331486 Wed Oct 04 23:07:03 -0700 2006 12 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 1923450 Help us out. We want to swing through chinatown and get a fabulous chinese dinner (NUT ALLERGY!) and a nice bakery for yummy red bean buns, cakes, or any red bean or lotus decadance, as well as some fabulous bao. Please, we're heading into town on Friday..I hear Jackson street is a good starting place! HELP ME MAKE MY NEW HOUND HUSBAND HAPPY! Wed Oct 04 23:07:03 -0700 2006 11201 Diana 1 1923769 I would recommend R&G Lounge for their famous salt and pepper crab. The Chinese food there is somewhat authentic and the flavors are pleasant to all crowds. Make sure to make reservations or else there are long lines. Try to sit upstairs because the ambiance is better. Thu Oct 05 01:10:07 -0700 2006 1923450 15111 misspiggy 1 1924123 You're just in time for Mid-autumn festival (a.k.a. Mooon Festival) and freshly made mooncakes are as decadent as you could want with those fillings. Try AA bakery on Stockton near Jackson, Garden Bakery (a hole-in-the wall place on Jackson between Stockton and Grant) or, for a pricier version, Golden Gate Bakery on Grant between Pacific and Jackson. For a sit-down Chinese dinner I recommend Great Eastern on (yes) Jackson between Grant and Kearny. I don't recommend R&G Lounge because of its notorious inconsistency. Not to mention the fact that it's nowhere near Jackson St. ;-0) Thu Oct 05 04:39:36 -0700 2006 1923450 10255 Gary Soup 2 1924211 How funny I completely disagree because my last two meals at Great Eastern has been less then interesting while most of my meals at R&G Lounge have been great. Thu Oct 05 05:45:21 -0700 2006 1924123 15111 misspiggy 1 1924166 Oh, dear. Nut allergy. You'll have to be careful, or at least bring your antihistamines. Chinese food uses a lot of peanut oil. Better call the restaurants you are interested in to find out what they use. Thu Oct 05 05:07:34 -0700 2006 1923450 14663 pilinut 1 1924178 Good point. I was thinking about how they seldom use nuts in cooking (except for gongbao dishes) but I think peanut oil is often used for deep frying. Thu Oct 05 05:13:33 -0700 2006 1923450 10255 Gary Soup 2 1924351 and also maybe for wok frying b/c it stands up to high heat! Thu Oct 05 09:50:35 -0700 2006 1924178 14987 estnet 3 1924914 So do a lot of oils, and I think for most uses a more neutral flavored (and less expensive) oil is preferred. If you peer into kitchens, you'll see a lot of those huge lined-carboard containers of vegetable oil you can buy at Costco (forgot the brand name). Thu Oct 05 15:50:58 -0700 2006 1924351 10255 Gary Soup 2 1924989 just an aside to this conversation: My brother has a seriously deathly nut allergy and for what it is worth, Peanuts aren't nuts. If it is a real nut allergy they won't need to worry about the peanut oil. since peanuts are legumes. my brother can eat his body weight in chinese food. and he has never had a problem... Thu Oct 05 16:18:32 -0700 2006 1924178 14459 jupiter 3 1925010 Another good point. All this stuff is confusing to me, as all these allergies didn't appear to exist when I was growing up. It certainly gives one pause. I assume your brother needs to be wary of places that make cashew or walnut dishes, though. Thu Oct 05 16:24:42 -0700 2006 1924989 10255 Gary Soup 4 1925191 oh yes, walnuts, cashews, almonds, pistachio's, He sounds like Harlan Pepper from Best in show when he lists off what he CAN'T eat, (which for my brother is almost minimal) we went to fifth floor many moons ago when laurent gras was still there and he walked in and told the server "just start this night off right, i feel i should tell you that i will go to in anaphylactic shock if there are any nuts in my food, so could you just keep that in mind when i am ordering?" she was very obliging and steered him clear of one item and then suggested like three others and then went and talked to the chef. my brother will not let anything as small as a nut deter him from consuming vast quantities of food.... He has used that line in restaurants from fifth floor to fatt dogg and back again... People like to make sure that they can save your life and have you not die enjoying their food. :) Thu Oct 05 17:12:30 -0700 2006 1925010 14459 jupiter 5 1925597 Harlan Pepper liked to drive his mom by _naming_ nuts. He didn't say anything about not being able to eat nuts. Thu Oct 05 19:29:45 -0700 2006 1925191 10658 Atomica 1 1925748 i know, my brother sounds like Harlan Pepper when Harlan Pepper is drivin' his mama nuts.... Thu Oct 05 20:12:06 -0700 2006 1923450 14459 jupiter