Art's Cafe

Kitty and Ducky
Art's Cafe
747 Irving Street
San Francisco, CA 94122

(415)665-7440
Art's Cafe @ Sunset SF

On a cold winter weekend, brunch is in order, and what we came across was this small little diner in the Sunset district that could only fit around 10 people at a time, all hunched over at the counter whether it's for the warmth from the griddle or the food that they're eating. Run by an old Korean couple, not only does Art's Cafe serve your all American breakfast fanfare, but also a small selection of Korean food as well such as the hearty bibimbap and protein rich bulgolgi.

Spinach, Onion, Mushroom, and Sausage Hashbrown Sandwich with Two Eggs

[$7]

This really hit the spot. I love hash browns of all shapes and sizes, but the crispy ones are the ones that go straight to my heart (literally). And dipping those crispy morsels into that over easy egg? Divine cholesterol I tell you. But I digress....I think it was a very clever idea to make a hash brown sandwich. In a mouthful one can enjoy crispy carbohydrates, savory sausages, and a touch of veggies and fungi. Not to mention $7 is a steal these days... -Kitty [4.5/5]

Bibimbap Veggie Omelette with Hash

[$6.95]

This is one of the few fusion items they had on the menu.  It definitely works.  Anything savory can possibly be placed inside an omelette, so why not bibimbap ingredients?  It sounds just like you would expect.  Its an omelette filled with carrots, bean sprouts, spinach, and some other veggies.  It was a bit unusual to have a bit of cheesiness go with the bibimbap, but if you can have a cheese and spinach crepe why not a spinach+veggies omelette?  -Ducky [4/5]


Overall Score: [4/5] This is a very intimate family-run hole in the wall, but a very good hole in the wall no less. We'd get our arteries clogged here any time. 

Dan Sung Sa

Kitty and Ducky

Dan Sung Sa

2775 Telegraph Ave

Oakland, CA 94612

(510)663-5927

Whether it's the case of late night munchies or looking for a night out with good booze and food, a Korean bar always comes to my mind. What makes this place noticeable are the old Korean movie posters that are plastered all along the walls. Many of them feature slightly scandalously clad ladies and thus this venue is nicknamed Porno Palace. They are famous for their alcoholic yogurt drinks that come in a variety of fruit flavors. But tonight we're mainly here for the food....

Deep Fried Chicken Strips with Peanut Sauce

[$12]

This dish was a little different but definitely not out of the ordinary. I've always dipped by Thai satay chicken into peanut sauce before enjoying them but never had I thought to use that same concept with fried chicken. It comes in a fairly large platter that 3 to 4 people can easily share. A safe dish to order for those that are shy on the spice level. -Kitty [3/5] 

Rice Cakes with Potstickers, Glass Noodles, Ramen, and Seafood (aka Everything)

[$15]

It tastes like a bunch of stuff dumped into a pan and stir fried with some gochujang.  Definitely a with alcohol kind of dish.  Lots of starches, some egg, and lots of sweet chili sauce.  It was kind of fun to eat though.  Never know what I'm going to get until I pull it out of the plate.  Will I get again?  Probably not. -Ducky [2.5/5]

Cheese Corn

[$8]

The label and picture itself is self-explanatory. But it intrigued me what this combination would taste like and my curiosity could not let it go. At first bite I was overwhelmed by the flavors of butter and cheese hitting me left and right. Fans of Southern food would surely appreciate this combination. I eventually began to enjoy it more when I just nibbled it here and there, but the price still irked me for something and simple as cheese and corn. -Kitty [2.5/5]

Garlic Chicken Wings

[$13]

Very unique taste.  Not quite garlic and not really soy sauce.  Kind of reminds me of like garlic, soy sauce, and a hint of vinegar chicken.  Fried chicken with a light crispy exterior and moist chicken interior.  This was my favorite dish of the night.  -Ducky [3/5]

Overall Score: [3.5/5] A definite spot to hit for fatty delicious carbohydrate and protein heavy Korean junk food.  We didn't drink, but this looked like an excellent drinking/bar/establishment.

Kunjip

Kitty and Ducky
Kunjip
1066 Kiely Blvd
Santa Clara, CA 95051

(408)246-0025

Whether it's a cold winter day or a hot summer afternoon, Kunjip has been our go to home-y comfort food restaurant. It's a Korean restaurant tucked away in a plaza where it does not serve the typical bibimbaps and tofu soups that most people are used to. Their menu primarily consists of soups, cold noodles, and stewed meats. Albeit a more limited menu than the bigger restaurants around, Kunjip certainly makes it up for quality.

Bibim Naeng Myun

Cold Noodle with Assorted Vegetables, Beef, and Egg

[~$10]

Cold noodles?  Sounds weird?  Yes, so weird.  Good?  Maybe.  Is that a slice of watermelon?  Why yes sir it is.  This dish is exactly what it sounds like and looks like.  It was a cold noodle dish with gochujang (the red sweet and spicy korean sauce that is on everything), sliced up cucumber, some radishes, some other vegies, a hard boiled egg, 3 slices of beef or so, and a slice of watermelon on top.  Put all those things together and you get what this dish is.  It really just reminded me of a cold noodle salad korean style.  The watermelon can be a nice refreshing taste once the spiciness is too much.  On a side note, they offer unlimited noodle refills on this dish.  I'm not sure if its unlimited noodles, or they add more of the other stuff as well.  However, this dish was very filling.  I could barely finish it myself.  There was alot, A VERY LARGE, amount of noodles.  Very carb heavy and I don't see how anyone has room to get a free refill on the noodles.  If you like saucy, spicy noodles with cold cut veggies and pickled radishes and watermelon, then this dish will hit the spot.  I personally am not a fan of cold noodles drowning in spicy sauce, so I didn't like it too much.  But, I am a fan of trying anything at least once.  Well, not ANYTHING, but most things.  Is it something worth trying?  Yes.  Would I get it again? Maybe in 5 years.  [2/5] -Ducky

[Interrupting Note: I actually didn't like eating cold noodles until I came to Kunjip. I personally enjoyed this dish very much the more I tried it. -Kitty]

Galbi Tang

Beef Short Rib Soup with Glass Noodles

[$12.45]

This is what Kunjip is primarily known for, their Galbi Tang. It comes in a hot clear soup broth bubbling with a couple green onions, a red date, glass noodles, and incredibly fall-off-the-bone soft beef. Along with a bowl of rice and a soy sauce/vinegar based dipping sauce, this makes a very hardy meal especially during winter time. The broth was flavorful but not loaded with sodium, and eating the beef with the dipping sauce is a must! Between the slightly spicy and salty flavor from the sauce mixing with the soup released from chewing your beef, one can not help but sigh in utter bliss/comfort. [5/5] -Kitty

On a side note, although not pictured above, they have a stewed meat and potatoes dish that costs around $30. It is tremendously delicious and a good deal for 2 to 3 people to share.  It is a very hearty meat and potato stew.  It took us several days to finish it.

Overall Score: [5/5] A great place for Korean food lovers or those who want to start delving into Korean cuisine. Hardy and healthy with a family style influence, that's Kunjip.