Category: San Francisco, California

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.

Posted on August 25, 2010

Old Mandarin Islamic Restaurant is about as straightforward a restaurant name can get. It is indeed old, Mandarin, Islamic and yes, it is a restaurant. I first heard about this curious place a few years ago, and had been meaning to visit since, but it’s out of the way location (San Francisco’s Outer Sunset district) meant that I always put it off. That is until recently, when a friend who was visiting from Switzerland reminded me, and we’d both been wanting to try it out.

The restaurant is unassuming and deep into the Avenues, but the interior is a whole other story. Arabic script accompanies red Chinese lanterns, and the scents coming from the kitchen smelled more Central Asian than East. My dining companion and I had done our research ahead of time, and we ordered what we’d heard was most popular.

We started with the beef pancake.

Put simply, this was amazing. It was a deviation from the usual green onion pancake that you see at many Chinese restaurants, and the layers of dough were oh-so-thin yet pleasantly chewy. I couldn’t tell what this was spiced with, but it was super savory and oniony.

Next, we had the cumin lamb.

I admit I was a little weary of this dish since most American lamb has a taste and smell I’m not too crazy about. Not only was this lamb an exception, it was amazing. Listen, I know I already called the beef pancake amazing, but so was this. The cumin packed a punch, and the lamb itself was super tender and seared to perfection. The peppers and water chestnuts added a nice textural contrast.

Lastly, we shared the green beans with tofu.

You know when tofu has that perfect, chewy exterior and warm, creamy center? Take that, add loads (and I mean loads) of minced garlic and a handful of crispy green beans, and you have this dish. This might have been a little on the greasy side, but I really didn’t care. It tasted wonderful, and that’s what mattered.

Old Mandarin Islamic Restaurant might be out of the way, but it’s absolutely worth the drive. Rarely do I visit a restaurant where every dish is a hit, and even less often do I go somewhere with such a unique niche cuisine. I’m kicking myself for having put off visiting this restaurant for so long, but it’s better late than never, right?

Posted on August 2, 2010

I’m not sure what kind of restaurant Cha Cha Cha is – in fact, I’m not sure anyone is. One part Caribbean, one part tapas, and one part Cuban, my favorite Cha Cha Cha outpost in San Francisco is the one in the Haight. As one of my favorite haunts from my college days, the place evokes a sense of nostalgia for me. It had been years since I’d visited until recently, when I dined with a friend to celebrate his return from three years spent living in Egypt.

Cha Cha Cha’s menu has changed since then, and while the sangria still flows freely, their arroz con pollo wasn’t on the menu the day we dropped by for lunch. My dining companion and I decided to split a few dishes instead. We started with the warm spinach salad:

Rich and creamy, and tossed with flecks of crispy bacon, this salad could have been a meal on its own. The dressing was savory and delicious, albeit too heavy. The leafy greens helped balance things out.

Next came our fried platanos maduros.

I love sweet plantains, and these were prepared wonderfully: thick and tender, with a slightly crispy, sugary exterior. The beans were good too, but next to the plantains were almost an afterthought.

Our main dish arrived next; the Jamaican jerk chicken.

The jerk chicken was good, but it didn’t blow me away. I expected more flavor and more spice, but the meat very tender and literally falling off the bone.

For me, Cha Cha Cha has always been about the ambiance. The food is good (a few are great), the service is nice, but it’s the fun atmosphere that really seals the deal. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that I’ve always dined there with good company. After all, isn’t half the fun of dining out spending time with those you enjoy?