Ramen Underground

Kitty Solo
Ramen Underground
355 Kearny Street
San Francisco, CA 94108

(415)765-9909
Ramen Underground @ Financial District, SF

With so many ramen shops popping up these days, it's hard to keep up to date! However recently my friend and I came across this little spot tucked away in the financial district of San Francisco. It's a small and crampled little place, but the smells and warmth were equally as inviting.

Soy Milk Ramen

[$9]

The ramen was relatively cheap, but probably because it lacked usual toppings like seaweed or bamboo shoots that usually come with ramen in other shops. Other toppings were available as a $1 add on. One slice of very soft chashu (sliced pork) was given. The broth itself was very good, a light and savory flavor (but did not taste much soy). As for the ramen noodles, they were soft with a bit of chewiness. [4/5]

Green Tea Tiramisu

[$4]

Initially I as a little skeptical upon ordering this because I had assumed it'd just be a regular tiramisu with some green tea powder dusted on top. However to my surprise it was something of its own. There was moist green tea cake sandwiched upon layers of cream. Dusted on top was of course green tea powder (careful not to inhale!). The texture was similar to semifreddo, and this dessert wasn't too sweet at all! Just the right thing after a bowl of ramen. [5/5]

Overall Score: [4/5] Although a very simple place and tiny place, this is a nice getaway for a hot bowl of noodle soup. I much prefer this place over its pricier rival Katana-ya.

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. 

Ruth's Chris Steakhouse

Kitty and Ducky

Ruth's Chris Steakhouse

1601 Van Ness Ave

San Francisco, CA 94109

(415)673-0557

Ruth's Chris @ Pacific Heights SF

This was our last stop of the year for San Francisco's Dine About Town. Ducky saw the four $ signs on Yelp and wanted to seize the bargain opportunity. Finding parking was difficult since it was nestled in such a busy street area. However we were determined to see what the hoopla was all about with this steakhouse. I opted for the Dine About Town menu while Ducky opted for the restaurant's year round prix fixe meal (which is according to our waiter "The Dine About Town Menu on Steroids").

Dine About Town Prix Fixe: $35

Ruth's Chris Prix Fixe: $40

House Salad

Mixed greens, croutons, and grape tomatoes. They used a vinaigrette dressing which is what I much prefer over cream based dressings. There were no surprising elements here. -Kitty [3/5]

Bean and Chorizo Soup

The bean and chorizo soup was not all that spectacular.  I tried pretty hard to enjoy it, but it just didn't satisfy my expectations.  It just tasted like a simple canned soup with beans and sausage.  Nothing more needs to be said.  -Ducky [2/5]

Petite Filet Mignon

It came out molten hot yet the inside was still soft and juicy. The steak was also lathered in butter, as you can see in the above picture. Excellent crust. Overall it was a good steak but I felt that I would have been just as content with the ones I make at home or had better elsewhere. -Kitty [3.5/5]

Seared Bay Scallops

The scallops were very nicely done.  I think this was our favorite dish out of everything else that was ordered.  However, it was a very small portion.  It was essentially 5 "large" scallops with some vegetables.  Was it worth the extra 5 dollars?  Maybe, but I do not see myself ordering it again any time soon.  -Ducky [3.5/5]

Creamed Spinach

I had no idea what I was thinking when I ordered this side. With one bite though I knew it was not my cup of tea. Butter and cream was all I tasted...and maybe a hint of spinach. Don't get me wrong I am all for butter but this was too much for me. Paula Deen fans would approve. -Kitty [1/5] 

It was more cream and butter than spinach. HAHA -Ducky

Sauteed Green Beans

Buttery sauteed green beans.  It seems to me everything except the lemon at Ruth Chris is lathered with butter.  The green beans were pretty tasty and very buttery.  Butter makes everything taste good? I would have been just as happy if it was just a simple sauteed green bean with salt, pepper, and olive oil.  -Ducky [3/5]

Lemon 

We thought they were quite fancy for wrapping their lemons in this mesh wrapper. That's all. :)

Chocolate cake and Fruits with Sweet Cream Sauce

It was a very rich chocolate cake, so I was glad that it came in such a small size. The sweet cream sauce was nice but did not leave any lasting impression on me. After such a heavy dinner, being greeted with a dessert that was nearly as heavy only turned the experience into a drawn out marathon to finish my food. -Kitty [3/5]

Chocolate Cheesecake

VERY VERY VERY rich chocolate cheesecake. It took a large majority of my will power to just finish this dessert.  I do not really like cheesecake, but I wanted to give this a chance to have something different from Kitty's dessert.  The cheesecake was very rich, sweet, and mushy.  That is just a recipe for disaster for my taste buds, heh.  -Ducky [2/5]


Despite our low ratings, don't think that Ruth's Chris is a terrible restaurant! It is not at all. The atmosphere of the restaurant is very classy and service is wonderful. It's still a good place for steak whether it's for a date, celebration, or to satisfy your carnivore needs. We were just not fans of its heavier cooking style. -Kitty

At one point I felt that this restaurant should be called Ruth Chris's Butterhouse. HAHA.  I did manage to go to a different Ruth Chris, but I ordered a rib-eye steak.  It was actually a very good steak.  I guess the quality could vary depending on the steak/cut you order and maybe Dine About Town or regular dining.  Who knows?  -Ducky

Overall Score: [3.5/5]

Isa

Kitty and Ducky

Isa

3324 Steiner St

San Francisco, CA 94123

(415)567-9588

Isa @ Marina SF

We heard of this restaurant from a classmate and it was also participating in Dine About Town. Ducky and I decided to make a spontaneous trip. The restaurant is located at a nice spot with lots of neat little shops to walk around and look at things. Isa was a little unique because instead of serving both of our foods, they served us one dish at a time. What was supposed to be a 3 course meal stretched into feeling like a 6 course meal. Personally I enjoyed this style because it was a slower and more relaxed pace and gave us a chance to really enjoy the food.

Salmon Carpaccio 

[$13]

The carpaccio was pretty fresh.  The bread chips was a nice touch and added a different level of texture.  Normally, I do not like the taste of capers, but I felt the capers added a nice salty flavor.  If you like sashimi, you will probably love this.  However, keep in mind it is raw fish.  Kitty did not like this dish too much because of that fact.  -Ducky [4/5]

Steamed Prince Edward Island Mussels

[$12]

Served in a light tomato broth, the mussels were tender and fresh. It did not have any fishy or seafood taste/odor. As you can see from the picture, they are very generous in how much mussels they gave. It's a clean and simple dish recommended for any seafood lover. -Kitty [3.5/5] 

Truffle Risotto with Shiitake and Hon Shimiji Mushrooms

[$19]

This risotto was finely made. The rice was soft but not to the point of feeling like I was eating porridge. The mushrooms were divine. I really appreciated the fungi variety and each type offered a different taste. Even though this dish had no meat, it was very enjoyable. -Kitty [4/5]

Duck with Currants, Pine nuts, and Bacon served with Sherry Vinaigrette Sauce

[$22]

I love duck. Period.  This dish did not disappoint.  It offered a different variety of duck that I had never experienced before.  The duck was nicely roasted with a slightly crispy outside layer all around the duck breast.  The bacon complemented the roast duck flavor quite nicely.  The roast duck had a bit of hammy taste with it too.  This is a dish that I would not mind trying again.  -Ducky [4/5]

Semifreddo All' Amaretto

[$6]

This was a unique dessert because it had the texture of an ice cream but it was not cold at all. For some people that may be too weird of a sensation but I loved it. It wasn't too sweet and the almond flavor possessed a pleasant fragrant. -Kitty [4/5]

Grapefruit Granite

[$6]

The grapefruit granite was much like a sorbet.  It had a very strong yet crisp grapefruit flavor.  It was a nice refreshing fruit/dessert dish and I am a sucker for fruity flavored dishes! -Ducky [4/5]

We went ahead and put prices on the items we ate if it was on a normal day instead of Dine About Town. Isa also offers their own Prix Fix Meal for $30 as opposed to Dine About Town's usual prix fix for $35 which is a very good deal. Also, if you can try to get a seat in the back where the "patio" is. It's a very romantic setting that simulates an outdoor background without needing to brave the actual cold outdoors of San Francisco. -Kitty

So true, Prix Fixe for $30.  I felt a bit betrayed after I found that out.  There was little to no difference between their usual Prix Fixe and Dine About Town's selection except...$5 MORE!!!! - Ducky

On a side note: Foie Gras lovers or people like Ducky and me who want to try it once in their life! Before this delicacy becomes banned in California, Isa is a venue that offers it without being attached onto a hefty prix fix such as the foie gras offered in Gary Danko or La Folie.

Overall Score: [4/5] One of our favorites and we will surely come back for the foie gras

Chapeau!

Kitty and Ducky


Chapeau!
126 Clement St
San Francisco, CA 94118

(415)750-9787
Chapeau! @ Inner Richmond - SF

We first came here last year for San Francisco's Dine About Town Event ($35 for a 3 course prix fixe meal) and had a wonderful dining experience here. This year we return and would like to share our wonderful experience with photos.

[Chicken Pate & Chicken Mousse]

This was a complimentary chef's tasting dish. The only way I can describe this was when you take the first bite, the aroma that wafts into your mouth is a sweet durian flavor.  Yes, durian.  And then a few seconds later you'll start to get the liver/pate flavor working into your taste buds.  Despite its tiny size, I felt that it was just enough for me.  Any more would have been overwhelming. -Kitty [4/5] 

It was a nice touch that made the experience that much more enjoyable. Plus, it tasted like durian; I need not say more. -Ducky

[Escargots de Bourgone in Butter, Parsley, & Garlic]

This is probably the fourth time I've had escargot, but the second time I've had it without being served with a butter pastry bread with the escargot inside.  Chapeau's escargot is not chewy at all, but very soft.  Personally I prefer the ones with the pastry because I feel that in this style there's nothing to soak up the butter and oil that the escargot is practically swimming in. Word of warning your mouth will smell like garlic for at least a day or two.  -Kitty [3.5/5]

I still felt it was quite delicious and we could eat it with the complimentary bread! - Ducky

[Trio of Salmon]

[Gravlax, Tartare & Caviar, Egg Mimosa, Fried Capers, Creme Fraiche, and Micro Herbs with Lemon Dressing]

This was an interesting dish.  It was a salmon tartare surrounded by a large piece of gravlax, which is a kind of cured salmon.  The gravlax has a somewhat salty taste with a refreshing salmon flavor.  The capers and creme and dressing was all a very nice touch.  The capers were done in a way that was not too overpowering that I have experienced at other restaurants.  The capers provided a nice savory and tangy pickled flavor that went well with the salmon and tartare.  It is a definite try if you go to Chapeau! As the dish is raw like Japanese sashimi, I would not advise people who do not like sashimi to eat this.  Kitty had some difficulty eating any of it.  -Ducky [4/5]

[Bacon Wrapped Tenderloin with Parsnip Puree and Braised Swisschard in Apple-Calvados Sauce]

This was a tender medium rare tenderloin.  The parsnip puree has the texture of mashed potatoes but its flavor is quite sweet and goes well with the swisschards and sauce.  I recommend eating all three (four if you can fit some of the tenderloin in your mouth) in one bite and let all the flavors work together: sweet, tart, savory.  I did not particularly taste bacon but it can be seen wrapped around the tenderloin giving it's salty and crisp crust.  I expected nothing less from Chapeau! (though to be honest I liked Ducky's skate wing dish more) -Kitty [4/5]

[Skate Wing in Brown Butter with Fingerling Potato, Sauce Grenobloise, and Mache]

When I ordered this, I had no idea what a skate was.  I thought it was a type of eel, but, after a quick Googling on Kitty's Iphone, I discovered that it is a halibut-like fish.  Everything on this dish was delicious.  The skate flesh itself was very buttery with no fishy taste to it at all.  Kitty loved it and so did I.  The sauce was a very savory yet a bit sweet and the fingerling potatoes just soaked it all up.  I had never eaten mache before and can only describe it as a cross between bokchoy and celery.  -Ducky [4/5]

[Nuage de Noix]

[Roasted pistachios, Almonds and Hazelnuts in a Frozen Chantilly and Italian Meringue]

This dessert was excellent!  It's served chilled and its texture is a cross between soft ice cream and mousse.  It was very light and did not have a too sweet taste.  Every bite you'll get a pleasant crunch from the nuts that are embedded in this dessert.  You can't see too clearly from the photos but this dessert was surrounded by mandarin oranges swimming in a slightly alcoholic syrup. I really recommend this dessert over the other desserts (aka profiterole or creme brulee) since you won't find this in many other places.  I imagine the Nuage de Noix to go very well with coffee also.  -Kitty [5/5]

[Tahitienne Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee]

I have never tried a real creme brulee before, so I chose it as my dessert. Let me just say this dish is not for those who do not like sweet creamy things.  I generally do not like sweet creamy things.  I don't like pudding  and I do not like overly creamy cakes.  Creme brulee is essentially pudding under a crispy layer of caramelized sugar.  Not something I would personally get again.  I'm not saying it was disgusting, but it doesn't satisfy my taste buds.  If you like sweet puddings, you would love this.  I don't, so I didn't.  -Ducky [1/5]

For someone who does appreciate creme bruelee, I thought it was well made.  The torched sugar on top was not too burnt to leave a bitter after taste like most creme brulees do.  It definitely took the weight off of the sweet cream.  Creme brulee fans, I definitely recommend this :) - Kitty

A final note about Chapeau! Receipts/bill is given to customers in a hat which I think is very cute.  They do this because Chapeau! is a play on the French word for hat, but with an exclamation mark it means "wow".  The chef is very personable.  He likes to walk around his restaurant and shake everyone's hands and thank them for eating at his restaurant.  This puts a face to the restaurant and really gives Chapeau! a more family feel.  A word of warning for the ladies; as you walk towards the door to leave, the chef may hug or European style cheek kiss you! We knew about this because this was not our first time here.  We tried to make a break for the door while he was occupied, but we could not escape, LOL.  Aside from that, our dining experience was very good.  It is currently one of my favorite restaurants to eat at in SF. -Ducky [4/5]

Sociale

Kitty and Ducky

Sociale

3665 Sacramento St

San Francisco, CA 94118

(415)921-3200

Sociale @ Laurel Heights - SF

Sociale is an Italian restaurant. Situated between Locust

St and Spruce St, it is actually located after you walk through an alleyway. While driving this restaurant can be easily missed. However once you find said alleyway, at the end you'll be greeted with a quaint and romantic scenery. We came armed with a $50 for 3 Course Dinner for 2.

Fried Olives

[$9]

I like olives and I like deep fried foods therefore this combination caught my attention. But wait, it doesn't stop there, the olives were stuffed with cheese (Fontina to be exact), making it even more excellent. Forewarning though, consume these delicacies in small bites because the olives they used were pickled so it was intensely salty. -Kitty [3.5/5]

Pappardelle With Braised Duck

[$19]

It's like this restaurant is psychic or something. I love duck and I LOVE pappardelle pasta, so no questions asked I chose this. It was served with peas, truffle oil, porcini mushrooms, and parmesan cheese. Hands down a must try dish! The sauce did not overpower the duck but instead complemented it. And speaking of duck, it was very tender, making each bite incredibly satisfying.

-Kitty [5/5]

Persimmon Bread Pudding

[$8]

Even at the very end Sociale impressed me with its selection of desserts. I chose the persimmon bread pudding served with vanilla ice cream. What really appealed to me were two things: 1) the bread pudding was not mushy and 2) how well they brought out the persimmon flavor! I also highly recommend this. It's not too sweet and it's not too heavy. -Kitty [5/5]

Crab Timbale

[$13]

The crab timbale was quite flavorful. They used real crab meat with a bit of sweet sauce that really brought out the sweetness of the crab meat itself. If you don't like cold foods (like Kitty), I would avoid getting this dish. The dish is served cool, which I liked, but Kitty did not so much.

-Ducky [4/5]

Wagyu Bavette

[$32]

I got greedy and tried to maximize my value of the bloomspot coupon. I chose the wagyu steak with fries. Ehh... Not really something I would consider trying again. I don't know if its because I am really picky with my steaks, but I felt the steak was too chewy. I thought it was Wagyu? Isn't Wagyu supposed to be tender? Well, it was a flank cut as well. The fries were just salty garlicky fries, nothing too special, but came with two sauces. One was a sweet sauce and I was not too sure what the other was.

-Ducky [3/5]

Goat Cheese Cheesecake with Meyer Lemon Curd

[$8]

I'm not really a fan of heavy creamy desserts in the first place, so I am a bit bias against the cheesecake. Again, I was trying to maximize value and I have to say that value does not always equal "best deliciousness". Everyone has their own preferences. I just wanted to try this just for the sake of trying it. It was a bit too sweet and rich for my sensitive palette.

-Ducky [2/5]

We enjoyed Sociale very much. Even without a Bloomspot coupon we would come back. The quality and taste of their food justifies their price (which are not unreasonable in the first place).

THE BEST PART of Sociale is the service. We asked the waitress whether the Wagyu was supposed to be so chewy. She offered several times to change our dish for something I liked better. That is a super plus in my book :). I chose not to exchange my dish because I knew they were going to toss it. I am adamant against wasting food even if I don't like it too much.

-DUCKY

Samovar Tea Lounge

Kitty and Ducky

Samovar Tea Lounge

498 Sanchez Street

San Francisco, CA 94114

(415)626-4700

Samovar @ Mission-Castro SF

We are a fan of the tea room experience and over time more tea parlors have started opening up in the Bay Area. Tea rooms aren't for everyone though, especially for those who are looking for maximum quantity per dollar. Usually tea sets run on average about $22 per person (before tax and tip). So what makes this appealing? For us, we enjoy the relaxing atmosphere, bottomless pots of delicious tea, and a variety of delicious finger foods.

Although Samovar is a tea room, it is not similar to its siblings Lovejoy and Crown and Crumpet. It has a more international and hipster feel. Instead of offering the usual High Tea Service it offers tea sets with Indian, Japanese, or Russian themes. Armed with a $25 for $50 Groupon, Ducky and I decided to see what all the hoopla about this place was.

Paleolithic Tea Service

[$19]

My set included:

• Steamed kale, carrots, and beets
• Smoked duck
• Tangy sesame dressing
• Normally this set comes with Houjicha Japanese green tea, but I opted for the Golden Phoenix oolong tea.

The duck was delicious. It was a tad jerky like but I suspect that it's the result from smoking. None the less it was well prepared. The sesame dressing was also a nice touch to the salad, adding a salty and sour blend to the sweet root vegetables. The tea had a light and fragrant flavor, but I am no tea expert, so I simply enjoyed.

Overall I was a little disappointed with this tea set. Carrots, beets, and kale can be bought at a very cheap price even if they were grown organically, so I felt a bit miffed that something like this would cost $19. The only item I could see that would be remotely costly was the smoked duck...but not enough to make up for this pricey set. -Kitty

[2/5]

English Service

[$22]

My set included:

• Salad
• Quiche
• Scone
• Fruit
• Tea: Earl Grey

The English tea service was acceptable, but only because of the quiche and the scone. There is just something special about tiny tea sandwiches that come with traditional English tea. Unfortunately, Samovar wanted to go a different route and just do a salad, quiche, scone and fruit. Although the quiche and scones were delicious and filling, I want my TEA SANDWICHES! :). The tea itself was pretty refreshing with a slight bitter taste to it that is common to all black teas. -Ducky

[3/5]

Curry Egg Salad with Sliced Fuji Apple

[$11]

Whoever though of mixing the taste of curry and egg salad sandwiches was ingenious. Samovar took it a step further and added bite size slices of Fuji apple, making it a very wholesome and satisfying flavor. We strongly recommend getting this.

[5/5]

Overall Samovar is a nice tea lounge, but we felt it was a tad too "hipster" to us. We can see the appeal it has with many of its fans but we wouldn't come again without a Groupon. We felt that it appeals to the more hip and trendy youngsters with all the zen buddhist atmosphere, which is good, but that also means the price is increased for a "unique experience".

SF - King of Thai Noodle House No. 2

FIRST POST! YAY!YAY!

Ducky Solo.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/king-of-thai-noodle-house-no-2-san-francisco

Location: King of Thai Noodle House #2 in San Francisco

This is the newer location for the San Francisco mini-chain.

I ordered the Thai coffee. It was a bit too sweet, but it is the very standard sweet coffee drink. I think they put a bit too much condensed milk into it and I could barely taste any coffee. However, the sweetness of the drink helped to neutralize the spicyness of the curry a bit.

Rating: 3/5

My entree was the duck with lychee red curry. It was a spicy and milky curry. It was quite creamy and a bit sweet with the lychee. I felt that the roast duck and the sweetness of the lychee complimented each other quite well. There was also some basil leaves and some other vegetables in the curry, tomatoes.

Rating: 4/5