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    Social Eatery

    3.7 (256 reviews)
    Closed • 11:00 am - 8:30 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Social Eatery Photos

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    SOCIAL EATERY ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Social Eatery

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    Peach jelly coconut milk

    A bit disappointed because the reviews looked pretty good but I thought it was ok. - beef and tendon stew noodle soup (medium spicy): soup was bland, not very spicy, beef was good (flavorful and soft enough). I wouldn't recommend ordering this dish - cumin lamb with dry ramen noodles (mild spiciness): not bad! Lamb was very flavorful. Spiciness level was good for someone who usually orders mild. I wanted to try the wide noodles but it was sold out. Ramen noodle was a bit overcooked (soft). Also on the oily side. It's not mind-blowingly good but the flavors are good, so it's an item I would order if I eat here again. - peach jelly coconut milk: DO NOT ORDER. This is one of the worst drinks I've gotten from a boba place in a long time. It's literally artificial peach syrup mixed with coconut milk. The peach jelly doesn't even go up the straw because it's too firm. The jelly has chunks of canned peaches and tastes like the jelly's sold in plastic sealed cups in the supermarket. - environment: nice and clean, some seats are benches so you can't lean back. Staff are ok, not the most attentive but not the worst either. Overall an ok spot, wouldn't be my first choice when eating out but it's alright. Not the worst either. The place is nice, clean, and comfortable enough so I wouldn't mind coming back especially because it's at a convenient location with plenty of parking.

    Cucumber salad
    Maggie W.

    Cute mini food hall with three options inside. You place your order on the tablet they provide you. My boyfriend and I opted to order the cucumber salad, chili oil wontons, cumin lamb noodle, and classic beef stew. The food here is very authentic- as expected of Millbrae. I liked the cucumber salad, the chili oil wontons are very pork forward. If that's your thing, then definitely give it a go! Overall we had an enjoyable experience, we saw a lot of young people and families nearby enjoying the different options they offer.

    Persimmon drink from grapeholic - IG@BlackTigerEats
    Teason M.

    Always a fun time eating here. So many options from rice bowls, appetizers, noodles, and boba. We got an iPad / used our phone to scan the QR code to order. We got the combo meal for ~$55 before tax. It comes with two noodle bowls, appetizer, side, 2 bobas from Grapeholic, and optional 2 desserts. They have at the register usually 3'basket of free fruit, you can only choose 1; apple or banana or an orange. Thanks!

    Very good chicken wings
    Jonathan A.

    Food is awesome, drinks are better! The food was absolutely fantastic, cheap and probably the best we have had in awhile.

    Shruti J.

    I've been here in 2023 and I was here again a few days ago. I really enjoy their variety of drinks and food out here. You can tell it's authentic by the number of Asian folks you see out here. I absolutely loved their mango sago tea - I've always had it as dessert and I really enjoyed it. I also got the katsu chicken noodles - the broth was spicy and flavorful. The quantity is very generous and honestly I could barely even finish half of what I got. Highly recommend this amazing spot for noodles and milk teas!

    Beef noodle soup
    Jaky Y.

    Stopped by for lunch and ordered a variety of things. We tried the beef noodle soup, clay pot rice, lamb cumin noodles, pork and shrimp dumplings, and cucumber appetizer. The beef noodle soup was too sweet for our liking, but the beef was pretty tender. The lamb biang biang noodle was our favorite dish across flavor and noodle texture. The clay pot rice was pretty small for the price, and the crispy rice at the bottom was a bit soggy. Given the atmosphere of Social Eatery, we were surprised that the food took a while to come out (20+ min for the first item). There's minimal service here since you order off a QR code or tablet. The interior has a decent amount of seating.

    Interiors
    Allena C.

    I've never tried Social Eatery and my guy has tried it once a while back and enjoyed their rib noodle soup, so we had lunch there today. It was quiet on a Thursday at 12:30 pm, so plentiful tables available for our choosing. Festive Halloween decor inside and out! Love the vibes of Social Eatery! The server gave us a tablet to place our order. ***OUR PICKS*** BEEF PLATE RIB, BIANG BIANG THICK NOODLES IN STRONG SPICY SOUP ~ the beef was so tender and not at all dry like some beef stew can be. The soup had the perfect spice and the thick noodles had a good chew. Yummy! 5/5 BEEF STEW AND TENDON WITH RAMEN NOODLES IN REGULAR NON SPICY SOUP ~ I added extra bok choy because I like extra vegetables. I enjoyed the texture of the ramen noodles, and the meat was SO GOOD and SOFT! I appreciated the option to order more vegetables. LOVED THIS! 5/5 MANGO POMELO SAGO ~ Less sugar and less ice. Not too sweet and pretty filling. No complaints! Very nice drink to end the meal. 5/5 OSMANTHUS SLUSH ~ from the first sip to the last drop, I fell hard for this drink! Osmanthus flavor is interesting and it's not a usual flavor that you'd typically see at a boba shop. I was thoroughly satisfied with this drink! Whipped cream and osmanthus jelly made it even more special. Definitely will order this again! 5/5 SO happy that I finally tried this spot! I'd like to add this to our rotation list. It exceeded my expectations! Can't wait to try other things on the menu too. We'll be back!

    Cucumber salad no spice
    RuthMarie S.

    Order on iPad Can be separately when with a group Bathrooms are coed Service was quick Beef Soup could have been a hotter temperature for me

    Entrance
    Renaliza M.

    Ambiance is nice, Servers are friendly, this is my first time here, I got a Creme Caramel with Boba, waited about 15 minutes for one drink. I don't know about the other drink flavors, but this one was NOT worth the wait. It was warm and bitter. I didn't even finish the drink and would not order this drink again, maybe I will come back to try something else next time ‍

    clay pot rice
    Sydney C.

    I really liked this place! I got the clay pot rice and it did take 18 minutes for it to come out. I wish it did have more flavoring but thats okay! Plenty of meat but not enough rice. We came on a Tuesday so it wasn't crowded at all! We also got milk tea and a grapefruit fruit tea. The place is really well decorated and I really like the cow chairs. This place was more on the pricey side and my total came out to be 50 dollars for two people.

    Becky V.

    Cool place to hangout with a group or just meetup with someone one on one Booth seatings fit no more than 6. Can get communal tables for larger groups Order on iPad then pay when done The black sesame milk boba was great, I like the black sesame taste a lot. Well done At night there was relaxing jazz background music and it was so delightful and soothing. Made for a very cute date

    Afternoon tea menu that was however NOT available for some reason when we went, mon-fri 2:30-5:30pm
    Shar P.

    Promotion shows Mon-Fri 2:30-5:30, went in and was given an iPad to order but the afternoon tea menu was not on there, asked the waitress, showed her the afternoon treat menu photo, she said they don't have it today?!?! But she was not able to explain as to why it was not available. Ummmm, it was M-F 2:30-5:30 the time we went. She was not able to explain why it was not available?! She just said it is not available. So was it not available that day? That week? Or month? No further explanation. Ummmm it was promoted on IG telling ppl to come in and once you get there, they said it's not available, super weird. We went within the week of the IG post. False advertisement Will not be back. Went to New Broadway Bistro near by instead.

    Michele T.

    Sis chose this place for her birthday dinner. We ordered the Special for 2 which comes with a choice of 2 entrees, 2 appetizers, 2 drinks, and 2 fruit. We went with the: 1) Beef stew with biang biang noodles - kiddos liked the beef and the noodles were chewy. 2) Clay pot rice with pork hash - liked the crispy rice 3) Fries and popcorn chicken - both arrived hot and crispy Tried the Pure Grape drink which was refreshing. We also added on the pepper beef dumplings and the pork and vegetable dumplings. Didn't realize it would be served in soup. The beef ones had good flavor but were quite peppery. The pork ones were flavorful, too. Ended our meals with plates of sliced orange - sweet. Good amount of food for the 5 of us to share.

    Cumin Lamb Pancake: 3/5

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    First time eating here and the food was amazing . Thank you Nour for your great customer service !

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    Social Eatery Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Social Eatery

    Is the restaurant large enough for 40 people? And can we each pay separately?

    Yes, we can fit 100 people. Please call in advance so that we can coordinate for you. Thanks

    Do they take Amex?

    Yes! I don't remember every card option they have as it was about a month ago since I went, but I do remember Amex being one of the cards they accept!

    Do the restaurants take Amex?

    Yes!

    Can we make reservations?

    Yes

    View All 5 Questions

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    Jinweide Lanzhou Beef Noodles - Braised beef noodles with wide noodles

    Jinweide Lanzhou Beef Noodles

    4.1(286 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    •$$
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    Very good noodle spot. Everything was flavorful, filling and fresh. If you're dining in at a table,…read moreyou order off of a QR code and everyone at that table can order amongst themselves with their own phone and it adds onto one order which was nice. My party came a little after opening and the place filled up pretty good after. Definitely recommend if you're up to try different types of soups with pulled noodles. Oil spill noodles were great!

    We stopped by Jinweide Lanzhou Beef Noodles in Millbrae for a quick late-night dinner. Parking in…read morethe area can be challenging on busy weekends, but we got lucky and found a spot about half a block away. We arrived around 8:30 PM and were seated right away. Place was welcoming and super clean. When you first walk in, there's a cute statue of a guy happily pulling noodles, which adds a little character to the place. The restaurant is mostly self-service; you scan a QR code at the table to order, while water, spices, utensils, and to-go boxes are available for you to grab yourself. Our food came out surprisingly fast. We ordered the Braised Beef Noodle Soup. The beef was tender, cut into bite-sized pieces, and served with some vegetables. I really liked the broth; it was clean tasting but still flavorful and comforting. The only disappointment was that the soup wasn't very hot. Since we came in fairly close to closing and I believe the kitchen closes at 9 PM, perhaps they were already winding things down for the evening. We also tried the chili oil cabbage, which was tasty, flavorful, and a nice side dish to have with the noodles. When you're finished, you request the bill through the app. There are suggested tip options, which felt a little unusual at first since so much of the experience is self-service. That said, the staff does bring the food to your table and clears everything afterward, so there is some service involved. Overall, the noodles were pretty good, the beef was tender, and the flavorful broth was the highlight for me. It's a convenient place when you want something warm and satisfying without spending a lot of time over dinner. We were seated, ate, and were on our way in about 30 minutes. I think I'll return to try other dishes.

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    Special Hainan Chicken - Soft Launch of Special Hainan Chicken in Millbrae! 11.1.2024

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    3.8(119 reviews)
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    Food comes out very fast. I thought I wouldn't like the chicken but I was pleasantly surprised. The…read morerice was really good too. I tried the fish udon and it was so unique. We also had the fish ball noodle soup and the broth was flavorful and had a lot of fish balls. The bowls are huge you can definitely share. I think for the price and quick service I would come back!

    Worst customer service I've experienced--ignored and dismissed…read more We walked in for a takeout order and stood by the corner waiting to be greeted. There were only three tables dining at the time, but no staff in sight. After a few minutes, a staff member came out of the kitchen, walked right past us without acknowledging us, and seated customers who had just walked in behind us. She then went back into the kitchen, came out again to print a check for another table, and continued to completely ignore us. When she finally came back out a third time, I politely asked if we could place a takeout order. She ignored my first attempt entirely. I asked a second time, and her response was genuinely shocking: she said, "Maybe later I will help you." I couldn't believe the utter lack of basic courtesy or service. That was the final straw--we immediately walked out without ordering. To be blatantly ignored and then dismissed like that is completely unacceptable. I will definitely not be giving this place a second chance.

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    Laka  - Chow mein (@joeynht)

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    4.0(174 reviews)
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    Came to Laka for dinner and while it seems like they've done a 180 pivot from their original fare,…read moreI was pleasantly surprised to find that they offer breakfast all day. Words to my heart, you know. Despite being sold out on some of the items we wanted to try, we still really enjoyed what we did order. Portions were generous and not too pricy. Also, despite being late, their Chinese deli was still pretty fresh. The order of roast pork we had was well seasoned and featured that airy crispy skin to be completely envious of. That alone is a huge plus because we don't have a lot of places in the peninsula to pick up these items, especially compared to the city. The fish porridge was complete comfort. Texture was good and there was plenty of fish to go around. The pork noodles were deeply savory but the pops of pickled vegetables against the silky rice noodles also really hit the spot. The only dish that was a bit meh to me were the potstickers. The filling was a bit mushy and I'm not the biggest fan if the deep fried style. Pan fried is the king for me. Definitely keeping Laka as an option whenever I really need that comfort Chinese food fix.

    This restaurant serves delicious and filling food like the Hainan chicken plate and preserved egg…read morecongee, beautifully presented with crispy peanuts and ginger oil condiments. While the congee felt overpriced and many Tuesday evening items were sold out, the great taste makes it worth a return visit. Roast pork is apparently their signature item.

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    Yuanbao Jiaozi - House special Beef Noodle Soup

    Yuanbao Jiaozi

    4.3(419 reviews)
    0.2 mi
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    Free parking
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    Tofu skin starter, light and neat, Set the stage for a tasty…read moretreat. Dumplings plump and juicy too, Beef noodle soup warmed me through. Sesame noodles, nutty and bold, Every bite was worth its gold. Come hungry, leave happy. We'll be back for more!

    Despite being a HUGE fan of Yuanbao Jiaozi, I'd be lying if I said I ever felt super motivated to…read moremake the drive out to this location. Given how much closer their SF location is to me, it always felt a little unnecessary to head all of the way out here to get the exact same thing. However, after learning that the menu here actually has a lot more to offer, I had heard all I needed for my curiosity to be piqued! Compared to their original outpost, this Yuanbao Jiaozi is significantly larger in size, offering well over twice the amount of seating. Similarly, I got pretty excited when I saw just how much more the menu has to offer. In addition to the same assortment of appetizers, noodle dishes, and dumplings you'll find in SF, this one has several additional types of appetizers, dumplings, and noodle dishes, as well as a selection of dumplings in chili oil, potstickers, and several varieties of xiao long bao. What's more, they also have a Sea Urchin and Pork Dumpling, which is definitely something you don't see all that often! -- NAPA CABBAGE & PORK POTSTICKERS...$15.99 Sadly, not quite as good as I had hoped for, but still solid. While I liked the overall taste and how the skins had a nice thickness to them, I wish that some of them had a firmer bottom/crust. Plus, I didn't love seeing all of the excess left on the dish. -- PICKLED CHINESE CABBAGE BEEF NOODLE SOUP...$15.99 Plus points for being able to get this without cilantro, but, admittedly, this didn't look right without it. In any case, this tasted pretty solid, even if others we've had were better. The broth wasn't very bold, but the noodles had a nice bite and the beef was super tender. -- DAN DAN NOODLES...$12.99 Not as good as my newfound favorite, but this is up there. Similarly, the noodles in this had a nice chew and I liked how they didn't skimp on the meat. However, the sauce had a slightly nutty aftertaste that was distracting - either make it stronger or not have it at all. -- UNI & PORK DUMPLINGS...$7.99 Really interesting, to say the least. The filling had a bit of a briny sort of flavor to it that complemented the pork filling well. That said, it did feel a little gimmicky and certainly a little pricey for what you get. -- BRAISED SPARERIBS NOODLE SOUP...$15.99 This was kind of simple, but still pretty good! Although there weren't many pieces of it, I thought the spareribs were porky and tender, the broth was flavorful, and the noodles in this dish were just as good as the others. -- HOUSE SPECIAL BEEF NOODLE SOUP (SPICY)...$15.99 Of the two beef noodle soups, I liked this one slightly more. The slices and chunks of beef were just as tender and the noodles had the same bit of bite to them. As for the broth, it still could've used more body, but it wasn't overwhelmed by the pickled vegetables. -- PORK XIAO LONG BAO...$12.99 These were great! Although there wasn't as much soup inside each piece as I would've liked, the filling was still fairly porky. The skins, though, were fantastic - soft, tender, and on the thin side, but not so thin that they tore apart when liefted. Along with the food, the other thing I like about this Yuanbao Jiaozi is just how convenient it is. Parking is always a breeze, we've never had to wait for a table (for dinner, anyways), our order has always come out fairly quickly, and the workers have always been really friendly. Even though I haven't found the food to be quite as amazing as that first time I tried the Yuanbao Jiaozi on Irving in SF, our visits to this location have never disappointed. While I still need to check out some of the other noodle joints that have opened up recently in Burlingame, Millbrae, and San Mateo, that doesn't mean I won't be coming back here for more quick and tasty meals. Not when I now have another spot to get some tasty beef noodle soup, dan dan noodles, and dumplings! FOUR AND A HALF STARS rounded down for now.

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    Tasty Place

    Tasty Place

    4.0(319 reviews)
    1.4 mi
    •$$

    Really enjoyed this place. The fish we had was very delicious and the fish and chives dumplings…read morewere great. I've never had fish and chive dumplings before. Service was prompt and there was no wait. Theres parallel parking in front but its usually filled. Theres a lot behind the store and parking in the next street. The surrounded area is residential so you should be able to find a spot after some hunting.

    We had not planned on eating here but last-minute decided to dine here given this was our only…read moreoption in the vicinity. But I'm not upset at all about this impromptu decision as we had a great meal here. Our table of 6 ordered a variety of dishes and everything was delicious. the most notable items for me were the spicy wontons and fish in chili oil. The dishes were spicy but not so much so that you couldn't enjoy the actual flavors of the dish. For those that like the Szechuan tingling feeling, the chicken in explosive chilis was also quite good. We had also given the string beans, green onion pancake, and pork and shrimp dumplings a shot and all of them hit the spot. I'm usually a huge fan of braised beef noodle soup so decided to get that here too. It wasn't the same as if I had gotten this dish at a Taiwanese restaurant; compared to the strong flavors of the other dishes, this one was pretty mild. So it's something I would skip next time I come, but every other dish was on point. Our waitress was also great at taking care of us, bring out our food quickly and helping us to clear the other plates. Even after we finished our meal and overstayed our welcome by continuing to chat, the staff didn't make us feel rushed to leave.

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    Ox 9 Lanzhou Handpulled Noodles - Features on SF Chronicles- The one of a kind authentic hand-pulled noodles in the Bay.

    Ox 9 Lanzhou Handpulled Noodles

    4.3(726 reviews)
    4.0 mi
    •$$
    Established in 2012
    Family-owned & operated

    This place is consistently good and always has at least a couple people waiting outside of the door…read moreif not more. If you feel like a nice warm hug for your tummy, then get the Langzhou hand pulled noodles. The clear broth and light spice is so comforting for your stomach and it doesn't feel too heavy. You can choose your noodle thickness based on your preference. I typically go for the small rounds while my boyfriend gets the belt noodles - the complete opposite from each other! You can get out of there less than $20 a person, which is so rare in downtown San Mateo. Quick and easy meal for lunch or dinner.

    I'm not the biggest fan of their standard bed soup noodles, so I tried their chili oil wide noodles…read morewith braised beef and definitely prefer this! Noodles are springy and have a nice chew. The braised beef is well marinated and full of flavor and soft. The bowl isn't overly spicy either, but I adjusted for less oil, less salt , and less spicy. Would recommend this! I've also tried their knife cut noodles in his bed noodle soup today too from my partner's bowl, but it was a miss. The noodles were really soft and doughy. Flavorful broth as usual though. Looking to try something different next time...

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    Kajiken - Homura Aburasoba

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    4.4(1.5k reviews)
    4.1 mi
    •$$

    I've come here twice now and I didn't realize I never left a review the first time I came! So now I…read morefeel I have even more to say how you much gotta come to Kajiken! Both times I've come I hadn't had to wait very long and our second time was with a large group including kids. Our server was great in helping us preorder before we could get seated and we only waited 15 minutes. We all ordered the same things: half of us ordered the original aburasoba and the other half ordered the homura aburasoba and the food came out quickly. They kindly gave us little bowls for the kiddos and forks and all the kids loved the noodles and the adults shared a large pitcher of beer. All in all, best aburasoba and one of my favorite spots in San Mateo!

    Finally had a chance to try this San Mateo hotspot…read more My two friends ordered the best-seller homura aburasoba (spicy minced pork) and I had the unagi version. We also had the squid and gyoza appetizers. Food was well prepared and tasty, even the service was harried and uneven. A few servers knocked into my friend and one even spilled on her while clearing dishes from the neighboring table. The staff also hovered as we were finishing our meal and asked several times if we were done/needed anything else and then less subtly if we could vacate the table. Also, we had placed ourselves on the Yelp waitlist instead of standing in the line outside and then were told when we went to check in that they don't use the Yelp waitlist, and that set us back a half hour. The food is great, but the logistics could use some work.

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    Kajiken - Inside

    Inside

    Kajiken - Oroshi Ponzu Karaage($10)

    Oroshi Ponzu Karaage($10)

    Kajiken - Complimentary Accoutrements ($0) Vinegar, Chili Oil, Dried Garlic, Sesame seeds, & Chili Powder

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    Complimentary Accoutrements ($0) Vinegar, Chili Oil, Dried Garlic, Sesame seeds, & Chili Powder

    wonderful - Dan Dan noodles

    wonderful

    4.1(1.1k reviews)
    0.3 mi
    •$$

    We got off a cruise in New Orleans and flew to San Francisco to hop another one the next day so we…read morewere only in town overnight. Walked about a block and a half from the hotel and ended up here. Glad we did. Doesnt look like much from the outside and the inside is pretty simple and small. Not fancy at all. Food has big flavor though and the portions were decent. I got the Godfather hand rolled noodles. Wide noodles with the minced pork on top and green onion. Good chew and a little heat. My wife got the brocolli beef with white rice. Beef was tender and the broccoli wasnt mushy. We both had a soda and they kept the hot tea coming. Server I think was one of the owners. Super helpful and friendly. I told her it was our first time and she explained the menu so we could actually pick something. This is one of those hidden gems. True hole in the wall. Theyve got Michelin recognition on the wall which is pretty impressive for a little spot like this. Good food and great service. What more can you ask for. Just a heads up they dont take cash and they add a service charge instead of tips.

    Aesthetic interior and great vibe in the middle of downtown Millbrae, but the food was just…read morealright. We ordered: - La Zi Ji: my friend, a La Zi Ji lover and expert, did not approve, and neither did I. It wasn't crispy on the outside, lacked that signature numbing sensation, and was barely spicy. - Smork: Very fragrant, but a bit too porky for my personal preference. - Green Onion Pancake: very very thick and soft - Godfather Noodles: perfectly cooked al dente, wish it was saucier It's worth a visit for the atmosphere, but the flavors are a bit underwhelming.

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    wonderful - Carved Wood

    Carved Wood

    wonderful - Tender Beef Iron Pot $22

    Tender Beef Iron Pot $22

    wonderful - Refreshments and some tea.

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    Refreshments and some tea.

    Social Eatery - bubbletea - Updated October 2026

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