Marlowe - New American, San Francisco

500 Brannan St, San Francisco CA 94107
(415) 777-1413
Parking: street parking
https://marlowesf.com/

Last Visited: November 29, 2017

Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 2 to 3 stars
Service: 1 to 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$$

Walk in and see wreaths in the window and other items wrapped in a Holstein cowhide pattern.  I came here with a party of ten for a business dinner and when we arrived early, we found a waiting list for the bar and every table was full.  The restaurant was extremely packed, noisy, and dark (so dark that we had to turn on the flashlight app to read the menu).

After a quick aperitif at the bar next door, we returned at our reservation time, and after more than an additional thirty minutes of waiting to be seated and having our bar order lost, someone came to apologize and put the bar drinks on the house for that order.  It was a rough start for the evening and the hostess had told us that our table was being set, but a quick look around the restaurant indicated that every table was occupied - what table was being set?  This blatant excuse was disappointing.  To speed the process along, we started to order appetizers so that everything would be ready when we sat down and warm deviled eggs arrived while we were still standing and waiting.  Finally, after a total of forty minutes of waiting after our reservation, we were seated.

The dinner itself went reasonably well.  We ordered a number of appetizers and the food came in a reasonable amount of time.  Everyone was given lots of utensils (oyster forks, large knives, etc) and plates were changed twice during our appetizer courses. Clean bowls were placed in the center of the tables to help take away shells, bones, and other discards from our dishes, but some dishes sat in the area too long after they had been emptied which left a cluttered table.  Between the appetizers and mains, the entire table was cleared of plates and utensils, the table was cleaned, and they began setting the table with appropriate dinnerware for what we ordered.

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Since it was a business dinner, I didn't take photos with the flash.  As you can see from the photos, the restaurant is very dark.

- Warm deviled egg - The egg was topped with aged provolone, pickled jalapeno, and bacon - It was a good egg, but rich with the bacon.  There was a combination of sweetness and savory to the bite. Just okay. $3 each

- Crispy brussel sprout chips - Lemon and sea salt season the chips.  The brussel sprout leaves are separated and some were very crispy while others were not crispy at all.  The little buckets used to hold the chips are cute, but you could also make this dish easily at home.  Okay.  $9.50

- Okra, baby artichoke, and shallot fritto misto with Sichuan peppercorn and habanero aioli.  The batter on the fritto misto was excellent - crunchy, golden brown, and not too heavy.  The vegetables were fresh, but the favorite part of the dish was the habanero aioli with its bit of spice.  Good. $10

- Half Dozen Oysters - smoked mignonette and scallion - These oysters were pretty small, but the mignonette with pieces of shallots was nice.  I didn't taste the smokiness, but at least it was fresh. Okay.  Market price.

- Spiced jumbo gulf shrimp with hot and boozy cocktail sauce - Two sticks of celery protrude from the cocktail sauce that is presented in a glass jar and the shrimp (four or five) are lined up with their heads pointed towards the sauce.  Unfortunately, I missed the sauce, but the shrimp was cooked right and the presentation with the heads was good (but maybe not desirable for everyone).  Good.  $18

- Duck liver mousse - Citrus marmalade, micro basil, and chives -  Crostini are served with the mousse in a glass jar.  I missed the marmalade, but the mousse was fine.  Standard.  $14

- Little Gem Salad - Mashed avocado is spread on fresh romaine hearts which serve as a base to lots of shaved red carrots, shaved beets, and other market vegetables dressed in a citrus vinaigrette.  The portion is sizable and it's a colorful dish.  It's fresh looking and tasting. Good. $14

- Charred Octopus salad - Smoked frisee, mizuna, crispy sunchokes, blood orange vinaigrette, and mojo picon (Spanish red pepper sauce).  I really liked this dish because the slices of octopus were tender and the acid from the blood orange gave this dish a lot of brightness.  Again, I couldn't taste the smokiness of the frisee, but the octopus reminded me of some of the great octopus dishes of Portland - it makes you want to go back for another bite.  $16

- Roasted Bone Marrow - Crostini, salsa verde and fines herbes  accompany the two halves.  The bone marrow is nicely done, but it shrank into the bone so that there wasn't a whole lot of it.  I liked the freshness of the salsa verde that contrasted the richness of the bone marrow.  Good, but I wish there was more. $17

- Pan roasted cod, pork belly, littleneck clams, salsify, fennel, and tarragon beurre meuniere - First, this is a very rich dish - while you may think cod is going to be light, the pork belly and the sauce in this dish make the overall dish quite rich. The pork belly was a little overdone, adding a strong flavor, but the meat itself was a bit tough. There was only one littleneck clam which didn't add a whole lot to the dish - I would not have missed it at all if it had not been there.  The two caper berry halves are a bit of a shock in terms of their tartness contrasting the heavy flavors on the plate.  If it held up, I would cut it into quarters instead.  The fish itself was cooked just right, and I liked the salsify and fennel that offset the richness. $29

When the main dishes arrived, there was only one error in providing the right dish to the right person, so there are opportunities to improve.  Throughout the evening, I felt that the service was not steady, but more of a feeling of concentrated attention and then seemingly nobody.  Servers that we interacted with were friendly and fairly accommodating though, paying attention to empty glasses and taking drink orders.

Considering our long wait time and abundance of appetizers, we skipped dessert, but saw items such as fresh baked cookies, an apple crisp, and gingerbread cake as options.

Overall, the food was flavorful and good, and the service at the table was ok, but the experience of waiting at the start of the evening was deflating and a bit disturbing - my take is that if you explain the situation or own up to your mistake, it's much better than telling us that a table is being set when there was none.  Alternatively, make an exception and let the group jump the waiting list for the bar.

Lastly,  the noise level was so high that I wouldn't recommend it for a business dinner unless you want to shout for most of the conversation.

Aqua Club Dessert and Beverage - San Bruno

440 San Mateo Ave, Suite N1, San Bruno CA 94066 
(650) 382-2782
Parking: street parking
http://www.aquaclubus.com

Last Visited: October 5, 2017

Food: 2 to 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $

Alice had recommended Aqua Club which is fairly new in San Bruno downtown. With menu items like a Smoked Salmon Waffle Cup as well as Green Tea Panna Cotta along with a variety of Boba Tea, you could see whom this cafe might appeal to.

This shop has a cute decor with it's baby blue wall and white chairs. A glass refrigerator case has options like panna cotta ready made.  There is a good amount of seating, but similar to other shops of this style, it gets loud with all of the blending going on in the background.

- Mango Sago - Fresh mango slush, sago, and coconut milk - This tall drink certainly had all of the ingredients listed, but the mango slush was only at the top and had not been thoroughly incorporated throughout the drink.  It's not put in a cup that allows you to turn it upside down, but even stirring didn't help that much.  The flavor is concentrated in the mango slush only.  In general, the coconut flavor was also present, but not intense enough.  $5.75

Overall, there is a good variety, but the flavor profile of this one drink wasn't particularly impressive.  Just ok.  I wouldn't say it's a destination, but if you're there and wanting boba, it's alright.

Menkee Wonton - Chinese, San Francisco

1701 Noriega St, San Francisco CA 94122
(415) 566-2203
Parking: street parking

Last Visited: October 14, 2017

Food: 2 stars
Atmosphere: 1 to 2 stars
Service: 1 to 2 stars
Price: $

My uncle said that Menkee was worth going back to, but oh, where to begin?  Enter the restaurant and it's not particularly impressive.  The tables are sticky.  You won't get greeted.  The paper postings of specialty menu items taped to the walls are all a bit ragged. What seems out of place is the colorful golden yellow set menus that are on stands with USB outlets.  I didn't bother to see if they were working. 

When the menu did arrive, it was almost shocking how inexpensive dishes are, but note that the place is cash only.  Given that the prices are so low, the descriptions of dishes should be taken with a grain of salt - more on that later.

- Ong choy with Bean Curd - At first, this seemed like the best deal ever.  The vegetables are fresh, but then it was noticeable how much ong choy stalks were present - these were too tough to chew, but the overall flavor of the dish was good.  Then I found the hair in my food.  Ugh.  There was no way it was my hair - it was too intertwined into the veggies to be mine.  $7

- Stuffed Fried Tofu - It turned out that this was the best dish of the evening.  Six blocks of tofu were stuffed with fish paste, deep fried, and topped with a bean sauce.  However, the quantity of fish paste is so minuscule that in some cases, I've had more peanut butter spread on a PB&J sandwich than the thickness of the fish paste here.  It would have been better to charge the same amount and not stuff the tofu.  Good crunch on the outside. No foreign objects found.  $3.25


- Pan-Fried Oyster Pancake - Classic chiu chow style restaurants always has this dish on the menu.  This was like a patty of dough with some minuscule pieces of oysters and some cilantro sprinkled in it.  The outer edge is crispy and golden.  The inside is a little too moist and doughy - not what I was expecting and not particularly tasty once you eat all of the edges.  $7

- Chiu Chow Style Beef over Rice - As this was one of the items on the set menu special, I thought it would be worth trying.  It's essentially strips of beef, green bell peppers, and onions that are stir fried with some chili pepper flakes.  Although the beef was okay, the rice was lukewarm - likely left over from lunch.  The rice was barely even warm when it arrived at our table and was likely microwaved.  $5

It looks like it's a family owned restaurant and the family members are working in all roles from the kitchen to the server, but unfortunately, the server was never cracked a smile and was far from attentive.  Don't even get me started on the restroom - while it was likely clean, it needed a huge face lift.  The stains were quite disturbing - avoid it if you can. 

If you must go, I suggest take out.

Benkyodo - Japanese mochi, San Francisco

1747 Buchanan St, San Francisco CA 94115
(415) 922-1244
Parking: street parking and pay parking lot
Hours: Mon-Thurs 8am - 4pm, Closed Sundays and 1st & 3rd Mondays
http://www.benkyodocompany.com/

Last Visited: December 8, 2016

Food: 5 stars
Atmosphere: N/A
Service: 3 to 4 stars
Price: $

If you love mochi and manju, this is the best place to go in San Francisco and probably northern California. Open since 1906, the shop has stayed within the family and is now operated by the third generation family members.

While it's easy to pass by this shop and not even notice it, once inside, the glass case holds many delights including fresh fruit mochi (during my visit, they offered blueberry mochi) along with their staples of red bean paste stuffed mochi with different mochi dough wrappers, lima bean stuffed mochi, and several manju too.  Pictured here are red bean paste stuffed mochi sprinkled with soybean powder and traditional white mochi with red bean paste.  These handmade treats are super fresh and the dough is soft and tender.  Most of the mochi is $1.20 each, but special items like season fruit vary in pricing.  Note that payment is cash only.

In case you're looking for Japanese treats, Benkyodo also offers rice crackers, both savory and sweet and the Japanese version of rice krispies treats - ever so delicious.

On the other side of the shop is a lunch counter.

Don't miss this piece of Japantown history!  Go early since once they run out for the day, they don't make more.

Dumpling Time - Chinese, San Francisco

11 Division Street, San Francisco CA 94103
(415) 525-4797
Parking: small parking lot and street parking
Hours: Lunch daily 11am-3pm, Dinner Mon-Thurs 5:30pm-10pm, Fri-Sat - 5pm-11pm or sold out
https://www.dumplingtimesf.com

Last Visited: June 22, 2017

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

Dumpling Time calls itself "a dumpling-and-beer house from the acclaimed restaurant team behind SF's Okane, Live sushi bar and Michelin-starred Omakase." They focus on locally sourced ingredients, unique fillings and shareable plates. Fellow foodie friend Winnie suggested we give it a try.

Large glass windows and a patio are the first thing you notice about Dumpling Time.  Even though it was a week night and we arrived before 6pm, the place was already packed and a line had formed outside despite there being over 70 seats.  An open kitchen allows those waiting to be seated a view of dumplings being made and colorful dough (green, purple, turquoise, orange, and yellow) was out on display. The back wall is used as a projection screen and the game was showing.  A couple bright neon signs have words in both English (dumpling time) and Chinese characters which say dumpling.

The menu is small compared to that of most Chinese or Japanese restaurants, but includes dumplings, baos (buns) available both steamed or pan seared, salads such as garlic seaweed salad, gyoza (pan crisped dumplings), noodles, and dessert (sweet buns).

We sat at a communal table and put in our order.

- Shrimp Toast - This is not served on toast as what you would traditionally see.  Instead, it's shrimp stuffed in fried dough (Chinese style fried dough like those served with congee).  I found the presentation to be nice - each piece had a parsley leaf on top of it.  However, the overall mouth feel was a bit greasy.  The shrimp was nicely browned and the center pieces were a little crispier than those on the ends which seemed more laden with oil.  It seemed novel, but I wouldn't get it again.    $8

- Xian Dumpling - The presentation of the dumplings was definitely modern and different than what you find at most places.   Pork, cabbage, and green onion fill the dumplings.  A small square shaped dish holds dipping sauce, but it was so small that it made dipping quite awkward.  Fennel slices, microgreens, tomato halves, and slices of spicy red peppers top the dumplings.  Since the peppers had seeds in them, and there was no warning that these might be spicy, I made the error of putting one in my mouth and preventing my tastebuds from fully enjoying the dumplings.  Okay. $9

- Beijing Noodles - A large bowl is filled just under halfway with noodles, ground pork, green onion, ginger, and soybean paste.  I also think there was lemongrass in the dish.  The sauce leans more on the dry side.  While the flavors are strong and the noodles have good texture, there isn't much in the bowl and this serving may not be sufficient to fill one person.  It's more like an appetizer size.  Okay.  $9


- Trio of Buns - Green tea and milk bun, beet and taro bun, egg yolk bun.  The novelty of this dish is the colorful dough and the variety.  The green tea flavor was mild and the milk custard filling was equally light.  The beet bun is very pretty and the taro filling inside was the most prominent in flavor compared to the others.  The egg yolk bun was just ok - nothing special.  $5.50

Noise levels are very high no matter where you sit in the restaurant. We were almost yelling or asking one another to repeat much of our conversation because of the noise levels.

Service was okay, but the servers were not particularly knowledgeable.  When we asked what was inside the buns, we were told by the server that it was her first day, so we had to ask someone else. This indicated the lack of training since if you're bringing the dish, you should know what's in it.  If you're looking for tapas style dumplings and noodles and a different spin on presentation, you'll enjoy Dumpling time.  If you're looking for a lot of food for good prices, you may want to stick to more traditional dumpling shops.

Note also that they charge the SF Mandate tax of 4%.

Night Market - Chinese, South San Francisco

2308 South Spruce Ave, South San Francisco CA 94080
(650) 634-8388
Hours: Mon-Sat 11am - 2:30pm
Parking: parking lot and street parking

Last Visited: June 25, 2017

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

Night Market opened a few months ago and is located next to Spruce café across the street from Hung To Restaurant.  The signage is discreet and if you didn't know what was there, it would be easy to pass it by without a second glance.  Winnie told me about it as she had heard good things.

Enter Night Market and it's a bit dark.  You'll see a small screen along with a menu holder.  On the right is an 'Order here' sign along with a tv screen above it showing today's specials.  Available today were items like cola chicken and pineapple buns (which come out of the oven every 30 minutes).  The menu is comprised of favorites, a choose your base and protein option, snacks, and drinks (tea, Asian soda, and fresh juice).

Folding tables are scattered throughout the space and surrounded by bright red and blue plastic stools.  The intent behind the design of the menu and environment is to mimic the night markets and hawker stands that are popular in many Asian countries where the food is the primary draw and the seating is purely functional, not beautiful.   The side brick wall has been painted with black chalkboard paint and individual bricks have been decorated with various drawings.  The rear wall serves as a projection screen for an Asian movie.  Along the walls are the stainless steel food carts with a space for you to peer at the various snacks and dishes in their pots.  There is also a drink station, which based on the mini wooden barrels present (typically used for sweet tofu), I would guess will also be a dessert station soon.

After you order, your number is called, sometimes several times depending on which station your order came from.  They have a tray at the main station so you can take your food back to your table easily and if you need help, they can also assist.  Condiments and silverware are found in the center of the room for you to serve yourself. 

- Curry Fish Balls (6 pieces) - These tender fish balls are cooked in a curry sauce and served three to a skewer.  Typical street food, these were very reminiscent of what you would find on the streets in Hong Kong.  Good. $2

- Night Market Hainan Chicken with rice - Generally, Hainan Chicken is almost as well known as its accompanying rice which is typically cooked with the broth used to cook the chicken, making the rice extremely flavorful.  Night Market does a great job with their Hainan chicken with rice.  The chicken is boneless and both are served with boiled cabbage (not bland because it too is cooked in the chicken broth).  A small serving of pickled vegetables (daikon radish and carrots), ginger and scallion sauce, and hot sauce are also served with the dish.  It's filling for a single serving, but could easily be shared. Great. $8

- Choose a base, choose a protein $8
Base: White rice, noodle salad, soup noodle, steamed buns (2 pieces)
Protein: Spicy tofu, fried tofu, Hainan chicken, satay beef brisket (+0.95), curry beef brisket (+0.95), roast pork belly, BBQ pork, pork chop

In Hong Kong, this has become a popular model for restaurants and often also includes choosing a sauce.  You can also add an additional protein for $3. 


- Satay Beef Brisket with Soup Noodles - From this menu of choices, I chose this combination.  The brisket was tender and well flavored.  The turnip was tender and cooked through, but the flavor from the sauce has not made it to the center of the turnip - it's almost as though the two were cooked separately.  Along with the brisket are tendons which were also tender.  The noodles and broth are served separately - the noodles were al dente and the broth was flavorful.  Two pieces of yau choy were served with it.  I would definitely get this again. $8.95

Desserts like pineapple buns and pudding cakes (more Hong Kong street food) are available.  The more you purchase, the better the price. 

Although the name is a bit of a misnomer right now since they're only open for lunch, the place is already quite popular and by the time I finished my lunch, the order line was almost back to the door.  It looks like there is some flexibility with seating as there are more tables not yet unfolded and there is also seating outside.  The food quality is on point and service, albeit minimal, is friendly.  I'll be back for sure and would recommend it to others.

Tartine Manufactory - American/California, San Francisco

595 Alabama St, San Francisco CA 94110
(415) 757-0007
Parking: street parking
Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30am - 5pm, Sat-Sun 8am-5pm; Dinner Daily 5:30pm-10pm
http://www.tartinemanufactory.com/

Last Visited: May 28, 2017

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

Price: $$$ to $$$$

Tartine Manufactory was well marketed even before it opened up.  With the closing of Bar Tartine, along with its somewhat unusual (maybe too creative) menu, Tartine Manufactory offers a more reasonably priced alternative that more people can understand.  Originally open only for breakfast and lunch, the Manufactory has expanded its offerings to include dinner service. The spacious warehouse space is decorated simply with wood tables and chairs and white lantern lights reminiscent of balloons, creating an airy and light feel.

We arrived about half an hour before dinner started and easily got a table even though the reservation system was full.  Those whom came later without a reservation was seated at the bar.  Service was friendly, but there is still room for improvement as described below.

Our server asked if we had been to the Manufactory before and when we told her it was our first visit, she patiently explained how the menu is designed for sharing small plates family style and was happy to give guidance about our choices.  As we got there early, a fellow patron in line whom had visited several times gave us some recommendations - ribs, bone marrow, and prime rib.  He suggested we ask for the swordfish rare if we chose to get it and to avoid the chicken.  We listened to his suggestions and ordered a variety of dishes, ending with the special of the day - aged prime rib.

- Warm Bread & seaweed butter  - The bread was great - lots of holes in the bread and a crusty outside.  It was served warm with fluffy seaweed butter which is essentially butter with nori mixed in.  The seaweed butter could use more salt and didn't have enough seaweed for my taste, but there was no salt on the table.  I would suggest buying the country loaf for double the price and you'll get a lot more slices. Okay to skip this one. $5

- Halibut Ceviche - Rayna recommended this dish.  Lime and cilantro are used to prepare the halibut.  Although the menu said there were chili's, the flavor was extremely mild.  The tender ceviche is topped with greens, a dollop of avocado based sauce, and chopped quicos (think corn nuts, but without the frying).   On the side were two young, tender, red lettuce cups. The serving style was less like a regular ceviche and more like a salad with a very refreshing lime dressing.  The quicos give the dish the needed texture difference by adding crunch. Good flavor, but more impressive than the taste is the artistic presentation of the dish with its greens (even though some of the greens had some browning at the bottom of the stem).   $17

- Pork Ribs - Five pork ribs are braised in an sauce that has some Asian seasonings (I thought of hoisin sauce when I had my first bite).  It's served with a pumpkin seed salsa (pepitos blended fine with olive oil and some herbs) and a thick,  savory yogurt.  A small serving of sliced pickled rhubarb accompany the plate.  The meat from these ribs fell off the bone and the sauce is just a little thick to evenly coat the meat.  Very good - must try.  If you have a salad or other appetizer, this could easily be a main dish for small eaters. $18

- Prime Rib - Our last entree was the 21 day dry aged wood roasted prime rib served with fried potatoes, horseradish, and jus.  This serves two if you are enjoying other dishes.  When you ask for medium rare, you'll definitely get a medium rare steak here. While the crust of the prime rib has developed a bark quality and is quite salty, the center is tender.  I have to admit that the aging was not as noticeable on this particular prime rib.  The star of this dish is actually the fried potatoes that are served on the side.  Garlic, rosemary, and cheese are used to season well-fried whole small yukon gold potatoes until they are a dark brown.  Inside the potatoes, the texture is creamy and rich - if I could, I would just get the potatoes!  Prime rib is good, but the potatoes are wonderful. $45
Several dessert options are available including an affogato, ice cream, chocolate tart, and lemon posset.  We opted for the popular gateau basque.

- Warm Apricot Gateau Basque  - Served with a scoop of toasted almond ice cream and topped with raspberry compote.  It's a moist cake with apricot and custard in the center.  The crust is lightly sugared and crunchy.  While it was good, I may have had too high of expectations just because it's Tartine.  Good balance of flavor, but the ice cream could be creamier.  The nuts in the ice cream were still crunchy, so it held up well to the freezing process. $10

The Manufactory has  a surcharge for employee benefits.  All in all, it was a good experience, and while I would go again, next time I would go for lunch/brunch instead to try more pastries or the porchetta.

Where the Manufactory failed me was with my order of a Country Loaf ($9.50) to take home.  For that, I dropped them a star for service.  When I came in, I asked my hostess about how to go about ordering a loaf and she said she would set one aside for me.  When my server took our order, I let her know I had asked the hostess about the loaf and she assured me that she would bring it over at the end of the meal.  When my leftovers were packaged before dessert, the boxes arrived without a loaf, so I thought perhaps the loaf would come when my check arrived.  After dessert, still no loaf, but when the bill came, I was clearly charged for it.  As I was leaving, I asked the hostess near the door if I picked up my loaf then, and she said she would be happy to get me one.  Then she asked whether or not I had paid for it - so disappointing considering how they seemed so good about attention to detail (refilling water, cleaning the table, giving me the right leftover boxes).  

In any case, I recommend that everyone busy a loaf to take home - I was so inspired by the experience that I made my own toast - Chinese roast pork with arugula topped with shaved parmigiano reggiano and a goat cheese with fresh peaches drizzled with honey.  I also sought out smashed potato recipes with the goal of remaking those potatoes and came close.

Overall, it was a positive experience even if the place was very full at the end of the day and I had to keep asking about my bread, but the pork ribs and potatoes are amazing.

Screamin Mimi's - Ice cream, Sebastopol

6902 Sebastopol Ave, Sebastopol CA 95472
(707) 823-5902
Parking: street parking
Hours: Open daily from 11am to 10pm; open until 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays
http://www.screaminmimisicecream.com/

Last Visited: December 30, 2016


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

Voted #4 Best ice cream in the United States by USA Today and best ice cream in Sonoma County since 1995, this is a great place to stop in if you're in the area.

While it's not the very best ice cream I've ever had, I love the charm of Screamin' Mimi's and their variety of ice cream and sorbet, plus it's good to support local businesses.  When I'm up here, I always stop in no matter the weather or how close I am to my next meal.  The Christmas decorations are showing in this photo and you can see the colorful decor inside the shop. The ice cream cones, tables, and chairs are painted by a local artist.

Unlike other ice cream shops which offer ice cream by the scoop, at Screamin' Mimi's you pay by weight.

Shown in the photo here are:
- Peach coconut sorbet - The peach flavor came out more than the coconut, but it was still refreshing.

- Orange cardamom cream sorbet - This was wonderful!  The cardamom came across so well and the orange was light - I might try to make this one at home the next time I get out my ice cream maker.

Items like fudge, caramel, whipped cream, and waffle cones are made in house.  Other menu items include floats, shakes, and options from the espresso bar.

Service is friendly too, so stop in and try their multitude of flavors.

9 Noodle House - Chinese, Millbrae

9 Hillcrest Blvd
Millbrae CA 94030
(650) 552-9031
Parking: street parking and nearby parking lot

Last Visited: May 7, 2017

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

Bella first told me about 9 Noodle House and said she heard the beef stew noodle was the best thing to try, so of course, I took her advice.  Open since August of 2016, the kinks have been worked out mostly and word is getting out.  This little shop is located across from 7-Eleven and behind the butcher.   The decor is simple with a few individual tables on the side and a large communal table with bench seating in the center.  Bright green paint is a contrast to the large photos of the menu items on the walls.

Their menu offers a number of noodle soups with meat such as Beef Stew Noodles, Mixed Meatball Noodles, Curry Beef Brisket Noodles, Vietnamese Style Pork Chop Noodles, and more with each bowl roughly around $10.  Their accompanying dishes include pot stickers, boiled vegetables and fried dishes such as fried potato cakes, fried mackerel, spring rolls, french fries, and fried stuffed octopus balls. It was a bit reminiscent of Hong Kong noodle restaurants with their option to select the style of noodles, but they don't have a spicy soup base except the Hot and Sour Noodles. They have a few drink offerings and that seems to be where they make their money with each one costing just under $4.


Noodle options include egg noodle, rice noodle, udon, rice vermicelli, and ramen.  You can also order rice if you prefer.

- Crispy Fried Chicken Wings - While the wings had a crisp outside and were thoroughly cooked through, one of my wings was ice cold in the center which was not acceptable.  None of the other wings had this issue.  This seems to indicate that the chicken is cooked twice, but it's unfortunately, it appears that they still have room for improvement.  2 stars on this one because it was under temperature.   $7

- Flavorful Beef Stew - This photo is just after a small bowl of noodles was removed from the bowl.  The beef stew is tender and the broth is just a touch spicy.  I liked this one and would definitely get it again.  For both this and the other noodle bowl ordered, there was plenty of meat and noodles - good portion size so that most people would be full.  4 stars on this dish.  $9.99

- Flavorful Salty Chicken - Served with a dipping sauce of ginger and green onion, this chicken was tender and indeed flavorful.  I ordered udon for this bowl.  Again, the amount of meat was generous and this broth was lighter than the one that came with the stew. You can see that lots of green onions and cilantro come in the broth.  $10.99

Service was friendly and they came back to check on us mid-meal.  This is a good stop for lunch or a quick simple dinner.  I suspect that it gets noisy when the place is full, but we came early and there was plenty of space and we were able to have a conversation without any trouble hearing one another.  Great place for a casual meal - just watch the chicken wings.

Rangoon Ruby - Burmese, Palo Alto

445 Emerson St, Palo Alto CA 94301
(650) 323-6543
Parking: street parking and parking lot across the street
Hours: Lunch Daily 11:30am-2:30pm, Dinner Sun-Thurs 5pm-10pm, Fri-Sat 5pm-10:30pm
http://www.rangoonruby.com

Last Visited: July 9, 2016

Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 2 to 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$

I had heard coworkers talk about Rangoon Ruby, so I thought I would give it a try.  They tout themselves as the best Burmese Cuisine in the Bay Area.  Long story short, it's a good place for those that are completely new to Burmese cuisine, but the flavors are extremely mild.  This is good for diners desiring an explanation of each ingredient and whom are more interested in the service and setting than the food.  I gave the food three stars for appearance - it looks the part and is plated nicely.

Upon arriving, our party was greeted by a host whose sole job was hosting.  Throughout our entire lunch, she stayed at the hosting station, but was checking her phone when she thought nobody was watching.  Bench seating lines a portion of one wall and the bar lines the other wall.  Each table has white tablecloths with square plates.  Modern photography collages decorate the walls.  The chandeliers also have a modern feel.

After being seated, it took some time before we were attended to and it wasn't quite busy.  Service was friendly for the most part and the busboys seemed to be the most attentive.  My server was seemingly absent at times, but could be seen chatting with folks behind the bar.

- Tea Leaf Salad - Tea leaves, fried garlic, yellow beans, peanuts, sesame seeds, lettuce, tomato, jalapeno, and dried shrimp are served with a wedge of lemon.  Although the ingredients are fresh, and the server takes the time to explain each item, I found the quantity of lemon to be lacking and the whole dish lacked spice.  A traditionalist would also say that lettuce should not be used - cabbage is typically the primary base.  Fresh but bland.  Nice plating.  $14

- Nan Gyi Dok - Rice noodles are topped with coconut chicken
sauce, yellow bean powder, cilantro, red onion slices, and fried onion.  A hardboiled egg and fried won ton strips accompany the dish.  Although nicely plated, the coconut chicken was once again mild and the dish was closer to room temperature than hot or cold.  It lacked flavor compared to the authentic version.  $14

Tables are close together which could be uncomfortable if you have a larger personal space bubble or just don't want your neighbor to hear your entire conversation.  You also won't find anyone Burmese except the owner/chef.  During our meal, the server came to top off our water and promptly spilled it on our table and floor.  While she apologized, it was strange that nobody came to wipe off the puddle on the floor.

If you want to bring guests to try Burmese food and fear that they might be frightened of strong flavors, this is a good spot for nice presentation and setting, but if you want authentic food, you may try another place.