soupçon's Profile
Sichuan Restaurants in Shanghai
IIRC you can make reservations online for the first seating for dinner at 辛香汇, though that may have changed. I haven't been to one in about 3 years.
Kuro (Black) Ramen in San Francisco?
I love noodles, though I'm not especially a ramen nut. However, I had a bowl of ramen at Hide-chan in New York a year or so ago that really rang my bell. It was called kuro ramen, and the broth was black from charred garlic. A ramen maven friend says they make a good kuro ramen at Maru Ichi in Mountain view, but I'm not sure I'm up for an hour+ train ride for a bowl of ramen. Is there any place in SF that serves this style of ramen?
Unreported Case of Mass Food Poisoning at Delfina Reflects a Gap in Food Supply Safety Net
That's sort of the point of the article. I inserted the name of the restaurant in my post's title so it would catch they eye of some of the zillions of Delfina fans out there, but apparently no one wants to read about it or think about it or talk about it. But jeez, you can't just pretend that nothing happened. As the catch phrase goes, "There oughta be a law..."
Unreported Case of Mass Food Poisoning at Delfina Reflects a Gap in Food Supply Safety Net
i guess you have to read the New York Times to keep informed of stuff like this.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/06/health/nutrition/unreported-food-poisoning-at-san-francisco-restaurant-spotlights-absence-of-law.html?_r=1&smid=tw-nytimesdining&seid=auto
Foie Gras countdown...
Foodies and foie gras are like Republicans and climate change. Anecdotal evidence trumps scientific research http://goo.gl/1Myt1
Foie Gras countdown...
Whether by force or persuasion, intentionally inducing a grossly diseased organ in a creature for one's own gratification cannot be considered humane.
Canton cafe owners planning to bring craft beer to the far North Country
According to this courier-Observer article, the couple who run the Blackbird Cafe in the college town of Canton are panning a microbrewery:
http://www.mpcourier.com/article/20120103/DCO01/301039987/-1/dco01
I had a nice panini there a couple of years back and and it will be nice for the lost traveler to be able to wash down a sandwich and salad with a fresh local brew.
http://goo.gl/XtCOl
Disastrous Year End for Chinatown Dim Sum -- Gold Mountain closed too.
The heart of Chinatown makes more sense than an Indian casino, particularly with the dearth of dim sum palaces there. Also, Willie Ng began his career as a restaurateur in San Francisco with the late, lamented Happy Valley, and may want to make a triumphant return.
Disastrous Year End for Chinatown Dim Sum -- Gold Mountain closed too.
There is currently a hot rumor among Chinatown merchants that Koi Palace will take over the Gold Mountain space. I can only hope it is true.
Y Ben House, SF Chinatown Closed
That's not in the cards or the plans under environmental review.
http://sfmea.sfplanning.org/2008.0762E_NOP.pdf
Y Ben House, SF Chinatown Closed
The posted notice of an EIR requirement is on the building next door (827 Pacific) which Chinese Hospital already leases and refers only to that building, not the building containing Y. Ben House (835 Pacific).
Disastrous Year End for Chinatown Dim Sum -- Gold Mountain closed too.
Have not been to New Asia in years, maybe decades, since it got so mediocre. It only averages 3 stars on Yelp, do I doubt it's improved much.
Disastrous Year End for Chinatown Dim Sum -- Gold Mountain closed too.
You are right, how could I forget Ocean City! here's Ruth Reichl's first impression of it:
http://goo.gl/Urjb8
"..although there are 1,500 seats, almost none are occupied by people who don't understand Cantonese."
Disastrous Year End for Chinatown Dim Sum -- Gold Mountain closed too.
I guess the Golden Era of Chinatown dim sum palaces is long gone. I recall when Gold Moiuntain, Meriwa, and Canton Tea house would all have long waits. It would be nice if New Asia would hire the best out-of-work dim sum chefs and up its game. It was there (when it was Asia Garden) that I cut my dim sum teeth, in the days when they still totted up the bill by counting the plates.
Disastrous Year End for Chinatown Dim Sum -- Gold Mountain closed too.
There have been two threads about Y. Ben closing, but nobody seems to have noticed that Gold Mountain also gave up the ghost the day after Christmas. That leaves New Asia as the last of the big old-style DS joints in Chinatown.
SF CH looking for authentic or different Chinese and Taiwanese food
Egads, why don't we (I) read dates on threads? Here I am responding to a question that became moot two years ago because the thread somehow resurfaced!
SF CH looking for authentic or different Chinese and Taiwanese food
Due respects, but I don't think anyone coming from San Francisco is going to be looking for Vietnamese food in New York.
SF CH looking for authentic or different Chinese and Taiwanese food
I'm from SF and visit NY once or twice a year and agree with Lau that you ought to try to get out to Flushing. Failing that, try to hit one of the Manhattan outlets of Xi'an Famous foods for some Xaanxi specialties
Dim Sum on the way to dropping me off at the airport?
You didn't mention whether this is a weekday or weekend day. If the latter, you also face a challenge just getting a table at 11:00 AM, espcially at Koi Palace (not sure about the lesser lights in the Millbrae area).
Today Golden Gate Bakery IS open.
I checked it out around the same time; there were 48 people in the line by my count. You can bet that nearly all of them were there for the egg tarts.
Today Golden Gate Bakery IS open.
Yesterday I posted about the strange sidewalk sale GG Bakery was having, selling egg tarts by the box from a darkened doorway. Today the lights were blazing, the door open and the line stretched out the door from inside. The (dare I say "inscrutable"?) bakery had, without notice or fanfare, shifted to apparent "open" mode, though I didn't notice if they were selling anything other than egg tarts.
I'm guessing they may also be open Christmas Day, Chinatown being Chinatown, but curious about what Monday will bring.
NEW: Roostertail, SF review w/ pic
I've yet to try the place, but the good news, from what I've read, is that it has Magic Hat #9 on tap.
Public Service Announcement: Golden Gate Bakery is NOT open.
Walked by Golden Gate Bakery today and was greeted by the strange sight of a line in front of the ostensibly closed premises. Turns out they were selling baked-to-order egg tarts by the dozen out the door to anyone who cared to wait in line. There was no posted notice, the place was dark inside and the "Closed For Vacation" sign still on the door. Every few minutes they would open the door and deliver another couple of boxes to customers waiting, money in hand.
I asked a couple of women in line how they had heard about the sale, and they told me they just happened to walk by, saw the line, and joined in.
Good ramen walking distance from SFMOMA/Yerba Buena? Or pho.
Katana-ya is about as good as ramen gets in downtown SF. Ajisen Ramen in the Westfield Mall is decent, too, but definitely has the fast food look.
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Katana-Ya
430 Geary St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Public Service Announcement: Golden Gate Bakery is NOT open.
In case you were planning to spend part of Christmas vacation lining up for an egg tart, forget about it. In what should be one of their busiest weeks of the year, Golden Gate Bakery is still on "vacation."
San Sun Restaurant moving to former Great Oriental space; displaced by Chinatown Subway Station construction.
Best option for banh mi in Chinatown may be Latte Express, in the 700 block of Kearny, next to the relocated Joy Hing. I think one of the two Vietnamese places on Broadway sells banh mi (but forgot which one).
I've almost got our dinners figured out. . .
Based on the rather "safe" (i.e. offal-averse) menu on Mama Testa's website, I'm guessing La Taqueria might be to your liking for Mexican.
I've almost got our dinners figured out. . .
I'd suggest Burmese Kitchen on Larkin St. for a more close-to-the-bone Burmese eating experience. The last time I was there, on a Sunday, the next table was occupied by two guys who had flown up from LA for the afternoon just to eat there.
Here's a recent article comparing the iconic Burmese tea leaf salad at several Bay Area Burmese venues:
http://articles.sfgate.com/2011-03-10/entertainment/28674836_1_tea-leaf-burmese-kitchen-lettuce
Souffles Cafe, new HK-style dessert cafe opens in Chinatown
I'm not a dessert fan so I don't keep score. There are a number of places in Chinatown with boba, gelato, crepes and other sweets, but i can't think of another one that appears to have a menu that broad.
Not trendy, but oh so good
Caffe Puccini has been flying under the food snob radar for quite a quite a while. In 2004 the Chronicle surveyed the pasta at 41 North Beach locations (yes, there are that many) and put Caffe Puccini among the 5 best, ahead of such pricey places as North Beach Restaurant. The Tuscan owner is said to make all the sauces himself. Try the rabbit sauce.
Puccini is also my favorite place for a cuppa and a pastry at some of the most affordable prices in North Beach.
http://goo.gl/NpqWW
