Luis Chong

Duc Loi Kitchen's Excellent $5 Vietnamese Sandwiches

One-month-old Duc Loi Kitchen seems destined to become the Saigon Sandwiches of the Mission. Last time SFoodie visited this food counter inside Duc Loi Supermarket, we were the last customer of the temporary outpost of Mission Burger back in 2010. Duc Loi delivers on both quantity and quality, ... More >>

Little Star Pizza Is Incognito in the South Bay

Luis Chong​Little Star Pizza has opened a new South Bay shop, but few customers might realize this, since the one-week old Downtown Campbell restaurant is instead named Blue Line Pizza. Little Star Pizza co-founder Brian Sadigursky has partnered with Angela Pace for this latest venture; the ... More >>

Hot Food for Cold Nights: Ken Ken Ramen's Delightful Vegan Ramen

Ramen has come up on the culinary scene more and more lately, and worldly food-loving San Franciscans couldn't be more happy about it. Don't believe me? Check out expert ramen aficionado Luis Chong's Ramen Week right here on SFoodie. We're cultured and we're starving, OK? Give us the damn ramen. Eve ... More >>

Cafe Gratitude in Santa Cruz Looks to Stay, Dear Mom, and Good News for Chicken Lovers

The past 24 hours in gossip, innuendo, and cold hard facts about the San Francisco food scene. Update on Cafe Gratitude: Our own Luis Chong reports one Northern California location is not closing after all -- Santa Cruz. This cafe, which opened Aug. 15, is owned by the owners' son and stepson, Matt ... More >>

Bar Bambino, Sisig Surprises, & Pinkie-Wavers: This Week in Food Bloggery

CT Young/SF Weekly's Flickr stream​ Highlights from SFoodie this week: 1. Alanna Hale interviews Bar Bambino's Lizzie Binder (here's part 1 and part 2) about the Mission restaurant's switch from all-around-the-boot to Northeast Italian food, how she California-izes heavy traditional recipes, an ... More >>

This Week in Food Bloggery

CT Young/SF Weekly Flickr pool​ Highlights from the blog this week: 1. Caroline Chen discovers that huge numbers of San Francisco restaurant staffers are working illegally. The San Francisco Health Code declares no one with a venereal disease -- or bubonic plague, for that matter -- should be al ... More >>

Food Trucks Roll Into New Permanent Truck Stop Near Transbay Terminal

Luis Chong​As you read this, three food trucks are already dishing out the first curry and cupcakes at a new location that appears to be about as permanent as food truck spots get. The spot, named Truck Stop, is an alley off Mission between First and Fremont streets. It's open to the trucks b ... More >>

Stupid Kids, Truth in Advertising, and Vegan Cons: This Week in Food Bloggery

Albert LawPork roll from Hiyaaa!​ Five highlights from the blog this week: Luis Chong announces himself a fan of Fins on the Hoof, Todd Middleton's new food truck -- though he disappoints SFoodie by realizing that the truck doesn't serve exotic genetically modified seafood. Tired of lists procl ... More >>

Russell Brand and Kristen Wiig Are Sexy, Spam Is Evil, and S.F.'s Best Vegan Junk Food

​This news is from last week but I was in Greece and Russia (WHAT'S UP I HAVE A PASSPORT) so I'm gonna talk about it anyway, okay? Okay! Also, I've got mad jet lag, a nasty cold, and a really bad attitude. Things could get extra real today and I apologize in advance/YOU'RE WELCOME. • So! SFood ... More >>

DVR Alert: S.F.'s LIBA Falafel Features on the Cooking Channel Tonight

Luis ChongLIBA Falafel owner Gail Lillian.​Set those recorders: San Francisco food truck LIBA Falafel will be featured on the Cooking Channel series Eat St. tonight alongside Portland's Garden State Cart, Seattle's Skillet Street Food, and Houston's Oh My! Pocket Pies. The episode premieres at ... More >>

SFoodie Bloggers: Behind the Music

Artist's rendition of the SFoodie blog team.​Before I started writing for SFoodie, I imagined the bloggers as a tight-knit team of scallywags, palling around town and sharing robust food adventures. Thus I was scandalized when former SFoodie editor John Birdsall told me many of the bloggers ha ... More >>

Roxy's Cafe Brings a Dizzying Selection of Milkshakes and Smoothies to the Mission

Luis Chong​The warm weather was ideal when we checked out Roxy's Cafe, a two-month-old shop serving milkshakes and smoothies near the 24th Street BART station. It took a while to peruse the huge menu of 63 milkshakes, 11 non-dairy shakes, 26 smoothies, and two dozen hot and cold coffee drinks. ... More >>

Enjoy Belgian Waffles Two Ways at Bloem 'n Sugar

Luis ChongBloem's Very Berry Belgian waffle ​The WaffleMania truck popularized the dense and chewy Liege waffles, which are great. But sometimes SFoodie craves the other Belgian waffles, the light and crispy rectangles from Brussels -- they've got deep pockets that no Eggo can match. So we wer ... More >>

Lower Haight Chicken Shack Wing Wings Opens on Wednesday

Luis ChongWing Wings occupies the former Roland's Bagels space.​Earlier this year, SFoodie reported that former Little Skillet chef Christian Ciscle would open his own place called Wing Wings, and the grand opening is now set for tomorrow (June 15). Inspired by East Coast chicken shacks and Southe ... More >>

More Food Trucks, New Wings, and Another Valencia Restaurant

The past 24 hours in gossip, innuendo, and cold hard facts about the San Francisco food scene. Food truck news: Seeing Sam's ChowderMobile more often? The Feast reports that its fleet is increasing to three trucks, allowing for the inclusion of special events, dinner hours, and attention to lunch h ... More >>

Ramen Week Revisited: Hapa Ramen Steps Up Its Game

Luis ChongThe new and improved Hapa Ramen.​SFoodie has been a fan of Hapa Ramen since its inception last year. Common in Japan, it's currently the only ramen street vendor in San Francisco. We've long adored Hapa Ramen's sous-vide egg, crisp and tender chicken katsu nuggets, and succulent pork ... More >>

Meet the Bloggers: Jesse Hirsch

You read them here, now find out who the hell they are: We give you the diverse group of men and women who cover the local food and drink scene for you on SFoodie. Name: Jesse Hirsch Blogs about: Events and Happenings Richard Reyes​Having moved here from Queens, New York, last October, Jess ... More >>

Noodlemania, a New Local Ham, and the Return of the Bees: This Week in Food Bloggery

Rëd/SF Weekly FilckrstreamThe sandwich counter at Ted's Market.​Highlights from the blog this week: 1. Luis Chong, our noodle correspondent, has been on a tear this week. Not only has he reported on the improved ramen at Kasumi and the noodles at Chotto, he stuck his head into the new SoMa locat ... More >>

Chef-Crushing on London, Discovering Anda Piroshki: This Week in Food Bloggery

Nick Vasilopoulos/StoqqGialina's Atomica.​ Highlights from the blog this week:1. Laura Beck eats at Ubuntu, faints, then interviews chef Aaron London as soon as she recovers. London reveals that he does indeed work 100 hours a week and strives to make every part of the artichoke edible, which is p ... More >>

Sad Times: No Scoops at Bombay Ice Cream's Temporary Location

Luis ChongBombay Ice Cream's Temporary Residence.​SFoodie recently took a gander at the new location of Bombay Ice Cream on South Van Ness, under the Central Freeway ― blocks from Walzwerk and Rainbow Grocery. The new location shares a building with an antiques store ― Lost Art Salon ― ... More >>

Wing Lee Bakery's Egg Custard Cakes

Luis ChongWing Lee Bakery's custard-filled rice cakes.​While colored hard-boiled eggs are probably in some people's minds at this time of year, SFoodie was craving the sweet and creamy yolk center of a different variety. One of our favorite snacks is the custard-filled sweet rice cakes (nai won go ... More >>

Terminal Comfort: SFO's New T2 Dazzles with Food Choices

Luis ChongRottisserie chickens from Tyler Florence: one of many upscale food options at SFO's new Terminal 2, which opened Thursday.​SFO's brand new Terminal 2 (T2) became operational Thursday morning at 5 a.m. It's the most food-centered, modern, and eco-friendly airport terminal ever built. ... More >>

Two-Week Cherry Blossom Festival Starts Saturday in Japantown

Luis ChongOkinawa soba, annual feature of Japantown's Cherry Blossom Festival.​Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival Where: Japantown, Post and Buchanan Streets When: Sat.-Sun., Apr. 9-10, and 16-17; grand parade and anime costume awards on Sun., Apr. 17 Cost: Free; donations accepted ... More >>

Sel et Vin: Oysters and Wine in Glen Park

Luis ChongOwners of Glen Park's Red and White wine bar have remade the place as Sel et Vin.​This week Glen Park residents welcomed a new upscale oyster and wine bar to the neighborhood. How do we know? SFoodie was dining at Le P'tit Laurent across the street, when charismatic owner Laurent Leg ... More >>

Taco Libre: Nombe Chef Vincent Schofield Opens a Taqueria

Luis ChongThe mango salsa an Taco Libre's fish taco (lower left) is delicious.​Vincent Schofield has to be the busiest chef in San Francisco. He's executive chef at Nombe, still keeps an eye on the food at Darwin, and last Friday, Schofield and his partners opened Taco Libre, a casual, brightl ... More >>

Sushi Somewhere Finds a Place at The Corner

Luis ChongSomewhere Sushi's caterpillar roll, $9.95, and tamago nigiri, $2.75.​Wednesday night SFoodie stopped by The Corner to check out the new lineup of rotating pop-ups. In the kitchen was Sushi Somewhere, a new roaming sushi maker. This might seem like déjà vu for Mission locals famili ... More >>

Nopa Chef Designs Guest Sandwich for Pal's

Luis Chong​The Laurence Jossel-wich at Pal's Where: Pal's Takeaway, inside Tony's Market, 2751 24th St. (at Hampshire), 203-4911 When: Wed., Jan. 26, 11 a.m. till it's gone The rundown: The Wednesday guest-chef series is back after an extended holiday break at scrappy little Pal's, this we ... More >>

Newest Henry's Hunan Sticks to Well-Worn Formula

Luis ChongThe sixth outpost of Henry's 1970s original opened in the old Granada Cafe space in the Excelsior.​Established restaurants continue to expand in the Bay Area. We recently visited the newest location of Henry's Hunan, its sixth. Henry's is one of the oldest continuously family owned a ... More >>

Burma Cafe Adds to Daly City's Diversity

Luis ChongBurma Cafe serves up all the usual menu items in a handsome setting.​While we're still mourning the loss of Yellow Pa Taut in SOMA, we're happy to report that a new Burmese place has been born just a few miles south, in Daly City. Burma Cafe recently opened its doors in the St. Franc ... More >>

Twirl and Dip to Serve Frozen Treats in City Parks Six Days a Week

Luis ChongStarting in January, the Twirl and Dip truck will hit Marina Green and Golden Gate Park.​Other local mobile food vendors might get more media attention, but Twirl and Dip has just quietly put a lock on two major stops for six days a week in the city. The haute ice cream truck has sig ... More >>

Chef of Gator's Neo Soul Cafe Bringing BBQ Back to San Mateo

Luis ChongGlenn "Gator" Thompson will begin by introducing a stand-alone BBQ menu to The Grill.​Glenn "Gator" Thompson was chef-owner of Gator's Neo Soul Cafe in downtown San Mateo from 2007-2009 before getting his current gig at Bayonne Casual Southern Dining in San Jose. This week, Thompson ... More >>

San Jose's Ramen Tenma Serves Up Rare Okinawa Soba

Luis ChongUntil now, fresh Okinawa soba were a once-a-year treat in the Bay Area.​Fresh Okinawa soba noodles are almost impossible to find in San Francisco, unless you know someone who can make them for you. The closest noodle factory is located in Hawaii. Imported noodles are delivered frozen ... More >>

Som Tum and Other Isan Salads at Zaab Thai

Jonathan KauffmanZaab's papaya salad with peanuts and salted crab, $7.95.​Wednesday, December 8, 2010Slowly, slowly, Isan food from northeastern Thailand is filtering into San Francisco. You can find Isan dishes on the menus of Thai House Express and Lers Ros, and the semisecret Thai-language menu ... More >>

Ken Ken at The Corner: Gentler Broth, Tastier Pork

Luis ChongMiso ramen, $11.​Ken Ken's re-launch last night at new location The Corner attracted many Mission residents (and a few neighborhood restaurant owners) eager to sample the goods. Approaching the entrance on 18th Street, we spied Ken Ken's signature red paper lantern: We were in the r ... More >>

Ken Ken Ramen Pops Up Again, This Time at The Corner

Luis ChongKen Ken hung up its lantern at Panchita's #3, shown here. Tomorrow it reopens at its new Thursday-night location, The Corner. ​Thanks to SFoodie contributor Luis Chong for figuring out that pop-up maverick Ken Ken Ramen returns to the Mission tomorrow night for a beta-launch reappear ... More >>

Ken Ken Ramen Ready to Return to the Mission. But Where?

Luis ChongIn Ken Ken's first incarnation at Panchita's #3, it filled its signature ramen bowls with shredded chasu pork. ​It might be time to get your chopstick case in order, ramen nerds: After a 6-week hiatus, it looks like Ken Ken Ramen is getting ready to announce the return of its noodle ... More >>

Expanded Hours for Suzu Noodle House

Luis ChongBad news for next-door neighbor Bushi-Tei?​Good news for local ramen lovers: Suzu Noodle House, source of one of SFoodie's 92 favorite eats ― and also a preferred choice for many occasions ― has expanded its hours. Hopeful customers will no longer be turned away at 3 p.m. when lu ... More >>

Lil Wayne, Paula Deen, and Iced Coffee: This Week in Food Bloggery

John BirdsallBecause we just like looking at photos of ramen (this bowl's from Hapa Ramen).​This week's highlights from the blogs:1. Have you read the essay SFoodie editor John Birdsall wrote this week about how street food has exploded in San Francisco, and why? Because you should. 2. The biggest ... More >>

Overtime Gets the Red Flag, Ramen Ramen Ramen Ramen

The past 24 hours in gossip, innuendo, and cold hard facts about the San Francisco restaurant scene.Paolo L. at Inside Scoop reports a closure that all of us missed: Overtime Sports Bar and Grill (398 Seventh St.). The owner, Leticia Luna (of Leticia's in the Castro), is acquiring a full liquor ... More >>

Fresh Eats: We recommend Reverie's pozole and Ajisen's ramen

The Tortilla-Free Zone of New Street-Food Vendor Nosh This. Casey's Pizza, Too

Luis ChongA hunk of Bailey's Irish Cream-flavored fudge with homemade marshmallow from Nosh This.​Most of San Francisco's recent wave of casual restaurants and street-food vendors have been hawking food in some form that appropriates either the taco or the burrito. So this weekend, we were lur ... More >>

Ajisen's Kumamoto-Style Ramen Is Really Good

Luis ChongAjisen's premium pork ramen.​We ventured into the just-opened Westfield San Francisco Centre branch of Japanese fast-food chain Ajisen Ramen yesterday. It's been more than a decade since a branch of Japan's Yoshinoya came to the city and failed, so we were curious about San Francisco ... More >>

Ajisen Ramen Opens Tomorrow at Westfield Mall

Luis ChongThe first Northern California outpost of the Japanese chain boasts a huge menu.​As SFoodie previously reported, Japanese fast-food chain Ajisen Ramen is opening its first Northern California branch in the Westfield Mall. Located on the Concourse Level, flanked by Panda Express and R ... More >>

This Weekend: Check Out Japanese Summer Festivals Marking Obon

Luis ChongThe weekend's Nihonmachi Street Fair in J-Town will offer an array of eats.​It's the weekend of the Bay Area's Japanese summer fests, known in Japan as Obon (or Bon) festivals. Originating from the Buddhist custom of honoring departed ancestors, they've evolved into a very important ... More >>

This Weekend: Huge Array of Filipino Eats at S.F.'s Annual Pistahan Festival

Luis ChongThe Pistahan festival runs for two days, Aug. 14-15.​If street food from Adobo Hobo and Lumpia Cart has been your only taste of Filipino food, you won't want to miss the 17th annual Pistahan festival and parade at Yerba Buena Gardens this weekend. It's the Bay Area's largest Filipi ... More >>

Ginji Izakaya Coming to San Mateo's J-Food Zone

Luis ChongThe site's a former flooring store in the heart of the Peninsula's Japanese-cuisine ghetto.​There's no end in sight for San Mateo's glut of J-food ― not that we're complaining. The Peninsula city is about to get yet another izakaya restaurant, this one named Ginji, presumably after ... More >>

Mitsuwa's Japanese Food Fair Starts Today in San Jose. We Call Shotgun

Luis ChongA stall at last year's Hokkaido Fair at Mitsuwa.​The Japanese Gourmet Foods Fair, aka Umaimono Gourmet Fair (umaimono means "yummy stuff") kicks off today at Mitsuwa Marketplace in San Jose. It ends June 6. The annual event is part of a series of four-day weekend festivals promoting ... More >>

Little Saigon Cafe (with Happy Dumplings) Offering Mostly Takeout in the Tenderloin

J. BirdsallHappy Dumpling's happy dumplings, now indoors.​After reading Luis Chong's post yesterday about a new restaurant being opened by the owners of the popular Happy Dumpling stand at the Stonestown farmers' market, SFoodie contacted owner Chuck Kerson to learn more. He and partner Linda Jia ... More >>