Ethnic and Regional Cuisines

Namu Gaji: Reincarnation Fits Nicely into New Mission Home

SFoodie's 50 Favorites: Liguria Bakery's Pizza Focaccia

Gustavo Arellano on San Francisco Tamales, Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dogs, Taco Bell, Part 2

According to this week's cover story, written by Gustavo Arellano, San Francisco played a surprising and key role in the spread of Mexican food across America. The story is an excerpt from Arellano's new book, Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America, which comes out this week. Arellano's book c ... More >>

When We Were Red Hot: S.F.'s Tamale Industry Once Ruled America

According to this week's cover story, written by Gustavo Arellano, San Francisco played a surprising and key role in the spread of Mexican food across America. The story is an excerpt from Arellano's new book, Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America, which comes out this week. Arellano's book c ... More >>

Gustavo Arellano Talks San Francisco Tamales and Burritos, Part 1

San Francisco has gotten used to thinking of itself as a remote outpost in the Mexican diaspora, since our lively but embattled Mexican American community is dwarfed by much larger ones in Los Angeles and the Southwest. But according to this week's cover story, written by Gustavo Arellano, San Franc ... More >>

Hecho: Sushi and Tequila Make Strange Bedfellows

San Francisco has gotten used to thinking of itself as a remote outpost in the Mexican diaspora, since our lively but embattled Mexican American community is dwarfed by much larger ones in Los Angeles and the Southwest. But according to this week's cover story, written by Gustavo Arellano, San Franc ... More >>

Sachio Kojima: Pretty Much the Best Thing About Hecho

​You know how you can be beset with a feverish curiosity about a place and still can't bring yourself to go there? Exhibit one: the Audium. Exhibit two: Hecho, Joseph Manzare's year-old sushi and tequila restaurant. I'd been trying to piece together in my head how sushi and tequila would pair ... More >>

Papito's Pollo Empanizado Quesadilla Brings New Promise To A College Staple

​The quesadilla has become a staple of late night drunken consumption. Frat boys the nation over have staved off the gnarliest of hangovers with hunks of cheese, possibly smothered in Sirracha, sandwiched between two crisply grilled circles of tortilla. It's a simple, filling staple of Tex-Mex c ... More >>

Sushi Confidential

​The quesadilla has become a staple of late night drunken consumption. Frat boys the nation over have staved off the gnarliest of hangovers with hunks of cheese, possibly smothered in Sirracha, sandwiched between two crisply grilled circles of tortilla. It's a simple, filling staple of Tex-Mex c ... More >>

Number 47: ICHI Sushi's Tai Nigiri

​SFoodie's countdown of our favorite 50 things to eat and drink, 2012 edition ​No one -- certainly not in San Francisco, possibly in the country -- is making sushi quite like Tim Archuleta at ICHI Sushi. For the past two decades, the American approach to sushi has been moreish -- rolls with mo ... More >>

The Richest Spots for Fat Tuesday, No Mask Required

Planning ahead for Valentine's Day often means people forget to prep for Mardi Gras. Your pocket may be exhausted from the small-plate, three-course, $125 prix fixe Valentine's meal, but luckily the Southern tradition promises a full plate of food on Fat Tuesday (Feb. 21) for a quick buck.Boxing Roo ... More >>

Is American Sushi on the Decline? Some Say Yes.

​It's no surprise that when the Washington Post brings a storied, Japan-trained sushi chef to a neighborhood, fusion-happy sushi restaurant, he doesn't like what he's eating. What is interesting, though, are the reasons why. It's not necessarily the fact that most of the sushi rolls are covered in ... More >>

Nopalito Brunch Recycles Dinner Favorites

​Nopalito's famous Carnitas -- pork braised in milk and beer with cinnamon -- put them on the SF dining map, and those pleasantly tart, bright margaritas keep us coming back. On that note, there's good news and bad news for brunch-goers at the sustainable Mexican kitchen. The good: You can still e ... More >>

Nombe's New Lunch Special: Beef Ramen

Luis ChongBeef Ramen lunch special at Nombe on Mission Street.​ Last week, Nombe Restaurant added lunch service, featuring a unique beef ramen from their new chef Noriyuki Sugie. This ramen is also the star of Nombe's Dine About Town lunch offer -- beef ramen, mini donburi and choice of drink: J ... More >>

The New Lers Ros: Twice as Stylish, Just as Spicy

Kimberly SandieLers Ros's quail with fried garlic and black pepper: Goes with ganache.​ Despite our proximity to Los Angeles, whose Thai restaurants are the best in the Americas, San Francisco's history with Thai restaurants is a spotty one. Little restaurants spring up, impress the locals, then g ... More >>

Fresh Eats: New Indian: Preeti Mistry Relaunches Juhu Beach Club as Popup

Kimberly SandieLers Ros's quail with fried garlic and black pepper: Goes with ganache.​ Despite our proximity to Los Angeles, whose Thai restaurants are the best in the Americas, San Francisco's history with Thai restaurants is a spotty one. Little restaurants spring up, impress the locals, then g ... More >>

Good Luck is Hard Work

Kimberly SandieLers Ros's quail with fried garlic and black pepper: Goes with ganache.​ Despite our proximity to Los Angeles, whose Thai restaurants are the best in the Americas, San Francisco's history with Thai restaurants is a spotty one. Little restaurants spring up, impress the locals, then g ... More >>

San Francisco's Top 10 Burritos

Within five minutes of arguing with any San Franciscan about the best burrito in town, it becomes clear that what makes a great burrito is different for all of us. For some people, greatness is impossible without girth. For others, the quality and quantity of the meat is most important, and a few st ... More >>

Nick Balla's 2011 Find: Great Skewers and a New (Old) Herb

Chad RobertsonNick Balla of Bar Tartine.​SFoodie is calling up food types around the city to ask them about their favorite discovery of the past year, whether it's new or ancient, an ingredient or a person. We'll be running their responses over the course of the next 10 days. This year, Nick Ball ... More >>

Golden Flower's Southern-Style Pho Is as Good as We Get in San Francisco

Jonathan KauffmanGolden Flower's house special pho.Rice Plate Journal is a yearlong project to canvas Chinatown, block by block, discovering the good, the bad, and the hopelessly mediocre. Maximum entrée price: $10. It is impossible to feel isolated, or adrift, at Golden Flower, Chinatown's best V ... More >>

Jang Soo BBQ: Rethinking Korean Barbecue in Style and Substance

Jonathan KauffmanGolden Flower's house special pho.Rice Plate Journal is a yearlong project to canvas Chinatown, block by block, discovering the good, the bad, and the hopelessly mediocre. Maximum entrée price: $10. It is impossible to feel isolated, or adrift, at Golden Flower, Chinatown's best V ... More >>

Jang Soo BBQ's New Owners Are Swankifying Up Korean

Lara HataBarbecuing kalbi at Jang Soo.​A couple of months ago, Jang Soo BBQ -- the subject of this week's full-length restaurant review in the paper -- closed for a short spell to change owners and make a few radical changes, which are only visible to those who pass through the front door. Now it' ... More >>

Q&A With Nopalito's Gonzalo Guzman and Jose Ramos, Part 2: 'We're Not Trying to Change the Authenticity of a Dish'

Alanna HaleNopalito's co-chefs, Jose Ramos (left) and Gonzalo Guzman.​Nopalito's co-chefs, Gonzalo Guzman and Jose Ramos, famously started off as cooks at Nopa whose food was so good owner Laurence Jossel built a restaurant around them. In part one of SFoodie's Q&A with the two chefs, Guzman a ... More >>

Q&A With Nopalito's Gonzalo Guzman and Jose Ramos, Part 1: Everything From Scratch

Alanna HaleNopalito's co-chefs, Jose Ramos (left) and Gonzalo Guzman​Gonzalo Guzman and Jose Ramos, co-chefs of Nopalito, both grew up in Mexico -- in Veracruz and Guanajuato, respectively -- but ended up as cooks in San Francisco through very different paths. Before working together at Nopa, ... More >>

Il Cane Rosso's Rich, Surprising Pancetta

Alan Scherstuhl​ The current iteration of San Francisco-style pancetta seems at times a cheap ploy by the fancier restaurants in town at making good old American bacon an elegant side dish for the peaking trend of dignified brunches. It's too often straight slabs of seasoned pork that bear a s ... More >>

Ramen Parlor Adds to San Mateo's Ramen Empire

Luis ChongPork broth ramen with lobster oil.​While the city's ramen culture is just beginning to flourish, San Mateo's ramen scene is leaping ahead with a modern variant of ramen. One-month old Ramen Parlor is the latest ramen venture from chef-owner Kazunori Kobayashi, whose San Mateo ramen ... More >>

Grill House Mediterranean: New Shawarma-and-Pie Shop Sometimes Worth a Visit

Luis ChongPork broth ramen with lobster oil.​While the city's ramen culture is just beginning to flourish, San Mateo's ramen scene is leaping ahead with a modern variant of ramen. One-month old Ramen Parlor is the latest ramen venture from chef-owner Kazunori Kobayashi, whose San Mateo ramen ... More >>

Grill House Mediterranean: Turkish Chef, Halal Meat

Lara HataSavory pies, adana kebabs, and semolina cake from Grill House Mediterranean. ​For a shawarma place, Grill House Mediterranean has garnered a fair amount of foodista gossip. The Tenderloin restaurant, recently opened by Salama Halal Meat (around the corner), brought on board the well-loved ... More >>

Five Best Thai Restaurants in San Francisco

Kimberly SandieChabaa's gaeng som, or sour orange curry. ​Thai restaurants began popping up all over San Francisco in the 1980s, and within a decade, Thai food had become a staple for first dates and Thursday-night takeouts. San Franciscan children eat almost as much pad Thai as they do organic ba ... More >>

Fresh Eats: Lers Ros: Tom Silargorn Talks on Authentic Thai

Kimberly SandieChabaa's gaeng som, or sour orange curry. ​Thai restaurants began popping up all over San Francisco in the 1980s, and within a decade, Thai food had become a staple for first dates and Thursday-night takeouts. San Franciscan children eat almost as much pad Thai as they do organic ba ... More >>

Q&A With Tom Silargorn, Part 3: Recipe for Lers Ros's Tom Yum Koong

As part of SFoodie's interview with Tom Silargorn, chef-owner of Lers Ros -- part 1 and part 2 were published earlier this week -- we asked Silargorn for his recipe for tom yum koong. The soup gets ordered daily at Lers Ros, no matter what the weather or the time of day, he says. It's worth tackling ... More >>

2G Brasserie's Sushi Chef Doesn't Believe in Lazy Nigiri

As part of SFoodie's interview with Tom Silargorn, chef-owner of Lers Ros -- part 1 and part 2 were published earlier this week -- we asked Silargorn for his recipe for tom yum koong. The soup gets ordered daily at Lers Ros, no matter what the weather or the time of day, he says. It's worth tackling ... More >>

Q&A With Lers Ros's Chef, Tom Silargorn, Talking About Real Thai Food

Alanna HaleLers Ros chef-owner Tom Silargorn.​Born in Chon Buri, a coastal province about 45 minutes southeast of Bangkok, chef Tom Silargorn learned to cook by his mother's side. Three years ago, he opened Lers Ros in the Tenderloin and quickly earned a devout following of locals, chefs and food ... More >>

Q&A With Lers Ros's Tom Silargorn, Part 2: About That New Restaurant...

Tom Silargorn, owner of the three-year-old Lers Ros, generally regarded as one of San Francisco's best Thai restaurants, initially came to San Francisco to pursue an education in art. But the lack of what he deems "real Thai food" in the city inspired him to show San Francisco what it was missing. I ... More >>

Red Tavern: Inconsistent Quality but Never Boring Meals at Russian Restaurant

Tom Silargorn, owner of the three-year-old Lers Ros, generally regarded as one of San Francisco's best Thai restaurants, initially came to San Francisco to pursue an education in art. But the lack of what he deems "real Thai food" in the city inspired him to show San Francisco what it was missing. I ... More >>

Boxing Room: Fresh Take Saves Cajun and Creole Cooking from Cliche

Tom Silargorn, owner of the three-year-old Lers Ros, generally regarded as one of San Francisco's best Thai restaurants, initially came to San Francisco to pursue an education in art. But the lack of what he deems "real Thai food" in the city inspired him to show San Francisco what it was missing. I ... More >>

San Francisco's Top Five Indian or Pakistani Restaurants

Courtesy dosasf.comThe paper dosa from Dosa on Valencia.​Before the Tenderloin became the Tandoorloin a decade ago, Indian food in San Francisco was a restrained, almost elegant affair. Linens and goblets, muted sauces, rather doctrinaire menus of tandoori chicken and mixed vegetable sabzi. A wave ... More >>

Kyo-ya Makes Its Sushi Affordable for Takeout Lunch

Kyo-yaThe 20 for $20 box: can you count 20?​When we have somebody else's credit card, we enjoy dining at Kyo-ya. The sushi and sashimi are generally fresh and delicious, but the price is set for the business-expense crowd, and that's more than we want to spend for lunch. But obviously somebod ... More >>

Txoko: Brainy Finger Food Could Stand to Be Less Brainy

Kyo-yaThe 20 for $20 box: can you count 20?​When we have somebody else's credit card, we enjoy dining at Kyo-ya. The sushi and sashimi are generally fresh and delicious, but the price is set for the business-expense crowd, and that's more than we want to spend for lunch. But obviously somebod ... More >>

Shabu Pub and G Cube Cafe: Japanese Hot Pots Go Chinese

Kyo-yaThe 20 for $20 box: can you count 20?​When we have somebody else's credit card, we enjoy dining at Kyo-ya. The sushi and sashimi are generally fresh and delicious, but the price is set for the business-expense crowd, and that's more than we want to spend for lunch. But obviously somebod ... More >>

Tadashi Ono, Japanese Hot Pot Expert, Describes the Real Shabu Shabu

Melissa BarnesShabu shabu at Shabu Pub, which is not traditionally Japanese​While researching this week's review of Chinese-American shabu shabu restaurants in the Richmond and Sunset, I called Tadashi Ono, the chef of Matsuri in New York and co-author of Japanese Hot Pots. I wanted to get a sense ... More >>

Pho Vung Tau: Nice Space, Functional Noodles

Jonathan KauffmanBun with grilled pork and shrimp at Pho Vung Tau, $6.25.​ Last month, SF Weekly moved offices to within a mile of Chinatown, allowing me to embark on a new project: systematically visiting a different Chinatown restaurant each week, starting at Powell and Vallejo and moving sout ... More >>

Cafe Grill Bar: Nice Digs, Good Vietnamese Food, Ignore the Name

Jonathan KauffmanCafe Grill Bar's rice plate with pork, egg cake, and pork skin, $7.50.​You may forgive Cafe Grill Bar for the absence of personality in its name when you walk into the place. The cafe/grill/bar looks like the VIP lounge for Virgin Airlines, or possibly a location shoot for the fal ... More >>

When Donuts Aren't Enough: Will Cops Keep the New Turtle Tower in Business?

Luis ChongA Peek Inside Turtle Tower #3.​This week location #3 of the famous Turtle Tower Restaurant offered a glimpse of their food with a limited menu. A sort of test run before the June 1 official grand opening. SFoodie was lucky enough to take a peek while the employees were enjoying their ... More >>

Bistro Central Parc: The Magic of the Simple French Bistro

Luis ChongA Peek Inside Turtle Tower #3.​This week location #3 of the famous Turtle Tower Restaurant offered a glimpse of their food with a limited menu. A sort of test run before the June 1 official grand opening. SFoodie was lucky enough to take a peek while the employees were enjoying their ... More >>

More Ramen Week: Kasumi's Revisited

Luis ChongHeaven in a Bowl.​It's been a few months since our initial visit to Kasumi ("Mist" in Japanese), a ramen and yakitori shop hidden in the quiet Lakeside area. We're happy to report that you no longer have to choose between a ramen only lunch or a yakitori only dinner -- both dishes ar ... More >>

Bistro Central Parc's Food Is Good on Its Own Terms

Lara HataBistro Central Parc's bouillabaisse.​ I grew up in a family of inadvertent francophiles. How my father, a Mennonite kid from a tiny Michigan town, learned to speak French and travel around Europe before going to college is a very long story; somehow I've ended up with a thick Belgian acce ... More >>

Ramen Week Continued: Chotto's Rare Miso-Tonkotsu Hybrid

Luis ChongChotto's Miso-Tonkotsu Ramen Hybrid.​There's no place SFoodie won't go to sample a good bowl of ramen -- even if it means mingling with dudes wearing Ralph Lauren cargo shorts and flip-flops in 45 degree weather. Knowing this, we headed to popular Cow Hollow izakaya, Chotto. On our f ... More >>

Ramen Doraku's a Nice Addition to the City's Noodle Shops

Luis ChongNewly opened Ramen Doraku looks nice, has reasonable prices, and food that's good, if not great.​We slipped into brand-new Ramen Doraku in the Outer Sunset the other day, slurping noodles and chowing on curry. Our bowl of tonkotsu ramen ($7.95) included fish cake (naruto), green onio ... More >>

Fresh Eats: Getting Skewered at Halu, Hot Pockets at Anda Piroshki

Luis ChongNewly opened Ramen Doraku looks nice, has reasonable prices, and food that's good, if not great.​We slipped into brand-new Ramen Doraku in the Outer Sunset the other day, slurping noodles and chowing on curry. Our bowl of tonkotsu ramen ($7.95) included fish cake (naruto), green onio ... More >>