Things to do in San Francisco - Chinese Food in Chinatown (R&G Lounge)

Urban Trek USA a small group & top rated San Francisco walking tour provides tips - #UrbanTrekUSATips - to help visitors enjoy their San Francisco vacation. Of course, good food should be part of the San Francisco experience. Chinatown is one of the most popular destinations and visitors usually want to experience having Chinese food in Chinatown.

There are a whole bunch of restaurants in Chinatown and you normally cannot go wrong going to most of them. My favorite - #UrbanTrekUSAFavorite - is R&G Lounge. This place is usually packed for lunch and dinner. I am not one who likes a long wait so I go around 2:00 pm after the busy hours for lunch.

When I go by myself, I just sit at the bar so it is easier to order the Lychee Martini 😀 (photo below). It is always good to start with that. A good appetizer and my favorite is the egg roll with avocado an salmon (photo below).

I believe their most popular dish, and also a favorite of mine, is the Salt & Pepper Crab (photo below). My most favorite dish is the Cube Steak with Macademia Nuts & Scallops (photo below). During my last visit, I tried the Baked Sea Bass (photo below), which is was "buttery"and had a delicate flavor.  The Baked Sea Bass went well with the Salty Fish Fried Rice (no photo), another favorite of mine, because the saltiness of the fried rice, in my opinion, added flavor to the delicateness of the Baked Sea Bass. (Note: Some people might not like the Salty Fish Fried Rice because of a little bit of "smell" to it.). Another favorite of mine is the R&G Beef (no photo).

R&G Lounge is a little on expensive side if you order the specialty dishes. For example, the Baked Sea Bass was $42 the last time I was there. They offer lunch specials that have dishes that are more reasonably priced. It is a good things to do in San Francisco Chinatown.

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Things to do in San Francisco - Bubble Tea at Boba Guys

This #UrbanTrekUSATips by Urban Trek USA a top rated SMALL GROUP San Francisco walking tour. Joining an urban trek walking tour in San Francisco is the best immersive city tour to really experience San Francisco. Get off the tour bus, urban trek with us!

For a refreshing treat the bubble tea at Boba Guys is one of the best things to have, especially on those warm days. They have a whole bunch bubble teas to choose from. My two favorites, because they are more unique are the Ube Halaya and the Peaches and Cream. I like them with the tapioca balls. A delicious things to do in San Francisco.

Note: Boba Guys has several locations in San Francisco: 1522 Fillmore Street (near O'Farrell in Fillmore area), 429 Stockton Street (near Sutter in Union Square area), 826 Divisadero (near McAllister in NOPA area), 8 Octavia (near Haight in Hayes Valley area), 3491 19th Street (near Valencia in the Mission area), 1002 16th Street (near Mission in the Potrero area).

Things to do in San Francisco - Brunch #1 at Comstock Saloon

This #UrbanTrekUSATips by Urban Trek USA, a SMALL GROUP & TOP RATED San Francisco walking tour. Joining an urban trek San Francisco walking tour is the BEST way to get an IMMERSIVE city tour EXPERIENCE.

Finally got to check out the brunch at Comstock Saloon that just started not too long ago. I was quite pleased with the food and cocktails I had. The total tab with taxes but without tip was $60.39, and after I added the tip the total was $72.39. Somewhat pricey but I think it was worth it. The cost of two cocktails ($13 each) added to the total tab; so if you only have one cocktail then you can save a bit. I "had" to try two cocktails for the benefit of people reading this 😃 to provide a good tip.

Things to do in San Francisco - Friday "Free" Lunch (Part 2)

On March 9, 2018, I posted Things to do in San Francisco - Friday "Free" Lunch about Comstock Saloon's (in North Beach neighborhood) Friday free lunch with purchase of two cocktails.  This post is part 2. I went back on May 4 after I saw the Instagram post of Jason the chef of Comstock Saloon.

It was a warm afternoon so I ordered the Mint Julep (cocktail #1) and the Pisco Punch (cocktail #2). The free lunch was Offal Falafel, a delicious and colorful dish. I was really hungry that afternoon so the free lunch was not enough to satisfy my hunger and so I also ordered their very delicious burger (not free). I was still "thirsty" after my burger so I ordered another Pico Punch because this is one of my favorite cocktails at the Comstock Saloon. My other favorite is the Cherry Bounce (see part 1 post).

This #UrbanTrekUSATips by Urban Trek USA a TOP RATED SMALL GROUP San Francisco tour. Joining an urban trek San Francisco walking tour is the BEST city tour for an IMMERSIVE San Francisco EXPERIENCE.

Delicious burger at Comstock Saloon

Things to do in San Francisco - Awesome Seafood

This #UrbanTrekUSATips by Urban Trek USA a SMALL GROUP San Francisco tour. Joining an urban trek walking tour in San Francisco is the BEST city tour to provide visitors with an IMMERSIVE San Francisco EXPERIENCE.

Things to do in San Francisco is awesome seafood at Woodhouse Fish Co. They have two locations in San Francisco: one in the Lower Pacific Heights neighborhood (1914 Fillmore, between Pine & Bush) and the original in the Mission/Castro neighborhood (2073 Market Street, @14th Street). Woodhouse Fish Co. is my most favorite restaurant because of the awesome seafood and - more important - is the great service of the staff. Woodhouse Fish Co. is a family-owned business, which adds to its remarkability. Another big plus is their casual homey atmosphere. No pretentiousness.

If you are a fan of oysters, their $1 Oyster Tuesday is not to be missed. That is a BARGAIN!

My most favorite dishes on their regular menu are the Toasted Buttered Dungeness Roll, Cioppino, Crab Cakes, Lobster Roll and Clam Chowder. The various pasta entrees that they changes frequently are always a winner. They have a Special board and on those occasions I ordered one of the items, I have never been disappointed. Last Thursday I had the Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna. Delicious!

Things to do in San Francisco - Chocolate at Dandelion Chocolate

Things to do in San Francisco - Delicious chocolate at Dandelion Chocolate. Their factory and main cafe is located in the Mission District, 740 Valencia Street, between 18th & 19th Streets. They also have a stall at the Ferry Building but not everything offered at the factory/cafe is offered in the Ferry Building location (e.g. Chef Tasting). Pretty much everything is my favorite. If I had to choose my three top favorites, it would be the Frozen Hot Chocolate, the Chef Tasting (selection changes every now and then) and the European Hot Chocolate (very thick hot chocolate). I just tried their new Carrot Cake and it could be one of my top three favorites.

This #UrbanTrekUSATips by Urban Trek USA, a SMALL GROUP San Francisco walking tour. Joining an urban trek San Francisco tour will provide visitors with a IMMERSIVE city tour of San Francisco that no other tours can compare. Get off the tour bus, urban trek with us!

Chef Tasting - Selection changes every now and then. This photo was from a while back. Current selection has two different items.

European Hot Chocolate - You can have more than one marshmallow, but don't abuse their generosity.
Also, too bad they do not offer churros because this would be excellent with churron.

Who would not like this especially on a hot day?

Hot chocolate is always a comfort especially on cold or rainy days.

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Better than wine flights? Selection also changes now and then.

This is a new item and it could be one of my top 3 favorites.

Things to do in San Francisco - North Beach Seafood

Things to do in San Francisco - Delicious seafood in the North Beach neighborhood at Betty Lou's Seafood & Grill (318 Columbus, at Grant). It is said the Cioppino was invented by the Italian fishermen who lived in the North Beach area in the past. Betty Lou's offers an excellent Cioppino. My other dishes that are very good are the Petrale Sole, the Clam Chowder and the Ceasar Salad.

Another aspect of Betty Lou's that is appealing is its casual homey atmosphere. No pretentiousness here.

This #UrbanTrekUSATips by Urban Trek USA, a SMALL GROUP & TOP RATED San Francisco tour. Joining an urban trek San Francisco walking tour is the BEST way to get an IMMERSIVE San Francisco EXPERIENCE.

Things to do in San Francisco - Chinatown Food (Egg Custard Tart)

Things to do in San Francisco - Delicious egg custard tart at Golden Gate Bakery in Chinatown. The egg custard tart at Golden Gate Bakery has a flaky crust and it is especially good when still warm from the oven. Usually, there is a line of people wait to but the delicious treat. The last time I was there, I waited for around 20 minutes. I was killing time so it was worth the wait. So if you are in Chinatown near Grant Street between Jackson & Pacific Streets, check out the egg custard tart at Golden Gate Bakery.

Note: There are times when they are closed for "vacation" for a number of months or randomly on certain days. Therefore, be prepared to be disappointed :-(  if they are not open.

This #UrbanTrekUSATips by Urban Trek USA, a SMALL GROUP & TOP RATED San Francisco walking tour. The best San Francisco tour for visitors to really have the FULL SAN FRANCISCO EXPERIENCE. Get off the tour bus, urban trek with us!

Things to do in San Francisco - Picnic at the Presidio

Things to do in San Francisco - Picnic at the Presidio. From the middle of March (Mar. 18 in 2018) to late October (Oct. 21 in 2018), every Sunday, Picnic at the Presidio is a good thing to do on a nice day. There are a whole bunch of good food vendors. (Note: Be prepared for long lines when there are a lot of people.)

This #UrbanTrekUSATips courtesy of Urban Trek USA, a SMALL GROUP & TOP RATED San Francisco tour. Join an urban trek San Francisco walking tour and get to really EXPERIENCE San Francisco. Get off the tour bus, urban trek with us!

In addition to the excellent food choices, there are a bunch of things to do after lunch. For example:

- You can hike to take the FREE Crissy Field PresidiGo shuttle to the Golden Gate Bridge and/or Crissy Field. The PresidiGo shuttle leaves from the Presidio Transit Center, which is walking distance from the Main Parade Ground.

- You can take the FREE Presidio Hills PresidiGo shuttle to Baker Beach. The Presidio Hills PresidiGo shuttle also leaved from the Presidio Transit Center and another stop near the Main Parade Ground is the one at Pershing Square (corner of Moraga Ave & Arguello Blvd).

- You can hike the various trails in the Presidio (e.g. Ecology Trail, California Coastal Trail, Batteries to Bluffs Trail, Bay Area Ridge Trail, etc.) that have overlooks with gorgeous views. For more information about the hiking trails in the Presidio, click on this link.

To get to the Presidio by Muni bus, take the #43 bus that stops at the Presidio Transit Center or the #45 bus that stops outside of the Presidio (Lyon & Greenwich). Note: If you take the #45 bus, you can walk to the Main Parade Ground (a bit far) or transfer to the OUTBOUND #43 bus at the bus stop at Lombard & Lyon (Stop ID 15282). You can also take the #28 bus to Richardson & Francisco stop and walk a couple of blocks to transfer to the outbound #43 bus at noted previously.

To get to the Presidio via the FREE (on weekends) PresidiGo Downtown shuttle, the shuttle stops at the following stops every 30 minutes: Transbay Terminal, Embarcadro Center (Drumm & California) and Van Ness (corner of Union).

Coming soon! More information about the various Presidio hiking trails with Label = Presidio Trails. Check back in a couple of weeks.

Also, for other things to do in the Presidio, click on the label = Urban Trek USA Tips Presidio.

Things to do in San Francisco - Food - Mochi

Things to do in San Francisco - Food - Mochi from Benkyodo Japantown. The blueberry mochi is my most favorite of all. I can have six of them in one sitting. However, all the other mochi at Benkyodo are delicious. The mochi is so soft like no other mochi I have ever had.

This is an #UrbanTrekUSATips by Urban Trek USA, a SMALL GROUP & TOP RATED San Francisco tour. Joining an urban trek walking tour in San Francisco is the BEST tour for visitors to get the FULL EXPERIENCE of San Francisco.

#ThingsToDoSanFrancisco #SanFrancisco #UrbanTrekUSATipsJapantown #UrbanTrekUSAFavorite #UrbanTrekUSAFavoriteJapantown #UrbanTrekFoodie

My most favorite blueberry mochi

Things To Do In San Francisco - Friday "Free" Lunch

Things to do in San Francisco? On Friday, the Friday Free Lunch with purchase of 2 cocktails at the Comstock Saloon in the North Beach neighborhood. This #UrbanTrekUSATips courtesy of Urban Trek USA, a SMALL GROUP & TOP RATED San Francisco tour. Get off the tour bus, urban trek with us!

One of my favorite bars in North Beach is the Comstock Saloon. They have very good cocktails and food. My #UrbanTrekUSAFavorite is the Cherry Bounce ($12). Comstock Saloon recently hired a new chef who I follow on Instagram and the dishes he posts look yummy. I took advantage of the Friday Free Lunch (with purchase of 2 cocktails) today to check out the food. Well at least one of them. I also tried two cocktails I have not had before (usually have the Cherry Bounce). Between the Bamboo ($11) and the Scofflaw ($12) cocktails, I prefer the Scofflaw because it is very similar to the Cherry Bounce. The Bamboo reminds me of a Negroni, which I also like. The free lunch today was the Beef Stroganoff. It was good and just the right size for me that I was not totally stuffed after lunch and having two cocktails.

If you are in San Francisco and want a bit of a bargain, check out the Friday Free Lunch at the Comstock Saloon in North Beach.

Note: What I really want to try is the hamburger. The photo posted on Instagram looked totally yummy. I will check it out next week. Too bad it is not part of the Friday Free Lunch. 🌝

#ThingsToDoSanFrancisco #SanFrancisco

UPDATE: Check out May 12, 2018 Part 2 post.

 

This is my favorite cocktail at Comstock Saloon

Things To Do In San Francisco - Food/Eat

Things to do in San Francisco? Food - Eat! This #UrbanTrekUSATips courtesy of Urban Trek USA, a SMALL GROUP, TOP RATED San Francisco walking tour. Joining an urban trek walking tour in San Francisco is the best way to tour and truly experience San Francisco. Get off the tour bus, urban trek with us!

I am addicted to the bread pudding at Tartine Bakery and the Canneles de Bordeaux at Tader Joe's. Both the bread pudding and the Canneles de Bordeaux have this "custardy" portion that is so good.

The bread pudding from Tartine Bakery has seasonal fruit. It has just the right amount of sweetness to it. I personally do not like desserts that are too sweet. To most people, bread pudding does not sound that appealing. However, the bread pudding at Tartine Bakery is, in my opinion, the best thing they have at Tartine Bakery. If you are in the Mission neighborhood, check it out. Tartine Bakery is at the corner of 18th Street & Guerrero.

The Canneles de Bordeaux at Trader Joe's in in the frozen food section. Therefore, you will need to have a microwave oven. I cannot eat just one of them. The box comes with four delicious canneles and I have to eat all of them. There is a Trader Joe's at 4th Street (near Market) where the Old Navy store is located. There is another one on California & Hyde in Nob Hill. Another one in Fisherman's Wharf at Bay & Mason. Another one at Masonic near Geary in Laurel Heights.

Urban Trek USA Tips - La Taqueria

Urban Trek USA is a TOP RATED, SMALL GROUP San Francisco walking tour. In addition to providing the best San Francisco tour, Urban Trek USA also provides visitors with excellent tips on best places to dine, have cocktails, desserts, coffee, and other things worth doing while visiting San Francisco. Check the hashtag #UrbanTrekUSATips and #UrbanTrekUSAFavorite on Instagram, etc. For more valuable tips for you to enjoy your San Francisco vacation. (Note: For a specific neighborhood, search for hashtag #UrbanTrekUSATipsMission for tips only related to the Mission neighborhood.)

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La Taqueria in the Mission neighborhood of San Francisco has excellent tacos and burritos. My absolute favorite is the carnitas taco and burrito. La Taqueria is a very casual place that serves excellent tacos, burritos, etc. at a very affordable price. The photos are of the carnitas super taco and the carnitas burrito.