Restaurant Reviews – Page 4

Din Tai Fung

November 6, 2013November 6, 2013

Din Tai Fung, where have you been all of my life? And more importantly, why isn’t there one of you in the Bay Area?

The last time I was in Los Angeles for work, I snuck in a quick dinner with Frank and Megan, gourmands extraordinaire. We braved the LA traffic and headed to Arcadia for Din Tai Fung, a Taiwanese restaurant chain with posts all over the world. (Let’s be clear: “chain” isn’t a dirty word here. This place is good.)

After waiting 495 years, we were seated at one of Arcadia’s Din Tai Fungs. It turns out that the first one was so popular and crowded that the owners open a second location across the street.

It was worth the wait, though. The xiaolongbao, or soup dumplings, arrived first, piping hot and full of meaty, brothy goodness. The spicy-garlicy cucumber appetizer was among my favorites too, a fresh and crunchy interlocutor between bites of dumplings.

The wontons in spicy sauce were delicious too, covered with chili oil and filled with, well, more meat. A small plate of seaweed and bean curd in vinegar dressing helped cut through the richness of the dumplings, fried rice, and noodles that kept on coming.

We couldn’t finish our meal that evening, but I’ve been hooked ever since. Din Tai Fung is a must if you’re in southern California (or Seattle, where their other US location lies). I’m hoping they’ll open a location in the Bay Area soon, but until then, I’m dreaming of a dumpling paradise down south.

Kowloon Tong Dessert Cafe

October 30, 2013

I’m picky when it comes to desserts. Cakes don’t to much for me and chocolate doesn’t really move me either. But tapioca? Coconut? Lychee? Delicious. When it comes to satisfying my sweet tooth, I look east. And Kowloon Tong Dessert Cafe in San Francisco’s Richmond District is perfect for that late-night sago or sesame dumpling fix.

I visited during a chilly evening so I got a the coconut milk sago. Steamy and gooey (in a good way, I swear), this was comfort in a bowl. The best part? It wasn’t too sweet: perfect for my finicky dessert palate.

Kowloon Tong has tons of other desserts I can’t wait to go back and try again. Black sticky rice? Check. Mango pudding? Please. Waffle? Of course.

Kowloon Tong is open until one or two in the morning on most nights, which leaves you with plenty of time to enjoy dinner in the Richmond beforehand. Who needs cake when you’ve got tapioca pearls?

Minami Restaurant

October 26, 2013

I first fell in love with Minami Restaurant back when I was a university undergrad, living in San Francisco’s Richmond District. Smitten by the city and its seemingly endless supply of good eats, Minami was a tiny hole-in-the-wall sushi joint just a short walk from my flat. Their simple, delicious rolls quickly made Minami my favorite sushi restaurant, far away from the crowds. It was my little secret (well, mine and the entire Richmond District’s).

Fast forward to 2013 and I finally repaid Minami a visit after not having been for nearly a decade. I dropped by one evening with Karen and Anoop, eating partners in crime, and we started with Minami’s signature complimentary dish of sweet potatoes in a sweet, sticky soy glaze. This dish is no-frills but the potato is so perfectly cooked that I could happily eat ten more.

Next, we got to business. We ordered a platter of maguro, tobiko, hotate, sake, and kampyo and oh man, had I missed Minami. This place is just as good as I remember it being, and it’s not just the nostalgia talking.

Don’t go here expecting crazy rolls and you won’t be disappointed. Minami is perfect purist sushi in a no-frills setting. I’m not sure why I let nearly ten years roll by without paying my old stomping grounds a visit, but one thing is for sure: Minami has only gotten better with time.

Beretta

September 9, 2013

Beretta, where have you been all my life? There’s a new restaurant opening up in the Mission District every five minutes so it was easy for Beretta to get lost in the mix. I ignored the rave reviews and kept telling myself I’d visit eventually. Well, eventually happened and I’m hooked.

Beretta is famous for its cocktails — some of the best in the city, in fact. I think it should also be famous for its bruschetta. I sampled their burrata bruschetta walnut bread and mushroom truffle honey, and oh my goodness, Internet. This stuff is amazing. Creamy, nutty, earthy, sweet, savory, this dish has it all. I’m scrambling to replicate it at home.

I never tire of mushrooms, so I also tried Beretta’s mushroom, tomato, fontina, and thyme pizza. You guys, we have another winner. You know that nice sort-of-papery and sort-of-soft thing that happens to mushrooms when they’re sliced super thinly atop pizza? This pizza is perfect at that. What it’s even better at is the crust. Thin, crispy, chewy crust. Heaven in cheese and carb form.

Is there anything that Beretta doesn’t make well? I guess I’ll have to keep visiting to find out.

The Girl and the Fig

August 28, 2013

The sleepy little town of Sonoma doesn’t have a ton of restaurants but what it lacks in quantity it makes up in quality. At the top of the list lies the The Girl and the Fig: French cuisine in a wine country setting. Located in Sonoma’s charming downtown, Nishan and I visited after a long day of wine tasting. We were famished (and hey, wine tasting is serious business).

We started with the steak tartare — my first steak tartare, mind you. Served with caperberries and sprinkled with lavender sea salt, this was far tastier than I imagined it would be. Who knew steak could be light and yet decadent? The caperberries provided a hit of piquantness while crusty bread served as a perfect canvas with which to eat our tartare.

For my entree, I had a plate of butternut squash arancini served with oyster mushroom and frisee salad. This was delicious but the plate was quite small as a main dish. Better suited as an appetizer, I polished off my entire plate. Warm, gooey arancini, velvety mushrooms, and peppery greens — more please.

The Girl and the Fig is among Sonoma’s most popular restaurants, so make reservations ahead of time. Despite being nearly always busy, service is good and the dishes are presented with detail. It’s a little bit country, a little bit California, and a little bit French. In other words, entirely wine country.