Akit's Choices for San Francisco Food

Here at Akit's Complaint Department, you might notice that some of my postings are not actually complaints, but at least some positive reviews on things like when the Dirty Harry DVD collection came out and it was quite affordable at Costco.

I thought that I would give a list and details about my favorite places to chow down in San Francisco and some places just a little away from the city limits.

1. Seal Rock Inn - It's on Pt. Lobos and 48th Avenue (end of the line for the 38L Geary Limited) and I really love their breakfast specials for $6.25 with decent portions (available Monday-Friday until 11AM, except holidays). I prefer the choice of breakfast meat with eggs, hash browns, and toast; but they also have french toast and pancakes as a substitute for hash browns and toast. I also like their half pound burger and their turkey burger with fries.
   
2. Kitaro Japanese Restaurant (Geary and 21st Avenue) - I have to say for the low price you pay for their boneless fried chicken dinner, you sure get a huge amount of chicken pieces. Also, get a 15% off coupon on the register receipt at the Safeway on LaPlaya. Big warning: they don't use Japanese rice that is fluffier and slightly sticky.
   
3. Sanmi (Geary, one block east of Mel's Drive In) - The price is a little higher for this Japanese restaurant, but you get it in high quality and freshness. Their sesame fried teriyaki chicken has this amazing crispy crust that is to die for. Also if you are lucky to try the fresh caught fish for sashimi, oh my, it melts like butter.
4. City Eats Dining Center (SFSU) - I have to give kudos for a residence hall dining center because of the large variety of items for all three squares of the day. If you love salads, this is the place; pizza and grilled varieties too. Even vegans will love the choices. SFSU students, faculty, and staff are welcome to dine by paying cash and recieving a discount (bring your campus ID). $6.50 for lunch is not a bad deal when that amount can get you a deluxe burrito and soda at the student center.
5. Costco El Camino Real - I'd stick with the hot churros and polish dogs... good for the price. Stay clear of that pizza, I've never seen something that greasy before.
6. Kam's (Balboa) - I rememeber eating there as a kid and although their cook has changed, their chow mein and "gourmet chicken" is still the same old favorite I loved.
7. John Campbell's Irish Bakery (Geary between 20th and 21st) - Such delicious big chocolate chip scones. Buy five and they are only a buck each. Their tea cookies are also very tasty too.
8. Irving Cafe and Deli (Irving between 22nd and 23rd) - My favorite place for a Vietnamese sandwich. The fresh bread (warmed and toasted too), fresh made mayo, and their BBQ pork makes it a killer sandwich. The imperial rolls are crispy and freshly cooked. A BBQ pork sandwich for under $5 is a good bargain, plus add some tasty pate too.
9. Safeway Deli - Why would I go to a supermarket deli, especially Safeway's? Their Hollywood Cobb sandwich is why. I can care less about the bread, but more about the ingredients they use. For $5.49, it comes with a thick boneless chicken patty, thick slices of smoked bacon, crumbled blue cheese (that really gives the kick), lettuce, tomato, and ranch dressing. Buy seven sandwiches and get a freebie sandwich (you don't have to buy seven at once, but use your Safeway card).
10. Ono Hawaiian BBQ (Lakeshore Plaza, Sloat Blvd.) - The SFSU campus police sure likes eating there, and I totally agree. Their mini meals are priced well and provides plenty of food for a good lunch. Chicken katsu is tasty (the katsu sauce sucks, ask for teriyaki sauce), their BBQ chicken is not bad, their curry with BBQ chicken is better, and the short ribs are the best. Quick tip: If you don't want macaroni salad and cabbage, just say "all rice" and you'll get two scoops and a thin layer of rice on the bottom. For a lite snack, ask for a spam musubi that comes out with two big pieces with fresh grilled spam and hot steaming rice.
11. Tuttimelon (next door to Irving Street Cafe) - That yogurt sensation is hitting the streets around here. For a late night dessert, this fat free option is not that bad. Try the mango flavor frozen yogurt with some of those mini mochi balls.
    

OK, now I'm drooling. I'm getting a little hungry working on this blog at 3AM. Your favorite food places are welcome in my comment section. Maybe I'll visit some of your recommended places.

Wondering about Japantown's Future

On late Tuesday evening around 8:30PM, I went to San Francisco's Japantown for a nice late night dinner, which is rare because I don't usually go to Japantown at night.

And something crossed my mind as I walked through the Kintetsu mall that evening, I looked around and saw not many people walking down the aisles of the mall, yet it was so interesting to just go to Mifune for an order of cold noodles (the "Mifune Special") and realize that the place is nearly packed. I also realized that the other restaurants, including the ever so expensive Benihana was crowded too.

Sometimes I wonder if Japantown is really changing for the good or the bad. One observation I noticed as I was eating my dinner at Mifune is the other people around me. Interestingly, there was not even one fellow Japanese American in sight, and it was a little difficult to find a fellow Asian American. Most of the people I saw are European American.

Just this observation alone made me wonder about what might happen to Japantown. In a previous discussion with a friend, we talked and agreed that while we believe the people who have been raised or have been very active in this community feel that "outsiders" who want to help is an uncomfortable idea; the other point of view I mentioned is the concept of "strength in numbers."

In the society of Japantown, it is becoming much harder to gather the support of the people of the community to fight for the preservation of our community. Yet, when we think about it, we need that "strength in numbers" to help secure our community. One particular example I have noticed these days is at the Cherry Blossom Festival. As always, the "regulars" are out there to support our community, but these so-called "outsiders" also play a major role in supporting our community as a whole. In this situation, the best example I can provide is the anime fair and their segment of the parade. It is amazing to see many young people, many of whom are not even Japanese American, participating in this event.

In some form, our community needs to find a way to promote this idea of "strength in numbers," and anime and Japanese popular culture may be the new way to do it.

Right now, our community is like an "old school" society, where the community is old fashioned. We practice some good old traditions including martial arts, and our restaurants reflect an old fashioned style. Right now, the community is taking a turn, trying to get those numbers by simply relaxing this old fashioned ideal and welcoming in the anime and J-pop theme. The Miyako inn was transformed into a J-pop themed hotel, and we are now building the new J-Pop center.

To many people I speak to in the community, all of them believe in preservation of the community. To many of them, it is keeping the traditions of Japantown alive. Yet, I see that the anime and J-pop idea may be a new concept that might actually help us, although we are sacraficing the old fashioned ideals that have been with us for generations.

I love Japantown a lot. It is difficult for our community to come together and fight because many of us have a job and it makes it a challenge to be out there. I feel that I sometimes regret that I can't always be out there to be the young leader of the community, yet I am still proud of the accomplishments that I have taken part of, including my leadership work to fight to preserve Japantown during the massive sale of the malls and hotels in 2006.

In one view, it can be said that Japantown will always be here, no matter what happens in the future. To others, they feel that Japantown will disappear if we don't do anything.

Today, we are struggling with the planned demolition and renovation of the Japan center. There is word that they will destroy our existing infastructure and insert something even worse: a taller facility that houses businesses and homes, and may destroy the economy of our community. Those malls and the businesses who lease the spaces make a big impact to our community, and if they destroy the malls and the shopkeeps are forced to find somewhere else, will they ever return? Will they be guaranteed a space with the promise of the same rent rate?

It seems that nobody has the true guts to ask this question to the people. Many Japanese Americans in our community have this feeling that they should not speak out, yet there are legendary Japanese Americans who have spoken out on items in the past and have became the true leaders and representatives of our community.

• Steve Nakajo, co-founder and Executive Director of Kimochi Inc., a non-profit senior services organization wanted to provide services to Japanese American elders because of the tradition of younger people always taking care of our elderly.
• Paul Osaki, Executive Director of the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California always speaks out about the issues surrounding our community.
• My late grandmother, Ms. Tsuyako "Sox" Kitashima was a survivor of the Japanese Interment Camps and was given a reality check from younger Japanese Americans that they should demand redress and an apology from the goverment for violating their civil rights and making them lose all their property. She was the first to speak out about her experiences in the Japanese interment camps and she went out of her way to ask other people give their testimony to government representatives at a special hearing at Golden Gate University. And nobody could really believe that a 2nd generation 60+ year old grandmother and the belief that 2nd generation Japanese Americans would keep quiet about their camp experiences, would be out there pushing congress and other people to fight for redress. In the end, a big reward came to light; Japanese Americans interned in the camps received a $20,000 check and an apology from the president. And all it took was to speak-out and fight for what you believe in. Even after redress, my late grandmother helped other Japanese Americans sign-up for redress, and went to local public schools to tell the story to make sure nobody ever forgets.

I sure want to be like my grandmother someday, and I did earn that true respect during the "Save Japantown" days. Yet, I always keep worrying about this little community that I call home.