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.

I usually don't repeat restaurants that soon, but I had Do Re Mi three times in one week!…read more Do Re Mi was inspired by the three kids of the sweet owners, Judy and Ivan. I first visited their Mission location and ordered the sushi bake + chicken rice. The sushi bake was flavorful. Then I happened to be back in the area midweek, so I returned for the beef rice dish and a few onigiris. During the Chinatown Night Market, I stopped by their Chinatown location, which just opened this month Safe to say this spot will be added to my regular rotation.

I came here at the recommendation of a friend in the neighborhood, and honestly, my thoughts about…read morethe place so far are that the food and experience were average. Everything about the ordering process and the quality of the food itself was good but not great. There was no wow factor or anything that left me feeling extra motivated to return, but I also wouldn't be opposed if I were nearby and craving onigiri. There's a single kiosk in-store to order at, but you can also place an order with the person working the counter if it's not too busy. I wasn't sure what I wanted immediately, so I waited for one of my friends to finish before ordering. I added 1 unagi eel, 1 unagi onigiri, and 1 crab onigiri to my basket and checked out. I have absolutely no idea what's the difference between "unagi eel" and "unagi onigiri", and when I went to pick up my order, the staff member told me my order was two unagi and one crab. However, I was charged $4.50 for the unagi eel and $4.30 for the unagi onigiri, so go figure. I could not detect a difference between the two, and the price of each averaged out to $4.40, so it's whatever. I unwrapped one of the unagi onigiris to eat in-store as we waited for a Zoox to arrive. It was actually pretty difficult to extricate the seaweed and rice ball filling in one piece to consume together, which I presume is because the onigiris are each made-to-order and due to the freshness, the separate ingredients haven't had a chance to marinate and congeal together. As I had not eaten all day, I quickly devoured the onigiris before and after our short ride back to a café where some of our other friends were waiting. The onigiris were, as I mentioned before, pretty standard minus the fact they kind of fell apart. I would say if you like onigiris, then these will get the job done, but they're nothing exceptional, so keep your standards at baseline.

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."

Great katsu! I enjoyed the sake as well. the resturant has a nice clean atmosphere. the service is…read moregreat

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.

4.0 stars for breakfast--see dinner review below (5.0 stars)There are sooo many good brunch spots…read morein SF. In my opinion Lapisara ranks in the middle due to the other excellent options available. Seated immediately--had a reso but on a Wednesday morning not really necessary. It took a long time for the single employee to get to us but we weren't in a hurry. Cappuccino was very good in a cute "bear mug" and very reasonably priced. We shared a pacific omlet--not much crab, lots of shrimp, and nice swiss cheese/scallions but tasted kind of fishy--potatoes were only avg. Son said huevos rancheros were average. Price point good for SF and portions adequate to share. Location convenient so we will try dinner there tonight before a comedy show nearby. Dinner-5++ stars; 4 of us Had dinner last night-6pm-reso but not needed. only one other group dining. Single Waitress was great-we let her know we needed to leave in about an hour for a show and she timed everything perfectly--we even had time for dessert. we ordered so many items that she brought over an extra table--we shared everything family style. Most Yelp reviews only mention brunch but the dinner was awesome--service; food: taste/quality, presentation, portions, prices we phenomenally low for SF ($200 with a bottle of wine for 4 people). We started with the garlic butter clams-small but tasty. Tuna tartar was excellent quality and enough to share. Samosas were more like empanadas--very good with peanut sauce so good it rivaled my own home made. We continued our culinary adventure with crab fried rice-delicious, a large portion and my son who lives in SF and has tried dozens of crab fried rice ranked it in the top tier. The pacific catch rice noodles with crab was also excellent-big portion, lots of crab, tasty. Final entree was their specialty-Mussaman Curry. Wow, tender meat/potatoe "stew" with a very unique flavor from the star anise/cinnamon and peanut--to die for. Creme Brulee was very good with lots of fresh fruit accompaniment My only complaint was a very limited wine selection. Lapisaia will become one of our regular spots for dinner!!!

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.

The place is so cute! The food is delicious! Next time in San Francisco we will definitely come…read moreback!

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.