In 2016, I took two trips to the U.S. and both were to Northern California, where I spent 18 years of my life. In my biased opinion, the San Francisco Bay Area has some of the best food choices in the U.S. Here are my favorite foods from the U.S. in 2016:
Favorite Nostalgic Food
Ghirardelli’s Hot Fudge Sundae. Aside from my mom’s home cooking, there are few foods which trigger that sense of nostalgia. This hot fudge sundae from Ghirardelli has been one of my favorites for decades. The chewiness of the fudge with the crunch of the almonds and the quality of the ice cream makes this cup my favorite nostalgic treat of the year
AT&T Park – Home of the San Francisco Giants
24 Willie Mays Plaza, San Francisco
The Original Ghirardelli Ice Cream & Chocolate Shop
Ghirardelli Square
900 North Point, San Francisco
Sunday to Thursday, 9am to 11pm
Friday and Saturday, 9am to 12am
New Favorite Bite
Porcini Doughnuts with Raclette Sauce. I have yet to dine at Rich Table (a food goal for 2017), so as soon as I read they had a new kiosk at AT&T Park I had to take a break from the baseball game to hunt for this stall. The fluffy, chewiness with the subtle taste of mushroom dipped into the smooth, creamy, fluffy cheese sauce is a food experience worth biting into
AT&T Park – Home of the San Francisco Giants
24 Willie Mays Plaza, San Francisco
Rich Table
199 Gough Street, San Francisco
Daily, 5pm to 10:30pm
New Favorite Pizza
I can eat a good, quality Neapolitan pizza once a week (which says a lot with all the other food options out there). As opposed to other varieties of pizza, Neapolitan pizzas must meet the requirements of ingredients and technique in order to produce the expectation of that chewy, pillowy crust. I have my favorite pizza places in the Peninsula of the Bay Area, and now up in the city, Zero Zero is my new favorite destination for my pizza cravings
Zero Zero
826 Folsom Street, San Francisco
Sunday to Thursday, 11:30am to 10pm
Friday and Saturday, 11:30am to 11pm
Favorite Comfort Food
As an Asian, there’s nothing more comforting than a rice bowl. Growing up in Hawaii and with a dad who went to school in Japan, Japanese foods are one of my favorite cuisines. This bowl of oyako-don from Sumika is the ultimate rice bowl comfort food. The quality and execution rivals Tokyo’s yakitori oyako-dons
Sumika
236 Central Plaza, Los Altos
Tuesday to Saturday, 11:30am to 2pm, 6pm to 10pm
Sunday, 5pm to 9pm
Closed Mondays
Favorite from a Food Tour
This year I have tried 5 food tours around the world. While in Carmel for a friend’s wedding, I took the opportunity to join Carmel Food Tours. Carmel is a little down near Monterrey where my family and I would drive for day trips. On the tour, you will learn about the history, architecture, and charms of the town while nibbling and sipping some of their specialties along the way, like this amazing serving of Gnocchi from Casanova
Casanova
5th Avenue, Carmel-By-The-Sea
Sunday to Thursday, 12pm to 3pm, 5pm to 9:30pm
Friday and Saturday, 12pm to 3pm, 5pm to 10pm
Favorite Coffee
Thinking I was cool and sophisticated at 11 years old, I eagerly sipped my first cup of coffee. Now years later, I’m still drinking a cup or espresso a day. When I am in the Bay Area, good coffee is everywhere, and I don’t mean at the Starbucks on every corner. Philz Coffee has been one of my favorites for years for its quality beans and the care in crafting each cup. When it is warm outside, I love the refreshing cup of Mint Mojito; and after dinner, I love strolling to the nearest Philz for a hot cup of whatever fits my mood
Philz Coffee
Locations in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Washington D.C.