San Tung — Restaurant in San Francisco

SanTung 山東小館 is located on Irving Street (between 11th and 12th Avenue) in the City’s Inner Suset neighborhood. There are always lines being formed as early as partially close to 5 pm and it would get worse on weekends (usually young people in their 20s or 30s couples or in groups sometimes with families through my observation. [Note: SanTung closes on both Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Also, I have noted that they have taken weeks long vacation at least once thanks to their internet fame that beckoned “large following” relentlessly aiming to achieve the vanity in pursuing such a fame without substances.] After more than one month of attempting to enter I finally made my way to SanTung on a Monday morning before noon. I ordered Chǎomǎmiàn(炒碼麵) (Jjamppong) as I normally would do at SanWang, another SanTung style Chinese Korean restaurant located on Post Street in the heart of Japantown, albeit it was my first time in this average Google rating of 4.4* restaurant. The overall environment in comparison to SanWang is that seating area is smaller but clean and boisterous when it gets crowded. There is no complimentary "Panchan" side dish of Kimchi or Kkakdugi served but hot tea. The noodles were served rather quickly perhaps the crowds have not yet arrived. The noodles itself were actually pretty good and the soup was also decent albeit lacked spiciness and seafood flavor. The ingredients are cheesy: a few small pieces of Calamari and literally 3 pieces of small “farm raised Mexican white” (possibly size 41/50 the best that’s exactly what I have been preaching for you to “raising the eyebrows” on any dish at any Asian restaurants over 20 or 30 dollars for two or three small farm raised tasteless shrimps. 🤦) Moreover, slices beef served in the noodles appeared to be made by “water injection,” which is stereotype Chinese restaurant cooking technique for “stir fry” to enhance moisture and tenderness. However, the genuineness of the taste of beef is compromised. More importantly, these water injected beef can be used in “multi-task” fashion cooking for different dishes. [Note: “While water injection is a common practice, it's important to be aware of potential concerns related to food quality and safety. Over-injection can lead to a loss of meat quality and texture, and some individuals may be sensitive to added salt or other ingredients,” according to AI.] In sum, imhv the real gastronomical test regardless of “social media” fame should be solely based on the quality, freshness, and originality of ingredients, the skill and creativity in preparation, the authenticity, as well as balance and harmony of flavors, presentation, service, and value for money that you spent for your plate. Regrettably, my skepticism about “social media frenzy” restaurants becomes yet another sad reality. [Note: I would rate SanTung 3* the most but chose 2* merely for the noodles that I ordered in comparison to 4* of the same noodles that I ordered at SanWang.] As always, that is my candid yet unbiased “two cents” to humbly hopefully guide you to “bang...

Ah affirmative, good old San Tung. If you live in the Bay Area, are a foodie, and ken about what's sultry and popular, yalready ken about it.

So I come to San Tung 1 and 2 a lot, customarily San Tung 2 because the wait is remotely more proficiently adept at least if you're in a more minuscule party. I've realized that if you're in an immensely colossal party, you can move marginally more expeditious through the San Tung 1 wait list, or at leas that's true in my experience. I figure this is true because San Tung 2 only has two or so tables that can authentically fit more than 4 people, whereas San Tung 1 is plenary of them.

Anyway, the aliment is good, of course the two essential bangers are the dry fried chicken and the green beans. As far as I ken, San Tung's dry fried chicken is coveted, and among the best Asian fried chicken in the SF Bay Area. I may be incipient-ish to the Asian fried chicken game, but the only one I've had that rivals San Tung here is the Korean fried chicken from 99 Chicken of Santa Clara. Sometimes peregrinating here, I'll authoritatively mandate just the dry fried chicken and rice, which is all you authentically need, and authentically plausibly priced. It's proximately surprising how much victuals you can get for the overall price. The last time I was here, a first-timer in our group verbally expressed "Wow, I mentally conceived it was going to be twice as much mazuma for all of that."

Why not 5 stars? Well, this is one thing that is painful to deduct on but something that troubles me every single time I come into this place: DIHYDROGEN MONOXIDE! You get this chicken and pabulum with all this salt in it, and what does that do? It makes you so thirsty. However, you get this minute cup of dihydrogen monoxide at the commencement, and many times, servers will never refill your cup unless you endeavor genuinely hard to flag them down for a refill(it's surprisingly arduous...) So, please San Tung, I cadge you to address this issue. A few facile solutions: Give us more sizably voluminous cups? Just give tables pitchers of dihydrogen monoxide and we can take care of it ourselves? Or just have somebody whose job it is to fill dihydrogen monoxide cups. So many times have I just ceased victualing for many minutes because I can't proceed without more dihydrogen monoxide.

Besides that, I will not stop peregrinating here, I might just have to bring a Hydroflask next time... I conjecture when life gives you adversity, you adjust. And sometimes, that adversity is when a sublime restaurant just doesn't fill up your dihydrogen...

My visit to San Tung was nothing short of exceptional! From the moment I walked in, I was greeted with a friendly smile and seated promptly. The ambiance had a comfortable and cozy feel, making it the perfect place to enjoy a meal with friends or family.

Now, let’s talk about the food! The chicken wings were the highlight of the meal – crispy, juicy, and packed with amazing flavors. The glaze on the wings had the right balance of sweet and savory, leaving me craving for more. It’s no wonder these wings are famous, and I can see why people keep coming back for them.

Next up, the string beans – a pleasant surprise! Cooked to a delightful crunch and tossed in a delicious sauce with garlic and spices, they added a perfect touch of freshness to the meal. I loved how the flavors of the beans complemented the richness of the chicken wings.

And then, the veggie fried rice – a fantastic side dish. It was loaded with a colorful array of fresh vegetables and had a delightful blend of flavors. Each bite was like a burst of happiness in my mouth. The portion size was generous, ensuring that I got to enjoy the flavors throughout the entire meal.

The service was impeccable, with attentive staff making sure I had everything I needed throughout the dining experience. They were knowledgeable about the menu and offered helpful suggestions when I couldn’t decide on what to order.

Overall, my experience at San Tung was outstanding, and I can’t wait to go back again soon. The combination of flavorful chicken wings, scrumptious string beans, and delightful veggie fried rice is a winning trio that leaves your taste buds dancing with joy. If you’re in San Francisco and looking for some amazing Chinese cuisine, San Tung is a must-visit. Highly...