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Mister Jiu’s: An Emergence of “New Chineseâ€
Chinese food is one of my comfort foods – give me a meal full of dumplings, noodle soups and rice dishes, and it’ll satiate my hunger and subdue any feelings of anger, frustration, and woe. Mister Jiu’s is a bit different than your normal MSG-filled Chinese restaurant around the corner. Even though they are located in the heart…
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Noodle in a Haystack: Creating Bowls of Ramen Delight
Inspiration can come from a number of sources and this pair of foodies is one of mine. Clint and Yoko, husband and wife, host Feastly meals highlighting their love for Japanese cuisine, more specifically ramen. Their goal is simple but challenging – to bring reliably good ramen to SF. If anyone has lived in SF…
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Ju-Ni: Serving Symphonies of Sushi
I’ve found one of my “ones”, and cannot wait to tell you about it. Before going into the restaurant itself, I’d like to clarify what it takes to be a “one”. It’s not just about the food. The institution needs to be more than that: the environment – space, decor, lighting, plating – all play a…
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Aster: It’s Magically Delicious
I generally stay away from anything that reminds me of “fusion”. An image of two foods singed together, unnaturally meshed, and creating a frankenstein dish makes me very uncomfortable. Why? Often times, I’ve actually pay a lot for this type of “cuisine” at restaurants and doesn’t taste good; it’s usually confusing and leaves my tastebuds in a disappointed state. Aster seems…
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Best Bites of 2015
As I reflect upon this year with big changes like moving to a new city (chime in “California love”), entering a new decade (“30s is the new 20s” according to Jay-Z), and starting a new job, I couldn’t help but come up with a list of my best bites for this year. It spans several…
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Lazy Bear: Listen and Learn
TL;DR – Lazy Bear is worth the money and very deserving of its Michelin star. This post captures meal is documented its entirety and in a detailed fashion. I got schooled at Lazy Bear and I loved it. With notebooks and a pencil in hand – in fact, they give you these tools – all the chefs at Lazy…
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Lord Stanley: Not My Neighborhood Joint
As someone who is passionate about food (aka one who constantly thinks about their next meal as they are eating their current one), I have been assessing the SF food scene and comparing it to what I know – New York. Friends from the East and West coast want to know where I stand, and I am always…
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The MINA Test Kitchen: Tasty Experiments, Sign Me Up!
People are big fans of Michael Mina, and I totally get it. He started his culinary empire in San Francisco and has played a major role in building the restaurant scene to where it is today. Think Pablo Escobar, and replace the cocaine with food and power hungry vengeance for zen-like philosophies (Warning: There may be many references in…
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Picnic at the Presidio: Eating with Off the Grid
Looking for food trucks to help supplement a nice day at a park? Look no further – Off the Grid (Presidio) provides a great space to enjoy the beautiful days in San Francisco, with many food vendors to boot. It reminds me of Smorgasburg in New York but with camping tents and picnic area. I managed…
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Trestle: Affordable and Simplistic SF Dining
In the day and age of many choices, there’s beauty in simplicity. Trestle, which offers a three course menu for $35, creates an easy dining experience for its customers. They have an ever-changing menu that highlights and transforms traditional comfort foods with California’s fresh ingredients. My recommendation is to go with a friend so you can try each dish…