Restaurants

Cornish Pasty Shop at Victoria British Rail Station

One of the best things about travel is tasting the food along your journey.  I love the challenge of finding not only good tasting food but food that is good for you, especially at airports and train stations.  Recently we were back in London, traveling from Gatwick Airport into London via Victoria Station on British Rail.  Having not eaten much except some Boxer Chips on the plane, I was feeling peckish (That is “Britspeak” for hungry).

Our short ride from the airport into Victoria Station had me thinking about sweet then savory food ideas.  As we pulled into the train station and walked our bags out to the main floor, I saw a vision..a Pasty Shop sign!  The Pasty Shop are makers of tasty treats typically found in the Southwest of England in the area known as Cornwall. I was in heaven when I pulled my suitcase up to the counter and immediately saw the classic Cornish Pasty on the menu. Read More »

Whit, the boys and I all headed to our childhood the other day when we stopped at the local Round Table for some pizza. We were headed to the local movie theater to see “Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs” and wanted to start the night off right.

I forgot how good the pizza is at Round Table and it’s pretty darn quick. We partook of the few video games our kids could reach and before we spent $2.00 it was time to eat.

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Double Play Scores in SF!

Double Play Bar & Grill is one of the coolest old school bars and restaurants in San Francisco.  From 1931 through 1957 people would stop by to grab food on their way to or from seeing a baseball game at the Seals Stadium.

The San Francisco Seals were a great Minor League Baseball team that played in the Pacific Coast League.  The stadium was across the street where you now see the huge Safeway shopping center.

After more than 100 years this sports bar is still serving great burgers, homemade spaghetti on Tuesdays and fresh fish on the border between the Mission District and Potrero Hill in San Francisco.

This landmark is on the busy corner of 16th Street and Bryant Street, but you’ll find their free parking lot entrance on 16th Street.  Besides the food, the huge bar and event space, you will love the wall-to-wall baseball memorabilia.  Read More »

Let's Be Frank in San Francisco

I may have found the best hot dogs in San Francisco, let’s be frank, they were dog gone good then GONE, because we ate them.  Our family eats hotdogs on a regular basis so we like to find tasty dogs when we are out walking the city.

Let’s Be Frank is a very cool hotdog operation with street vendor carts in San Francisco and Los Angeles.  They also have catering, a new retail shop in the Marina area and you can find their franks and pork brats (bratwurst) in groceries like Andronico’s, Bi-Rite Market here in the city.

Their recipe was carefully developed by Sue Moore, former “meat forager” for Berkeley’s famed Chez Panisse. The dogs are made from premium cuts of grass-fed beef and the brats from pure heritage pork. Both use organic spices. No nitrates, nitrates, preservatives, filler or junk.

What I love is that they often have a cart set up on a regular weekend basis at Crissy Field near the Warming Hut in San Francisco.  This part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area is very popular with families and tourists.

Yummy Hotdogs @ Crissy Field

We often head over to this area to picnic or celebrate a birthday on the weekends.  Ever since Crissy Field in the Presidio of San Francisco was rehabilitated, coming over to the Warming Hut or Fort Point is like a mini-vacation.  Discovering these delicious hotdogs with their fresh Acme bread buns and fancy condiments, like Napa Yellow Mustard is another draw, just be ready to spend $5.50.

Grass-fed Beef Hotdogs

New Shop Open Everyday!
3318 Steiner Street
San Francisco, CA
www.letsbefrankdogs.com

Karen’s Kitchen, oh I don’t know what number it is, is less than a quarter of a mile away. It’s the perfect place to walk to, when we have out of town guests and I don’t want to cook breakfast.

Karen’s has your standard, 65-year-old waitress, that tends to work in this type of joint. Mind you, I’m sure it’s for the extra cash during retirement, but when I’m 65, I don’t want to be dealing with some punk kids that come in from being out all night and want to boss me around.

Sausage Gravy!!

Anyway, back to the restaurant. Karen’s Kitchens are located all over the Antelope Valley , California and they are pretty darn popular. The waitresses treat you like people, like folks over for breakfast, it’s nice.

It Smiling At Me!

They have your traditional breakfast fare: Omelets, mickey mouse pancakes for the kids, biscuits and gravy for Whit and my standard, 2 eggs over medium with hash browns, sausage or bacon and wheat toast. I always get that, because I just can’t handle pancakes.

Everybody is happy with the choices they make, we all dig in, drink copious amounts of coffee and hot chocolate and walk it off on the way home. What could be better?

We like to make the trek to Karen’s, because it is kid friendly, the servers make sure the kids are entertained as well as the parents.

It may not be fancy, but it sure is comfy.

Karen’s Kitchen is generally open from 6am – 2pm everyday.

Tad's Steaks

Cheap steaks are like treasure, it is always a surprise when you discover they still exist in today’s world. When you walk into Tad’s Steakhouse in downtown San Francisco, you are reminded that cheap steaks (that come with salad, garlic bread and a baked potato) do still exist in this expensive city of ours.

The dinner menu at Tad’s is on the opposite spectrum as John’s Grill around the corner, or my across town favorite Harris’ Restaurant but this Powell Street steakhouse is a safe place to direct that foreign student who stops you on Union Square or the occasional tourist family with the hungry kids. They all can enjoy a non-burrito and non-fast food place for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

My husband and I do like to eat at downtown hole-in-the-walls that only a non-local would go to once in a while. It reminds us of our first time in cities like Paris, Vienna, London, Tokyo et al. Eating at Tad’s also reminds us of being college students with cast iron stomachs.

Seriously it is a bit of a tourist trap but I am kind of impressed that Tad’s has survived all these years across from fancier restaurants. The longevity of Tad’s could be its relationship to Ruth’s Chris but if it is, the better quality steaks I’ve had a Ruth’s Chris Steak House are not at Tad’s Steakhouse.

120 Powell St
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 982-1718
www.tadssteaks-sf.com

Mon-Sun. 7:00 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.

Pho Garden - Great Outer Richmond Spot

I love noodles and last month I wrote about a favorite pho noodle house. Yesterday we discovered a new place for lunch and delicious savory noodles and cold beer.  Pho Garden is a very clean and fresh looking place, and its look matched the freshness of the wonderful bowl of seafood pho that we both had.  Lots of fresh and clean tasting fish in abundance. Yum!

Our stomachs were very happy because the freshness of the fish is sometimes questionable at other local spots we walked into before. We were not disappointed this time but pleasantly surprised. The noodles had a very tasty broth served piping hot. 

My husband was in the mood for a beer, and the waiter came over and mentioned that he was “out of 33 beer”.  “It was caught up in customs!”  My husband chose a Stella.  Not your typical Asian beer, but crisp and clean, to go with his seafood noodles.  He asked the waiter to make sure that his beer was ice cold.  Our waiter brought out a very frosty bottle and a frozen mug.  ”You can’t get it any colder than this!” he proclaimed.  ”I’m a beer drinker too, so I know how it’s best,” he added. My husband was a very happy man.

Coldest Beer and Hottest Noodles

The pho and consistency of the noodles was very good, and since we both ordered the same dish, I will be going back again to give you an update on other dishes off of their menu.  The location is way out there, but they try very hard.  And actually, in this part of the Outer Richmond neighborhood they are close to the local 4 Star Theater, an independent movie theater that shows a lot of cool alternative movies with many from Hong Kong.

If you live in the area or plan to see a movie in the neighborhood, Pho Garden is definitely worth a stop. We’re certainly going to try them again.

2109 Clement St
San Francisco, CA 94121
(415) 379-8677
www.phogardensf.com

Open Everyday 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Except Wednesdays.

Red Awning Helps a lot

The temperature has still been cold still around here.  I find myself choosing soup and noodle places for lunch again and again. Here in San Francisco, we have lots of noodle places to choose from – like Sapporo-ya in Japantown – but one of the best Vietnamese noodle shops has got to be Pho Huynh Hiep 2, also known as Kevin’s Noodle House. It is on a really busy street but you can find it by the bright red awning over the front window.

This is one of my favorite lunch spots in the city for hot and savory bowls of noodles – “pho” real. Pho noodles are delicious Vietnamese rice noodles that in come in different sizes.

Kevin’s Noodle House runs four noodle shops around the Bay Area so you have no excuse not to try some for lunch or dinner. You can spend less than $10 for a huge bowl or get something smaller and share appetizers like the fried shrimp cakes.

Fried Shrimp Cakes

What a so great about coming here is that the servings are always generous, and you can tell they have a solid reputation because the flow of people is constant. And we have been here at various times of the day and day of the week – yet we always are taking one of the last small free tables when we arrive.

Be ready to customize your choice with: a choice of egg or rice noodles; wide, thin or paper thin noodles; three different size bowls too. There are lots of condiments to add based on whether you have a cold or are hung over (or that might be just be my criteria).

The best way to start any meal though is with an order of their fish cakes – so tasty and unique. You can’t go wrong with any of their selections but some of the best dishes we have tried over the years are the seafood noodle soup and the beef tendon or the soup with flank steak.

1833 Irving St
San Francisco, CA 94122
(415) 664-0469

Photos credit to Kevin’s Noodle House.

Locations in Daly City, Oakland and Concord too!
www.kevinsnoodlehouse.com

Ireland Forever

I’m going to give up more secrets about the city of Saint Francis. Here are the names of the very best Irish Bars and Pubs to be found. This list includes the classics located all over town, not just in the Richmond or Inner Sunset neighborhoods where most of the Irish folk reside.

These are Irish bars and pubs that don’t just serve Guinness – they are bars without food, pubs with kitchens and bars that still allow smoking, a quite lively bunch indeed.

Whether you want to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with the massive crowds downtown or just enjoy a nice pub meal, you will find a place that is just your speed.

(Photo credit Seamus Murray)

The Plough and Stars – This is one of my favorite places to go for the great music – live and on the jukebox. Definitely an authentic Irish feel and a place to grab a pint or three on your way home.

116 Clement Street
(between 2nd Ave & 3rd Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 751-1122
www.theploughandstars.com

O’Keeffe’s Bar – This place is for people who don’t mind indoor smoking, want to hang out with Irish folk and enjoy good, cheap drinks. A wonderful group of people. Known as Annie’s to regulars this is a find for those of us who are too old for college hangouts, but want a nice dive bar to have a drink or two and listen to some fine Irish music.

598 5th Avenue
(at Balboa St)
San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 751-1449

Irish Bank Block Party

The Pig & Whistle – I’ve been going to this place – known as the P & Wee in our circle – since they opened in 1991 and it is truly a gathering place as much as it is a bar or pub.

They have a professional darts board in the front and a pool table in the back. You’ll find the occasional Irish painting or moving crew eating some lunch here or grabbing a pint after work.

Their kitchen puts out good food, though sometimes it can be a bit on the “Stouffer’s Frozen Dinner” side when it comes to the Shepherd’s Pie, meaning it is not as fresh as some of their dishes. Both the fish and chips, and the bangers and mash are delicious every time.

They have a huge selection of draft beers which I appreciate because I love Boddington’s and that is hard to find sometimes. The P & Wee have a decently priced happy hour every day. They are also conveniently located across the street from the Landmark Bridge Theater, which is perfect for grabbing food before heading into the movies.

2801 Geary Blvd
(between Collins St & Wood St)
San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 885-4779
www.pig-and-whistle.com

The Irish Bank – This is a favorite downtown lunch spot but also great when you want to grab a bite or drink after work. Located in a short alley off of Union Square, you will find a good crowd mixed in with some yummy pub food. Love their menu especially the fish and chips, the cheddar fries, and the Heinz Baked Beans served with their bangers (they use local San Francisco sausages).

Lots of outdoor seating on their patio, if you can stand the cold temperatures since you won’t get any sun if it’s out. They will have their first block party on Saturday March 14 after the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, then again on Tuesday St. Patrick’s Day they will start their annual St. Patrick’s Day Block Party at 6:00am and go until midnight.

10 Mark Lane
(between Bush St & Harlan Pl)
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 788-7152
www.theirishbank.com

Harrington's before the crowds

Harrington’s Bar & Grill – A classic gathering place for the downtown workforce every St. Paddy’s Day. Harrington’s along with the other bars and restaurants in the immediate area close their block off to traffic and sponsor a huge block party for St. Patrick’s Day. This event can get wild but if you go early, you can enjoy some great food first at Harrington’s. Their pub menu includes some delicious salads and one of my favorite burgers!

245 Front Street
(between California St & Halleck St)
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 392-7595

(Harrington photo credit to Rebecca Kristeen)

(Irish Bank photo credit Dan Harrelson)

Not your typical soup kitchen..

Hayes Valley is an area in San Francisco that offers some of the best choices for great dinners whether casual or fine dining. It is a hip neighborhood that caters to those looking for delicious but reasonably priced dining options.

When I want to indulge in some hearty food, Suppenküche is one of my favorite places to go. I love the vibe and having been to both Germany and Austria, the place and food taste very authentic to me.

And given that Suppenküche means soup kitchen in German, yes they indeed serve delicious soups everyday.

It can be a bit noisy and not the best place to bring kids but its lively atmosphere goes well with the first-rate draft German beers available in two-liter boots!

They serve excellent Wiener schnitzel (giving you two large pieces), savory wild boar and Spätzle that goes with any of your dinner choices. The Spätzle I have tried is always mouth watering – a sort of German comfort food, with lots of flavorful gravy or sauce. These were some of my favorite foods in Vienna and Suppenküche doesn’t disappoint.

The service is amazing considering how busy they get and it can be pretty noisy, but a great spot to unwind after a long day.

I’m definitely going to return for brunch next time.  If you are looking for a lively atmosphere and casual crowd with authentic German food and an amazing selection of beers – Suppenküche is the place to go! Ja! Ja!

525 Laguna St
(between Fell St & Hayes St)
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 252-9289

Mon-Sun. 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.