Eating Around SF: The Mostly Asian Version

The Bay Area has always been a stunning destination for Asian food. It come as no surprise, as the City is home to nearly 300,000 Asians and Pacific Islanders, according to SF Chronicle. The Chinese food scene is particularly dense, intense and delicious given how many different Chinatowns the City is home to—both urban and suburban—and the number of Chinese immigrants who have settled in them.

On a recent trip I took a look at some of the best Chinese—and other strategic bites—in town. My meals ranged from elegant Chinese to some extraordinary food at a super-simple restaurant in Chinatown, which thankfully sent out a young lady to explain to us what was in every dish.

A Virtual Chinese Culinary Visit

Chinatown was in my backyard when I lived in San Francisco and my regular trips to the YMCA pool allowed me lots of time to poke around and explore vegetables and local restaurants. One place that was never on my radar, and was also hard to find because there is one other restaurant with the same name on the street, was Z&Y.

The humble dining room at X&Y is churning out some of the best Chinese food I have ever had: and I have been to Hong Kong but not Mainland China. A lot of the dishes on the menu don’t clearly convey what their ingredients are, but we had a fantastic tour guide who helped chef explain what everything was. The talented Chef Han formerly worked at the Chinese Embassy so I guess it is no surprise.

Cold chunks of Szechwan chicken were followed by refreshing bean jello in chili sauce. The later may not sound divine divine but it was incredibly delicious. It was followed by jalapeno with preserved egg, crunchy bamboo soup and sliced pork with garlic. The last dish was spicy pork dumplings that were plump and soft and even more delicious once dipped in chili sauce.

Fang is swanky newcomer in SOMA from the House of Nanking’s chef. The dining room here bubbles over with business guests and the food is delicious. Whole fish are dished up alongside crunchy green beans and dumpling soup.

Empress by Boon is one of the places you get your fancy Chinese on in San Francisco. The dining room is swank, if a little too loud, and the menu is pre-fix. There are plays on sweet and savory like the crispy squid donut and some top wines from classic regions, that pair so well with Chinese food, like the Loire Valley and Austria.

The New Asian and Two More Stops

Gozu, a wagyu-focused, multi-course restaurant in SOMA, opened during the pandemic. The intimate restaurant seats many of its diners at the bar, the better to experience some of the nice older Italian wines that can be poured here on some nights.

Prix-fix menus can be a lot to digest—literally—and it can be unfortunate to have the best morsels saved for last. This restaurant does save the few pure bread bites of wagyu beef until almost the final course, when few of us had room for them.

While it’s impressive how many different ways they are trying to present Wagyu, in bacon and other forms, I just wish the powers that be could slim down the tasting process.

While I was back in my former home town I also had to stop at the iconic One Market Restaurant, which sits just opposite the Ferry Building. The classic business destination encountered some challenges during the pandemic: like the bulk of San Francisco dining spots. So, they turned to New York-inspired deli food—which no doubt was solid and easy to deliver—classics like Matzo ball soup and Latkes: potato pancakes.

One of the best things about this grand dame of a restaurant is that it is offering amazing discounts on its wine list. We snagged a fantastic older vintage of Produttori del Barbaresco, widely respected as one of the best cooperative producers in Italy and the wine world. I have heard that the official discount period is off, but dynamite wine director Tonya Pitts always has something good to pour.

I had to make one last stop before jetting back home: the 80+ whiskey collection at the Beacon Grand is dynamite. This hotel, just steps from Union Square, was the old Sir Francis Drake. Home to Harry Denton’s Starlight room and Tony Abou-Ganim—one of the best bartenders I have ever know—who tended bar there for many years. So, it no surprise that the little snug cellar is home to a world-class whisky and Scotch selection. So, it is a great final stop before you head home, or to the airport, like me to enjoy an iconic slice of San Francisco before retiring for the evening.