You's Dim Sum, Broadway, San Francisco

It's a hot weekend in San Francisco, pretty unusual weather - global warming indeed! So, here's a short "quick bite" before we go out to enjoy the weather.

You's Dim Sum is a very simple eatery that sells...dim sum (what else? :p). Well, they do have a few tables for people to eat in but most of us have the food to go. Stacked big aluminium trays with the goodies that are being steamed IS the display counter itself. Prices here are definitely much cheaper than the usual dim sum sold in restaurants.

When I'm thinking about getting something for tea-time, I usually head on to You's Dim Sum to get my fave item. You know how it is that you somehow only eat a particular dish or food or snack from a particular eatery/restaurant? Well, all I ever take out from the place is this one and only one...

Glutinous Rice Pau ("Lo Mai Bao") at only USD0.60 each

A thin layer of skin wraps the tasty glutinous rice which has been lightly fried with bits of dried shrimps (har mai) and cilantro, and then steamed. Fans of glutinous rice will surely love this! I have not eaten something as tasty and as cheap as this elsewhere in San Francisco...at least not yet. So till that happens, I'll be coming back to You's Dim Sum for this again and again whenever I'm in San Francisco.

Do take note though, the other non-steam items here (like buns for example) are room temperature and in San Francisco's usual weather, it can be quite cold. However, for take aways, nothing that an oven or microwave can't warm up I'm sure. If you don't have one, go for the steamed items and eat it quick on the spot :o).


You's Dim Sum
675 Broadway
San Francisco, CA 94155
Tel : (415) 788-7028

Also at : -

937 Stockton St
San Francisco, CA 94108
Tel : (415) 781-6923

Caffe Greco, North Beach - San Francisco

After going for a dance party one Friday night, a few of us wanted to have coffee and cakes. I for one had no idea where to go for sure, being a visitor and didn't even think that there were still cafes opened near to midnight in San Francisco (unlike the nightlife in Kuala Lumpur!). Well, apparently if there were any establishments opened at such a time, it would be in the North Beach area...where mostly the artsy and unique stores are located.

Caffe Greco has been around since 1988. Situated in North Beach, it's one of the better known coffee places around town for their great tasting coffee, sandwiches & desserts and yes, it was still opened.

Most of the patrons preferred sitting out on the pavement area to enjoy the cold breeze while drinking coffee but not us. Being a tad cold for us, we opted to sit inside.

The entrance - Caffe Greco has two seating areas on the inside

A Day Out @ Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco

It has been a month or so since I've been in San Francisco on a holiday (with another month to go). I've been enjoying myself and some friends have even contemplated to visit me while I'm still here. There is still time :o).....As I was looking around the internet for possible accommodation for friends, I came across www.HotelsCombined.com. If you are thinking of traveling here to San Francisco or anywhere else in the world for that matter, you can check out hotel accommodations on www.HotelsCombined.com which is a simple site to navigate. One can find some great deals here as one can do a comparison of the list of hotels and choose according to popularity, distance and price!

Well, back to me as a tourist - as most would know, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is one of the most recognisable landmarks known. A trip to San Francisco would not be complete without dropping by the area for a closer look. One weekend, we parked our car some distance away and made our way on foot, with me taking photographs along the way before we reached the bridge.

Folks gathering at a nearby pier for some relaxation and/or fishing. Noticed the fin at the bottom centre of pic, not sure what sort of fish it is.

Along the way, one can hire one of these Go-Car for some sightseeing around San Francisco. I've have seen people driving around in these in busy tourist areas. I would feel a bit insecure, being in one of these while on a busy road next to bigger cars/trucks/buses!

Capital Restaurant, Guilty! - Clay Street, San Francisco

Okay, okay....sis and friends have been telling me that Capital Restaurant serves the best fried chicken wings in San Francisco. Not just any plain fried chicken wings but Fried Chicken Wings with Salt & Hot Pepper! Well, instead of just telling me, they brought me to Capital Restaurant one evening to let me try it for myself.

The place was a simple looking restaurant, one of the many Chinese restaurants that you would see in San Francisco. It was packed with diners and luckily we had a table reserved as there were 7 of us and were promptly seated upon arrival.

Of course, I let the regulars do the ordering as I sat waiting with "Great Expectations" of what was ahead for dinner. When the food arrived, they waited with bated breath to find out my verdict of the chicken wings, like awaiting a judge who is all poised to sentence with the gavel raised in hand, hahahaha....Read on to find out the verdict (we had ordered several dishes but only pics of main defendants - aka "yummy ones" are posted).

As it is when ordering dishes in Chinese restaurants here, they will serve the patrons soup which is on the house. However, I found the soup here interesting as it's more potent than those house soup that I've tried elsewhere.

Pork & Papaya soup - came steaming hot & flavourful and was a fave with us. Not just the usual run-of-the-mill "on the house" soup but one that tasted like it was those boiled for long hours.
Verdict : Guilty - sentenced to 6 months of jail time for being an accomplice.

The other dish on trial - Egg tofu with diced chicken, shrimp & scallop with peas & mushrooms.
The gravy had just the right consistency and taste but lack the egg swirls that I like when it comes to dishes like this. A crowd pleaser, it was good but it suffered palate envy when it came to our next dish....
Verdict : Guilty - Sentenced to a year for committing a crime of passion (envy in this case)!


The "infamous" Fried Chicken Wings with Salt & Hot Pepper(USD6.95, that's the size of one and a half order you see in the pic)

Sweet Williams Old Fashioned Butter Cookies

With this visit to San Francisco this time round, I've discovered more interesting food/snacks - all thanks to the great folks around me. This time, Melina - who gave us these ...

Sweet Williams Old Fashioned Butter Cookies


Old Fashioned and hand made Butter Cookies, made with love :o) That's how it feels like whenever I eat one of these. It's like a warm blanket around me on a cold rainy day, the smile of a love one that says a thousand words, the laughter of a baby that tickles one's heart...hahaha...okay, okay, maybe not to those extent, but you know what I mean!


These babies melt in the mouth. I had to literally tell myself to STOP popping these into my mouth at some point as they are addictive!


Thanks Melina for these wonderful cookies! She got it from Whole Foods in Petaluma but apparently not all Whole Foods stock this cookies.

Things & Places Seen In San Francisco - Part 2

It's sightseeing time again....

Love the shiny floor at bloomingdale's at Westfield San Francisco Center


The beautiful dome shaped roof at Westfield San Francisco Center


Dome and pillars - lovely architecture


Then there is a different type of architecture in San Francisco Chinatown :o)

Washington Bakery & Restaurant @ Washington Street, San Francisco

One of the places I made sure I drop by after shortly arriving here was Washington Bakery & Restaurant. Why? 'Cos this place serves one of my all time favourite dish, which is available back in Petaling Jaya but Washington here does a meaner version!

Zahara enjoying her Strawberry Ice Blend with Tapioca Balls

Goodies from Goldilocks!

Whenever I drop by San Francisco, Cindy never fails to get me another one of my US favourite.

These wonderful French Sponge Cake - Mamon from Goldilocks

It's an eggy sponge cake except that's it more buttery and has a moist base. Why I like it that much? It's really the moist base that makes it one of the things that make me go "Mmmmm...." hahaha...

This time round, she got me something new - Cassava Bibingka. There was no ingredients breakdown on the container it came in. It's similar to the tapioca kuih we have back in Malaysia but this seem to have some condensed milk on it, making it a rather sweet but delightful sticky treat. Google it and one will find several versions.

Goldilocks started in Philippines back in 1966. Fast forward to today, it has 18 stores in US and Canada selling not only pastries but also Filipino cuisine....will they ever come to Malaysia??? I can only hope :o) Meanwhile I can only get these whenever I come over to San Francisco. Thanks Cindy!

Goldilocks
4516 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94112

Tel : (415) 333 6963

Check out Goldilocks website for other locations


USA - To Be Continued ...

Things & Places Seen Around San Francisco - Part 1

I'll be posting random shots of pics I've taken here and there that caught my eye as I go for my daily walks in San Francisco. Probably quite a few, so here's Part 1!

Lane Next To The Beat Museum at Broadway Street


Colourful Chinatown


Colourful Chinatown shopping!


Transamerica Pyramid at Montgomery Street...currently the 105th tallest building in the world.

Dim Sum @ City View Restaurant, San Francisco

One of Mrs Pitt favourite dim sum place, City View Restaurant has been around for awhile and Mrs Pitt only does dim sum here and nowhere else. I have been here several times myself and have always enjoyed the food here. The place was pretty busy as we arrived close to lunch time. There was a line (or more like a cluster of us folks standing just at the door area) and luckily, we got a table after about 5 minutes. The place is clean and pleasant, not too much frills.

Mrs Pitt ordered quite a lot for the four of us - I shan't post pics on the usual dim sum fare like the siew mai, har gao (shrimp dumplings) and steamed prawn rice rolls.


This is Zahara's favourite dim sum here - I love it too. Generous amount of chives stuffed and thin pan fried dough skin. A tad oily but simply delicious and very fragrant.