657 Trancas St, Napa CA 94558
(707) 255-8488
Hours: Mon thru Sat: 11am to 9pm, Sun: 4pm to 9pm
Parking: in shopping center
http://www.napanewyorkpizzakitchen.com/
Last Visited: July 9, 2004
Food: 4 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $$$
New York Pizza Kitchen is located inside Silverado Plaza, between Nob Hill Market and Longs Drugs Store. Upon entering the restaurant, you’ll see a counter to your left and a hallway adjacent to the kitchen on the right side. When you get to the back, you’ll see the dining area, which was larger than I expected since most of the view was blocked on my way in.
The walls are painted a bright yellow and there are posters of various cheeses and wine tasting information (e.g. flavors of various wines in terms of fruit, herbs, nutty, spices etc). The ceiling has a high skylight, and dangling from the skylight are two house plants. The booths lining the walls are dark green, and the lamps over each table are red. In the center of the room are regular tables. The table cloths are red and white checkered with glass on top of them. The remainder of the room is lit with black track lights on the high ceiling. In one corner sit a bunch of trophies with a picture of the New York skyline. In this same corner is a bookshelf filled with encyclopedias and numerous children’s books with authors including Dr. Seuss.
The place was quite busy and seemed to be filled with locals. The servers were wearing faded blue Monterey Bay Aquarium t-shirts with sharks on them. There is pizza as well as numerous pasta dishes available.
- Caesar Salad for Two – Romaine lettuce is topped with grated parmesan and croutons and served in a stainless steel bowl topped with two large Styrofoam cups filled with Caesar dressing. You are given tongs and allowed to serve yourselves. The lettuce was fresh, and there was an abundance of parmesan and croutons. The croutons could be lighter, but overall, the salad was very fresh and the dressing creamy and well flavored. (Caesar salad for one available for $6.99) $9.99
- New York Special Combo – Thin crust pizza with raised dough on the edges is topped with pepperoni, sausage, salami, medium sliced green pepper strips, diced onions, and mushroom slices. The marinara holds its own and the overall taste of the pizza is fresh and hot. The pizza dough is cooked just right so that the texture is not too hard, but still comes out soft and steaming. In fact, the pizza came out so hot that I could barely touch it. It’s topped with just the right amount of toppings so that the pizza wasn’t soggy or overwhelmed. Excellent. Small combos available for $14.99 through extra large for $23.99
There are eight combo selections available in sizes ranging from small (12 inches) to extra large (18 inches). You can also order the pizza by the topping. There are over 25 toppings available. All pizzas are served on a stand. They also have garlic bread, a family special, and kids menu available. The pasta selection allows you to select a la carte dining or dinner (which includes bread and a mixed green salad).
The food at New York Pizza Kitchen was excellent. The service was okay. The servers are on the younger side and are friendly. It’s a very casual environment. As mentioned above, the place seemed to be patronized by the locals. There were a few interesting characters in the place which gave the restaurant some interesting spice – it was fun to people watch. Service was average – our pizza took a long time to come out of the oven. I suspect our pizza went to another table that had arrived a little later than us but didn’t order any salad, so more than likely, they received ours and we received theirs. Also, since the place was full, we didn’t get as much attention toward the latter part of the meal, but service was still friendly. Good food and reasonable prices can be found at New York Pizza Kitchen making it worthy of a return visit.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Ivar's Fish Bar - Seafood, Seattle
Pier 54, 1001 Alaskan Way, Seattle CA 98104(206) 624-6852
Parking: pay street parking (except Sundays and certain evenings)
Hours for Fish Bar: Open until 11pm
Hours for Acres of Clams Restaurant next door: Mon - Thurs 11am - 10pm, Fri - Sat 11am - 11pm, Sun 9am - 2pm, 3:30pm - 10pm
http://ivars.com/
Last Visited: June 30 2009
Food: 4 star fried fish
Atmosphere: N/A
Service: 4 stars
Price: $$ to $$$
As I walked along the waterfront on my way to Pike Place Market, I walked past Ivar's fish bar. It was open, but it was way too early in the morning for fish and I had my mind and stomach set on touring Pike Place. Knowing that I would more than likely pass Ivar's on my way back to the rental car, I was not feeling a loss about walking by.
Located along the pier, you'll find Ivar's Fish Bar, a walk by/order counter with a covered seating area right next to Ivar's Acres of Clams, a sit down restaurant. If you're like me and stuffed when you visit, the Fish Bar is the perfect place to go because they'll let you order a la carte.- Fillet of Cod - The cod was lightly battered and fried crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside. Look at how beautifully golden it is. It was delicious. Something is very addictive about their tartar sauce - I could probably dip a whole bunch of stuff in their sauce - fries, fish, scallops, you name it. You just want to keep eating it. $2.39 a piece
As you can see from the menu, you can get salmon, cod, prawns, scallops, chicken and there are many other options. Once you have ordered, you go into the covered seating area containing picnic tables and enjoy your food. Beware of the seagulls - if you are fearful of birds, you may want to try to find another location. They are rather harmless birds, but you do feel like you've entered into the movie The Birds because of the quantity in the seated area hanging out there.
Also note that if your timing is right, you can get a great deal at the restaurant. The Beat the Tide Menu is available weekdays from 3pm to 5:30 p.m and you get a starter, entrée and dessert for only $19.38. 1938 is when they opened. Also enjoy some great views from the restaurant.
I would love to go back and try more of their dishes.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Sonoma Cheese Factory - Burgers/Sandwiches, Sonoma
2 West Spain St, Sonoma CA 95476
(707) 996-1931
Parking: public parking lot behind cheese factory
http://www.sonomajack.com/
Last Visited: June 27, 2004 (dine in), 2010 for cheese purchases
Food: 3 to 4 stars
Service: n/a
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Price: $
Sonoma Cheese Factory is actually a cheese factory. Most of the cheese is now made outside of the building in nearby Petaluma. This is a place I love to share with others, not just for the feeling of Sonoma, but for the cheese! They offer cheese tasting. In the refrigerator out front, you just walk yourself along the counter and try out all the cheeses. I usually suggest people go right to left so you can start out with traditional jack and then work your way through the flavored jack cheese. Flavored versions include garlic, pesto, Mediterranean, pepper, and others. Depending on what’s available, you may even get to try some cheddar, available in sharp and mild varieties as well as chili cheddar. If you’re lucky, they’ll have teleme which is much like brie in consistency. It’s one of my favorites.
Adjacent to the retail building is a dining area with rectangular tables and round tables under umbrellas.
I gave atmosphere 3 stars, but there’s really not much to share about the atmosphere except to say it’s a covered (thus shaded) area near the barbeque.
The menu for the grill includes hamburgers with choice of cheese and ribs. Inside the deli, you can order just about any type of sandwich you would like.
- Hamburger – Get a good hamburger with a lightly toasted bun and choice of cheese (Jack: Mediterranean, hot pepper, traditional and Cheddar: regular or chili cheese). There is a help yourself condiments bar where you can pile on the tomatoes, lettuce, onions, etc. $5
If you don’t know where to go while visiting plaza and want a good burger, check out the Sonoma Cheese Factory. Note that it may be chaotic when you go back inside to pay for your purchase if there are a lot of people around– there could definitely be some better organization, but once you make it back outside, your order will be just about ready and you can enjoy the Sonoma air.
(707) 996-1931
Parking: public parking lot behind cheese factory
http://www.sonomajack.com/
Last Visited: June 27, 2004 (dine in), 2010 for cheese purchases
Food: 3 to 4 stars
Service: n/a
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Price: $
Sonoma Cheese Factory is actually a cheese factory. Most of the cheese is now made outside of the building in nearby Petaluma. This is a place I love to share with others, not just for the feeling of Sonoma, but for the cheese! They offer cheese tasting. In the refrigerator out front, you just walk yourself along the counter and try out all the cheeses. I usually suggest people go right to left so you can start out with traditional jack and then work your way through the flavored jack cheese. Flavored versions include garlic, pesto, Mediterranean, pepper, and others. Depending on what’s available, you may even get to try some cheddar, available in sharp and mild varieties as well as chili cheddar. If you’re lucky, they’ll have teleme which is much like brie in consistency. It’s one of my favorites.
Adjacent to the retail building is a dining area with rectangular tables and round tables under umbrellas.
I gave atmosphere 3 stars, but there’s really not much to share about the atmosphere except to say it’s a covered (thus shaded) area near the barbeque.
The menu for the grill includes hamburgers with choice of cheese and ribs. Inside the deli, you can order just about any type of sandwich you would like.
- Hamburger – Get a good hamburger with a lightly toasted bun and choice of cheese (Jack: Mediterranean, hot pepper, traditional and Cheddar: regular or chili cheese). There is a help yourself condiments bar where you can pile on the tomatoes, lettuce, onions, etc. $5
If you don’t know where to go while visiting plaza and want a good burger, check out the Sonoma Cheese Factory. Note that it may be chaotic when you go back inside to pay for your purchase if there are a lot of people around– there could definitely be some better organization, but once you make it back outside, your order will be just about ready and you can enjoy the Sonoma air.
Friday, January 28, 2011
The Tea Cozy - English Tea, Cambria
4286 Bridge Street, Cambria, CA 93428(805) 927-8765
Parking: street parking
Hours: Wed through Sun 11am - 4pm
http://www.teacozy.com/
Last Visited: December 28, 2008
Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 4 to 5 stars
Service: 2 to 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$
First things first. You may not know what a tea cozy (or cosy for Brits) is, so let's get everyone on the same page. It's a padded cloth or wool covering used to keep a teapot warm. It can be knitted crocheted, sown, and more. In North America, they came into fashion around the mid-1800s.
Owned and operated by Tina Nickell, the Tea Cozy is located in Cambria's historic downtown. The Thorndyke House was built in the 1870s and this quaint cottage gives the place a romantic and rustic atmosphere. Walk into the place and the wood floors and carpeted rooms invite you to either go to the store in the rear where you'll find lovely tea, jams, biscuits, and other items or wander into the dining areas or soak in the assortment of decorations all around.There are dishes, teapots, framed items (like the picture of the queen), and of course, you can find more than a tea cozy or two. The knitted ones look so home made and warm, and of course the variety of patterns and colors are fun to look at. If you enjoy knick-knack shops, you'll love this place.
The tea menu offers numerous choices including green tea, black tea, flavored and blended teas. You'll find items like Peppermint Rose - a Moroccan mint blend with rose petals, Glory Bee - a blend of blueberries, pomegranate, and vanilla, Lapsang Souchong, Mango Indica, and Green Gunpowder. It was a little bit before noon when the four of us arrived, so we tried a variety of items and two pots of tea.
- Royal Tea for Two - You can order royal tea for one and add additional people to the order. We ordered royal tea for two and enjoyed an assortment of three tea sandwiches (your choice), cakes, petit fours, homemade scones, homemade preserves, double Devon cream, fresh fruit plus a continuous pot of tea. The tea pot comes in a tea cozy. You can see from the photo how cute the three tiered server looks and all of the cream and preserves accompany the offerings. Choices of sandwiches include English cheddar and chutney, salmon and cucumber, cream cheese and tomato, or egg salad and sprouts. The food is good and the items are fresh. It's not meant for someone with a huge appetite, but will suffice for most folks whom desire a light lunch. $35Also, you can add champagne for $4.50 or add sherry, wine, or port for $3.95.
To supplement our meal for four, we also ordered their special tea sandwich that was featured on the monthly menu. Tea Sandwiches are available $4.75 or the Special Sandwich is available for $5.75
Other members of our party split a soup and salad combination. Other items on the menu include soup and choice of sandwich (alternately, you could get a salad and choice of sandwich), British Pasty which is a combination of meat and vegetables baked in a pastry shell, fruit and cheese, and frittatas.
For four people, our bill was about $70 for lunch (including tip) and we were comfortably full. It's a delightful shop to visit, and while service was a little lacking due to the sudden rush of people without reservations, it was certainly leisurely. We sat for quite some time before someone came to take our order, and then we sat some more as we awaited our first pot of tea. The food came a bit after that and the check also took some time to come. This is not a good place if you need to rush and be somewhere else after, but if you have the time and don't mind that the pace may be slower, you'll enjoy the atmosphere. This is an excellent spot to take your grandmother, mother, aunt, niece, or daughter to spend some quality time and chat.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Taqueria Los Primos - Mexican, Sonoma
18375 Sonoma Highway, Sonoma CA 95476
(707) 935-3546
Parking: street parking
Last Visited: January 7, 2005
Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 1 to 2 stars
Service: 2 stars
Price: $ to $$
Francisco’s wife was raving about the Plancha pork at Taqueria Los Primos. She didn’t mention too much more about the other dishes to try, but it sounded worth checking out. Taqueria Los Primos is located in Boyes Hot Springs. They just got a new sign outside, but the bars on the windows are something I’m not accustomed to. Enter Taqueria Los Primos and you’ll see the counter which takes up about a third of the space in the main dining area. Next to the front counter is a refrigerator with a clear door displaying drinks and flan.
Signs hanging on the front counter indicate the specials such as flan for $2. Behind the counter is a window showing the kitchen. There is a room on each side of the main dining area. In the room to the right is a television on a high shelf. The white/cream paint in the room is peeling near the window sills. The paper menus sit in a plastic holder on the table along with the hot sauce and a napkin dispenser. The tables are brown formica and the chairs are maple. The floor is a reddish brown tile lined with runners down the main aisles. The look of the restaurant is a bit rundown, although there are still Mexican decorations – little figurines on the window sills and Mexican portraits featuring lilies and people. All of the portraits seem to be of larger figures with less defined features.
Upon our arrival, we received water without asking, chips, and two kinds of salsa – one fresh and one green. Receiving water without asking indicated good service. See more about service below. The chips were stale, but the salsa was okay. Tomatoes weren’t in season, but the fresh salsa had a nice flavoring. The green salsa was a bit spicy, but still okay.
- Plancha Pork - This was an excellent recommendation. Two slices of thin pork steak are barbecued in a chimichurri like sauce. The pork absorbs all of this flavor and the texture is tender and light. Very good. The pork is served with refried beans, rice topped with sauce, and lettuce topped with guacamole and sour cream. The guacamole is on the watery side, but the overall dish is good. Choice of flour or corn tortillas is available. I selected corn tortillas and they were served hot. A great dish to try out. $7
- Super Burrito – Choice of meat, beans, rice, guacamole, lettuce, and sour cream are wrapped in a flour tortilla. I selected chicken. The chicken was extremely rough and the burrito as a whole seemed very full of liquid (perhaps from the watery guacamole). It was average, but filling. $5
Service wasn’t particularly good. Although the waiter was friendly, he was very slow. Even after folding our menus closed, it seemed a long time before he came to take our order. After we finished our meal, it was a long time to get our receipt, and we ended up going to the front counter for it. The redeeming factor from getting one to two stars is that when they’re paying attention, they’re more than awesome. At our table, a knife was dropped on the floor. Just as we got up to ask for a knife, the waiter brought one over with a smile. Aside from this plus point, service was disappointing.
If you’re going to try Taqueria Los Primos, try the Plancha pork. The beans are good too. I didn’t get to try much, but stick to those two items and you should be pretty happy. I also saw a lot of people pick up food for take out. That might be the best way to check this place out.
(707) 935-3546
Parking: street parking
Last Visited: January 7, 2005
Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 1 to 2 stars
Service: 2 stars
Price: $ to $$
Francisco’s wife was raving about the Plancha pork at Taqueria Los Primos. She didn’t mention too much more about the other dishes to try, but it sounded worth checking out. Taqueria Los Primos is located in Boyes Hot Springs. They just got a new sign outside, but the bars on the windows are something I’m not accustomed to. Enter Taqueria Los Primos and you’ll see the counter which takes up about a third of the space in the main dining area. Next to the front counter is a refrigerator with a clear door displaying drinks and flan.
Signs hanging on the front counter indicate the specials such as flan for $2. Behind the counter is a window showing the kitchen. There is a room on each side of the main dining area. In the room to the right is a television on a high shelf. The white/cream paint in the room is peeling near the window sills. The paper menus sit in a plastic holder on the table along with the hot sauce and a napkin dispenser. The tables are brown formica and the chairs are maple. The floor is a reddish brown tile lined with runners down the main aisles. The look of the restaurant is a bit rundown, although there are still Mexican decorations – little figurines on the window sills and Mexican portraits featuring lilies and people. All of the portraits seem to be of larger figures with less defined features.
Upon our arrival, we received water without asking, chips, and two kinds of salsa – one fresh and one green. Receiving water without asking indicated good service. See more about service below. The chips were stale, but the salsa was okay. Tomatoes weren’t in season, but the fresh salsa had a nice flavoring. The green salsa was a bit spicy, but still okay.
- Plancha Pork - This was an excellent recommendation. Two slices of thin pork steak are barbecued in a chimichurri like sauce. The pork absorbs all of this flavor and the texture is tender and light. Very good. The pork is served with refried beans, rice topped with sauce, and lettuce topped with guacamole and sour cream. The guacamole is on the watery side, but the overall dish is good. Choice of flour or corn tortillas is available. I selected corn tortillas and they were served hot. A great dish to try out. $7
- Super Burrito – Choice of meat, beans, rice, guacamole, lettuce, and sour cream are wrapped in a flour tortilla. I selected chicken. The chicken was extremely rough and the burrito as a whole seemed very full of liquid (perhaps from the watery guacamole). It was average, but filling. $5
Service wasn’t particularly good. Although the waiter was friendly, he was very slow. Even after folding our menus closed, it seemed a long time before he came to take our order. After we finished our meal, it was a long time to get our receipt, and we ended up going to the front counter for it. The redeeming factor from getting one to two stars is that when they’re paying attention, they’re more than awesome. At our table, a knife was dropped on the floor. Just as we got up to ask for a knife, the waiter brought one over with a smile. Aside from this plus point, service was disappointing.
If you’re going to try Taqueria Los Primos, try the Plancha pork. The beans are good too. I didn’t get to try much, but stick to those two items and you should be pretty happy. I also saw a lot of people pick up food for take out. That might be the best way to check this place out.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Old Fisherman's Grotto - Seafood, Monterey
39 Fisherman's Wharf, Monterey CA 93940(831) 375-1331
Parking: pay parking lot or street parking within walking distance
Hours: 11am to 10pm
http://www.oldfishermansgrotto.com/
Last Visited: December 2009
Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 2 to 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$$
Old Fisherman’s Grotto (OFG) is one of those regular stops for me in Monterey. Donny recommended it because he loves the clam chowder there. And who could resist it? It’s creamy and filled with clams – oh so delicious. It has also won the Best Clam Chowder 2010 award as voted on by readers of the Monterey Coast Weekly.
Located along the wharf, there are numerous choices for places to eat here. The Shake family has owned this place since the 1950s when it was first founded. The elder Shake is credited for innovating the tradition to hand out samples of the clam chowder to those passing by. Now you see that all over Monterey.
It’s a rather large restaurant with dining areas upstairs and it offers great views of the waterfront. You feel a bit like you’re taking a walk back in time into one of those old style Italian restaurants, except that here, it’s seafood. Local produce and seafood abound on the menu which offers a variety of items – hot appetizers including steamed mussels, fried calamari, and crab cakes, cold appetizers including shrimp cocktail and oysters on the half shell, many pasta dishes, grilled items, and of course, seafood. Portions are also huge, so there’s really no reason why anyone should go hungry.
When you step into OFG, you’ll be given a big basket of bread. If you have stopped in at a hotel beforehand, sometimes you’ll find specials for a complimentary appetizer, so be on the lookout for that.- Original 'Monterey Style' Clam Chowder – I love the presentation of the clam chowder – in a bowl shaped like a clam shell – it’s so pleasant and inviting. The fragrance of clams is noticeable at first bite, and the creamy texture of the soup warms you up. I always get a cup of clam chowder when I stop in at OFG. Cup $4.95, Clam Bowl $11.95, Sourdough Bread Bowl $11.95
- Fried Calamari - Monterey Bay calamari strips and tentacles are lightly seasoned, floured and deep fried. These pieces are crispy on the outside and tender within. Served with tartar sauce, cocktail sauce and lemon, they’re a great way to start a meal. $ 10.95- Caesar Salad - Hearts of romaine are dressed in a Caesar dressing and topped with anchovies. It’s served with a side of garlic bread. It’s a little bit pricey for just the plain salad, but the portion is very large and could definitely be shared by two. If
you’re not stuffed from the bread served at the table, you will be after this additional piece. $11.95- Fish & Chips - New Zealand cod is breaded and deep fried. The dish is served with French fries, malt vinegar, tartar sauce and lemon. While it’s not as good as what you might find in England, it’s definitely one of the better fish and chips that I have found on the left coast. $14.95
- Ocean Combo - From the photo at the top of the page, you can see that the portions are healthy. Here we have tilapia, salmon, and fried calamari. All are fresh and delicious. $22.95I couldn’t find a mixed seafood Caesar on the menu on the website, but I’m pretty sure that’s what the picture is depicting. The grilled shrimp and scallops were tasty and very fresh.
After several visits, I have been consistently pleased with my food
experiences in Monterey at OFG. In terms of food, the seafood is fresh, the food is served at the right temperature, and the flavors are great – never overwhelming or under seasoned.The only issue that I have had with each visit is service. My first visit had excellent service. The wait staff is seasoned – they anticipate your needs and come check on you at just the right rate. Staff comes by to refill your water glasses frequently. However, one nice touch is that they always give a lady a flower, typically carnations, at the end of the meal before they leave for the night. While this gesture is quite generous and would make your day, I have never received a flower after any of my visits while those at tables around me seem to get flowers all the time. There are also times when the atmosphere has so many large parties that it’s very loud and hard to hear the conversation at the table.
As you can tell, the service or lack thereof has not deterred me from returning to OFG. I enjoy the food just that much. However, keep in mind that service has room for improvement. Also, wait times can be long on weekend evenings despite the larger size of the facility.
Note also that the Fish Hopper and several other local restaurants are also owned by the Shake family, so if you taste that same clam chowder elsewhere, don’t be too surprised.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Taste of the Himalayas - Sonoma
464 First St East, Sonoma CA 95476
Parking: street parking
(707) 996-1161
Last Visited: 2003
Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$
Taste of the Himalayas offers a new flavor for Sonoma, and is particularly rare in Sonoma County. The restaurant is small, but quaint. The facility is family operated. The decorations include pictures of scenery from the Himalayas. If you plan to dine here during peak hours, you may wish to make reservations, otherwise you’ll be in for a wait. There is minimal patio seating.
I don’t remember the specific dishes I tried. I know that I tasted a Tandoori chicken dish and a curry dish. Both were flavorful and good. Service was fair during my visit because the place was packed. Since I was seated near the kitchen, it also wasn’t the most ambient spot and the evening was hot. Ventilation could be improved. I found the food offered to be unique and would certainly be willing to visit again.
Parking: street parking
(707) 996-1161
Last Visited: 2003
Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$
Taste of the Himalayas offers a new flavor for Sonoma, and is particularly rare in Sonoma County. The restaurant is small, but quaint. The facility is family operated. The decorations include pictures of scenery from the Himalayas. If you plan to dine here during peak hours, you may wish to make reservations, otherwise you’ll be in for a wait. There is minimal patio seating.
I don’t remember the specific dishes I tried. I know that I tasted a Tandoori chicken dish and a curry dish. Both were flavorful and good. Service was fair during my visit because the place was packed. Since I was seated near the kitchen, it also wasn’t the most ambient spot and the evening was hot. Ventilation could be improved. I found the food offered to be unique and would certainly be willing to visit again.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Top Pot Doughnuts - Seattle, Washington
124 5th Ave, Seattle WA 98121(206) 728-1966
Parking: street parking
Hours: Mon-Fri 6am - 7 pm, Weekends, 7am - 7pm
http://www.toppotdoughnuts.com/
Last Visited: April 1, 2011
Food: 4 stars
Atmosphere: 4 to 5 stars
Service: 4 stars
Price: $
We had just taken the Ride the Ducks Seattle Tour and as we were driving along 5th Avenue, our tour guide, Flip, mentioned how Top Pot Doughnuts had just been named #1 on evening magazine’s best of western Washington. Of course, since we were walking back to our car from the starting point of the tour, Top Pot would have to become one of our stops along the way.Like so many other well-known businesses, Top Pot has a great story. They started off with a concept that a doughnut shop doesn’t need to be a fluorescent-lit fast food place. It could be something cool, and indeed, when we walked in to this Top Pot café (there are currently seven locations in the Puget Sound area), we were impressed of how it reminded us more of a bookstore than a doughnut shop. It was super quiet (of course, it was later in the afternoon), and the display case showed a lovely assortment of donuts.
With a limited stomach, we opted to select four doughnuts. My favorite is an old-fashioned so that was definitely one of them. We also got a cake doughnut, glazed old-fashioned, and chocolate cake doughnut. To get something a little unique, we tried their seasonal cherry blossom cake doughnut. I forgot to take the photo before enjoying a bite, so the photo is one in the process of being eaten.Standard doughnuts sell for 99 cents. A premium doughnut (like the cherry blossom) sells for $1.49.
The doughnuts were all very good and the cherry blossom was so fragrant and you could taste hints of cherry throughout each bite.
A fun experience for any Seattle visitor, these hand-forged doughnuts will be a treat. However, what stood out for me most was how they had set up their unique cafés.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Zuzu - Spanish/Mediterranean, Napa
829 Main Street, Napa CA 94559
(707) 224-8555
No Reservations allowed.
Parking: Street parking
http://www.zuzunapa.com/
Last Visited: September 24, 2006
Food: 2 stars
Atmosphere: 4 stars
Service: 2 stars
Price: $ to $$
Be sure to read through to the end since the first half of this review covers my 2003 visit while the latter portion covers the 2006 visit.
The décor is warm with earth tones - lots of browns and greens. The music played on the stereo system is Spanish style. When we arrived, the first half hour was from the sound system. The rest was from a live group upstairs. I preferred the sound system. The start and stop of the music upstairs was a little distracting.
There’s not much on the table. Brown paper, a candle, silverware, and a stack of small plates for the tapas yet to come. The menu is divided – cold tapas on the top, tapas served hot on the bottom.
- Dish of Mediterranean olives – A plentiful dish of seasoned kalamata and green olives $3
- Boquerones – White anchovies with an endive salad on top. The endive is tossed in fragrant lemon oil and vinegar with fresh herbs and sprouts. It’s light and refreshing. Two servings. $4
- Heirloom tomatoes salad with feta cheese – drizzled with olive oil and salt and pepper – looks appetizing with red, yellow, and green tomatoes, and the oil is great for dipping bread $6
- Seabass special – Sea bass is browned and baked served on a swirl of mashed potatoes along with some marinated red and yellow peppers – nice flavoring from the oil, but I didn’t like this dish as much. If they had used another fish, I would have been okay with it, but I prefer the buttery seabass over this cut. $8
- Argentinian Marinated Flat-Iron Steak – This is served with chimichurri – a mix of herbs, Argentinian style. About seven or eight slices of beef are fanned on the plate and served medium. The seasoning is a little spicy and very fragrant and colorful. I kept thinking this would be excellent on a toasted French bun or with some mashed potatoes. Very flavorful. $8
- Semolina Cake – This dessert is excellent. Served warm with a scoop of meyer lemon crème, and a strawberry and rhubarb sauce. Intense strawberry flavors mingle with the cake and the lemon. It’s one of the best desserts I’ve had in a while. $6
Note: The bathroom is dark – yellow lighting - I suppose to give it some unique feeling. Street parking is ample. Service is good, though our server was a little clumsy when taking our order and dropped all her papers on the floor. Other than that, they are attentive – taking away all the plates as necessary. The tables don’t leave much space, so this is a good thing.
Almost three years to the date, I returned to Zuzu hoping to have a spectacular meal like my last visit, but I was soon disappointed. However, compared to my experience at John Ash, the folks at Zuzu had a much better reaction. Yet, they still failed to live up to expectations, and I more than likely won’t be back.
- Shaved Artichoke and Portobello Mushroom Salad with Lemon Truffle Vinaigrette and Sao Jorge – Well, this sounded lovely, and it tasted pretty good too, until my dining companion found a hair in her salad. We were splitting this small plate. The waiter asked if we would like another one, and when we declined, he said he would remove it from the bill. Considering this was a starter, it basically ruined my dinner, and I really should have walked out at this point rather than continue further. Nonetheless, this is a better reaction than the aforementioned experience, but once there is a hair in the food, I make it a rule not to go back. Had it not been for the hair, this would have been listed as great since the vinaigrette was light and had nice flavor. $8
- Paella del Dia – Served in a small cast iron pan, this paella contained chorizo and lamb. The meat was cooked nicely – the chorizo sliced and the lamb in small pieces, but the paella seemed to be too tough – the rice would have been better had it been a touch softer and more tender. This one had too much bite for rice. Fair. If you decide to go for this dish, share it with someone. The paella for two is a bit much for quantity if you plan to enjoy other items. $9
- Bunuelitos de Jamon – These were described as Andalusian Black Forest ham fritters. The waiter mentioned that they were new to the menu, so be sure to let them know how it tasted. I found the fritters to be a little dark in color – more than just golden brown. They tasted okay for flavor, but a bit soft on the inside and too hard on the outside. Fair. $7
- Bacalao – The Salt cod was baked in a small dish and topped with white truffle oil. It was served with small garlic crostini that were quite golden and crispy. This was probably my favorite dish of the evening. The bacalao was baked in a wide mouthed dish that was fairly shallow, so lots of the bacalao had become golden on the top, given a different mouth feel from the fish at the bottom of the dish. It had excellent flavor and seemed endless as we ran out of the crostini and had to switch over to the bread at our table. Very good and not too salty. $9
- Moroccan BBQ Glazed Lamb Chop – The lamb chop had great flavor and texture, but the BBQ glaze was Hoisin sauce. I was surprised by this, and felt it to be too sweet. I expected the description to mention Hoisin sauce if it was used as the primary base, but it only said BBQ Glazed. Although the lamb chop was tender and nicely grilled, the sweetness was a bit overwhelming. Okay. $14
- Organic Broccolini - Sautéed with garlic, lemon, and chili flakes, the tender broccolini is cooked until bright green. I thought this was a bit overdone with garlic and chili flakes, so much that you couldn’t taste the vegetable itself. I would have toned down both so that the flavor would be more mild, and I would have browned the garlic more. Fair. $6
They also offered a fried manchego cheese dish that I had wanted to order, and when I saw it at the next table, it looked like it was breaded and very nicely done.
Aside from the food issue, there were service issues too. When we left, our server didn’t say goodbye. I made eye contact with another member of the wait staff who said good night, but I really wanted my server to say good bye and to apologize again. That would have been much better considering we were seated upstairs and coming down the stairs where he was standing, I was aware that he saw us and chose to avoid us. I felt that there was significant room for improvement in how to handle this good bye greeting and graciously acknowledge us with an apologetic manner, yet the absence of such a greeting seemed to indicate failure in service.
I really liked Zuzu, but after this last visit, I don’t have plans to go back. Food and service were dropped from four star ratings to 2 stars because of the hair and service issue, which is still more than generous. The food flavor is still good, but eat the food with a close eye if you choose to visit.
(707) 224-8555
No Reservations allowed.
Parking: Street parking
http://www.zuzunapa.com/
Last Visited: September 24, 2006
Food: 2 stars
Atmosphere: 4 stars
Service: 2 stars
Price: $ to $$
Be sure to read through to the end since the first half of this review covers my 2003 visit while the latter portion covers the 2006 visit.
The décor is warm with earth tones - lots of browns and greens. The music played on the stereo system is Spanish style. When we arrived, the first half hour was from the sound system. The rest was from a live group upstairs. I preferred the sound system. The start and stop of the music upstairs was a little distracting.
There’s not much on the table. Brown paper, a candle, silverware, and a stack of small plates for the tapas yet to come. The menu is divided – cold tapas on the top, tapas served hot on the bottom.
- Dish of Mediterranean olives – A plentiful dish of seasoned kalamata and green olives $3
- Boquerones – White anchovies with an endive salad on top. The endive is tossed in fragrant lemon oil and vinegar with fresh herbs and sprouts. It’s light and refreshing. Two servings. $4
- Heirloom tomatoes salad with feta cheese – drizzled with olive oil and salt and pepper – looks appetizing with red, yellow, and green tomatoes, and the oil is great for dipping bread $6
- Seabass special – Sea bass is browned and baked served on a swirl of mashed potatoes along with some marinated red and yellow peppers – nice flavoring from the oil, but I didn’t like this dish as much. If they had used another fish, I would have been okay with it, but I prefer the buttery seabass over this cut. $8
- Argentinian Marinated Flat-Iron Steak – This is served with chimichurri – a mix of herbs, Argentinian style. About seven or eight slices of beef are fanned on the plate and served medium. The seasoning is a little spicy and very fragrant and colorful. I kept thinking this would be excellent on a toasted French bun or with some mashed potatoes. Very flavorful. $8
- Semolina Cake – This dessert is excellent. Served warm with a scoop of meyer lemon crème, and a strawberry and rhubarb sauce. Intense strawberry flavors mingle with the cake and the lemon. It’s one of the best desserts I’ve had in a while. $6
Note: The bathroom is dark – yellow lighting - I suppose to give it some unique feeling. Street parking is ample. Service is good, though our server was a little clumsy when taking our order and dropped all her papers on the floor. Other than that, they are attentive – taking away all the plates as necessary. The tables don’t leave much space, so this is a good thing.
Almost three years to the date, I returned to Zuzu hoping to have a spectacular meal like my last visit, but I was soon disappointed. However, compared to my experience at John Ash, the folks at Zuzu had a much better reaction. Yet, they still failed to live up to expectations, and I more than likely won’t be back.
- Shaved Artichoke and Portobello Mushroom Salad with Lemon Truffle Vinaigrette and Sao Jorge – Well, this sounded lovely, and it tasted pretty good too, until my dining companion found a hair in her salad. We were splitting this small plate. The waiter asked if we would like another one, and when we declined, he said he would remove it from the bill. Considering this was a starter, it basically ruined my dinner, and I really should have walked out at this point rather than continue further. Nonetheless, this is a better reaction than the aforementioned experience, but once there is a hair in the food, I make it a rule not to go back. Had it not been for the hair, this would have been listed as great since the vinaigrette was light and had nice flavor. $8
- Paella del Dia – Served in a small cast iron pan, this paella contained chorizo and lamb. The meat was cooked nicely – the chorizo sliced and the lamb in small pieces, but the paella seemed to be too tough – the rice would have been better had it been a touch softer and more tender. This one had too much bite for rice. Fair. If you decide to go for this dish, share it with someone. The paella for two is a bit much for quantity if you plan to enjoy other items. $9
- Bunuelitos de Jamon – These were described as Andalusian Black Forest ham fritters. The waiter mentioned that they were new to the menu, so be sure to let them know how it tasted. I found the fritters to be a little dark in color – more than just golden brown. They tasted okay for flavor, but a bit soft on the inside and too hard on the outside. Fair. $7
- Bacalao – The Salt cod was baked in a small dish and topped with white truffle oil. It was served with small garlic crostini that were quite golden and crispy. This was probably my favorite dish of the evening. The bacalao was baked in a wide mouthed dish that was fairly shallow, so lots of the bacalao had become golden on the top, given a different mouth feel from the fish at the bottom of the dish. It had excellent flavor and seemed endless as we ran out of the crostini and had to switch over to the bread at our table. Very good and not too salty. $9
- Moroccan BBQ Glazed Lamb Chop – The lamb chop had great flavor and texture, but the BBQ glaze was Hoisin sauce. I was surprised by this, and felt it to be too sweet. I expected the description to mention Hoisin sauce if it was used as the primary base, but it only said BBQ Glazed. Although the lamb chop was tender and nicely grilled, the sweetness was a bit overwhelming. Okay. $14
- Organic Broccolini - Sautéed with garlic, lemon, and chili flakes, the tender broccolini is cooked until bright green. I thought this was a bit overdone with garlic and chili flakes, so much that you couldn’t taste the vegetable itself. I would have toned down both so that the flavor would be more mild, and I would have browned the garlic more. Fair. $6
They also offered a fried manchego cheese dish that I had wanted to order, and when I saw it at the next table, it looked like it was breaded and very nicely done.
Aside from the food issue, there were service issues too. When we left, our server didn’t say goodbye. I made eye contact with another member of the wait staff who said good night, but I really wanted my server to say good bye and to apologize again. That would have been much better considering we were seated upstairs and coming down the stairs where he was standing, I was aware that he saw us and chose to avoid us. I felt that there was significant room for improvement in how to handle this good bye greeting and graciously acknowledge us with an apologetic manner, yet the absence of such a greeting seemed to indicate failure in service.
I really liked Zuzu, but after this last visit, I don’t have plans to go back. Food and service were dropped from four star ratings to 2 stars because of the hair and service issue, which is still more than generous. The food flavor is still good, but eat the food with a close eye if you choose to visit.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
The Original Pancake House - Breakfast, Fremont
39222 Fremont Boulevard, Fremont CA 94538
(510) 744-1957
Parking: in parking lot
http://www.originalpancakehouse.com/
Last Visited: January 1, 2010
Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 2 to 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $ to $$
After being out somewhat late the night before, my buddy Chi brought me to The Original Pancake House to get some breakfast. She suggested that I try the Swedish Pancakes or the Apple Pancake. After reading the sugary description that went with the Apple Pancake, I opted to try the Swedish Pancakes instead.
Founded in Oregon, the Original Pancake House is a family business that has since been franchised. Enter this funny shaped building (look for the triangle shape out front) and you'll feel a lot like you're steppi ng into a Carrows - very traditional decor. We entered and were promptly seated. The chairs don't seem to be the type you would normally find at a restaurant, but they're cushioned and comfortable. My silverware had something on it so that dropped atmosphere to a two to three star range.
The menu features waffles, crepes, omelettes, and of course, pancakes.
- Swedish pancake - These are thin lacey pancakes - much like a crepe, but with even browning. Served with lingonberries and whipped butter, it was a lighter way to enjoy pancakes.
If I had the chance to go back, I would probably try the dutch baby - an oven baked massive thing that looks like something that would be good and meet my daily carbohydrate intake.
In any case, while it doesn't stand out as an exceptional place to go, the Original Pancake House is a nice place for a traditional breakfast and some other treats. Since the restaurant is larger than most cafes, it looks like it would accommodate a good-sized group too.
(510) 744-1957
Parking: in parking lot
http://www.originalpancakehouse.com/
Last Visited: January 1, 2010
Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 2 to 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $ to $$
After being out somewhat late the night before, my buddy Chi brought me to The Original Pancake House to get some breakfast. She suggested that I try the Swedish Pancakes or the Apple Pancake. After reading the sugary description that went with the Apple Pancake, I opted to try the Swedish Pancakes instead.
Founded in Oregon, the Original Pancake House is a family business that has since been franchised. Enter this funny shaped building (look for the triangle shape out front) and you'll feel a lot like you're steppi ng into a Carrows - very traditional decor. We entered and were promptly seated. The chairs don't seem to be the type you would normally find at a restaurant, but they're cushioned and comfortable. My silverware had something on it so that dropped atmosphere to a two to three star range.
The menu features waffles, crepes, omelettes, and of course, pancakes.
- Swedish pancake - These are thin lacey pancakes - much like a crepe, but with even browning. Served with lingonberries and whipped butter, it was a lighter way to enjoy pancakes.If I had the chance to go back, I would probably try the dutch baby - an oven baked massive thing that looks like something that would be good and meet my daily carbohydrate intake.
In any case, while it doesn't stand out as an exceptional place to go, the Original Pancake House is a nice place for a traditional breakfast and some other treats. Since the restaurant is larger than most cafes, it looks like it would accommodate a good-sized group too.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Empress of China - Chinese, San Francisco
838 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 434-1345
Hours: Open Daily 11:00am-10:00pm
Parking: street parking and pay parking lot in basement
http://www.empressofchinasf.com/
Last Visited: June 12, 2010
Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$
Empress of China is the only roof top Chinese restaurant in Chinatown. The décor features Han dynasty architecture and ornaments. This evening, we dined banquet-style in the ballroom. The ballroom is large and seats hundreds. I have been here for several banquets, most recently in 2010 and 2004.
The large room features a view of the city from the large windows. From the ceiling hang red lanterns like those seen in movies, and even larger lanterns are displayed in the front of the room.
Service seemed to be dependent on the server here. For the evening in 2004, the service was about two stars. The quantity of food wasted was incredible, however, I noticed that this was done for efficiency this evening. However, other servers seemed to give better service both in attitude and the handling of the banquet-style service. For those who don’t typically dine banquet-style, the difficulty for the server is that there are numerous plates on the lazy susan, and in order to make room for more plates, something must be done with the dishes already on the table. At upper class restaurants, the server typically will remove dishes that are half eaten and place the food onto smaller plates, then return the smaller plate to the table. Our server seemed a bit lazy this evening and didn’t seem happy about our request for this to be done. I gave the service a range of 2 to 3 stars in 2004 since other servers were observed to be more efficient and kind.
In 2010, the servers seem to be more cognizant about the previous waste and either leave food on the table, change to smaller serving dishes, and allow for items to be boxed up to take home. I raised the service rating to a flat 3 stars because of this change.
The dishes below are for the 2004 visit.
- Minced Chicken and Chinese Sausage with Lettuce Cup – Chicken, Chinese sausage, preserved cabbage, and other vegetables are minced and served with lettuce cups. Lettuce is peeled to retain its cup formation, and the edges are cut with a zig-zag patterned scissor. On the side is a hoisin sauce based sauce. The presentation of the lettuce is great and the lettuce was very fresh. The flavors are nicely blended, but I prefer my minced meat to have more water chestnuts giving that extra crunch.
- Golden Chives and Dry Scallop Soup – The soup was nicely done with a good consistency to the broth. There were a lot of dry scallops and the flavor was mild, but appropriate.
- Szechwan Style Prawns – Prawns are sautéed with red pepper flakes and other spices and scattered amongst the shrimp are colorful bell peppers. The flavor is nice with a little spiciness from the red pepper flakes.
- Roasted Chicken with Special Bean Curd Sauce – Chicken is roasted to golden brown. The chicken is served with a red bean curd sauce on the side. The sauce was a bit watered down. The chicken was a bit dry, and since it had been covered to retain its heat, the parsley garnish had wilted. The color of the chicken was nice, but the meat could be more moist.
- Sauteed Vegetarian Delight – Mustard greens are served under a multitude of shitake mushrooms and straw mushrooms. This dish was nicely done, but the name seems to imply more than what was served. Perhaps my expectations were different, and the two just didn’t line up.
- Wok Fried Fresh Flounder – A whole flounder is deep fried and served whole with soy sauce for seafood. The fish was good, but not the best. The crunchiness of the fish could be improved.
- Seafood Delicacies Stuffed in Winter Melon – Pieces of shrimp, mushrooms, and other delights are served in a sauce under braised winter melon. The delicacies aren’t really stuffed, but more hidden beneath the melon. The delicacies themselves aren’t as exciting as the melon. A portion of giant wintermelon is braised until the entire piece is soft, but not falling apart. The consistency was lovely and since the melon is served whole, you see a large circle of melon on the dish. The melon is then cut like a pie into wedges. It’s excellent.
- Braised Westlake Duck – Another excellent dish. Duck is braised until the meat falls off the bone. The duck is served with barley and lettuce in a sauce. The duck is done very nicely as well and certainly a specialty in itself.
- Almond Tofu – The dessert this evening was almond tofu, but it’s the kind from the box, which has a bit of a fake flavor. It was equivalent to that from the box. Nothing special.
The main improvement to the evening would be the changing of plates as the dinner went onward. Since a number of dishes had a lot of sauce, the flavors were beginning to be mingled together, resulting in loss of distinctness. This was especially noticeable after the shrimp was served. Everything seemed to have a bit of spiciness to it after that. Since an appetizer plate was provided, an alternative would be to remove the appetizer plate later after more courses had been served. Not every dish is number one, but some dishes are definitely special and worth a try.
During our 2010 visit, there was a stuffed duck. This is a traditional dish where the meat is braised to the point that it completely falls off the bone. The stuffing typically includes lotus nuts, taro, and more so that a single bite is super rich and flavorful. I usually can't eat much of it. Though not of exceptional quality, the food is good and Empress of China certainly offers choice views of the city when it comes to Chinatown restaurants.
(415) 434-1345
Hours: Open Daily 11:00am-10:00pm
Parking: street parking and pay parking lot in basement
http://www.empressofchinasf.com/
Last Visited: June 12, 2010
Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$
Empress of China is the only roof top Chinese restaurant in Chinatown. The décor features Han dynasty architecture and ornaments. This evening, we dined banquet-style in the ballroom. The ballroom is large and seats hundreds. I have been here for several banquets, most recently in 2010 and 2004.
The large room features a view of the city from the large windows. From the ceiling hang red lanterns like those seen in movies, and even larger lanterns are displayed in the front of the room.
Service seemed to be dependent on the server here. For the evening in 2004, the service was about two stars. The quantity of food wasted was incredible, however, I noticed that this was done for efficiency this evening. However, other servers seemed to give better service both in attitude and the handling of the banquet-style service. For those who don’t typically dine banquet-style, the difficulty for the server is that there are numerous plates on the lazy susan, and in order to make room for more plates, something must be done with the dishes already on the table. At upper class restaurants, the server typically will remove dishes that are half eaten and place the food onto smaller plates, then return the smaller plate to the table. Our server seemed a bit lazy this evening and didn’t seem happy about our request for this to be done. I gave the service a range of 2 to 3 stars in 2004 since other servers were observed to be more efficient and kind.
In 2010, the servers seem to be more cognizant about the previous waste and either leave food on the table, change to smaller serving dishes, and allow for items to be boxed up to take home. I raised the service rating to a flat 3 stars because of this change.
The dishes below are for the 2004 visit.
- Minced Chicken and Chinese Sausage with Lettuce Cup – Chicken, Chinese sausage, preserved cabbage, and other vegetables are minced and served with lettuce cups. Lettuce is peeled to retain its cup formation, and the edges are cut with a zig-zag patterned scissor. On the side is a hoisin sauce based sauce. The presentation of the lettuce is great and the lettuce was very fresh. The flavors are nicely blended, but I prefer my minced meat to have more water chestnuts giving that extra crunch.
- Golden Chives and Dry Scallop Soup – The soup was nicely done with a good consistency to the broth. There were a lot of dry scallops and the flavor was mild, but appropriate.
- Szechwan Style Prawns – Prawns are sautéed with red pepper flakes and other spices and scattered amongst the shrimp are colorful bell peppers. The flavor is nice with a little spiciness from the red pepper flakes.
- Roasted Chicken with Special Bean Curd Sauce – Chicken is roasted to golden brown. The chicken is served with a red bean curd sauce on the side. The sauce was a bit watered down. The chicken was a bit dry, and since it had been covered to retain its heat, the parsley garnish had wilted. The color of the chicken was nice, but the meat could be more moist.
- Sauteed Vegetarian Delight – Mustard greens are served under a multitude of shitake mushrooms and straw mushrooms. This dish was nicely done, but the name seems to imply more than what was served. Perhaps my expectations were different, and the two just didn’t line up.
- Wok Fried Fresh Flounder – A whole flounder is deep fried and served whole with soy sauce for seafood. The fish was good, but not the best. The crunchiness of the fish could be improved.
- Seafood Delicacies Stuffed in Winter Melon – Pieces of shrimp, mushrooms, and other delights are served in a sauce under braised winter melon. The delicacies aren’t really stuffed, but more hidden beneath the melon. The delicacies themselves aren’t as exciting as the melon. A portion of giant wintermelon is braised until the entire piece is soft, but not falling apart. The consistency was lovely and since the melon is served whole, you see a large circle of melon on the dish. The melon is then cut like a pie into wedges. It’s excellent.
- Braised Westlake Duck – Another excellent dish. Duck is braised until the meat falls off the bone. The duck is served with barley and lettuce in a sauce. The duck is done very nicely as well and certainly a specialty in itself.
- Almond Tofu – The dessert this evening was almond tofu, but it’s the kind from the box, which has a bit of a fake flavor. It was equivalent to that from the box. Nothing special.
The main improvement to the evening would be the changing of plates as the dinner went onward. Since a number of dishes had a lot of sauce, the flavors were beginning to be mingled together, resulting in loss of distinctness. This was especially noticeable after the shrimp was served. Everything seemed to have a bit of spiciness to it after that. Since an appetizer plate was provided, an alternative would be to remove the appetizer plate later after more courses had been served. Not every dish is number one, but some dishes are definitely special and worth a try.
During our 2010 visit, there was a stuffed duck. This is a traditional dish where the meat is braised to the point that it completely falls off the bone. The stuffing typically includes lotus nuts, taro, and more so that a single bite is super rich and flavorful. I usually can't eat much of it. Though not of exceptional quality, the food is good and Empress of China certainly offers choice views of the city when it comes to Chinatown restaurants.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Macau Cafe - Chinese, Sacramento
4406 Del Rio Rd, Sacramento, CA 95822(916) 457-8818
Parking: in shopping center parking lot
Last Visited: July 12, 2009
Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 2 to 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$
Although Macau Cafe is a chain, I wanted to write about it because there aren't many in the area. The one in Richmond closed a while back. I used to go there fairly regularly.
Macau Cafe serves up Chinese/Cantonese standards like beef chow fun, Hong Kong style noodles and more.
Shown in the picture are four of the many dishes we had this afternoon for lunch. Salt and pepper pork ribs, rock cod fillet with fresh vegetables (carrots and cauliflower in this case), crispy chicken, and eggplant with green onion and ginger. The eggplant dish is pretty innovative - it's meant to simulate the texture and flavors of ginger and green onion chicken. While some of the fried meat was a little more dry than we prefer, perhaps you might call it extra crispy, most of the sauteed dishes are done well for a reasonable price - typically between $7 and $10.
We also brought a fish and they cooked it for us for about $7. This is a great price for steaming the fish in the way that they do with ginger and green onions.
While not the place for a gourmet meal, Macau Cafe is a good stop for a quick meal. The tile floor and postings of special dishes on the walls may not add to ambiance, but the value and service are good considering the price. Portions are also medium-sized and reasonable.
Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 2 to 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$
Although Macau Cafe is a chain, I wanted to write about it because there aren't many in the area. The one in Richmond closed a while back. I used to go there fairly regularly.
Macau Cafe serves up Chinese/Cantonese standards like beef chow fun, Hong Kong style noodles and more.
Shown in the picture are four of the many dishes we had this afternoon for lunch. Salt and pepper pork ribs, rock cod fillet with fresh vegetables (carrots and cauliflower in this case), crispy chicken, and eggplant with green onion and ginger. The eggplant dish is pretty innovative - it's meant to simulate the texture and flavors of ginger and green onion chicken. While some of the fried meat was a little more dry than we prefer, perhaps you might call it extra crispy, most of the sauteed dishes are done well for a reasonable price - typically between $7 and $10.
We also brought a fish and they cooked it for us for about $7. This is a great price for steaming the fish in the way that they do with ginger and green onions.
While not the place for a gourmet meal, Macau Cafe is a good stop for a quick meal. The tile floor and postings of special dishes on the walls may not add to ambiance, but the value and service are good considering the price. Portions are also medium-sized and reasonable.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Mike's Noodle House - Chinese, Seattle
418 Maynard Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98104-2917
(206) 389-7099
Parking: street parking
Hours: Tue-Thu and Sun 9:30am - 8 pm, Fri-Sat 9:30 am - 9 pm
Last Visited: June 29, 2009
Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 to 4 stars
Price: $$ to $$$
Frank and Grace recommended that I try out Mike's while visiting the area, so I met up with my friend Alie for dinner, and we tried some of their more popular dishes. The atmosphere is like that of a cafe - light colors and brightly lit, the tables are spaced fairly close together. Most of the dishes are plastic, so there are cute patterns on them as you can see in the photo.
- Won ton noodles - The noodles were al dente and the won tons were good. The broth was tasty and typical of what you would find in the best Bay Area won ton shops. I would give this dish four stars. Topped with Chinese yellow chives, it's authentic for sure. Price was reasonable and under $6.
- Beef stew noodles - Like the won ton noodle dish, the noodles and broth are made the same way and turned out equally good. The beef was tender and flavored well with five spice. Another great and reasonable dish.
- Congee - I can't remember the exact meat that I chose for the congee, but I do remember that it was not as good as what I can find in Hong Kong, bit it was at least comparable to what you can find in the Bay Area.
- Fried doughnut - This was the most disappointing of all the items that we ordered. It was unfortunately getting a little stale. It appears that it wasn't fried to order, but probably fried earlier in the day.
- Gai lan - Fresh and a good portion, this was topped with hoisin sauce.
Service was friendly, and when they noticed us struggling with the long noodles, they quickly came to our rescue with some scissors. If I lived nearby, this would be the type of place I would drop in at frequently to get a bowl of hot noodle soup. However, as a tourist, unless you're craving Chinese food or maybe someone in your party must have it, I would probably opt for more local fare at Pike Place, especially if you have a won ton place near you.
Also note the hours - this is not a place for late diners, so get their early and enjoy a quick and tasty meal.
(206) 389-7099
Parking: street parking
Hours: Tue-Thu and Sun 9:30am - 8 pm, Fri-Sat 9:30 am - 9 pm
Last Visited: June 29, 2009
Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 to 4 stars
Price: $$ to $$$
Frank and Grace recommended that I try out Mike's while visiting the area, so I met up with my friend Alie for dinner, and we tried some of their more popular dishes. The atmosphere is like that of a cafe - light colors and brightly lit, the tables are spaced fairly close together. Most of the dishes are plastic, so there are cute patterns on them as you can see in the photo.
- Won ton noodles - The noodles were al dente and the won tons were good. The broth was tasty and typical of what you would find in the best Bay Area won ton shops. I would give this dish four stars. Topped with Chinese yellow chives, it's authentic for sure. Price was reasonable and under $6.
- Beef stew noodles - Like the won ton noodle dish, the noodles and broth are made the same way and turned out equally good. The beef was tender and flavored well with five spice. Another great and reasonable dish.
- Congee - I can't remember the exact meat that I chose for the congee, but I do remember that it was not as good as what I can find in Hong Kong, bit it was at least comparable to what you can find in the Bay Area.
- Fried doughnut - This was the most disappointing of all the items that we ordered. It was unfortunately getting a little stale. It appears that it wasn't fried to order, but probably fried earlier in the day.
- Gai lan - Fresh and a good portion, this was topped with hoisin sauce.
Service was friendly, and when they noticed us struggling with the long noodles, they quickly came to our rescue with some scissors. If I lived nearby, this would be the type of place I would drop in at frequently to get a bowl of hot noodle soup. However, as a tourist, unless you're craving Chinese food or maybe someone in your party must have it, I would probably opt for more local fare at Pike Place, especially if you have a won ton place near you.
Also note the hours - this is not a place for late diners, so get their early and enjoy a quick and tasty meal.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Zen Peninsula - Chinese, Millbrae
1180 El Camino Real, Millbrae CA 94030
(650) 616-9338
Parking: in parking lot
Hours: Lunch: M-F 11am-2:30pm, Sat 10am-3pm, Sun 9:30am-3pm
Dinner: Sun-Thu 5pm-9:30pm, Fri & Sat 5pm-10pm
http://www.zenpeninsula.com/
Last Visited: June 25, 2006
Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 2 to 3 stars
Price: N/A
Enter Zen Peninsula and the seafood tanks will catch your eye. The rich blue background of the tanks really brings out the color of the live seafood. The rear wall of the restaurant has a bright red background and a large golden double happiness symbol. In front of the red background is a wood dance floor. Green upholstered chairs dot the room and the burgundy carpet with a diamond pattern add color to the space. Recessed lighting makes the room spacious, and two large flat screen televisions in the rear of the restaurant are perfect for viewing slide shows and the like. On a regular day, wood faced dividers filled with green plants separate the dining area.
Tonight, we had a banquet menu.
- House Special Combination Platter – Standard items like beef, pork, and jelly fish were part of this dish. It also had seaweed salad, which was a nice change of pace and added color. Okay.
- Honey Walnut Prawns – The dish was typical honey and walnut prawns – prawns cooked in a lightly creamy mayonnaise based sauce and walnuts fried crispy and coated with honey. Good.
- Deep Fried Tofu – This was a weird dish since the tofu had been combined with some unrecognizable mix of vegetables to create a tofu brick that was deep fried until golden. It wasn’t a very clean flavor. The tofu bricks were drizzled with a light brown sauce. The individual tofu bricks came with overcooked broccoli which added color, but the vegetables lacked crunch. This was my least favorite dish of the evening.
- Bamboo Pith and Seafood Soup – I didn’t find any bamboo pith in my soup, but considering the amount of soup, it could be that all of the bamboo pith went to other tables. It was fairly bland to me, but the texture was okay.
- Crab with Ginger and Scallion – By the time this dish came around, I was pretty stuffed. The flavor was good and the crab was fresh. It’s just as the name says – cooked with ginger and scallion. Good.
- Sliced Abalone in Oyster Sauce – The slices of abalone are placed on top of a bed of lettuce that has been boiled and topped with oyster sauce. The abalone was tender. This was probably one of the best dishes of the evening.
- Sweet and Sour Whole Fish – I thought that this fish would come in sweet and sour sauce, but it was deep fried and I really didn’t detect much of the sweet or sour. It may have been that the dish was substituted, but it didn’t live up to the first part of the name, though it was a gigantic whole fish. It was slightly overcooked, so not as tender as it could be.
- Seafood Fried Rice – This was another one that came around when I was pretty stuffed. Fairly standard item with the usual frozen vegetables. Nothing stood out about it.
- Green Tea Chicken – I was curious to know if green tea chicken would have an extra smoky flavor, but it didn’t. It was like regular Chinese style roasted chicken. Moist and flavorful, but not quite living up to its name. I would rate it as good.
- Braised E-fu Noodles – Noodles are braised and served with yellow chives. These weren’t particularly al dente, nor particularly broken. Okay in flavor and presentation.
- Red Bean Soup – More standard dessert. It tasted fine in texture and consistency, but again, nothing to rave about.
The overall experience at Zen Peninsula was just okay. Food was not spectacular, but passable. Service was quite chaotic (although, that’s the way it typically is for banquets). I would be interested in giving Zen Peninsula a try for dim sum, but otherwise, it’s fairly standard for dinner, and I would probably try out other local spots for dinner.
(650) 616-9338
Parking: in parking lot
Hours: Lunch: M-F 11am-2:30pm, Sat 10am-3pm, Sun 9:30am-3pm
Dinner: Sun-Thu 5pm-9:30pm, Fri & Sat 5pm-10pm
http://www.zenpeninsula.com/
Last Visited: June 25, 2006
Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 2 to 3 stars
Price: N/A
Enter Zen Peninsula and the seafood tanks will catch your eye. The rich blue background of the tanks really brings out the color of the live seafood. The rear wall of the restaurant has a bright red background and a large golden double happiness symbol. In front of the red background is a wood dance floor. Green upholstered chairs dot the room and the burgundy carpet with a diamond pattern add color to the space. Recessed lighting makes the room spacious, and two large flat screen televisions in the rear of the restaurant are perfect for viewing slide shows and the like. On a regular day, wood faced dividers filled with green plants separate the dining area.
Tonight, we had a banquet menu.
- House Special Combination Platter – Standard items like beef, pork, and jelly fish were part of this dish. It also had seaweed salad, which was a nice change of pace and added color. Okay.
- Honey Walnut Prawns – The dish was typical honey and walnut prawns – prawns cooked in a lightly creamy mayonnaise based sauce and walnuts fried crispy and coated with honey. Good.
- Deep Fried Tofu – This was a weird dish since the tofu had been combined with some unrecognizable mix of vegetables to create a tofu brick that was deep fried until golden. It wasn’t a very clean flavor. The tofu bricks were drizzled with a light brown sauce. The individual tofu bricks came with overcooked broccoli which added color, but the vegetables lacked crunch. This was my least favorite dish of the evening.
- Bamboo Pith and Seafood Soup – I didn’t find any bamboo pith in my soup, but considering the amount of soup, it could be that all of the bamboo pith went to other tables. It was fairly bland to me, but the texture was okay.
- Crab with Ginger and Scallion – By the time this dish came around, I was pretty stuffed. The flavor was good and the crab was fresh. It’s just as the name says – cooked with ginger and scallion. Good.
- Sliced Abalone in Oyster Sauce – The slices of abalone are placed on top of a bed of lettuce that has been boiled and topped with oyster sauce. The abalone was tender. This was probably one of the best dishes of the evening.
- Sweet and Sour Whole Fish – I thought that this fish would come in sweet and sour sauce, but it was deep fried and I really didn’t detect much of the sweet or sour. It may have been that the dish was substituted, but it didn’t live up to the first part of the name, though it was a gigantic whole fish. It was slightly overcooked, so not as tender as it could be.
- Seafood Fried Rice – This was another one that came around when I was pretty stuffed. Fairly standard item with the usual frozen vegetables. Nothing stood out about it.
- Green Tea Chicken – I was curious to know if green tea chicken would have an extra smoky flavor, but it didn’t. It was like regular Chinese style roasted chicken. Moist and flavorful, but not quite living up to its name. I would rate it as good.
- Braised E-fu Noodles – Noodles are braised and served with yellow chives. These weren’t particularly al dente, nor particularly broken. Okay in flavor and presentation.
- Red Bean Soup – More standard dessert. It tasted fine in texture and consistency, but again, nothing to rave about.
The overall experience at Zen Peninsula was just okay. Food was not spectacular, but passable. Service was quite chaotic (although, that’s the way it typically is for banquets). I would be interested in giving Zen Peninsula a try for dim sum, but otherwise, it’s fairly standard for dinner, and I would probably try out other local spots for dinner.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Pike Place Market - Seattle, Washington
1501 Pike Place, Seattle WA 98101Parking: Pay parking and shuttles are very accessible.
http://www.pikeplacemarket.org/
Last Visited: June 2009
Located at 1st and Pike in downtown Seattle, just walking to Pike Place Market is scenic since you're right by the waterfront. The vision of this public street market,
which was founded in 1907, stemmed from the desire to give consumers a true farm to table experience. While during those times, the market was intended to address the skyrocketing prices of onions due to the price-gouging practices of middlemen, today, it also addresses the desire to reduce the supply chain process and get farm fresh food to our tables, not to mention the other crafts and goodies being sold.There are some pretty expensive parking areas nearby. If you're planning on just dropping in, then the metered parking is accessible. If you're willing to walk, then park about a mile away and spend your savings on more delicious treats, plus you get the extra benefit of working off the calories). We ended up walking around the downtown and extended areas while gnoshing all along the way to sustain our energy levels.
Beecher's Handmade CheeseBest: Mac and Cheese
1600 Pike Place, Seattle, WA 98101 (north end)
(206) 956-1964
Hours: 9am-6pm daily
http://www.beecherscheese.com/
- Mac and Cheese - You can order a small or large sized Mac and Cheese. If I had known how wonderful this was, I would have ordered a large one. You get penne pasta cooked with a creamy blend of cheeses that create a melt in your mouth biteful of goodness. They even scoop a little of the browned top of the mac and cheese with each cup. Heaven on earth! Small $5.23
There are other items on the menu, but you must get the mac and cheese if you're anywhere in the vicinity.
Piroshky-PiroshkyBest: Piroshy
1908 Pike Place (north end)
(206) 441-6068
I had read about Piroshky-Piroshky as one of the places to stop by at Pike Place. While I had had piroshky at home, it was kind of dense and it made me not want to order it ever again, but with the rave reviews at this place, I figured I
would give it another try. And I am so glad that I did!- Spinach, Egg, and Cheese Piroshky - You can see that the filling is plentiful and the bread is light and fluffy. The blend of filling - from the quantities to the flavors - is wonderful. The amount shown in the picture is only half of one. The best part was that it was served warm. Absolutely delicious! $4.84
If you've never had one, this is definitely the place to get one to make you fall in love with piroshkies. If you had a bad one like I did, this will convert you for sure. There are plenty of choices if these ingredients aren't your favorite. There are several meat piroshkies - beef and cheese; chicken, rice and mushroom; smoked salmon pate to name just a few. There are quite a number of vegetarian piroshkies and dessert piroshkies (who could say no to chocolate cream hazelnut roll?) too. You are bound to find something that you'll love.
Pike Place Chowder1530 Post Alley (Triangle Building & Post Alley Market)
(206) 267-2537
Pike Place Chowder is almost always featured in Pike Place food tours. They are best known for their clam chowder - voted Nation's Best - and for their dungeness crab roll.
I had a taste of the clam chowder walking in the door, and it was
good, but I wanted to try one of their specialty chowders. There are four traditional chowders offered - clam, smoked salmon, southwestern chicken and corn, and manhattan clam chowder. Each is served with sourdough bread. There are also four specialty chowders - seafood bisque, seared scallop, vegan chowder, and market chowder.- Seafood Bisque - One of their specialty chowders, Pacific cod, wild Northwest salmon, calamari,
and Oregon bay shrimp are blended in a creamy tomato-basil broth. This was a super rich. Good, but not something you can eat often. Cup 12 oz $5.95, Bowl 6oz $6.95, Big Bowl 32oz $11.95- Dungeness Crab Roll - Dungeness crab is mixed with mayo, diced celery, lemon juice, and spices. The mix is served over chopped lettuce in a warm baguette. By the time I got my crab roll, the baguette was back to room temperature. The crab is chilled and although it was fresh tasting, since I'm so accustomed to warm lobster rolls, I was expecting the crab to be warm too. Since it was cold, I think some of the flavor was lost and they should consider taking the chill off a little more to really maximize the flavor. Just okay in my opinion. $11.95
If you can't decide what to get, there are several combos available - Combo 1 is chowder with a side salad and soft drink. Combo 2 is an 8 oz cop of chowder, half a crab sandwich roll, and a soft drink. Combo 3 is an 8 oz cup of chowder, choice of half a curried chicken roll or shrimp roll, and a soft drink.
No matter where I go, I always compare seafood rolls to my favorite lobster roll at Old Port Lobster Shack. When it comes to the roll, Old Port wins again.
Rose's Chocolate Treasures1906 Post Aly, Seattle, WA 98101-1015
(206) 441-2936
I walked into Rose's and they sell more than chocolate. It's like walking into a tea shop or a place that sells lots of unique trinkets. The glass case features a ton of chocolates. I tried a matcha green tea chocolate. It was so beautifully decorated and a little shiny and green on top. Very nice, but also expect to pay for the niceness too.
Of course, the original Starbucks Coffee is located here, so if you're a coffee lover, that will definitely be a stop. If you have access t
o a kitchen, then you'll love some of the produce available. Just look at these lobsters! And you can get gorgeous flowers at a great price at the market too.Also visit MarketSpice for another interesting shopping experience. If you love to cook, you should enjoy it quite a lot. Other places to check out - Dozen Doughnuts, Pike Place Fish for their smoked fish, Frank's Quality Market, and Etta's Seafood. You definitely won't go hungry at Pike Place.
Also check out a list of Pike Place shops and restaurants that I didn't get to try, but that I hope to get to next time.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Z&Y Restaurant - Chinese, San Francisco
655 Jackson St, San Francisco CA 94133
(415) 981-8988
Parking: limited street parking, pay parking lots
Hours: Daily 11am to 10pm
http://zandyrestaurant.com/
Last Visited: April 8, 2006
Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 2 stars
Service: 2 to 3 stars
Price: $ to $$$
Brenda brought us to Z&Y Restaurant. It’s been around for a bit, and seems to be acquiring a reputation for its Yunan Traditional Noodle Soup. It’s especially known for its rice noodles (which it turns out are packaged and not homemade). The restaurant’s layout looks typical of Chinatown restaurants. They have large wooden chairs and each table is setup rather close to its neighbor. There are smaller tables in front and larger ones in back. This visit was for lunch.
- Yunan Traditional Noodle Soup (Crossing the Bridge Noodles) – In the Yunan area, you receive piping hot soup containing the rice stick and a plate full of raw ingredients. Then the server pours the plated items into the soup. At Z&Y, the procedure is the same, but you receive a large bowl of piping hot soup with plated ingredients that have been gently cooked. The reason for this is likely that the soup isn’t hot enough to sustain the ingredients’ temperature, and this method may be more sanitary. The soup broth is boiled over several hours to develop flavor. The plated items included tender chicken breast, sliced preserved radish, greens, Chinese chives, tofu skin squares, and thinly sliced beef kidneys. It’s a light soup that changes flavor once the ingredients are added. With this and other menu items, Z&Y has a uniqueness that isn’t found at other places, so the restaurant distinguishes itself from the competition in the area. The rice noodles, which are thicker than those found at most Cantonese restaurants, remain intact and don’t fall apart despite the heat of the soup. Good. $6.95
- Beef Stew Noodle Soup – Although the menu has a star next to the beef stew noodle soup to indicate that it’s hot and spicy, I wasn’t ready for this heat. The bowl of soup comes out red. The soup contains the rice noodles, Napa cabbage, tender beef stew, dried chili, and chili sauce. I had a little trouble eating this one and had to call for ice water, something that I rarely do. Usually the tea helps me through spicy dishes, but this one was even fiery for my taste. It’s a spiciness that I don’t find when eating pho even after adding hot sauce and jalapenos. The beef stew melts in your mouth and the noodles take on the flavor of the broth. This is a difficult dish for those who can’t handle spiciness, because you’ll have no control over the heat, you won’t be asked whether you want mild, medium, or spicy, and you can’t separate out the chilis from the rest of the ingredients. By the time I finished eating a couple bowls of this, my taste buds took a long time to recover their ability to taste anything else. Great for those who can take the heat. $5.95
Other items available include seafood, braised string beans, chilled rabbit, and more. The two noodle dishes were extremely reasonable for their price considering the large quantity provided. Two bowls of noodles were filling enough for three people. I would probably skip the beef stew noodle soup the next time and opt for one of the fried noodle dishes. As noted above, the noodles are not homemade, but the dishes still taste good. Service is okay, but nothing to get excited about. Note that there’s a $20 minimum to use a credit card. Great value.
(415) 981-8988
Parking: limited street parking, pay parking lots
Hours: Daily 11am to 10pm
http://zandyrestaurant.com/
Last Visited: April 8, 2006
Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 2 stars
Service: 2 to 3 stars
Price: $ to $$$
Brenda brought us to Z&Y Restaurant. It’s been around for a bit, and seems to be acquiring a reputation for its Yunan Traditional Noodle Soup. It’s especially known for its rice noodles (which it turns out are packaged and not homemade). The restaurant’s layout looks typical of Chinatown restaurants. They have large wooden chairs and each table is setup rather close to its neighbor. There are smaller tables in front and larger ones in back. This visit was for lunch.
- Yunan Traditional Noodle Soup (Crossing the Bridge Noodles) – In the Yunan area, you receive piping hot soup containing the rice stick and a plate full of raw ingredients. Then the server pours the plated items into the soup. At Z&Y, the procedure is the same, but you receive a large bowl of piping hot soup with plated ingredients that have been gently cooked. The reason for this is likely that the soup isn’t hot enough to sustain the ingredients’ temperature, and this method may be more sanitary. The soup broth is boiled over several hours to develop flavor. The plated items included tender chicken breast, sliced preserved radish, greens, Chinese chives, tofu skin squares, and thinly sliced beef kidneys. It’s a light soup that changes flavor once the ingredients are added. With this and other menu items, Z&Y has a uniqueness that isn’t found at other places, so the restaurant distinguishes itself from the competition in the area. The rice noodles, which are thicker than those found at most Cantonese restaurants, remain intact and don’t fall apart despite the heat of the soup. Good. $6.95
- Beef Stew Noodle Soup – Although the menu has a star next to the beef stew noodle soup to indicate that it’s hot and spicy, I wasn’t ready for this heat. The bowl of soup comes out red. The soup contains the rice noodles, Napa cabbage, tender beef stew, dried chili, and chili sauce. I had a little trouble eating this one and had to call for ice water, something that I rarely do. Usually the tea helps me through spicy dishes, but this one was even fiery for my taste. It’s a spiciness that I don’t find when eating pho even after adding hot sauce and jalapenos. The beef stew melts in your mouth and the noodles take on the flavor of the broth. This is a difficult dish for those who can’t handle spiciness, because you’ll have no control over the heat, you won’t be asked whether you want mild, medium, or spicy, and you can’t separate out the chilis from the rest of the ingredients. By the time I finished eating a couple bowls of this, my taste buds took a long time to recover their ability to taste anything else. Great for those who can take the heat. $5.95
Other items available include seafood, braised string beans, chilled rabbit, and more. The two noodle dishes were extremely reasonable for their price considering the large quantity provided. Two bowls of noodles were filling enough for three people. I would probably skip the beef stew noodle soup the next time and opt for one of the fried noodle dishes. As noted above, the noodles are not homemade, but the dishes still taste good. Service is okay, but nothing to get excited about. Note that there’s a $20 minimum to use a credit card. Great value.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
California Restaurant Month - January 2011
While I was thinking that it was just time for SF Dine About Town, with a little more investigation, I learned that it's California Restaurant Month. Organized by the California Travel and Tourism Commission, there are many cities and counties featuring specials at their local restaurants this month. San Francisco still remains the city with the most offerings, but whether you're heading north or south, there are a number of places you can try.I'm admittedly amused by their positioning of the restaurants and respective locales - Northern California restaurants are being touted as those providing farm-to-table dining while San Francisco offers urban chic. For Los Angeles, they're suggesting you "slip into something slinky and head for the region's sexiest restaurants."
Marin County has a few places to check out including Rickey's in Novato.
Yountville and St. Helena are featuring Ad Hoc amongst others.
And of course, the list for San Francisco goes on and on.
While many are featuring an exceptional menu for an exceptional price, be watchful of restrictions for days of the week that the specials are being offered.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Yet Wah - Chinese, San Francisco
2140 Clement St, San Francisco CA 94121
(415) 387-8040
Parking: street parking, pay parking lot nearby
Last Visited: October 9, 2004
Food: 2 to 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 3 to 4 stars
Price: unknown
Yet Wah has a large dining room upstairs, and the ground floor can be a private dining area or a shared area. There is also a private room on the side. The floor is made of dark gray stone tiles.
The evening of my visit, I was at a banquet style meal, with 10 tables of ten people each, so service may be different on a regular visit. Also, since I was sitting at the head table, service may not have been typical. For the evening, they had placed a large double happiness wall hanging in red and separated the dining area from the booths with folding screens.
The area was a bit crowded with tables packed next to one another. The chairs were covered with a cream colored seat cover over the entire chair giving it the look of a high back chair with full square base. The tables were covered with white tablecloths and topped with a lazy susan.
- Suckling Pig & Barbecue Platter – The suckling pig is displayed in the center of the platter and laid on top of jellyfish and a mixture of vegetables. The other typical appetizers of barbecued pork, beef slices, and chicken are arrayed and surround the pig. Overall, I found the appetizers okay, but not to the quality that they could be. Some of the meat was too strong with five spice flavoring. The jellyfish could be a little crisper/crunchier.
- Glazed Walnut Prawns – Prawns are stir fried served in a honey mayonnaise sauce. Glazed walnuts top the prawns. The flavor of this dish was good, but the consistency of the sauce was different than typical sauces. Typical ones coat the prawns so that there is a little additional mayonnaise around the prawns. It looked as though the mayonnaise had melted around these prawns.
- Scallops with Vegetables – Large scallops are sautéed with broccoli. By far, I thought this was one of the best dishes of the evening. The quality of the scallops was excellent as they were large and fresh. The broccoli was not overcooked and had a bright green appearance.
- Braised Shark’s Fin Soup with Crab Meat – Crab meat is served in a shark fin soup which is made with a chicken broth base. Shark fin is braised in the soup which is thickened to give a rich, almost velvety, texture. The flavor of the soup is good, but I prefer thinly sliced chicken strips to crab meat.
- Braised Abalone & Sea Cucumber with Vegetables – Abalone is thinly sliced and braised with chunks of sea cucumber in a thick sauce. The abalone and sea cucumber are served over mustard greens. The greens were good, but the abalone and sea cucumber could be braised longer until they’re softer. Flavoring is good though.
- Steamed Lobster with Vermicelli – Lobster is cut into small chunks and laid out on a platter open faced on top of rice vermicelli. The lobster pieces are topped with lots of chopped garlic and the entire dish is steamed. There is lots of garlic, so if you’re a garlic lover, this is a great dish for you. The vermicelli absorbs all of the lobster flavor and each piece is wonderfully tender. Very good.
- Double Squabs with Superior Soy Sauce – Squab is quartered and cooked in dark soy sauce. Although some at the table with me enjoyed this dish very much, I found the squab to be slightly overcooked and a little tough.
- Steamed Black Bass – A large black bass is steamed and topped with sliced green onions. Soy sauce surrounds the fish. The bass was cooked very nicely and tasted quite fresh. Good.
- Dry Scallops with Egg White Fried Rice – Dry scallop is shredded and egg whites are cooked in a pan. The two are then combined with fried rice. By the time I got to this dish, I was too full to eat much of it. It was a bit on the dry side, but may have been better on its own without all the food served previous to it.
- Double Dessert of the Day – A two colored custard is cut into cubes and is surrounded by sesame balls. The custard was fair, and the sesame balls filled with lotus paste were good.
Overall, Yet Wah has food that ranges from average to good. The selection has nice presentation, but some of the dishes seem to miss while others go beyond the standard. However, it’s difficult to know where the dish you select will fall.
(415) 387-8040
Parking: street parking, pay parking lot nearby
Last Visited: October 9, 2004
Food: 2 to 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 3 to 4 stars
Price: unknown
Yet Wah has a large dining room upstairs, and the ground floor can be a private dining area or a shared area. There is also a private room on the side. The floor is made of dark gray stone tiles.
The evening of my visit, I was at a banquet style meal, with 10 tables of ten people each, so service may be different on a regular visit. Also, since I was sitting at the head table, service may not have been typical. For the evening, they had placed a large double happiness wall hanging in red and separated the dining area from the booths with folding screens.
The area was a bit crowded with tables packed next to one another. The chairs were covered with a cream colored seat cover over the entire chair giving it the look of a high back chair with full square base. The tables were covered with white tablecloths and topped with a lazy susan.
- Suckling Pig & Barbecue Platter – The suckling pig is displayed in the center of the platter and laid on top of jellyfish and a mixture of vegetables. The other typical appetizers of barbecued pork, beef slices, and chicken are arrayed and surround the pig. Overall, I found the appetizers okay, but not to the quality that they could be. Some of the meat was too strong with five spice flavoring. The jellyfish could be a little crisper/crunchier.
- Glazed Walnut Prawns – Prawns are stir fried served in a honey mayonnaise sauce. Glazed walnuts top the prawns. The flavor of this dish was good, but the consistency of the sauce was different than typical sauces. Typical ones coat the prawns so that there is a little additional mayonnaise around the prawns. It looked as though the mayonnaise had melted around these prawns.
- Scallops with Vegetables – Large scallops are sautéed with broccoli. By far, I thought this was one of the best dishes of the evening. The quality of the scallops was excellent as they were large and fresh. The broccoli was not overcooked and had a bright green appearance.
- Braised Shark’s Fin Soup with Crab Meat – Crab meat is served in a shark fin soup which is made with a chicken broth base. Shark fin is braised in the soup which is thickened to give a rich, almost velvety, texture. The flavor of the soup is good, but I prefer thinly sliced chicken strips to crab meat.
- Braised Abalone & Sea Cucumber with Vegetables – Abalone is thinly sliced and braised with chunks of sea cucumber in a thick sauce. The abalone and sea cucumber are served over mustard greens. The greens were good, but the abalone and sea cucumber could be braised longer until they’re softer. Flavoring is good though.
- Steamed Lobster with Vermicelli – Lobster is cut into small chunks and laid out on a platter open faced on top of rice vermicelli. The lobster pieces are topped with lots of chopped garlic and the entire dish is steamed. There is lots of garlic, so if you’re a garlic lover, this is a great dish for you. The vermicelli absorbs all of the lobster flavor and each piece is wonderfully tender. Very good.
- Double Squabs with Superior Soy Sauce – Squab is quartered and cooked in dark soy sauce. Although some at the table with me enjoyed this dish very much, I found the squab to be slightly overcooked and a little tough.
- Steamed Black Bass – A large black bass is steamed and topped with sliced green onions. Soy sauce surrounds the fish. The bass was cooked very nicely and tasted quite fresh. Good.
- Dry Scallops with Egg White Fried Rice – Dry scallop is shredded and egg whites are cooked in a pan. The two are then combined with fried rice. By the time I got to this dish, I was too full to eat much of it. It was a bit on the dry side, but may have been better on its own without all the food served previous to it.
- Double Dessert of the Day – A two colored custard is cut into cubes and is surrounded by sesame balls. The custard was fair, and the sesame balls filled with lotus paste were good.
Overall, Yet Wah has food that ranges from average to good. The selection has nice presentation, but some of the dishes seem to miss while others go beyond the standard. However, it’s difficult to know where the dish you select will fall.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Rickey's - American/Californian, Novato
250 Entrada DriveNovato, CA 94949-5574
(415) 883-9477
Last Visited: December 16, 2010
Food: 4 stars
Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars
Service: N/A
Price: $$ to $$$
This review is limited to a catered lunch and not for a regular meal.
Rickey’s once was open during lunch time, but in recent years, their schedule changed and they are only open for dinner. For the last three years, we have gone to Rickey’s for our annual Christmas lunch at work. Lora, the event coordinator for the Inn at Marin, has been extremely helpful in past years for making our arrangements. Each year, they transform the room into a U-shaped setup. Poinsettias are placed on each table and we bring the remainder of the decorations. The oak tables and chairs, fireplace, and Christmas lights make a warm setting for our annual event.
The regular dining room is ours for lunch, and each person gets a choice of entrée (chicken, salmon, or vegetable napoleon) along with cornbread, tea or coffee, and cookies for dessert for a set price. Using the other banquet room requires an additional fee.
I’ve ordered their pan-seared crispy salmon for the last three years and you can see that the presentation is nice. The salmon is always perfectly cooked and the bed of garlic mashed potatoes are made from real potatoes. Asparagus or bok choy that is also cooked just right is also plated. The quantity isn’t particularly large, but good enough for lunch.While I’ve never been to Rickey’s for dinner, I noticed that they are now offering a new happy hour. Tuesdays through Thursdays, between 4pm and 6pm, there are menu items available for $5 or less including prawns crostini, crab cake, quesadilla, and tostadas. Since this is only available at the bar, I’m not sure what they would do if you aren’t interested in ordering a drink, but it might be worth checking out some time. Also, Tuesdays through Thursdays and Sundays from 5pm to 9pm, they offer a 3-course menu for $22.50 that seems to be a good deal as well. Most of the entrees were 5 ounces, so it might be a good choice for lighter eaters.
The quality of food has been consistently good for the last three visits, so I would recommend trying out some of Rickey’s offerings. On occasion, they also have live jazz and other events. It’s a nice place for those whom don’t mind a restaurant that is a little out of the way.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Tam's Cuisine of China - Chinese, Pacifica
494 Manor Plaza, Pacifica, 94004
(650) 359-7575
Parking: in shopping center parking lot
http://www.tamscuisine.com/
Last Visited: November 5, 2005
Food: 2 to 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: N/A
Tam’s is located inside Manor Plaza near Safeway. From the outside, you can’t tell that it’s quite a large restaurant with high ceilings, recessed lighting, and lots of open space. Since tonight was a special dinner, it’s difficult to share what the typical setup is like, but there is definitely quite a bit of pink in the room.
The dinner I had at Tam’s was a set menu, so I’m not sure what typical portions are like either.
- Winter Melon Soup – A light soup containing diced winter melon, carrots, peas, and small pieces of meat is served in a large bowl and divided by the server into smaller bowls. The soup is light in consistency compared to some of the others out there, but it was still flavorful and tasted good. This does not appear to be a menu item.
- Boiled Salted Chicken – Chicken is plunged into boiling seasoned water and heated for a short time. Then the chicken remains cooking in the water while the heat is turned off. The chicken is flavored by the seasonings (typically dried ginger and salt). This dish is served with a mixture of fresh ground ginger that is seasoned with salt and mixed with vegetable oil. This ginger mixture has a very light consistency and gives the chicken an excellent flavor. Good.
- Roast Pork – A pig is seasoned with five spice powder and roasted whole. I’m not sure if Tam’s made the roast pork themselves or bought it from another place. The skin was no longer crunchy though the flavoring was okay. It doesn’t appear to be a regular menu item so I would guess it was bought from outside. Hopefully, it was bought outside, but it still taints the meal quality.
- Black Mushrooms with Mustard Greens – Mustard greens are topped with black mushrooms in a light sauce. The greens were cooked just right and the mushrooms were large (rehydrated shiitake mushrooms). Good.
- Vegetarian Delight – This dish contains fried tofu, Chinese cabbage, snow peas, black and white mushrooms, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, and baby corn. All are stir-fried together. The snow peas could have been a touch crunchier, but overall, okay.
- Mixed Vegetables – Broccoli, bell peppers, water chestnuts, zucchini, bamboo shoots, celery, and onions are stir-fried together. There also seemed to be some white fungus and black fungus too. The flavor is very similar to that of the Vegetarian Delight – mild. Okay.
- Spareribs in Peking Sauce – Pork spareribs are cooked in a sauce similar to sweet and sour sauce. The spareribs were cut into manageable pieces and the sauce was fine. Good.
- Steamed Rice – Standard steamed rice.
We heard from other patrons that the best thing to try is their Fried Chicken Wings, so if you go, check that out. Overall, the meal was okay with the best being the ginger dip for the chicken and the worst being the roast pork. If they garnished their dishes, it would probably be more appetizing, but in general, it was okay.
I’m not sure how many Chinese restaurants there are in Pacifica, but this seems to be the one to go to if you need to go to one. There are other places a short drive away with more authentic food, but their food is at least average.
(650) 359-7575
Parking: in shopping center parking lot
http://www.tamscuisine.com/
Last Visited: November 5, 2005
Food: 2 to 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: N/A
Tam’s is located inside Manor Plaza near Safeway. From the outside, you can’t tell that it’s quite a large restaurant with high ceilings, recessed lighting, and lots of open space. Since tonight was a special dinner, it’s difficult to share what the typical setup is like, but there is definitely quite a bit of pink in the room.
The dinner I had at Tam’s was a set menu, so I’m not sure what typical portions are like either.
- Winter Melon Soup – A light soup containing diced winter melon, carrots, peas, and small pieces of meat is served in a large bowl and divided by the server into smaller bowls. The soup is light in consistency compared to some of the others out there, but it was still flavorful and tasted good. This does not appear to be a menu item.
- Boiled Salted Chicken – Chicken is plunged into boiling seasoned water and heated for a short time. Then the chicken remains cooking in the water while the heat is turned off. The chicken is flavored by the seasonings (typically dried ginger and salt). This dish is served with a mixture of fresh ground ginger that is seasoned with salt and mixed with vegetable oil. This ginger mixture has a very light consistency and gives the chicken an excellent flavor. Good.
- Roast Pork – A pig is seasoned with five spice powder and roasted whole. I’m not sure if Tam’s made the roast pork themselves or bought it from another place. The skin was no longer crunchy though the flavoring was okay. It doesn’t appear to be a regular menu item so I would guess it was bought from outside. Hopefully, it was bought outside, but it still taints the meal quality.
- Black Mushrooms with Mustard Greens – Mustard greens are topped with black mushrooms in a light sauce. The greens were cooked just right and the mushrooms were large (rehydrated shiitake mushrooms). Good.
- Vegetarian Delight – This dish contains fried tofu, Chinese cabbage, snow peas, black and white mushrooms, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, and baby corn. All are stir-fried together. The snow peas could have been a touch crunchier, but overall, okay.
- Mixed Vegetables – Broccoli, bell peppers, water chestnuts, zucchini, bamboo shoots, celery, and onions are stir-fried together. There also seemed to be some white fungus and black fungus too. The flavor is very similar to that of the Vegetarian Delight – mild. Okay.
- Spareribs in Peking Sauce – Pork spareribs are cooked in a sauce similar to sweet and sour sauce. The spareribs were cut into manageable pieces and the sauce was fine. Good.
- Steamed Rice – Standard steamed rice.
We heard from other patrons that the best thing to try is their Fried Chicken Wings, so if you go, check that out. Overall, the meal was okay with the best being the ginger dip for the chicken and the worst being the roast pork. If they garnished their dishes, it would probably be more appetizing, but in general, it was okay.
I’m not sure how many Chinese restaurants there are in Pacifica, but this seems to be the one to go to if you need to go to one. There are other places a short drive away with more authentic food, but their food is at least average.
Friday, January 7, 2011
SF Dine About Town - January 15-31, 2011
It's almost that time of year again! Thanks to Connie, I was reminded about San Francisco's annual Dine About Town event - January 15-31, 2011.If you aren't familiar with it, it's San Francisco's way of getting us out to restaurants again now that the holidays are over and your wallet is strapped because of Christmas and New Year's expenditures. At participating restaurants, a two-course lunch runs for $17.95 and a three-course dinner for $34.95.
It's a good way to try out a restaurant that you might normally not go to out of the blue. However, a few words of caution - the prix fixe menu is nice if you don't want to be overwhelmed with options, but it's not always the bargain that you think it will be. While some restaurants do a great job of putting together a menu that gives value to the customer, there are often menus that don't seem worth the prix fixe price. Lastly, be sure to check for restrictions - some restaurants limit the days that the prix fixe is offered.
Bon apetit!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Pizza al Taglio - Rome, Italy
Last Visited: May 2007While I can’t actually tell you where this location is, it’s very close to the Vatican as you approach St. Peter’s Square. Walking towards the square on a main street, we saw this alley on our left. Surrounding the alley entrance were shops that sold tourists items – magnets, scarves, and the like. Although it might have another name, you can look for this and similar shops featuring pizza al taglio which means pizza by the slice.
What tipped me off that this was a good place were the priests sitting on the steps eating their lunch. By the time this photo was taken, most of the clergy had left the area. I saw them there and knew that if this was a great place for locals, it was a great place for me to try and a gift from God.Places like this one are great because you can purchase as much or as little as you like. The pizzas are formed into rectangles on large trays and cooked. Then they are placed in the deli counter display and after you select how much you would like, they cut the pizza and reheat it. Most places offer a multitude of varieties. With fresh pizza margherita (cheese pizza with tomato sauce and basil) that you can select for yourself, how could you go wrong?
For our lunch, we tried the pizza margherita as well as one with mushrooms. Both were delightful. Like the priests, we too sat on the steps out front and enjoyed our slices. Although they didn’t speak English, their smiles were warm, and we all enjoyed our pizzas together. If only a place like this would open near my workplace back home….
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Taishan Cafe - Chinese, San Francisco
1125 Clement St, San Francisco, 94118
(415) 668-0838
Parking: street parking
Last Visited: March 31, 2007
Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 2 to 3 stars
Service: 2 to 3 stars
Price: $ to $$
Taishan Café had been open only a few days when I went in for an afternoon snack during my first visit. It’s a family owned restaurant. Their original restaurant is in Sacramento, but they decided to come over to San Francisco since there is little Taishan food found in the city. Their specialties include clay pot dishes, steamed lotus leaf dishes, the Taishan salted chicken, and the Taishan coca cola chicken. Another specialty is the ginger milk curd.
Since I was only looking for an afternoon snack, I stopped in for the ginger milk curd. The restaurant is located near Park Presidio and the windows bring in lighting from the outside. The restaurant is long and narrow with a picture of the city on one wall and an area that is inset on the other wall. The inset one should have been painted to blend in more (pink wouldn’t be my color of choice), but they were using it as a posting area for specials. The tables are simple and the chairs are cushioned. It’s not a fancy place, and the owners give a warm welcome when you walk in. The color scheme is green and white. The only thing that was unimpressive was that several tables that had been vacated of customers were not cleared of dishes which give the place a somewhat unkempt look. The dishes are green and ceramic – matching cups and plates with green chopsticks. The entrée dishes are ceramic if the item is steamed or plastic for others.
After sitting down, we received menus and some green tea in a teapot. Note that the tea they selected is very light in color, especially when poured into the green teacup. Not much color contrast.
- Soy Sauce Chicken Wing – The menu lists four chicken wings, but we received six. They were hot and fresh. The soy sauce lightly coated the chicken wings, and they had definitely been made to order. Good. If you’re not accustomed to Asian restaurants, you might find the side of the wing where fat is present a bit unappetizing because the feather is not cleanly plucked off. Yet, this is typical for many Asian restaurants. $2.50
- Ginger Milk Curd – Ginger juice fills the bottom of a bowl and a hot sweetened milk mixture is brought out into a pitcher. The waitress pours the milk on top of the juice and tells you to wait five minutes before eating it. The Chinese name for this literally translates into crash milk. Basically, the ginger juice and milk mixture crash into one another and the properties of both, coupled with no interruption, cause the mixture to become stiffer and custard-like. It’s a delicious treat. If you’ve had ginger flavored gelato, imagine that warm and you’ll understand the flavor. Since we ordered two bowls, and she poured them in front of us, they weren’t evenly distributed – one bowl contained quite a bit more than another, and there’s no going back to fix it because that will ruin the texture. Terrific rich flavor with a hint of spiciness that’s sure to be a treat. Wonderful. Must try. 4 to 5 stars. Note that during my last visit, I ordered this again and it seems to be a hit or miss process. One of the bowls of curd came together and the other did not. Disappointing the second go round, and they didn’t mix them in front of us this time which was half the fun of the previous visit. The flavor is still nice, but no curd means drinking ginger flavored milk. Rating drops down to 1 star. $2.88
Overall, the food was good. The service would be better if the dishes were cleared. I definitely want to return to try out some of the Taishan specialties and check out the other treats. The ginger milk curd is a must try.
Upon my second visit for dinner, the place was getting full early in the evening. There were a few additional staff members, and I learned that there is a seating area upstairs. The same drill as last time with the teacups arriving, but this time, no menu came. Instead, the menu is posted in Chinese on the wall. You’ll find that the only English item is a translation of a paragraph talking about lotus leaf dishes (basically, lotus leaf lines a bamboo steamer and the rice and other items are placed in it to be cooked and steamed). There are some issues with the English translation, but hopefully they will get corrected soon. If you can’t read Chinese, you’ll need to ask for a menu. Other specials are posted around the walls in various locations throughout the room.
There are four primary categories of menu items. First, the clay pot rice dishes. Rice is cooked in a clay pot and the meat or vegetables you select are placed on top of the rice. Then everything is cooked together. Second, there is the bamboo steamed lotus leaf rice dishes. These are the same as the clay pot listings, but the infused lotus leaf flavor gives the dish a different taste and texture. As you will see when you view the menu, the lotus leaf is known to have traditional medicinal properties and has been known to improve health. Third, you’ll find a list of specials, and finally, there is a list of ten vegetables. Just about everything you see is $6.95 which is excellent pricing which equates to slim profit margins.
After ordering, we received a bowl of lotus root soup. Subsequent visits brought us different types of soups to try including dried vegetables with soy beans.
The lotus leaf bamboo steamed dishes are pretty similar except for the toppings. Each bamboo steamer is lined with a large lotus leaf or two. Then rice is placed in the center and the meat is placed on top. Together, they are cooked until the flavor has been infused in the rice and the meat is cooked thoroughly. Fresh cilantro sprigs add an additional flavor as it is placed on top of the meat and steamed with the other items.
- Lotus Leaf Bamboo Steamed Five Spice Lamb and Rice – Diced lamb is marinated in five spice powder and other seasonings. Each piece is boneless and tender, perfect for warming the body in winter weather as the heartiness of the meat warms you through. Very good. $5.95
- Lotus Leaf Bamboo Steamed Pork Spareribs and Rice – Pork spareribs are cut into bite size pieces, still on the bone. The lightly seasoned spareribs are tender and delicious. You get a lot considering the price. $5.95
- Lotus Leaf Bamboo Free Range Chicken and Rice – About a quarter of a chicken (see description below) is placed on top of cooked rice. The same green onion dipping sauce as described below also accompanies the rice. $5.95
- Lotus Leaf Bamboo Chicken with Mushrooms and Rice – Cut pieces of dark chicken meat are lightly seasoned and cooked with rehydrated shitake mushrooms over rice. Good stuff. Not too exciting, but the chicken is moist and tender. $5.95
The clay pots vary in size from small to large. As described above, the rice is placed on the bottom and the meat is placed on top. They are typically accompanied by a small dish of soy sauce that contains a jalapeno. You can either add a little to rice as you eat it, or pour the whole thing in and mix the contents of the claypot.
- Clay Pot Taishan House Specialty – This clay pot includes yellow eel, preserved meats, and frog. We opted to get one with just the eel and preserved meat. See the preserved meat description below. The eel is plentiful, but not particularly meaty in texture. It’s more fatty eel, but has a good flavor. It looks interesting – something a nine year old boy would probably find fun to tease his little sister with. The clay pot is also available with any of these meats individually. $8.95
- Clay Pot Five Spice Lamb and Rice – See the description with the lotus leaf and five spice lamb above, but now imagine it in a clay pot. Very good. One of my personal favorites. $6.95
- Clay Pot Preserved Meats and Rice – Preserved Chinese sausage and preserved Chinese pork, are sliced and cooked over rice. Since both items contain a fair amount of fat in them, it gives the rice great flavor. Yum. $6.95
- Clay Pot Yellow Eel - Like the house specialty version, the eel is just not particularly meaty, meaning that they’re cut skinny and if you are thinking unagi, you would be unhappy. If you’ve had meaty eel, you’ll know what I’m talking about. If you don’t know the difference, it’s fine. $8.95
- Clay Pot Preserved Vegetables with Pork – Pork is minced and mixed with preserved vegetables that are also minced. I like the texture of the pork because it’s not too stiff nor too soft – just the right texture and breaks up easily into the rice when you mix it all together. Good. $6.95
- Steamed Tofu with Meat – A block of tofu is sliced into small bricks and topped with pork mixture. Green onions are sprinkled on top and the tofu is steamed. Soy sauce is diluted and drizzled on top. The smooth texture of the soft tofu is a great addition to any rice dish whether plain, in a clay pot, or in a bamboo steamer. $6.95
- Ong Choy (kang kung) with preserved tofu – The ong choy is sauteed with preserved tofu blocks and cooked with enough oil to keep the plate steaming hot. They also add a little jalapeno for additional heat. Wonderfully fresh and delicious. $6.95
- Lettuce – Lettuce is cut into large chunks and boiled with a little oil added to the water. Oyster sauce is drizzled lightly on top. Fresh and good. When you order two of the pot or bamboo steamer items, sometimes they give complimentary cooked lettuce.
- Stir Fried Baby Bok Choy- These little bok choy are boiled and a little oil is added to the water as with the lettuce. These are also drizzled with a little oyster sauce. So fresh and delicious already, that when they’re cooked until bright green, they’re super tender and wonderful. $6.95
- Stir Fried Green Beans – String beans are cut into about two inch lengths and sautéed with thin slices of onion which are cooked until translucent. A lot of garlic salt is added to the dish to give flavor. Good. They have a lot of wok-air too which means they are deliciously hot in temperature when they first come out. $6.95
- Stir Fried Yau Choy – Whole yau choy is cooked with minced garlic. The vegetables are very fresh and the dish has great wok-air. Very good. $6.95
- Free Range Chicken – Half available/Whole – The free range chicken has a lot of chicken flavor to it. Compare it to a Fosters Farm chicken and you’ll know what I mean. It’s less meaty, but the flavor is stronger and it’s a denser chicken. The ginger dipping sauce that goes along with it is pretty good too. The only thing I didn’t like about it was that the little remnants from the feathers are still found on the wings. This is common with many free range chickens cooked this style, but it was especially prominent in other locations. Still good. $12
- Pig Feet – Pig Feet are marinated and cooked in a soy sauce and vinegar sauce. You’ll find lots of ginger slices in this dish. Although the color is nice, the meat and tendons don’t quite fall off the bone, so I found it to be just okay. I probably would skip this the next time and order something else. $6.95
- Chicken Feet – The last few visits, they have given us complimentary marinated spicy chicken feet over pickled turnip and carrots. Although it’s a nice gesture, I’ll be the first to admit that these aren’t to my taste. It’s not even that I don’t like chicken feet, because when the tendons and the like fall off the bone, it tastes really good, but this one is a bit difficult to eat. It has the crispness that you look for in this type of dish, but not the right consistency.
My recent visits have confirmed my previous ratings. The food is very good most of the time. The Taishan style is certainly authentic and unique – especially the lotus leaf bamboo steamed items. The portions are generous too. However, service is disorganized and a little chaotic. Also, they need to work on the little touches – for example, we received our tofu and vegetable dishes before the rice came and nobody let us know when the rice was coming or reassured us that the order was being made. When we received our teacups, the server put her thumb in one to hold onto it. The table near us received two incorrect clay pots before getting the right one. There are system issues to be worked out and etiquette improvements that could be made. The food remains the highlight and over time, hopefully they will work out the kinks. Great steamed bamboo lotus leaf rice dishes.
My last few visits showed improved service, though still not perfect. One of the visits, we had to ask for the soup to be served, while on another visit, the soup was served prior to ordering. The system issues remain present, though not to as high a degree as before. The food is still excellent and the value is great. You’ll find that people wait in long lines just to enjoy these wonderful dishes. Try to get there early or late to avoid the crowd. You’re in for a treat.
(415) 668-0838
Parking: street parking
Last Visited: March 31, 2007
Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 2 to 3 stars
Service: 2 to 3 stars
Price: $ to $$
Taishan Café had been open only a few days when I went in for an afternoon snack during my first visit. It’s a family owned restaurant. Their original restaurant is in Sacramento, but they decided to come over to San Francisco since there is little Taishan food found in the city. Their specialties include clay pot dishes, steamed lotus leaf dishes, the Taishan salted chicken, and the Taishan coca cola chicken. Another specialty is the ginger milk curd.
Since I was only looking for an afternoon snack, I stopped in for the ginger milk curd. The restaurant is located near Park Presidio and the windows bring in lighting from the outside. The restaurant is long and narrow with a picture of the city on one wall and an area that is inset on the other wall. The inset one should have been painted to blend in more (pink wouldn’t be my color of choice), but they were using it as a posting area for specials. The tables are simple and the chairs are cushioned. It’s not a fancy place, and the owners give a warm welcome when you walk in. The color scheme is green and white. The only thing that was unimpressive was that several tables that had been vacated of customers were not cleared of dishes which give the place a somewhat unkempt look. The dishes are green and ceramic – matching cups and plates with green chopsticks. The entrée dishes are ceramic if the item is steamed or plastic for others.
After sitting down, we received menus and some green tea in a teapot. Note that the tea they selected is very light in color, especially when poured into the green teacup. Not much color contrast.
- Soy Sauce Chicken Wing – The menu lists four chicken wings, but we received six. They were hot and fresh. The soy sauce lightly coated the chicken wings, and they had definitely been made to order. Good. If you’re not accustomed to Asian restaurants, you might find the side of the wing where fat is present a bit unappetizing because the feather is not cleanly plucked off. Yet, this is typical for many Asian restaurants. $2.50
- Ginger Milk Curd – Ginger juice fills the bottom of a bowl and a hot sweetened milk mixture is brought out into a pitcher. The waitress pours the milk on top of the juice and tells you to wait five minutes before eating it. The Chinese name for this literally translates into crash milk. Basically, the ginger juice and milk mixture crash into one another and the properties of both, coupled with no interruption, cause the mixture to become stiffer and custard-like. It’s a delicious treat. If you’ve had ginger flavored gelato, imagine that warm and you’ll understand the flavor. Since we ordered two bowls, and she poured them in front of us, they weren’t evenly distributed – one bowl contained quite a bit more than another, and there’s no going back to fix it because that will ruin the texture. Terrific rich flavor with a hint of spiciness that’s sure to be a treat. Wonderful. Must try. 4 to 5 stars. Note that during my last visit, I ordered this again and it seems to be a hit or miss process. One of the bowls of curd came together and the other did not. Disappointing the second go round, and they didn’t mix them in front of us this time which was half the fun of the previous visit. The flavor is still nice, but no curd means drinking ginger flavored milk. Rating drops down to 1 star. $2.88
Overall, the food was good. The service would be better if the dishes were cleared. I definitely want to return to try out some of the Taishan specialties and check out the other treats. The ginger milk curd is a must try.
Upon my second visit for dinner, the place was getting full early in the evening. There were a few additional staff members, and I learned that there is a seating area upstairs. The same drill as last time with the teacups arriving, but this time, no menu came. Instead, the menu is posted in Chinese on the wall. You’ll find that the only English item is a translation of a paragraph talking about lotus leaf dishes (basically, lotus leaf lines a bamboo steamer and the rice and other items are placed in it to be cooked and steamed). There are some issues with the English translation, but hopefully they will get corrected soon. If you can’t read Chinese, you’ll need to ask for a menu. Other specials are posted around the walls in various locations throughout the room.
There are four primary categories of menu items. First, the clay pot rice dishes. Rice is cooked in a clay pot and the meat or vegetables you select are placed on top of the rice. Then everything is cooked together. Second, there is the bamboo steamed lotus leaf rice dishes. These are the same as the clay pot listings, but the infused lotus leaf flavor gives the dish a different taste and texture. As you will see when you view the menu, the lotus leaf is known to have traditional medicinal properties and has been known to improve health. Third, you’ll find a list of specials, and finally, there is a list of ten vegetables. Just about everything you see is $6.95 which is excellent pricing which equates to slim profit margins.
After ordering, we received a bowl of lotus root soup. Subsequent visits brought us different types of soups to try including dried vegetables with soy beans.
The lotus leaf bamboo steamed dishes are pretty similar except for the toppings. Each bamboo steamer is lined with a large lotus leaf or two. Then rice is placed in the center and the meat is placed on top. Together, they are cooked until the flavor has been infused in the rice and the meat is cooked thoroughly. Fresh cilantro sprigs add an additional flavor as it is placed on top of the meat and steamed with the other items.
- Lotus Leaf Bamboo Steamed Five Spice Lamb and Rice – Diced lamb is marinated in five spice powder and other seasonings. Each piece is boneless and tender, perfect for warming the body in winter weather as the heartiness of the meat warms you through. Very good. $5.95
- Lotus Leaf Bamboo Steamed Pork Spareribs and Rice – Pork spareribs are cut into bite size pieces, still on the bone. The lightly seasoned spareribs are tender and delicious. You get a lot considering the price. $5.95
- Lotus Leaf Bamboo Free Range Chicken and Rice – About a quarter of a chicken (see description below) is placed on top of cooked rice. The same green onion dipping sauce as described below also accompanies the rice. $5.95
- Lotus Leaf Bamboo Chicken with Mushrooms and Rice – Cut pieces of dark chicken meat are lightly seasoned and cooked with rehydrated shitake mushrooms over rice. Good stuff. Not too exciting, but the chicken is moist and tender. $5.95
The clay pots vary in size from small to large. As described above, the rice is placed on the bottom and the meat is placed on top. They are typically accompanied by a small dish of soy sauce that contains a jalapeno. You can either add a little to rice as you eat it, or pour the whole thing in and mix the contents of the claypot.
- Clay Pot Taishan House Specialty – This clay pot includes yellow eel, preserved meats, and frog. We opted to get one with just the eel and preserved meat. See the preserved meat description below. The eel is plentiful, but not particularly meaty in texture. It’s more fatty eel, but has a good flavor. It looks interesting – something a nine year old boy would probably find fun to tease his little sister with. The clay pot is also available with any of these meats individually. $8.95
- Clay Pot Five Spice Lamb and Rice – See the description with the lotus leaf and five spice lamb above, but now imagine it in a clay pot. Very good. One of my personal favorites. $6.95
- Clay Pot Preserved Meats and Rice – Preserved Chinese sausage and preserved Chinese pork, are sliced and cooked over rice. Since both items contain a fair amount of fat in them, it gives the rice great flavor. Yum. $6.95
- Clay Pot Yellow Eel - Like the house specialty version, the eel is just not particularly meaty, meaning that they’re cut skinny and if you are thinking unagi, you would be unhappy. If you’ve had meaty eel, you’ll know what I’m talking about. If you don’t know the difference, it’s fine. $8.95
- Clay Pot Preserved Vegetables with Pork – Pork is minced and mixed with preserved vegetables that are also minced. I like the texture of the pork because it’s not too stiff nor too soft – just the right texture and breaks up easily into the rice when you mix it all together. Good. $6.95
- Steamed Tofu with Meat – A block of tofu is sliced into small bricks and topped with pork mixture. Green onions are sprinkled on top and the tofu is steamed. Soy sauce is diluted and drizzled on top. The smooth texture of the soft tofu is a great addition to any rice dish whether plain, in a clay pot, or in a bamboo steamer. $6.95
- Ong Choy (kang kung) with preserved tofu – The ong choy is sauteed with preserved tofu blocks and cooked with enough oil to keep the plate steaming hot. They also add a little jalapeno for additional heat. Wonderfully fresh and delicious. $6.95
- Lettuce – Lettuce is cut into large chunks and boiled with a little oil added to the water. Oyster sauce is drizzled lightly on top. Fresh and good. When you order two of the pot or bamboo steamer items, sometimes they give complimentary cooked lettuce.
- Stir Fried Baby Bok Choy- These little bok choy are boiled and a little oil is added to the water as with the lettuce. These are also drizzled with a little oyster sauce. So fresh and delicious already, that when they’re cooked until bright green, they’re super tender and wonderful. $6.95
- Stir Fried Green Beans – String beans are cut into about two inch lengths and sautéed with thin slices of onion which are cooked until translucent. A lot of garlic salt is added to the dish to give flavor. Good. They have a lot of wok-air too which means they are deliciously hot in temperature when they first come out. $6.95
- Stir Fried Yau Choy – Whole yau choy is cooked with minced garlic. The vegetables are very fresh and the dish has great wok-air. Very good. $6.95
- Free Range Chicken – Half available/Whole – The free range chicken has a lot of chicken flavor to it. Compare it to a Fosters Farm chicken and you’ll know what I mean. It’s less meaty, but the flavor is stronger and it’s a denser chicken. The ginger dipping sauce that goes along with it is pretty good too. The only thing I didn’t like about it was that the little remnants from the feathers are still found on the wings. This is common with many free range chickens cooked this style, but it was especially prominent in other locations. Still good. $12
- Pig Feet – Pig Feet are marinated and cooked in a soy sauce and vinegar sauce. You’ll find lots of ginger slices in this dish. Although the color is nice, the meat and tendons don’t quite fall off the bone, so I found it to be just okay. I probably would skip this the next time and order something else. $6.95
- Chicken Feet – The last few visits, they have given us complimentary marinated spicy chicken feet over pickled turnip and carrots. Although it’s a nice gesture, I’ll be the first to admit that these aren’t to my taste. It’s not even that I don’t like chicken feet, because when the tendons and the like fall off the bone, it tastes really good, but this one is a bit difficult to eat. It has the crispness that you look for in this type of dish, but not the right consistency.
My recent visits have confirmed my previous ratings. The food is very good most of the time. The Taishan style is certainly authentic and unique – especially the lotus leaf bamboo steamed items. The portions are generous too. However, service is disorganized and a little chaotic. Also, they need to work on the little touches – for example, we received our tofu and vegetable dishes before the rice came and nobody let us know when the rice was coming or reassured us that the order was being made. When we received our teacups, the server put her thumb in one to hold onto it. The table near us received two incorrect clay pots before getting the right one. There are system issues to be worked out and etiquette improvements that could be made. The food remains the highlight and over time, hopefully they will work out the kinks. Great steamed bamboo lotus leaf rice dishes.
My last few visits showed improved service, though still not perfect. One of the visits, we had to ask for the soup to be served, while on another visit, the soup was served prior to ordering. The system issues remain present, though not to as high a degree as before. The food is still excellent and the value is great. You’ll find that people wait in long lines just to enjoy these wonderful dishes. Try to get there early or late to avoid the crowd. You’re in for a treat.
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