THE BEST IN CHINATOWN

While scarfing down a chicken bun I heard the counterwoman vocalizing because her friend had left her umbrella, bag, and spectacles, on one of the tables, while going off to purchase something at a nearby store. Her lament more or less boiled down to "so crazy, lah, shouldn't leave them there someone will steal it you'll die if they take your nice umbrella how irresponsible!".
Grumble grumble grumble.
Often it seems that the longest and most complete sentences in a Cantonese woman's arsenal involve utter damnation and predictions of horrible bad things happening, frequently delivered with what can only be described as extremely happy premature gloating.
It's really very endearing.
Eloquent, evocative.
Very sweet.

A large Eastern European came in, examined what was in the steamers and hot trays, and asked what those things were. His problematic English and hers hit head on. He ended up ordering one of everything, despite not having a clue what it all was.
After finishing his plate of dim sum, he looked at the bakery display case speculatively.
Several more items utterly unfamiliar to him made their way into his life.
Very adventurous. He learned a lot while having a full meal.
And I'm pretty certain he enjoyed every moment.


JUST EAT IT!

I really have to give him credit for grabbing the bull by the horns and trying stuff. Many people are not nearly so brave.
The other day someone asked me for a good place to eat in Chinatown, then rejected every restaurant I offered for their consideration. Which did not surprise me, because often people think that the best Chinese food must surely be available somewhere in C'town, possibly a closely guarded secret.
Wouldn't a neighborhood that's overwhelmingly Chinese contain the finest delicacies?

No. It wouldn't.

There are indeed the finest ingredients for sale, and the greatest variety.
But the prepared food places cater primarily to people who live there. So most restaurants serve everyday food, regular items, nothing particularly fancy.
Yes, you can find sharkfin and birdsnest, as well as seacucumber and other fancy things, but only at a few restaurants, and you might have to order days in advance.
Most Chinatown people will look for convenience and familiar dishes.
They'll cook the good stuff at home for special occasions.
Such things aren't normal restaurant offerings.

And in any case, money is a serious issue for a lot of them, because Chinatown is a half-way house for people who are still working their way into the English language and have not yet attained a middle-class life-style.
So the restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries, and soup kitchens have decent food but nothing fancy, at affordable prices, for normal working people.


Still, if what you really want is stuff that the locals like, there are a few places to recommend.


New Fortune Dim Sum & Coffee Shop
815 Stockton Street, between Clay and Sacramento.
San Francisco, CA 94108
Telephone: 415-399-1511
富祥點心
[Fu Cheung Dim Sum: "abundant auspiciousness touch-heart"]

Right opposite Wonkow Food Products.
[環球海味食品公司 Wonkow Hoimei Sikpaan Kongsi: "worldwide sea-tastes food products company"]

Very good chicken buns, and their cheung fun is often exceptional - though tell the auntie not to pour the soy-sauce pot-liquor all over it, it's fine without. Both of the women who are most often behind the counter are our kind of people. One of them has a pleasant round face which betrays that she has a sense of humour and a keen interest in life. The other speaks excellent city Cantonese.
The charsiu so-peng, when fresh, are extremely good, but you have to hit it just right.
They also do fried rice of mixed flavours, and braised vegetables, as well as rice soup.


New Regent Café
638 Pacific Avenue, between Grant and Kearny
San Francisco, CA 94133.
Telephone: 415-392-6688
新麗晶西餐廳
[San Laitsing Sai Tsaan Teng: "new beautiful crystal western dining hall"]
港式西餐
[Gong sik sai tsaan: "harbour style western dining"]

Opposite Ping Yuen Housing East.
[東平園 Tung Ping Yuen: "east peace garden"]

Hong Kong style western food, good for breakfast, very good milk tea. Likely to scare super-westernized people, and white folks might not like it at all.
That, by itself, counts as a stellar recommendation.
It's an all-day diner. If you like diners, and you like Chinese food, and you like a bustling cheerful racket, you'll love this place. If you're a food snob or neurotically fastidious, you won't. But really, that's okay. We shan't miss you.


ABC Café Restaurant
650 Jackson Street, between Grant and Kearny
San Francisco, CA 94133.
Telephone: 415-981-0685
ABC大餐廳
[Ei Bi Si Taai Tsaan Teng: "ABC great dining hall"]

Facing the Great Eastern Restaurant.
[迎賓閣 Ying Pan Gok: "welcome honoured-guest pavilion"]

Chinese-American and Hong Kong altogether. Damned good milk tea, and good Chinese style buns of various types. An eclectic mix of Cantonese American dishes, Hong Kong western style restaurant dishes, and old-style Chinatown diner food. The interesting drinks are better than some of the food. It has good days and worse days, as do the staff. But it's the kind of place you used to go to when you lived nearby, and it still has that down-home feel. Their jook hits the spot, but for everything else, well, you may be risking it.
Even so, you probably can't beat the price, and if you know what you want, this is it.
They also produce the usual C'town baked goods, some of which are very good indeed.


Yummy Bakery & Cafe
607 Jackson Street, between Grant and Kearney
San Francisco, CA 94133.
415-989-8388
人仁
[Yan Yam: "humane benevolence"]
西餅麵包
[Sai Bing Min Bau: "western pastry wheat bread"]

Some extraordinary Chinese / Cantonese / Hong Kong style baked products, including probably the very best baked charsiu bao in the city. Three tables, of which one has the paperwork and proprietor's files stacked on it, so actually just two tables. Which is perfect if you wanted a nice quiet place for your white boy-friend to learn about stuff your people eat. He'll be pleasantly surprised, neither one of you will be disturbed, and you're not likely to be interrupted by your cousins or aunties and uncles, or even any of the home-town neighbors. Perfect for a discrete cup of coffee with a pal.
Clean and sweet. You could spend all afternoon here.


A-1 Restaurant
779 Clay Street, just below Grant
San Francisco, CA 94108
415-398-7918
華記小館
[Wah-Kee Siu Kwun: "elegance rising small establishment"]

Tablecloths, very clean, and friendly efficient service. The perfect place to take your boyfriend for exposure to your background and your food-culture. Nothing frightening, but it's all stuff that you know and he should learn. Small and not likely to get crowded, and the prices are low enough that it won't put you out much. Real Chinese food, but also a few things that white people like. Probably the best place for a quiet romantic meal, even if he doesn't know what he's eating.


Joy Hing Barbecue Noodle House
943 Stockton Street, between Clay and Washington
San Francisco, CA 94108.
再興黄毛雞粉
[Tzoi Hing Wong Mo Kai Fan: "again flourishing yellow fuzz chicken noodle"]

The menu is extensive enough that you can easily get lost, but what they really do well here is chicken-noodle soup, in the style of Northern Vietnam, but also very Chinese. Fresh chicken, good stock, thick rice-stick noodles, with fresh herbs. The chicken they use is a little tougher than normal birds, but a lot more flavourful. There are also several other choices on the menu, including many things that appeal primarily to non-Chinese, but exercising common sense and telling your companion to let you do all the ordering will prevent discord.
The staff is quiet, discrete, considerate. And they've seen enough diversity come through the door that their eyes no longer bug out at mixed race couples.


Gourmet Delight Barbecue
1045 Stockton Street, between Jackson and Washington
San Francisco, CA 94108.
新凱豐燒臘店
[San Hoi Fung Siu Lahp Diem: "new triumph surfeit roast meats shop"]

If not the best roast duck in Chinatown, very darn close. Buy it to go, then bury your face in it when you get home. Yes, they have other things, including squab, white poached chicken, and roast pork. All the usual siu-mei stuff.
But their duck is the bomb.
If the young gentleman courting you does not eat duck - let's say he's a vegan - you have made a mistake, and should probably consider dating a carnivore instead. Because this duck proves that vegans are limp pasty-faced wussies with no spunk and no zest for life.
Do not eat here, but take it home, and spread newspapers on the kitchen table.


For an overview of other establishments on Stockton Street, click here: 市德頓街.

For a selection of bakeries, this link: 'bing things'.


My personal choices are Joy Hing, because their quality and preparation is extremely impressive, and also most especially the A-1 on Clay Street, because at some point I would love to bring some nice young lady there. Tablecloths, small, good, and very nice.
I also like several other restaurants, because of dishes on the menu, but they tend to be bustlingly busy, and more suitable to a meeting with the relatives.
So not quite right for a comfortable private dinner and quiet togetherness.



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