Archive for June, 2008
Masu:Cheap Sushi Craving
A sure fire sign that a city is serious about Japanese food is that one block could host three sushi restaurants. On a sunny Saturday afternoon, the apparent crowd in front of Masu sparked my curiosity. As the unofficial dish of Japan , sushi is ubiquitous in Japan but restaurants like Masu serve a fusion [...]
Coco’s Crawfish: Sucking Encouraged
Crawfish has arrived to fill the void of a no frills crawfish restaurant. Claiming to be San Francisco’s first crawfish restaurant, Coco’s Crawfish in the Sunset district makes a genuine attempt to replicate this popular Southern style eatery. Ambiance: Restaurateur Lisa Lee aims to provide great seafood and emphasizes that food is the center stage [...]
Japanese Kids Beer: Cheers daddy
Leave it up the Japanese with beverage innovation. Japan, well-known for their compact cars, animation, sushi, and now, kids beer. When I traveled to Tokyo, I saw thousands of salary men walking the streets of this eccentric city. They wake early in the morning, often commute three hours daily on the train, and work till [...]
Teacake Bake Shop: Pint size sugar rush in Emeryville
Two weeks ago, I had a food tour in the East Bay. After my mini excursion to Scharffenberger, my sweet tooth addiction continued. Stumbling upon its accented pink logo, I hopped into Teacake Bake Shop. The instant I stepped foot into the door, the smell of baked goods and butter enticed me to try their [...]
PPQ: Vietnamese Flare in Sunset San Francisco
(pix: crab noodle soup, beef noodle soup, basil and sprouts) {Cleanscores (inspection score): 54 out of 100}Click Here Also, read blog on Cleanscores. Few Vietnamese restaurants in the Bay Area have the consistent taste of Pho Pho Quoc (PPQ). For over twelve years, owner Tin Troung has created an operation that has the food more [...]
Cleanscores: Check the Filth before You Eat
I learned early on as a restaurant consultant that food sanitation is key. Working for Sysco, the largest food distributor in the United States, I strolled through many kitchens in the Bay Area to find filthy conditions that would ruin my appetite in a heart beat. Key lesson: How clean the bathroom is, reflects how [...]
Pinkberry:$$ Dough from Starbucks founder
Pinkberry has gained more momentum in the frozen yogurt race with funding from Maveron, a venture capital owned by Starbuck’s founder Howard Schultz. For full article, read Starbucks founder bites into Pinkberry by Boyle. The $27.5 million will help Pinkberry scale (grow) their business including possible franchising programs. As a former marketing manager, I helped [...]
YoCup:DownTown Frozen Yogurt in Ricon Center San Francisco
Like any great food detective, snooping around leads to great new finds. After dining at Yank Sing, a high end dim sum restaurant in Rincon Center, I discovered yet another frozen yogurt. Similar to Pinkberry, the minimalist decor is refreshing. Readers who have not eaten frozen yogurt, read Lets Play Copycat: How to Build A [...]
Chou Chou:Sub Par French food in Laguna Honda
(pix: escargot, French onion soup,duck confit,mussel, tart) With great anticipation, I hopped over to Chou Chou for their Dine About Town menu. After all, I had such a great experience choosing French for my birthday in January dining at Bistro LeZinc. Ambiance. The yellow and red walls created a festive ambiance. The best view is [...]
Food Blogging:3 Must Do’s
Last week, I went Martin Yan’s (“Yan Can Cook”) office. My job was to consult his staff about innovation for his new culinary school in China. As a food addict in middle school, I still remember opt not watching cartoons and tune to PBS. I still remember watching Yan magically perform his knife skills. Words [...]
Menu Design:Keep It Simple
Time magazine wrote a good article on menu design titled I’ll Have That Typeface on the Menu by Caplan. Some restaurants are describing dishes with sophisticated words to achieve two goals. 1) Paint the dish as an upscale dish 2) Charge more since the description of the dish appear to take more time In reality, [...]
Scharffenberger:Sweet Chocalate Tour in Berkeley
(pictures:chocolate bars, hot chocolate, nibs, cocoa butter) Last week, I had a hint what it felt to be Charlie from the Chocalate Factory. After a delightful tour of the Takara sake factor, my buddies and I skipped over to Scharffenberger, a premium chocolate maker. One step into the factory, I can smell the nutty flavors [...]
Takara: Free Sake Tour in Berkeley
Often times, things are free require obligation or just don’t present much value. Takara, a sake manufacturer in Berkeley, is a rare exception offering the community a free take tour and tasting. I visited the factory on a weekend with a group of buddies. The tour includes a small showcase of the equipment used to [...]
Win’s on Taraval in outer Sunset San Francisco: Spareribs done right
Chinese Deli’s are often misunderstood. At first glance, the ducks hanging upside don’t seem very appealing. Looking past the window display, Win’s restaurant serve delicious bbq spare ribs. Tender meat marries perfectly with the tangy sauce. Their poached chicken lacks flavor. I would suggest them to first brine (soak meat in water and salt) over [...]
Cafe Bakery & Restaurant: Hong Food done well
Although many travelers associate Hong Kong with shopping adventures and international business, it is also the birth place of Hong Kong cuisine. Hong Kong’s past as a British colony and long history of being an international city of commerce has resulted in the creation of a fusion cuisine influenced by many different cultures. It is [...]
McDonald’s: No more tomatoes for you
(In-N-Out Burger and fries) Quality food control is paramount to any quick service restaurant. McDonald’s announced that it stopped serving sliced tomatoes in restaurants in the United States over concerns about salmonella food poisoning linked to some uncooked varieties. When I was in college, I studied Environmental Economics and Policy and learned about farming. Food [...]
Yummy Yummy: Not so tasty Vietnamese in Sunset San Francisco
Contrary to the name of the restaurant, the food is horrible at this local Vietnamese establishment in the leafy Sunset district in San Francisco. Vietnamese food often features fresh herbs and pungent broth and both of these basic elements are lacking. Unlike American food, Vietnamese is very light. Cheese and cream are not used in [...]
Hardknox Cafe:Soul Food, Asian Chef in Richmond and Thirst Street
(smothered chicken with beans and string beans, country fried steak) Hardknox Café may have a mean spirited name, but the restaurant is serving great food with Southern hospitality in the Richmond district. Planted next to ethnic restaurants, patrons can easily identify the baseball font signage on leafy Clement Street. After almost ten years serving soul [...]
Myojo: Quality Instant Noodle
After a long day at work, I enjoy cooking a simple meal done well. On a hot day, I grab a pack of Myojo, a quality instant noodle (not an oxymoron). A pack of Myojo cost around $1.40, found at your local Asian super markets. My motto: quality over quantity. On an side note, I [...]
Taraval Okazu Ya: Creative rolls in Sunset San Francisco
(sushi combo,bento box, creamy roll) After cruising along Ocean Beach on a windy Sunday evening, I steer along the Muni tracks to Taraval Okazu Ya. From the facade, the restaurant looks like any other Japanese restaurant. Ceramic tempura and udon bowls are displayed on the window front. But the instant you set foot into the [...]
Hong Flower Lounge in Millbrae:Banquet food gone bad
(crab w/ preserved egg, Peking duck, surf clam in shell) With the array of restaurants in San Francisco, it can be overwhelming to choose a place to celebrate mother’s day. On a Sunday evening, I enjoyed the seasonal banquet tasting menu at Hong Kong Flower Lounge restaurant with my mom. Sitting on its opulent foundation, [...]
Yogurtouille: Fro Yo Craze in San Mateo B Street
407 South B St San Mateo, CA 94401 (650) 548-1381 Mon-Thu, Sun 11:30 a.m.-10:00 p.m. Fri-Sat 11:30 a.m.-12:00 a.m. After my Japanese lunch in San Mateo, I quickly dashed over to B Street in San Mateo. Yogurtouille has arrived to introduce frozen yogurt with a wide range of delightful flavors. Read Pinkberry blog for a [...]
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{ Rayfil Wong | self development :: linbowing }
- New Sensation. Linbowing, not Tebowing.Jeremy Lin has been on fire. I noticed the other night Jeremy Lin bowing to Carmelo Anthony as a sign of celebration. Could this be a new sensation? No more Tebowing, Linbowing time. You heard it first here at rayfil.com, I am coining the term “Linbowing” A few years ago, I saw Jeremy Lin play […]
- Humans are Awesome, Training RequiredLimits are truly self imposed. Practice married with dedication and focus = amazing […]
