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A sure fire sign that a city is serious about Japanese food is that one block could host three sushi restaurants. On a sunny Saturday afternoon, the apparent crowd in front of Masu sparked my curiosity. As the unofficial dish of Japan , sushi is ubiquitous in Japan but restaurants like Masu serve [...]

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Crawfish has arrived to fill the void of a no frills crawfish restaurant. Claiming to be San Francisco’s first crawfish restaurant, Coco’s Crawfish in the Sunset district makes a genuine attempt to replicate this popular Southern style eatery.
Ambiance: Restaurateur Lisa Lee aims to provide great seafood and emphasizes that food is the center stage [...]

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Leave it up the Japanese with beverage innovation. Japan, well-known for their compact cars, animation, sushi, and now, kids beer. When I traveled to Tokyo, I saw thousands of salary men walking the streets of this eccentric city. They wake early in the morning, often commute three hours daily on the train, and work [...]

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Two weeks ago, I had a food tour in the East Bay. After my mini excursion to Scharffenberger, my sweet tooth addiction continued. Stumbling upon its accented pink logo, I hopped into Teacake Bake Shop. The instant I stepped foot into the door, the smell of baked goods and butter enticed me to [...]

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(pix: crab noodle soup, beef noodle soup, basil and sprouts)

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Few Vietnamese restaurants in the Bay Area have the consistent taste of Pho Pho Quoc (PPQ). For over twelve years, owner Tin Troung has created an operation that has the food more stylish than [...]

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I learned early on as a restaurant consultant that food sanitation is key. Working for Sysco, the largest food distributor in the United States, I strolled through many kitchens in the Bay Area to find filthy conditions that would ruin my appetite in a heart beat.
Key lesson: How clean the bathroom is, [...]

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Pinkberry has gained more momentum in the frozen yogurt race with funding from Maveron, a venture capital owned by Starbuck’s founder Howard Schultz. For full article, read Starbucks founder bites into Pinkberry by Boyle. The $27.5 million will help Pinkberry scale (grow) their business including possible franchising programs.
As a former marketing manager, I [...]

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Like any great food detective, snooping around leads to great new finds. After dining at Yank Sing, a high end dim sum restaurant in Rincon Center, I discovered yet another frozen yogurt. Similar to Pinkberry, the minimalist decor is refreshing. Readers who have not eaten frozen yogurt, read Lets Play Copycat: How [...]

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(pix: escargot, French onion soup,duck confit,mussel, tart)
With great anticipation, I hopped over to Chou Chou for their Dine About Town menu. After all, I had such a great experience choosing French for my birthday in January dining at Bistro LeZinc.
Ambiance. The yellow and red walls created a festive ambiance. [...]

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Last week, I went Martin Yan’s (“Yan Can Cook”) office. My job was to consult his staff about innovation for his new culinary school in China. As a food addict in middle school, I still remember opt not watching cartoons and tune to PBS. I still remember watching Yan magically perform his [...]

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Time magazine wrote a good article on menu design titled I’ll Have That Typeface on the Menu by Caplan.
Some restaurants are describing dishes with sophisticated words to achieve two goals.
1) Paint the dish as an upscale dish
2) Charge more since the description of the dish appear to take more time
In reality, simplicity is [...]

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(pictures:chocolate bars, hot chocolate, nibs, cocoa butter)
Last week, I had a hint what it felt to be Charlie from the Chocalate Factory. After a delightful tour of the Takara sake factor, my buddies and I skipped over to Scharffenberger, a premium chocolate maker. One step into the factory, I can smell the nutty [...]

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Often times, things are free require obligation or just don’t present much value. Takara, a sake manufacturer in Berkeley, is a rare exception offering the community a free take tour and tasting. I visited the factory on a weekend with a group of buddies. The tour includes a small showcase of the equipment [...]

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Chinese Deli’s are often misunderstood. At first glance, the ducks hanging upside don’t seem very appealing. Looking past the window display, Win’s restaurant serve delicious bbq spare ribs. Tender meat marries perfectly with the tangy sauce. Their poached chicken lacks flavor. I would suggest them to first brine (soak meat in [...]

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Cafe Bakery and Restaurant
1365 Noriega Street
(between 20th Ave & 21st Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94122
Open 7 days a week
Cash Only
(415) 661- 661-6136
Open Daily
11am-10pm
(Prices: $10 and up)
(search for more food photos)

Although many travelers associate Hong Kong with shopping adventures and international business, it is also the birth place of Hong Kong cuisine. Hong Kong’s past as [...]

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(In-N-Out Burger and fries)
Quality food control is paramount to any quick service restaurant. McDonald’s announced that it stopped serving sliced tomatoes in restaurants in the United States over concerns about salmonella food poisoning linked to some uncooked varieties. When I was in college, I studied Environmental Economics and Policy and learned about [...]

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