3.99) is super strong, so beware!
Just OK:
Hainanese Chicken Rice set ($13.99) was just okay. The chicken is pretty bland. Rice is really good. Soup was fair. There were out of curry at 1pm!
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Maybe
========
Last Visit: 11/5/2020
Redwood City BBQ
640 Woodside Rd
Redwood City, CA 94061
(650) 365-3962
https://www.yelp.com/biz/redwood-city-bbq-redwood-city-2
Redwood City BBQ is one of the few BBQ joints on the SF Peninsula. It opened in February 2020, right before the Pandemic! The food was better than expected, making a good bet for BBQ fans.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2020, we visited Redwood City BBQ for take out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open. Reservations are a must.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, contactless payments, social distancing, outdoor dining.
Minuses – None
Picks:
2 Meat combo ($20.65) Tri Tip was very well done, juicy and flavorful. Pork Ribs were decent. BBQ Sauce was okay.
Good Garlic Bread, Beans are forgettable, Fries were overseasoned. 7/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Yes
==================
Last Visit: 10/30/2020
Moe’s Original BBQ
2014 Hillsborough Rd
Durham, NC 27705
(919) 237-1004
https://www.moesoriginalbbq.com/durham
https://www.yelp.com/biz/moes-original-bbq-durham
Moe’s was near the Duke campus and had 4.5 stars on Yelp, an easy selection. BBQ here is legit and worth a visit.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2020, we visited Moe’s for take out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering, social distancing.
Minuses – None
Picks:
2 Meat Platter ($15) – Pulled Pork was good, but not as good as the Ribs. Smokey, tender, fall off the bone. Very strong BBQ sauce. Baked beans were done well.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Maybe
===============
Last Visit: 11/10/2020
SSAL
2226 Polk St
San Francisco, CA 94109
https://www.ssalsf.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/ssal-san-francisco
SSAL is a Competorary Korean Restaurant in San Francisco’s Polk Gulch Area. We’ve walked by it and finally got a chance to order take out via Doordash. Meadowood and French Laundry alums kick Korean cuisine up several notches. Note: Only a subset of their menu was available.
Looking at their extensive menu, we can’t wait to give it a try when the Pandemic is over!
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2020, we visited SSAL for take out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open.
Safety Pluses – Sealed packages, Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering, social distancing.
Minuses – None
Picks:
Galbi Chicken ($15) Crispy Korean fried chicken with soy garlic sauce was stellar. Eggless batter, cripsy, eat it fast! A must get.
Grilled Beef Short Rib set for 2 ($75) with rice and banchan looks beautiful from the Yelp pictures. High quality meats cooked just right, but slightly under flavored. Use the lettuce and spicy sauce to kick it up a notch.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
===
Last Visit: 9/25/2021
Square Pie Guys
1077 Mission St
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 872-9290
https://squarepieguys.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/square-pie-guys-san-francisco
Square Pie Guys serves Detroit Style Pizza. “A crispy, crackly caramelized cheese crust that
comes from baking in rectangular blue steel pans originally used to ferry auto parts around Detroit
automotive factories.” We’ve seen a lot written about them, so we finally gave it a try. Definitely have been back too. Great stuff. No dine in or outdoor dining, all take out.
Their SOMA pickup location on Mission is swamped with Doordash drivers. Also available in Oakland.
They now have gluten free crusy and vegan cheese options!
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2021, we visited Square Pie Guys for take out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering, social distancing.
Minuses – Markup on delivery apps
Picks:
The 6×8 ($21) is their 8×10” red sauce pizza full of pepperoni, 48 pieces. Greasy, thick, crunchy even delivered. We patted it down and saw a nice orangish hue on the napkin. Surprisingly this pizza better than expected. Way More than Enough pizza for 2 people. We’ll be back to try more.
Gluten free version available. Please note they respectfully decline add on requests, modifications, and swaps. You can order a build your own pizza. 9.5/10
Peach Monkey Bread ($7) is their dessert pizza. Pizza dough dunked into butter and brown sugar. Topped with stronefruit, caramel, and seasoned ricotta. Wow its great too! Sorta like a big Auntie Anne’s pretzel type texture. 9.5/10
Just OK:
Fries ($5) with ketchup are nothing special. Try a different side. 6/10
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Yes
===
Last Visit: 12/31/2020
Gai Chicken Rice
3463 16th St
San Francisco, CA 94114
(415) 535-0451
https://www.gaiandrice.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/gai-chicken-rice-san-francisco
Gai Chicken Rice in the Castro district of SF specializes in poached chicken with rice. This dish now popularly known as khao man gai in Thailand originated from Hainan Island, China and uses a classic slow poaching technique that releases clean chicken flavors.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2020, we visited them for take out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering, social distancing, contactless payments
Minuses – None
Picks:
The Original Gai – Boneless leg and thigh meat only. All orders come with one free choice of dipping sauce we got the ginger scallion one. ($10.95) The chicken was overcooked. The chicken rice was done well. Cucumbers were good. Rooster and rice is a better bet. 6.5/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – No
===
Last Visit: 9/17/22
Mamahuhu
517 Clement St
San Francisco, CA 94118
415-742-4958
https://www.eatmamahuhu.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/mamahuhu-san-francisco-2
Mamahuhu is Mister Jiu’s casual restaurant in the Inner Richmond district of SF. They also have a location in Mill Valley. Their motto: “We envision a future in which delicious, affordable, sustainably-sourced food is the norm and Chinese-American cuisine plays a central role.”
We are big Chinese food fans so we had to try it. Elevated Chinese cuisine is evident here, from no starched out sauces to fresh ingredients.
Been back several times. They also do catering.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2022, we visited them for take out and outside dining.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering, outside tables.
Minuses – None
Picks:
Sweet & Sour Chicken with Jasmine Rice and Wok’d Veg rice plate ($14) Crisp chicken with non egg batter. Strong robust sauce, Crisp textured chicken, Ample quantity. Lots of freshly cooked/al dente vegetables on a bed of rice. Better than expected. We look forward to trying other items. Not the red dye #2 version most Chinese restaurant have! 9/10
You can just get the chicken without rice or veggies for $17.
Sweet & Sour Cauliflower ($14 Vegan – Gluten Free) rice plate is similar to the Sweet and Sour chicken version even down to the feel of the crisp bite. You finally taste the cauliflower towards the end. 9/10
Broccoli & Beef ($17) black peppered grass-fed sirloin, organic broccoli + Cauliflower + dino kale take the classic up a couple notches. High qualify beef (wish there was more) that isn’t covered with egg wash. Lots of Broccoli and kale. 9/10
Kung Pao Chicken ($16) wok’d chicken thigh, pizzazzy mala peanuts, chili, celery is pretty spicy. A good rendition with the varied textures. 8.5/10
Wok’d veg ($8) seasonal vegetables, ginger, fermented black beans are differ than the ones that come with the rice plates. Nicely done. 9/10
Mala YOLO Cucumber ($5) spicy all over – hit the mark. Don’t wait too long to eat it or else it will get watery. 8/10
Snow Jasmine Tea Soda ($5) is not too sweet and has a nice tea tone. 8/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
====
Last Visit: 1/15/2021
Nara Restaurant & Sake Bar
518 Haight St
San Francisco, CA 94117
415-638-6124
http://narasf.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/nara-restaurant-and-sake-bar-san-francisco
Nara Sushi has 2 locations in San Francisco, Haight or Polk. We got takeout from the Haight location. We were looking for some mid priced sushi and this hit the spot. No need to overspend at Pabu or Kusakabe.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2021, we visited them for take out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering, social distancing.
Minuses – None
Picks:
Chirashi ($32) 7 different type of special fishes chef’s choice. Very fresh and cut well. Nice assortment of quality fish. 8/10
7 Nigiri Tasting ($30) 7 different type of special fishes chef’s choice. Was also done well. 8/10
Special K ($18) yellowtail and avocado topped with seared butterfish and pickled jalapenos with truffle ponzu sauce is a nice looking roll. 7.5/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Yes
===
Last Visit: 1/14/2021
Saigon Sandwich
560 Larkin St
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-474-5698
https://www.yelp.com/biz/saigon-sandwich-san-francisco
Saigon Sandwich is a hole in the wall Vietnamese Bahn Mi sandwich shop in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco.
It has 4.5 stars, so we gave it a try. The sandwiches here are cheap and quality is average at best. They give you a rice krispy treat instead of $0.50 change.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2021, we visited them for take out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open.
Safety Pluses – Call ahead, social distancing.
Minuses – Cash only, no online ordering
Picks:
Roast Chicken Bahn Mi Sandwich ($4.50) is super cheap. Lots of meat, but pretty below average bread. We really like Bahn Mi and Boba’s over this one. Price here can’t be beat. 7/10
Roast Pork Bahn Mi Sandwich ($4.50) is similar to the chicken one. 7/10
Just OK:
3 bean coconut drink had a lot of ingredients and not much liquid.
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Fair
Decor – Fair
Service – Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – No
===
1/17/21
Hummus Bodega
5549 Geary Blvd
San Francisco, CA 94121
415-874-1148
https://www.yelp.com/biz/hummus-bodega-san-francisco
Hummus Bodega is a Modern Mediterranean street food spot in the Richmond district of SF, serving creamy and delicious hummus with all sorts of
toppings. It was on our hit list and we were nearby. Note: They are vegetarian with just eggs as protein.
Hummus Bodega is a great place for vegetarians seeking casual Mediterranean. With no mean options, other spots like Oren’s are better.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2021, we visited them for take out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open.
Safety Pluses – Call ahead, social distancing, Online ordering, contactless payments, delivery
Minuses – None
Food Picks:
Hummus Falafel ($12.99) Fresh hummus served with 4 Falafel balls, olive oil, and tahini. Comes with fresh pita, side chopped salad and fries. Their falafel were done well, crisp and tender. The hummus was very good, not as thick as Oren’s Hummus Pita was fair, not on par with places like Hummus Mediterranean Kitchen. Side chop salad was fine.
Hummus Bodega Style ($13.99) Cooked chickpeas served with tahini, fresh red onions, fresh diced tomatoes, olive oil, fresh lemon juice and parsley. Comes with fresh pita, side chopped salad and fries. We’ve never had this before and wanted to try their signature dish. Definitely an acquired taste with subtle flavors and a soft texture throughout.
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – No
====
Last Visit: 1/24/2021
Ramen Parlor
901 S B St
San Mateo, CA 94401
650-344-9728
https://www.yelp.com/biz/ramen-parlor-san-mateo
Ramen Parlor and Ramen Dojo make up the San Mateo ramen empire that once included Santa Ramen. We wanted some ramen and came here.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2021, we visited them for take out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, social distancing.
Minuses – No contactless payments, no delivery
Only one person was heading up the front. He juggled orders, calls, and basically took forever.
Picks:
Pork Flavor Classic Ramen ($13.50) was on the cold side when we got it. It was probably sitting there for 10 minutes. Definitely inferior to the old sitdown days. 7/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Good
Service – Fair
Value – Good
Would we come back – Maybe
===
Last Visit: 1/27/2021
City View Restaurant
662 Commercial St
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 398-2838
https://cityviewdimsum.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/city-view-restaurant-san-francisco
City View is a lesser known dimsum restaurant in the alley across from Portsmouth Square. It cheaper than Yank Sing and probably better, except for the soup dumplings. We wanted some dim sum and remembered this spot. A large classic menu unlike Koi Palace with its restricted menu.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2021, we visited them for take out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering, social distancing, pen quarantine.
Minuses – No contactless payments
The food was spot on, even though the place looked deserted. If you are thinking about dimsum, give this place a try.
Classic dim sum, not the cutting edge modern stuff from HL Peninsula, Dragon Beaux, etc. Prices are reasonable, we’ve paid more than this in many spots.
Picks:
Shrimp and Chive Dumplings ($5.75) had 3 well made dumpling of good size. 7.5/10
Chicken Feet ($4.75) was also done right. Not too greasy. 7.5/10
Glutinous Rice Puff ($5.75) was freshly fried and really good. 8.5/10
Steamed BBQ Pork Buns ($4.75) had 3 good sized buns with decent filling. 7.5/10
Shrimp rice noodle roll ($8) was also done correctly with thin rice noodles. 7.5/10
Sesame Balls with lotus paste ($4.75) had 3 medium sized, freshly fried balls 8/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
Sticky rice Wrapped in Lotus leaf ($6.50)
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Yes
===
Last Visit: 2/6/2021
Vons Chicken
6180 Jarvis Ave Ste B
Newark, CA 94560
510-894-1387
https://vonschickennewark.com
https://www.yelp.com/biz/vons-chicken-newark-newark
Vons Chicken California opened in 2014 at the Sunnyvale location on El Camino Real and has branched out in the SF Bay Area. They are popular regional chain that serves excellent Korean Fried Chicken. (Fremont, San Jose, Redwood City and more) We were first introduced to it at a friends house and definitely wanted more when we encountered it again.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2021, we visited them for take out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open.
Vons Chicken served us many different variants of chicken from baked to fried, spicy to sweet. Give it a try if you are a ‘KFC’ fan. We’d also like to give a shout out to SSAL in SF for great friend chicken.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering, social distancing, contactless payments.
Minuses – None
Food Picks:
Crispy Fried Chicken ($12.99 half) 8.5/10 made with 5 grain powder – no egg batter. Excellent tender chicken with a crunchy skin. You can pay $1 more for wings or Combo (Drums & Wings) Comes with a salty soy based sauce.
Kimchi Fried Rice ($5.99) 8.5/10 is also legit. Must be filled with butter.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Yes
===
Last Visit: 8/26/2023
Special Noodle
6180 Jarvis Ave Ste U
Newark, CA 94560
https://www.pan-frieddumplings.com
https://www.yelp.com/biz/pan-fried-dumplings-newark
Pan Fried Dumplings opened in late 2020 and renamed themselves Special Noodle in 2023. They specializes in guess what? Pretty crazy to open a restaurant in a Pandemic, but what the heck. They also have a location in Cupertino. We were getting some Von’s chicken next door and had to give this spot a try. This Asian focused strip mall also has a 85C, Ranch 99 and several boba shops. You order from a QR code online order system that shows how many people have ordered each dish. Wide variety of items, we stuck to the family style dishes.
Pan Fried Dumpling hits the spot for Sheng Jian Bao fans. Give it a try!
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering, social distancing.
Minuses – None
Picks:
Soupy Pan Fried Pork Buns ($13.99 for 6) were suprisingly good. Juicy, crispy with thin skin and soup. Possibly Better than Dumpling Home in SF. Not as big as Shanghai Flavor Shop’s, but a much nicer menu and locale. Not bad the next day! 9/10
Pork XLB ($12.99 for 6) are better than expected. Lots of soup, big meat wad. Not delicate like DTF. 8.5/10
Green onion pancakes are thin, crusty, not much flavor. 8/10
Sweet Sesame Balls ($9.99 for 8) are tiny but filled with sweet lotus bean filling. 8/10
Cucumber Salad ($11.99) is a good sized portion marinated just right. 8/10
Eggplant with sweet garlic sauce ($18.99) is a large portion of saucy, spicy eggplant. 8/10
Pine Nuts With Corn ($13.99) is a classic regional Chinese dish and done well. Lots of sweetness from the corn. 8/10
Green Beans with eggplant ($13.99) is perfect for vegetarians. Lots of well cooked eggplant. Bit greasy. 8/10
Sweet-and-sour pork ribs 8/10
Just OK:
Beef Wrap ($12.99) is thin sliced beef with sauce inside a green onion pancake. Okay, nothing special. 7/10
Steamed Bread ($2.50 for 3) are fine but seemingly a mechanism to just dip condensed milk. 6.5/10
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Yes
====
Last Visit: 2/20/2021
BAIA
300 Grove St
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-861-0625
https://www.baiasf.com
https://www.yelp.com/biz/baia-san-francisco-2
BAIA is a vegan restaurant in the old Jardinière space of San Francisco’s Hayes Valley Neighborhood. Any SF Foodie remembers this classic location. This restaurant opened in the middle of the Pandemic, talk about great timing!
We ate during the Pandemic, when outdoor dining was allowed. Take out is always an option.
We’ve been to SF Vegan destinations: Shi-zen, Cha-ya, Greens, Ananda Fuara, and Wildseed, so it was great an addition.
“BAIA is a plant-based Italian-inspired concept by celebrity chef Matthew Kenney, offering a selection of dishes that that can satisfy your craving for elevated plant food.”
During the Covid 19 Pandemic, we are trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open.
BAIA surprised us with very good food. Great flavor profiles and textures with not much compromise. An ominovore would be equally at home, as would a vegan. Vegetarian, vegan put it on your short list. If you drag along others, they will be fine.
Can’t wait to dine inside the beautiful room with its impressive chandelier!
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering, social distancing, nice table spacing.
Minuses – No contactless payment.
Picks:
Mojito ($12) was balance and had hidden strength. Look forward to a cocktail in the beautiful bar. 8.5/10
Mozzarella Sticks ($13) Crispy Cheese Sticks In Herb Breadcrumbs Served With Marinara Sauce was very impressive. It hard to believe they are vegan. Gf 9/10
Wood Grilled Market Vegetables ($12) Fresh Market Vegetables Served With Salsa Verde is also a great dish. Beets, potatoes, broccoli and more. Grilled then drizzled with a slightly sweet vinagrette. Gf Nf Sf 9/10
Pappardelle ($20) Rich Bolognese was a dark wheet pasta with impossible meat. Reasonable sized portion and slightly al dente. Not amazing, but very good. Gluten free option. Nf 8/10
Spicy Sausage & Peppers Pizza ($24 +$3 Gf) Ricotta, Mozzarella Sausage With Fire Roasted Peppers And Onions, Pomodoro Sauce, Calabrian Chili has a rice based crust. This had the most degradation compared to a ‘normal’ pizza. Still it is amazing to vegans to have this level of pizza. 7.5/10
Spumoni ($13) Cherry, Chocolate, And Pistachio Mousse Dipped In Dark Chocolate With Amarena Cherries is a one of the most imaginative vegan desserts we’ve had. Picture a big bon bon filled with ice crea. Hard to crack open but very fun. Gf 8.5/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Excellent
Service – Very Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
====
Last Visit: 4/2/2021
The Vault Garden
555 California
San Francisco, CA 94104
415-508-4675
https://www.thevault555.com
https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-vault-garden-san-francisco-2
The Vault Garden is located on the ground floor of the Bank of American Building. The Vault used to be located downstairs, but due to the Pandemic, things evolved. The same restaurant group owns Trestle. They have some shows on occasion.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2021, we visited them for take out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering, social distancing.
Minuses – No contactless payments.
Vault Garden has a nice view of the quiet Financial district. The food is good but expensive. We had a couple oversalted items, perhaps it would have been better to stick to the burger.
Picks:
Roasted Beet Salad ($18) – Whipped Goat Cheese, Winter Citrus, Hazelnut is a beautiful salad, definitely on the balanced side, with the cheese not overwhelming the dish. 8/10
Potato-leek Soup ($15) – Fennel, Crispy Potato, Fines Herb was a bit on the creamy side. Solid flavor profile and nice bits of potatoes and leeks. 8/10
Day Boat Scallops ($45) Spring Peas, Braised Radish, Confit Potato, Dashi Beurre Blanc was also over salted. The scallops were cooked very well with nice caramelization. 7/10
Just OK:
Pan-seared Petrale Sole ($34) Rice Pilaf, Bok Choy, Green Garlic was unfortunately over salted. The rice pilaf was very well done. 6.5/10
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Fair
Would we come back – No
===
Last Visit: 4/7/2021
Wako Japanese Restaurant
211 Clement St
San Francisco, CA 94118
415-682-4875
http://www.sushiwakosf.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/wako-japanese-restaurant-san-francisco
Wako Japanese Restaurant is a 4.5 star Yelp restaurant in San Francisco’s Inner Richmond district. It has always been on our hit list, but with limited seating, it needed reservations well in advance. The Pandemic made it easy to get take out!
They are famous for their Kaisen don $75. Seasoned sushi rice filled with Sea Urchin, crab, marinated bluefin tuna, chopped bluefin tuna belly and house marinated salmon roe.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2021, we visited them for take out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering, social distancing.
Minuses – No contactless payments. Crowding by the door.
Wako does not disappoint. This is a serious Japanese restaurant slotting below a hardcore omakase place like Ju-Ni.
Nearby are favorites Chapeau, Lily, Burma Superstar, and more
Picks:
Karaage ($10) Japanese-style fried chicken elevated. Eggless batter with crispy elements on the surface. Unlike most other places. Included a couple fried brussel sprouts. 9/10
Chirashi ($45) Seasoned sushi rice bowl filled with a variety of fresh fish and seafood was high quality and fresh. Hidden huge bed of rice and stringy egg. Next time well get the Nigiri.
Abalone (Awabi, $10) was fresh and crunchy. Nice big cut. 8/10
A5 Wagyu ($12) was overly vinegary. Hard to taste the meat 7/10
Sea urchin ($14) was a nice sized piece. Fresh and silky. 8/10
Sushi Rice ($5) lets you try their Seasoned sushi rice. Rice is the most important part of sushi right?
Sweet Shrimp with Uni ($12) was tacky and chewy. 8/10
Negi Toro Maki ($12) shows off their fresh fish and technique. 8/10
Futomaki ($10) Assorted fish with vegetables roll is a nice hybrid sushi roll. Good balance of veggie/fish. 8/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
===========
Last Visit: 4/17/2022
Lily
225 Clement St
San Francisco, CA 94118
415-742-5285
https://www.lilyonclement.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/lily-san-francisco
Lily is a Modern Vietnamese restaurant in San Francisco is inner Richmond District. The Chef Rob Lam used to run restaurant Butterfly on the waterfront. There are a ton of good restaurant options nearby including Burma superstar, Chapeau and Mamahuhu. Traditional Vietnamese restaurants are a block away. We have been here twice for lunch during the pandemic.
Menu is fairly wide ranging with several options for vegetarians – gluten free. Cocktails too!
Service was fine for the small restaurant. Pricing was inline with sit down restaurants of this calibur. Yes, you can get a $10 pho noodle from cheap Vietnamese spots. Automatic 20% service charge.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2021, we visited them for indoor dining
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering, outdoor dining.
Minuses –
Food:
Bun Cha Hanoi BBQ Sakura Farms Heritage Pork Noodle Bowl gf ($20) Grilled Meatball, Belly and Shoulder, Banh Hoi
Noodles, Cucumbers and Pickles, Nuoc Cham was a very well done modern version of a Vietnamese dish. Several different types of meat, peppers, lots of pickled carrots and radishes. One level below down of San Jose’s Pho Hanoi. 8/10
Goi Ga Mango Chicken and Rice Paper Salad gf/v ($16) Four Sisters Farms Spinach, House Made Tomato Sambal, Toasted Dry Shrimp, Nuoc Cham ordred vegaa. Did the job, lots of fresh greens along with some rice elements. 7.5/10
Pho Bo Vietnamese Pho Dip Roast Beef Sandwich ($22) Five Spice Roasted Beef, Pate, Shallot Aioli, Basil and Cilantro, Cucumbers and Pickles, Pho Au Ju was huge with a ton of meat. Very well done, especially with the flavorful broth. At $22 this was an expensive lunch, they need to reduce the amount of meat and drop the price to $16. 8/10
Turmeric fried fish noodle bowl – Banh Hoi Rice Noodles, Dill and Onions,
Fermented Shrimp Pineapple Sauce, Shrimp Chips – ($20) is a a modern rice bowl with several pieces of lightly fried fish on top of fish chips. Noodles lined the bottom along with some dill. 8/10
Garlic noodles – Marin Root Farms Bok Choy, Shitake Mushrooms,
Peppers, Toasted Garlic and Shallots ($17) it’s not the fat noodles that you normally think of, this again is a modern noodle dish with curly rice noodles. You can add protein (Chicken +$6, Shrimp +$7) to this otherwise it’s vegan. 8/10
Glass Ha long ice green tea ($7) was just OK. 7/10
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
====
Last Visit: 4/1/2023
Horn BBQ
2534 Mandela Pkwy
Oakland, CA 94607
510-225-6106
https://www.hornbarbecue.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/horn-barbecue-oakland
Horn BBQ Is a legendary barbecue restaurant in Oakland, California. It has 4 stars on yelp and long lines whenever it’s open. Horn barbecue has been attracting long lines ever since it opened. The line is due to the slow first station that carves all the meat. (How about 2 stations?) We finally got around to trying the spot in 2021 and returned in 2023. On a Thursday at 11:30 we had to wait about 20 minutes. The line is slow because there’s only one person carving up the meat. Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand.
Get there early or else they may run out of items! They ran out of pork ribs on our last visit, but had expensive 2lb beef ribs for $50.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic, we visited them for Outdoor dining in their spacious picnic table area.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.
Horn BBQ Definitely serves up quality barbecue. Top-notch barbecue the San Francisco Bay area. We recently ate at Midsmoke in Charlotte North Carolina and found their barbecue definitely superior.
We found a free dessert coupon on Yelp, so be sure to look for that.
Note there is no phone number to call.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering, outdoor dining, contact less payments.
Minuses – None
Food Review:
Beef Brisket sandwich ($18) was huge, easily twice the size of most of them out there. Lots of fat blending into the meat, tender and electable. 9/10
Beef Brisket costs $20 by the half pound.
Pulled pork sandwich ($16) was equally as large, also excellent tender meat. Pulled pork by the half bound was ($15) 9/10
Spare ribs ($18) by the half pound, are weaker than the other two proteins. A bit on the salty side, but fall off the bone and cooked just right. Barbecue sauce is on the sweet side and a bit watery. 8/10
Collard greens ($8 small) and pit beans ($8) are served in HUGE quality. The greens were way too salty. The beans were undercooked. 8.5/10
Mac & Cheese ($8) is very dense and cheesy. 8/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Fair
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
================
Last Visit: 7/6/2021
Saap Ver Authentic Thai Cuisine
Address
SF
Yelplink
We were in San Francisco right near Saap Ver Authentic Thai Cuisine and decided to give it a try for lunch. It has four stars on yelp.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open.
The food here is decidedly average, prices are in line with expensive prices he’s in San Francisco. Service wasn’t too attentive. Decor here is nice. You’re better off eating at the Ler Ros Thai.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering, social distancing.
Minuses – No pen quarantine.
Food Picks
Pad Thai Prawn ($18.95) comes with a ton of beans sprouts, quality wise this is about average. 7/10
Somtum Thai ($14.95) or papaya salad was on the spicy side, not a large portion size. Fairly average 7/10
Large chicken salad ($12.95) was a very spicy even and it’s mild form. Lots of diced chicken and bundled up cabbage on the side. Not so much a salad and chicken on top of a big leaf. 7/10
Durian black rice ($10.95) is a great dessert if you love stinky durian. 8/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Fair
Value – Fair
Would we come back – Maybe
===
Last Visit: 7/29/2021
Taste of Burma
2025 Gellert Blvd Ste 200-201
Daly City, CA 94015
650-449-1378
https://tasteofburmausa.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/taste-of-burma-daly-city
Taste of Burma is a stripmall join in Daly City The food here is decent, prices are a lot cheaper than places like Burma superstar. A worthwhile spot if you’re into Burmese cuisine and happen to be in the area.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2021, we visited them for take out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering, social distancing.
Minuses – No contactless payments or curb side.
A friend told us about this Burmese restaurant in the middle of nowhere in Daly city. We were nearby and stop there to get takeout for dinner. During the pandemic, there were zero people in the dining room.
Picks:
Tea leaf salad ($13.49) it’s a nice condition of the classic dish. All the usual ingredients and a nice flavor profile.
Paratha ($8.49) we got it with a vegetarian dip, you can also order it with chicken. Nice crisp fried roti Prada.
Chicken curry ( $14.49) was one out of 10 on the spicy scale. A nice rich curry with tender potatoes.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Maybe
=======================
Last Visit: 8/7/2021
Tailor’s Son
2049 Fillmore St
San Francisco, CA 94115
415-673-7200
https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-tailors-son-san-francisco
Taylor’s son is another restaurant from the restaurant group that owns A mono, Beretta and a bunch of other casual restaurants. This one focuses on Italian risotto and pasta dishes.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2021, we visited them for take out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering, social distancing.
Minuses – No contactless payments
Food was decent but not exceptional. A nice casual place for a meal if you are nearby.
Picks:
Mojito ($11) was tall and strong, clearly they know how to make cocktails. 9/10
Negroni Tropicale ($14) was short and strong and while balance. 9/10
Burrata Cristini ($14) was well done. Lots of quality cheese on top of country bread. 8/10
Fruit di Mare risotto ($23) was a pale colored risotto, but it proved to be pretty decent. Not a lot of seafood, but good flavors in the rice 8.5/10
Strozzapreti ($20) is a eggless pasta that was cooked to attend or state. A bit on the cheesy slide and slightly salty. But possible 8/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Maybe
=================================
Last Visit: 4/7/2023
Tang Bar
3251 20th Ave Second Floor
San Francisco, CA 94132
628-270-9876
http://tangbar.us/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/tang-bar-san-francisco
Tang Bar is located in the Stonestown Shopping Mall. It is run by a restaurant group with Chinese restaurants in Australia. We found it was a modern hot pot place that is one of the better eateries in the mall. Its fun to select only what you want. Beware that veggies can be heavy and are charged the same as meats!
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in , we visited them for dine in
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering, social distancing.
Minuses – No outdoor dining
Picks:
BYO Malatang soup ($14.99/lb) You select a broth (Chicken, or different levels of spiciness) and any items you pick. From beef to shirmp to mushrooms to vegetables. Took a long time (20 minutes) to arrive though. Shrimp are hard to peel and don’t look that fresh. 8/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
=========================
Warung Siska, Redwood City
Last Visit: 12/2/2021
Warung Siska
917 Main St
Redwood City, CA 94063
(650) 393-5515
https://www.warungsiska.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/warung-siska-redwood-city
Warung Siska is an Indonesian restaurant in Redwood City. Its a cool casual but stylish order and sit place featuring food with explosive flavor profiles.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic we dined inside after showing vaccine cards.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering, social distancing, contactless payments.
Minuses – None
Picks:
BAKWAN • CORN FRITTERS ($14) sweet corn, okra, green onions + makrut lime leaves – for some reason they gave us one. Wow, its crispy goodness and a must get. 9.5/10
Rujak Salad ($13.00) VG – GF – Fruit and vegetable salad with young papaya, jicama, mango, pineapple, peanuts, shrimp paste, tamarind dressing. This gives you a taste of Bali in a fruity salad. Well done. 8.5/10
Duck Betutu – Balinese Roast Duck ($24.00) organic sonoma farms duck legs, balinese spices, sauteed spinach was a good sized portion. Cooked slightly overdone. Good but not great. 7.5/10
Gulai Sayur – Vegetable Curry ($18.00) VG, GF – is a must get for vegans. Huge bowl with bold flavors and even some jack fruit. 9.5/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
Es Cendol Iced Sweeten Indonesian dessert ($6) mung bean flour jelly, coconut milk is short, full of ice and not worth it. 5/10
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Yes
====
Last Visit: 1/8/2022
Nyum Bai
3340 E 12th St Ste 11
Oakland, CA 94601
510-500-3338
https://www.nyumbai.com
https://www.yelp.com/biz/nyum-bai-oakland-2
Nyum Bai is a well regarded Cambodian restaurant in Oakland’s Fruitvale neighborhood. It has been on our must visit list for years and we finally got a chance in early 2022. It was nominated for Best New Restaurant in 2019 by the James Beard Awards. On a Saturday night, few people were indoors, several tables were occupied outside. Not many heat lamps. We called directly to order and maximize their revenue.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2021, we visited them for take out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering, social distancing.
Minuses – None
Picks:
Khmer FRIED CHICKEN gf ($14) with kampot peppercorn & lime zest was fantastic. Eggless batter deep fried until crispy with about 8 small pieces of chicken. Lots of flavor and crunch. 10/10
KUY TEAV PHNOM PENH GF ($18) Cambodia quintessential noodle soup! 8 hour pork broth with
rice noodles, pork, sliced beef. Make sure to squeeze the lime. Is similar to a wide rice noodle pho. Strong broth flavor and large chunks of pork. 8.5/10
KOH + Bai GF ($20) Braised succulent pork belly in caramelized palm sugar with soy braised daikon & soft boiled eggs w/ peppery note, ginger & star anise, hodo-soy tofu is a signature dish. Really good sauce with tender large chunk of pork belly. Daikon was a bit of an odd touch. 9/10
Cha Ban Laigf ($16) Sauteed seasonal greens, fermented salted beans, shallots chips with vegan option. Was very heavy with the sweetish sauce. Today’s veggie was pea shoots. 8/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
=================
Last Visit: 2/22/2022
Jood
635 Laurel St
San Carlos, CA 94070
https://www.yelp.com/biz/jood-san-carlos
Jood is a Lebanese restaurant in downtown San Carlos. It was featured in the SF Chronicle, so we decided to try it when nearby.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2022, we visited them for take out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, social distancing.
Minuses – No online ordering
Picks:
Chargrilled Minced & Kneaded ($18) 6.5/10 – Kafta, Hummus, pickles, Mhamara Pita, Fries is a nice combo dish. Lots of meat and decent hummus. Thin pita. Not enough flavor on the meat.
Interesting different style than our favorite spot, Hummus Mediterranean in San Mateo. Decent but nothing to run to try.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Maybe
====
Last Visit: 2/24/2022
The Claypot House
1000 Clement St
San Francisco, CA 94118
415-
https://www.claypothousesf.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-claypot-house-san-francisco
The Claypot House specializes in Chinese Clay Pot Rice dishes. Being a fan, we had to give it a try. This spot has Taishan eel clay pot, something few offer around here.
Support your local small business.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2022, we visited them for take out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering.
Minuses – None
Picks:
Yellow Eel & Chinese Sausage Clay Pot Rice ($18.99) 7/10 is not cheap but is of good size. They threw in soup and steamed broccoli. More ‘meat’ than the other clay pot. Lacked flavor.
Spareribs with Black Bean Sauce Clay Pot Rice ($16.99) 6.5/10 was sizeable but did not have a lot of spareribs or flavor. We like the one at Ma’s Dimsum & Cafe near Chinatown or
Blue Sky in Belmont better.
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Fair
Decor – Fair
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – No
===
Last Visit: 4/17/2022
Luna Mexican Kitchen
1875 S Bascom Ave Suite #570
Campbell, CA 95008
408-963-6681
https://www.lunamexicankitchen.com/location/luna-mexican-kitchen-campbell/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/luna-mexican-kitchen-the-pruneyard-campbell-2
Luna Mexican kitchen has two locations in the Southbay, we order takeout from their Campbell location in the Pruneyard shopping center. This restaurant was recommended by the San Francisco chronicle and we happen to be passing by.
This is an elevated Mexican restaurant, with clearly labeled ingredients and adjustments based on your dietary needs. Prices are pretty reasonable for what you get. 3.5% living wage surcharge. They have lots of outdoor seating.
The takeout food came out on time.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2022, we visited them for take out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive. All will get a 4 star review for being open.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering, outdoor dining.
Minuses –
Picks:
Horchata ($4) was better than most, not too sweet, but very powdery. 7.5/10
Guacamole with chips – avocado, onion, cilantro, serrano, lime, with choice of chicharrones or tortilla chips – ($12) was super spicy, so be prepared. Nicely done homemade chips. 8/10
El Buddha bowl – brown rice and quinoa blend, portobello mushroom, asparagus, epazote black beans, sweet potato, avocado, cabbage, chipotle cashew crema, chile de arbol ($16.50) is a great dish for vegans, their configurator allows you to specify allergies and gluten intolerance. Very well done with A variety of items. 8.5/10
Carnitas bowl – frijoles de la olla, arroz verde, salsa fresca ($12) was just OK. A nice balance portion of rice, beans, meat. The meat was average. 7/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Maybe
===============
Last Visit: 4/23/2022
Pig in a Pickle
341 Corte Madera Town Center
Corte Madera, CA 94925
415.891.3265
https://www.piginapickle.com
https://www.yelp.com/biz/pig-in-a-pickle-corte-madera
Pig in a Pickle is a BBQ restaurant with locations in Corte Madera and Emeryville. They focus on qualify local ingredients. We got take out a their Corte Madera location. This restaurant is a solid BBQ spot in the middle of an upscale mall.
3.5 stars on Yelp, deserving of more than that.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2023, we visited them for takeout
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering, outside dining
Food Picks:
Baby Back Ribs ($19 for 6 ribs) had short and thick tender meat. BBQ sauce was on the sweet side and very watery. A Solid rib. Wish they had a combo plate! On another occasion, the ribs were a bit dry. 8/10
Their spicy BBQ sauce is very spicy.
Beef Brisket ($16 for 1/2 lb) was very good. They let you select the part you would like. Tender, juicy. 9/10
Pulled pork ($7 for 1/4lb) was thin and a reasonable portion. Good flavor. 8/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
Collard Greens ($5) were a bit too watery. 6/10
Baked beans ($3.50 for 8oz) were too hard. 6/10
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
===
Last Visit: 4/23/2022
Amy’s Drive Thru
5839 PARADISE DRIVE
CORTE MADERA, CA 94925
415-737-6055
https://amysdrivethru.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/amys-drive-thru-corte-madera-2
Amy’s Drive Thru is bring in high quality vegetarian food to the masses. 4 locations including at SFO. The drive thru line was long and it took a while to get our food. No one seems to be bothered by this, including us. No GMOs, Organic vegetables, beans, dairy.. Lots of vegan, gluten free options.
Food took a while but it was worthwhile. Vegetarians should definitely come by. The menu is very wide ranging with Burgers, Pizza, and more.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2022, we visited them for drive thru takeout.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering, drive thru.
Picks:
Super Salad ($11.59) Seasonal Lettuces, Quinoa, Hummus, Baked Tofu, Carrots, Purple Cabbage, Pumpkin Seeds has a lot of ingredients and took a while. Fresh and clean. Miso dressing on the side. 8/10
Little Bitty Burrito ($4.29) Red Beans, Brown Rice, Cheese, Burrito Sauce let us sample their burritos. Good sized and satisfying. 8/10
Non Dairy Chocolate Milkshake ($5.99) was better than expected. Good flavor and creaminess. 8.5/10
Just OK:
Oatmeal Cookie ($3) was on the small side but ok. 7.5/10
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Yes
==================
Last Visit: 5/6/2022
Sotto Mare
552 Green St
San Francisco, CA 94133
415-398-3181
https://www.sottomaresf.com
https://www.yelp.com/biz/sotto-mare-oysteria-and-seafood-san-francisco
Sotto Mare is a seafood restaurant in San Francisco’s North Beach. It has been on our list for years and we finally dined there. 4.5 stars on yelp.
Their motto is: The Best Damn Cioppino in San Francisco! Sorry, we didn’t try that dish..
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2022, we visited them for outdoor dining.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available.
Waitress was fun and helped us navigate the menu and was accessible.
This is an old school seafood shack, no modern flare, etc. Nothing wrong with that, but don’t expect inventiveness if you are a fellow foodie.
Food Picks:
Boston Clam Chowder($7 Cup ) was thick and filled with potatoes. 7/10
Oyster on half shell ($2ea for west coast) were fresh and hit the mark. 8.5/10 They also had an east coast oyster.
Gilled Seabass ($26.95) garlic and oil style comes with vegetables. Old school cooking, simple. 7.5/10
Prawn/Scallop Saute ($26.95) also comes with veggies. In a heavier sauce with fresh prawns and scallops. Simple, not like scallops we had at Boulevard. 7.5/10
Risotto with Seafood ($25.95) comes with clams, mussels, shrimp and calamari. Done well with lots of flavor. Big portion. Best dish of the day. 8.5/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Maybe
—————————————–
Last Visit 8/23/2022
Daeho Kalbijjim & Beef Soup
213 2nd Ave
San Mateo, CA 94401
650-389-6689
https://daeho-korean-bbq-beef-soup.business.site/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/daeho-kalbijjim-and-beef-soup-san-francisco-9
A neighbor suggested we had to try this popular Korean spot in San Franciso’s Japantown, known for the Kalbi or short ribs.
They were right. We’ve gotten takeout several times during the Pandemic. We dined in restaurant at their San Mateo location in 2022. This is a great spot for groups of 4 or larger to eat family style.
Safety Pluses – QR Menu, Order before sitting
Minuses – None
Food Picks:
Kalbijjim – Braised Beef Short Rib with ox tail ($79) comes with rice cakes and vegetables. Expensive, but you can get one to share easily with 4. Sweet savory action made it tasty. Frankly overly sweet. Very tender fall off the bone meat. We got it non spicy, but you can kick it up a notch. The cheese was not as distracting as anticipated. Our 2nd time, we omitted it. Lovely purple rice and spicy kimchi. Instagram/tik tok craziness. 8.5/10
Beef Rib Soup ($23) with glass noodles – Kalbitang was superb. The meat was really flavorful and not some wet mess. Impressive. 8.5/10
Nengmyun ($22) is a well done cold noodle soup dish. After getting the Kalbijjim a couple times, we stopped ordering it and now focus on traditional dishes like this. 8.5/10
Beef Ribs Bibibab – Kalbi Stone pot ($26) was good but make sure you get order the Braised Beef Short Rib before exploring the rest of the menu. This dish could use more meat and has minimal crispy crust rice action. 8/10
Food Pans:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Maybe
===
Last Visit: 7/23/2022
Ox 9 Lanzhou Handpulled Noodles
11 S B St
San Mateo, CA
650-242-1790
https://www.yelp.com/biz/ox-9-lanzhou-handpulled-noodles-san-mateo
Ox 9 Noodles is a Chinese chain with a couple locations nearby. This one is near the San Mateo Caltrain Station. They have locations in San Mateo, Milpitas, and Cupertino. This spot has gotten busy quickly. The focus is on freshly made hand pulled noodle dishes, both soup based ones and dry. You can watch the expert noodle maker through the clear window to the kitchen.
You sit, scan a QR code and place an order on your phone.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2022, we visited them for indoor dining
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering.
The food comes really fast, you do have to hail servers to get things. Be sure to ask for scissors if you are sharing noodle dishes, they are impossible to cut other wise.
Food Picks:
Mung Bean Noodle with garlic sauce ($9.98) is a nice version of the classic. Good for vegetarians, gluten free folks. 8/10
Chewy Bean Curd Noodles with Cilantro ($8.98) is also vegan, GF. Good quantity. 8/10
Chilled stringy fresh potato salad ($7.98) are simple sliced potatoes with some spicy sauce. 8/10
Stewed Lamb Soup noodles ($21.48) definitely show off the quality of the noodles. The lamb chunks are bland and fatty. 8/10
Lanzhou Handpulled noodles ($14.48) are their signature dish. Again great noodles. Not as spicy as we thought it would be. 8/10
Cold Noodles with chicken ($14.48) are in a slightly sweet sauce, I can well-done noodles and a nice sauce with a little bit of chicken 8.5/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
Juicy Pork burger ($8.48) is made of pork and on the bland side. 6/10
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Maybe
====
Last Visit: 8/3/2022
88 Baobao
3880 Fallon Rd
Dublin, CA 94568
925-361-5760
https://88baobao.co
https://www.yelp.com/biz/88-bao-bao-dublin-2
88 Baobao is a small Chinese dumpling restaurant in a Dublin strip mall. We were nearby and gave them a try for takeout lunch. Indoor dining was also available. 88 BaoBao was reborn as a steamed dumpling and noodle restaurant in 2018, they also have a location in Brentwood. Solid soup dumpling, make it a good bet. i Shanghai Delight in San Ramon is even better.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2022, we visited them for take out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering, phone ordering
Food Picks:
Pork Xiao Long Bao ($11.95 for 8) are fairly large, very soup and have a thin skin. Decent flavor, but a bit big and too strong soup. Still pretty decent for a small family place. 8/10
Golden Fried Bun with condensed Milk ($6.95 for 6) are very greasy but good. Could use a lot more condensed milk. Decadent dessert. 7.5/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Maybe
===
Last Visit: /2022
Green Island Restaurant
4012 Geary Blvd
San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 387-9600
https://www.yelp.com/biz/green-island-restaurant-san-francisco
Green Island is a family run Cantonese Chinese restaurant in San Francisco’s inner Richmond district. Several friends suggested we dine their due to the low cost and decent food. Interior was pretty old school. They also have a Chef Specials: Choice of 3 items for $34.99.
We verified that the clay pot rice was worthwhile, far better than nearby Clay Pot House on Clement.
Service was drop and go.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2022, we visited them for indoor dining
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering.
Food Picks:
Free soup of the day – bitter melon and carrot. An acquired taste bitter soup.
Sparerib with Rice in Clay Pot ($11 small) hit the spot. Lots of crisp rice on the bottom and good flavored pork spare ribs. Reasonable size. 8.5/10
House Special Rice in Clay Pot (combination) ($14.00 small) has spare ribs, Chinese sausage, and chicken. Lots of ingredients, although the chicken was a bit salty. 8/10
Gai Lan – Chinese Broccoli with oyster sauce ($11) was a huge portion. A bit on the greasy side but cooked right. 8.5/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Fair
Service – Fair
Value – Excellent
Would we come back – Yes
==
Last Visit: 8/18/2022
Rice Barn Thai Eatery & Wine Bar
132 Browns Valley Pkwy
Vacaville, CA 95688
https://www.ricebarnthai.com
https://www.yelp.com/biz/rice-barn-thai-eatery-and-wine-bar-vacaville-4
Rice Barn Thai is a Thai restaurant in a strip mall in Vacaville, not far from the main shopping center. It was featured on Check Please, so we dined here on the way home from Lake Tahoe.
The food is solid and portions large. Nothing great but definitely above average for most areas.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2022, we visited them for outdoor dining
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering.
Food Picks:
Mango Nata ($4) is a nice fruity drink. Great for this 100 degree day. 8/10
Thai Iced Tea ($5) is about what you expect. 7.5/10
Papaya Salad ($11) was a colorful and spicy dish. About 6 out 10 on the heat scale. 7.5/10
Pad Pak ($12) is a solid dish for vegans
Pad See You ($15) with chicken was above average and a huge dish. 8/10
Crispy Chicken Fried Rice ($17) is a popular dish. A bit greasy, but the chicken was solid. Lots of fried rice below. We had a similar dish at Farmhouse that cost double. 7.5/10
Mango Sticky Rice ($8) was not purple like photos, but still proved to be decent. 7.5/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Maybe
===
Last Visit: 9/10/2022
Rossotti’s Alpine Inn
3915 Alpine Road
Portola Valley, CA 94028
650-854-4004
https://www.alpineinnpv.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/alpine-inn-portola-valley
Most locals will remember Alpine Inn – Zotts as a bar dive, serving drinks and hamburgers. Sometime in the middle of the Pandemic it morphed into a real restaurant with a huge outdoor patio. Now lines are omnipresent and the crowds are flocking to this spot. From bikers to locals to tourists, this place is packed.
The line is long but it moves fast. It’s amazing how many servers they have. It’s basically order from an online menu and they drop the food to you. If you need anything you need to hail the runners flashing by..
The food is about what you expect for this area, passable, decent not gourmet.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2022, we visited them for outdoor dining
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.
Safety Pluses – Outdoor dining, Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering.
Food Picks:
Arugula and melon salad ($11.95) was pretty basic, good for only vegetarian‘s. 7/10
Giant Wunderbar Pretzel ($9.95) was huge and came with mustard and cheese dip, good bar food, 7/10
Barbecue pork ribs ($30.95) 8 hour smoked Carolina Gold Sauce style was a reasonable portion, tender but a little dry, comes à la carte. 7.5/10
Tri tip sandwich with fries ($17.95) is a nice moist sandwich, our best item that day. 8/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Maybe
===
Last Visit: /2022
B Star
127 Clement St
San Francisco, CA 94118
415-933-9000
http://www.bstarbar.com
https://www.yelp.com/biz/b-star-san-francisco-2
B Star is a pan Asian sister restaurant to popular Burma Superstar. We went for an outdoor lunch – brunch at the end of Summer 2022 during the Pandemic.
Several dishes are on both menus.
The food is fun and approachable, making this a standout restaurant in a neighborhood full of great food. (Chapeau, Wako, Lily)
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2022, we visited them for outdoor dining
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering.
Food Picks:
Tea Leaf Salad ($15) GF is a classic. Nutty crunch, garlic, and a lite dressing makes this a hit. Vegetarian on request. 9/10
Rainbow Salad ($14) GFR is made with 22 ingredients. Even more interesting than the tea leaf salad. Vegetarian on request. 8.5/10
Lamb Curry ($18) GF is one of the weaker dishes. Not very robust curry but tender lamb. 7/10
Salmon Ochazuke ($17) with pan fried rice, salmon, green tea broth is a fun dish where they pour the broth tableside. A variety of textures and flavors in a simple yet complex dish. 9/10
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Very Good
Value -Very Good
Would we come back – Yes
===
Last Visit: 9/24/2022
Manakish Oven and Grill
2905 N Main St
Walnut Creek, CA 94597
925-949-8334
https://manakishoven.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/manakish-oven-and-grill-walnut-creek
Manakish Oven and Grill is a Mediterranean restaurant in Walnut Creek that was recommended by the San Francisco Chronicle article on best restaurants in Walnut Creek. We were in the area and gave them a try. We ordered ahead online and our order wasn’t ready when we arrived, due to the immense amount of business they had. Tiny parking lot.
This is a solid place for Mediterranean food like shawarma and kebabs. Order ahead and give them ample time.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2022, we visited them for takeout
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering.
Food Picks:
Cauliflower & Eggplant ($8.99) is a vegetarian dish that hits the spot. 7/10
Hummus ($7) was bathed in olive oil and lots of lemon. More granular than most. Decent pitas. 7.5/10
Chicken Shawarma wrap ($11.50) with mild sauce and french fries (+$4) was of a healthy size and diameter. Nice balance of flavors. Fries were fine. 8/10
Lamb Kebab platter ($19.75) had nice chunks of lamb seasoned to a strong, slightly spicy tinge. Rice, hummus, pickled veggies accompanied this good sized dish. 8.5/10
Blueberry Lemonade ($7.50) was too sweet.
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Maybe
===
Last Visit: 10/10/2022
HL Peninsula Hotpot & Grill
1600 Old Bayshore Hwy
Burlingame, CA 94010
(650) 692-8888
https://www.yelp.com/biz/hl-peninsula-hotpot-and-grill-burlingame
HL Peninsula Hotpot & Grill is a new hot pot and grill Chinese restaurant, taking the place of Elephant bar & grill. It was a no brainer, since we really like their normal restaurant for dimsum and dinner.
The restaurant is beautify as is the view. The focus is a fresh seafood, fancy serving dishes, and a wide breadth of items.
Prices are high, especially if you order seafood or market price items. Service was sluggish even though it wasn’t full. Meat and veggies can after complaining.
Robotic bartender is a novelty, but the drink it made sucked.
One and done?
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2022, we visited them for indoor dining.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering.
Food Picks:
Soup Bases are $5.99 or $7.99, each person gets their own pick. An expensive start.
Angus beef slice ($13.99) was average. 7/10
Lamb shoulder ($10.99) was also average. 7.5/10
Fresh made shrimp balls ($9.99) are better than average 8/10
Tofu Bean curd ($5.99) and Bean Curd Roll ($7.99) are good. Great for vegetarians. 8.5/10
Korean Rice Cakes ($6.50) are small but decent. 8/10
Hand-made noodle ($6.50) hits the mark. 8/10
Veggie combo platter ($18.9) was dismal. Basically what they can’t sell. 6/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Excellent
Service – Fair
Value – Good
Would we come back – Maybe
===
Last Visit: 10/14/2022
Le Soleil
133 Clement St
San Francisco, CA 94118
415-668-4848
http://www.lesoleilsf.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/le-soleil-san-francisco
Le Soleil is an Pan Asian home cooking style restaurant in San Francisco’s Inner Richmond district, established in 1933. We were in the area and gave them a try on their parklet outside. A bunch of restaurants are in this area, Burma super star seems to be the main one with long lines.
Food was decent as was the service. Next time we need to try the Luc Lac Shaken Beef.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2022, we visited them for outdoor dining
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering.
Food Picks:
Curry Short Ribs ($25) was recommended as a popular item. Nice tender short ribs in a tangy curry. Not very spicy. They recommended we order garlic bread ($5) to dip in the dish. The garlic bread was great on its own. 9/10
Hai Nan Chicken Rice ($19) was a special that day, one which the waiter pushed. We are fans, so we had to order it. A decent dish, but far to small. Make it 50% bigger! 8/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Maybe
===
Last Visit: 10/14/2022
Bodega
138 Mason St
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-655-9341
http://bodegarestaurants.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/bodega-san-francisco-3
Bodega is a Vietnamese restaurant in the Union Square area of San Francisco. They been getting good press and 4.5 stars on Yelp, so we tried them for takeout.
You can draw on lunch and dinner menus for takeout.
Food was very good, leading us to want to try them in restaurant next time.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2022, we visited them for takeout.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering.
Food Picks:
NOM ($14) green papaya, spiced beef jerky, thai basil, kinh gioi was super spicy. You can get tofu instead of beef jerkey. Very finely chopped. 7/10
PHO HANOI ($15) Wok Seared Filet Mignon, Leeks, Fresh Wide Rice Noodles, Chinese Donut, Beef Bone Broth was a decent rendition. Better than average broth and meat quality. Wide noodles. Ranked Slightly below our favorite Pho Hanoi in San Jose. No side items for takeout. 8/10
BUN CHA ($24) heritage pork belly and meatballs, pickled carrots and kohlrabi, vietnamese herbs is a standout dish. Very authentic flavors and textures. Interesting mix of veggies for wrapping. 8.5/10
VEGAN PHO ($13) Hodo Yuba, Shiitake Mushroom, Bok Choy, Thin Rice Noodles, Vegan Broth was just fair. 7/10
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
===
Last Visit: 10/21/2022
Cellarmaker House of Pizza
3193 Mission St
San Francisco, CA 94110
415-296-6351
https://www.yelp.com/biz/cellarmaker-house-of-pizza-san-francisco-2
Cellarmaker is a combination pizza – brewery spot in San Francisco’s Mission. They’ve been ranked as a top Detroit pizza spot so we had to size them up.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2022, we visited them for Doordash delivery.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering.
Pizza was decent, so give it a try if you are into Detroit style pizza.
Food Picks:
Classic Pepperoni ($24.99) is not as structured as Square Pie Guys with tomatoes and pep scattered randomly. Crunch was good and crunchy, cheese and pep were of good quality. We’d rate this a notch below Square Pie but better than Joyride or Tony’s. 8/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Maybe
===
Last Visit: 10/23/2022
Sidestreet Pho
2304 Encinal Ave
Alameda, CA 94501
510-808-5298
https://www.sidestreetpho.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/sidestreet-pho-alameda
Sidestreet Pho is a Vietnamese restaurant in Alameda. We were nearby and stopped in for lunch.
We ate outside, where you have to order and pay inside first. A bit awkward but we’ve done this before.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2022, we visited them for outdoor dining.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering.
Food Picks:
Goi Cuon Chay ($11) Vegetarian Fresh Rolls had 2 long rolls filled with tofu, avocado and more. Peanut sauce for dipping. Better than average. 8/10
Beef Pho ($15) with sliced ribeye in their 30 hour bone marrow infused broth was good. Robust broth, lots of tender beef and thin noodles. 8/10
Bun Thit Nuong ($15) vermicelli bowl with pork was also very good. Lots of well seasoned meat on top of a bed of greens and rice noodles. 8/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
===
Last Visit: 10/19/2022
Capelo’s Barbecue
2655 Middlefield Rd
Redwood City, CA 94063
650-701-5433
https://www.capelosbarbecue.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/capelos-barbecue-redwood-city
Capelo’s is a BBQ restaurant in Redwood City that also has several food trucks. This spot is just south of Costco. It was recommended by SF Chronicle.
We ate outside in their very nice patio.
4 types of BBQ sauce to choose from. Nice!
Our experience was good, but not up to the standards of Oakland’s Horn BBQ. Lets not get started about real BBQ in the South East.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2022, we visited them for outdoor dining
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering.
Food Picks:
2 Meat BBQ Plate with choice of 2 sides ($22) Brisket and Pork Ribs. Brisket was very good, tender and textured. Pork ribs were overcooked and dry. I’ll try the pulled pork next time. Sides of Beans and creamed corn hit the mark. 8/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Maybe
===
Last Visit: 10/19/2022
Burma 2
1616 N Main St
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
925-261-8580
https://www.burma2.com
https://www.yelp.com/biz/burma-2-walnut-creek-2
Burma 2 is a Burmese restaurant in downtown Walnut Creek. It was recommend in Chronicle’s Best of Walnut Creek and rated 4.5 stars on Yelp.
We were visiting a family member and dined here.
We expected more. The food was a letdown and the service abysmal due to one overworked waitress. We felt sorry for her.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2022, we visited them for outdoor dining
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering.
Food Picks:
Palata ($13) A flaky layered flatbread with coconut chicken curry dipping sauce. Nice and crispy, slightly greasy. Curry was fine but made us not want to order a wet curry dish. 8/10
Tea Leaf Salad ($15) A mix of Burmese tea leaves, fried garlic, yellow beans, peanuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, tomatoes, jalapeños, lemon and dried shrimp powder, fish sauce on a bed of romaine lettuce (Vegetarian option available) was average. Not as good as BStar or Burma superstar. 7/10
Moh Hin Gha (Puréed Catfish Chowder) ($13) Pureed catfish bisque with lemongrass, ginger, garlic, onions, cilantro, egg yolk, rice powder, fish sauce, black pepper, and rice noodle was a messy noodle dish and not very soupy.. Weird. 4/10
Black Pepper Lamb ($19) Marinated lamb with onions, red and green bell peppers, celery, carrots, ginger, garlic scallions, white wine, black bean sauce, soy sauce, black and white pepper. This could have been beef and we wouldn’t know. Okay dish. 7/10
Pumpkin Tofu Curry ($14) Locally grown pumpkin, fresh onion, garlic, ginger, broccoli, carrots, coconut milk, evaporated milk, curry powder and burmese spices was also a so-so dish. Nothing special. 7/10
Overall – Fair
Food – Fair
Decor – Good
Service – Poor
Value – Good
Would we come back – Maybe
===
Last Visit: 10/31/2022
Nick the Greek
1324 West Hillsdale Blvd
San Mateo, CA 94403
650-345-4976
Yelplink
Nick the Greek is a regional gyro pita chain in Northern California
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2022, we visited them for
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering.
Food Picks:
Beef/Lamb Gyro Pita ($11.95) was a big pita full of meat. Lots of sauce too. Better than expected. 8/10
Hummus ($) is not very good here. Orens or Hummus Mediterranean is far better.
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Very Good
Would we come back – Maybe
===
Last Visit: 11/1/2022
Burma Superstar
309 Clement St
San Francisco, CA 94118
415-387-2147
https://www.burmasuperstar.com/301-clement-st-san-francisco/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/burma-superstar-san-francisco-2
Burma Superstar needs no introduction. Folks line up before it opens to eat at this no reservations popular spot. We can 10 minutes early on a weekday
and there already was a line. The restaurant is not big, but does a ton of takeout. We try to stick to Burmese dishes.
The food is good and it comes fast. There is slight pressure to finish and let the people in line get in.
We’ve eaten at their sister restaurant B Star, where you can find several similar dishes like the Tea Leaf and Rainbow salad, but less of a line.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2022, we visited them for indoor dining. They did have a parklet.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering.
Food Picks:
Tea Leaf Salad ($21.50 large) with its crunch and melody of flavors, hits the mark as usual. We had it vegetarian style. 8.5/10
Platha and dip ($11) was on the greasy side and not crisp. The one at Burma 2 in Walnut creek was better. 7/10
Superstar Shrimp ($21) done mild, is good for those who cannot take lots of heat. Half peel shrimp cooked fine. 7.5/10
Coconut Rice ($4.50) is good. A nice fun alternative. 8/10
Tofu Vegetable Kebat ($15) is perfect for vegan, gluten free folks. Fairly medium spice with tomato, squash, carrots, green chilies. 8/10
Nan Pia Dok ($16.50) is an eggless noodle dish done right. Nice wide rice noodles and a bit of chicken thrown in. 8.5/10
Basic Chili Pork Belly ($18.50) is pretty darn spicy. Get it if you are a pork belly fan and can take the heat. 7.5/10
Black Rice Pudding Hot ($8) was a nice dessert. Not too sweet and lots of fruity accent. 8.5/10
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
====
Last Visit: 11/3/2022
Pie Punks
145 2nd St
San Francisco, CA 94105
415-535-2898
https://www.piepunkssf.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/pie-punks-san-francisco
Pie Punks is a cocktail bar/pizza place in the SF Financial district. Warning Very hard to stop/park and pickup takeout.
Seems like a great place if you like pizza and want to throw back a couple cold ones.
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2022, we visited them for takeout.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering.
Food Picks:
Pepperoni Detroit Pizza ($22) Wisconsin Brick cheese, parm, Spicy Tomato Sauce is a nice orderly, crispy pizza. Good flavor and texture. Not as much pep as Square pie. Just slight below Square pie on our rankings. 8/10
Just OK:
None
Would not reorder:
None
Overall – Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Maybe
====
Last Visit: 11/6/2022
Cassava
401 Columbus Ave
San Francisco, CA 94133
415-640-8990
https://www.yelp.com/biz/cassava-san-francisco
Cassava has been around for a while, they used to be a brunch focused restaurant out in the Richmond District. They reopened in 2022 in North Beach in a much larger venue with lots of outdoor seating.
Safety Pluses – Outdoor dining.
The format is a three course prefix menu for $52, sort of like nearby Trestle. We had several diners, so we tried most items on the menu.
Service was very good with an attentive server, helping us make decisions.
We really wanted to like this restaurant. Don’t you hate that line? We feel they need time to dial in the menu and mature to a higher end scheme.
Toscano brothers bread is very good along with the nice nori butter. 8/10
Buttermilk fried chicken is a good starter, hey solid dish 8.5/10.
Dungeness crab and Asian pear salad is disjointed, it almost looks like a bunch of elements without flow on a dish. 6/10.
Lamb loin was far too fatty, even more fatty then we can imagine. They need to just remove this from the menu. 6/10.
Black Cod was cooked fairly well, a reasonable large plate. 7.5/10.
Special vegan entrée was the star of the night, definitely go if you have this dietary restriction. 9/10.
Rigatoni was slightly above average. 8/10.
Poached, red pear was an average dessert, nothing exceptionally special. 7/10.
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – No
===
Last Visit: 12/9/2022
Bansang
1560 Fillmore St
San Francisco, CA 94115
415-441-9294
https://www.bansangsf.com
https://www.yelp.com/biz/bansang-san-francisco-3
Bansang is a modern Korean fusion restaurant near San Francisco’s Japantown. It was relatively new and we were nearby and decided to give it a try. It’s one block from the Japantown garage.
They use a reservation system on tock but do not require prepayment unlike most spots on that platform. (San Ho Wan!)
The interior is modern with an open kitchen, and high ceilings. The place gets fairly loud in the evenings.
Our server was friendly and helpful, lots of folks, repeatedly, scanning the tables.
Food Review:
My Lime Yuzu Shrub ($8) was a wonderful non-alchoholic drink. 9/10
Cauliflower mushroom ($12) really impressed us with an innovative sauce and tender mushrooms. 10/10.
Lime fried chicken ($11) had about five pieces of freshly fried egg list battered chicken that definitely hit the spot. 9/10.
Rice, cakes, and chorizo ($10) was recommended by our server, and definitely shows how fusion in this place is. Tender and slightly chewy. Rice cakes with a couple thinly sliced pieces of chorizo. Interesting. We actually use the cauliflower mushroom sauce for dipping. 8/10.
Galbi ($35) is a pretty standard dish on Korean menus. This one had five thick slices, they were lukewarm and slightly dry, making it an awkward dish of the night. 5/10
Monkfish ($29) is beloved by aficionados. This one also includes the liver too. An excellent dish with a beautiful sauce. Must get if you like this fish. 10/10.
Safety Pluses – Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering.
Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
===
Sunset Squares, San Francisco
12/14/22
Sunset squares is a pizza place with two locations in San Francisco. We visit the one across from the Twitter building. They share a space and also have food from Namu stone pot.
The nice thing about the spot is the ability to order slices of pizza, including their Detroit style pizza, boba tea, and also get some Korean food at the same time. The downtown location has a lot of indoor seating, making it more of a pub than a restaurant.
Detroit style pepperoni pizza slice was very dense and heavy. It is uniquely topped with crème fraîche. Flavors are muted and the dough a bit too chewy. We still like square pie or Cellarmaker. 6/10
Namu Stone pot vegan gluten-free bowl is a godsend to vegetarian’s. Lots of fresh ingredients including tofu, and a tangy sauce. 9/10.
Matcha Boba tea was filled with ice and had muted flavors. Could not adjust the sweetness. 5/10.
Overall – Good
Food – Fair
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – No
==
Mom Dumpling, San Francisco
31 Cambon Dr.
SF, CA 94132
415-333-1199
Mom Dumpling is a small Chinese dumpling shop in a strip mall near Stonestown and SF State.
Pork Soup Dumplings XLB ($10.98 for 6) are surprisingly good. Lots of soup, good flavor and not too big. 8.5/10
Pan Fried Pork Buns ($13.98 for 6) are below average. They do not look great but did have some soup. 6/10
Overall – Good
Food – Good
Decor – Fair
Service – Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
Restaurant Map: Come Back? 
