Red Jade - Chinese, San Francisco

Best Green Onion Pancake

245 Church Street, San Francisco CA 94114
(415) 621-3020
Parking: limited street parking
http://www.redjadesf.com/

Last Visited: March 21, 2010

Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 4 stars
Price: $ to $$$

My mom saw Red Jade featured on Check Please! and was so excited about trying their green onion pancake, that we had to make a stop here. Located in the Castro district, you might walk by Red Jade as it's rather non-assuming. I was very surprised to find such an elegant and charming atmosphere when I walked into the restaurant. From the soothing green walls to the wood bar and red walls behind the bar, you can tell it's not your typical Chinese restaurant (often run down or decorated in a 1980s style). Instead, it's fresh and a bit trendy, at least for a Chinese restaurant.

While one of the Check Please reviewers said there was plenty of parking, I beg to differ. I parked about a mile a way up a hill and walked it. Granted, it was around lunch time on a Sunday and she had gone on a weekday.

The staff was pleasant and chatty, offering suggestions for items that we could order.

One of the dishes we ordered came with a bowl hot and sour soup, but they were kind enough to give us a bowl for each person at the table. This added touch of service boosted them to a full four stars on their service rating.

- Green Onion Pancake - this was specially featured on the show, and indeed, it's a good cake. If you like your green onion pancake crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and somewhat thick, it's perfect. Usually, you find them not quite thoroughly cooked when thick, but this one was just fine. Served with a sweet peanut sauce, it's definitely unique (normally you just enjoy it with a little soy sauce and vinegar, but this peanut sauce can become addictive). Very good. $4.25

- House Special Dim Sum for Two - If you're new to dim sum or just want to try a sample platter, this is perfect for you. It's not the best dim sum in town, but it is certainly better than some. Four types of dim sum are offered - steamed bbq pork buns, shrimp dumplings, pork dumplings, and one other kind of dumpling. Their seemed to be a slight error by the chef in our order as we got three shrimp dumplings and only one of the other kind instead of two of each, but nonetheless, I thought the pork bun was good and the rest fell in the average category. At least the skin of the dumplings didn't fall apart (a good sign). The price is also very reasonable considering the variety and quantity (regular dim sum prices would be higher considering the variety available in one steamer here). $7.50

- Kung Pao Ostrich Special - I've had ostrich before, so it wasn't an entirely new dish for me, but it's the first time I've had ostrich in a Chinese restaurant. Like Kung Pao Chicken, this one in stir fried in a spicy sauce with some bell peppers and topped with peanuts. The meat was tender, juicy, and overall, it was a great dish. This is also the dish that came with the hot and sour soup. Presentation is also nice with a little lettuce and orange slices on the side. $10.95

The ambiance of Red Jade is definitely nicer than a lot of other Chinese restaurants of its size. There was also a wide variety of clientele, and from the dishes that I saw other people ordering, their lunch special is a terrific value with generous portions.

The menu shows that sesame balls may be ordered for dessert, but today, they came complimentary with our fortune cookies. While not the thinnest of doughs, the sesame ball was still really good - better than some that I've ordered for dim sum. It reminds me of the quality of what you would get if you made them at home yourself.

If Red Jade had more parking, I would definitely come a lot more to enjoy their green onion pancake and try out some of their other specials and it's a bargain for lunch specials too.