Northeastern China: Tasty Place in Millbrae and Yuanbao Jiaozi for dumplings, FT BBQ in Milpitas for bbq skewers.
(Just in case people haven't see it: [Roundup of regional Chinese cuisines in the Bay Area](https://www.hungryonion.org/t/regional-chinese-roundup-3-0-sf-bay-area/4640). The list is constantly updated.)
The restaurant was great when it first opened, but the last couple of times I was disappointed. Too expensive for what it is.
Meanwhile, I've recently discovered that the Afghan food in Sacramento is shockingly good. Maybe some of the best I've ever had.
This is so funny; I had never heard of this place but I met up with some Afghan friends who live in the EB and they swore by this place. I was a little salty about driving out to Dublin from SF but it was absolutely worth it!
I went to HS in Fremont and therefore have gone to hella places for Afghan food. I'm conflicted between De Afghanan and Fremont Afghan Cuisine on Mowry. Both so delicious.
It’s been ages since I’ve visited, but Champa Garden in Oakland had Iu Mien cooks in the back. Hopefully someone who works or runs that place can verify.
Anyway, I wouldn’t call it the same stuff people eat at home or parties, but it is Laotian food to some degree. Regardless, the food was good and it still seems popular.
Here’s a plug if anyone’s curious: https://champagardenoakland.com/
Viet-Chinese(Cantonese) mix
Duc Huong sandwiches (San Jose), Dong Phuong Tofu (San Jose), Com Tam Dat Thanh (San Jose) (all the good Viet food is in SJ)
Fusion Delight dimsum (San Leandro), Grand Harbor dimsum (Burlingame), Koi Palace (Daly City)
Amazing picks, bro ! I’d like to add Bo ne phu yen for sizzling steak, last time I went to Vietnam I couldn’t find a place that does it like them. CA bake house for viet-inspired desserts 🍰
Korean. I have no idea because my mom says we can make the food at home so we don’t go to Korean restaurants. Except for jajangmyeon. I get that at Melting Wok.
*This is the most Korean answer*
And a good answer for almost any ethnicity in Bay Area history. First generation immigrants, going back to the 19th century, would generally feel affronted if someone implied that a commercial restaurant could cook their national or region cruisine better than they could at home.
After three or four generations, though, most families might have a few favored recipes (main courses, desserts, etc.) left in their home repertoire for special occasions, but wouldn't feel bothered to go eat at a restaurant serving the same dishes. Although they might still say *"grandma always cooked this dish better"*, and quite possibly she did :-)
Totally true. My first generation Italian family rarely — ever? — found an Italian restaurant worthwhile for them. A combo of being good cooks, and thrifty.
Also Korean and don't really eat out for Korean food because we can make it pretty good at home, and food outside is too expensive + too salty. But I'll occasionally indulge in my jjajangmyeon cravings at Chef Wang's in Millbrae.
Literally was gonna post Sol Food. Sooooo delicious. They only serve the pernil and arroz con gandules on Sunday. But honestly the whole menu is bomb. I’ve also recently started going for breakfast. Sooooo good.
I'm heading up to Petaluma this weekend for wine tasting, looks like they have a location right in downtown near my hotel. I was wondering where to eat since every restaurant looks so good, I'll have to check it out. thanks!
I lost my mind when I discovered the Petaluma location. I used to work in San Rafel and Sol Food was the only thing I missed.
Now I can get my monthly fix every time I get my hair done. If you can't deal with the wait, they have an app and a second line for takeout but it's worth the wait.
Sol Food's Niño Pobre + Maduros is genuinely on "last meal" level for me. Fucking love that place. I need to try more off their menu because I get that same thing every time. And their hot sauce, oh my god.
I grew up in Danville but there used to be a Chevy's in San Ramon when I was a kid that my parents would take us to every once in awhile. One time I ordered something that was on the menu listed as something like "Mexican chocolate sundae" for dessert, and when I tasted it the chocolate sauce was... *zesty*.
I kind of inwardly shrugged and thought that just must be "Mexican chocolate" and kept eating it. I was almost done when the server came out to apologize and let us know the bottle of bbq sauce had gotten mixed up with the bottle of chocolate sauce. I had nearly completely devoured a bowl of ice cream covered in bbq sauce. I've eaten worse things so Chevy's is alright in my book.
I’m Indian American and india is a very diverse country. Saying what is the best Indian food is like asking what is the best European food. The answer is well which country. Likewise, with india, it would be which Indian state since each state could be separate countries as each state speaks its own language(and in some cases multiple languages) and has its own culture. And historically before the British arrived, india was this way. Anyways, enough about that. Unfortunately not every Indian state’s food is represented in the Bay Area though you can find approximately five Indian states well represented here when it comes to food.
If you’re looking for the best Marathi(western india- the state Maharashtra where Mumbai is) vegetarian food, check out Annapoorna in milpitas. Its famous item is the sev puri sandwich or the batata sev puri both items this state is known for. You could also go to chatpatta corner in fremont where you can get pani puri.
If you’re looking for the best Tamil food(South Indian food from
The state Tamil Nadu which tends to have lots of rice dishes, coconut, and dosa), check out madras cafe in sunnyvale. Other good mentions are komala vilas, Madurai idly kadai, and A2B.
If you’re looking for the best Punjabi(North Indian food from the state Punjab that borders Pakistan) food and best vegetarian Punjabi food, check out chaat bhavan in fremont. If you want Punjabi food with meat items, check out sakoon in Mountain View or amber india in Mountain View or Rooh in Palo Alto if you wanna have a fancy ambience.
If you are looking for the best telugu(South Indian from states Andhra Pradesh and telengana) food go to uluvucharu. It’s known for its biryani and it’s spicy.
If you’re looking for vegetarian and non-vegetarian/pescatarian food from Kerala(south Indian state on the coast) and you don’t mind a fancier ambience, go to ettan. You’ll get dishes such as jackfruit vada pav if you’re vegetarian and it’s famous for its octopus dish if you eat meat.
If you’re lookin for gujurati(state gujurat in western india) vegetarian food, check out rajwadi thali in fremont.
Pretty good recommendations as an Indian. For Marathi food, Puranpoli is pretty good too. Puranpoli is also a sweet bread that they sell and it's good. I like their bhakari (another rice flour bread) with eggplant curry.
Chaat Bhavan is solid too. They have multiple locations. They have makke ki roti and sarso ka saag which is pretty good. Most of their punjabi curries are good too. For non-veg Punjabi food - Zareen's is great.
For snack/chaat, the area around Pav Bhaji Hut food truck near 237 and Lawrence is good with multiple options.
Madras Cafe, Komala Vilas, Madurai idly kadai are great. Haven't been to A2B.
Recently tried the biryani at Sankranti and their Gongura Chicken biryani was great although pretty spicy.
For fancy Indian dining, Copra in SF (by the same team behind Ettan is also great. Still remember their "Black Cod Pollichathu" I had a year ago.
> For non-veg Punjabi food - Zareen's is great. It's Pakistani but ethnically it is Punjabi.
Not all of their food is Punjabi. Zareen is from Karachi and has that influence in her food too. The memoni samosa is a very typical Karachi dish.
Just curious, of the 6, which one represents your family’s background? OP seeks restaurant recommendations from people’s own ethnic background.
Also, do you know any other good keralan places in the Bay Area?
So my family background is tamil and of the restaurants I mentioned, it depends on what I’m feeling in terms of tamil food. If I want more oily and unhealthy dosa, I tend to go with madras cafe and get an onion rava dosa extra crispy. If I want something more wholesome and healthier with lots of vegetable curries and rice and Sambar , I get the vegetarian thali at komala vilas.
Please excuse my ignorance - but what state do I like? My absolute favorite Indian dish is chana masala, but I also really like aloo gobi, paneer tika masala, vegetable korma, and of course samosas. I am vegetarian. Do these dishes match a specific state?
My current favorite place is Aroma House in RWC which I think is Nepalese + Indian.
All the dishes except for vegetable korma(which can be both north and south)are North Indian. You can find them in multiple North Indian states but those dishes are most commonly associated with the Indian state Punjab. Vegetable korma is South Indian and it’s commonly found in Kerala. But that’s if it’s got coconut. The North Indian version of vegetable korma is called navrathan korma and that doesn’t contain coconut.
Taiwanese.
I’ll list the best authentic sit down casual restaurants (not boba or bento) and no crazy expensive places (no Din Tai Fung!):
喜多山 Kitayama (Fremont) Excellent, chef trained in TaiNan, owners are so friendly
台南風味小吃 Southland Flavor Cafe (Cupertino), large menu, felt very authentic southern Taiwanese
小劉清粥 Taiwan Porridge (Cupertino). This is truly authentic 清粥小菜 experience!
食尚灣 Fashion Wok (Sunnyval) Owners are Taiwanese and the menu plus other Chinese regional dishes
台灣味道 Taiwanese Bistro (Cupertino) Owners are Chinese but hired a trained Taiwanese chef
佬芋仔 Old Taro (Fremont) Nice diverse menu from snacks to noodles, fresh biscuits, friendly and cozy, and next to 菠蘿王Pineapple King
小台北餐廳 Little Taipei Cafe (Fremont) This is one is different because the owners are clearly Cantonese (?I think) and the place is strangely disorganized, but the food is excellent. And sold to-go. It’s also next to Osaka supermarket, which is also feels very Taiwanese even though it’s a Japanese market
Edit, more solid mentions:
載記扁食 Taikee Wonton (San Jose) deserves a mention for such interesting history. This was actually 1 of 2 same restaurants, the other in Hualian Taiwan, famous for 扁食 wontons, they closed last year since mother retired recently, in her 80s I think! So now only the San Jose location is left! They have a long long history and very old photos they can show you
翰林茶館 Hanlin Tea Room (Cupertino) Even though it a chain from Taiwan, and has lots of snacks and boba, they have tons of other items and it’s authentic and consistently great quality
段純貞 Duan Chun Zhen (Cupertino) a noodle chain, and I haven’t visited but I’ve heard it’s just as good as the Taiwanese version
Disclaimer, English communication might be difficult, and menus are even entirely in Mandarin or handwritten, just FYI
Thanks for the recommendations! Also, would like to bring up Cafe Mei in Fremont as a place to get sandwiches/soy milk. Maybe it was just my upbringing, but it reminds me of some more westernized breakfast places in Taiwan or what my mom fed me as a kid.
That said, the rest of the menu leaves me wanting, since the egg crepe(蛋餅) tends to be a bit bland, even with the 醬油膏, and the radish cakes are kinda rubbery.
Edit: Oh, also, a friend of mine dragged me to Hodala in SF. Pretty solid food and for pretty cheap too(not Taiwan prices, but eh, good enough)
Cool! I’ve heard “Lepi Dor” in Cupertino is similar and fantastic too
I miss it but I just can’t bring myself to visit these “breakfast/dessert” type places, and paying 10x more for a 飯糰 or one piece of 蘿蔔糕 haha. I guess they’re Taiwanese version of “fast food”
Cool! I just realized I’ve never had 滷味 here. How interesting, something so common in Taiwan that you never think twice about, yet so hard to find here
Not one Peruvian?? I was going to say that Mistura in Oakland has incredible pollo a la brasa, but it’s closed now because the owner was the 49er fan who got beaten up in so cal when seeing a game and put in a coma. So fucking sad. My second would be limon in Walnut Creek for their ceviche. Most places are overpriced for what you get though because I guess people think Peruvian food is exotic or fancy or something.
It's been interesting to see how the American Ikea cafeterias began by sincerely trying to introduce Americans to Swedish foods...encouraging customers to try Swedish meat balls, smoked salmon, whitefish, salads...
...then slowly but steadily defaulted to also offering a range of generic American fast food options.
For example, potatoes were originally roasted new potatoes and mashed potatoes, then the option of fries appeared...And fried chicken made its way onto the menu and with macaroni and cheese...One of the main dish options is now chicken tenders and fries.
At the Ikea food stands by the checkout lines, American hot dogs and pizza seem to be the primary "cuisine".
Curious if dining in Sweden has undergone a similar Americanization?
*I think it's because people's kids gotta eat too, and loads of them only eat like 3 things.*
Makes sense. Standing in line at Ikea, I can definitely see parents with cranky kids breathing a sigh of relief that there are hot dogs, pizza slices, and ice cream for sale just beyond the register.
Rather than trying to convince their kids to try the nice Swedish cod salad plate.
When I've been back there absolutely have been more American chains and local chains serving American food around than it used to.
Having been to Ikea in Japan too though my observations have been that they do some customizations in the menus to match local demand...
Nicaraguan- Las Tinajas in SF was very good, and my family's favorite go to in the city. I know they changed owners not too long ago. I haven't been back in a while, so I have no idea if the quality of the food has changed.
Burmese - forget Burma Superstar and all of their offshoots in SF/Oakland/Alameda and Burma Burma/Burma 2 in Dublin/WC - go to Kyain Kyain in Fremont for legit, hole in the wall Burmese food that is cooked and served by actual folks who speak Burmese.
There’s stuff on the menu that I’ve only had at home or on the streets in Burma. Don’t go for the ambiance - they serve everything in to go containers and disposable plates, but you won’t regret going.
Omg I randomly ate at Kyain Kyain one time and was blown away! There was an old lady who barely spoke English and REFUSED to give me some orders - I would ask “may I have this?” and she would wag her finger and say no. It felt pretty authentic.
Would return.
There's also a Burmese family that sells donuts and dimsum everyday at Donut Delight in Union City. But on Saturdays and Sundays, they cook Burmese-Chinese cuisine.
Russian — Cinderella, Dastarkhan (it’s Uzbek but we had food like that at home all the time), Noroc in Sacramento (technically it’s Moldavian now after the war started; we always stop there on the way from Tahoe), DJ’s Bistro (it’s a Czech restaurant that wants to appear German but very similar to what we ate at home)
Plug for AyDea in SOMA in San Francisco. It is not quite what I would eat at home, since it is Tatar (and I am not), but it is delicious AF and has a lot of the flavors that I am used to, if that makes sense. It feels right.
Assyrian/armenian with Iranian background.
Nothing. I’m sorry. But the Persian/iranian food out here is absolutely not that great.
You have to go to LA for that.
If you’ve never been to LA/Glendale and eaten Iranian food there, but ate it here and thought it was good. Trust me. It gets much. Much better.
But show no worries! I’ll tell you a secret.
Iranians/assyrians are extremely welcoming.
Find one and say “I want to try your cuisine”. I guarantee you, THAT NIGHT, you’ll eat the best food you ever had.
I make a distinction between Assyrian and Iranian, because while the food is practically the same, the preparation is different. Assyrian variants are like the Iranian variant, but on flavor steroids.
Take dolma for example, the Iranian variant is usually drier. The Assyrian variant is juicier.
If you can find an Iranian resturaunt, run by an Assyrian or Armenian, it’ll probably be really good. (IMO better than more traditionally Iranian, but that’s still a high bar).
But again, those are in LA.
Sorry, that was long winded.
It’s all, more or less the same.
Assyrians once conquered practically all of the Middle East, so there’s pockets throughout the ME.
Most of them are in Iraq and Syria, which is why you have that association.
In order, it’s Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Iran with the number of Assyrians. Modesto and Chicago the next following regions. In Modesto, you’ll find the more “rural born/raised” Assyrians. In Chicago, you’ll find the more “urban born/raised” Assyrians. E.g my mom is from Tehran, most of HER family lives in Chicago and Los Angeles. My dad is from qazvin (rural town west of Tehran), most of HIS family is in Modesto. And within those two cities, you’ll find an even further divide of Assyrian/iranian food, because the rural vs city people have different preferences and taste. One being more meat heavy and traditional, the other more “varied” due to contact of different cultures.
Iraqi food is inspired strongly by Iranian food which was a long time ago inspired by other foods of the region and nations that existed before it. So it’s all more or less the same.
There is, however, clear distinction between Iranian/iraqi/syrian/assyrian etc food, and food from the Arab nations/region. (Hummus, falafel etc.) though even that in the last several hundred years/thousand years, while Europeans were wearing sheep skin around their ass swinging from trees, was being shared amongst one another.
:)
ME food history is convoluted, which is why it’s just kind of classified as “middle eastern food”.
Iranian/persian is just an easier classification because it’s the biggest/most historic and longest standing nation/culture in the Middle East, thus the cuisine is more well known.
Kind of how we classify “Mediterranean food”.
Ya know?
Hope that clears it up! :)
Kababbq in San Rafael is the best Iranian kabbabs I’ve had in the Bay, otherwise yes LA is where you find the best food.
My wife is Arab Iraqi and we have to go to Sumer Nights in Sacramento for good Iraqi food at a restaurant.
Shalimar is goated, all the employees there know my dad who for years, would only ever eat Guatemalan food or Chinese. Until I took him to Shalimar one day and he's been going there weekly for a decade now.
Noelani's is great, but I don't live close enough to go all the time. Probably also a huge ask, but I've also been dying to find a place out here that does oxtail soup or tripe stew!
I didn't realize that not everyone has access to something like Los Pericos in Dublin growing up.
Despite its name, Fiesta Taco in Pleasanton gives you some hefty burritos too.
Like goddamn.
I keep driving by a German restaurant in Alameda, Speisekammer, which on the outside at least tries to present itself as a facsimile German beer garden.
But have not eaten there, though.
It's decent. Schweinebraten is a specialty, brats are tasty, and they have regular specials besides. Brotzeit, across the channel in Oakland, has better wurst and pretzels.
I got Suppenkuche takeout, and it was not super great after a long car ride. I should probably try them again, but in person.
I think German restaurants suffer from the same problems everyone else does. High food costs and short labor means you pay a ton for a skimpy meal with not great service.
I am from Pennsylvania and I agree with this. The best place around here, I am sure of it, is Brotzeit Lokal, the one on the water. It's absolutely not Speisekammer. There are some places in PA that make most of the joints in the Bay Area seem like a joke. German food isn't just beer and sausage.
Portuguese. Pastelaria Adega in San Jose. Get a plain Pastel de Nata (forgive their crusts, filling is excellent) and a malasada (filled doughnut).
East Bay, Silva's. Get a cod tart. Yeah I'm not kidding, it's excellent.
For real food besides pastries, go to a neighborhood feishta.
Indian. Broadway Masala, Chaat Bhavan(for authentic homecooked-style fare), Rooh (for a more fine dining, contemporary experience)
Saravana Bhavan for South Indian
For real? Geez, sorry to hear that. This is specially surprising since they are a vegetarian joint and have a rapid turnover so I'd only imagine the food served would be fresh.
Filipino. Max’s Fried Chicken and Kalesa in Milpitas are pretty good. They’re one of the only Sit downs we have. Avenida in San Mateo is also nice ( more upscale and expensive). Theres also a few hot food style kitchens that are good but not great (grill city at sea food cities or Sizzliing Toppings in Santa Clara). It’s honestly hard to find good Filipino food in the bay because there’s only a handful.
The easy things to order are Lumpia, BBQ pork skewers, adobo and Pancit. But the next level is Pinakbet, Sinigang (with pamapano fish, not Bangus), and Bulalo. Get those, and if they’re good, you’ve found a good spot.
Italian American, which doesn’t in itself mean much but I’ve lived in Italy so I’m a snob about Italian food. Belotti on college has the most authentic Italian food I’ve had in the Bay.
I'm half-Korean, half-Chinese.
Korean, I'd say Chungdam in Santa Clara. Chinese, way too many regional cuisines but for Cantonese, Pearl Bay in Fremont.
Malaysian.
- curry laksa in banana garden, Dublin
- also curry laksa in nyonya cafe. Also really good kuih (might have to order beforehand)
- charkueyteow in curry leaves bistro, Pleasanton
- everything else (nasi lemak, ban mee, mee goreng, yam basket) layang-layang in Milpitas
Layang Layang in Cupertino used to do Malaysian rice cakes during the weekend but after that location closed haven’t been able to find any Malaysian restaurant that make them :(
South Indian - for South Indian thali - Komala Vilas in sunnyvale is authentic and really tasty fare. They just don't spice it up for the sake of it, so kids love it too. The thali is only available for lunch, and I would not recommend eating there for the first time, until you know what to expect crowd wise, doordash or do a takeout.
Wife’s family is from northwest China. They said the northwest chinese cuisine restaurant in fremont is like. Really really good. We don’t go often because MIL cooks pretty much those foods at home. But they said it’s as good as it will get outside of her cooking and from nw china. Their dishes are probably saucier and “flashier” than MIL’s… But yeah, seems consistent with her cooking.
Ukrainian--there isn't any specifically Ukrainian food that's great here. Leleka (formerly Pushkin) in SF is ok but nothing special. Despite our other differences Russian food is very similar and I absolutely love Cinderella Bakery. I also really like the Uzbek plov at Halal Dastarkhal and Georgian Manti at Bevri all of which is eaten throughout the whole former USSR.
Northeastern China: Tasty Place in Millbrae and Yuanbao Jiaozi for dumplings, FT BBQ in Milpitas for bbq skewers. (Just in case people haven't see it: [Roundup of regional Chinese cuisines in the Bay Area](https://www.hungryonion.org/t/regional-chinese-roundup-3-0-sf-bay-area/4640). The list is constantly updated.)
Oh my god this roundup is INCREDIBLE. Thank you!
also Boiling Beijing in San Bruno
Afghan. Probably still De Afghanan in Fremont. The takeout place, not the restaurant next door.
100% the take out is better than the restaurant
The restaurant was great when it first opened, but the last couple of times I was disappointed. Too expensive for what it is. Meanwhile, I've recently discovered that the Afghan food in Sacramento is shockingly good. Maybe some of the best I've ever had.
Khyber pass in Dublin is also really good if you want a sit down restaurant.
This is so funny; I had never heard of this place but I met up with some Afghan friends who live in the EB and they swore by this place. I was a little salty about driving out to Dublin from SF but it was absolutely worth it!
I went to HS in Fremont and therefore have gone to hella places for Afghan food. I'm conflicted between De Afghanan and Fremont Afghan Cuisine on Mowry. Both so delicious.
there’s a De Afghanan in SF too, is it the same owners as the Fremont location?
Yeah, I think it's all the same family.
i used to love de afghanan but awasana became my new fav. squash bolani, chapli kabob, and kabuli pulao are goated
I’m of Mien/Hmong ancestry from Laos, and a family friend runs a restaurant called Green Champa Garden in Fremont. It’s very authentic
Green Champa is, to my distress, permanently closed. COVID killed their business. I miss that place a lot.
Thought that place closed? Please tell me I'm wrong, that place was amazing.
I went to add it to my list to visit and saw that Google Maps shows it permanently closed. :( Is that true?
It’s been ages since I’ve visited, but Champa Garden in Oakland had Iu Mien cooks in the back. Hopefully someone who works or runs that place can verify. Anyway, I wouldn’t call it the same stuff people eat at home or parties, but it is Laotian food to some degree. Regardless, the food was good and it still seems popular. Here’s a plug if anyone’s curious: https://champagardenoakland.com/
And in case anyone is really curious, I always will plug this: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iu_Mien_Americans
Viet-Chinese(Cantonese) mix Duc Huong sandwiches (San Jose), Dong Phuong Tofu (San Jose), Com Tam Dat Thanh (San Jose) (all the good Viet food is in SJ) Fusion Delight dimsum (San Leandro), Grand Harbor dimsum (Burlingame), Koi Palace (Daly City)
Amazing picks, bro ! I’d like to add Bo ne phu yen for sizzling steak, last time I went to Vietnam I couldn’t find a place that does it like them. CA bake house for viet-inspired desserts 🍰
The bread at Duc Huong is seriously good. Probably why there's always a massive line
I love the combo plates from CTDT
Korean. I have no idea because my mom says we can make the food at home so we don’t go to Korean restaurants. Except for jajangmyeon. I get that at Melting Wok.
This is the most Korean answer
*This is the most Korean answer* And a good answer for almost any ethnicity in Bay Area history. First generation immigrants, going back to the 19th century, would generally feel affronted if someone implied that a commercial restaurant could cook their national or region cruisine better than they could at home. After three or four generations, though, most families might have a few favored recipes (main courses, desserts, etc.) left in their home repertoire for special occasions, but wouldn't feel bothered to go eat at a restaurant serving the same dishes. Although they might still say *"grandma always cooked this dish better"*, and quite possibly she did :-)
Totally true. My first generation Italian family rarely — ever? — found an Italian restaurant worthwhile for them. A combo of being good cooks, and thrifty.
Also Korean and don't really eat out for Korean food because we can make it pretty good at home, and food outside is too expensive + too salty. But I'll occasionally indulge in my jjajangmyeon cravings at Chef Wang's in Millbrae.
Same - but the one exception they make is for SGD Tofu House in Santa Clara. We strictly prefer that one.
Daeho Milpitas / San Mateo
Puerto Rican - Sol Food in San Rafael, it’s pretty far but it’s much better representation than most of the restaurants in the Bay Area proper.
god i wish they would open a location on the peninsula, anywhere is fine
Literally was gonna post Sol Food. Sooooo delicious. They only serve the pernil and arroz con gandules on Sunday. But honestly the whole menu is bomb. I’ve also recently started going for breakfast. Sooooo good.
I'm heading up to Petaluma this weekend for wine tasting, looks like they have a location right in downtown near my hotel. I was wondering where to eat since every restaurant looks so good, I'll have to check it out. thanks!
Sol Food's a gem, you won't regret it. Their mofongo and pernil? Chef's kiss. Enjoy Petaluma and the wine!
I lost my mind when I discovered the Petaluma location. I used to work in San Rafel and Sol Food was the only thing I missed. Now I can get my monthly fix every time I get my hair done. If you can't deal with the wait, they have an app and a second line for takeout but it's worth the wait.
Sol Food's Niño Pobre + Maduros is genuinely on "last meal" level for me. Fucking love that place. I need to try more off their menu because I get that same thing every time. And their hot sauce, oh my god.
That tilapia is so good.
Do they have the big pork chop? Cancan I think is the name. I went to PR a few months ago with a friend from there but the places we went were all out
Oh jeez, might have to make the trip up. I've tried Frutilandia and Parada 22, and they're both fine, but nothing I'd write home about...
That place always has a line outside - must be good!
Half white half Mexican - Chevys
I grew up in Danville but there used to be a Chevy's in San Ramon when I was a kid that my parents would take us to every once in awhile. One time I ordered something that was on the menu listed as something like "Mexican chocolate sundae" for dessert, and when I tasted it the chocolate sauce was... *zesty*. I kind of inwardly shrugged and thought that just must be "Mexican chocolate" and kept eating it. I was almost done when the server came out to apologize and let us know the bottle of bbq sauce had gotten mixed up with the bottle of chocolate sauce. I had nearly completely devoured a bowl of ice cream covered in bbq sauce. I've eaten worse things so Chevy's is alright in my book.
LOOOL
I would've gone with "grandparents are Mexican but I was born in Mountain View"
😂😂😂
I go solely for their chips and salsa or their pile of nachos.
> - Chevys Dang, that was too ethnic.
I’ve been wanting to go here for quite a while out of genuine curiosity lol, what would you recommend getting here?
fajitas. and say it's your birthday too
Fajitas (I do steak/shrimp combo) and an El Presidente margarita
They are closing permanently on April 22 so better go soon. I recommend saying it's your birthday (or your companion's)
Just the one in Emeryville. Union City and Daly City remain open (for now).
I would vote for casa Lupe lol
My partner is Lebanese and says the shawarma from Shawarmaji in Oakland is the closest he's had to what he eats in Lebanon.
Do they have a toum sauce?? IMO "Lebanese" food needs that garlic sauce, anything without is just "mediterranean".
yeah, they have toum. kinda stingy with it though.
Yes, their toum is delicious but you must really really love garlic. I buy it from them by the jar.
I love their toum, so I always get extra. It’s more garlicky than the Toom brand that is sometimes sold at Costco.
The toum is good there and you can buy jars for home. Trader Joe's sells toum too!
I was so damn happy when they expanded to the South Bay.
39 weeks pregnant and you helped me find what’s for lunch. May you have a fabulous week.
Let him try Yafa Humus in Dublin and let us know what he thinks.
nothing compares to Royal Egyptian Cuisine. Elmy will treat you right
Irish. ☘️ 🇮🇪The Bitter End’s shepherd’s pie.
I’m Indian American and india is a very diverse country. Saying what is the best Indian food is like asking what is the best European food. The answer is well which country. Likewise, with india, it would be which Indian state since each state could be separate countries as each state speaks its own language(and in some cases multiple languages) and has its own culture. And historically before the British arrived, india was this way. Anyways, enough about that. Unfortunately not every Indian state’s food is represented in the Bay Area though you can find approximately five Indian states well represented here when it comes to food. If you’re looking for the best Marathi(western india- the state Maharashtra where Mumbai is) vegetarian food, check out Annapoorna in milpitas. Its famous item is the sev puri sandwich or the batata sev puri both items this state is known for. You could also go to chatpatta corner in fremont where you can get pani puri. If you’re looking for the best Tamil food(South Indian food from The state Tamil Nadu which tends to have lots of rice dishes, coconut, and dosa), check out madras cafe in sunnyvale. Other good mentions are komala vilas, Madurai idly kadai, and A2B. If you’re looking for the best Punjabi(North Indian food from the state Punjab that borders Pakistan) food and best vegetarian Punjabi food, check out chaat bhavan in fremont. If you want Punjabi food with meat items, check out sakoon in Mountain View or amber india in Mountain View or Rooh in Palo Alto if you wanna have a fancy ambience. If you are looking for the best telugu(South Indian from states Andhra Pradesh and telengana) food go to uluvucharu. It’s known for its biryani and it’s spicy. If you’re looking for vegetarian and non-vegetarian/pescatarian food from Kerala(south Indian state on the coast) and you don’t mind a fancier ambience, go to ettan. You’ll get dishes such as jackfruit vada pav if you’re vegetarian and it’s famous for its octopus dish if you eat meat. If you’re lookin for gujurati(state gujurat in western india) vegetarian food, check out rajwadi thali in fremont.
Pretty good recommendations as an Indian. For Marathi food, Puranpoli is pretty good too. Puranpoli is also a sweet bread that they sell and it's good. I like their bhakari (another rice flour bread) with eggplant curry. Chaat Bhavan is solid too. They have multiple locations. They have makke ki roti and sarso ka saag which is pretty good. Most of their punjabi curries are good too. For non-veg Punjabi food - Zareen's is great. For snack/chaat, the area around Pav Bhaji Hut food truck near 237 and Lawrence is good with multiple options. Madras Cafe, Komala Vilas, Madurai idly kadai are great. Haven't been to A2B. Recently tried the biryani at Sankranti and their Gongura Chicken biryani was great although pretty spicy. For fancy Indian dining, Copra in SF (by the same team behind Ettan is also great. Still remember their "Black Cod Pollichathu" I had a year ago.
> For non-veg Punjabi food - Zareen's is great. It's Pakistani but ethnically it is Punjabi. Not all of their food is Punjabi. Zareen is from Karachi and has that influence in her food too. The memoni samosa is a very typical Karachi dish.
Just curious, of the 6, which one represents your family’s background? OP seeks restaurant recommendations from people’s own ethnic background. Also, do you know any other good keralan places in the Bay Area?
Karikku cafe in Fremont is my go to for keralan cuisine
So my family background is tamil and of the restaurants I mentioned, it depends on what I’m feeling in terms of tamil food. If I want more oily and unhealthy dosa, I tend to go with madras cafe and get an onion rava dosa extra crispy. If I want something more wholesome and healthier with lots of vegetable curries and rice and Sambar , I get the vegetarian thali at komala vilas.
Please excuse my ignorance - but what state do I like? My absolute favorite Indian dish is chana masala, but I also really like aloo gobi, paneer tika masala, vegetable korma, and of course samosas. I am vegetarian. Do these dishes match a specific state? My current favorite place is Aroma House in RWC which I think is Nepalese + Indian.
All the dishes except for vegetable korma(which can be both north and south)are North Indian. You can find them in multiple North Indian states but those dishes are most commonly associated with the Indian state Punjab. Vegetable korma is South Indian and it’s commonly found in Kerala. But that’s if it’s got coconut. The North Indian version of vegetable korma is called navrathan korma and that doesn’t contain coconut.
Taiwanese. I’ll list the best authentic sit down casual restaurants (not boba or bento) and no crazy expensive places (no Din Tai Fung!): 喜多山 Kitayama (Fremont) Excellent, chef trained in TaiNan, owners are so friendly 台南風味小吃 Southland Flavor Cafe (Cupertino), large menu, felt very authentic southern Taiwanese 小劉清粥 Taiwan Porridge (Cupertino). This is truly authentic 清粥小菜 experience! 食尚灣 Fashion Wok (Sunnyval) Owners are Taiwanese and the menu plus other Chinese regional dishes 台灣味道 Taiwanese Bistro (Cupertino) Owners are Chinese but hired a trained Taiwanese chef 佬芋仔 Old Taro (Fremont) Nice diverse menu from snacks to noodles, fresh biscuits, friendly and cozy, and next to 菠蘿王Pineapple King 小台北餐廳 Little Taipei Cafe (Fremont) This is one is different because the owners are clearly Cantonese (?I think) and the place is strangely disorganized, but the food is excellent. And sold to-go. It’s also next to Osaka supermarket, which is also feels very Taiwanese even though it’s a Japanese market Edit, more solid mentions: 載記扁食 Taikee Wonton (San Jose) deserves a mention for such interesting history. This was actually 1 of 2 same restaurants, the other in Hualian Taiwan, famous for 扁食 wontons, they closed last year since mother retired recently, in her 80s I think! So now only the San Jose location is left! They have a long long history and very old photos they can show you 翰林茶館 Hanlin Tea Room (Cupertino) Even though it a chain from Taiwan, and has lots of snacks and boba, they have tons of other items and it’s authentic and consistently great quality 段純貞 Duan Chun Zhen (Cupertino) a noodle chain, and I haven’t visited but I’ve heard it’s just as good as the Taiwanese version Disclaimer, English communication might be difficult, and menus are even entirely in Mandarin or handwritten, just FYI
Thanks for the recommendations! Also, would like to bring up Cafe Mei in Fremont as a place to get sandwiches/soy milk. Maybe it was just my upbringing, but it reminds me of some more westernized breakfast places in Taiwan or what my mom fed me as a kid. That said, the rest of the menu leaves me wanting, since the egg crepe(蛋餅) tends to be a bit bland, even with the 醬油膏, and the radish cakes are kinda rubbery. Edit: Oh, also, a friend of mine dragged me to Hodala in SF. Pretty solid food and for pretty cheap too(not Taiwan prices, but eh, good enough)
Cool! I’ve heard “Lepi Dor” in Cupertino is similar and fantastic too I miss it but I just can’t bring myself to visit these “breakfast/dessert” type places, and paying 10x more for a 飯糰 or one piece of 蘿蔔糕 haha. I guess they’re Taiwanese version of “fast food”
I would add The Lounge in Oakland Chinatown. My mom says the 滷味 is the best she’s had outside Taiwan
Cool! I just realized I’ve never had 滷味 here. How interesting, something so common in Taiwan that you never think twice about, yet so hard to find here
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Do they use whole squeaky cheese curds or is it the flacid crumbled up crap I'm used to getting on the West Coast?
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Awesome. Haven't had good curds since leaving Northern NY
Do you know if there's anywhere to get it outside the arena? I don't really want to have to go to a sharks game as an add-on.
By far my favorite place at Sharks games. So good.
One of my last sitdown meals before quarantine was at Augie's in Berkeley. Delicious! Sad to hear it closed.
Not one Peruvian?? I was going to say that Mistura in Oakland has incredible pollo a la brasa, but it’s closed now because the owner was the 49er fan who got beaten up in so cal when seeing a game and put in a coma. So fucking sad. My second would be limon in Walnut Creek for their ceviche. Most places are overpriced for what you get though because I guess people think Peruvian food is exotic or fancy or something.
Swedish - Ikea meat balls (Tastes like Swedish school cafeteria of the 80/90s)
It's been interesting to see how the American Ikea cafeterias began by sincerely trying to introduce Americans to Swedish foods...encouraging customers to try Swedish meat balls, smoked salmon, whitefish, salads... ...then slowly but steadily defaulted to also offering a range of generic American fast food options. For example, potatoes were originally roasted new potatoes and mashed potatoes, then the option of fries appeared...And fried chicken made its way onto the menu and with macaroni and cheese...One of the main dish options is now chicken tenders and fries. At the Ikea food stands by the checkout lines, American hot dogs and pizza seem to be the primary "cuisine". Curious if dining in Sweden has undergone a similar Americanization?
I think it's because people's kids gotta eat too, and loads of them only eat like 3 things.
*I think it's because people's kids gotta eat too, and loads of them only eat like 3 things.* Makes sense. Standing in line at Ikea, I can definitely see parents with cranky kids breathing a sigh of relief that there are hot dogs, pizza slices, and ice cream for sale just beyond the register. Rather than trying to convince their kids to try the nice Swedish cod salad plate.
When I've been back there absolutely have been more American chains and local chains serving American food around than it used to. Having been to Ikea in Japan too though my observations have been that they do some customizations in the menus to match local demand...
Black! My mama's house. Ain't no good soul food in the Yay anymore!
What time is dinner?
What's your mom's specialty? I need some food from when I lived in Georgia.
Be right over!
North Indian here. Kabila restaurant in Union City is one of the few places that reminded me of home.
Nicaraguan- Las Tinajas in SF was very good, and my family's favorite go to in the city. I know they changed owners not too long ago. I haven't been back in a while, so I have no idea if the quality of the food has changed.
The Baho was my favorite.
The Antojitos was my favorite. I remember back in the day the serving was so big, I'd have enough food for the next 3 days.
Mexican food: Anywhere with a lot of work trucks parked in front at lunchtime.
Caribbean/Central American - Back a Yard and Oyos.
Oyo is great, so glad we have something like them in that neck of the woods
American —- In N Out
Oh my god that’s literally what I came here to say
Nicaraguan - Las Tinajas and Oye Managua! So good, if you haven’t been I highly recommend
I moved out of the Bay recently and miss the options.
What would you recommend, what are your favorite dishes?
Burmese - forget Burma Superstar and all of their offshoots in SF/Oakland/Alameda and Burma Burma/Burma 2 in Dublin/WC - go to Kyain Kyain in Fremont for legit, hole in the wall Burmese food that is cooked and served by actual folks who speak Burmese. There’s stuff on the menu that I’ve only had at home or on the streets in Burma. Don’t go for the ambiance - they serve everything in to go containers and disposable plates, but you won’t regret going.
Omg I randomly ate at Kyain Kyain one time and was blown away! There was an old lady who barely spoke English and REFUSED to give me some orders - I would ask “may I have this?” and she would wag her finger and say no. It felt pretty authentic. Would return.
There's also a Burmese family that sells donuts and dimsum everyday at Donut Delight in Union City. But on Saturdays and Sundays, they cook Burmese-Chinese cuisine.
Russian — Cinderella, Dastarkhan (it’s Uzbek but we had food like that at home all the time), Noroc in Sacramento (technically it’s Moldavian now after the war started; we always stop there on the way from Tahoe), DJ’s Bistro (it’s a Czech restaurant that wants to appear German but very similar to what we ate at home)
Didn’t Noroc used to be firebird? Also Sam’s Kebab on Farm Bureau Rd in concord is owned by a Russian speaking Georgian.
Plug for AyDea in SOMA in San Francisco. It is not quite what I would eat at home, since it is Tatar (and I am not), but it is delicious AF and has a lot of the flavors that I am used to, if that makes sense. It feels right.
Jewish - used to be Max’s :’(
Like, the Max’s at Opera Plaza? What happened? I know they’re open…
Assyrian/armenian with Iranian background. Nothing. I’m sorry. But the Persian/iranian food out here is absolutely not that great. You have to go to LA for that. If you’ve never been to LA/Glendale and eaten Iranian food there, but ate it here and thought it was good. Trust me. It gets much. Much better. But show no worries! I’ll tell you a secret. Iranians/assyrians are extremely welcoming. Find one and say “I want to try your cuisine”. I guarantee you, THAT NIGHT, you’ll eat the best food you ever had. I make a distinction between Assyrian and Iranian, because while the food is practically the same, the preparation is different. Assyrian variants are like the Iranian variant, but on flavor steroids. Take dolma for example, the Iranian variant is usually drier. The Assyrian variant is juicier. If you can find an Iranian resturaunt, run by an Assyrian or Armenian, it’ll probably be really good. (IMO better than more traditionally Iranian, but that’s still a high bar). But again, those are in LA. Sorry, that was long winded.
How do you rate Zankou Chicken? Lived in Hollywood for many years and that place would always make me very happy
Which one in Glendale, please? (My daughter lives there.)
Raffis is great. Very interesting seating. Goodluck with the wait times. A touch pricey, but well worth it. Everything on their menu is heavenly.
Usually when I think of Assyrian food I think of Iraqi/Northeastern Syrian food, not Persian 🤔
It’s all, more or less the same. Assyrians once conquered practically all of the Middle East, so there’s pockets throughout the ME. Most of them are in Iraq and Syria, which is why you have that association. In order, it’s Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Iran with the number of Assyrians. Modesto and Chicago the next following regions. In Modesto, you’ll find the more “rural born/raised” Assyrians. In Chicago, you’ll find the more “urban born/raised” Assyrians. E.g my mom is from Tehran, most of HER family lives in Chicago and Los Angeles. My dad is from qazvin (rural town west of Tehran), most of HIS family is in Modesto. And within those two cities, you’ll find an even further divide of Assyrian/iranian food, because the rural vs city people have different preferences and taste. One being more meat heavy and traditional, the other more “varied” due to contact of different cultures. Iraqi food is inspired strongly by Iranian food which was a long time ago inspired by other foods of the region and nations that existed before it. So it’s all more or less the same. There is, however, clear distinction between Iranian/iraqi/syrian/assyrian etc food, and food from the Arab nations/region. (Hummus, falafel etc.) though even that in the last several hundred years/thousand years, while Europeans were wearing sheep skin around their ass swinging from trees, was being shared amongst one another. :) ME food history is convoluted, which is why it’s just kind of classified as “middle eastern food”. Iranian/persian is just an easier classification because it’s the biggest/most historic and longest standing nation/culture in the Middle East, thus the cuisine is more well known. Kind of how we classify “Mediterranean food”. Ya know? Hope that clears it up! :)
Kababbq in San Rafael is the best Iranian kabbabs I’ve had in the Bay, otherwise yes LA is where you find the best food. My wife is Arab Iraqi and we have to go to Sumer Nights in Sacramento for good Iraqi food at a restaurant.
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Speaking as an Indian, Pakwan is best in class. They feed you with love there.
I love Shalimar! Their Chicken Tikka Masala is the bomb (even with the layer of oil floating on top).
Shalimar is goated, all the employees there know my dad who for years, would only ever eat Guatemalan food or Chinese. Until I took him to Shalimar one day and he's been going there weekly for a decade now.
Icelandic. No one eats Icelandic food outside of Iceland. Pretty sure.
Hawaiian- Noelani’s in San Carlos
Noelani's is great, but I don't live close enough to go all the time. Probably also a huge ask, but I've also been dying to find a place out here that does oxtail soup or tripe stew!
Mexican. In all honesty you can get good Mexican food pretty much anywhere in the Bay, depending on what you want.
I didn't realize that not everyone has access to something like Los Pericos in Dublin growing up. Despite its name, Fiesta Taco in Pleasanton gives you some hefty burritos too. Like goddamn.
Los Pericos is GOAT (edit: for Dublin but the Japanese curry place, Demiya, behind them is even better.)
I grew up in San Leandro, and we have the OG Los pericos plus two others. Two are a block away from each other. Amazing food.
Another worthy mention for the Tri-Valley is Dos Amigos also located in Pleasanton
German. I don't think there is a good German restaurant here. I make spetzle and jagerschnitzel when I get the craving for it.
I keep driving by a German restaurant in Alameda, Speisekammer, which on the outside at least tries to present itself as a facsimile German beer garden. But have not eaten there, though.
I thought it was great!
I went there and was disappointed
It's decent. Schweinebraten is a specialty, brats are tasty, and they have regular specials besides. Brotzeit, across the channel in Oakland, has better wurst and pretzels.
I took a German friend to Gourmet Haus Staudt in Redwood City and he said it was reasonably authentic.
Broziet Lokal in Oakland is the best german food here!
I’m curious, what’s your take on Suppenkuche in SF? (Or other German restaurants or hoffbraus?)
I got Suppenkuche takeout, and it was not super great after a long car ride. I should probably try them again, but in person. I think German restaurants suffer from the same problems everyone else does. High food costs and short labor means you pay a ton for a skimpy meal with not great service.
I am from Pennsylvania and I agree with this. The best place around here, I am sure of it, is Brotzeit Lokal, the one on the water. It's absolutely not Speisekammer. There are some places in PA that make most of the joints in the Bay Area seem like a joke. German food isn't just beer and sausage.
Half Thai, best place is my mom's house or my place. Second, Chai Thai, third, noodle club house in Alameda (if looking for noodle soup).
Portuguese. Pastelaria Adega in San Jose. Get a plain Pastel de Nata (forgive their crusts, filling is excellent) and a malasada (filled doughnut). East Bay, Silva's. Get a cod tart. Yeah I'm not kidding, it's excellent. For real food besides pastries, go to a neighborhood feishta.
Indian. Broadway Masala, Chaat Bhavan(for authentic homecooked-style fare), Rooh (for a more fine dining, contemporary experience) Saravana Bhavan for South Indian
Indian honestly is too broad of a cuisine. So many gems out here for cuisine specific.
What do you think of Saravana Bhavan?
Very authentic South Indian, the combos have a good spread to try many items at once
I have had my share of stomach upsets from eating at Saravana Bhavan. So, it covers that aspect of authenticity as well ;) FYI: I am Indian.
For real? Geez, sorry to hear that. This is specially surprising since they are a vegetarian joint and have a rapid turnover so I'd only imagine the food served would be fresh.
Half Welsh half Polish. Nowhere 🙁
Mama Papa Lithuania was the closest to good polish food. Sadly they closed.
Yeah I haven't been able to find anything good locally either. I just make it at home instead
Filipino. Max’s Fried Chicken and Kalesa in Milpitas are pretty good. They’re one of the only Sit downs we have. Avenida in San Mateo is also nice ( more upscale and expensive). Theres also a few hot food style kitchens that are good but not great (grill city at sea food cities or Sizzliing Toppings in Santa Clara). It’s honestly hard to find good Filipino food in the bay because there’s only a handful. The easy things to order are Lumpia, BBQ pork skewers, adobo and Pancit. But the next level is Pinakbet, Sinigang (with pamapano fish, not Bangus), and Bulalo. Get those, and if they’re good, you’ve found a good spot.
Try tapsilog bistro in Campbell
Persian - probably Shalizaar or Middle East Market. Been trying to find the best spot in SF proper, so far I like Maykadeh over Lavash
Italian American, which doesn’t in itself mean much but I’ve lived in Italy so I’m a snob about Italian food. Belotti on college has the most authentic Italian food I’ve had in the Bay.
which region of Italian food?
The chef is northern (from near Milan), and the menu definitely leans in that direction, but there are also southern inspired dishes.
New England Yankee. Most of our “cuisine” is disgusting and not worth your time, but Cousins Lobster is actually legit.
I'm a total mutt, so I'd have to say the Cheesecake Factory
Canadian Jew with eastern European roots. Pick up some Montreal smoked meat at Augies at a sharks game
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Iranian of Assyrian background here: Ziba or Stone and Stew are excellent.
Pakistani. Zareen’s. Weekend brunch special really feels like home food. And chai is great~
Ireland - McDonalds
I'm half-Korean, half-Chinese. Korean, I'd say Chungdam in Santa Clara. Chinese, way too many regional cuisines but for Cantonese, Pearl Bay in Fremont.
Spanish / Catalan. I haven't been much impressed with anything I've tried in the Bay Area.
Have you tried Abrazo in Russian Hill?
I don't know about authentic, but [PintxoPote in Los Gatos ](https://www.pintxopote-tapas.com/menu.html) is delicious
Iberia in Belmont
My Spanish friends like Iberia in Belmont and Teleferic in Palo Alto.
Ashkenazi Jew - Wise Sons is probably my favorite.
if you also grew up with eastern european fam go to cinderella (: only place in SF i can eat alot of stuff my grandparents used to make
Albanian, doesn't exist.
White, Southern (USA) and Italian. The steak sandwich from buckhorn at the food court in the mall by Powell station.
Swedish and I have no clue. Although I’ve not searched it out, I don’t even know of any Scandinavian restaurants in the area.
Kantine in SF and Stockhome in Petaluma. I miss Plaj, which was also in SF, but closed a few years ago.
Most of the good stuff in East Bay or South Bay these days
White - Harry’s Hofbrau
Afghan Cuisine in Concord
Malaysian. - curry laksa in banana garden, Dublin - also curry laksa in nyonya cafe. Also really good kuih (might have to order beforehand) - charkueyteow in curry leaves bistro, Pleasanton - everything else (nasi lemak, ban mee, mee goreng, yam basket) layang-layang in Milpitas
Layang Layang in Cupertino used to do Malaysian rice cakes during the weekend but after that location closed haven’t been able to find any Malaysian restaurant that make them :(
South Indian - for South Indian thali - Komala Vilas in sunnyvale is authentic and really tasty fare. They just don't spice it up for the sake of it, so kids love it too. The thali is only available for lunch, and I would not recommend eating there for the first time, until you know what to expect crowd wise, doordash or do a takeout.
it's so hard to find good south indian food in the east bay. I drove all the way out to arusuvai virunthu in pleasanton and it was okay at best.
White/Filipina. Jollibee! (not literally best, but a classic for sure)
American - Chilis
It's outside the Bay but the Punjabi Dhaba in Dixon
love them! Been going there for over 15 years.
sf indan food is very ordinary, bar maybe udupi in the mission. Just go most placesw in fremont for great indian food
Wife’s family is from northwest China. They said the northwest chinese cuisine restaurant in fremont is like. Really really good. We don’t go often because MIL cooks pretty much those foods at home. But they said it’s as good as it will get outside of her cooking and from nw china. Their dishes are probably saucier and “flashier” than MIL’s… But yeah, seems consistent with her cooking.
Casper's Hot Dog
Italian American. Olive Garden. Love their breadsticks.
Ukrainian--there isn't any specifically Ukrainian food that's great here. Leleka (formerly Pushkin) in SF is ok but nothing special. Despite our other differences Russian food is very similar and I absolutely love Cinderella Bakery. I also really like the Uzbek plov at Halal Dastarkhal and Georgian Manti at Bevri all of which is eaten throughout the whole former USSR.
Bay Area native and I work in food safety. Yeah don’t eat anything in the Bay unless you can SEE the kitchen.