Author Archives


7
Oct 09

SF Brunch – Stacks in Hayes Valley

by Kirk K

Looking for another nice brunch spot in San Francisco?

Try Stacks in Hayes Valley at the corner of Hayes and Octavia.  This brunch spot is packed during the weekends, but well worth it.  Stacks opens at 7am and closes at 3:30pm, so their focus is breakfast and lunch.

The first time I went there, I was amazed at the size of their menu.  The menu options are endless with omelets, crepes, scrambles, pancakes, waffles, skillets, fritattas, benedicts, french toast, steak and eggs, whatever you want pretty much.  I’m only mentioning the breakfast side of things since I’ve only tried the breakfast.  Their lunch menu is just as full with variety.

With such a large selection, the real fun comes in deciding what to order.  I usually look around to see what the most popular item is but that didn’t help this time.  Everyone had different food on their plate and everyone looked like they were enjoying it.  After much deliberation, we ordered a Chicken Apple Sausage omelet, 2 stack of plain pancakes, a side of ham, and a bananarama smoothie.

The drink came out in a few minutes after ordering which was a pleasant surprise as the restaurant looked busy.  And about another 5 minutes later the food came.  Wow!  The food came out quick.  The omelet was great, the egg wasn’t oily at all, and not too cheesy.  The pancakes were soft, maybe too soft for some people as it crumbles in your mouth.  The side of ham was a huge thick slice and tasted great.

During our meal, the waiter stopped by a few times, re-filled our water, and asked how our meal was going.  He even knew when to drop off the bill at the right time without interruption or having to wait.  I was very impressed with the service and showed that through the larger tip.

Overall, food, service and ambiance is great.  This restaurant is one of the few restaurants which can accommodate larger parties.  I highly recommend Stacks in San Francisco for brunch with a large group of friends.  You won’t be disappointed.

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15
Sep 09

Mom’s Tofu House – South San Francisco

by Kirk K

Since we were heading to SFO to pick-up a friend and hungry for korean food, we went to try out Mom’s Tofu House on the way back.  This Korean restaurant can be found in downtown South San Francisco.  The restaurant is actually on a side street and doesn’t face the main street – Grand Avenue.  We drove right past not knowing that since the address is Grand Ave.  The restaurant is small, about only 8 square tables, but they can be combined for larger groups.  I hear its a crowded lunch spot especially for the Genetech employees.

We just made it before 9pm, the listed closing time on a Monday, but they actually stayed open a little longer, up until 9:20.  Now onto the food.

The two main attractions to were

1. Self serve ban chan – about 8 different side dish choices, that you can keep refilling yourself!

2. Affordability – Most of the dishes are cheaper than the usual Korean restaurant, the soft tofu soup is $8.  They have stone bowl bim bim bap, fried chicken, usual stews and meats.

We had four people and tried: soon dubu, bimbimbap, fried chicken (1/2 w/ house special sauce), and kimchi bimbimbap.  All of them were good.

Overall, the food quality and portion was good for its price.  Nothing great or outstanding, but I can’t expect much for Korean in downtown South SF.  If I ever have a hunger for Korean food on the way to the airport, I’ll be stopping by Mom’s Tofu House again.

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5
Sep 09

Mi Piace Pasadena Review

by Kirk K

Mi Piace, located at the heart of Old Town Pasadena, is one of my favorite Italian restaurants in southern California. Food is excellent, service is fast, and portions are appropriately sized for a light dinner, with room for dessert.

We were at Mi Piaci earlier this week and had some great pasta; unlike some other restaurants, the amount of sauce here was perfect, neither too little nor too much. The wine selection was decent, and not too expensive; we found a 1/2 bottle Pinot Noir for $20.

Whatever you order – pasta, rustic pizza, seafood – make absolutely sure to end any meal at Mi Piaci with one of their freshly made desserts. We ended the evening with tiramisu and double chocolate cake. If you ever visit or are around Pasadena, California, we highly recommend Mi Piaci as a Italian dining spot or late night dessert crave.

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