It’sDiningTime!
San Francisco/Bay Area restaurant reviews by Chris NorrisArchive for Singapore
Red 8, Wynn, Las Vegas
Red 8, Wynn, Las Vegas
December 2007
S’Ok. Red 8 at the Wynn has a pretty good selection of dim sum items off the menu, but alas, no dim sum carts. Red 8 has a good selection of dishes representing China, Malaysia, and Singapore and we’ve always enjoyed eating there. Is it fabulous? Nah, not really. But its certainly workable.
Noodles, Bellagio, Las Vegas, NV
Noodles, Bellagio, Las Vegas, NV
December 2007
Way Good. Noodles, located at the Bellagio, is one of our favorite Asian restaurants in Las Vegas. Noodles serves top-notch Chinese and Malaysian dishes and occasionally has dim sum with traditional cart service. The walls at Noodles are stacked high with, appropriately enough, jars of noodles of every imaginable kind. And although there is usually a line at the entrance, it moves fast and is worth the wait. The food is casual, fast, affordable, and extremely tasty.
Ponzu, San Francisco
Ponzu, San Francisco
August, 2007
S’Ok. Ponzu is a unique restaurant located in the theater district of San Francisco, just around the corner from the Monaco, Clift and Warwick Hotels. Ponzu specializes in small plate servings of Asian inspired food, with focus on India and Malaysia. The menu is somewhat similar to E&O Trading Company, but with a bit more effort to dress up the presentation. The interior of the restaurant is a combination of small tables surrounded by booths all done up in over-the-top fabrics. The food is competent, service is fast enough to get you to the show on time, and the ambiance and unique drink menu make it easy to remember. Be sure to try the White Tiger, a sake martini that Rocks!
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Banana Leaf
May 2007
S’Ok. The food at Banana Leaf is actually pretty darn good. Unfortunately, the location near me at McCarthy Ranch in Milpitas has bipolar crowds. at lunch the place is jam packed and service is harried and chaotic. At dinner time the premises are deserted. Ignoring that, the food is good Malaysian/Singapore/Indian influenced (much like E&O Trading Company and Straits Café), but without the ambiance. For lunch, its worth the wait and I’ve yet to have a miss from the menu. Other than that, head for E&O or Straits.
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Straits Cafe on Santana Row, San Jose
April 2007
Way Good. There are a handful of Straits Cafe’s in the bay area, including Palo Alto, San Francisco and San Jose. My experience at Straits always begins with either a Singapore Sling or a Bombay Sapphire Martini (up, with olives!). From there, you can’t go wrong with any of the appetizer plates. I’ve sampled most of the fish plates (the tuna is aways fab) and the stuffed roti and variants. The restaurant specializes in true Asian fusion food, with heavy influence from India. The food is served family style, assuming that the whole table will share, so Straits provides a great opporutnity to try a wide variety of dishes. Easily half of the menu is designed around a small plates concepts, and I can honestly say I’ve tried most of them and have yet to be disappointed by any of them! I’ve had fewer of the entree sized dishes, but I know you can’t go wrong with any of the curries, and the mee goreng (a dish with yellow noodles from singapore) is terrific! If you have a little extra to spend, there are some excellent crab and lobster entrees well worth trying when you are with companions who can appreciate! By the way, while Straits is a hopping and hip dinner spot, the crowd is calmer and the food is equally excellent at lunch time.
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E&O Trading Company in San Jose, CA
April 2007.
Way good. E&O has a unique Asian inspired small plate menu. Naan stuffed with lamb curry, bulgolghi, baby bok choy with shitake mushrooms, ahi tartare, etc. Great for a light meal with some unusual tastes. Environment is casual, with a plantation themed decor. Not world class by any means, but won’t disappoint!
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