Xiao Long Bao’s dumpling factory Strewn along Clement Street, roughly between Avenues Fourth and Tenth, are numerous Dim Sum restaurants, three of which I’ve profiled among the glowing pages of this website as a part of my Clement Street Series.  Wing Lee, Happy Garden, and Good Luck Dim Sum are all stalwarts of that

You can only pretend to enjoy boutique shopping on Atlantic Avenue (or Franklin Street or Bedford Avenue or god forbid somewhere that’s actually in Manhattan) for so long. When you’re with friends who drop $200 on a pair of “vintage” shoes (don’t they know how fast soles – not to

              La Palma Mexicatessen     There isn’t a neighborhood of any city in our union that is completely static, no urban zone where the prevailing skin tone will forever be reminiscent of elephant tusk, obsidian, or mole poblano, or where every household will

                You See Sushi   Living in S.F, you’re afforded many opportunities to sweat your balls; Russian Hill, Nob Hill, Diamond Heights, Twin Peaks; bike or run up any of these rises and, if you’re not in good enough shape, you’ll find the

OFF MENU IS SPONSORED BY EMPEROR NORTON’S BOOZELAND THE TENDERLOIN’S NEWEST HISTORIC DIVE.  HAPPY HOUR NOON – 7PM What little charm and authenticity left in the Upper Haight is barely peeking its head above the noxious, briny waves of retail commerce, the crowds of shopping tourists fresh from Union Square, and the crusty

 Canned Tuna  While most people may find canned tuna a bit repulsive and unattractive due to the obvious fact that it is a canned food, I happen to have fallen for it. It has saved my soul on various occasions. Just grab some mayo and maybe 2 slices of toast

Saigon Sandwich Only a few years ago, the Bahn Mi was a much lesser known quantity than it is today.  It’s current ubiquity in S.F is owed to a large extent, I would argue, to Saigon Sandwich.  For all I know there were Vietnamese sandwiches staring me in the face around

  Beer and soup dumplings What is it about the Shanghai soup dumpling that impels the restauranteur to affix the name “King” or “Kingdom” somewhere in the title of his establishment dispensing of said delicacy? There IS a certain regal bearing to the soup dumpling, similar, you might imagine, to