Weekend in San Francisco

I had visitors from out of town this past weekend, and we spent most of the time in San Francisco. Anytime I have friends visiting, I always take them to my favorite restaurant in the city, House of Nanking. Located on the edge of Chinatown and North Beach, it is a favorite haunt of Francis Ford Coppola. Francis and I are not the only ones who adore this restaurant, as there’s usually a line out the door at dinner or lunch time, and their windows and walls are covered in awards and rave reviews. The food is only part of the appeal. They have a quirky vibe and rowdy atmosphere that make it less of a restaurant, and more of an experience. I was introduced to this restaurant by my friend Charity. She took a group of us on a particularly busy Friday night. We waited in the line for close to an hour, and I couldn’t imagine it would ever be worth the wait. They didn’t even give us menus, so I had no idea what to expect. In the end, I got the greatest bok choy, mushrooms, and sweet potatoes I’ve ever had. Their house specialty is the sesame chicken, but this restaurant is still a vegan’s dream. They have a whole section of their menu devoted to tofu dishes, and a separate section for vegetables. I can never quite put my finger on the ingredients in each individual dish; I only know that each vegetable is prepared to its greatest flavor potential. My favorite dish is the pea shoots, which I am always trying to recreate at home. I haven’t been able to get it quite right, which only means I’ll have to go back and try it again!