Tara "Tarayaki" C.'s Profile

I may be the only customer to suffer a crab-related injury here.  I just get SO DAMN EXCITED!  Anyway, it's too bad that other people didn't enjoy this place as much as I did, but some also seem to have unreasonable expectations.  For $17.99, I thought the food was quite fresh, the variety was vast, and the service was more than adequate.  No, it's not strictly Japanese food, but the food they have is FUN.  I had to divide the entire place into 4 or 5 trips before I made it all the way around (blame my OCD, anti-foods-touching thing).  So much food!  I'll just list some things I tried and my impressions:
BBQ Spareribs- Meaty, and flavorful
Baked Scallop- tasty!
Garlic Baked Oysters- yummy, lots of garlic
Prime Rib- rare, w/ delicious crust like my grandma makes. I just wanted horseradish!
Peking Duck- YES PLEASE!  Served in moon buns with hoisin....
Fruits- fresh and sweet.  Sure, let's go play in the chocolate fountain as well!
Sushi- liked the Spider Roll best, but others were quite good as well.  Seemed fresh!

*Snow Crab Legs- probably my fave.  Unlike other buffets I have tried, the meat was fresh, moist, and sweet.  I was having a great time, until I literally stabbed my thumb while being overzealous with a crab shell.  =(  Buzz kill.  I learned late- if you want a cracker, you have to ask for it.  Still, a little bloodshed was worth it.

Some cons/negative points-
Chawan Mushi (egg custard) was just awful.
Shark Fin Soup tasted totally nondescript.
Scary dude at ice cream bar.  If you have a medical mask on, please don't mad-dog me.  And figure out what "a little" means, for the love of god!
Loudest bathrooms ever.  

So overall, this was a fun place and the good food far outweighed the bad.  You will easily be full for the rest of the day if you go for lunch.  Apparently, they don't have the full spread during lunch on weekdays (when it's $10.99), but weekend lunch rocked!  Bottom line- I like variety, the price is decent, and nobody in my party died.  Good enough for me!

CHRIST ON A FLAMING BIKE!  These nitwits have cars listed on eBay Motors as well as their own website.  See something you like?  Get excited- 'CAUSE THEY DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE THAT CAR.  These morons can't even keep their own website up to date.  I called to inquire about a car I was seriously interested in, and they couldn't find it in the inventory, so the stupid woman (who I could barely understand) "assumed" it had been sold.  Flabbergasted, I asked why it was still on both the website AND eBay.  I was informed that it can take UP TO 72 HOURS for them to update/remove listings.  WTF.  I called again the next day, ducked the retard receptionist woman from the first time, and demanded a manager.  Was connected to a voicemail- sigh.  Left a message, and was called back by a completely different person.  At least she spoke clear English.  Now I find out that THREE cars I could see online at that very moment were no longer available.  At least this woman promised to bring the issue up with her managers.  Thanks a lot.  I really wanted that car you ADVERTISED, you assholes.  I reported them to eBay for WASTING MY GODDAMN TIME and getting my hopes up.  I hope many lemon cars explode in your dealership.  At the same time.

For anyone needing a gorgeous, clean, and affordable kitchen/craft venue, Tanaka Academy is at the top of the list.  It is a little hard to find, on the 4th floor of the Citibank building, but the amenities and space are impressive.  I helped supervise a sushi-rolling event through my company here, and it was a complete hit!  We had more than enough space, dishware, and other miscellaneous supplies.  Prices are VERY reasonable for what is basically a commercial kitchen, with several stainless steel work tables, 3-4 prep side tables, 3 deep stainless steel sinks, and 3 new gas range/stove combinations.  That's just in the main classroom area too.  Tanaka Academy is a well-established cooking school chain in Japan and I'm sure their younger, US branch is on its way to doing just as well.  For info on renting the space, etc., contact Keiko, who manages the venue.  She is a sweetheart and is always happy to answer questions, work on pricing, etc.  Arigato, Tanaka Academy!

LOVE the food and the prices here!  I know someone who is obsessed, and I myself am a huge fan.  I especially love the taquitos, with the generous amounts of meat and the Mexican crema and cheese on top.  I went in a week or two ago and one of the specials was a Seafood Soup.  Of course, had to get it!  It had mussels, scallops, bay scallops, shrimps, and chunks of fish, in a red, slightly spicy hell broth.  YUM!  It came with tortillas and I requested flour tortillas, since I prefer those over corn.  Wow- my grandma makes amazing flour tortillas (complete with lard, thank you very much) and I have never found any tortillas that have come close to hers.  UNTIL NOW.  Los Anaya made delicious, authentic-tasting flour tortillas, and I'm sure the corn version is just as good.  The staff is very friendly and helpful- when I asked, they said they will soon be offering champurrado- my fave!  Anyway, great place and I know I will be a frequent customer.  Thanks!

Melt your stress away...  You're in good hands with Lucy, literally.  I have had a few massages in my life, in several styles and settings, but I'd have to say her private studio is by far the most charming and relaxing, and Lucy knows her stuff.  She can explain the different styles and techniques of massage and pinpoint exactly what style works best for you.  I am, unfortunately, a bit of a wuss and I enjoy the soft touch, so I told Lucy that from the start.  She asked me lots of other questions, like if I grind my teeth (coming from a dental background, I can see the significance of that question), how I handle stress, my sleep habits, etc..  Then she took all the info and gave me a personalized, very relaxing massage, tailored to my level of pressure and comfort.  I had been interested in acupressure in the past, so Lucy also explained that style and demonstrated the techniques for me.  It was soooo nice.  I can see how many of her clients drift into a blissful sleep on the massage table.  I loved the twinkly lights, the feng shui stones, and calming music.  If you are looking for a very personal, custom massage experience and a massage therapist who truly cares about her clients, Lucy can't be beat.  With all the stresses of daily life, I can't wait to go back to her for some serious relaxation and relief. Show owner comment »

NO.  I do not want to dance.  I just walked in the door less than 5 seconds ago. And dance WHERE?!?  There was literally not even room to walk, let alone bust a move.  Drinks were decent, I suppose.  Pretty space, I liked the chandeliers.  Maybe I just wasn't in the "meat market" mood that night.  We did manage to get into the upper balcony/VIP area though, so you could survey the whole scene.  Shady stuff going down openly in the restrooms.  I ended up going home with a blob of blue gum on my black leather jacket, which I did not discover until the next day.  Yuck.

What else can I add that hasn't been said already?  After a surprisingly modest wait, my friend and I grabbed our stools and shared the Combination Seafood Salad (with Louie sauce) and the Mixed Dozen Oysters.  The salad was just heaven- super fresh, sweet crab meat, lots of bay shrimp, and a handful of prawns, over a heaping bed of finely sliced iceberg lettuce.  That Louie sauce was simple, creamy goodness.  The oysters we had included a couple of my favorite, Kumamoto, some yummy Miyagi's, and sveral others.  I loved that the counter is covered with all the condiments and accoutrements you could want for your various seafoods: rice wine mignonette, jalapeno-serrano sauce, horseradish, lemon wedges, Tabasco, oyster crackers, and a big hunk of sourdough bread (yes!).  They serve the cocktail sauce to you individually, in pretty little bowls.  Get the oysters and experiment with different combinations of toppings like I did, then slurp away!  Service was excellent, as the main guy taking care of us checked in frequently, and they all moved with amazing efficiency in such a tiny space.  We were quite full by the end, but I felt I had to try some of the clam chowder so I got a cup to go (the guy was nice enough to throw in another huge chunk of bread plus a couple bags of oyster crackers).  Sadly, I thought it was just meh.  The soup was very thin, with an oily slick and I really wanted more clam pieces.  Despite the lacklauster soup performance, I had such a good experience here that I couldn't give it less than 5 stars!

Is there ANYTHING that bacon doesn't make better?  With the exception of bacon lube (http://baconlube.com/), the answer is a resounding "no"!  Again, I wandered out when I heard a yummy lunch truck was nearby.  Bacon Bacon was parked in a tiny lot, along with the 3Sum Eats truck.  There were scattered picnic tables, plus plastic lounge chairs and tiny end tables.  No line, yay!  I decided to order the Triple B Taco- pork butt, belly, bacon, momma's little peppers (which I think are peppadews), and goat cheese; the Belly sandwich- pork belly, fried egg, arugula, and caper aioli; and the special Mexican Hot Chocolate- Mexican hot cocoa, marshmallows, chocolate covered bacon bits, and cinnamon.  I received the cocoa first, so I claimed a lounge chair and table for my spot.    The cocoa was delicious, and just right in the slightly chilly shade.

When my name was called, I left my drink on the table next to my chair to hold my spot.  Got my food, returned to my seat... and no drink.  What the hell?  Stupid me, the wind must have blown it away.  Looked all around the damn lot for my white cup- nope.  I thought I might have been going crazy.  I put my food down with my Nalgene on the table, then went back to the truck.  I asked the guys if they had seen anyone run up in the MERE SECONDS I was getting my food to move/steal my drink, but they had no clue.  Luckily, a guy sitting at a picnic table nearby heard me and spoke up: "Yeah the guy from 3Sum Eats, like, made a beeline for it as soon as you got up, and threw it away.  I was wondering why he did that...?"  THANK YOU RANDOM DUDE, for corroborating my story and reaffirming my sanity.  I was pissed, but calmly explained to Bacon Bacon, who then replaced my hot chocolate.  I spent the rest of my time eye-murdering the guy at 3Sum Eats, who also seemed to very purposely avoid me.  LIVID.  
In any case, my taco was a meaty explosion in my mouth- different textures, levels of saltiness, and so generous too!  I took a couple bites of the Belly, which was fantastic but there was no way I could finish.  But as soon as I sat down, I wanted to vent my rage.  Now, I really don't care to use Twitter much, but today I made sure to raise hell @3sumeats, and praise Bacon Bacon.  The girl taking orders even came over to check on me and my SECOND cup of cocoa.  So overall, a mixed experience.  Bacon Bacon, you rock, even though you are pretty pricey.  3Sum Eats, F YOU; I was raised better than to litter and you could have used your stupid brain to see I was going to get my food and not simply leaving my cup 2/3 FULL.  You're lucky I'm not ripping you a new one in an actual review, but I am fair and I didn't actually try your food.  Just keep in mind, GUY IN BLUE SHIRT, that you were the FOOD TRUCK NAZI today and you def didn't make me want to sample your food.   Thanks Bacon Bacon, for great food!

Soup makes almost any ailment (emotional, physical, mental) feel better.  Since I love soup more than almost anyone I know and I saw this truck was within easy walking distance of me today, I headed over for some lunch.  Brrr!  The cold winds made the soup that much more rewarding.  The owner was quite nice; while I was looking over the menu, he offered to let me try some, so I asked for the Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup.  Mmm- it was the thick, tomato-based kind, with nice chunks of white meat.  I asked how he serves it and it is usually topped with tortilla chips, cheese, and cilantro, per the usual.  But I decided to get the day's soup special- Chicken Tikka Masala, small, with a Caesar side salad.  All the soups come with a hunk of sourdough bread, but the guy must have liked me so I got an extra chunk.  Yay!  I have a love affair with sourdough and, well, I am in San Francisco.  When I dove into the soup, I found lots of chunks of chicken, peas, onions, and potatoes, with that yummy Tikka Masala flavor.  The "small" seems tiny, but with that delicious, chewy bread, I was full enough that I put the salad in the fridge (as yummy as it looked).  I would happily eat here again, and the other soups definitely sounded enticing.

No pizza for me yet, but they make a damn good pork belly!  After getting into town earlier in the day, working, then a quick nap, I needed a little food and decided to explore my surroundings (SOMA).  After an uncomfortable stroll past both a homeless shelter spilling people onto the sidewalk and a busy freeway onramp, I ended up on Folsom and started perusing menus.  As soon as I read the description of the pork belly dish at Zero Zero, I was sold.  Plus, the place had such a cool vibe, pretty decor, and a selection of interesting cocktails.  The bartender, whose name was Leo I believe, was very attentive and always kept my water filled.  For a drink, I tried the Brandelli- Skyy Vodka, Mandarin, Rosemary Honey, and St. Germaine.  Delicious and the fresh rosemary sprig was a lovely touch.  The food that drew me in was the Slow Cooked Pork Belly, Roman Style Dumplings, Crispy Broccoli, Poached Egg, and Harissa.  The chef recommends that you try to eat all the components in one bite for the best experience.  Not as easy as you may think but so worth the effort; the perfectly poached egg spooged molten gold, and the pork belly was flavorful, fatty goodness.  I used every last bit of the dumplings (sort of like dense yet semi-crumbly hockey pucks) to sop up all the yolk and as rafts for the rest of the amazingly flavored ingredients.  Apparently, it was my lucky night because I also met some cool neighbors and did some networking, both foodie and work-related, with my dinner companions at the bar.  AND for checking in, I got a Zero Zero temporary tattoo- yay, I am such a sucker for promo goodies!  If I get a chance, I would love to make my way back here, especially after seeing the amazing pizza and pasta dishes being enjoyed by my neighbors.  Thanks for a great first night in town!