Noah "Photo-Nerd" B.'s Profile

The first time we ate there, we had the dim sum.  It was wonderful!

So, we went back on Sunday evening for their regular menu.  We had a fish/pork hot pot, a mushroom/bok choy dish, and a cold chicken with ginger sauce dish.

The fish/pork dish was too greasy, and the fish was deep fried.  Really not good.

The cold chicken was good (it's supposed to be cold). Not as good as San Francisco, but good.

The mushroom / bok choy dish tasted good.

So why one star?  We took home leftovers.  My wife ate some Monday.  Tuesday, when she got half way down in the mushroom/bok choy dish, when she found a fully cooked roach!  Yes, a roach!  We even compared it to Google images.  It's been verified - a roach in the food!

Now, I realize that in downtown restaurants of all kinds, there will be rodents and yes even roaches.  However, not in the food!

EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

This place is clean, Clean, CLEAN!

Nice menu, friendly staff, and A rated food.  It is Americanized though.  I am used to eating Pho with tripe, tendon, and raw beef.  This place doesn't sell that because of their clientele.  I spoke with the  waiter about it.

However, I had a noodle, tofu, peanut sauce dish and it was excellent, fresh, reasonably priced, and the service was fast.

I would definitely go there again.

Over the years, Leo the owner has handled all of our locksmithing needs - two houses, a business, and a vehicle.  On a Saturday afternoon, within one hour, he was on the scene.  He's an expert in the field and his prices are fair.

For home, business, or auto we always call Leo!

His staff has also worked on our home and business too.  His staff is fantastic as well.

Awful.  The meat tasted worse than kissing a smoker - believe me, I know through personal experience.  Honestly, it tasted as if the meat had been in a house fire.  The bone was even blackened by the fire it was cooked in.

I couldn't eat more than a few mouthfuls due to the awful flavor.  The air is terribly smokey too.  Now that I am at home, after writing this review, I will need to take a shower and change my clothes.  Imagine how you smell after being in a smokey bar all evening - thats how my clothes smell now.  Even my eyes are watering.

When I spoke to the young man at the counter and explained that I couldn't eat my lunch and I asked if that perhaps it had been a bad batch -maybe over cooked or something.  He said that's what smoked meat is supposed to taste like.

At this point he apologized, but didn't do anything to rectify the problem.  He didn't offer me something else, nor did he offer me a refund.  He was friendly about it, but still, bad customer service.

Get there early and dress warm.

We got there around 9:30 and the crowds were starting to pour in... by the time we left it was too crowded.  If I were to do it again, I would get there at dawn.

We took a city bus to get there, and it drops you off right before the bridge near the bathrooms and gift shop.  From there, the view is breathtaking.  The path to the bridge is beautiful and full of flowers.  There is a wonderful viewpoint that gives you an unobstructed view of the bridge - wonderful for pictures.  

We walked halfway across the bridge (with a toddler and a stroller - that was more than enough).  It's a little dangerous. I was so nervous that my little girl would fall through the sides of the bridge.  It would be a long shot, but you never know with kids.  At any rate, hang onto them tight.  Also, the walking path is shared by bicyclists and maintenance vehicles.  Watch out!  Both the cyclists and the maintenance vehicles will run you over, so you need to constantly look out behind you.  A bit nerve racking with a little one.  However, it's something you need to do.  After all, it's a San Francisco landmark that you came here to see.  So see it, but see it early.

Two Words: Tourist Trap!

The best thing down here are the sea lions.  If you're into shopping, this is your place.  Lot's of over priced tourist garbage.  Seriously, any of the trinkets sold here, can be purchased on just about any block at Walgreens for a fraction of the cost.

We got there around 9:30 a.m before the crowds... By the time we left around 11, the waves and flocks of people were pouring in.  

I've heard this compared to Pike Street Market in Seattle.  I have to say, that Pike Street is rich with culture, history, quality restaurants (i.e. not Bubba Gump Shrimp), local vendors, artists, etc.  Pike Street is alive, it has soul.  Pier 39, is commercialized, the soul has been sold out.

It's a cute little park in a nice area of town.

It's perfect for my 2.75 year old daughter.  She played in the sand, and on the toys.  The park is bum free, next to a beautiful church, safe, and full of people.  

There are a lot of dogs though.

I even came late at night to take some pictures, and felt relatively safe.  It is still smack dab in the middle of the city.

We were referred here by a restaurant down the street - Park Chow.  Also 5 stars, and worth going to.  See my review of Park Chow.

We dropped in, and grabbed three cookies for dessert.  I had the chocolate cookie with chocolate mint chips.  This was a real CHOCOLATE cookie.  I mean good chocolate, not just brown. I mean GOOD!  

My wife had a blueberry cornbread muffin which she loved, and my daughter had a ginger shortbread cookie.  All were pleased.

The prices were 2-3 dollars per cookie.  However, it's worth it.  You get what you pay for!

There was more flavor in my chocolate cookie than there is in an entire box of mint chocolate girl-scout cookies.

We found this place by walking down the street and Yelping it.  The service was friendly (which is unusual for San Francisco).  The portions were just right, and the flavors were excellent.

My wife and I split a large garden salad and a large portion of lasagna.  The sauce on the lasagna was the best sauce I've ever had.  We could drink that sauce by the gallon it was so good.

This is quality vs quantity.  I wish more restaurants followed this mantra.

We stayed here for 6 nights this last week.  Now the cool part was it was all paid for by work. I earned a trip to San Francisco, and this place was covered.  

They have free wifi if you sign up for the President's club (stupid, but free), a gym that while it looked impressive, I never used it.  After climbing up the neighboring hills, I didn't need a workout.  It's nearby the best part of San Francisco - China Town.

You can catch the railcar or bus nearby (we never took a cab anywhere).  There is a wonderful little park across the street.  The staff is friendly.  The cleaners do a magnificent job.  The meeting rooms are fantastic.  The banquets that were laid out were inconsistent.  The first night's banquet for our company tasted awful.  Everything just didn't taste good.  It looked good, it was fresh, but just didn't taste good at all.  

However, the final night's banquet dinner, looked wonderful, and tasted wonderful.  Perhaps it was just the menu of choice that first evening.

It's a wonderful hotel, and I would definitely stay there again if I ever went to San Francisco.