Yip on Nick's Crispy Tacos

Nick's Crispy Tacos * 1500 Broadway @ Polk, San Francisco, CA 94109 * (415) 409-8226
Cuisine: Casual Mexican
Neighborhood: Russian Hill

No joke, I personally refer to this place as "Nick's Crispy Lovin'." Read ahead and you'll see why. They only take cash, but there is a Walgreen's across the street you can get cash back with your ATM card. You'll need to pick up a pack of gum to mask your salsa breath anyway.

The Scene

Aside from the crowd which is typical Marina-Cow Hollow-Russian Hill merged with just about anyone who appreciates a good taco, the decor itself is flat out hilarious. This glorified taco stand is housed in Harry Denton's Club Rouge. Red velvet booths and cheesy chandeliers by night; loud floral vinyl print tablecloths, sombreros and "Blue's Clues" piñatas by day. That's why they close promptly at 9pm.

The Food

I've had just about everything on the menu, and I have some friends that frequently order burritos and quesadillas, but come on, people. It's in the name: Nick's Crispy TACOs. You know how I feel about going to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse and ordering chicken. My personal fav is the (Niman Ranch!) carne asada, Nick's Way. What is this Nick's Way, you may ask? It is a crispy corn tortilla, wrapped in a soft shell corn tortilla, all brought together with the delight of melted cheese and topped with chunk-a-licious guacamole. And its the only way to fly. I also like to order the chips and salsa to start, and I top off each bite with this tasty red sauce they have on the tables. It's a little piece of heaven in a bottle, and I'd like to find a way to feed it to myself intravenously. And since this place is part of a club, cervesas and margaritas are available. But you can only order alcohol if you also order food. Not sure if that's the law or just their means of crowd control. A good non-alcoholic alternative is the agua fresca (watermelon and strawberry are my favs).

The Service

It's minimal. It's a counter, for goodness sake, though they do bring the food to your table and have jugs of water available for your self-serve convenience. But be a doll and clear your plate by bringing the basket up to the counter before you head out.

The Bathrooms

Well, not so delightful, but what do you expect from a casual joint that doubles as a club after hours? Honestly, they are not nice and are bordering on the acceptable level of cleanliness. But the taco to end all tacos is what it is. Learn to deal with it or learn to hold it.

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In a spoonful, I love these tacos. I crave them. I dream about them. In fact, this place is closed between Xmas and New Years, and I am just about always the first person waiting outside the day they re-open. It's worth supplementing your favorite Mission taco haven, or dare I say, even trading it in.

Yip gives it 4 spoons.

Please note, it would be remiss of me if I didn't admit this and warn you upfront. I was briefly boycotting Nick's a couple of years back because I saw a full page photo in San Francisco Magazine of a taco looking suspiciously like Nick's Way from La Taqueria at 25th and Mission. So much so that, before the official boycott, my order would often start with "I'll have one carne asada taco, La Taqueria's Way. And I think you know what I'm talking about." Well, I test drove this La Taqueria, and it's got nothing on Nick's Way. Forgive me for doubting you, Crispy. I am again your loyal patron and servant.

Yip on Tokyo Go Go

Tokyo Go Go * 3174 16th St @ Guerrero * San Francisco, CA 94110 * (415) 864-2288
Cuisine: Japanese, Sushi
Neighborhood: Mission

A quintessential Sushi bar that meets the needs of city folk is hard to come by. Either the place has a rockin' hip atmosphere and a menu full of amateur rolls, or it's in the depths of Japan town with the freshest fish you've ever tasted and has no vibe what-so-ever. It's hard to have your cake and eat it too. End all, be all: this place is it. Futuristic but minimal decor and fish that melts in your mouth. If Barbra were here, she'd say "it's like butta."

The Scene

Meet George Jetson ... but so not cheesy. I love the circle lights that hover from the ceiling. Good spacing so you are not all on top of each other and can actually have a conversation without the table next to you chiming in. The bar is appropriately sized for your waiting pleasure, since it will undoubtedly be crowded. Reservations are a MUST. Walk in at your own risk because you might be going somewhere else instead. And that's not because you are too hungry to manage the two hour wait; it's because they might tell you the list is so long you literally cannot be seated tonight. They are on Opentable.com but I think you have to have a party of 4 or more. Call for a resy if it's just you and your beau. Location is great because you are super close to tons of great Mission hangouts. Make a night of it.

The Food

Delish. Fantastic. Creative. The menu is plentiful. I definitely recommend their great specials, determined solely by the freshest fish in the house. I usually start with the seaweed salad, which I like so much I practically make myself sick gorging on it. Nigiri and sashimi are the way to go, though I personally am not into the rolls anywhere. Regardless, I don't think I've eaten anything here I didn't like. Even the sushi amateur can stomach it. I've broken many in over a Kirin at Tokyo Go Go.

The Service

They are friendly, knowledgeable and inspiringly hip. Also, a word to the wise, I went here once with a girlfriend and two of her guys friends and we ended up playing "credit card roulette" with a $200+ bill (all our credit cards were in, and we asked the waitress to pick one to charge the entire bill to). She later mentioned that no way was she going to let one of us pay, and clearly one of the gentlemen was stuck with the check. Luckily for him, we agreed to support his liquor habit out at the bars for the rest of the night.

The Bathrooms

They are singletons, so ladies, don't be shy about hopping into the Men's room if you've really got to go. You don't want to spend too long waiting because by the time you get back to the table your date will have licked the plate clean. But hopefully he also put in an order for "Round 2" in the meantime.

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In a spoonful, hands down it is the best overall sushi joint in the city. If only you could decide to go at the drop of a hat... but all good things are worth waiting for. Make your reservations now and plan to go-go for the rest of the night. Maybe I'll even see you there.

Yip gives it 5 spoons.

Yip on Sebo

Sebo * 517 Hayes St @ Octavia, San Francisco, CA 94102 * (415) 864-2122
Cuisine: Japanese, Sushi
Neighborhood: Hayes Valley

I went to this restaurant within the first few days of its opening, so I had heard very little. I live just around the corner, and I had been eyeing the construction over the past few months. I was thrilled to hear it was going to be "contemporary Japanese" (translation: sushi).

The Scene

It's hard to tell if this place is even open because their lighting is so subtle, and green sheaths cover the storefront windows. Decor is very minimal, but still very soothing, like there should be a fountain of running water somewhere in the restaurant. I immediately notice the wall mounted screen lights, which I love. As we walk in, two different patrons are leaving and both mentioned briefly what a great experience it was - deliciously fresh. Right about now, I am feeling pleasantly confident about taking my mom here on her visit to San Francisco.

The Menu

This is where it starts to go down hill, and we haven't been here but 10 minutes. There are two quirky things about the menu. (1) I have eaten sushi maybe 100 times, and this menu was rather "intimidating." Where is the maguro, the hamachi, the unagi? I had to have the waitress translate the whole damn thing for me. Good thing it was short. My friend Katy put it best when she said this place was exclusive, meaning it excludes people. (2) At the bottom of their menu, there is a little nasty-gram condescendingly asking you "not to drown" your fish in soy sauce. They get you to adhere to this by not allowing you to pour your own, and they don't leave it on the table.

The Food

Once you decipher the menu or you decide to leave it up to the sushi chefs, the food actually is very delicious. Good thing my preference is minimal soy sauce, but I bet they were cringing when my mom mixed her wasabi in with soy sauce dish.

The Service

Food was prompt, and the server didn't seem phased by my request for menu translation. However, while I was a little annoyed by the snide soy sauce remark on the menu, she continued the attitude when we requested additional wasabi. Sebo believes that only they know the correct amount of soy sauce that should be used (hence the portion control) and that only they know the correct amount of wasabi that should be used. When we requested additional, she tried to tell us that this wasabi was some special blah blah blah, and we weren't going to need more blah blah blah. Once she finally got on board for the age old service mantra "the customer is always right," she brought what can only be described as low-grade wasabi. It was noticibly different from what we were served initially. Maybe they realized we were only worth of the wasabi from the jar.

The Bathrooms

Too annoyed to bother. I'll just go when I get home mostly out of fear they will portion control the amount of toilet paper I am allowed to use, and I'll be forced to share a flush.

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In a spoonful, the fish is fresh and inventive, but its just not worth the attitude. If you can roll with it, I'd say sit at the sushi bar and go for their multiple course omakase experience (translation: to entrust). That is, trust them to tell you how you like it.

Yip gives it 1.5 spoons.

Yip on Ruth's Chris

Ruth's Chris Steak House * 1601 Van Ness @ California * San Francisco, CA 94109 * (415) 673-0557
Cuisine: Steakhouse
Neighborhood: Pacific Heights

I know I am giving it away, but OMIGOD, these steaks are amazing. I dined at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse recently to surprise my friend Chris and celebrate his birthday. I thought that was kind of cheeky and cute: Chris celebrating at Ruth's Chris. I knew from my previous visit that this place was good for a special occasion, and I know him to be a steak man.

The Scene

Classic steakhouse. Dark wood, burgundy upholstery, pressed white tablecloths. Probably just what you'd expect. This is a man's restaurant, like "an old boys club," and I mean that in a good way. I'm glad there is no smoking the restaurant or bar (CA state laws) because I'm sure there would be cigars everywhere. It's just that kind of place.

The Menu

Steak, steak and more steak. I don't know why they even give you a menu. I guess so you can see how pricey it is. And it is pricey. But I think its worth it. The waiter started to tell us about the fish specials and again I don't know why they bother. You don't come here for the fish unless you are getting Surf & Turf. They also have an extensive wine list and even offer Silver Oak by the glass. The snob in me appreciates that even though I would never order it.

The Food

The two times I've been here I had a filet. Tasty delight. I haven't had a better steak anywhere (Sorry Dad - you're still the grill master when it comes to burgers). They present it on a super hot plate that, no joke, is sizzling with butter. Yip yum. The side orders are good, not great. But you don't come here for the sides.

The Service

Aside from the 30 minute wait (and we had a reservation), the service was spectacular. The timing of the courses were perfect. They were quick with the follow-up drink orders, and they accommodated my secret request to add a candle to the dessert (which they also comp'd for the occasion). Thank goodness they knew better than to send the entire staff over in song.

The Bathrooms

A Clean Well-Lighted Place. Nothing out of the ordinary one way or the other to report. And I know that's shocking coming from me.

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In a spoonful, it's pricey but worth it. The steak is perfect. Don't bother if you are a vegetarian or just don't appreciate a good slab of red meat. Great for a special occasion. And, of course, they have printed matchbooks to mark the memories.

Yip gives it 4.5 spoons.

Yip on Mamacita

Mamacita Restaurant & Bar * 2317 Chestnut St @ Scott * San Francisco, CA 94123 * (415) 376-1629
Cuisine: Mexican
Neighborhood: Marina

Well, first off, City Search's opening line on this place is "Voted best mexican food and margaritas in San Francisco." Be gently reminded why you come to Yip and City Eats for your recommendations instead of City Search.

The Scene

If you walk in and look straight ahead or turn to the right (to the bar), it feels like a simple but chic adobe esthetic. Good start for a gourmet Mexican restaurant. There are these great ethnically influenced lamps clustered all over the place, too. But, if you turn left, there is a random non-thematically appropriate sky blue wall. It's like those puzzles you played as a child, "which one is not like the others?"

The Menu

Well, I'm from LA (in case you've forgotten, since I don't mention it a lot), meaning eating Mexican food is like spending time with my very own mamacita. Please note that Taco Bell doesn't qualify as real Mexican food. I've been wanting to get that off my chest since I spent a painful Mexican-food-free 4 years in upstate NY. In terms of menu, Mamacita has like 25 different kinds of tequila, just as all Mexicali joints should. Oh, and the food looks enticing too (especially the long list of apps).

The Food

Three crucial things to point out: Who ever heard of a sit-down Mexican restaurant that doesn't have complimentary chips and salsa? Well, hear of it now, and that's all I am going to say about that. It speaks for itself. The trend of City Search's stellar recommendation continues. For my meal, I had the carne asada s/3 tacos. The steak was overdone. The guacamole was a slimy puree. The corn tortillas were undercooked. All in all, not a great taco experience. And I hate to hype up some other place in the process, but no taco out there that I've had, and I've had a few, is as good as a Nick's Crispy Taco on Polk Street in Russian Hill (look for that posting coming soon). And while my margarita was delicious, it was miniature. And it had way too much ice. And, well, $8 for a house margarita? That's right ladies and gents, I said house. No, no, no. Even if it IS being served by a Smyth Jarod look alike.

The Service

Very friendly. And very eye candy. The men walking around serving up your cocktails and carnitas are nothing short of beautiful. I blinked and thought I was back in LA with aspiring models and actors turned wait staff. But then I remembered I was in The Marina, where ridiculously good looking is par for the course.

The Bathrooms

Nice floor. Nice sink. But strange pictures - a Virgin Mary juxtaposed with some half naked teenage boys. This callout comes from my friend, Heidi, but I think its weird, too.

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In a spoonful, very sceney, food is bad and overpriced (for me and my friend, we each had s/3 tacos and 1 margarita, with tax and tip it was $50). Go for the eye candy, not the margaritas.

Yip gives it 1.5 spoons.

ps. City Search gave it a 9.8 rating. And that's out of 1o for the slow ones. (Who votes for these things?!)

Yip on NOPA

NOPA * 560 Divisadero St @ Hayes * San Francisco, CA 94117 *(415) 864-8643
Cuisine: Californian
Neighborhood: Hayes Valley

The Scene

First off, this place is total hipster chic. It has a great bar and an awesome mural of the neighborhood. Get a table in the loft so you can see those that want to be seen. The hipsters really go for that.

The Service

We sat down, and for some reason with the unseasonably warm temperatures in San Francisco, I was feeling extremely parched. Thankfully they have these large bottles they bring to the table to keep you well hydrated. You can barely drink to the bottom of your glass before they come by to fill it. It's like a little game. I went through 3 bottles before the night was through.

The Food

To start, my friend and I shared the goat cheese with pickled beets. Two of my favorite things: beets and goat cheese. I am obsessed with beets. I love beets. I consider myself a beet connoisseur. My friend Kelli has the most amazing beet recipe and a restaraunt has yet to surpass her ability. Unfortunately, for this helping, there were only three small half-sized beets with the goat cheese spread, and my mouth was watering for a beet smorgasbord! Why don't they just call it a beet garnish and get it over with?! *growl*

Next, my rotisserie chicken shows up. Holy Portion Control, Batman! This is why American's are so fat. They brought enough chicken to feed a small country. I definitely recommend it, but save your waistline and plan to split.

It’s a miracle there was room for dessert after chicken for six, but we settled on an unmemorable rhubarb tart. I also ordered a cup of decaf that came in an individual french press, which I love. I often like to have a coffee with dessert after a nice meal. You know, drag it out and enjoy a little more conversation with my date. And by date, I mean one of my gay boyfriends I used to work with. We had a little mishap with the milk, though.

Me: "I'll have a cup of decaf coffee with the lowest fat milk you have.” Waitress: "We don't have any milk." Me: "No milk?” Waitress: "No. The milk we have is extra thick" Me: (blank stare) “Extra thick?” Waitress: "Yeah, but I'll bring you half and half."

Yeah, ok, but I still have no idea what 'extra thick milk' is. My milk vocabulary consists of the assortment available at Starbucks, and I've never heard anyone order a triple venti extra thick latte.

The Bathrooms

An open shared trough-like sink and individual closet-sized restrooms with single toilets marked with “vacant / occupied,” but the kicker is that there is no door to separate this activity from the rest of the restaraunt. Which means, if you're sitting close to the back of the place, you're also sitting close to the sound of flushing all night. Is it wrong to want a door between my make-up application and my tuna tartare? If the country can have separation of church and state...

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In a spoonful, it's worth checking out. A good scene. Food is descent. Has some quirks, and maybe I'm alone on those. But, this blog is all about my reactions to those quirks. And every place has 'em.

Yip gives it 3 spoons

The Original

There are thousands of websites, books and guides about city eats: Zagat, Opentable, City Search tend to be the Go-To's, but practically anyone can jump on there and sway the opinion one way or the other, not really having any genuine rating scale you can consistently measure. Rating scale and consistency: that's where I come in.

My restaurant choosing qualifications

Well, I'm a Los Angeles native, and that is the best kept secret when it comes to knowing when something is tasty. Because, flat out, we just don't eat. Thanksgiving is our least favorite holiday: we have no football team, and we don't eat. And if we do, well, those calories better count for something. Two hours of yogilates just isn't worth a burnt chocolate chip cookie. In other words, I know a good meal when I have one.

I also have a freakish 5-pt rating scale that I have been using for years to describe my dining experiences to friends. While this may seem normal for a website, believe me, this is NOT normal when you dive into a power point-like presentation when your co-worker asks you how your dinner was last night. Though, over time, people do come to appreciate this anal side of my personality, and they keep coming back for recommendations. I thought best to have some place to point them, and so the blog was born: Yip on City Eats.

Oh, and here's that rating scale, since I know you've been dying to see it since I brought it up:

The Rating Scale

1. Decor and Atmosphere
2. Menu and Presentation
3. Food
4. Service
5. Bathrooms - the ladies know what I am talking about here: cleanliness and lighting are key to the success of the overall experience.

Special points: Restaurant printed matchbooks - I have a matchbook collection and obsession. Basically I have been collecting them with my 'round the world travels since I was little. Hmm, it never sounded quite that dorky to me before. But I like 'em, ok?! In a non-smoking city they are hard to come by, so the "old-schoolers" get some extras for this one.

But enough about that. Let's get to the eats...