Category: Restaurant Reviews

Posted on February 15, 2011February 16, 2011

I’m a big fan of French fries. (Who isn’t?) I’m also a fan of sandwiches. Thus, the only thing better than a sandwich and fries is fries inside a sandwich. Surprisingly, only a handful of restaurants have caught on to this gluttonous combination, and Giordano Bros. is one of them. Nestled in the heart of North Beach, it’s the perfect casual spot to sate your carb-on-carb craving.

Giordano Bros. models their sandwiches after a Pittsburgh tradition, of which I knew very little about. According to the proprietor, Giordano’s sandwiches are an ode to those served at Primanti’s in Pittsburgh. This tradition also includes showing Steeler games (think sports bar, not white tablecloth).

During our first visit, my dining companion and I split our sandwiches so we could each get a taste of both worlds. We shared the pastrami and the steak. The pastrami was saltier, but I actually preferred the texture of the pastrami over that of the steak. Both were solid though, and nestled between all those French fries and white bread, they were hugely satisfying. Don’t worry, though – the sandwiches also have a serving of tangy, light coleslaw, so you’re getting some greens. Or something.

Service is super laid-back and casual and Giordano’s, evoking a neighborhood feel in an area that can otherwise feel touristy at times. Health-consciousness aside, this is a terrific place when you’re craving a hearty, comforting sandwich. With French fries, of course. Glorious, glorious French fries.

Posted on February 13, 2011

If you asked me to name my favorite Chinese restaurant in the Bay Area, I’d be at a loss. There’s just too much good Chinese food to name one. But my top three? R&G Lounge in Chinatown forever holds a place in the ranking, and these days, the word is out.

Ever since I heard about the salt and pepper crab from a friend who’d dined there, I’d been intrigued. Then Anthony Bourdain featured the crab dish in his San Francisco episode of No Reservations. By the time I finally paid R&G my first visit to try their famed crustacean dish, the restaurant was packed, and with good reason.

My dining companions and I were quickly seated for lunch in the upstairs dining area (there’s an underground dining room as well). Service was brisk and the dishes we ordered emerged quickly from the kitchen. The first was the salt and pepper crab, of course. Deep fried and other wordly-looking, this Dungeness beauty was generously sprinkled with loads of fried garlic, which coated the crab meat as we pried open the claws. The hype is worth it – this crab is among the best I’ve ever had.

Next came the Mongolian beef, one of my favorite Chinese-American dishes. This was spicy, peppery, and the tender beef was seared well. Oh, and lots of onions.

As tempting as it is, it’s no good to order all meat, so we split a dish of bok choy with garlic as well. I’m not sure what was in the translucent sauce, but it was full of savory flavor, lending a hearty note to our supposed “light” dish. Not that I’m complaining.

We shared plate of seafood fried rice too, which was also tasty. My favorite thing about this fried rice is that it was far less greasy than your usual restaurant rendition of fried rice, and with extra bits of yolk mixed in.

I’ve been back to R&G Lounge several times since my first visit. A few regular dishes have grown on me in addition to the crab; namely the R&G special beef, the braised e-fu noodles, and the three treasures with black bean sauce. Now when I go to R&G Lounge, my biggest challenge isn’t sitting through the wait – it’s narrowing down what to order.

Posted on January 4, 2011

First it was food trucks, now it’s pop-up restaurants. The latest dining trend provides an opportunity for chefs to showcase their cooking with minimal risk, like Naked Lunch’s out of this world fried chicken sandwiches. Every Tuesday at Enrico’s in North Beach, the friendly folks behind Naked Lunch serve up lunch between 11:30 am and 2:00 pm, much to the delight of the Financial District crowd. (Yes, it’s worth trekking that far for a sandwich.)

The menu changes weekly, but one thing is always listed: the Fulton Valley Farms fried chicken sandwich. When my coworkers first told me about this sandwich, I happily tagged along for lunch, curious to see what could be so great about a basic sandwich.

I was quickly won over. The meat is succulent and juicy, the exterior perfectly crispy and spiced, the garlic aioli a tangy hit of flavor. The sandwich isn’t complete without a dash of hot sauce, which is provided on each table at Enrico’s outside dining area.

You’ll need something to wash this down with, and I recommend the fresh watermelon juice, which is occasionally on the menu. And speaking of occasional, this is a really rich sandwich (fried meat and mayonnaise with carbs, anyone?), so it’s probably a good thing that Naked Lunch is only around on Tuesdays.