Restaurants

by / on October 17, 2012 at 8:03 pm / in California, Eat, Gary Fong, Restaurants, San Francisco, USA

SAN FRANCISCO: CAFÉ NEW HONOLULU

    SAN FRANCISCO – I miss so many things about Hong Kong:  the perfectly temp-controlled, the over-the-top shopping malls, that incredible skyline (one of the best, up there with Chicago), the blunt and often endearing pessimism of the locals (who claim “HK died in 1997”).  I even miss the city’s fascinating (and often frustrating) yin and yang aspects – [...]

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by / on July 25, 2012 at 1:08 pm / in Eat, Monica Byers, New York

NEW YORK: A PERFECT DATE NIGHT AT BARRIO 47

BY MONICA BYERS NEW YORK – As happens so often in a walking city like New York, my husband and I randomly wandered into Barrio 47 for an after-dinner drink one night.  We were immediately charmed by the sexy Latin vibe of the place, and by our personable bartender.  We were also seduced by the giant wood-burning oven that dominates [...]

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by / on July 13, 2012 at 1:00 pm / in Eat, Monica Byers, New York

NEW YORK: THE RESTAURANTS OF GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL

BY: MONICA BYERS NEW YORK, NY – So here you are at the beautiful Grand Central Terminal (though you might call it Grand Central Station).  You could be a tourist checking out the Beaux-Arts architecture, snapping pics and wondering to yourself if New York could afford to build such a cavernous, stunning building today (my guess is no).  Or, maybe [...]

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by / on June 27, 2012 at 1:13 pm / in Eat, Monica Byers, New York

SYLVIA’S: DROP ME OFF IN HARLEM

BY: MONICA BYERS NEW YORK – Sylvia’s has been famous for as long as I can remember.  This Harlem soul food institution was founded in 1962 and has been going strong ever since.  Because it was so famous and so sought out by visitors, I was expecting a disappointing tourist trap. You know – overpriced, lousy service, mediocre food.   Yes, [...]

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by / on June 15, 2012 at 9:02 am / in Asia, Bangkok, Eat, Gary Fong, Restaurants

BANGKOK: THAI HOT POT

  BANGKOK – It seems like every country in Asia has their own version of a hot pot, that communal dining experience where a pot of simmering soup is used to cook fresh pieces of meat, seafood and vegetables which are in turned dipped in different kinds of sauces before being consumed.  At the more refined end of the spectrum, [...]

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by / on June 4, 2012 at 8:57 am / in Asia, Eat, Gary Fong, Hong Kong, Restaurants

HONG KONG: CHA CHAAN TENG

  HONG KONG – This strange, yet wonderful, example of the West’s lasting influence on Hong Kong is considered by many to be an integral part of the city’s heritage. Known as the Cha Chaan Teng (CCT), these old-style eateries – which can be found on practically every street corner (or skyscraper as the case may be) – serve up [...]

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by / on May 23, 2012 at 9:54 am / in California, Eat, Gary Fong, San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO: TOMMY’S JOYNT

  By GARY FONG SAN FRANCISCO – Cafeteria-style service, glass-enclosed serving stations, hand-carved mouthwatering meats, fun side dishes just waiting to be scooped up, and loads of beer and cocktails…what’s not to love?  Known as the hofbrau, this American take on the German pub peaked in popularity back in the 70’s but nowadays you’d be hard pressed to find one [...]

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by / on May 16, 2012 at 9:52 am / in California, Eat, Gary Fong, San Francisco, Shop

SAN FRANCISCO: FERRY BUILDING MARKET

SAN FRANCISCO – Looking for a wicked triple cream or a super crusty sour batard? How about a special brew made from freshly roasted (within the last 48 hours), pesticide-free, shade-grown coffee beans?  If this is the sort of stuff that makes your mouth water or if you just enjoy good food, then check out San Francisco’s Ferry Building Marketplace [...]

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by / on April 23, 2012 at 8:16 am / in Eat, Gary Fong, New York

NEW YORK: CHINATOWN’S CHEAP EATS

    NEW YORK – Admittedly my experience with New York City’s Chinatown has not been lengthy (I have not been going there ‘since we were kids’) but I have done my fair share of exploring the area and have come to know it quite well.  And while I’ve learned a lot – mostly that this overly crowded section of [...]

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by / on April 11, 2012 at 5:37 pm / in Eat, Gary Fong, New York

NEW YORK: COFFEE, BAGELS & SLICES

  NEW YORK – While I’ve only spent a short time in New York City, I seemed to have developed a rather strange addiction during my tenure living there, which I’ve decided to acronym as CBS.  CBS stands for: Coffee – i.e. the corner bodega or street kiosk coffee Bagels – i.e. the crusty-on-the-outside chewy-on-the-inside kind Slices – i.e. the [...]

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