San Tung -- San Francisco, CA

San Tung is a classic San Francisco institution, attracting crowds of loyal customers on any given day of the week....their dry fried chicken wings and dumplings are the stuff of legend, and rightfully so. Located on busy Irving Street in the Inner Sunset, it may seem like your average Chinese restaurant at first glance, but the throngs of people waiting outside serves as a constant tribute to its fame and popularity.

At San Tung, THE absolute must-try dish is the original dry fried chicken wings. Found on every table (I kid you not), these chicken wings are battered and deep-fried, then doused in a delectable ginger/garlic/chili sweet sauce. For the sake of good table manners, you may initially find yourself using forks for these, but after a few bites you will be tempted to start digging in with your fingers!

The potstickers are equally scrumptious....stuffed with a seasoned pork and cabbage mixture, they are both mouthwatering and filling. For some vegetables in your meal, the garlicky dry sauteed string beans do the trick, while the honey walnut prawns provide a honey and buttery complement. Aside from the aforementioned dishes, their black bean sauce noodles and various soups are also tasty and worth a try.

Original dry fried chicken wings ($9.50)

Potstickers ($7)

Dry sauteed string beans ($8)

Honey walnut prawns ($14)

Complementary kimchi....salty and spicy, great for refreshing the palate

Brace yourself for a long wait....I once waited almost 2 hours before being seated. As with the rest of San Francisco, parking may be a slight issue....it's all street parking and unless you're lucky to score a spot in front of the restaurant (like I did once!), you may have to walk just a bit. Which may be a good thing, after all that food....

San Tung Chinese Restaurant 

1031 Irving Street

San Francisco, CA 94122

Map

415 242 0828

Mon-Tues, Thurs-Sun 11:00AM-9:30PM

Closed Wed

santungrestaurant.com

Sia Fusion Eatery -- Newark, CA

Sia is a small Korean fusion restaurant located across from NewPark Mall, sharing the same shopping plaza as Lion Market, numerous Asian eateries and boba shops. With the relative scarcity of late-night food options in the Union City/Fremont/Newark area, Sia is sure to be a welcome addition to the dining scene for all the suburban night owls out there (myself included =P).

In all honesty, I was somewhat skeptical of trying this restaurant, just as I am with any fusion place....however, Sia proved itself worthy with its tasty fare and affordable prices. It's no wonder that it's crowded with families and college kids eating and drinking the night away.

The most popular item on the menu here seems to be the Seoul burger. Reminiscent of the bulgogi burgers I've had in Korea, the Seoul burger consists of a beef patty marinated in Korean BBQ sauce, topped with slices of bulgogi beef, cheese, veggies and a fried egg. Served with some spicy gochujang sauce and french fries, it's definitely filling and flavorful.

Seoul burger ($7.99)

Messy but delicious....best tackled with a fork and knife!

Other notable fusion options are the bulgogi cheese steak sandwich and spam kimchi rolls (sounds a tad strange, but the flavors were surprisingly harmonious). In addition, Sia also offers traditional Korean fare such as bibimbap and spicy rice cake, which taste quite authentic and are suitable alternatives for those that prefer more traditional flavors. 

Bulgogi cheese steak sandwich ($7.99)

Left -- french fries (free with burgers, $2.49 separately), right -- spam kimchi roll ($3.99)

Spicy rice cake ($7.99, extra for ramyeon noodles)

As can be seen, the portions are quite generous taking into consideration the affordable prices. Although the venue size is not as generously spaced, I'd say it adds a bit to the cozy atmosphere. Sia also seems to be a good place for drinking get-togethers (it IS Korean-owned, after all)...they offer beer, as well as the usual Korean booze such as rice wine, soju and soju cocktails. Open until 2AM 7 days a week, it should most certainly be a viable choice when you've got those late night munchies and don't want to spend too much money.

Sia Fusion Eatery 

39263 Cedar Boulevard

Newark, CA 94560

Map

510 794 8852

Mon-Thu 3:00PM-2:00AM

 Fri-Sun 11:00AM-2:00AM 

Mayflower -- Union City, CA

Mayflower is a small chain of Cantonese seafood/dim sum restaurants, with locations in Union City, Milpitas and Millbrae, as well as a former branch in San Francisco's Richmond district. They serve a vast array of Cantonese dishes, including the rather pricey items so prized by Chinese diners, such as abalone, shark's fin, lobster noodles etc. During the daytime however, they are more well-known for their dim sum which, although faces increasing competition from other restaurants, still consist of those classic and consistently reliable items I've enjoyed since childhood.

The interior....bustling even on a Thursday morning!

Located not far from the Union City BART station in a busy Asian shopping plaza near Marina Market, this restaurant gets crowded quickly, even on weekdays. Weekends can see long lines of eager customers out the door. As at other dim sum places, the atmosphere is unique and fun, almost reminiscent of Hong Kong. After all, dim sum is more than just food, it's a dining experience....the bustling atmosphere of families and friends chatting away loudly, the servers shouting out the names of their different eats, the fragrant aroma of fresh jasmine tea.

Mayflower serves all the usual dim sum staples one would expect. The must-haves on any of my dim sum visits include siu mai (pork and shrimp dumplings), har gow (shrimp dumplings), char siu baau (barbecued pork buns), wu gok (fried mashed taro dumplings), daan taat (egg custard tarts), cheung fan (steamed rice noodle rolls)....the list goes on and on! Mayflower serves all of these and more....steamed gai lan (steamed Chinese broccoli in oyster sauce), fried squid, and congee (rice porridge), to name just a few....

Siu mai -- pork and shrimp dumplings ($2.90)

Har gow -- shrimp dumplings ($3.30)

Cheung fan -- steamed rice noodle rolls with shrimp ($3.30)

Wu gok -- fried mashed taro dumplings ($2.90)

Fung zao -- chicken feet....definitely an acquired taste! ($3.90)

Char siu baau -- barbecue pork buns....steamed or baked ($2.90)

Daan taat -- egg custard tarts ($2.30)

Although there are so many other similar establishments in the Bay Area (Yank Sing in SF for more "upscale", Asian Pearl in Fremont for more "modern", etc), Mayflower still remains being that classic and reliable joint that will first come to mind when I'm craving a dim sum fix with friends or family.

Mayflower Seafood Restaurant

34348 Alvarado-Niles Road

Union City, CA 94587

Map

Other branches in Milpitas and Millbrae

510 489 8386

Lunch  Mon-Fri 11:00AM-2:30PM

Sat-Sun 10:00AM-3:00PM

Dinner  Mon-Fri 5:00-9:30PM

Sat-Sun 5:00PM-10:00PM 

mayflower-seafood.com

900 Grayson -- Berkeley, CA

At first glance, 900 Grayson appears to be just another unassuming little restaurant located in a rather nondescript area of West Berkeley. Upon closer inspection, it presents itself as a surprisingly hip little brunch nook, attracting large Saturday morning crowds of Cal kids and chic locals. Their specialty is brunch and burgers, and indeed they do it well!

What seems to be the most popular item on the menu is the Demon Lover (spicy buttermilk chicken on top of a buttermilk waffle served with cream gravy). To those unfamiliar with this combination, it is absolutely scrumptious and filling. 900 Grayson's chicken is fried in a manner that retains the meat's moisture...thus, my initial fears of biting into a tough and dry piece of chicken were put to rest. Aside from this, the Tom Boy (poached eggs, potatoes, Fuji apple and corned beef hash, and white toast) was also a very pleasant dish to savor. The beef hash was meaty and flavorful, and mixed well with Fuji apple bits, with the perfectly poached eggs' runny yolk providing just the right texture. The accompanying toast was freshly prepared from the local Acme Bread Company, and served with tasty homemade fruit jam. 

We also had a side order of Idaho hashed browns and the spicy sausage, which were both welcomed additions to the meal.

Top: Demon Lover ($12), bottom: Tom Boy ($10), right: Idaho hashed browns ($3) and spicy sausage ($2)

Of course, they also serve other breakfast dishes, as well as burgers and sandwiches which looked promising. The Demon Lover and Tom Boy are definite winners though. Sadly, these items are available only until 10:45AM on the weekdays, but are served up until 2:30PM on Saturdays. When we went on a Saturday morning, there was a wait which wasn't too unbearable. The venue is a bit small and crowded....but I'd say it adds to the charming atmosphere. This place is very ideal for a hearty and energizing (although maybe not exactly the most relaxed) brunch. Believe me, it's not easy writing this review at 1 in the morning....just thinking about the food makes my mouth water!

900 Grayson 

900 Grayson Street

Berkeley, CA 94710

Map

510 704 9900 

Mon-Fri 8:00AM-3:00PM

Sat 8:00AM -2:30PM

Closed Sun

900grayson.com