R&G Lounge - Chinese, San Francisco

Best: Deep-Fried Crab

631 Kearny St, San Francisco CA 94108
(415) 982-7877
Parking: limited street parking, validated pay parking lot - Portsmouth Square - about a block away
http://www.rnglounge.com/

Last Visited: February 23, 2012
Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $$$$

R&G Lounge has been at this location since 1985.  I remember going as a kid and enjoying two of their now signature dishes - deep fried crab and steak cubes with bell peppers and onions.  When you mention crab prepared Asian-style and San Francisco, R&G always comes up in conversation.

Known for their crab, they offer nine preparations: salt and pepper (signature), fried with garlic and hot peppers (one of my personal favorites), black bean sauce, steamed, steamed with wine and egg whites, steamed with garlic, spicy garlic sauce, salted egg yolk, and ginger & scallions.
They also four preparations of lobster: supreme broth, salt and pepper, black bean sauce, and ginger & scallions.
When we arrived, we headed downstairs and were seated at a back room.  Decor in this section leaves something to be desired, but is considered above average for Chinatown restaurants.  Although the prices would make one think you're going to a fancy restaurant, it's not fancy in this section.  It's also pretty noisy as a whole. 

We ordered a table full of dishes to enjoy R&G's crab and other seafood.

- Live Crab with Salt and Pepper - A rather large crab is battered, deep-fried, and seasoned with salt and pepper seasoning (Chinese style).  It's hot and super fresh tasting.  We shared it amongst five people.  Prices are seasonal.  $38

- Crispy Chicken - Described as deep fried chicken with a crispy outside finish.  The skin was a beautiful brown and the meat was juicy.  This was also enjoyable.  The shrimp chips were large and very fresh  The photo shows a half of a chicken.  Half $15, Whole $28

- Garlic Noodles with Seafood (special) - The description conjures up an image like Vietnamese garlic noodles, but this definitely has more sauce.  Fresh tomatoes are cooked with fresh seafood and a lot of garlic.  While it tasted fine and the seafood was not overcooked, I thought the presentation left something to be desired.  I would also rename it so that there is less confusion with its Vietnamese sibling.  I can't remember the exact price, but it was just under $20. 

- Steak Cubes and Scallops with Macadamia Nuts - This has been one of my longtime favorites.  Macadamia nuts were asked to be placed on the side for this order because one of our dining companions has a nut allergy.  The steak cubes are super tender and the scallops are jumbo-sized and fresh.  The bell peppers and celery are still a little crunchy which gives a nice textural contrast.  This is a must try dish (or you can get the version without scallops) when you visit R&G.  I only wish there was more.  $20

- Minced Seafood in Lettuce Cups - Minced scallops, prawns, Chinese sausage, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots are stir-fried and served with fresh iceberg lettuce leaves.  While the photo displays a gorgeous looking lettuce cup, it looked pretty bland when it arrived - it was pretty much brown in color, making it less appetizing.  The flavor was okay.  While seafood is minced to make the dish, I found that the rusted edges of the lettuce and lack of presentation made the dish less worthy of its price. $18

- Eggplant with Garlic Sauce - Eggplant is sauteed with bamboo shoots, shredded pork, black fungus, and scallions in a spicy garlic sauce.  While they warned us that this would be spicy, I found the flavor to be more sweet than spicy.  This was a hit at our table, but the quantity was a little on the small side.  The flavor was great. $14

Our server was friendly and checked in on us during the meal.   Plates were changed after we ate the crab, but there could be greater attention to detail.  We didn't all get crab crackers and when plates were finished, they didn't remove them as quickly as one would have liked. 

While the steak cube dish and crab continue to steal the show, R&G lounge has fancy prices that are a little high for the atmosphere and level of service provided.  Reducing prices by 10 to 20% would feel more in line with what they are offering.

Phyllis' Giant Hamburgers - American, Santa Rosa

4910 Sonoma Hwy, Suite B, Santa Rosa CA 95409, (707) 538-4000
924 Diablo Ave, Novato CA 94947, (415) 898-8294
Parking: parking in front
Hours: 11am to 9pm daily
http://www.phyllisgiantburgers.com/
Last Visited: October 19, 2010

Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$ (prices shown are from 2007)

Phyllis’ in Santa Rosa came with quite a bit of fanfare from the local newspaper anticipating its arrival. The fact that it’s on Highway 12 where everyone can see it probably helps too. It replaced the once popular Heavenly Hamburgers. Phyllis’ made a name for itself in San Rafael as being the Best Burgers in Marin. It then opened up a store in Novato, and now Santa Rosa.

The interior is reminiscent of an old diner (black and white checkered floor) with a big plasma television in the back playing recent DVDs. Outdoor seating is available also. I had a hard time deciding what to select from their menu since there were so many choices, but found service to be okay, though not spectacular. Considering nobody else was in line, I think service overall could have been a touch friendlier, especially since one could tell it was our first time coming to the restaurant. Menus are displayed on large signs behind the counter. There are six signs each with different information, so it can be a bit overwhelming. A Dreyer’s ice cream display sits next to the counter.

- Giant Burger (1/2 pound) – I chose the classic giant burger which was grilled and served on a sesame bun with mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomato, and onion. Ground chuck is used. I thought it was good and the size was generous for the price. It had a grilled flavor, but had potential to be even better. $4.95

- Chicken Club – All of their chicken burgers are served on a French roll with cheese. We selected jack cheese to go with our club which included mayo, bacon, lettuce, and tomato. I have to admit this was nothing special and I probably could have made the exact same thing at home with less grease. Okay. $6.95

- Curly Fries – Of all the food we had, this was the most surprising. We ordered a large curly fries and the quantity was enough to render us unconscious. For those with a large appetite, you probably could have shared the large curly fries amongst three people, and for small appetites, even four people. The fries are a terrific deal and very fresh too. Very good. Regular $2.50, Large $3.75

I didn’t know it until I got home and read the menu, but grilled onions are available at no charge. You just have to know to ask for it since they don’t offer it. The other note on service is that I saw others being offered a pickle with their burger. I wasn’t offered a pickle with my burger so I was disappointed about that.
It wasn’t the best burger I’ve ever had, but it was far from the worst. It’s definitely a few steps above fast food. It’s good for a beef burger, and if you’re looking for a fries fix, this would be an excellent choice.  Since my visit to Santa Rosa in 2007, I went to the Novato shop in 2010 and found the quality to be consistent.  The place is a little bigger in Novato and still good.

Tov Tofu - Korean, Santa Rosa

1169 Yulupa Ave, Santa Rosa Ca 95405(707) 566-9469
Parking: in shopping center parking lot
Hours: Tues-Sun 11:30am - 2:30pm, 5pm-9pm, Closed Mondays

Last Visited: August 13, 2011

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

Shirley had suggested I try Tov Tofu and specifically, she noted that the seafood pancake was a must have item.  With that, it was a no brainer when Alice said we should check it out.  We arrived this warm evening and were a bit surprised that there didn't seem to be a cooling system of any type in place.  I'm not sure if there is central air conditioning or if they own a fan, but the doors were wide open and as a result, the flies had joined us.  This made the atmosphere slightly less appetizing, but we stayed nonetheless.

The decorations are fairly simple.  There is a lot of newer style wood paneling and burgundy vinyl chairs.  The large windows bring in good light.I noticed a Bible verse on the wall in Korean.  Located in the Whole Foods shopping center, it's a convenient spot with lots of easy parking.  The waiter was very friendly and happy to answer questions, but seemed to disappear for long periods of time since he was the only one that seemed to be serving this evening. 

We received seven small plates including side dishes such as kimchee, preseved tofu strips, pickled cucumber, preserved beans, seaweed, and other items.  These side dishes are known as banchan and I always find them fun since nobody seems to make them the same way. 

- Glass Noodles with Sauteed Vegetables - Glass noodles are stir-fried with beef, carrots, spinach, and soy sauce.  This was a well flavored dish and colorful too, but I still feel it was priced a tad too high.  $8.50

- Seafood and Green Onion Pancake - Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, the green onion gives this savory pancake a good contrast in texture and flavor in combination with the seafood inside.  I think grated potato is what is creating the crispy texture.   It comes with a soy sauce based dipping sauce.  This is definitely unique and an enjoyable and filling treat. Very good.  $13.50

- BBQ Beef and Vegetable Bibimbab - Rice is cooked and topped with with barbecued beef, kimchi, egg, and vegetables (spinach, mushrooms, carrots, daikon radish, and bean sprouts in sizzling stoneware.  This was very colorful and tastedfine, but fairly average in the world of bibimbab.  If you haven't had it before, think of a very hot in temperature rice dish.  When mixed thoroughly with the spicy red sauce, it will warm your insides.  $13.50

While the food is authentic and has good flavor, I found the dishes to be a little on the small side or rather, that the prices were higher than what I would expect to pay considering the portions we received.  The glass noodle dish was probably the most expensive when it comes to value.  Tov Tofu is nice for a change of pace in Sonoma County and offers a flavorful selection, but the service and pricing have opportunities for improvement.  Small adjustments to these would draw a larger following of both regulars and visitors.

Sonoma County Restaurant Week - Feb 27-Mar 4, 2012

It's that time of year again, but there's not much time left. Sonoma County Restaurant Week offers prix fixe meals for $19, $29, and $39, at selected restaurants from February 27, 2012 to March 4,2012. Look for more details at: http://www.sonomacountyrestaurantweek.org/