Restaurants

Do sexy people eat?  And if so, is what they consume even worth eating?

Apparently so.

Matt Kepnes is known as Nomadic Matt, a twenty-something Boston native who has been traveling non-stop since 2005.  On his popular blog, Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site, he writes about long-term travel, backpacking, cheap travel – and, of course, his many adventures on the road.

But Matt is not just a travel junkie – he’s also ranked with John Mayer and Russell Brand as one of the hottest guys on Twitter.  And so I decided to ask him where a sexy Twitterati like himself likes to eat when he’s stateside.

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Curlys Coffee Chop in North Beach

Say what you will about this place but Curly’s Coffee Shop in North Beach holds a special place in my heart. First of all, I have always loved their classic American breakfasts with a Japanese twist. I used to walk over from Sunday services at Sts. Peter and Paul Church at Washington Square Park, often getting their french toast almost every week.

Secondly, I appreciate any cafe that can stick around this long in San Francisco without going under financially or being closed by the Health Department. And thirdly, I think they also kind of kick *ss for being such a long time North Beach “non-pasta related” merchant in a sea of excellent Italian cafes and restaurants. I mean, I think I have followed them around to at least three different addresses in a two-block radius of Columbus Avenue.

Today was a nice reminder that though I can’t walk here for breakfast anymore, I can still drive over and enjoy classic menu items like the french toast or one of their delicious omelettes!

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Tomokazu in United Domestic Terminal @ SFO

Want something healthier to eat at the airport or on the plane than a bland muffin? If you are tired of grabbing a boring sandwich while you race to catch your flight, you have a healthy choice at San Francisco International Airport (SFO).

Recently I discovered a delicious alternative to the greasy burger that is just waiting to upset your stomach half way through your flight. At least that is what happens to me too often.  Tomokazu is a Japanese Restaurant in the United Domestic Terminal, well past security but conveniently located next to a hub of gates.  You won’t miss your connection if you decide to grab a pre-made bento or special order your meal.

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Mifune Noodle House in SF

Do you want to experience Japan but without the ten-hour flight? For anyone visiting San Francisco, you can find all things Japanese at Japantown near the lower Pacific Heights neighborhood.  This cultural center has not only annual festivals, like the Nihonmachi Street Fair on August 8, but everyday you will find lots of authentic shops and dining choices giving you a real taste of Japan.

One of the best noodle houses with an authentic Japanese flavor and atmosphere is Mifune, located on the upper level of the center’s two city-blocks.  They are known for their homemade noodles.  The service is not very gung-ho but that is part of the authentic atmosphere, efficient vs. friendly. Read More »

DELICArf-1 Japanese Deli San Francisco

Always on the quest for something good for lunch, my latest find is a Japanese deli located in the San Francisco Ferry Building Marketplace. Having lived in Tokyo, I used to love going to the prepared food section of grocery stores.

Buying lunch there was less stressful than using my language skills and ordering at a restaurant, and I discovered the Japanese made better potato salad than my mother.

When you line up at the DELICArf-1 counter, you will find many of the same foods that I used to buy with interesting new dishes perfect for the adventurous palate. For vegans and vegetarians, you will find lots to choose from.

If you need to start out slowly, I have to suggest the Potato Croquette – lightly fried russet and yukon gold mashed potatoes covered in Panko breadcrumbs! These are straight from my taste bud memory album.

They also offer small and large size rice bowls topped with shrimp or beef curry.  I have not tried it yet but they now have a Ginger Pork rice bowl that is next on my taste list.  Like many Japanese places they offer obento, pre-set four, five or nine-item lunch boxes.

Add to this lunch the secret ingredient of a gorgeous location facing the San Francisco Bay, and maybe a dash of sunshine if available, and you have a fabulous lunch at the ferry building.  Here is your chance to taste authentic grocery store-style, delicious Japanese food and drinks (the jasmine tea is the same brand & bottle as Tokyo vending machines).

1 Ferry Building, Shop 45
Market and Embarcadero
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 834-0344
www.delicarf1.com

Mon-Fri. 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Sat. 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

by Gudrun Enger, of Kitchen Gadget Girl

Taiyaki Sundae from Sweet Breams

My friend Nicky from Japanese class has been talking about Sweet Breams for weeks, and this weekend, we finally trekked up to San Mateo to see what all the fuss is about.

Sunset Magazine also featured Sweet Breams a few months ago – apparently, San Mateo is a hot-bed of Japanese restaurants and culture (see my article last month about the San Mateo Japanese Tea Garden).

Sweet Breams serves Chibi Taiyaki, snack-sized fish-shaped sweet treats from Japan. My favorite are filled with chocolate cream, but they also serve vanilla, nutella and azuki (sweet bean paste). Each mini-waffle is made to order, which gives you time to look around the shop, filled with eclectic Japanese-themed art.

A half-school of Chibi Taiyaki

The taiyaki are served a couple different ways – you can buy them by the school (12) or half school (6), or our favorite, atop a cup full of vanilla or chocolate soft serve ice cream for ataiyaki sundae. And if you cannot finish a whole dozen, no worries – Sweet Breams includes information on the bag about reheating the chibi taiyaki at home!

If you find yourself in San Mateo and in need of a little snack, be sure to stop by Sweet Breams. And don’t forget the secret codes to make your visit that much more enjoyable!

Red Lanterns

Having lived in Japan for a few years, I certainly ate my share of sushi and noodle dishes. These are the dishes that locals and tourists alike enjoy wherever they are, whatever time of year it is. A unique way to know if the restaurant is inexpensive are distinctive red paper lanterns hanging at the doorway. My katakana is rusty but these say “Sapporo ramen”.

Here in San Francisco, with its share of Japanese restaurants, whether you are a visiting tourist or a local, Sapporo-Ya is a restaurant (really a traditional ramen shop) in Japantown that will satisfy your cravings for authentic Japanese food.

Besides the Sundance Kabuki Cinema, Japantown has lots of restaurants to choose from, including sushi, teppanyaki (think Benihana), and noodle shops.

On a cold or rainy day nothing is better than hot soup. At Sapporo-ya, one of my favorite dishes is their miso ramen with chasu. The broth is made with miso, a fermented bean, rather than shio which is a salted broth. The miso broth is a bit richer in taste and a little heavier than the salted. I love it.

Homemade ramen noodles

Miso ramen

The ramen noodles are homemade and very substantial tasting. Nothing like those noodles that we ate in college and can still find on sale 10 for $1.00 at Safeway in the city.  Sapporo-ya makes noodles that hold up and don’t disintegrate.

The soup broth comes with bits of bamboo (yummy fiber), green onions, sliced hard boiled egg and the savory slices of roasted pork or “chyasu”. Dee-lishh.

This noodle shop is a wonderful spot to head to anytime, and a great excuse to walk through the Japantown mall.

Check out the Kinokuniya bookstore for anime (or its stationery store for gifts and cool paper), a kimono shop, a taiko drum dojo, several authentic Japanese street food stalls, and more. This time of year you can also find really pretty cherry blossom themes everywhere, which is nice given it has been a dreary winter.

1581 Webster Street
(between Geary Blvd & Post St)
San Francisco, CA 94115
(415) 563-7400

Monday-Saturday 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.

Bouley (davidbouley.com)

New York City – that city of dreamers, of high aspirations, of soaring successes and tragic failures – well, it’s the most visited city in the United States for obvious reasons. Many of us trace our family immigration to NYC, and today it remains a polyglot of cultures. Little wonder, then, that New York City has the highest concentration of the best restaurants in the country. After all, us tourists gotta eat, right?

When I lived in NYC, I honestly didn’t think much about these top-rated restaurants. They were there, yeah, but if my family took a vote, they’d want to go to the corner diner where the waitresses knew my kids (this meant extra french fries; I pretended not to notice). Now that I live on the other side of the country, a visit to New York City practically necessitates dinners out at at least a couple of my favorite high-end joints – it helps that my NYC-based family usually picks up the tab! Here, then, are my picks for the best fancy restaurants in New York City.

Best Upscale Restaurants in NYC:

French - Le Bernardin, Per Se, Bouley, Daniel, Cafe Boulud

Italian - Babbo, Felidia Ristorante, Osteria del Circo, Gusto Ristorante e Bar Americano, Esca

Steakhouse - Porter House New York, Wolfgang’s Steakhouse, Dylan Prime, Peter Luger Steak House, Old Homestead

American - Gramercy Tavern, 21 Club, Blue Water Grill, One if by Land, Two if by Sea, Virgil’s Real Barbecue, Craft

Indian - Dawat, Sapphire Indian Cuisine, Tamarind, Tabla

Japanese - En Japanese Brasserie, Hamachi, Nippon, Sugiyama, Nobu, Masa

This list of the best high-end restaurants in New York City is, of course, subject to change. Let us hear about your favorite places to eat in NYC, and I’ll do my best to try them out next time I visit Manhattan.

Sensei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar, Waikoloa Beach (Jennifer Miner)

Travelers spending their precious vacation time on the Big Island are wise to learn about recommended restaurants. Even small local chains are often more fun dining experiences than are the massive, pricey resort restaurants – and at the very least they’ll help budget-conscious travelers with their food budget. Hawaii has one such small, local chain that’s popular for good reason (as compared to, say, KFC or McDonald’s). Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar has a great Japanese and pan-Asian menu, with a fun, festive atmosphere that is downright contagious. If you don’t have a fun experience at Sansei’s, you’re really not letting yourself be part of the mood of the place.

Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar is in the Queen’s Marketplace area of Waikoloa Beach. This popular resort area has several off-resort restaurants, including Charley’s Thai Cuisine, that are both less expenisive and more interesting than the standard hotel fare. There are also Sansei restaurants on Maui and Oahu, so this relatively new (winter 2008) Waikoloa Beach restaurant was able to start off up and running, without the usual trial-and-error effects of grand openings.

The sushi is fantastic. There are, of course, the usual California rolls and spicy tuna rolls, but there are

Delicious Seared Tuna at Sensei Restaurant, Big Island (Nathan Kam)

alsomany, many creative option using locally caught ahi, ono, and other fish native to the Pacific. Hawaii aquaculturalists and farmers on the Big Island both benefit from the “buy locally” philosophy, and eager, happy tourists benefit from the great entrees as well. The seafood is fresh and delicious, and early bird specials make meals here even more affordable. Diners who don’t like sushi or seafood, have no fear (although why are you vacationing in Hawaii, then?) – the beef teriyaki, macadamia nut crusted pork, and tempura vegetables are all quite good.

Now, Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar is no secret little hole-in-the-wall. It’s recommended by most Big Island Waikoloa Beach Resort concierges, and locals love it too: Reservations are strongly recommended, particularly during peak travel seasons. We had an hour wait when, foolhardy as we are, we tried to stroll right in. Learn from our mistakes: Make reservations, and try to get there for happy hour, when most sushi is as much as 50% off. Amazing deal, amazing sushi. That, plus the fun atmosphere, really add up to an amazing night out in Hawaii.

There are two Ruby Foo’s in New York City. They both have glossy, bold decor – what could be considered kitschy Asian – that comes across as either glamorous or a little tacky, depending on your personal taste. Both Ruby Foo’s have all the big hitters of Pan-Asian menu items, such as spare ribs, Pad Thai and sushi. Diners seeking a traditional, Americanized version of Chinese food will not be disappointed (nor their palates challenged).

The one in Times Square caters somewhat to the post-theater crowd; this is the epicenter of Broadway, after all, and tourists sure love their big musical productions. Ruby Foo’s in Times Square of New York City helps carry on the big, festive mood of a Broadway show, with red and gold decor, loud crowds (especially during peak travel seasons) and free-flowing drinks. While this restaurant is touristy (due to its location), it is definitely not the most tourist-laden restaurant in midtown.

The Ruby Foo’s Uptown is at Broadway and 77th street, around a half-mile up from Lincoln Center. This Ruby Foo’s gets a lot of families during the day, whereas at night it turns into a popular place for the “Sex and the City,” single New Yorkers type of crowd. Somewhat less crowded than the midtown Ruby Foo’s, this restaurant still does very, very well. Indeed, during lunch and early dinner, it’s one of the more family-filled restaurants in the area.

The same restaurant in two different NYC locations, make for two very different dining experiences. In Times Square, post- theater crowds are to be expected, and the Upper West Side these days is full of a mix of young singles, and families with children. The two Ruby Foo’s reflect their locations. They have the same menus, though; try the Dim Sum Sampler to start, as it’s quite generous and can be a group appetizer. Both restaurants also have one of my favorite shareable desserts: The Bento Box Dessert Sampler. This twist on the Japanese Bento (usually the compartments have sashimi and other traditional Japanese menu items) has different selections of Ruby Foo’s desserts, easy to share with the rest of your dining party. Ruby Foo’s serves a wide selection of Americanized Pan-Asian foods: No surprises here. The entrees serve as nice background to for a family or group get-together, rather than the focus of the meal.