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Sunday, December 27, 2009

43 - Wazwan - Emeryville

5959 Shellmound Street, Suite 22, Emeryville, Ca. 94608, 510-655-3398

last visit: December of 2009

Wazwan's Website (which comes with a history lesson about Waza master chefs)


(Image from Yelp.com) This is one of my favorite places for fast food in the bay area. From when I was going to the Emery Bay theater in the 1990's until the emergence of the AMC theatre and Bay street, this little food stand stayed. It's outlived the Escapades Arcade and many of the other restaurants in there. I have a feeling it will be there for a very long time. It used to be cooked and served by Indians and now I see that they got enough money to hire workers of their own. They're always there and they always greet with a smile. Now they have a website and expanded to a catering business. The food is simply good and fast.

I'd have to say they do good Tandoori chicken and their spinach chicken curry is tasty as well. They have four or five different curries and I think I've tried them all. The Chicken Tikka Masala is awesome. They have good rice to go with it too, never too soggy so that it compliments the curry just right. Naan bread is provided with a small extra cost. I have like 20 different vendors to choose from when I'm going to the Emery Bay food court, but 9 out of 10 times I go back to Wazwan.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

42 - Izakaya Restaurant - San Jose

Last visit - November of 2009

1335 N 1st street, San Jose, CA. 95112, (408) 452 - 8751



We came here after a short road trip and we were a bit sick, as well as tired and hungry. The place is quite easy to find, right after the freeway junction and there is plenty of parking for a Sunday night. We got in there and it was tiny! But in a good, homey way. There was one waitress, two sushi chefs, and a person in the back. That was their entire operation, but it was quite efficient.

There were a couple of Japanese customers and people started coming in as we sat at the counter. The chefs spoke Japanese, and he reminded me of an old retired samurai in movies. He took my order of Maguro, Ika, Spicy Tuna, and Tamago rolls, while my girlfriend ordered the curry rice. The curry was a bit slow, but it really hit the spot for our trip. It was sort of like a comfort food for me, and my girlfriend said it helped her itchy throat. The Spicy Tuna was a bit too spicy, but the other rolls were good. I also tried their Chicken Teriyaki because they advertised as a "teppan" (iron pan grill) place and it was really good too.

They did a good job at the Izakaya, and I think they do that often. It's like a hole-in-the-wall, but their food is above par. If I go again, I'll try the grilled steak, Japanese style. This place seems like an all-around good find!

Saturday, November 21, 2009

41 - Olivettos - Oakland

5655 College Ave, Oakland, 94618, (510) 547-5356


Last Visit - February 2009


Oliveto's is a well-known restaurant in Oakland. It has seasonal menus and a deep selection of wine. The people that go there, are usually well dressed. I guess it's a place to cross off your restaurant list - and that's exactly why I wanted to go.

We got reservations for one of the rainiest nights. Yeah, it started with a leap out of the car. We got there around 5:45, exactly in time and got our bread and water around 6:00. I guess that's what it boils down to, bread and water, no matter how fancy you dress up the bread platter or the water cantor, it's still what it is. I looked through their winter menu and was a bit lost in the language. I felt embarrassed when I had to ask what the Steelhead was, which is of course a fish. They also had pigeon, wild boar, free-roaming beef, and rabbit. It was not your usual menu. I ordered the beef in the end, and my girlfriend ordered the rabbit. We were recommended a light red wine, "nothing too dry" said my accomplice. It arrived in a half-bottle and it started the night off right.

The fish was good and so was the rabbit. I'd have to say, when you're eating rabbit, you'd have to arm yourself with no thoughts of cute bunnies. "It's just food; food for you," I told myself. But then again my mind drifted to Golem in the Lord of the Rings movies and how he devoured the poor rabbit. It was weird, but all in all, I took a piece from my girlfriend and I found it quite delicious.

By then a few more parties have settled in on the tables around us. We had a little window that showed the streets below and I was happy to see umbrellas move about. The wine was just right for the night and so was our entree's. The dessert was chocolate cake, it's something my girlfriend prides herself on - trying all the chocolate cakes of the world. True to the rumors, the cake was amazingly rich and softer than any you'd get a super market. It reminded me of confections in Japan and I yearned for a nice cup of green tea. It was a sweet way to end a fabulous meal and dreamy night.

It's probably how I would remember it, everything was "just right". If I had to compare it, it'd be close to Rivoli's, except Rivoli's beats it by just an edge.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

40 - Rang Dong Vietnamese Restaurant - Oakland

724 Webster St., Oakland, CA. 94607, (510)835 - 8375

(image from Yelp.com)
Placed on the outer edge of Chinatown is a pretty efficient pho noodle restaurant named Rang Dong. For the longest time it was known as "Vi's noodle shop", but after an interior make-over they renamed themselves. The place is clean and the service is fast. It's one of the few pho shops left in Chinatown. If you can imagine, people go to Chinatown to eat Chinese food, so to make a Vietnamese food place there would be a challenging feat. Yet, this place survives with its reliable service and hearty dishes.

They redid their menu recently, so the Pho Noodle soup with everything on it is no longer #1, but instead #11. How absurd is that right? Every store's #1 should be the big bowl of pho with everything on it: beef, tripe, flanks, beefballs, shredded pork, the whole shabang! But it's now #11. So don't fret, it's still there; and it's still good.

I've gotten the Pho Noodle eating ritual pretty much memorized. I suspect I can do it with my eyes closed if the bottles of condiments were identifiable by touch. First I grab a dish and pour in seafood sauce. Next I dab in the hot sauce, which is always Sri-Racha at these places. I give it a nice whirl then I put in some fresh lemon juice into my little platter. From there, I begin peeling off culantro leaves and gently sprinkling it in my soup. This is almost ritual, I don't even notice the difference in smell or taste. Lastly, I gather a couple chop stick grabs of raw bean sprouts and let it cook in the broth. It's rather simple, but I have heard of people mistaken the plate of garnishes as a salad for the soup, and eating it all. I hope this review will help first time pho noodle eaters avoid that kind of mistake.

Note: On summer days, I often get the Vermicelli noodles with imperial rolls and skewered pork. That's actually a really tasty meal. It goes good with Vietnamese drip coffee, but I have to admit it's amazingly strong there.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

39 - Aunt Charlie's Lounge - San Francisco

133 Turk St., San Francisco, Ca. 94102, (415) 441 - 2922
Last visit - January 2006


Yes, these are a couple old reviews that I am porting here from a couple years ago. I guess this is a trip through memory lane. It will also start a 5 part series of bars.


(image from unknown source)

The moment you step into the bar, you see it all: the narrow walls, the fluffy cloud-like ceiling, the bar on your left, and old TV hanging on the ceiling. In other words, this bar is small! I think the maximum capacity is twenty.

I went on their dragqueen show night. It was dark and a small crowd of people were drinking by the back of the bar, staring at the curtain to a stage. From there on, drag queens came out in their full made-up appearances and started singing to their heart's delight. It was a loud and rather festive event. I was kind of awestruck because it was my first time at this kind of thing.

The bartender is a old bearded man with a long pony-tail. He serves super stiff drinks. I saw him do my cranberry-turkey, and he let the bottle run up to about three-fourth's full then splashed the top with a little cranberry: the result, a very strong drink. For $4.50, it's a steal.

I think the bar is made up of mostly regulars, but welcomes strangers. It is a bit away from downtown, so it might be difficult to find.

38 - Ajisen Ramen - Fremont

47890 Warm Springs Blvd., Fremont, CA., (510) 353 - 1133
Last visited - September of 2009


(Image from http://www.ajisensf.com/)
We went here by accident. I wanted to find Kuro-Ramen and instead we saw this on Yelp and got excited. We've had Ajisen at two other places before, Los Angeles and Melbourne, Australia. What a weird coincidence, we thought.

To disclose, this was supposed to be a light meal before a night of gaming and cocktails at Dave and Busters at the Great Mall. It turned out to be a lot more food than we thought. We found the place after a drive through the quiet city parts of Fremont. It was a starry night and we opened the moon roof to get a better sight of the sparkling sky. Boy was that a stupid idea, the smell of Fremont's garbage dumps could be smelled from afar.

We arrived at the restaurant and were seated by a young Chinese girl. I wasn't expecting a Japanese person, but she did have the usual "irashaimase" greeting from the Ajisen Ramen franchises. The Japanese beer posters and the giant banner that said "Kumamoto tonkotsu" style reminded me of Japan's ramen shops. We ordered our ramen, two beers, and a plate of their kara-age fried chicken. She took our order and we saw the cooks in the back making our order. They had an air of pride in their work. At least they dressed the part, like izakaya chefs in Japan.

The food came and it was pretty tasty. The noodles was not soggy and the broth was rich with flavor. I went for the miso and my girlfriend went for the volcano. She usually goes for the spicy stuff. Our ramen was good and the fried chicken was good too. It came in six giant pieces: each of them equal to the size of three chicken McNuggets stacked together. It became a hearty meal. We slowly enjoyed our meal, and listened to Jpop music coming from overhead speakers. It was a nostalgic treat!


Monday, October 19, 2009

37 - Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot - Fremont

215 S. Ellsworth Ave, San Mateo, CA. 94401, (650)343-2566
Last visit: October of 2009

(image from Yelp.com)
Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot is where I first tried bamboo for dinner. The insides of bamboo is white, film-like, and tastes like tofu. We dipped it into the hot pot for a couple of minutes and pick it back up with our chop-sticks and it is drenched in the flavor of the chili filled broth. It's not bad, not bad at all. Bamboo, and a host of other Chinese-Mongolian foods can be ordered for hot pot at Little Sheep.

I went there with my girlfriend's family and we ordered two pots for two tables. The hot pot came with a divider because we wanted a spicy soup as well as a mild flavored one. They do refill the broth, but it doesn't hurt to request it. We ordered the lamb shoulders and some beef for our meats.

The dishes of uncooked food came and we had a nice time dipping things in and waiting for it to heat up. All the dishes are heated by hotplates on the tables and we just left it on the highest temperature. Cooking meats and noodles are fun, but waiting for shrimp and seafood to boil isn't. I recommend trying the bamboo (insides of bamboo) because it sucks up the flavor of the soup. We liked the beef and lamb, but everything else was so-so. The spicier (red) flavored soup is better than the mild (white) soup.

It's a fun place for kids as they get to see things get cooked. If I had a kid, I'd threaten to cook them in it whenever they get out of line.

Monday, October 12, 2009

36 - Mimosa Cafe - Oakland

462 Santa Clara Ave, Oakland, Ca. 94610, 510-465-2948
Last visit - October of 2009


Why do I find it odd to have Cantonese speakers in the American breakfast kitchen? I mean, they're people that have cooking skills too right? It's the fact that I'm Cantonese and I can hear what they are saying in the back that makes it weird. No bad talk about the customers, just your usual, "the egg sandwich customer wants some more coffee" kind of deal.

We went to Mimosa cafe Sunday for their breakfast because of the good feedback that its been getting on Yelp. A young Chinese guy greeted us and let us seat ourselves. I browsed the menu and saw some appetizing pictures of breakfast quiches and omelets. I asked the waiter what that was on the menu, and he actually said, "oh those are just pictures..." To that I had to take a bit of a chuckle. Rule #10 in the top 10 rules of opening a restaurant: Use the foods in your menu on your menu. From there I knew the day would be light-hearted and somewhat comical. I ordered the French Toast meal with a coffee. It came with a side of Veggie Sausages and an egg, which I took scrambled. My girlfriend ordered the scramble mix with a blue berry muffin along with a Mocha coffee.

The food came and everything was placed on Chinese dishes. The kind of plastic dishes with Chinese designs that I'm used to at dim-sum places. It was quite a site! I enjoyed it. The French Toast looked pretty dry, but it tasted a lot better than it looked. That's always a plus. They gave me way too much syrup, but it's good to know it's there. The winner of the meal was the blue-berry muffin that my girlfriend ordered, very soft and just enough flavor so that you're not dominated to blueberry. We ate to our heart's delight.

The place is a great place for vegetarians and baby lovers, as we saw three couples with their babies there that day.

Saturday, October 3, 2009

35 - Hello Desserts - San Jose

1698 Hostetter Road, San Jose, CA. 95131, (408) 453-5566
Last Visit: September of 2009

When one thinks of desserts in the United States we conjure up thoughts of cakes and ice-creams. But in most of Asia, the idea of desserts is a lot of puddings, jellies, and custards. My girlfriend likes the 3-colored drink with the red beans, coconuts, and green grass jelly. Fruits that come into mind are coconuts, mangoes, and lichees. It's a totally different world of sweets, but Hello Desserts has it all.

Hello Desserts was first discovered on our trip to the Boiling Crab a couple of months ago. It opens late and has a good egg custard dish that isn't easily done well. We went back here after our trip to Ramen Halu and tried the Japanese ice-cream parfait. It was a monster thing with six layers of sweets, ice-creams, and jellies. I thought it was OK. We also had both variations, cold and hot, of the egg custard, which was awesome still. Hello Desserts is a simple place for late night sweets and if I'm in the San Jose area, I'll definitely go in for something.

I noticed that the menu expanded to a lot of American desserts. So now you can get your chocolate cakes and tiramisu cakes there as well. A late night coffee would be good if you're going to be up for awhile. It seems to be a hot-spot in San Jose as a nice crowd was gathering in the seats outside.

Monday, September 28, 2009

34 - Katana-Ya Ramen House - San Francisco

430 Geary Street, San Francisco, CA. 94102, (510) 771-1280
Last Visit - June 2009

I first went to Katana-Ya to meet some old college friends I haven't seen in years so the event over-took the food. I enjoyed it, but the cramped seating kind of got to me. I'm used to this in Japan, but sometimes I prefer the giant booths you'd find in a regular Denny's restaurant. But the ramen was good and I did find it reasonable to go again.

On my second trip I went there and tried the spicy ramen. That was pretty awesome. The flavor was rich and the broth was thick with lots of seasonings. There really isn't much to say about it because many other people would've told you by now that Katana-ya is THE BEST RAMEN place in San Francisco (or the Bay Area as alleged by some). Go there and you can't go wrong with the food.

But anyway, on my second trip I appreciated the decor a bit more too as the meal proceeded. The room only fits like 10 tables and it creates a narrow pathway for the waitresses to move around. The chef looks like he's really Japanese, but I didn't want to make conversation with him. There is a counter for patrons to eat ramen in and behind the counter they hung a giant gilded Japanese screen. It was actually gorgeous and I felt it out of place for a Japanese restaurant. What made it even more weird were the christmas lights and the gaudy halogen light bars. I wasn't sure if I was in a Tokyo street vendor or an esoteric Japanophile's basement. There actually was a pair of Katana blades there too. To complete the look they should've added a train set like Izakaya Mai's. Either way, it was entertainment for the amount of time it takes you to finish ramen. The people come and go quick, so you'll have a fun time people gazing also. All in all, a winner for the people of San Francisco.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

33 - the Pretty Lady - Oakland

1733 Peralta St., Oakland, Ca.94607, (510) 832-1213
last visited - September 2009

"People on Yelp love us!" was the only piece of real advertisement we saw on the door. It was Saturday and me and my girlfriend were going to try a new diner for breakfast. This one I picked from scanning through Yelp: good food, reasonable prices, and homey hospitality were what they said. The only problem was the location.

Traveling through West Oakland was like going to a different city for me. For all the urban legends of crime and violence I had shut that area out of my mind in my search for food. The Pretty Lady is on Peralta Street, which was a couple streets away from everything. We parked beside a car repair shop and a side of a school. And now for the food itself.

One thing that you notice out of the ordinary about the Pretty Lady is that it's owned by some friendly Koreans. That's one thing that you don't see everyday - an American breakfast place with soy sauce on the counter. Well, that, and a customer came in wearing an African shroud with purple trims along with a Sacramento Kings hat. Amazingly, it worked well for him. The lady that works there is the server and only waiter for where I am concerned. We are greeted and given menus quickly. A quick glance at the decor reminds me of a bar I went to in Japan called "Redwood". A lot of pictures and keepsakes from the Texas west. I guess the pretty lady must have stemmed from the idea of a western Cowgirl.

We ordered a simple breakfast. I had two pancakes with ham and eggs while my girlfriend had the eggs, sausages, and toast. I had coffee and she had orange juice. Everything came out quickly and the dishes were typical diner food. My girlfriend did think the complimentary hash browns were a bit greasy, but I found it alright. Another Yelper complained about the same thing, but I tried it and didn't mind it so much. All in all, I found it a pleasant diner with small smiling crowd. I do think I'll be going back again, maybe for lunch to try their Salmon burgers.

Lastly, it's important to note that they only take cash, so please bring some.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

32 - the Candy Bar - San Francisco

1335 Fulton street, San Francisco, CA.94117, (415) 673-7078

Last visited - August 2009

(image from curbednetwork.com)
One look inside you'll notice something different about the bar. It's clientele? Preppy and in their early 30's. The food? Desserts that people don't think about would taste good, but it TASTES GOOD! The ambiance? dimly lit with hints of artificiality. It took me awhile, but the bar didn't look out of place, it WAS out of place. It's the type of bar you'd find in L.A... but in San Francisco.

I did like the fact that they had board games in the bar. It seemed like a good idea to be able to play some Monopoly or Yatzee while sipping on some cocktails, but the tables were amazingly cramped. I guess they wanted to pack more people in, but it's a small issue. We ordered our food and it arrived promptly. My girlfriend had the nacho sundae platter (is it a play on the words "not your sunday"?), our friend had the matcha green-tea cake, while I had some fruit tart thing that's served in a little jar, the white chocolate mousse it looked like creme' brulee. It was made of three layers and garnished with the white chocolate mousse on the side. Reviewing their menu online, I learned that the three layers were Blue berry compote, Kalamansi Sorbet, and Candied Parsnips. Upon the second spoonful I realized it was the Kalamansi sorbet that really excited me. It was amazingly smooth and the chill kept the whole dessert together - a tingling delight at every bite. The blue berries were fresh and the parsnips were delightful. I almost forgot about the mousse. The sorbet was a true winner, and I had a cup of coffee with it that went together really well. The cake was mediocre for the price, but my fruit snack and my girlfriend's nacho desserts were both tasty.

Lastly, I enjoyed the food and the presentation of the food, but I wouldn't make a trip to San Francisco for it. Now if I was already in town, it would be a different story. Bon appetite!

Sunday, September 20, 2009

31 - Ramen Halu - San Jose

375 Saratoga Ave, Suite M, San Jose, CA. 95129, (408) 246-3933
Last visited - September of 2009



(Ramen Halu at night, image from my own library) When you go out craving something to eat and end up getting something different, your judgment of a place will never be too objective. Here's the story, we drove down all the way to San Jose hungry for some "whole shibang" shrimp from the Boiling Crab, but when we got there the wait was two and a half hours. That's right, the girl said 2.5 HOURS! We couldn't wait that long, so we got two pounds to go for a later time and went to Ramen Halu for the first time.

The place was mentioned by my friend months earlier and I told her that I'd check it out if I was in the San Jose area. I guess I found the time to do so that night. The drive there was not too bad, but you'd never expect a ramen place on Los Gatos ave. So Ramen Halu is nestled between an Indian supermarket and a cash checking place. From across the way you can see a Casino and a hoff brau restaurant on its diagonal. When we drove in the parking lot we thought we went to the wrong part of town, nevertheless I heard Japanese folks speaking outside a small store front, and sure enough there was a Ramen restaurant.

The service is laid-back in Ramen Halu, they seem to have some really greenhorn waiters that take their time in cleaning off tables and checking up on the tables. The theme of the restaurant is beaches and surfing. The little eatery was lined with surfboards and they give you the check on a conch shell. And like the theme suggests, the waiters reminded me of chilled out surfers serving you on their own time. Luckily, they have a speedy kitchen and our ramen came pretty quick. I ordered the Ramen Halu, my girlfriend ordered the tan-tan noodles, and our other friend ordered the Ramen Halu with buckwheat noodles. Out of the three, I found the tan-tan noodles the tastiest. The Ramen Halu was supposed to be this healthy soup with noodles that'd make you strong and cleanse your system. Of course healthy food never tastes great. I found the soup simple and not enough flavoring. My friend thought it was a bit too oily for her and that the soup was dominated by the bamboo shoots' flavoring. It might have been saltier than one is used to also. Not to be unfair, the tan-tan noodles are really good and I recommend that for all those that are in the San Jose area. They probably have a decent ramen too, we just didn't try it that first time.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

30 - the Victorian Pub - San Leandro

15325 Washington Ave., San Leandro, CA 94579, (510) 614-7130

Last visited - November 2008

Most likely known to many as "the Vic", this San Leandro hole-in-the-wall bar is recognized as a homey place for its locals. Located right off of the Washington Ave exit across from the Walgreens, you'll find yourself wondering, "Why is there a bar here?", believe me I was befuddled the first time I seen it. This place is so hole-in-the-wall that I can't find a picture of it on Google. Well, not the first few pages at least. I was introduced to this bar by my co-workers at Peterson Tractor. They go on regularly and enjoy a couple of pitchers to ease the hard work week. Drinks are decently made, the beer isn't ridiculously priced, and there is a nice juke box with today's tunes.

I like places like these because it reminds me of the way "America" used to be. America with it's steel workers and brick-layers and all that blue-collar, work a "dollar-a-day" for an "honest man's wages" kind of deal. When I picture the Vic, I am reminded of the U2 song, "These are the hands that built America". Anyways, it's just a bar. They don't serve food neither. Walgreens can supply chips. Hell, the guys sometimes order pizza delivered there.

The Vic has limited seating, two pool tables, a dart board and a big TV. Last I heard they installed a couple of gaudy LCD's to guide the eyes of sports fans. They like to turn on to MMA and wrestling there, so if you're into that kind of stuff and around town, duck into the Vic and have a pint. I find myself having a good time the few times I been there. I think I should make another pilgrimage there myself.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

29 - Frank's Saloon - San Leandro

2014 Marina Blvd, San Leandro, CA.94577, (510) 895-0140

Last visited - June, 2009

(image from citysearch.com) One of the things I grow fondly of is the amount of lesser known eateries around the Bay Area. If the East Bay restaurants were to be made into a Monopoly board many of the casual diners would be made to resemble Baltic and Mediterranean avenue. It's quite sad, but a lot of these places deserve a brief visit if one has the time.

Yesterday I went back to Frank's Saloon towards the Marina in San Leandro for some tacos. They do it pretty good there. These little soft shell tapas with spicy pork and chicken. It's definitely got a kick and the price is cheap. I think it's about $1.75 each, and you can get full off of four of these. They did a remodel to the kitchen so it's a bit cleaner. The people there usually buy the food to supplement their drinking and drinking games.

The bar is friendly and there are three TV's for the usual sports. I think the price of drinks is low, so you don't have to worry too much forking up the tab for a round. There are two pool tables and an electronic dart board. I played a sorry game of darts the last time I was there. I'm usually there for the tacos and beer. If you're headed to San Leandro and find yourself towards the Marina, I suggest you go in for a bite too.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

28 - Sura - Oakland

4869 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94620, (510) 654-9292

Last visit - August 2009

(image from SFcitizen.com) As for safe Korean cuisine, Sura will be a pleasant choice. You're definitely going to be treated to a cornucopia of "banchan" side dishes as appetizers. I just have to say that of them all, I didn't enjoy that many of them. The kobocha pumpkin were good, but they didn't have the caramelized potatoes and I didn't find their kim chi very tasty. So I guess that makes it so-so at best. They usually give you a free steamed egg dish if you go in large parties and for birthdays you might get another treat.

I went with a huge party of ten and we ordered a bit of everything. The BBQ spicy chicken is a must, and I think it's their most delicious dish. Their bogulgi beef on a sizzling platter is pretty good too. The Bi bim bab is always safe when ordering Korean food, but it was not spectacular. I tried some of their clay pot soups, spicy tofu with mixed seafood, and that tasted pretty good. It gave my stomach a bad feeling though.

Now here's the thing that gets most people, their service IS slow. No matter how many times people try to be nice about it, they will fail to give you that "rest assured, you're in good hands" feeling that better restaurants can give you. They even have the service call button on every table, but pressing it will only alleviate your urge to press something. Not only that, they tend to mix up their orders. I have only been there twice, but both times they either gave us something extra or forgot to give us everything; albeit I went with big groups on both occasions.

I heard they have a grand ladies' restroom, but that never gave me a reason to visit a restaurant.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

27 - Asia S.F. - San Francisco

201 9th Street, San Francisco, Ca. 94103, (415) 255-2742

Last Visited: August, 2009



To borrow an over-used cliche', going to Asia S.F. isn't just dinner; it's an experience! There is a lot of confusion around even when you go knowing that it's a up-and-coming night club in San Francisco that's hosted by cross-dressers. The waitresses of the night are not women, but transgender men. Knowing this does help, but not too much when you're there.

I went with my girlfriend and her co-workers for a birthday bash/ company gathering. The place was packed and the ladies of the night were walking handsomely down the aisles. We took a preview of the dance floor on the bottom cellar and waited for our table to be cleared, a table for fourteen. As our pre-set meal started coming, we got ourselves comfortable by ordering drinks and making small talk. Naturally the focus was on the waitresses. For the men, it was mass confusion; for the women, it was a guilty stare of shock and envy. I mean, they have made-up faces, tone stomachs, and shaved legs - not to mention well-endowed tops. Surgery can do wonders I guess. But besides that, the food was good.


Our appetizers came and a small show ensued. I guess if this was the old days, I'd describe it as "burlesque". I guess it's cabaret, which reminds me of the word kyaba-kura, or cabaret club for short in Japanese. I enjoyed the pre-set dinner. It was four courses with a baby-back rib entre' and a memorable lamb course. I didn't care too much for the grilled banana dessert nor the ice-cream cones in the end, but it received spectacular response from my fellow dinner mates. I think they were all still gawking at the men/women.

When we finished our food, which came with a gigantic bill, we went down to hang out with the bachelorettes dancing and acting wild. It's one of the gimmicks for Asia SF, and they have regular bachelorette parties. I guess you feel safer getting crazy in a gay bar than a straight one. I ate, I drank, and I danced. I don't think there is much to say about the place besides to just go see it for yourself. The behavior is quite scandalous, but at the same time you're not sure if you should behave or set yourself apart. Boys will be boys I guess.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

26 - Himawari - San Mateo

202 2nd Avenue, San Mateo, CA 94401, (650) 375-1005

Last visit - July, 2009


There is a small ramen shop on 2nd ave. in the downtown district of San Mateo that everyone knows: Himawari. I've been there twice before, and today would be the third time in the last year or so. Himawari isn't too big, but there is a constant flow of patrons moving in and out. Usually they are happy. I like it's Ikea lighting and find the food pretty tasty. They serve ramen by the soup stock, and one of their specials are the "Tonkotsu" ramen that's famous in Fukuoka, Japan. I usually go for the Miso flavored soup with Chashu.

I went there meeting some old friends from Cal. It was literally a reunion of sorts, 10 years since met in our language courses in Dwinelle Hall (spell?). We've grown up, got embraced by the world, and found life's plus and minuses outside of school. After finding parking, the parking lot is free after 6pm by the way, we got in and ordered our food.

For appetizers we ordered the fried calamari, the buta kakunai, and the agedashi tofu: all simple dishes you'd see at an izakaya in Japan. They all came out pretty well, and the buta kakunai especially tasty. For a table of four, it was perfect because every one could try a piece without splitting. For ramen, I had what I usually have, and my buddies tried the tonkotsu ramen. We all had a good time. The price is a bit steep for ramen, but it seems like every store is heading into the $10 region for a good bowl of ramen. Just can't wait to pay half of that again in Japan - and the possibility of ramen refills.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

25 - Luka's Tap Room - Oakland

2221 Broadway, (between Franklin St & Grand Ave), Oakland, CA 94612, (510) 451-4677

Last visit - June 2009



To snap my four month hiatus from writing about food I decided to write about Luka's in Oakland. This fine establishment located on the corner of Telegraph avenue and 22nd street, between Franklin and Grand. It is unassuming, but many a times I drive past it and the place is booming with customers and music. At night they have music venues that fill up the lounge. I am not sure of the name, "Luka's Tap Room and Lounge", but I guess they have tap dancing somewhere at some time?

I went there Sunday morning for their brunch and had a good time. They open at 10:30am, so it's not wise to go early like me. I waited in front of downtown Oakland in front of the newly constructed condos in the area. Not much goes on in this place on Sundays; most folks are at church. But by the time we got in, there were other patrons that got in with us. The tables filled up quickly and we ordered our food. I had the Scrambled Eggs with Trout and my girlfriend had the Eggs Bennedict with Catfish (fried). Both dishes came out quickly and were delightful to taste. My dish was a bit too creamy, but my girlfriend's catfish was really good. I also enjoyed their house coffee, which was a fine roast (perhaps the first roast of the morning?).

The last thing to say about this place (for breakfast at least) is that they serve a complimentary corn bread sliced into cubes as an appetizer. It's quite cute.


Monday, February 9, 2009

24 - Champa Gardens - Oakland

2102 8th. Ave, Oakland CA, 94606, (510) 238-8819

Last Visit - February 2009


Champa Gardens is a small South-East Asian restaurant in East Oakland. It's not too far from Oakland Highschool, but is nestled in a deep residentual area, away from East 14th/International Ave. But it actually thrives. I have eaten food from there twice now, I guess it's Laotian or Cambodian flavors, and have no complaints. 

The food is amazingly fresh. The lettuce wrapped rice is really good for starters. And their curry is really good. We had the pumpkin curry, which was a part of their specials menu. Lastly we had the stuffed chickenwings. They're odd things, stuffed veggies and chicken used to remake a wing. It was quite tasty though. 

It just makes you wonder about what is Cambodian food? What kind of ethnic niche does it have against Chinese, Thai, and Indian. Or is it one of those types that are caught in the middle? I'll have to investigate this some more. 

As take-out goes, this would be a very safe choice.  

Sunday, January 18, 2009

23 - the Hob Nob - Alameda

1313 Park St,(between Alameda Ave & Encinal Ave), Alameda, CA 94501, (510) 769-1011

Last visit: January, 2009



The Hob Nob is a place where food, games, and drinks meet in Alameda. They actually have a server and a kitchen, and I found it interesting that they have daily specials. It's a dimly lit place that caters to who seem to be regulars there. They have one flat-screen that shows predominantly hockey for some reason. It's good that there's only one screen I guess, nowadays places are decked out with five or six at least. 

We get there early and the eating crowd is still there. I order their Blue Berry Mojito, which came with too much blue berry. My friends order their tequilla and Tecate combo and a pink cosmo-like drink. The drinks are pretty strong at the Hob Nob, so don't go crazy in ordering your cocktails. I try their Long Beach later and it has a bit of a kick to it. 

Our food comes in due time. I recommend the garlic fries. Quite a treat while watching the games on TV. They have the usual sports bar menu with daily specials. I have to try the burgers next time. 

Board games are in the back, and so are some in the front of the bar. We check out the scrabble and began our night of word banter and stories over drinks. I would like to go there again. 


Tuesday, January 13, 2009

22 - the Boiling Crab - San Jose

1631 E Capitol Expressway #101, San Jose, CA 95121

Last visit: January, 2009



"We're going to dinner at a seafood place in the south-bay," said my girlfriend as we got into her sister's car. The BMW sprung out of the small streets of East Oakland and onto the freeway energetically, like a dog waiting to go for a walk. I was kind of tired that night, but it felt like it was going to be a place that I would blog about later, so I was looking forward to that. We drove down the 880 freeway, passing my workplace in San Leandro, and then Fremont. As the ride went on, I realize that we're  moving through area-codes at the speed of light. Where the hell is this place?

Reaching the Boiling Crab took us 30 minutes, and the wait was another 40. I guess it's the kind of place people will make a trip out for, because the place was packed! And the first thing that you think about is, "Why are they all Asians?" Thats the way it was. I was trying to track the UNC vs. Wake Forest game, and good thing they had flat-screens all over. They lost that night.

We sat and ordered our food, which came in buckets by the pounds. Sitting there reminded me of Forrest Gump and how his buddy Bubba started listing all the ways to make shrimp. We ordered Shrimp, Crawfish, Crab, and some fries. Not really a veggie lover's place. But the seafood was really good. I think I ate a pound of shrimp, but also used a pound of napkins too. It's definitely a place where table manners were lax. You're encouraged to make noises while sucking on crawfish and build a mountain of shells on your area. They didn't even give us plates. Food was brought out in plastic bags. It's funny, but it's almost part of the culture. 

We started with a round of raw oysters, which were pretty good. I like their sauce, which was better than the regular tobasco sauce. I tried them back to back to compare. We then went onto the shrimp and crawfish. I recommend trying the regular with the "whole sha-bang" which means the combination of all their spices. Mild spiciness had a nice kick to it and Medium meant taking breaks for me. I couldn't fathom the hell it would be on our tongues if we ordered the XXX spice. It was definitely an experience, but I didn't think it would be a regular thing. 

Final thoughts? I never knew how good corn with cajun sauce was until then. Might be a good idea to make some.