Cheap Food Critic

839 Clay St
San Francisco, CA 94108

So you are in San Francisco and you want some good Chinese food, where do you go? Well, there’s tons of great places here for sure like R&G Lounge but my favorite here is Capital Restaurant. These guys are known for their Pepper Fried Chicken Wings; which they self-proclaim to be famous for. I normally don’t believe restaurants when they hype themselves up for being famous for whatever reason but these guys definitely did not disappoint.

Of course I had to order up some of the wings when I was here. An order comes with 10 wings or so and is covered in slices of jalapeno peppers (actually not that spicy though). The wings are fricking huge and are probably genetically overgrown but who cares there’s more meat. The outside is super crunchy without the excess batter like some places. There’s a nice saltiness and jalapeno flavor to the wings. The inside is always cooked perfectly and is piping hot. Be aware though it does take a little longer if you order the wings because its takes a while to fry up these giant chicken wings. An order of these wings are about $7 after tax

I’ve also tried the Beef Chow Fun and the Egg Tofu with Ground Meat. The Chow Fun is not the best I’ve had but it’s still not bad. The Egg Tofu with Ground Meat on the other had is top notch. Some of the best tofu dishes I have ever had. Either one will run you about $8 after tax.

Probably the best value in this area. Save yourself a few bucks and get some of the best cheap Chinese food in San Francisco.

Note – Cash only

Yelp – 4.0/5.0 Stars (300 Ratings)

22315 Hwy 99, #E
Edmonds, WA 98026

Mon-Thu, Sun 10:00 am – 9:30 pm
Fri-Sat 10:00 am – 10:30 pm

This place is my go to spot for congee in the North end. Rock Cod Congee is my favorite item on the menu here. Always perfectly seasoned and the cod is always smooth and almost fall apart tender. The wontons are also probably the best in the north end. Just depending on if I want something more filling I would go for this in a heartbeat. The wontons are not as big as Mike’s but the flavor in them is undeniably good (plenty of shrimp in the wontons).

Everyone that comes here probably has the same first impressions…this place looks like Mike’s Noodle House. The color and the faux brick walls look very similar; however, it’s not just the look the food itself is very similar which leads me to wonder if they share some kind of common ownership or cooks. But whatever, it’s all good food. There are some minor differences you will notice, price-wise it is a little bit more expensive but you can take advantage of the free and plentiful parking here. Mike’s on the other hand there is only street parking that will run you $2.50/hour (and that’s if you find a parking spot). By avoiding the parking cost it will probably be cheaper coming here (depending on what part of the city you live in). These guys are normally not as busy as Mike’s, which means no waiting for a seat…Yeah!

I got my food to go this time but was afraid of spillage in my car (specially with the liquid menu items). However, they packed everything securely in tightly sealed plastic containers. Not a single drop spilled on the way home.

Note – Don’t forget a little white pepper will give it a very nice kick. Min charge of $15 for credit cards otherwise a $.30 charge will be applied.

Yelp – 4/5 Stars (60 Ratings)

15015 Main St, Ste 107
Bellevue, WA 98007

Mon-Thu, Sun 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Fri-Sat 11:00 am – 9:30 pm

Szechuan Chef is another Asian restaurant in Bellevue making waves in the local food community. I was referred this place from a reader a few weeks back and had to see what all the fuss was about. Located in a strip mall with Walmart and LA Fitness, Szechuan Chef from the outside looks like any other Chinese restaurant. The inside was pretty nice, kind of like a modern take on Asian decor.

As for the food, these guys had a pretty extensive menu of Szechuan style Chinese food. I went with the Dan Dan noodles with the hand shaven noodles for about $9 after tax. When the food arrived it came in the biggest noodle bowl I have ever seen. The food was also filled to rim of the bowl with chunky strands of the hand shaven noodles (this was definitely a two person/meal serving).

I dug in immediately to the noodles and realized there was no bold spicy flavors like I’m used to from Szechuan food. I dug a little deeper into the noodles and realized I forgot to mix up the sauce and veggies that were on the bottom of the bowl (noob mistake). Once properly mixed you get all of the spiciness from the chilli oil and strong flavors form the crushed peanuts. The color of the sauce, a bright red-ish hue was a little deceiving. The dish was not overly spicy…probably a 2 or weak 3 star on a five star scale. There was also Chinese cabbage added in the mix which add a nice crunch to the soft noodles.

I also ordered the Ma Po Tofu to go and tried the Twice Cooked Pork my eating buddy had ordered (both from the lunch menu). As lunch menu items the orders also came with soup and rice (fried or white). Both the soup and fried rice was definitely nothing special. I will probably opt for the white rice next time but you really didn’t need the rice at all since the entrees were more than enough to make us full. For $8-$9 for either of the orders will be a viable option for lunch.

Although everything was pretty good the obvious star of the place was the hand shaven noodles. Make sure to try them out with the Dan Dan Noodle entree.

Yelp – 4.0/5.0 Stars (229 Reviews)

1075 Bellevue Way NE, Ste B-2
Bellevue, WA 98004

Mon-Sun 11:30 am – 3:00 pm
Mon-Thu and Sun 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Fri-Sat 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm

So I had heard rumors of an amazing Taiwanese restaurant in the Bellevue-area. So of course I had to make the trek to the east-side and try it myself. Coming here for the first time was quite an ordeal. The restaurant is fricking hidden and the the parking although plentiful was cramp. After circling the parking lot trying to ID this place and find parking were I would not get door-dinged, I ended up parking on the street behind the strip-mall. Once in the restaurant I realized I must have just missed the lunch rush. There was plenty of seating and plenty of waiters/waitresses just kind of hanging out. But once seated, they were all really attentive and made sure we had everything we needed including making sure my water was never less than half full (I’m a optimist).

The menu had a pretty large assortment of Chinese/Taiwanese dishes. So for my order, I recon’d the other patrons’ food. Everyone seemed to be eating the Pork Burger (not really a burger, it’s braised fatty pork in a bao) so I had to pick up one of them as an appetizer. I also ordered the Noodle with braised beef and a to go order of the Homestyle Egg Noodles.

I was super excited for the pork burger since everyone was eating it…it has to be good right? Correct! It was amazing. When you take your first bite you will get the peanut sauce right away. The braised pork will then shine through along with the cilantro. The bao/bun was also very soft, obviously fresh. For $3.70 it was a steal.

The Noodles with Braised Beef was also very good. It had a pretty strong garlic flavor but was manageable when eaten with the noodles. The contrast of the soft noodles and crunchy bean sprouts was also really nice. I would have like it to have a little spice to it though. But for about $7 for a filling and delicious lunch I can’t complain too much.

And my favorite item from this place…the Homestyle Egg Tofu with Mixed Veggies and Pork. I have to note that I’ve had egg tofu dishes at many other places restaurants but this one has to be my absolute favorite. The tofu was braised just enough to harden the outer layer of the tofu but still maintaining a soft inside. The sauce had a nice balance where it was savory without being too salty but also had a little sweetness to it as well. Texture-wise there was a nice with the crunch from the veggies with the softness from the tofu. On the high-end of $10 I almost did not write about this dish but after thinking about how good it was I had to do recommend it to everyone.

Yelp – 4.0/5.0 Stars (577 Ratings)

14314 Greenwood Ave N
Seattle, WA 98133

Tue-Sun 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Tue-Sun 4:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Whenever I’m craving dumplings in the north end this is my go to spot. Fu Man makes their dumplings fresh from scratch. The TLC in these little guys are obvious from the first bite you take (they are actually not that small…dumplings are bigger than the ones at Din Tai Fung). However, before you take your first bite make sure you do it right. The dumplings are best eaten hot and lathered in the plum sauce provided. Let the dumpling bathe in the sauce for a few seconds to soak in the sauce and cool down a little before taking your first bite. You will immediately taste the sweetness of the house plum sauce but the flavor from the pork and veggie filling will come through shortly after. After you got the process down repeat 11 more times

Lets say you are just not feeling the dumplings today, what else is good? Well, the dumplings are definitely the star of the house but there also a cast of supporting dishes that can be a very good alternatives. Such as the Fu Man Special Fried Rice and the Ma Po Tofu. The fried rice comes with a mix of veggies, shrimp, chicken, and beef. The rice is very moist and has a peppery taste that I have never had in fried rice before. Although very good, the fried rice is no match for Green Village’s House Special fried rice.

The Ma Po Tofu was also really enjoyable; it was light, spicy, and sweet all at the same time. It came with tofu (obviously), ground beef, a mix of peas and carrots, and sauce that taste very similar to the house plum sauce for the dumplings. I got the tofu with 4 stars and I thought that was the absolute perfect spiciness (just a little spicy tingle on the tongue but not so much that you cannot enjoy your food).

The location itself is pretty small. There are about eight tables and can probably fit no more than 24 people total. Parking is very limited in the front. However, drive around to the back of the building to find more parking.

In summary, depending what you are feeling you can pick up the Fu Man Special Fried Rice or the Ma Po Tofu for a little over $10 (after tax), or the Homemade Dumplings for a little less than $10 (after tax). If it is your first time here I would definitely go for the dumplings. And if you do, don’t forget to apply the technique above.

Yelp – 4.0/5.0 Start (240 Reviews)

King Noodle (formerly Homestyle Hong Kong Cafe)
615 S King St
Seattle, WA 98104

Mon-Thu, Sun 11:00 am – 10:00 pm
Fri-Sat 11:00 am – 12:00 am

I normally would not do a review of a place this new but I was very impressed with the food at this place. Concept is pretty cool as well. Upon sitting down instead of getting a normal menu you receive a pencil/crayon and a paper menu with check boxes. You select the type of noodle, broth, protein and veggies for your order…kind of the Subway of Chinese noodle houses. I have been here twice already since its initial open. I had the congee with fish and fish cakes the first time and rice noodles, Szechuan broth, bean sprouts, and beef and fish balls the second time. Both were awesome! And amazingly cheap…for under $10 you can get a noodle soup with your choice of veggies and protein ($6.99) or congee with your choice of 2 proteins ($5.99). I am a little torn now. Prior to coming to this place I was all for Mike’s Noodle House as the best congee in the city but this place definitely gives Mike’s a run for the money (especially because of the customization options and lower price point).

Yelp – 4/5 Stars (21 Ratings)

Noodle King – Congee

516 6th Ave S
Seattle, WA 98104

Mon-Sat 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

Only one dish you need to order here…HOUSE SPECIAL FRIED RICE!  I have had many items on the Green Village menu (Juicy Beef Soup, Chicken Cold Noodle, Chow Mein, etc.) all were delicious but the fried rice is probably the best fried rice anywhere.  The portions are large and the service is great. What else can you ask for? Maybe longer hours for these guys. If it were not for the early closures every day I would go here a lot more.

For under $10 you can get an order of the House Special Fried Rice and a soda pop.

Make sure you bring cash.  No checks or credit/debit cards

Yelp – 4/5 Stars (107 Ratings)

418 Maynard Ave S
Seattle, WA 98104

Tue-Thu, Sun 9:30 am – 8:00 pm
Fri-Sat 9:30 am – 9:00 pm

This is my go to spot for congee in the Seattle area.  I have never been disappointed with the cod congee here, except for when they run out.   For those who are not familiar with what congee is, it is soupy white rice dish also commonly known as porridge.  Doesn’t sound too glamorous but it is great for those cold, dreary, rainy Seattle days.

The wonton noodle soup is also one of the best in the Seattle area.  The wontons are meatball sized and well worth the money. For less then $10 you can get a bowl of congee or wonton noodle soup as well as a Chinese doughnut (pretty much just deep fried bread).

Be aware that this place is not the biggest restaurant and during lunch or dinner rush you probably will be waiting a little bit.  No worries though, customer turnover is normally pretty quick.

Yelp – 4/5 Stars (276 Ratings)

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