Good Eats Around the World

Thursday, October 06, 2005

今井屋 Imaiya - Tokyo, Japan

And this restaurant, too. They are all about range chicken. (究極の地鶏)

http://www.imaiya.co.jp/omise/omise.html

小岩井フレミナール Koiwai Freminar - Tokyo, Japan

This is a restaurant I have not been to but would like to check out next time I am in Tokyo.

http://www.koiwai.co.jp/restaurant/freminar/

Sunday, October 02, 2005

Hawthorne Lane - San Francisco, CA

So, I held a party of 40 at this restaurant on 9/23 and the food and service was wonderful.

The restaurant decor and lighting is very soft and romantic. It's most suitable for newly weds and couples to have their anniversary dinner. It's not cheap and the menu changes seasonally.

They have a good wine selection and dinner menu. Both their lamb and beef were wonderfully cooked.
Valet parking is $10.00 but there are plenty of street parking after 6pm and it's free.

Definitely worth trying it once!

http://www.hawthornelane.com/

Postrio - San Francisco, CA

I finally went to this restaurant for dinner in May this year. It's a pretty good California-French restaurant. The atmosphere is good. The food is decent. The price is not cheap. But it's a good place to take your worthy friends when they come visit San Francisco. Parking could be challenging though. Reservation is a must, but you can still get a table on a weeknight for an earlier dinning time by phone reservation with just 1 day in advance.

http://www.postrio.com/

Tuesday, June 28, 2005

Albany Bistro - Albany/Berkeley, CA

This cozy bistro along the famous Solano Ave in Albany is great! Lots of regulars start pouring in even on a Sunday evening. You will see many visitors (with cameras and backpacks) coming in as well.

The Seafood Bisque and the Rack of Lamb are must try. Desserts are very good, too!! The service is good and friendly and you will definitely love it!

Monday, May 16, 2005

美濃吉- Kyoto, Japan

此店在京都小巷之中,店內庭院深深,正式日本庭園格局,有假山有小池,正是進用懷石宴的好地方。
美濃吉的懷石宴,分龜、鶴、松、竹四款,最貴二萬日圓,而最廉的竹亦要九千日圓。

梅林 Bairinn - Ginza, Japan

Crave for good Tonkatsu? Visit this place:

銀座梅林

Monday, April 25, 2005

Brothers - San Francisco, CA

Brothers Korean BBQ, there are 2 of them in within 2 blocks on the same street. One is always more crowded than the other. I can never remember which one is the crowded one and have to drive pass both to see which one.

Our team at work will be having our off-site lunch there and I need to call to see if they take reservations. I am not usually the restaurant reservation making person. I am the Technical Lead, to be exact (but who cares?), but since I am the only one who lived in SF for 5 years so I guess I have become the SF eating guide for them.

Anyways, here is their address and phone number. They could get a little bit expensive.

Brothers Restaurant
4128 Geary Blvd (Between 5th and 6th)
San Francisco, CA 94118

Tel: (415) 387-7991

They do take reservations.

Saturday, March 19, 2005

Aki - Vancouver downtown, BC, Canada

Aki is one of the good sushi restaurants on my list in Vancouver.

Aki Restaurant
745 Thurlow Street, between Robson and Alberni
Vancouver, BC, Canada
604 682-4032

Hapa Izakaya - Vancouver, B.C. Canada

Hapa Izakaya is a fun and trendy place to eat and hang out with your friends all coming back from different parts of the world to Vancouver. There is always a young and beautiful crowd gathered outside starting around 6pm creating a false sense that it's the hottest club in town. Their robata items are small but delicious and can get expensive when you try more than a few of them.

Here is some background of Hapa that I found on the web.

Hapa Izakaya
1479 Robson Street
Vancouver BC, Canada
604-689-4272

Hours
Sun-Thurs 5:30pm-midnight;
Fri-Sat 5:30pm-1am

Tuesday, March 15, 2005

Luk Yu Tea House - Central, Hong Kong

You can spend a lot or a little eating out in Hong Kong. If you don't mind eating with the richest old money in Hong Kong and have bad service, I suggest going to Luk Yu Tea House for Dim Sum. Don't be fooled by the name. It not your pearl milk tea place you see in US. This one has a long history behind with tables seated by the same family for generations and no one else. You don't know how much is their dim sum because the price is not shown assuming you are the regulars and no prices need to be listed.

I have only been there once in my whole life with my dad. We saw a few famous old money there but did not care just like the waiter did not care about us much. The tea, I was told, was worth the weight of gold andthe dim sum were exquisitely made. But I still think it's overpriced. I guess you are paying to eat within the rich and famous which for me does not worth much.

Luk Yu Tea House
24-26 Stanley St
Central, Central District
2523 5464
Hours: 7am - 10pm

Yucca De Lac Restaurant - Sha Tin, Hong Kong

This restaurant was the fanciest and most romantic restaurant in Hong Kong back in the late '60s. So many Chinese black and white movies were shot there. Only the rich and famous people in that colonial Hong Kong era could eat there. Not because of its expensive price alone but also because of its location. It's in Sha Tin and up the hill. If you don't own a car, you have to go there by taxi which the average people would not bother unless they plan to propose to someone there. :-) My older sister and I used to quickly finish our plates and start running around the open terrace, garden setting restaurant and peek at couples from the dim candlelight while they are trying to be romantic. I still vividly remember those days!!

Roast Pigeon and spring rolls were their specialty. I have not been there for soooooooo long that I wonder if they still hold that prestigious image. I would be interested to go there for dinner again.

*BTW, I wasn't born until the '70s. :-)

YUCCA DE LAC RESTAURANT
雍雅山房
Ma Liu Shui, Sha Tin
沙田馬料水
2691-1630