San Tung is a popular Chinese restaurant in the inner Sunset of San Francisco. They serve northern Chinese food that has some Korean influence, as the San Tung region of China is near Korea, hence the free Kim Chee. We have eaten here many, many times, back to when it was located west of here. Last visit was for take out in summer 2025.  They used to have San Tung #2 next door and So restaurant. Decor, Vibe – San Tung has pretty generic Chinese restaurant decor, not much in the way of decorations. This is a busy restaurant with lots of people waiting to get in.  Try not to face the door, you will feel pressure to eat fast. Lots of families, small groups, friends getting together for the delicious fare. San Tung Menu Their menu is pretty wide ranging. It is important to stick with the good dishes. Free Kim Chee San Tung Food Picks: Shrimp and Leek Dumplings ($15) are 12 boiled dumplings filled with a savory and tender mixture of ginger and garlic infused ground shrimp and Chinese chives. The wrapper is a bit on the medium thickness side and slightly al dente.  These should be […]

This post originally from San Tung Restaurant, San Francisco

Why did we dine here? – Ramen Parlor is the second location in San Mateo from the legendary  original owner of Santa Ramen, Kazunori Kobayashi. It is located one block from the original Santa Ramen, which now houses the very popular spicy ramen oriented Ramen Dojo. Both are owned by Mr. Kobayashi. This restaurant uses the same noodles as Ramen Dojo but adds some lobster oil as well other toppings. In the evening, they have additional items on the Ramen Parlor menu including more appetizers. We have been here for both lunch and dinner with our last visit was in early 2023 when we noticed prices had gone up, portion size down. Insider Tip – This is the least busy of their 2 restaurants. Cuisine – Japanese Ramen Location – San Mateo Opened – 2011 Service – Ramen Parlor had adequate service, but nothing exceptional. Verdict – Ramen Parlor serves up solid ramen with interesting toppings in a nice environment. Ramen fans should definitely give it a try. They also have a much more wide ranging menu with skewers and more. Signature Dishes – Ramen Ramen Parlor’s Menu features classic ramen, parlor ramen with lobster flavor, as well as several […]

This post originally from Ramen Parlor Restaurant Review, San Mateo

Why did we dine here? – Star Noodle is a popular Asian restaurant on Maui focusing on a variety of noodle dishes that originate from Japan through other Asian countries.  We have been here on all our recent Maui visits. They moved to downtown Lahaina in November 2020, and are known as Star Noodle v2.  Star Noodle also does takeout but you need to call it in early. Parking lot is part of the new location! Also check out the killer happy hour at Sansei and our other Maui Restaurant reviews. Our last return visit was in 2021 during the Pandemic. Star Noodle closed for 8 months and moved. This restaurant not only has great food, the prices are great, especially compared to other places on Maui. We luckily scored a last minute Yelp reservation. Chef Sheldon Simeon has appeared on Top Chef and instantly the restaurant’s business skyrocketed. He left in 2013. Simeon has since gone on and started his two of his own restaurants: Tin Roof and Lineage. After Star Noodle, he landed at Migrant in the Marriott Wailea for 2 1/2 years. We dined at Migrant and did not find it as compelling as Star Noodle. Since his departure, the […]

This post originally from Star Noodle, Lahaina, Maui

Why did we dine here? – Bistro Na’s is the first Michelin Starred Chinese restaurant in the Los Angeles area. It is located in the San Gabriel Valley (SGV), about 20 minutes from Downtown LA. This spot is the first outpost of a chain with several locations in China. This is a beautiful restaurant, definitely worth dining at. Be sure to read our Introduction to Chinese Dim Sum tutorial.   Insider Tip – Come with a large party Cuisine – Imperial Chinese Location – Temple City, Southern California Opened – 2018 Service – Bistro Na’s placed us in a booth that had few people passing by. Servers were competent but not very present. Verdict – Bistro Na’s serves up food worth a trip. Not many other restaurants have this type and level of cuisine. Lots of take out was going on. Is this restaurant worth a 5 minute drive? Yes. 30 minute? Yes. 1 Hour? Maybe. Bistro Na’s Signature Dishes – Crispy Shrimp, Na’s Drunken Chicken, Noodles Bistro Na’s Menu is very wide ranging, so it is important to narrow it down. Careful selection saves a ton of $$. Several options for vegetarians. Allergens are marked on the menu. Website Bistro […]

This post originally from Bistro Na’s, Tample City

Santa Ramen has a new owner in 2020. Santa Ramen is a very popular Japanese noodle Ramen restaurant in San Mateo. Mr. Kazunori Kobayashi sold this location in 2020 but continues to be the proprietor of nearby Ramen Dojo and Parlor. Located in a small shopping mall with a Diddams Ninja Japanese supermarket, Party Supply and JoAnn’s Fabric, the restaurant has achieved a legendary cult following and has long lines at both dinner and lunch times. We have eaten here many times with our last visit in 2020. Santa Ramen is the original, now in larger dig, better for parties 4+ Ramen Dojo is focuses on spicy ramen, perhaps a little better broth, toppings. Tiny location Ramen Parlor has more starters and variety on their menu The parking lot has got more busy and treacherous over the years. With the addition of Seapot All you can eat Chinese hot put, this center is really hopping. Be sure to check out our first encounter with legendary ramen in Tokyo. There is almost always a line even before the place opens.  You should arrive about 15 minutes before it opens to ensure you get a seat, otherwise come late and be prepared […]

This post originally from Santa Ramen Review, San Mateo

This post originally from Xian Famous Foods, New York City