Le Truc

I know it's been a while since I last posted; being an adult requires a lot of time management skills which I am slowly learning. Some times, although we would like to dedicate an hour or two for home-cooking and preparing a well-balanced meal, some times, we just need a break. In this modern and fast-paced society, the integration of food carts have been a great way to serve quick meals. I've had the pleasure of tasting some unique food carts (creme brulee cart, lumpia cart, roli roti). Le Truc, a new vendor, is taking food cart to a whole new level. This old, black-painted school bus is full of tasty wonders (and indoor seating). Even though I have only tried it once with my boyfriend, I was able to try two items which is already about an 1/6 of their menu. Both items that I tried were well-prepared and delicious.

The three-hand burger features a bacon-infused patty which genuinely does taste like bacon. The panko-fried chicken sandwich was juicy and the panko provided a nice crisp and crunch to the sandwich. Items are sold until all items are sold out for the day or when the peak lunch hours are over. Overall, based on the lunch crowd and my impression of the food, I'd definitely consider coming back again and trying the other items on the menu. Hopefully, I will be lucky enough to find it close to my work again.

Yelp Review

SOMA, San Francisco, CA

Marlowe

Perhaps it was the company of an old friend, or the charm the servers had, but I really enjoyed my visit to Marlowe. Located not so far from my workplace (about 4-5 blocks away), I expected a long wait and slow service. However, our waitress was attentive and quick. I enjoyed her positive attitude and bedside manners. Marlowe lunch pricing is a bit on the higher end, but the food is rich and and filling with only a few bites. The warm shrimp salad was a nice catch and the horseradish sauce that accommodated the fries was absolutely delicious. My friend got the Fulton Valley Fried Chicken with Bacon, which reminded him of a fried chicken Caesar salad sandwich. He enjoyed it, nonetheless. I don't know how it is compared to Naked Lunch on Broadway (which I love), but I'm sure it's just as good and around the same price. Next time, I'd like to try the baked oysters with New England chowder since I'm curious of the taste. The ambiance is great, the servers are nice, and the food is great for slightly more formal and not too casual outing.

Yelp Review

330 Townsend St. Ste 101

San Francisco, CA 94107

Brenda French Soul Restaurant

The wait can seem ridiculously long, looking at the chalkboard list of 20+ groups before yours, but the food is something I wouldn't mind experiencing every now and then. Although this place is located in the Tenderloin, it's not entirely bad especially since it's close to City Hall and you can easily go one block onto Van ness and get coffee at Philz. I was surprised to see the prices to be reasonable and affordable. Brenda French Soul Restaurant serve an extremely rich breakfast and brunch food.

Their unique dish, the beignet, are pretty standard. There are four flavors: plain, apple, chocolate, and crayfish. The crayfish by far was my favorite due to the flavor of the spices. I blissfully enjoyed the sweet watermelon tea with its nice light flavor. The chicken, sausage, okra gumbo had a nice kick of spices. My friends had the catfish po'boy and egg and bacon tartine with grits, which they both said were good and wholesome. The place is a bit cramp but cozy and there always seem to be a crowd (especially during the day).

Yelp Review

652 Polk St.

San Francisco, CA 94102

Tandoori

I was excited to have an Indian restaurant so close to my home in Daly City because in college I enjoyed the plethora of Indian cuisine Berkeley had to offer. With much anticipation to find a place that wouldn't require me to trek over 25 miles away, I must say I was slightly disappointed with the food. It wasn't awfully bad; the food just didn't reach my expectations. Perhaps, I am being a bit harsh because it seems as though many people enjoy the food. I definitely believe that the Indian food in Berkeley is far superior. I tried the garlic-pesto naan, which was interesting and tasty. The chicken saag and masala were a bit disappointing but if I had to choose one of the two I think the flavor of the saag was much more appealing. I can see this place as a good alternative for to-go Indian food as they have naanwiches (wraps). Overall, not the best Indian food I've had but tolerable.

Yelp Review

314 W Lake Center

Daly City, CA 94015

Kokyo Sushi Buffet

Most buffets tend to serve greasy, rich, and overall unhealthy food that makes you full or sick after one or two plates. On New Year's day, I came here with a few friends and acquaintances not looking forward to eating at another buffet. However, Kokyo Sushi buffet was surprisingly light and fairly tasty. I was surprised at the quality of the food. Not only was the quality of food was better than most buffets, but they have an array of food. Their sushi didn't consist of just the simple and easy rolls to make, but also intricate ones such as the Lion King roll and Rainbow roll. The quality of sushi could use some work, but is far superior than most buffets. The salmon and tuna sashimi wasn't entirely fresh, but for a buffet it's quite impressive. The hot food consisted of mostly Chinese and Americanized dishes. I enjoyed the fried shrimp in mayonnaise sauce with not too much mayonnaise. They also have a salad bar, dessert and ice cream section, and a few choices in common Asian soups. Some notable dishes they had include baked mushroom in this creamy sweet sauce, the fried chicken rolls, and seafood (overall). The place is extremely clean and well-kept although Kokyo only opened a few months ago. Also the price of lunch is $9 and dinner is $15 all nights of the week including weekends. The wait can range from being short during the weekday to fairly long on the weekend and dinner hours. I was extremely impressed by the price and the amount of good quality food to choose from.

Yelp Review

1071 B St.

Hayward, CA 94541

Gregoire's

First of all, I'd like to wish everyone a great new year with the hopes of achieving whatever one sets his/her mind to. Now, back on track to some more fooding. One of the most unique (and slightly on the expensive side) to-go places I've tried during College is Gregoire's. This place can be easily missed since it's such a tiny shop. I'm a huge fan of the quality and taste of their food. Typical orders such as the infamous potato puffs are made perfectly, with a soft mash potato center and crisp shell that induces random cravings from time to time. Fortunately, side orders and desserts tend to stay on the menu consistently, but changes are made monthly for the main entrees. Lunch generally consist of three different kinds of sandwiches, which tend to be succulent. Dinner normally features a chunk of meat (chicken, duck, pork, beef, lamb) usually served by itself or in some intricate presentation with a small portion of veggies. Some times, the food can be a bit salty, but from my experience with French cuisine, itquite common. The price can be a bit steep for the wallet. If one chooses to dine here, one is guaranteed to spend at least $15 for lunch and $20 for dinner. Seating is a bit difficult as there are only two small tables in front of the tiny shop. I generally eat around the Imperial Tea Court, where there is ample outdoor seating. Overall, Gregoire's may be pricy but the food is worthwhile.


2109 Cedar St
Berkeley, CA 94704

4001 B Piedmont Ave
Oakland, CA 94611

Yelp Review

Naked Lunch

Naked Lunch, located in North Beach of San Francisco, features a very limited yet satisfying lunch. For lunch, the prices can be steep, but the food is quite extraordinary and rich. Naked Lunch serve French quality sandwiches and soups. I am a big fan of the Fried Chicken sandwich, consisting of garlic aioli and creamy cole slaw. If you like added flavoThe chicken is moist and full of flavor. I've always heard of positive reviews of the duck prosciutto sandwich with black truffle salt. Although the price of the sandwich isn't as appealing ($16) if you love duck then you won't be disappointed with the quality. They also feature one vegeterian sandwich, which although I haven't tried normally sounds as fantastic. Last time, I was blessed with the opportunity of trying the butternut squash soup with creme fraiche. I enjoyed it immensely with its bold flavor. Naked Lunch is an ideal place to take people to try at least once in their life a casual yet classy lunch.

Yelp Review
504 Broadway
San Francisco, CA 94133

Never Too Latte

Like the cafe's name, this place is full of cute charms. First of all, the atmosphere is very relaxing and quaint. It's not ideal for noisy and rambunctious groups as many people come here to study with their laptops and books. However, it is quite welcoming for small groups having softer conversations. I can imagine laughing quite loudly and catching other customers' attention. This place is ideal even for families whose children can be entertained with a few board games and toys. The quality of the food is fair and simple, nothing too extravagant. I am a huge fan of their sippy lids that slide for closure, making it convenient for someone like me who tends to spill a portion of my drink by walking around. Although, nowadays, you can find these lids in a few other cafes, I still appreciate the convenience. Some comments on the food, if you like warm milk tea with cinnamon spices, then the NTL pulled milk tea can easily satisfy such cravings. The green tea latte is fairly light, which I wish was a bit more richer. Overall, their coffee beverages are great. I've tried a few of the dessert items including their crepe which was enjoyable. I can't speak much of the rest of the menu, but this place is definitely above average. Prices for the food items are standard, with drinks ranging from $2-$4 and food items $2-$8. I do like the intimate and friendy interaction between the workers and customers, mirroring a home-like feel.

Yelp Review
486 San Mateo Ave
San Bruno, CA 94066

Joanie's Cafe

I have an unconditional love towards brunch, so I have a tendency to praise places that serve good quality breakfast and brunch meals. Joanie's Cafe definitely makes the top list for my affair with brunch places. Like Sunny Side Cafe, La Note, Fat Apples, and Venus in Berkeley/Solano Avenue, Joanie's is a quiant little shop in Palo Alto (near Stanford University) with lots of charm. I love the vintage-style art hung on the walls and small novelty items displayed on the counter. Breakfast and lunch items are served till 2 pm and the restaurant re-opens for dinner at 5 pm. I unfortunately have not tried the dinner, but I heard the food is as amazing as breakfast. The store is small and cozy, utilizing all amounts of space for a well-packed venue. Luckily when I came, there wasn't a long wait, but I can imagine on the weekends during the busiest hours people waiting for seats. The prices are moderate, around $1o an entree.


Dishes are filling; I especially enjoyed my omelet of feta, spinach, tomatoes and bacon. Another dish I tried was the home fries favorite mixed with bell peppers, onions, eggs, ham, and cheese which was delicious. I must say my favorite side, if given the choice to order, is their hash browns. Perfectly crisped with a softness that mirrors mash potatoes, I can can easily state that Joanie's serves the best hash browns I've ever had. If I come back again, I'll definitely try the hash browns and perhaps get the salmon crepe, which I am hoping is thin and crisp as well. A friend who went with me to brunch ordered the hot chocolate and said the one at La Note in Berkeley is richer. I've had the mocha in La Note and loved the taste as well as the big soup cup that contained the beverage. Overall, from what I can tell from looking at people's tables was that the food at Joanie's is solid and satisfying.

447 S California Ave
Palo Alto, CA 94306
Yelp Review

Tai Wu (Mr. Fong's)

Tai Wu, located in the foggy hills of Callan Blvd in Daly City, is among a string of Asian shops. I remember coming here at a very young age during the restaurant's grand opening. As a child, I received a complimentary paper dragon to play with, but more importantly, I enjoyed fresh quality seafood. As one of the few Chinese restaurants in Daly City, Tai Wu is the best second choice for good quality dim sum after Koi Palace. Prices for the dishes are more affordable and the quanity of food is reasonable. For a small, you can get 4 pieces of shrimp dumpling (har gau) and 4 pieces of shu mai. Some places I believe would only give three pieces, causing my family of four to fight over who gets a piece. The wait is much more tolerable. The dining area is well-kept and clean, and the service is decent with attentive waiters and waitresses. The selection of dishes are typical for dim sum and seafood-oriented entrees. For the quality of seafood, I have to give Tai Wu a high rating because I find it particularly hard to appreciate good seafood.

950 King Dr
Daly City, CA 94015
Yelp Review

Chick O'Peas

Chick O' Peas is a cute little shop close to downtown Berkeley/Gourmet Ghetto. Tucked away in a little alley, this place can be easily overlooked. Venturing unexplored territory in Berkeley can bring many pleasant surprises. I unfortunately have not tried their falafels, which is their main dish. I did, however, tried their fries and I was blown away. Their fries are thin, shoestrings and made perfectly right. They also feature several flavors topped and mixed with their fries. I tried both the pesto and wasabi fries, and were both delectable. I was especially pleased with the wasabi fries, which were moderate and not too spicy. If I'm ever around Berkeley, I would go back and try their falafels. The place isn't too crowded, and able to accomodate 4-5 groups of people and prices were fair.

1926 Shattuck Ave
Berkeley, CA 94704
Yelp Review

SO

SO is a Chinese fusion restaurant, serving some interesting selection of modern Chinese style food. I can see why it's a fusion restaurant as it reminds me of Americanized-Chinese food with some retaining Asian influence. What is so special about this place is the types of dishes they serve. I normally prefer steamed dumplings, but the fried dumplings are quite filling and appetizing. If you like spicy chicken wings, then SO is a great place to get sweet, tangy wings for a reasonable price (the wings are quite large as well). One other dish I love is the seafood peanut noodle. For those who enjoy Asian peanut drinks/soups would be satisfied with this entree, rich in peanut flavor and seafood. Other notable and unique dishes include cherry chicken, fried mushrooms, and the sauteed string beans. Prices for the dishes are quite cheap for the amount of food you get ($5-$12). Located among many businesses in downtown San Francisco, this place seems ideal for quick to-go and for delivery orders. I mean, who can bargain with good prices and tasty food at a location in a busy city.


Yelp Review
1010 Bryant St
San Francisco, CA 94103

South Sea Seafood Village

South Sea Seafood Village (I feel the name is a bit redundant, but I guess that's the Chinese way of naming) is a high-class Asian restaurant. By its name, it's no wonder they specialize in seafood, with nice hearty portions. I went with my family recently and for a group of four, we got 3 dishes (the eggplant with garlic sauce and pork, fujian fried rice, and the south sea seafood village special pan fried noodle). The dishes were filling, enough for us to take home leftovers. The quality of the food is pretty good and authentic. I prefer getting their seafood because they prepare them well. Lunch hours feature traditional dim sum, not a great variety but what you would typically find at a dim sum shop. The prices are $2.30 (S), $2.80 (M), $3.80 (L), and $5.00 (CS). I've had their dim sum once before and believe it's pretty decent for the price you pay. I wouldn't compare it to the quality of dim sum at Koi Palace, but it's definitely a good alternative.


Some things to take notice before placing your orders. If you're the stingy type who prefers not to pay extra for tea and/or rice, then make note of the fees. As of now, the fees for tea depends on the type of tea you request, which range from $1-$3 per person. Rice is also charged $0.50 per person, which in essence I find to be necessary to have unless I am eating noodles or fried rice (since there's rice anyways).

The atmosphere of the restaurant is quite roomy and grand, with its rich red decor and lucky Chinese artifacts. It's a nice setting for formal family outtings, dates, and holding big events such as a birthday party, anniversary, or wedding. I haven't tried the Millbrae branch (formerly was Fook Yuen), which opened recently, but I shall in a few weeks for my cousin's wedding reception.

1420 Irving St
San Francisco, CA 94122
Yelp Review

Onyx Milk Tea

I have a personal story with how I came across Onyx. A couple years ago, I met a guy at my friend's birthday party. He was a student, like me, at the University of California, Berkeley in HAAS School of Business. At the time, he wasn't entirely sure what he had planned, but opening up a shop was one of his ideas. A year later, I receive a facebook invitation from him to the grand opening of his own tapioca place. To my surprise, it has been opened for at least a year and the business has been quite successful. I honestly didn't go during the shop's grand opening, for I was still around Berkeley and the tapioca place was in my hometown across the Bay Bridge, but I finally got to try it a few months ago while running errands at oriental market which is located in the same plaza as Onyx. As of now, I've been here a few times, getting standard milk tea and recently trying the lavender milk tea. From my experience, the quality of the drinks are good, filled with flavor. The only complaint I have is the sweetness of the milk tea can be overpowering. I have not tried anything else other than their milk teas, but they have a variety of Asian snacks such as popcorn chicken. Interestngly, they serve an item called fried oreos. The prices are around $2.50-$3.50 for drinks, and snacks can go well up to $5. It is also important to note that this place only accepts cash.

The decor has a nice, lively vibe, with great choice in colors. I adore the beanbag cushions and the soft red couch, which are obviously popular and usually the first taken seats. Independently, this place has charm, but with the market next door along with some other reputable restaurants, I wouldn't be surprised that this place has some good business. So to that guy I met a couple years ago, fantastic job and hope for continual success.

Yelp Review
950 King Dr
Ste 106
Daly City, CA 94015

Claim Jumper

For all of you who enjoy hardcore American cuisines, Claim Jumper will satisfy your rich needs. Claim Jumper is a American chain, like Chili's, TGIF, BJ's Brewery, except for the fact that the portions are extremely generous. One of the promising traits that we Americans have is plentiful food.


Claim Jumper has an eclectic menu, ranging from burgers, sandwiches, salads, soups, steaks, and other fusion entrees featuring chicken or fish. I was relatively content with my filet mignon, and the pricing is standard (about $30). In comparison to steakhouses, I think the quality isn't as great, but it's satisfying. Considering the fact that this place serves more than just steak (ribs, tri-tip, lobster tails, and more), I wouldn't give them a lower rate based on their steak. When I went with my family, we tried each others' entrees and thought overall the quality of the food was a little bit heavy, but enjoyable. The steak entrees come with two side choices that were also quite remarkable; I especially love the cheese potatocakes, which reminds me of cheesy mash potato nicely formed and shaped. If you come here with a big group, I recommend getting some appetizers, which alone can fill you up that you'll find trouble finishing your main entree. Some appetizer highlights include crispy shrimp taquitos, garlic cheese toast, chicken tenderloin, and parmesan zucchini spears. Since there are many choices, the appetizer combination features a majority of the popular dishes for $20. Although the price seems extremely expensive, you get a great amount of food to share and split with others. Because of this filling meal, I wasn't able to get dessert, but looking at the menu I could have gone for one. Besides steak, pricing for most entrees range between $9-$16.


The ambiance here is nice and the service is extremely friendly and enthusiastic. The wait was comparable to typical American family restaurants like Elephant Bar and BJ's Brewery (around half an hour). It helps that this place is huge, being able to accomodate a great number of parties at a time.

Yelp Review
43330 Pacific Commons Blvd
Fremont, CA 94536

Sprinkles

I love cupcakes. People who know me can easily vouch that statement. When I was little, I was never a huge fan of cupcakes until I tried what I'd like to distinguish as "gourmet cupcakes." My past experiences with cupcakes are the Safeway store-bought bakery ones, which tend to run dry, slabbed with thick icing/cream, and just wasn't appetizing all together. I was stuck eating such cupcakes as an elementary school kid since it was cheap, affordable and honestly, I didn't know any better. It wasn't until I became older and more mature, having adventures around San Francisco with family and friends that I discovered the true potential of cupcakes.

Sprinkles serves pretty little cupcakes at gourmet cupcake prices ($2.50-$3). I love the variety of cupcakes listed on their menu, interesting flavors both unique and traditional. Sprinkles, in my opinion, sells standard gourmet cupcakes compared to Love at First Bite and Cupkates

Perhaps it's the Northern California chain in Palo Alto, or the fact that I tried a simple chocolate cupcake, which wasn't anything spectacular. Perhaps, if I had tried one of their unique flavors, I would think more highly of Sprinkles. Based on what other people told me, Sprinkles has a high reputation, and many people love their cupcakes. Overall, decent cupcakes at reasonable prices for a good sweet treat.

Sprinkles Cupcakes

Gypsy's

Although Gypsy's isn't exactly a fine, elegant restaurant serving delectable Italian cuisine, it easily touches many hearts and satisfies customers' tongues. Gypsy's serves traditional, simple pastas as well as specialty pasta with names such as the Godfather's Favorite or the Bronx Tale. All pastas are served with garlic bread, which I adore since it's not simply a garlic spread but rather roasted garlic pieces on toasted bread. Besides their pastas, they serve satisfying sandwiches and pizza. Gypsy's is also popular for their huge, football-shaped calzones, well-stuffed and delicious. Prices are suited for college students with a minimum of $7 and no more than $15 a meal (unless one is extremely hungry). Situated in what was formerly known as Asian Ghetto, this area tends to get busy throughout the day, with many people crowding the cramped shop. Though seating is limited, to-go is always a viable option. All-in-all, it's one of the few hole-in-the-wall restaurants in Berkeley that I tend to take visiting friends and relatives mainly because it's good, cheap food and reflects the Berkeley community well.

2519 Durant Ave
Suite A
Berkeley, CA 94704
Yelp Review

Palace BBQ

Who can ever say no to All-You-Can-Eat Korean BBQ (besides vegetarians)? If you're a meat lover, this is the way to go. Along with grilling your own meat at a hot grill, there are a few trays of noodles, rice, vegetables, and meat dishes. They also feature a salad and fruit bar and serve three-four different kinds of soups. The choices are variable, but they normally have the general appetizers such as kimchi and pickled garlic. The meat, especially the kalbi and spicy pork, were superb and one of the finer qualities you can find in the Bay Area. The meats were well-tenderized and juicy (especially the pork belly bacon).

The rates for weekdays are $14.99 and$ 18.99 (lunch and dinner), and the weekend rates are $17.99 and $19.99). Depending on the amount of meat one intends on consuming, one can get a great deal when stocking up on plates and plates of meat. Like most grill-your-own BBQ places, this place will leave you with a strong odor of smoke and barbeque. So, I highly recommend you wear clothes you can easily wash or don't mind giving a faint odor.

1092 E El Camino Real
Sunnyvale, CA 94087
Yelp Review

Tong Palace

Tong Palace sells acceptable dim sum, overfilled with meat and seafood. Most of their dim sum dishes are bigger than most other places. The quality is not comparable with Koi Palace, located in Daly City, but for the price it's definitely worth it. The dim sum is prepared well and tastes more or less authentic. The taste of the food, however, is quite bland. Normally, I'd like to reduce my intake of sodium because I'm sensitive to the taste of salt. The fact that I wasn't able to taste much flavor means there wasn't a fair amount of salt. They have a great M-F deal, where all dim sum plates of any size is $1.95, which is quite a bargain. Some dishes I specifically thought were notable include the shrimp-meat wrap with bean curd skin, rice roll wrap with beef (overstuffed), and the egg tarts, which I was surprised was pretty good. My family and I also ordered a regular dish, their seafood pan fried noodle (Hong Kong Style), which was bland but otherwise well-prepared. For a Chinese restaurant, the place is clean and adorn with many cultural designs. The service was fair and there are plenty of tables. I would expect the weekend to be a bit more busy and packed, but for a weekday it was fairly busy during the lunch hour. Parking around the neighborhood can be tough, as many other places in San Francisco. You could spend a good 15-30 minutes just trying to find parking. Overall, Tong Palace serves decent dim sum at fair prices.

933 Clement St
San Francisco, CA 94118
Yelp Review

San Tung

I can't believe I never reviewed San Tung since I started the food blog, considering how long and how many times I've been here. San Tung is one of my favorite Chinese restaurants to go to in San Francisco. I've been rather fond of the food here and like everyone else who has tried this place, the dry fried chicken is absolutely delicious. I just went here a few days ago and my friend who sat next to me kept saying delicious and devouring the sweet, tangy sauce that was leftover when all the wings were gone. There are many entrees I enjoy that are spicy and others that are simply sweet.


Some recommendations include the dumplings, black bean noodles, three spicy noodles, and shredded pork with garlic. San Tung can get fairly busy on weekends, so expect to wait some days. Other times, it is easy to get a seat, which tends to be true when you're in smaller groups. San Tung has attracted a good number of loyal customers, which I am not at all surprised about. The staff is tolerable and friendly. Prices for the food are moderate and reasonable, not the cheapest around but definitely not expensive. I highly recommend this place if you want authentic, tasty Chinese food.


Yelp Review
1031 Irving St
San Francisco, CA 94122