Restaurant Reviews
by ACCT Members
Grand Mission Donuts & Bakery
2195 Mission St x 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94110, (415) 621-8987
If you love donuts, this is a must for you! This Chinese bakery, actually Mandarin-speaking, is located in the heart of the Mission.
They make great baked goods, including soft French breads, and old fashioned donuts like Apple Fritters, Pineapple Turnovers, Egg Custards, sugar donuts, and coconut buns.
The freshly made donuts were never greasy, and always fresh fluffy and soft inside. Inexpensively priced.
If you love donuts, this is a must for you! This Chinese bakery, actually Mandarin-speaking, is located in the heart of the Mission.
They make great baked goods, including soft French breads, and old fashioned donuts like Apple Fritters, Pineapple Turnovers, Egg Custards, sugar donuts, and coconut buns.
The freshly made donuts were never greasy, and always fresh fluffy and soft inside. Inexpensively priced.
Everest Cafe
1645 Solano Ave., Berkeley, CA, 510-526-4915. Accepts credit cards.
This restaurant is named for the highest peak in Nepal and serves authentic Nepalese food from Nepal, India and a few dishes from China. The restaurant opened December 7, 2009.
A group of four had dinner at Everest Cafe to celebrate Losar, the Himalayan New Year, Year of the Iron Tiger and to sample the traditional foods. This cozy place was decorated simply with flowers, wicker, teapots, and tapestries.
We tried many Nepali table specialties. We started with classic momo, which are savory, steamed dumplings. Crescent-shaped momo wrap are tender delicacies filled with minced spinach, cabbage, cilantro, scallions, cashews, and mushrooms served with tomato chutney. Second, we sapled the pakoda, similar to Indian Pakora. It was light, greaseless and had lots of actual vegetable with spiced butter, rolled and fried. The papad, crisp wafers of peppery lentil flour were good. The "snack plate" chaat had deep-fried, potato-filled samosas with yogurt, chutney, chickpeas, tomato, and cilantro. Daal made of puréed lentils was light but served too cold. The thukpa - a sherpa's traditional festive meal during the celebration of Losar, was spicy with thick noodles, marinated chicken filets, carrots, broccoli, peppers, and cilantro. The Bindi Ko Tarkai vegetable curry stew of onions, peppers, tomatoes, and lots of crisp, cumin-laced okra that was extremely tasty. Khukura Ko Masu Ra Chiyau chicken with mushrooms is a much simpler dish, but the tenderness of the meat, the sweetness of the mushrooms, and the subtlety of the spicing was a pleasant contrast. Other menu dishes included mixed tandoor, biryanis, and a wonderful goat curry or Bheda ko masu ra chiyau boneless lamb piece, honey naan flatbread and raitas with carrots and scallions.
Half of the menu was vegetarian. For a vegetarian meal, start with the momo, samosa, pakoda or papad, a green salad, or a bowl of vegetable soup. Chow mein, biryani, and all vegetarian thukpa are available. Among the entrées are tarkaris made with eggplant, okra, and seasonal vegetables. Try the tikka masalas of spinach and tofu; vegetable stews; a classic saag paneer with potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes, green peas, lentils, garbanzos, and mushrooms. To complement this, there are six varieties of naan bread as well as raita, pickles, and chutney.
For dessert, we wanted something a little sweet to chase the curry. We had house kheer rice pudding, gulab juman dried milk balls, and malay thick paneer farmer's cheese in a milk sauce. They had Indian and Nepali beers, mango lassi, Nepali chai and other spice teas.
We really enjoyed the tasty dishes, nice food flavors and prompt friendly service. For all the food and drinks, the total came to just under $50.
Naya Barsa Ko Hardik Shuvakamana! (Happy New Year in Nepalese)
This restaurant is named for the highest peak in Nepal and serves authentic Nepalese food from Nepal, India and a few dishes from China. The restaurant opened December 7, 2009.
A group of four had dinner at Everest Cafe to celebrate Losar, the Himalayan New Year, Year of the Iron Tiger and to sample the traditional foods. This cozy place was decorated simply with flowers, wicker, teapots, and tapestries.
We tried many Nepali table specialties. We started with classic momo, which are savory, steamed dumplings. Crescent-shaped momo wrap are tender delicacies filled with minced spinach, cabbage, cilantro, scallions, cashews, and mushrooms served with tomato chutney. Second, we sapled the pakoda, similar to Indian Pakora. It was light, greaseless and had lots of actual vegetable with spiced butter, rolled and fried. The papad, crisp wafers of peppery lentil flour were good. The "snack plate" chaat had deep-fried, potato-filled samosas with yogurt, chutney, chickpeas, tomato, and cilantro. Daal made of puréed lentils was light but served too cold. The thukpa - a sherpa's traditional festive meal during the celebration of Losar, was spicy with thick noodles, marinated chicken filets, carrots, broccoli, peppers, and cilantro. The Bindi Ko Tarkai vegetable curry stew of onions, peppers, tomatoes, and lots of crisp, cumin-laced okra that was extremely tasty. Khukura Ko Masu Ra Chiyau chicken with mushrooms is a much simpler dish, but the tenderness of the meat, the sweetness of the mushrooms, and the subtlety of the spicing was a pleasant contrast. Other menu dishes included mixed tandoor, biryanis, and a wonderful goat curry or Bheda ko masu ra chiyau boneless lamb piece, honey naan flatbread and raitas with carrots and scallions.
Half of the menu was vegetarian. For a vegetarian meal, start with the momo, samosa, pakoda or papad, a green salad, or a bowl of vegetable soup. Chow mein, biryani, and all vegetarian thukpa are available. Among the entrées are tarkaris made with eggplant, okra, and seasonal vegetables. Try the tikka masalas of spinach and tofu; vegetable stews; a classic saag paneer with potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes, green peas, lentils, garbanzos, and mushrooms. To complement this, there are six varieties of naan bread as well as raita, pickles, and chutney.
For dessert, we wanted something a little sweet to chase the curry. We had house kheer rice pudding, gulab juman dried milk balls, and malay thick paneer farmer's cheese in a milk sauce. They had Indian and Nepali beers, mango lassi, Nepali chai and other spice teas.
We really enjoyed the tasty dishes, nice food flavors and prompt friendly service. For all the food and drinks, the total came to just under $50.
Naya Barsa Ko Hardik Shuvakamana! (Happy New Year in Nepalese)
Lucky Creation Vegetarian
Lucky Creation Vegetarian, 854 Washington Street, San Francisco, CA 94108, (415) 989-0818
“Health is Wealth. Medical evidences show that people who eat more vegetables have healthier and longer lives in general. For people who are conscious about their health, a balanced vegetarian diet is good choice, so is LUCKY CREATION, a Chinese vegetarian restaurant with your health in mind.”
No frill, busy 22-seat eatery. Get there early because the line forms quickly. Reasonably priced, tasty food and prompt service. Take out dim sum abounds. From the menu we sampled quite a unique range of dishes: 1) 5-variety Wheat Gluten Puff Combination; 2) Minced Mushroom and Taro Cream Soup. Hot soup was tasty and smooth; 3) Deep Fried Taro Root Fish; 4) Imitation Sweet and Sour Pork; 5) Mixed Vegetables in Golden Nest; 6) Gluten Puff with Curry Sauce Chow Mein.
All 3-entrees had many varieties of mushroom, faux meats and lots of tasty gravy with the rice. It is all about texture and sauces here. Some dishes had soft, hard, meatier feel tofu gluten and lots of vegetables. Delicious. Yum!
“Health is Wealth. Medical evidences show that people who eat more vegetables have healthier and longer lives in general. For people who are conscious about their health, a balanced vegetarian diet is good choice, so is LUCKY CREATION, a Chinese vegetarian restaurant with your health in mind.”
No frill, busy 22-seat eatery. Get there early because the line forms quickly. Reasonably priced, tasty food and prompt service. Take out dim sum abounds. From the menu we sampled quite a unique range of dishes: 1) 5-variety Wheat Gluten Puff Combination; 2) Minced Mushroom and Taro Cream Soup. Hot soup was tasty and smooth; 3) Deep Fried Taro Root Fish; 4) Imitation Sweet and Sour Pork; 5) Mixed Vegetables in Golden Nest; 6) Gluten Puff with Curry Sauce Chow Mein.
All 3-entrees had many varieties of mushroom, faux meats and lots of tasty gravy with the rice. It is all about texture and sauces here. Some dishes had soft, hard, meatier feel tofu gluten and lots of vegetables. Delicious. Yum!
Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot
Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot, 215 S. Ellsworth Ave. San Mateo, CA 94401, (650) 343-2566
The Inner Mongolia Little Sheep Corporation (Little Sheep) is a hot pot chain in China, which compares itself to U.S. chains McDonald’s and Kentucky Fried Chicken. Established in 1991 in Baotou, Inner Mongolia, Little Sheep has grown to over 700 restaurants worldwide. Each hot pot serves four. A hot pot includes a large pot of hot House Broth and Spicy Broth, which is served with plates of fresh meats including New Zealand lamb, beef, chicken, and pork, as well as vegetables, 2 varieties of tofu, fish balls and fresh fish fillet. Little Sheep's broth incorporates their secret soup seasoning. Diners enjoy dipping the ingredients into the boiling broth, while enjoying the social experience of cooking their own meals at the table. Generous portions and excellent service!
The Inner Mongolia Little Sheep Corporation (Little Sheep) is a hot pot chain in China, which compares itself to U.S. chains McDonald’s and Kentucky Fried Chicken. Established in 1991 in Baotou, Inner Mongolia, Little Sheep has grown to over 700 restaurants worldwide. Each hot pot serves four. A hot pot includes a large pot of hot House Broth and Spicy Broth, which is served with plates of fresh meats including New Zealand lamb, beef, chicken, and pork, as well as vegetables, 2 varieties of tofu, fish balls and fresh fish fillet. Little Sheep's broth incorporates their secret soup seasoning. Diners enjoy dipping the ingredients into the boiling broth, while enjoying the social experience of cooking their own meals at the table. Generous portions and excellent service!