Category: Restaurant Reviews

Posted on February 4, 2012

Ever since I visited Japan a couple of years ago, I’ve been on the hunt for the best ramen I can find this side of the Pacific. Sure, I’ve had good ramen in the Bay Area, but nothing like what I tasted on the streets of Shinjuku. I’ve been looking for that sweet spot: chewy noodles, salty but not overpowering broth, and no skimping on the toppings.

I finally found it at Tanpopo in Japantown. A colleague suggested it to me and on a rainy afternoon, we headed over for lunch. She recommended the kyushu ramen, which I ordered.

Kyushu ramen (named after Japan’s southernmost island) is a specialty at Tanpopo: a cloudy, rich broth called tonkotsu, served with egg noodles, boiled bean sprouts, red ginger, chashu pork, bamboo shoots, boiled egg, fishcake, seaweed, and green onions. Whew. My only complaint is that the egg wasn’t soft, but then again, this was one of the few times I’ve finished my entire bowl of ramen.

Tanpopo is nearly always busy, so plan accordingly, especially since Japantown can be a bit out of the way and service at Tanpopo can be brusque. I can’t speak to their other styles of ramen, but the kyushu ramen alone is worth the trek.

Posted on January 15, 2012

Sunrise Deli bills itself as “the best falafel in town,” and well, I think it’s true. With three locations in San Francisco and one in Berkeley, it’s become my go-to casual lunch spot when I’m craving Middle Eastern food. I frequent their SOMA restaurant, and on most visits, I can count on a line.

My favorite dish at Sunrise Deli is the falafel plate. Served with hummus, tahini, pita bread, and super-flavorful olives and pickled vegetables, the falafels are moist on the inside and crispy on the outside — no small feat. Best of all, Sunrise Deli’s falafels are fresh, with their vegetables picked from local farms and their bread baked at the Irving Street outpost. During my last visit, my dining companions had the chicken shawarma and shawarma plate and spoke similar praises of their freshness.

Sunrise Deli has been around since the early 1980s, so I fully accept my late pass in discovering this Bay Area establishment. But be forewarned — their SOMA restaurant closes at 4:30, so you’re better off satisfying your craving during the day.

Posted on January 5, 2012

Tequila and raw fish? This won’t end well, I thought to myself when I first heard of Hecho, the Financial District’s new robata and sushi bar boasting over 80 tequilas. I met a friend for dinner at Hecho the first time I visited, not entirely sure what to expect.

I was pleasantly surprised. We were quickly seated inside the small interior and and started off with a couple of house margaritas while we perused the menu.

We started with the smoked pickled daikon and tuna-cucumber maki. Hecho’s menu isn’t very lengthy, but what they offer is unique — no California rolls here. The vinegary daikon were super crunchy and the tuna was good quality and fresh, a welcome relief as I took another sip of tequila.

Next came the chicken karage, my favorite small plate at Hecho — perfectly crisped, super succulent chicken glazed with a spicy-sweet sauce.

Hecho isn’t the kind of place to go to if you’re ravenous — the small plates are, well, small. But they’re artfully presented and tasty. On my second visit with another friend, we ordered a few maki and finished off with a plate of cured hamachi.

Plated on a pink salt block and garnished with candied jalapeno and lemon oil, the fish was almost too pretty to eat. (Not that it stopped us.)

As it turns out, tequila and sushi can and do go together. After all, if sake is a mainstay in sushi bars , why not tequila?

Posted on October 31, 2011October 31, 2011

My favorite thing about working so close to San Francisco’s Chinatown is that I’m only a short walk away from some of the best dining in the city. There’s so much variety — Hunanese, Shanghainese, and Sichuanese, to name a few. Thanks to Z&Y Restaurant, I’ve developed a taste for the tongue-numbing peppercorns that characterize so much of Sichuanese cuisine, and these days, I can’t seem to get enough.

During one of my first visits to Z&Y, my dining group and I were served clam and spinach soup, in a clear, briny broth. This palate-cleansing soup was lightly seasoned, in contrast to what was to come.

We were also served a dish of vinegared cucumbers, seasoned with garlic and sesame oil. While not an entree, this is one of my favorite dishes at Z&Y. It’s fresh, crunchy, and a welcome bite of relief from the otherwise chili-laden dishes.

I’ve ordered from Z&Y’s lunch menu and from their a la carte, and I recommend the latter if you’re interested in Sichuan-specific cuisine. I’ve been lucky to visit with folks who speak Mandarin and hence know what to order from both the English and non-English menu.

During this visit, we shared the scallion pancake, spicy fish with flaming chili oil, chicken with explosive chili pepper, the Sichuan-style cold chicken, and the dry sauteed string beans.

To this day, it remains some of the best Chinese food I’ve ever tasted. Even if you don’t have a high tolerance for heat, try a spicy dish or two among the other items you order at Z&Y. Intimidating name aside, the chicken with explosive chili pepper was particularly wonderful: juicy, crispy, fried pieces of boneless chicken tossed with flavorful bits of garlic and chili. The dry sauteed string beans were so delicious that I’ve since learned how to cook them at home. (And oh, although the ma po tofu isn’t pictured here, Z&Y is where I had my first ma po tofu, and I find myself craving it all the time now.)

Service is brisk and friendly at Z&Y, and as long as I stick to the a la carte menu, nearly every dish has had me head over heels. I want to learn to cook everything that’s served at Z&Y, but until then, a short walk to their restaurant is a pretty sweet deal.