Jingege Soy Sauce Chicken and Yaoyao Suan Cai Yu - Chinese, BBQ, San Bruno

1212 El Camino Real #C  and D, San Bruno CA 94066
(650) 636-4380
Parking: shopping center parking lot

Hours: Daily 11am-9pm

Last Visited: May 24, 2025

Food: 2 to 3 stars

Atmosphere: 3 stars

Service: 2 stars

Price: $$ to $$$

I really wanted to like this place. In fact, I thought it could be my new go to place for beef chow fun.  The Jingege side of the house has a San Leandro branch and when I ordered beef chow fun for takeout there, it was easily one of the most wok-hay filled chow fun (that steaming heat that you only get from stir frying in a wok), but I was so incredibly thirsty after, that I have yet to go back there.  Sometimes it's a tradeoff - incredible taste, but maybe enough MSG that you get a headache or drink gallons of fluids to quench the MSG thirst, which I know may not be a tradeoff that anyone is willing to take, but at least it's a choice.

I was excited to try this new location which is also coupled with sour pickled vegetable fish dishes (that's the suan cai (sour pickled vegetable) yu (fish) part of the name).  To me, it's usually a good sign when the name of a place does not care about the English name, but in this case, it didn't meet my expectations.  One side of the menu is for barbecue items, and the other side is for the Szechuan dishes.  Unlike typical Chinese barbecue places, you can't order by the pound.  All barbecue is ordered as a single dish with a set serving size. 

The restaurant has a lot of bright pastels and one wall has life-sized people pictures taking a selfie with their food. It can feel crowded when full and the kitchen noise can be loud.

- Beef Chow Fun - I ordered this dish for takeout and it had decent flavor and was cooked well (nothing burnt which is often the challenge with beef chow fun). Typical ingredients include onions, green onions, and bean sprouts to add some crunch to the chow fun and beef.  While the taste was standard, the amount of oil left on the takeout container and my individual serving plate was quite alarming - it was as though I had poured oil on my plate and gently coated it like you would a frying pan.  And that I had also coated all of the individual serving plates.  While the price is reasonable for the portion, there is no way I can continue to eat something with this much oil. $15.95

So I was thinking that maybe this was a fluke.  Maybe the chef used too much oil during my takeout visit. Maybe, just maybe, other dishes would be lighter in the oil content.  

- Crispy Tofu  - From this photo, you can see that there is again a pool of oil underneath that tofu.  The way that tofu is typically fried, the crispiness is from the texture of the firm tofu itself.  However, this has been coated with some light batter and while it's seasoned, it's not seasoned all that much.  Salt and pepper fried tofu at other restaurants is better with a better taste and texture.  And that oil, well, too much oil is never appetizing.  This one was below standard for me and I couldn't finish. $9.95

- Yaoyao Suan Cai Yu - Considering this is a signature dish for the other side of the menu, and I've had some wonderful soups of this style at other restaurants, I ordered the sour pickled vegetable fish soup.  Unlike other places, there aren't choices of what to include in the soup - everything is already there - fish, sour pickled vegetables, glass noodles/bean thread, lotus root slices, and black fungus.  Sesame, fried shallots, green onions, and red peppers top the soup.  And the reason the photo is glistening so much - it's the oil.  Too much oil once again.  While other soups have a little oil drizzled on the top at other restaurants, this has a whole lot of oil that you can even taste the heaviness of it with each spoonful.  On top of that, there is a really sour, not so tasty, pepper that is similar in color to a banana pepper.  I think this spoiled the soup for me.  It's rare that I don't finish a dish or take the dish home with me as leftovers. Between this and the tofu, I abandoned my usual rituals and left significant amounts in the bowl/plate.  $38 (large), $21.95 (small)

Barbecue Combination Platter - I had ordered soy sauce chicken (since it's another signature dish) and roast pork.  Despite it being just past 5pm on a weekend, they had already run out of roast pork, so I went with barbecue pork.  While not traditional in style, if you like your barbecue pork dark, this had a molasses-like quality to the sticky sauce and there was enough fat in the pork that it was quite tender.  The soy sauce chicken was flavorful and not dry.  Sweet soy beans accompany the meat. Of all the dishes we had this visit, this was by far the best, and I would actually get this one again. There weren't any oil problems.  $21

With this visit, I decided that no matter how good a deal it may be to go on your birthday and get a free soup, it's not worth it for me to go back.  The barbecue items were easily the best thing, but the oiliness of all of the other dishes deter me from going back. 

As for service, you're ordering off an iPad and have to flag people down to get a bowl, water, receipt, etc.  When I ordered takeout, the woman at the register took the credit card out of my hand rather than wait for me to hand it to her.  This leaves a lot to be desired.   I left the food rating between 2 and 3 stars because the beef chow fun, though oily, tastes fine.  The barbecue items rescued the rating.  If you're going to go, order the barbecue items and it might be worth trying the desserts that they offer, but this is more because of the novelty of these items rather than because I've tried them. 

Terry Black's Barbecue - Fort Worth, Texas

2926 W 7th St, Fort Worth TX 76107
(817) 615-9408

Parking: parking lot

Hours: Mon-Thurs 11am-9:30pm, Fri-Sat 10:30am-10pm, Sun 10:30am-9:30am

https://terryblacksbbq.com/fortworth/

Last Visited: March 5, 2025

Food: 3 to 4 stars

Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars

Service: 2 to 4 stars

Price: $$ to $$$

Terry Black's Barbecue - incredibly popular by name, even if you live outside of Texas.  Friends had told me to go to locations outside of Austin (the original) to have a shorter wait time, and since I was in Fort Worth at lunch time, I stopped into this newer spot.  

There is ample parking in the lot behind the restaurant and when we arrived at 11am on a weekday, we were second in the line.  Even later into the lunch hour, the line moved at a quick pace.

We were promptly and warmly welcomed by the friendly lady at the sides station who served as the main greeter.  She asked us if we had been in before and when we said it was our first time, she kindly explained how everything worked - start at the sides/dessert station and move down the line to select your meats.  It feels like a cafeteria line as you move your own tray and make selections, but it keeps things moving fast.  You get your drinks after you have paid at the last station after the registers.

Choices of sides include mac & cheese, pinto beans, cream corn, Mexican rice, green beans, potato salad, and cole slaw.  Dessert options include banana pudding, peach cobbler, and pecan pie.  Both sides and dessert are available in single, pint, quart, or gallon servings.  There were also a few options like chips, avocado, cheese by the pound, cornbread, and jalapenos.  A couple of slices of white bread comes with your order, although I opted for only one slice, as well as pickles and red onions.  

- Green beans - We opted to get some vegetables and these green beans were nicely done. Seasoned with shallots or onions, but not too salty.  Tender, but not overcooked.   The picture shows a single serving. $4.25

- Peach cobbler - A friend had told me to try the peach cobbler, but I thought this was just ok.  It wasn't overly sweet, but not to my taste. Maybe if it wasn't packaged in a container with a lid, but I knew I wasn't going to be able to finish it all there.  Still, even though I ate some right away, I wasn't a fan. $4.75

Aside from meat that is sold by 1/3, 1/2, 3/4, or 1 pound, you can also order sandwiches, including combo meals.  The menu choices for meat include brisket, pork ribs, beef ribs (sold by the bone), chopped beef, turkey, and house made sausage (jalapeno or original).  

Here's where the service rating comes in.  While the greeter deserves 4 to 5 stars for her warm welcome, the ladies cutting and weight the meat lacked warmth and didn't quite listen.  Maybe they hadn't warmed up yet as the place had just opened.  Maybe it was an off day for both of them, but when the customer says no, you shouldn't push the food on them.  There are two people at the cutting station - one to cut the meat and the other to weigh and enter the items into your tab.

- Pork ribs - The ribs have been seasoned well and have just the lightest layer of fat on top.  The inside is a delicate pink and while it's not fall off the bone, they're good ribs that have a nice mix of fat and meat. The smoky flavor of the meat is not overwhelming.  It was a bit salty, but with the bread and green beans, it was fine.  Are they the best ribs I've ever had? No, but they're good - solid for barbecue.    $30/pound

- Beef Brisket - My coworker, Daniel, had told me to ask to mix in fatty parts - fatty 40 lean 60, so I did just that and the ladies at the cutting station looked at me with puzzled faces.  Maybe it would have been better to educate me that I can just ask for lean or moist (I learned about this later), but they seemed a bit annoyed with my ask.  The lady cutting the brisket asked how many slices we wanted so I asked her to show me how big a slice was. The first piece she cut was on the edge of a just cut piece of brisket.  When she showed me that piece, I asked for four, but as the slices got progressively larger and thicker, I knew that was going to be too much.  I asked for less, but she insisted that even with the ribs, that was just right for two people.  I didn't feel heard and I ended up with more than a pound of meat.  It wasn't about cost, but as I knew I would be traveling and didn't have any type of cooler, and that dinner would be early tonight, this was way too much food.  The brisket was tender and smoky, but on the salty side. The barbecue technique looks good with the pink ring on the surface of the smoked meat.  Sauces were tangy - I needed some sauce to balance out the salt. Even though I the brisket had fat in it, it dried out during the course of the meal so that it wasn't so moist anymore.  Okay, but not the best brisket of the trip.  $35/pound

During our meal, a woman came and asked us if we were enjoying our meal and whether we had been there before.  She also let us know that the barbecue is available by mail. She did a great job checking in without intruding and checked on all of the tables in addition to clearing anything at the tables that people had left behind. 

Terry's barbecue is an efficient operation and good for an introduction to a solid barbecue experience.  While some staff are very good, there could be some retraining for others to improve the service, especially for newcomers.  Even though the slices of brisket were cut, I think they could have taken some back instead of saying that was right for two people. For this reason, I can't recommend this location even though the food is fine.  

Old Pier Hong Kong BBQ - Chinese BBQ, San Francisco

1033 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA 94116
(415) 702-6378
Parking: street parking
Hours: Daily 10:30am-9pm, Closed Tuesdays

Last Visited: July 7, 2024

Food: 3 stars

Atmosphere: 3 stars

Service: 1 star

Price: $$ to $$$

I first went to Old Pier when they initially opened a couple of years ago.  I tried some of their takeout Chinese BBQ and found their bbq to be ok.  Nothing standout, but not half bad either.  

Fast forward a couple of years later, and we were dining in this time.  The decor is modern with booths and built in induction stovetops in the tables for hot pot (Chinese fondue).  We were promptly greeted and told to pick any seat.  The waitress brought us tea quickly, but after the initial dish was brought out from the kitchen, the waitress couldn't do much more, and well, it goes downhill from there.

They have set a menu, starting with meals for 2-3 people, which offer choices of entrees, sides, and come with rice, and a plate of vegetables.  With only two of us, we decided to order a Chinese bbq roast pork and duck over rice and a tofu dish.

- Braised Tofu with Vegetable - This dish comes from the kitchen, freshly cooked upon order.  While it took about ten minutes, that was a reasonable amount of time to get the hot braised tofu served with carrots, bok choy, and button mushrooms.  It was fresh and had a bit of gravy.  Good. $13.95

The tofu would have been a great pairing with our order of bbq items that came with rice, but forty minutes after ordering, we still didn't have our bbq items.  We overheard the waitress check on our order and tell the bbq chef that we had already received the rest of our order, but to no avail.  We asked her to check again at the 30 minute mark, and she did, but nothing.  At forty minutes, I went up front and asked for the bill.  The bbq chef told me he could cut it in just a few minutes, but I had no hope at that point.  I saw that all of the people in the takeout line had come and gone, and even orders submitted after ours were fulfilled.  I paid and left.  

From this experience, I would recommend that if you must eat here, order items from the kitchen to make things go a bit faster.  If you insist on eating bbq, get in the takeout line.  This wasn't a matter of a missing order, but the chef's choice to fulfill take out orders before dine-in.  No apology came from the chef about the wait.  Completely disappointing. 

Flame BBQ - Asian, Millbrae - CLOSED (replaced by another BBQ)

1621 El Camino Real, Millbrae CA 94030

(650) 677-5888

Parking: street parking

Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 4:30pm-11:30pm, Closed Mondays

Last Visited: July 6, 2024

Food: 2 stars

Atmosphere: 3 stars

Service: 2 to 3 stars

Price: $ to $$$

Formerly the location for Ai Grill, this new location has probably been open just under six months.  The reviews on various were overwhelmingly positive, so I thought it would be worth a try.  However, I was completely disappointed by how incredibly salty and one note every dish was.  In fact, my discard pile was large, and I ended up going to another restaurant for a second dinner, not wanting to chance it any further.

We arrived at Flame BBQ and were the second table on this early Saturday evening.  All of the grills at the table have been disconnected, but the menu offerings include many grilled items.  The tables line the side of the restaurants so there is bench seating on one side and these cushioned colorful drums for the side facing the wall. The decor is modern, but still very focused on Ai Grill - nothing seems to have changed.  The seating against the wall say Ai Grill at every table.  The seats also have Ai Grill painted on them.  

While there are plastic placemat like menus at each table, I noticed that these are for reference only as you need to order using the QR code on the table.  Pricing has gone up in the short time these menu mats were printed and you'll notice a number of items have increased in price from $1 to $2 each which is significant when the original price was only $2.95 to start, like in the case of the garlic oysters.  

After we were seated, we were offered a small bowl of roasted salted peanuts with skin still on them and cold water.  

- Prime Grilled Rib Eye (3 pieces) - The rib eye came in six small dice along a metal skewer (shown on the far left of the photo)  Since it was listed as rib eye, I expected it to melt in my mouth, but instead, there was a lot of fat, and it was difficult to chew.  I had a lot of discards since I couldn't break it down.  Additionally, the meat was super salty.  Chili spice, while not particularly hot, was sprinkled on it in such abundance that you couldn't taste the beef on its own.  Super disappointing.  $6.95

- Grilled Shrimp - Shown in the middle of this photo, the size of the shrimp was ok, but again, it had been sprinkled with the chili spice so that you couldn't taste the freshness of the shrimp. It wasn't overly dry, but it wasn't that great either.  $1.95

- Grilled King Oyster Mushroom - Pictured on the far right of the first photo, you can see that the mushroom has been cut into this rectangular shape and again, sprinkled with the chili spice.  It was chewy rather than juicy and there was no mushroom flavor. I wouldn't get it again. $1.95

- Prime House Crispy Pork Belly (2 pieces) - So I was hoping that the pork belly might be a treat, but you guessed it, more chili spice.  Everything was completely on note and the skin of the pork belly didn't crunch. Disappointing once again, but at least less discards compared to the rib eye. $4.95 

 

- Vermicelli Scallop with Garlic - Finally, a dish without chili spice, but this too was on the salty side and the garlic, though abundant, had so much salt that I brushed it aside.  The small scallop was tender, but you can't taste the sea, and the vermicelli was fine.  $2.95

The server checked on us only before ordering to make sure we knew how to order, but when bringing food dishes, she doesn't ask you how you're doing.  She just tells you the food item as she brings it and takes the skewers off of her plate and onto yours.  It's a strange model considering there were only two tables, so it's not like all of the plates were in use.  

I wanted to love this place, but I was glad that I didn't order more because I had to drink lots of water to balance out the salt.  I don't know if I could have handled more of the same.  While I've been to a place when it's having an off night before, usually, it's not every dish that is disappointing.  The chefs need to work on tasting their food and the server could improve checking on customers.  Sadly, I can't recommend this place. 

Cafe 3:15 - Chinese BBQ, San Bruno

1212 El Camino Real, San Bruno CA 94066

(650) 636-4380

Parking: shopping center lot

Last Visited: December 4, 2020

Food: 4 to 5 stars
Atmosphere: N/A - Takeout only, catering available

Service: 3 to 4 stars

Price: $$ 

This is my first post since sheltering in place, so it seems fitting to write about a restaurant that opened during COVID-19.  A friend mentioned that this place recently opened and to come check it out.

Cafe 3:15 doesn't have a sign with its name out front, but from the Chinese roast duck hanging in window, there is no mistaking what this bbq shop is selling.  Located in the former Dickey's BBQ spot, this place has now switched over to Hong Kong style BBQ. 

The ordering area is pretty small and can barely fit two people maximum, but plexiglass surrounds everything and the staff is masked.  One person takes the orders and bags up the food while the chef is chopping the meat, so I felt it was COVID safe.  

- Marinated Duck - I tried the leg, and it's so incredibly full of flavor, but not overly cooked.  Their duck is meaty and the skin is so tender that it practically melts in your mouth.  The leg offering is written on a paper sign in Chinese and not on the regular menu. $2.50 Leg only,  $11.80/half duck, $21.80 whole duck 

 

- Roast Duck (as part of BBQ combo over rice) - I tried a piece of duck after bringing it home, but even hours after, the duck skin remained lightly crispy.  It's impressive how good the duck is without being too fatty.  I don't think I've had duck skin that good outside of a restaurant.  Highly recommend getting this.  $11.80/half duck, $21.80 whole duck

- Soy Sauce Chicken (as part of BBQ combo over rice) - Since we ordered two meats over rice and paired with the roast duck, the duck was dark meat and this was white meat.  If you know about Chinese bbq shops, if you request all dark meat, they will usually charge you more, or by default, give you one meat that is dark meat and the other is white meat.  Even though it was white meat, the soy sauce chicken was still pretty juicy.  The skin had absorbed the flavor of the soy sauce well and tasted very fresh.  Rice plates also come with vegetables - in this case, broccoli and half of a cooked salted egg which was a nice surprise. The rice itself wasn't as hot as if you just took it out of the steamer, so I would forego that next time.  Still nice that there is broccoli though.  $11.80/half chicken, $21.80 whole chicken

- Roast Pork - No matter what you do with an air fryer, you can't get the skin as good as this.  The pork had just the right amount of fat to meat ratio and the skin was on par with getting a suckling pig.  It's rare that the quality of skin is that high where it just melts in your mouth, but retains that crunch.  The color is also so beautifully golden.  Highly recommend this one too. $11.80 per pound

The line will likely be out the door in no time, even if it wasn't for the six feet requirements between parties during COVID.  Definitely check out the roasted duck and pork.  I hope to try the Peking Duck offering some time soon.

Atlas Pizza Parlor - San Bruno

637 San Mateo Ave, San Bruno CA 94066
(650) 553-5005
Parking: street parking
Hours: Mon-Thurs 10a-12a, Fri-Sun 10a-1a

Last Visited: July 22, 2018

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

Atlas Pizza opened on San Bruno Avenue a few months ago and since there aren't too many Indian pies in the area, I wanted to give it a try.  Newly remodeled, the big space has been divided into four sections - the dining area, the kitchen, and private two areas which seem to be primarily used for storage and a ping pong table in the back that isn't open for public use.

The front seating is ample, facing the three large screen televisions mounted on the wall and a side wall with various sports figures. On the television today were Olympics archery and a soccer game.

A large menu is printed above the counter and features Italian pizzas, Atlas Fusion Pie, subs, appetizers, salad, chicken wings, and pasta.  Although their printed menu says they serve BBQ, their only bbq offering is chicken wings.  You won't find other typical bbq items.  From the sign above the counter, there is no way to tell that they have a wide variety of juice and smoothie offerings, but a whole page is dedicated to this in their printed takeout menu.  All items are halal.

I decided to split my pie so that it was half Italian and half fusion to try out both.

- Medium Half Mighty Meaty (Red sauce, pepperoni, ham, ground beef, sausage, red onions, mushrooms, and mozzarella cheese) and Half Atlas Tandoori Chicken Pie (creamy garlic sauce, mozzarella cheese, bell peppers, red onions, diced tomatoes, tandoori chicken, green onions, and fresh cilantro) - First, the crust was very fresh tasting and the edges stayed crispy.  The menu specifically notes the fresh hand made dough.  The tandoori chicken pie was really good - smooth and creamy with a mild taste compared to the Italian half, but very flavorful.  The only improvement would have been to add more chicken.  On the Italian side, the toppings were more moist and had gone through to the bottom of the crust so that the pan showed juices flowing through.  This side was also significantly saltier than the tandoori side.  Overall, I would recommend the tandoori chicken pie since the Italian didn't stand out in comparison.  Medium 12' whole pie - Fusion $12.99, Italian $12.99

From a service standpoint, there is a lot of room for improvement.  There were some challenges understanding each other as I asked for water and there were a few exchanges before it was clear on their end that I wasn't ordering coconut water.  Also, when completing your order, you'll get a number on a stand.  All that number does is remind you of your number when it's called so that you can go retrieve your order - nobody brings you any food.  There's no point to having a number on a stand.  In some cases, I saw people go up for their pizza and about ten minutes later, go retrieve their chicken wings.  They weren't given a number at all.  Instead, the person behind the counter just yelled out 'hello' in their general direction.  For dine in, you get those super thin paper plates, and only one per person.  One of mine was dirtied by pizza sauce smudges.  When you enter or exit, there is no greeting for anyone, so don't expect a hello or thank you.

In summary, try a fusion pie and lower your service expectations.

Fantasy Restaurant - Chinese HK Style BBQ, Petaluma

1520 East Washington St, Petaluma CA 94954
(707) 658-1866
Parking: in parking lot

Last Visited: July 30, 2016

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

A few friends and family members had told us about how good the roast pork at Fantasy is with its crispy skin, and considering that there really aren't any Hong Kong style bbq places in the North Bay with the exception of a couple of markets carrying Chinese roasted products (like G&G Market), we definitely wanted to check it out.

Fantasy has been open for about three months.  When you walk in, you'll see the steam table containing a variety of cooked dishes and the roasted duck and roasted pork hanging behind the glass.  It's a common sight in the Chinese areas of San Francisco, but not so common here in wine country. Above the steam table are the television displays showing the self serve meal combo menu (you pick the size and fill a box from the steam table items) and the roast item menu showing prices for products sold by the pound.  The dining area is very clean with new tables and chairs and silk flowers and signs with the table number on each table.  You can tell that it's Chinese owned as every table number starts with an eight.  There is also a large screen television playing infomercials.  During this lunch visit, it was an informercial for hair products.

When we arrived, we were the only customers and it was a bit confusing whether there was a sit down option, but we soon learned that you can either choose from the combos or sit down and select from their regular made to order menu.  We opted to try a selection from both.  After we were seated,  we were promptly brought water, but noticed that others were given a choice of tea or water.

- 2 item BBQ Combo Plate - You have a choice of 2 BBQ items, rice or noodles, and a side of vegetables.  We selected the roast pork, roast duck, and noodles.  The chef came out and chopped the roasted items immediately after we had ordered it.  First, the portion is pretty good sized.  One person eating it should feel quite full.  The roast pork was evenly cut and nicely presented, but the skin was not very crispy.  It was crispy on the initial bite, but was chewy at the end, whereas really good roast pork has completely crispy skin that allows you to bite all the way through the skin.  Unfortunately, this didn't meet my expectations.  The roast pork was on the fatty side, and though it's the perfect cut for making Chinese tamales which tastes even better when there is a good quantity of fat, this was too much for just eating plain.   The roast duck had good flavor, not too strong, but it was a bit on the fatty side also. I thought the duck was better than the pork.   The noodles were from the steam table and had been cooked with onions and carrots, but they lacked flavor.  The side of vegetables contained celery, carrots, zucchini and broccoli and were very fresh tasting.  The people complaining about the portion need to remember that there isn't HK BBQ competition up here.  $11.99

- Salt and Pepper Pork Chop - This item was ordered from their menu.  While we expected it to be lightly battered as most Cantonese style versions of this dish would be and cooked with jalapeno peppers and bell peppers, it came out with a lot more batter than we expected and was stir fried with green onions and chili peppers.  It still tasted good, and fortunately had not been over-battered. This made to order item had good flavor and came out very hot. Good.  $8.95

Service is friendly, but still has room for opportunity.  The waitress was sharp in giving us plates since we were sharing our dishes, but she didn't come by during the middle of the meal to check on how things were going.  We also needed two boxes for leftovers, but were only given one (it was too small to hold everything) and had to ask for a second.

Fantasy certainly is better than having no HK BBQ, but the serving of roast pork I had didn't live up to the hype.  If I were to try it again, I would probably try more made to order items from the menu.

Gorilla Barbeque - Pacifica

Best: Philly Cheese Steak and Pork Ribs

2145 Coast Highway 1, Pacifica, CA 94044
650-359-RIBS (7427)
Parking: in parking lot
Hours: Wed - Mon 12pm -8pm or sell out, Closed Tuesdays
http://www.gorillabbq.com/

Food: 4 stars
Atmosphere: N/A
Service: 3 stars
Price: $ to $$$
Last Visited: June 20, 2012

I saw this funny place on Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, and I couldn't resist checking it out.  Pacifica offers such gorgeous views that it's easy to drive past the orange train car sitting along Highway 1.  Locals tell me that Gorilla BBQ was not thriving - business was fairly slow until Guy featured the place on his show.  Now there are lines out the door.

There isn't any place to sit, so be prepared to eat in the car or take the delicious BBQ with you.  One of the owners,  Rich Bacchi, was there when we ordered.  You'll recognize him because of the many rings and the letters PORK RIBS tatooed to his fingers.

- Philly Cheesesteak - Made with their brisket, bell peppers and onions are grilled on the flat top along with the meat and a little of their homemade BBQ sauce.  The combination fills a lightly toasted soft roll that contains melted cheese.  The meat is so tender and the bread is super fresh.  I ate it before I remembered to get out my camera - it was that good.  The sandwich combo also comes with a side (choice of mac N' cheese, coleslaw, grilled veggies, corn on the cob, potato salad, and beans over rice).  The mac N' cheese doesn't even enter the picture for me - while the pasta is well-flavored, I think a lot of the seasoning is powdered and I prefer a creamier sauce.   It was a little cold by the time I got to eat it (probably because I was devouring the cheesesteak) so I tasted a lot of garlic powder - more than I would like for my mac. The cheesesteak is a must try though. $8.50

- Pork Ribs - Available as part of a combo or a side dish, you can enjoy the 'bark' on the pork rib and the richness of the meat.  While it wasn't completely fall of the bone, some pieces were very close.  The tangy and slightly spicy bbq sauce really pairs well with the meat.  The portion is generous - three large ribs with lots of meat on them.  $5.75, Rack of ribs $23

Other items on the menu include beef brisket, rotisserie chicken, hot links, and pulled pork.  A lot of folks end up enjoying their meal in the parking lot, and somewhere on the premises are some picnic tables.  It's usually too cold and windy to be eating outside there, but you're bound to be full after eating some Gorilla BBQ.  I will definitey be back!

Ohana Hawaiian BBQ - Santa Rosa

2150 Santa Rosa Ave, Santa Rosa, CA 95401
(707) 571-8882
Parking: in shopping center parking lot

Last Visited: June 3, 2006

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

Although Ohana Hawaiian BBQ is a chain restaurant, it’s unique for the area – at least until the Petaluma branch opens up. Think fast food style with a little longer wait.

When you enter Ohana, the friendly staff greet you with a loud ALOHA. The restaurant colors are warm and sunny with wall murals depicting Hawaiian settings and of course, a woman with a lei and a grass skirt. Hawaiian music fills the room.

The menu is displayed behind the counter and offers BBQ selections including authentic Plate Lunch (though they call it Lunch Plate to accommodate the mainland style of jargon) to burgers and fries. It appears that everything is made fresh considering the wait time. Our wait time for two dishes was about ten minutes – not so fast for fast food, but it tasted good. And, being an authentic Hawaiian fast food place, they offer Loco Moco and Spam Loco Moco too. Yes, SPAM.

- Grilled Short Ribs Combination Plate – Three short rib steaks are marinated and grilled and placed over raw shredded cabbage. It’s served with a scoop of macaroni salad and two scoops of steamed rice. The rice is a bit loose, and I prefer mine a touch stickier. Two of the short rib steaks were just right, while one had more tendons. The flavor was very good with a sweet tang to the meat. The macaroni salad is good when accompanying the other items on the plate but a bit too much mayonnaise if eaten on its own – accompanying the shredded cabbage balances it out. Good. A healthy portion for a good price. $6.75

- Grilled Spam Saimin – A hot bowl of soup containing ramen noodles and grilled spam rectangles. It really is fresh with piping hot soup. Good. $3.75

- Hawaiian Drink – choice of several Hawaiian Sun canned drinks from the refrigerator $1.25

The only room for improvement I would make is more environmentally friendly packaging – Whether dining in or out, everything comes in Styrofoam.

Ohana offers catering of many dishes too – perfect for a party. And there are also party packs available too. There are multiple locations in California, mostly through the East bay and LA area. Check it out for a flavor of Hawaii in Sonoma County.

Mamma Pig's - BBQ, Windsor - Just open!

News about Mamma Pig's is spreading fast.  Located in Windsor at 275 Windsor River Road, replacing Mirepoix (which earned a Michelin star) and opened by the same owners, Mamma Pig's is getting plenty of attention in news and social media.  Local radio stations, newspapers, and Facebook fans are buzzing about Mamma Pig's barbecue and casual environment.  Their motto is "Experience Sonoma on a Plate."  Featuring BBQ, Burgers, Bacon, Beer with ingredients sourced from local farms, Mamma Pig's is expected to be a great local hangout.

Southern Pacific Smokehouse – BBQ, Novato

224 Vintage Way, Novato CA 94945

(415) 899-9600
Parking: shopping center parking lot
http://thesouthernpacific.com/

Last Visited: May 5, 2011

Food: 3 to 4 stars

Atmosphere: 4 to 5 stars

Service: 2 to 3 stars

Price: $$ to $$$$

Located in the Vintage Oaks shopping center, Southern Pacific Smokehouse is the result of a partnership between Philip Claypool, country western singer, and former Plumpjack Group CEO, Rick Riess. The place had been open about a week when I visited and you could still see some of the kinks being worked out. The restaurant’s style is reminiscent of a lounge, but it doesn’t have a pretentious feel. The remodeled jewelry store is now filled with dark wood, mirrors, a comfortable bar, an open kitchen including a pizza oven from Italy, and a dedicated lounge for musical acts. One can appreciate the expense spent to give the place a whole new look. A few of my dining companions said it was easily one of the best looking places in Novato.

While it’s only been open a short time, Southern Pacific is already getting involved in local activities including hosting a fundraiser for Novato Youth. They have also scheduled a number of bands, both local and more famous musical acts. Their vision is ‘to provide guests with an approachable dining experience.’ I can definitely attest to the friendliness of the owner – Philip came up to our table to introduce himself and thank us for coming in to enjoy his new place. However, I found the hosting staff to be a little less friendly, more stuffy – perhaps it’s their all black outfits or just their demeanor, but they could be warmer and it wouldn’t hurt a bit.

The menu (same for lunch and dinner) is fairly simple. There are a variety of sandwiches, salads, and pizzas as well as wood-fired and smoked options including tri-tip and ribs. All of the sides are a little expensive at $5 each, but I don’t know what kind of quantity they might give you. Upon our arrival, we were given the choice of still water or complimentary sparkling water. The water comes in a clear bottle and the glasses are small mason jars – an interesting way to set themselves apart from the typical Novato restaurant.

They had made an extra pizza, so they gave it to us to sample for free. That was a nice way to start off our visit. Another interesting item of note was that all of their order-taking was done on an electronic device.

- Smoked Chicken, Bacon, and Brie Pizza – Breast meat is pulled apart into small chunks and along with bacon and brie, it tops a thin crust pizza. I thought I tasted some sweet onions too, but it wasn’t listed as one of the ingredients on the menu. The pizza crust is cooked through well, but not overly crispy. The amount of toppings are reasonable and the crust is able to hold up to them well. $12

- Dry Baby Back Ribs – Since it’s a smokehouse, I had to order something from the barbecue. This half rack had about six or seven ribs. It’s served with cornbread, coleslaw, and beans. Unfortunately, the cornbread didn’t come until I asked near the end of the meal and by that time, I was pretty stuffed. Two pieces of jalapeno cornbread came with sweetened butter. The cornbread was sweet and good, but if you prefer to see and enjoy the texture of corn in your bread, you won’t find that here. The coleslaw was lightly dressed and still very crunchy. The beans were hot and sweet – I liked this side the best of all of three offered. Now to the ribs – the ribs are crusted with a dry rub giving a blend of spicy and smoky. The meat was very tender and I loved how the smoky flavor rang through each bite. What I didn’t like about this dish was that the flavorful and spicy sauce that came with it was cold as though it had just come out of the refrigerator. I prefer the sauce to be warmed through or hot in temperature. Overall, the ribs were good, but a little on the expensive side for lunch. $17 half rack, $25 full rack

My other dining companions ordered more pizza – they found the bbq pulled pork pizza to be too heavy and the mushroom pizza and tomato/basil/mozzarella pizza to both be very good. Another person ordered the risotto and enjoyed that a lot. While we were eating, we overheard our waitress sharing the specials that weren’t shared with us, so you can tell that they’re still learning the ropes. She was also still familiarizing herself with the desserts which we asked for a list of despite knowing we were too stuffed to enjoy them. While the staff descends upon you when it’s time to serve with at least three or four members serving our plates so that all of the food would arrive together, missing the cornbread shows room for opportunity. Midway through our meal, we also heard the kitchen staff yelling out orders that needed to be fired off. While this may be normal in other settings, it doesn’t seem to fit in well here and caught our group a bit off guard.

  

The food is good, but the prices are too high for Novato, at least for lunch. For dinner, the prices are okay. To survive in this town, Southern Pacific needs to offer a few menu items that will allow patrons to get in and out for lunch for under $12 including tax and tip in order to continue to attract a good lunch crowd once their newness has worn off.  Sandwiches at $14 are just too high to sustain regular weekday clientele. They also need to work on their attention to detail in terms of service. They have a promising future, and we’ll be watching how they execute their approachable dining experience vision.

Main Street Grill - BBQ, Cambria

603 Main St, Cambria, CA 93428
(805) 927-3194
Parking: street parking
Hours: Daily 11am - 8pm

Last Visited: December 28, 2008

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

As you come into Cambria's downtown, this is one of the first places that you see. If you're looking for a casual spot for a reasonably priced meal, Main Street Grill is a terrific place.

You walk into the large space (it feels a little like a warehouse) and order off the boards above the counter. There are a number of choices including BBQ, sandwiches, and burgers. After ordering, you wait for your number to be called, and retrieve your food.

We ordered a half rack of pork ribs, a burger, and fries to share. The ribs were fall off the bone tender and the burger was juicy and fresh. The price was good and service during our visit was fairly standard (not outstanding in a good or a bad way).

Cambria seems to have a lot of expensive fine dining restaurants along the downtown strip. Main Street Grill is a terrific option if you need something fast and tasty, and it's family-friendly.

Lam Hoa Thuan - Chinese, Vietnamese, Hong Kong Style BBQ

2337 Irving Street, San Francisco CA 94122
(415) 661-1688, (415) 661-8078
Parking: street parking
Hours: Open Daily 9am to 9pm

Last Visited: June 6, 2010 (Prices shown for most items are from a visit in March 2005)

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

Enter the restaurant and to your immediate left is the display of roast duck, chicken, and other assorted barbecued items. They’re especially well known for their barbecue and boiled free range chicken with salt. People line up to buy these items to go. I've waited two hours for the chicken (I probably won't do that again, but the fact that I did it tells you something about whether or not it tastes good).

The restaurant is extremely well lit. The walls are light in color, with wood paneling from the middle of the wall downward. On the right side are large mirrors running the length of part of the room. Red lanterns dangle from the ceiling along with strings of Christmas lights. On the opposite side of the room is a large wall hanging with brightly colored trees and an interesting scene.

There are lots of picture frames with Chinese calligraphy in gold on bright red backgrounds. A listing of specialties is also posted on small sheets of paper along the wall. In the back of the room, you’ll see more large calligraphy as well as a large cabinet containing a rather large Chinese figurine thought to bring protection and wealth to the restaurant. Incense is burned to this figure.

The restaurant is busy, so often times, the big tables are shared. There is a lot of hustle and bustle throughout the restaurant. It’s not a quiet atmosphere. Service may vary depending on time of day.

On each table, you’ll find marinated spicy peppers, chopsticks (both plastic and bamboo), and a multitude of sauces – soy sauce, chili sauce, hot sauce, and of course salt and pepper. You’re set to go to flavor your dish any way you wish.

- Phodacbiet (Combination pho) – Unlike some other pho places, Lam Hoa Thuan serves up pho in only one size, but it’s a pretty large bowl. The combination pho includes rare steak, well done beef brisket, flank steak, tendons, and strips of tripe. The fragrance of fish sauce was particularly strong, but after the first few bites, you won’t notice it much. Accompanying the pho is a dish of bean sprouts, Thai basil, slices of jalapeno pepper, and a lemon wedge. The portion is hearty and the ingredients are all fresh. Very good. $5.20

- Com Thit Quay and Com Vit Quay (Roast Pork and Roast Duck over Rice) – The plate is half filled with rice, a quarter filled with roast pork, and a quarter filled with roast duck. The roast pork skin is crispy and golden. The roast duck also has a nice flavor. Both are above average in terms of flavor compared to other establishments – not too strong, and not to weak. After trying these items to go, they seemed to be just okay when I tried them sitting down in the restaurant. Maybe there’s just something about having a whole box of the duck at home with homemade dishes, or sitting in the car and eating the skin of the roast pork before the crunchiness disappears. It could be the quantity in comparison to take out orders, or the lack of vegetables soaked in the juice of the roasted items. This is not to say the roasted items were bad, but something seemed lacking. On my second visit, I found the duck to have a crisp skin, but again, the duck skin was just fair. Okay overall. $5.20

- Nuoc Dua Tuoi (Young Coconut Juice) – Of all the coconut juice I’ve had that was served in a glass, this is definitely amongst the best. The coconut flavor is especially fragrant and tasted delicious. As usual, pieces of young coconut are floating in the juice along with lots of ice. Very very good. Even better if you take out some of the ice to prevent the flavor from being diluted. $1.65

2010 visit: Still as busy as ever, the lines for the bbq are still out the door.

- Gravy Egg and Shrimp over Rice - While this description doesn't translate nearly as well into English as the Chinese name, it's still likely to give you a full stomach. In Chinese, it's called smooth and creamy egg over rice. The egg is cooked with hot oil and shrimp until it reaches an almost gravy-like consistency. Then it's put over an abundant bed of rice. While it's way too much rice for me, it would be great to order this dish with another main entree - you could easily have enough rice to serve two people. Good. $5.89

- Rice Stick Noodles Singapore Style - Singapore style means curry seasoning. The rice noodles are cooked with shrimp, red bell pepper strips, onion strips, green onion strips, jalapeno slices, bean sprouts, bbq pork strips, and of course, dry curry seasoning. This makes for a very flavorful noodle dish since the seasoning covers every strand of delicate rice noodle. The portion is also hearty for this dish. Good. $5.49

The value is definitely present at Lam Hoa Thuan. The barbecued and other items sold at the counter are great, especially the boiled chicken with salt. If you’ve never had this type of chicken, you’ll find the flavor and taste different than Foster Farms or other brands available at the local grocery stores.

If you can’t try them for sit down dining, buy some of their roast pork. You’re sure to be pleased. It’s a great place to go for barbecued items Chinese style. You’ll probably be pretty happy with the Vietnamese food too.

Cheung Hing - Chinese BBQ, San Francisco

2339 Noriega St, San Francisco CA 94122
(415) 665-3271
Parking: street parking
Hours: Open Daily 9am to 9pm

Last Visited (dine in): March 11, 2006

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

Cheung Hing seems to have a line out the door no matter the time of day. It’s a small place with dark gray industrial tiles on the floor, a meat and Chinese deli counter to the right, and a few tables for diners to the left. The big glass window in the front displays the roasted barbeque ducks and running chicken hanging in the window. On display on the counter is the many varieties of cooked dishes from chow mein to fried rice to beef with broccoli and more.

The ongoing line is waiting for the fresh Hong Kong style barbecue that Cheung Hing delivers. This type of food is difficult to cook at home since the equipment isn’t available and it’s a lot of work to roast an entire pig. People typically purchase the items by weight or box depending on the item and take them home to enjoy. They’re also great for taking to parties.

The few tables in the room are very cozy to its neighbors. The room has gotten a new coat of paint and the décor is now blue and peach. The tablecloths are gone and we’re back to the plastic table top, but that’s probably better than the picnic style tablecloths previously.

Cheung Hing doesn’t specialize in ambiance. It’s about excellent food at extremely reasonable prices. A delicious and enjoyable meal for anyone willing to give it a chance.

- Shrimp Won Ton Noodles – Available with thick or thin noodles, six shrimp wontons arrive over noodles in a flavorful broth. A few chopped scallions top the bowl of soup noodles. The noodles themselves aren’t actually thick so much as wide, but in Chinese, thick and wide is pretty much synonymous when it comes to noodle description. Everyone just knows what it means. We usually get the thin noodles, since thin noodles are more traditional style. The won tons are filled with a mixture shrimp and pork and are good even on their own without the noodles. The noodles are al dente and the broth is great. Excellent in 2004 and 2005. My most recent 2006 visit seemed to find only good tasting noodles – not as al dente as I have become accustomed to and somehow not as flavorful, but still good, especially at this price. $3.55

All barbecue items are available on their own as an entree, over rice, or by weight. You can also put two items over rice if you prefer, but then the portion of meat will be adjusted accordingly.

- Roast Pork over Rice – A portion of the roasted pig is cut into pieces and placed over rice. You can see the entire roasted pig hanging over the counter, and they cut each piece as it is sold for takeout at the deli or for your entrée. Today’s roast pork was certainly in one of my top ten. The skin of the roast pork was golden brown and very crisp. The meat was tender, juicy, and succulent with superb flavor. There is a little bit of fat between the skin and meat, so you just need to know that since they serve it as it without doctoring it, you’ll need to remove it yourself. Some people like roasted young suckling pig, but when you can have roast pork like this, you won’t even need to try roasted suckling pig. Excellent! $4.35

- Roast Duck over Rice – A quarter of a roasted duck is placed over rice and cooked cabbage (or lettuce depending on when you go). The cabbage has been cooked such that it has soaked up the flavor of the meat, so it’s just delicious. The roast duck was also excellent. It had been cooked to take on a beautiful rich cherry color. Much like the roast pork, you’ll find that there are a few pieces that may be fatty, but it’s just how this dish is served – part of the culture. Most pieces are meaty, but there are those few where you’ll just be able to enjoy only the roast duck skin. The rice soaks in the juice of the roast duck and is also enjoyable. Excellent flavor. $3.95

- Beef Chow Mein over Hong Kong Style Crispy Noodles - Slices of beef are sautéed with straw mushrooms, carrots, and baby bok choy in a sauce and placed over crispy noodles. Unlike regular chow mein, Hong Kong Style Crispy Noodles are typically deep fried or pan fried to a golden brown making them crispy. The flavor of the chow mein is different and also thin chow mein noodles are used rather than thicker noodles. There was a bit more sauce than desirable in this dish, but overall, it was still very good. $4.45

- Beef Chow Fun – Chow fun is pan fried with slices of beef in a light soy sauce. Bean sprouts, onions, and green onions accompany the chow fun. The flavor is good and the food arrives with good heat from the wok that stays with the dish. Good. $3.95

- Stuffed Deep Fried Tofu – Seven large triangles of firm tofu with a bit of meat stuffing in the base of the triangle are deep fried until golden brown. The triangles are then plated and served with a slightly spicy thick sauce. The tofu was fried well, but there was little stuffing. The flavor of the starch based sauce was lacking, and this dish alone would only receive 2 to 3 stars despite the value. Skip this dish unless you just happen to have tofu on your must eat list. $5.65

- Vegetables – We ordered Chinese broccoli during my 2006 visit and found the greens to be fresh and flavorful. It’s a simple cooking method of boiling in the noodle broth and topping with oyster sauce. However, it’s the broth that makes the vegetables good. They cut the broccoli neatly and place it on a plate. At dim sum restaurants, the same quantity and quality would run you about 1.5 times the price of what it is here. Great. $4.30

Any of the barbecued items or even deli items for that matter are terrific (although once in a while, the cut is a bit fatty which was true this last visit, so I dropped the food rating from four stars to the three to four range). Presentation of food isn’t as neat as it could be, but considering the excellent value, this shouldn’t deter you. Be adventurous. If you can get past the atmosphere (think of it as a hole in the wall), you’re sure to enjoy Cheung Hing. It’s one of the best places in town for this style of food, especially if you're planning take out!

Uncle Frank's BBQ - Mountain View

Uncle Frank's has since moved to:
1214 Apollo Way, Sunnyvale, CA 94085 (inside the Quarter Note Bar & Grill)
Hours: Fri-Sat 12pm - 3pm, 5pm - 11:00 pm, Sun 1pm - 10pm and Brisket & Blues 7pm - 12am
Catering is still available, so contact them for details.

This review was for their old location: 2135 Old Middlefield Way, Mountain View, CA 94043, (650) 964-4476

http://www.unclefranksbbq.com/

Last Visited: December 2007

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

Uncle Frank’s BBQ was located in the rear of Francesca’s bar, but they have since moved to Sunnyvale and Atlanta.

At Francesca's - It doesn’t look like much from the outside, and it doesn’t look that much better once inside. Immediately past the door, the bar will be to your right and the pool tables are on your left. Keep going into the back like you know what you’re doing and you’ll turn left into Uncle Frank’s BBQ.

The setting is dated. Along the wall are semi-circular booths that surround tables. Some of the cushions on the booths are worn or have holes. In the middle of the room are tables, some with regular chairs and others with folding chairs. There’s also a stage, but there weren’t any advertisements for entertainment nights.

The kitchen is located on one side and you can see the folks preparing the dishes. A server’s station is immediately in front of the kitchen. Each table contains a paper towel holder, silverware holder, and condiments.

Upon our arrival, we were promptly given menus and water. The menu offers lunch specials as well as full meals and a la carte items. Offerings include beef brisket, smoked chicken, pork ribs, and today’s special was pulled pork. Sides include Cajun corn, potato salad, baked beans, coleslaw, and there’s even sweet potato pie.

Today’s visit was for lunch. All lunch specials come with a side of coleslaw or potato salad. A slice of bread, not toasted, is cut into two triangles and served alongside the meat which is placed on wax paper lining a plastic basket. Today’s bread was wheat and considering the amount of food you get, I could have gone without the bread. Mild or Hot BBQ sauce are available. I chose mild for my selections. You can tell it’s a homemade sauce, and one of my friends thought it was much better than that of some of the nearby chain restaurants. You can taste both sweet and tangy ingredients.

- Beef Brisket – Slices of warm brisket are topped with warm BBQ sauce. You get succulent beef that is cooked until tender (rumor has it that it’s cooked 30 hours) and a whole lot of sauce. Very delicious, flavorful, and filling. The amount of meat is incredible for the price. I only wish it was hotter in temperature. $9.50

- Pork Ribs – Three room temperature ribs are topped with warm BBQ sauce. The meat retained its shape but came off the bone with ease. Tender and juicy, with a pleasant smoky flavor, these were flavorful and good. Only one of the ribs seemed a bit fattier than the others, but I was pleased with the dish. Another large quantity of meat for the price. Again, hotter temperature would have been better. $9.50

- Coleslaw – Each person received their choice of coleslaw or potato salad before the meat arrived. The serving was placed in a small styrofoam cup. The coleslaw nothing to rave about, but was okay.

Although I didn’t try it, the smoked chicken also comes in ample quantity. The only improvement on service would be to have all of the main dishes arrive at the same time. The pork ribs came out first, and after about ten minutes, the brisket followed, and a few minutes after that, the chicken came. Aside from that, the service was very pleasant. I appreciated that although we sat at our table for a while after we were finished, the server came to check on us once and let us enjoy our time chatting.

The only thing I might do differently next time is ask for sauce on the side so I can taste the flavor of the meat in its original state.

If you’re looking for some good grub and enjoy the dive bar atmosphere, this is the perfect place for you. I had terrific company, so that made the experience that much more enjoyable, but nevertheless, if you’re after good BBQ, this is a great place to check out.