food recs
I like eating and making food, and I invest quite a bit of my leisure time on both. I’m a picky eater because it’s rare for me to say “I really enjoyed it.” At the same time, I’m not a picky eater in that I would still eat whatever’s on the table (with high probability).
All of the restaurants listed here are places I like, and I have visited many of them multiple times. There are way more restaurants I’ve tried but didn’t like, but I choose not to present them here.
Some people factor service and vibes into their restaurant ratings, but my ratings are about the food itself. Ratings are from 1 to 3, and below is a rough description of what each score means.
- 3: It is worth spending a longe time getting there and waiting just for the food.
- 2: Somewhere between 1 and 3.
- 1: If you happen to be close, it’s a good spot to try.
What to order at a restaurant is crucial in making helpful food recs. You can find that in the tables below.
Disclaimer: My taste is defined by my own experiences with food and perhaps some genetics as well. The recommendations and reviews below are highly personal and biased, as they should be.
Chicago
| Name | Rating | Type | What to Order | Neighborhood |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qiaolin Hotpot | 3 | Hotpot | hotpot | Chinatown |
| Green Street Smoked Meats | 2 | American BBQ | ribs | Fulton Market |
| Carnitas Uruapan Restaurant | 2 | Mexican | pork | Pilsen |
| Imperial Restaurant | 1 | Dim Sum | tbd | Chinatown |
| Siam Noodle & Rice Restaurant | 1 | Thai | basil duck | Uptown |
| Falafel & Grill | 1 | Mediterranean | chicken sharwarma | Wicker Park |
| Kabul House Restaurant | 1 | Afghan | lamb kabob, beef filet shish skewer, afghan rice | Evanston |
San Francisco Bay Area
| Name | Rating | Type | What to Order | Neighborhood |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mrs. Khan Uyghur Cuisine | 3 | Uyghur | chicken korma, lamb skewers | Menlo Park |
| Zareen’s | 1 | Pakistani, Indian | grilled chicken boti sizzler, lamb gosht | Palo Alto |
| Tai Wu | 2 | Dim Sum | tbd | Millbrae |
| Coconuts Caribbean Restaurant & Bar | 1 | Jamaican | oxtail, shrimp curry | Palo Alto |
| Ramen Nagi | 1 | Ramen | ramen, karaage | Palo Alto |
| La Taqueria | 1 | Mexican | burrito (beef, beef tongue, beef head) | SF - Mission |
Oahu
| Name | Rating | Type | What to Order | Neighborhood |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| King Restaurant & Bar | 3 | Chinese, Cantonese | steamed fish fillet steamed oyster in shell, spicy salt & pepper pork chop, choy sym with garlic | Ala Moana |
| Hale’iwa Bowls | 1 | Acai, Smoothie | blue majik bowl | North Shore |