2009-11-18T03:00:05+09:00 Gregg Tavares http://blog.greggman.com Entries from Greggman.com About restaurants_s.f. http://blog.greggman.com/edit/editheadlines/2007-06-15.htm

I've looked for food like this since I moved to the Bay area. This is the first place to actually deliver.

restaurants 2007-06-15T19:00:00+09:00 2007-06-15T19:00:00+09:00 2007-06-15T19:00:00+09:00
I'm going to guess they have their off days seeing how busy they are. In fact we arguably had some pretty bad service. 6 of us went. They brought the first 3 people's food and forgot about the other 3. We finally reminded them 10 minutes later and they got 2 more but again forgot one person. Another 10 minutes we finally reminded them again and got the final food.

On the other hand it as all pretty delicious to me. They brought us free dessert as well to apologise for being late. Good food and politeness = apology excepted.

I'm definately going back

I had the kouroufan (Stewed Pork Rice). In Japanese we would call it Buta-no-kakuni (豚角煮） but my understanding is it's originally from Taiwan.

I think it was $4. I couldn't wait so that picture is already half eaten.

My friends ordered various combos. For like $6 they got all this food.

Even their pearl milk tea (珍珠奶茶) was like double the normal size.

Supposedly this is a popular chain from Taiwan and there are a several locations in the states now including one in Irvine. There's a very interesting story about it here.

---

Well, after 3 times there and trying a few different dishes I have to lower my rating. I'll go back because the Pork Stew Rice is so awesome but every time we've gone they've screwed up our orders and the other dishes I've tried have not been so good.]]> http://blog.greggman.com/edit/editheadlines/2007-06-14.htm

I don't know of it's authentic and I don't know how to the noodles are but if you want something to come back for at Best of Thai Noodle, order their "roast duck over rice". That is heaven on a plate. I keep thinking I should order something else but I know my friend is going to order the duck over rice and then I'm going to be jealous. I have had their larb and their fishcake salad. They were both unsurprising (read good but not exceptional) Their chicken wings in their appetizer section were pretty tasty too.

restaurants 2007-06-14T19:00:00+09:00 2007-06-14T19:00:00+09:00 2007-06-14T19:00:00+09:00 Best of Thai Noodle, order their "roast duck over rice". That is heaven on a plate. I keep thinking I should order something else but I know my friend is going to order the duck over rice and then I'm going to be jealous.

I have had their larb and their fishcake salad. They were both unsurprising (read good but not exceptional) Their chicken wings in their appetizer section were pretty tasty too.

The #1 reason we go here is because they are open late (1:30am?) as I often get back to the city after 9:30pm when most other places are closed. At the same time the duck over rice is so good we always look forward to going.

If you order something else well, all bets are off but order the duck over rice and see if you don't agree.]]> http://blog.greggman.com/edit/editheadlines/2007-06-08.htm

My experience with ramen in the states continues to disappoint. Kahoo was no exception. The noodles sucked. Not even close to authentic ramen noodles. On the other hand I ordered the tantanmen and on the one hand it was not what I consider tantanmen. Good tantanmen, at least the kind I like, should have the consistancy of mud. It should be seriously thick and opaque. On the other hand even though this tantanmen was soupy it was pretty tasty which made me want to drink the whole bowl. If they could just find some good noodles they'd be 4 stars.

restaurants 2007-06-08T19:00:00+09:00 2007-06-08T19:00:00+09:00 2007-06-08T19:00:00+09:00 Kahoo was no exception. The noodles sucked. Not even close to authentic ramen noodles.

On the other hand I ordered the tantanmen and on the one hand it was not what I consider tantanmen. Good tantanmen, at least the kind I like, should have the consistancy of mud. It should be seriously thick and opaque. On the other hand even though this tantanmen was soupy it was pretty tasty which made me want to drink the whole bowl.

If they could just find some good noodles they'd be 4 stars.]]> http://blog.greggman.com/edit/editheadlines/2007-06-07.htm

It really makes me said how bad ramen is in America. 7 years in Japan taught me how good ramen can be. Now that I'm back in the states I get people telling me how good places like Santa Ramen are. I then go try them only to find they are about high school cafeteria quality in taste compared to the real thing in Tokyo. (yes, I know ramen is actaully Chinese food) I ordered the Santa Ramen Tonkotsu Chashu Ramen. The meat was cold and flavorless. The soup was barely passible as Tonkotsu based and the noodles seemed more like spagetti than ramen noodles.

restaurants 2007-06-07T19:00:00+09:00 2007-06-07T19:00:00+09:00 2007-06-07T19:00:00+09:00 Santa Ramen are. I then go try them only to find they are about high school cafeteria quality in taste compared to the real thing in Tokyo. (yes, I know ramen is actaully Chinese food)

I ordered the Santa Ramen Tonkotsu Chashu Ramen. The meat was cold and flavorless. The soup was barely passible as Tonkotsu based and the noodles seemed more like spagetti than ramen noodles.

Santa Ramen may be the best in the bay area, I really don't know. But it's not even close the real thing and was therefore a huge disappointment after all the hype. :-( I guess the best way to put it is when I lived in Tokyo there were ramen places I craved, places that were good, places that were I would go back to if others wanted to go and places that were bland that I would never go back to knowing all the better places were available. Santa Ramen fits in the "bland, never go back to" category.

If you know what the real thing is like you won't like Santa Ramen.]]>