San Francisco Eats

Bi-Rite Creamery

Picture: White- Brown Sugar with ginger and caramel, Orange- Salted Caramel, Brown- Coffee with Toffee bits. 

Thoughts: The salted caramel was THE BEST!! But all the flavors were delicious and there were so many other flavored i wanted to try. Luckily we didn't get stuck in a line, but usually there is a long line and the prices are decent =]

Genki Crepes

Picture: Vanilla Ice cream with Strawberries & Whip Cream Crepe

Thoughts: The crepe is actually really thin! the ice cream was good...I just wish there was more fruit in it. There were so many other crepe combos that sounded delicious as well...def would go back!

Tartine Bakery

 Picture: Morning Bun

Thoughts: it was good....flakey on the outside and somewhat moist on the inside. A hint of orange flavor, but I honestly wouldn't go back just for this...

Picture: Bread Pudding

Thoughts: It was more pudding-like than other bread puddings i've had. Thought it tasted a little too mushy and the berries were very sour. 

Turtle Tower

Picture: Chicken Pho

Thoughts: A must try...not your ordinary beef pho. The broth is very clean and fresh with fat noodles! The restaurant doesn't even carry sriracha or hoisan sauce. They actually get offended if you ask for it. 

Submarine Center

(A small local spot in SF)

Picture: Pastrami Sandwich with cheese, lettuce, avacado, jalapeno, mustard, and their "special" sauce

Thoughts: seriously hands down best pastrami sandwich in Cali!! The meat, sauce, and cheese just melts everything together so well!

Ike's Place-San Francisco (castro)

Picture: I can't remember, but it had halal chicken & jalapeno poppers inside.

Thoughts: If you are in San Francisco, YOU HAVE TO GO TO IKE'S!!! This place was aired on Man Vs. Food. They have sooo many different combos of sandwiches with different things like mozzarella sticks and jalapeno popper inside your bigger and they are very LARGE sandwiches. Usually a wait and no seating inside. It's best eaten right when u get it so people stand outside on the sidewalk eating. 

 Brenda's French Soul Food

Picture: Catfish Eggs Benedict

Thoughts: Best eggs benedict I've had. The catfish is deep fried so there's a crunch, and it's on a biscuit instead of a english muffin, which makes it fluffly and flaky with every bite. 

Picture: Shrimp & Grits

Thoughts: My first time trying shrimp and grits, and boy it was GOOOOOD!!! Perfect combo of grits and cheese, and the shrimps were covered in a  cajun sauce and added flavor to each bite. 

Picture: Beignet

 Thoughts: They have plain, chocolate, and crayfish. The best one was crayfish! 

Cha Cha Cha- San Francisco (Haight St.)

Caribbean & Cuban Tapas

Picture: Fried New Potatoes

Thoughts: The sauce is rich and creamy with a kick to it...I really like the sauce! 

Picture: Cajun Chicken 

Thoughts: YUMMY!!! Shrimp in creamy spicy sauce...It's actually surprisingly spicy. Great for dipping bread in!

Picture: Seafood Paella

Thoughts: Sauce was good and the seafood was fresh! 

Picture: Sangria

Thoughts: Must try!! Love it! and they give you a lot of fruit.

Mama's 

(cute breakfast spot...usually a line) 

Picture: regular french toast with berries

Thoughts: original fluffy french toast with yummy fresh fruit

Picture: Crabs Benedict

Thoughts: very very gooood!

Golden Island Cafe

Picture: Fresh Fruit Sago and Coconut Milk 

Thoughts: not a lot of people know what Sago is, but it's a chinese dessert with little clear tapioca mixed with fruit and usually coconut milk. 

I heart NY

Ippudo NY- East Village

 

Picture: Karaka Miso Ramen

Thoughts: The texture of the noodles were perfect...soft but yet chewy. The flavor of the soup was delicious with a slight kick, but added some more spicy powder for me =].

Picture: Pork Buns

Thoughts: Must Try!!

 Kenka- East Village

Picture: Okonomiyaki

Thoughts: Japanese style pancakes with seafood and vegetables. Fish flakes on top and a mayo kind of sauce. It was very tasty! Great to snack on with beer. This was a fun spot to drink and eat yakitori. $8 Sapporo and Kirin pitchers. 

 Picture: cotton candy after!

Thoughts: And they give you a small cup of cotton candy powder so you can make your own after your dinner!!

Joe's Shanghai- Chinatown

Picture: Pork and Crab soup dumplings 

Thoughts: OMG!!! I'm craving this right now actually....the dumplings are bigger than the soup dumplings I've had before and the meat and soup inside is so flavorful!

Prosperity Dumplings- Chinatown

Picture: 5 for $1 Pork and Chive Dumplings

Thoughts: it's only $1!! And they were sooo yummy! The place is small, but you can sit on stools to the side where they have soy sauce and sriracha. 

Grimaldi's- Brooklyn Bridge area

Picture: Basil, mozzarella, mushroom, and sun dried tomatoes.

Thoughts:  Mmm the dough was crispy, but yet chewy. The mozzarella was so fresh and perfectly melted. My friends and I agreed that we wished the sauce was a little sweeter. 

Las Ramblas- Spanish Tapas

West Village

Picture: Lamb Chops with taro mashed potatoes

Thoughts: I don't even like lamb that much, and I really liked this dish! The pork was very juicy and not too gamey. Lots of flavor!

Picture: Patatas Bravas

Thoughts: Yum!!

Picture: Stuffed Pumpkin Special 

Thoughts: This was all our favorite!! The picture quality didn't turn out so well, but it was a sweet thick kind of soup (tasted a little bit of coconut as well) and we dipped bread into it. And then you can eat the roasted pumpkin on the edge like a bread bowl. We also had sangria here and it was amazing!! Loved the restaurant!

53rd and 6th ave Halal chicken cart-Times Square

 Picture: chicken bowl 

Thoughts: I think people come to NY for this! it's so delicious, but BEWARE of the hot read sauce!! You really need only a few drops of it. Love the white sauce! And usually always a line... i think it's open from like 4 pm-5am or something like that. 

Shake Shack-Flatiron

Picture: Shack Stack

Thoughts: Ummm sooooo gooood!! The mushroom is fried and then filled with cheese and on top of that you have their delicious meat patty.

Picture: Regular Double 

Thoughts: We were told to try this as well because their beef is amazing. And even though I liked the shake stack alot...their regular beef is sooo delicious! The meat is pretty thick, but is actually soft and juicy and cooked just right!

Kuma Inn- Filipino Tapas

Lower East Village

Picture: Tuna Tartare

Thoughts: Very delicious! Just wish there was more of it!

Picture: Chinese Sausage dish

Thoughts: Wasn't too excited about ordering this dish, but SOOO glad we did because it's very tasty and different then your ordinary chinese sauce dish. The onions are caramelized so it gives the sausage a sweet flavor. A must try!

Picture: Scallops

Thoughts: cooked perfectly and the sauce was yummy. 

I really liked this restaurant! It's more like a fusion restaurant with a variety of tapas. The place is really small...maybe 6 tables or so? But food was amazing!

Tartine-West Village

Picture: Norweigen Benedict with salmon, poached egg, and hollandaise sauce

Thoughts: The salmon was not fishy and the sauce was very good. The potatoes were also cooked well and tasty!

Picture: Chicken Sandwich on Foccacia bread

Thoughts: Simple, but they made it so delicious! Everything on their menu looked amazing! I think it's also a byob place so people brought in champagne for mimosas. 

 Buttercup Bake Shop-midtown

Picture: Red Velvet Cupcake

Thoughts: Tried this bakery because it was around the corner from our friends place. It's a cute little bakery and their cakes look amazing! I really liked the frosting, but the cake part could have been a little more moist. But I still enjoyed it =]

Katz's Deli- Lower East Side

Picture: Pastrami Sandwich

Thoughts: Meat is so juicy and tender! the mustard makes it even better. 

Other Nor-Cal Eats

San Jose's Boiling Crab

(Cajun Creole/Seafood)

Picture: Crawfish (above) and Shrimp (below) with corn in Sha-Bang sauce 

Thoughts: I like the shrimp better. The sha-bang sauce makes this amazing, a little spicy and full of garlic flavor. Prepare to get your fingers dirty, but so sooo worth it! Their sweet potato fries here are good too!

SGD Tofu House

(El Camino in Santa Clara)

Picture: Mushroom Tofu Soup (medium spicy) 

Thoughts: THE BEST TOFU HOUSE!!! I think it beats BCD in socal. The tofu soups just taste better and the owner is the nicest korean man ever! We come here everytime we have family from korea visiting and they agree that it's better than tofu places they've tried in korea.

Picture: Squid Rice Cake dish (nak-ji dduk boki)

Thoughts: This is a new edition to their menu but it was soooo goooood!! The flavor of the red sauce is perfect and a little sweet. The only thing is the squid pieces are pretty chunky, but sharing this plate and the tofu was such a great korean dinner!!

Moss Landing's Phil's Fish Market & Fishery

(Bobby Fly's Throwdown)

Picture: Cioppino (what bobby flay challenged...and he lost)

Thoughts: For fresh fresh seafood lovers and the soup is very flavorful with a little kick.