Have you ever experienced something that while it was happening, you already wish it could be for…read morethe first time again? Filipino-Japanese fusion has been a tried and true combination, including my boyfriend and I's relationship (ba dum tss). However, Ox and Tiger have MASTERED the fusion aspect. Ox and Tiger is an intimate dining experience, with 8 seats, and gorgeous plating, menu, and cute chopstick rests! Comes with 3 courses with an additional 4th add-on. They also have a drinking menu, and they noted that the menu changes every 2 months (every even month!) EJ is such a wonderful story teller, and Hitomi (who created the menu for the month of May) had a great twist on everyday classics in Japanese cuisine. As the dishes were prepared and presented, EJ would tell the backstory on the dish(es), a personal note about each, and Hitomi's take on it to sweeten the deal. As soon as the experience starts, EJ tells us that the doors will be locked to prevent any distractions from outside (aka if you're late, you're outta luck), but we were encouraged to go outside for air if necessary. (I tried taking these notes on the food while EJ was talking about each dish so bear with me). ESL lunch The backstory was that Hitomi loved caesar salad while going to school in America, so she created a "perfect bite" with a Japanese twist to it. The word "gomoku" literally translates to "5 ingredients," to which I was only able to remember 2 of 5 of the vegetables, which were snappeas and roasted beets, with quinoa and tinapa (smoked fish). The fish that was used wae a cured Spanish makerel. T.A.M.M.Y I wish I remembered the words for this, but this is actually Hitomi's English name when she moved to the states. The acronym aspect was for the class at the time to think of ways to learn to like their name (each letter was a positive attribute and I can't remember what EJ said). The backstory to this was that Hitomi, being born and raised in Japan, was actually the biggest fan of California roll - did not like traditional sushi (or raw fish for that matter). - T.A.M.M.Y. is Hitomi's take on that. This was monk fish, with the fish scraps dipped into dashi sauce and kyuri (Japanese cucumber). In other words, no part of the fish was wasted in the making of this dish (in true Japanese AND Filipino fashion). This also had pinipig (granola-like topping glazed in shoyu) [Shoyu = soy sauce] Omiotsuke Now this is where I was blown away. First of all, I did not know what the hell this word was in English, but I watched every part of this dish being prepared and was even more confused when it was presented as dessert. When EJ started explaining, it made all the sense in the world. There is a tofu skin roll, vanilla ice cream, a mushroom topping, cherry miso compote concoction (this is where I butchered the exact creation - this is where the flavor was distracting me from what it actually was). Did you notice the ingredients? What is one thing one will eat at any Japanese restaurant, almost as a courtesy/complimentary item? Omiotsuke is, as polite as one could possibly say, is miso soup. This is Hitomi's take on miso soup, the flavor was spot on. I never thought to pair dashi-like flavors with ice cream (there is already shoyu with vanilla ice cream, but this was a flavor sensation). EJ was so kind when my boyfriend and I admitted we came for an anniversary, and we even got to see his reaction when we said we were also Japanese/Filipino (I'm also an Ox, but no Tigers here). They took this lovely photo of us to commemorate the evening, which sits on our fridge to this day. Again, gochiso-salamat :) to EJ and staff! We hope to come back soon.

First started as a pop-up in 2018, Ox+Tiger offers Filipino/Japanese fusion cuisine inspired by the…read morelives of the two chefs behind the kitchen. Situated in a small, 8 seat counter, dinner is intimate with dishes being prepared right in front of you. The menu features three courses, an appetizer, main, and a dessert - with the option for an additional add-on. Our meal featured a focus on fish, in particular mackerel and monkfish. Each of the dishes were deconstructions of familiar concepts such as Caesar salad and a California roll, but enhanced with new flavors. The mackerel was sublime, perfectly charred exterior with a still raw interior. The monkfish was tender, coated in a ginger, wasabi sauce next to crispy sweet rice and avocado. The dessert was by far the most unique, being a miso dashi, mushroom cherry coated coconut ice cream with a tupig-like mochi on the side. The savory, sweet, sour combination completely catches you off guard but becomes increasingly addictive the more you eat. So bold and absolutely memorable. Ox&Tiger takes familiar concepts, breaks them apart, then fuses them back together with a flair of Filipino and Japanese flavors. This results in dishes that are utterly unique and innovative. Additionally, with menus and playlists designed by family, this truly feels like the epitome of a family-run business and a meal cooked with so much care in front of you. This is absolutely worth a visit and an opportunity to try new flavors you've never experienced before.

The service is friendly and helpful, and the food is delicious. Love the robust appetizer menu…read more Felt like a bunch of queens up in this place. "This is a banger."

The food came out quick. I ordered the mussel udon. There is a good amount of mussel in the soup…read more My friend ordered the fried oysters and they are great

I'm truly heartbroken to hear that this restaurant has closed and even more so that I didn't get a…read morechance to visit one last time in it's last days. I've dined here more than a handful of times and every visit was memorable. Sung and his team consistently delivered exceptional food, every dish was solid and clearly made with pride. You could taste the quality and it was consistent every single time. Beyond the food, what always stood out was the hospitality. Sung genuinely made an effort to connect with his guests, remembering faces, checking in at the table and ensuring everyone felt welcomed and valued. He made sure you had a good experience and you could tell he cared. One thing I've learned on my food journey is this: follow the chef. When you find someone who pours heart into their craft, you support them wherever they go next! Looking forward to whatever Sung does next. I already know it's for sure going to be just as good!

Kothai has been one of the Inner Sunset's most delicious and innovative spots for the past few…read moreyears, so it's truly bittersweet to be writing this farewell review as they head into their last day of service. Even before this most recent visit, I'd enjoyed intimate dinners here for its creative, Korean-Thai-inspired menu that always packed an impressive punch of flavor but, dare I say, the brunch might be even better. The steak sandwich was absolutely phenomenal, with the steak seasoned and cooked to perfection and pairing beautifully with the charred onion aioli, plus a side of expertly crisped smashed potatoes that were so addicting. The steamed mussels were sumptuous and packed with umami, and I loved the two large bricks of toasted sourdough focaccia that were perfect for sopping up every last bit of the delicious dashi broth. But the pièce de résistance was the custard French toast, which I can only describe as the love child of bread pudding and tres leches cake as it was crispy on the outside but uber moist on the inside, custardy, and simply divine. Kothai will be deeply missed in the neighborhood, but I'm excited to see what's next for chef/owner Sung Park and will be first in line for whatever future project comes next.

The best place to have breakfast/brunch in San Francisco! Bright, beautiful, and atmospheric…read moreinterior where we enjoyed our meal. Delicious food with a huge variety of dishes to choose from. Very friendly and lovely staff. It's always a wonderful experience and leaves such a pleasant aftertaste after every visit.

Wonderful experience, I came on Mother's Day around 12:45pm and had to wait about 30 mins to get…read moreseated for a party of 6. The restaurant is beautiful with a lot of natural light, perfect ambiance for a brunch. They even had Mother's Day themed napkins which I thought was very nice. I really enjoyed the Lapisara burger though it's so humongous that it's actually a bit challenging to eat haha. The chicken and waffles were also very solid. I thought the Tom Yum burrito was a bit uninteresting. It was just a lot of rice wrapped up in a tortilla, the tom yum sauce it came with was good but it wasn't enough to make the dish amazing for me. Overall, excellent experience, I would highly recommend for a cutesy brunch.

Great choice! I was going back home last evening and... you…read moreknow when you want to treat yourself after a long day? Well, I decided to look for something different than my usual favorite food and I decided to go to try some Cambodian food and I picked this lovely little spot in Ocean Avenue, so far away from my house. It was my lucky day, the food was delicious, fresh and made from scratch with a glass of great white wine and , SO IMPORTANT to me a lovely service, starting with a warm welcome smile from the owner and then with the outstanding kind service at my table from the young gentleman named (I think) Ethan. Now this little gem became one of my destinations. Great job beautiful people at Megan's Table!

this cambodian-thai spot is best accessed via transit (K). it has a handful of tables and the…read moreambience is a cosy restaurant x bar vibe. service is fast. best of all, the prices are extremely reasonable and affordable for the portions and quality! we got the (ranked in order of my preference): 1. cha kroeung ($15): huge portions and the ground chicken was very flavorful 2. crab fried rice ($20): not bland like a lot of other fried rice, would have been my favorite if the crab wasn't cold 3. mango sticky rice ($8): delicious, I only wish there was more 4. pumpkin curry ($15): a little sweet for me and the pumpkin was kind of hard 5. khao soi with grilled beef ($20): not enough sauce, some parts of the beef were chewy

The service is great and the servers are awesome. The restaurant is really loud so if you're…read moreexpecting a quiet place to sit down, do not go here. They have MVs projecting on the wall too so that adds to the noise. As for the food, everything is great! The pajeon is flavorful, light and crispy. It had a lot of kimchi so that was yum. The army stew was not too salty and warmed us up! The soy garlic chicken was not overly sweet and was crispy too. The spicy pork was good but there were a few pieces that was chewy. It wasn't that spicy though but it still tasted good. The creamy pasta and tteok was good too and lived up to its name. I did find that the tteok was chewier than normally, but my partner said it was fine so to each their own. Will probably come back for a third visit!

Seafood pancake - the batter is a bit dense, wish there was more seafood filling but otherwise…read morepretty solid but quite heavy Boneless chicken w sour garlic sauce - sauce is a bit salty and tasted more like a soy glaze than garlic sauce Staff friendly but there is a bit of a wait for food to come out. Nice fast Korean food vibes.

This small restaurant in San Francisco is an absolute gem. We were seated very quickly, with zero…read morewait time without reservations. The waiters were very quick to serve us, and refill our waters without even requesting. The ambience is beautiful with a very modern yet calming vibe, great music and scenery. The food was very well prepared and tasted lovely. I would recommend brunch here for any person looking for a good breakfast or lunch stop.

Best breakfast I've had in SF Staff was nice…read more Environment was cute Honey chili bacon was well worth the money

We simply loved this place. The wait wasn't long, despite it being packed when we arrived. The…read morestaff was amazing. The place is small. They have packed in as many tables as they could in here. Yet it didn't feel crowded or like we would bump someone if we breathed. The food. That's what it's all about right? This place delivers. Every thing was as good as the last. They have a pretty extensive menu I wanted to try it all. Sadly I had to settle for Hot and Sour Soup, Wonton soup, Pork Xiao Long Bao 8 Pcs, Chicken Xiao Long Bao 8 Pcs, (8Pcs) Pork Dumpling with Sesame Sauce and Red Chili Oil (6Pcs), Numb & spicy pork Bao, Green Onion Pancake, (Sweet) Red Bean Paste Pockets. We had it family style. The 3 of us shared it all. There was plenty to go around. None of us left hungry. I can't even pick a favorite. Maybe the numb and spicy which wasn't that spicy. It was just so good and flavorful. The soup dumplings were amazing. So much perfect flavor. They held together until the bite. So good. The hot and sour soup was plenty tasty. Not the best I've ever had but certainly among the best. The only thing I will say is that one of my companions can't have seaweed. The wonton soup was amazing but full of seaweed. It wasn't listed on the menu and we have never had seaweed in any other wonton soup so didn't know to ask if it could be left out. That was sad. All she could do was have a tiny spoon of the broth to taste it. The green onion pancake was very good. The red bean paste pockets use the same dough but filled with sweet red bean paste. They were a perfect way to end the meal. Next time I'm in the city I will visit again. Loved it all. It was worth taking the time to visit and eat there.

Dumpling Story is what I've heard to be Dumpling Home's aesthetic counterpart (sister restaurants)…read more The interior is definitely aesthetic, featuring a bright, modern, minimalist exterior. Menu is relatively the same as Dumpling Home featuring my faves like the numb and spicy XLB and the sheng jian bao. Both very delicious! The remainder of the dishes we got were also good. I will say the green beans left me wanting a bit more from it. But overall, my party had a nice, fulfilling meal. Dumpling Home will always be my favorite (still prefer it a TINY bit), but because there is less of a crowd, service was amazing! I definitely wouldn't mind coming back considering there the difference in wait time to Dumpling Home.