Visiting SF from LA

Americas - USA West San Francisco Bay Area
1

We are visiting SF from LA and would love your recommendations for reasonably priced ($10-18 max for entrees), large portion size items that are truly delicious. (basically stuff that my old Chinese grandparents would give their seal of approval if they were around).

In general, we like Asian food but it seems like the consensus is that SGV in LA is better in general. So far, I have on my list Zareen’s, Takahashi Market, and Back a Yard. Are Yamo Burmese and Dragon Beaux worth trying? I heard mixed reviews about the garlic noodles at PPQ and Thanh Long. Any other restaurants we should definitely visit?

We also are okay with 1 or 2 splurge meals for something truly unique and outstanding. State Bird Provisions worth it?

We are staying in San Carlos and have 3 small children but willing to drive. Thanks!

2

That price point is not realistic.

For inexpensive Chinese food, staying in San Carlos, your best bet is the San Mateo / Millbrae / Foster City. I recommend Easterly in Millbrae. My other favorite place went out of business. Hungry Onion’s a good source for tips on that area.

Palette Tea Garden in San Mateo is from the same people who have Dragon Beaux.

Old Mandarin Islamic on the southern side of SF for Peking-style hot pot.

I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat at Back-A-Yard. I used to drive past several times a week and once was enough.

Shalizar in Belmont, great Persian.

For Burmese (which is way more of a thing here than in LA), I suggest Burma Cafe in Daly City. Yamo is a tiny hole-in-the-wall with five? stools at a counter in a neighborhood where parking is a challenge.

750×1000 118 KB

1 Like
3

Zareen’s is decent/good but it is not something to go out of your way to eat - we live close to one of them and had a few time take out but wouldn’t send anybody visiting SF to go there.
We haven’t tried many Chinese/Asian restaurants in the SGV to be able to compare to local ones but friends who have done both pretty much only recommend Dragon Beaux (or one of their other related restaurants) as unique/better for dim sum than what you get in SGV.
Since we are living close to San Carlos be aware that traffic around that area (if you can’t take 280) can be really bad (same or even worse level than LA) if you have to drive a bit further (SF, South Bay) for restaurants you should take that into account.

1 Like
4

+1 for Palette Tea Garden. You can make reservation on line. After your meal, bring a jar of their XO sauce to go. Delicious!

5

Thanks! Have not heard of Hungry Onion before. I used to be a big Chowhound fan so good to know there are even more forums out there.

6

The reason I added Zareen’s was someone mentioned that Indian/Pakistani is better in SF compared to LA. Supposedly more depth and breadth in general. We loved Shalimar on Jones several years so was looking for something similar but safe to bring the kids.

7

Any difference between Palette Tea Garden and Dragon Beaux?

8

You’ll find the breadth and depth of Indian and Pakistani restaurants where lots of Indian and Pakistani immigrants live and work: Sunnyvale, Santa Clara. San Jose, Milpitas, Fremont, and Pleasanton. Anjappar Chettinad is great, but there’s one in Artesia.

9

Agreed - Zareen’s is nothing special for Indian/Pakistani food and you have to go to places where the “better” customer base lives for such restaurants

1 Like
10

Palette’s probably less likely to keep you waiting after your reservation time and parking’s easier and free.

Personally I prefer Yank Sing in SF. The one in Rincon Center has free parking with validation.

11

San Carlos has many destination eateries, though not in your price range.

Have you considered walking Laurel Street, restaurant row?

San Mateo also has a downtown restaurant row.

If Takahashi is one of your goals…….good luck. My family have been customers since the 50’s, not sure why it is a destination place.

12

I don’t think San Carlos has any destination restaurants in the sense that people who don’t live nearby would have heard of or go to them. Maybe for some people The Refuge.

13

Yes, not world wide destination but local places that locals frequent. Refuge is out of the OP price range.

I would like to know why Takahashi is on their list……Japanese Hawaiian…California fusion….

I paid $30 parking at Yang Sing. $50 per person.

14

Which one would you recommend in San Carlos/San Mateo (always interested in more places close by) ?

15

The stated price range seems like a fantasy. $18 for a large entree?

16

Sky Dragon, lollipop chicken.

South SF, past the National Cemetery, past See’s Candy.

1 Like
17

Moved from SF to LA about a year ago. There’s not much that’s necessarily worth going much out of your way for in SF that you can’t find in LA. Dim Sum is solid in the Bay Area. Love Yank Sing and Koi Palace. Sushi Yoshizumi is incredible and will rival, if not exceed, the best in LA. Swan Oyster Depot - haven’t been to seafood joints in LA yet, so can’t compare, but it is absolutely a local institution. Some mentioned Refuge and it is a solid gastropub - had many a good meal / beer there. And in San Carlos, I always enjoyed both Milagros (Mexican, but more TexMex) and Donato Enoteca - good food, but nothing special.

can’t speak to fine dining scene up north anymore… hope this is helpful.

18

Any difference between Palette Tea Garden and Dragon Beaux?

Food is about the same with slightly smaller menu, but much bigger place and much more parking (mall parking).

19

I didn’t know that. I have a couple of friends who live there and I’ll let them know. Thanks.

20

if you’re out in the neighborhood of Zareen’s, i think Chef Zhao Kitchen is a very solid shanghainese restaurant. great soup dumplings, special fish gluten, dong po pork, the shanghaninese style sweet and sour pork, stir-fried rice cakes - most other things on the menu are also done well, but this would be a standard restaurant in the SGV.

over on hungry onion, people are really into isarn garden. in my limited sampling, it was very good, but not doing anything you wouldn’t be able to find in LA.