Outer Sunset: What to Eat and Where?

[pane]

For the San Francisco board digest, I'm starting to include neighborhood round-ups on occasion--4-5 restaurants to visit or shops with great food in a particular neighborhood.

Next up: Outer Sunset (for the digest posted 12/2).

A quick search shows the following recs:
Judahlicious
Devil's Teeth Baking Company
Outerlands
Kingdom of Dumpling

What's new and interesting in Outer Sunset? What do you like but haven't seen much discussion about? What are your favorite recommended dishes in specific places?

Also, if you have suggestions for neighborhoods you'd like to see in future round-ups (and yes, outside of San Francisco is great), I'm happy to add them to the list. Posting non-Outer Sunset suggestions this thread might get messy, so perhaps drop me a line at the email address linked in my profile?

Thanks!

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Kingdom of Dumpling
1713 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA

Devil's Teeth Baking Company
3876 Noriega St, San Francisco, CA 94122

[Cynsa]

At Hong's Szechuan at 3044 Taraval Street between 40th ~ 41st Avenues, I order water dumplings, pot stickers, and the green onion pancake. closed Thursdays.

[Melanie Wong]

It appears that you and I are the only ones who have ever posted about this place. Glad that somebody else has tried the shui jiao (water dumplings) at Hong's Szechuan. They were excellent when I had them 3 years ago.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/645450

[Cynsa]

The shui jiao are still excellent tasting and look today just as they did in your pix.

[Windy]

A noteworthy cafe I just visited is Brown Owl Coffee on Taraval near 22nd Avenue, same block as French Bakery. Open 1 year. They are also Hearth organic roastery. Delightful place, delicious coffee, 1/4 the attitude of Trouble. They have snacks, but I didn't try them.

[Greyhoundgrrl]

Beachside Coffee Bar & Ktichen is the latest from the Java Beach people. The Irish breakfast sandwich is the best I've had outside of John Campbell's Irish Bakery.

[Windy]

Sounds good. What's in it?

[walker]

Twice in one week I went to Dumpling Kitchen, 1935 Taraval. They are closed on Wed. but other days are open lunch time straight through to close at 9:30 pm.

Believe me, this place is REALLY great! All the dumplings I've tried are great, especially the wontons in chile oil (# 9) -- # 13 is similar but is boiled rather than steamed like # 9. Also love the pot stickers, soup dumplings (they stay intact), mu shoo, green beans. Generous, fair prices, delicious. Three of us ate plenty, with leftovers for $45 plus tip.

One of the owners was the dim sum chef at Gold Mountain for 18 years. Staff very friendly.

I live in the Sunset but if I didn't, I'd cross town for this place and parking is not that difficult.

[Keesey]

Cajun Pacific

Gene's Liquor, your usual corner liquor store, serves really great subs! Think Submarine Center, but w/o that awesome bread. And this is kind of random, but they guy who makes the subs makes it really, really neatly.

Polly Ann Ice Cream. Spin the wheel!

[FriscoFairy]

Polly Anns has a rich history in the sunset district and the best bubble gum ice cream in the world. I wonder if they still do free doggie cones?

[hyperbowler]

Thanks goodness the durian ice cream isn't on the wheel. The last time I went there, the durian was kept in the back, leaving other flavored safe from its aroma.

Marco polo has a smaller selection than Pollyann, but they have a fantastic lychee flavor ice cream.

[FriscoFairy]

I think that you should check out El Burrito Express on Taraval and 26th ave, best burrito in town. From the morning cup of coffee at Java Beach (Judah and La Playa) to watch the Sun wake up the beach, or Brothers Pizza on Taraval (between 46th ave and 45th ave) for an afternoon of football the Outer Sunset is a great place to find anything your heart desires.

[sugartoof]

I second El Burrito Express. It's a classic that's a real neighborhood secret. There's always steady traffic from devotees,

Other Avenues Market really does deserve a mention.

[Windy]

Yes, I mentioned it above.

[sugartoof]

You always do a good job mentioning the place, my post was just meant to second it.

[scottca075]

Besides the Pizza Place on Noriega, I love Shanghai Dumpling King, Thanh Long, Izakaya Sozai, PPQ Dungeness Island, and gawd forgive me Durty Nellys.

A couple of these could be Outer Richmond or Inner Sunset, the borders are always fuzzy to me.

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Shanghai Dumpling King
3319 Balboa St, San Francisco, CA 94121

The Pizza Place on Noriega
3901 Noriega St, San Francisco, CA 94122

Thanh Long
4101 Judah St, San Francisco, CA 94122

[Windy]

The park separates the Richmond from the Sunset.

[ML8000]

Ming's Diner and Eight Immortals are good. My favorite is Tennessee Grill but frankly an acquired taste, either you get it or you don't. Hard to beat a $5 buck burger with fresh chuck that's char-grilled to order.

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Tennessee Grill
1128 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA 94116

Eight Immortals Restaurant
1433 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA 94116

Ming's Diner
2129 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA 94116

[pane]

Thank you! What do you recommend at Ming's Diner or Eight Immortals?

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Eight Immortals Restaurant
1433 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA 94116

Ming's Diner
2129 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA 94116

[Civil Bear]

Not new but very interesting, tasty, and inexpensive is the Old Mandarin Islamic Restaurant. Lots of excellent lamb options.

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Old Mandarin Islamic Restaurant
3132 Vicente St, San Francisco, CA 94116

[pane]

Is there a specific lamb dish you like best?

[Civil Bear]

Mandarin (cumin) lamb, lamb spareribs, lamb dumplings, and lamb hotpot are all great.

[grayelf]

And don't miss the extremely hot pepper dish. I thought it might be gimmicky but when we had it at a Chowdown a couple trips ago, it was incredibly addictive and the one dish I would make the transit trek from Union Square for on a return visit.

[Windy]

Why gimmicky? When I first tried it, with Martin Strell a few years ago after he laughed at the translation, we had to talk the staff into letting us order it. It's one of my favorite dishes there, especially good with the green onion pancakes. But still more of a condiment than an entree.

[grayelf]

The first place I remember seeing it was on that whacky show that Cosentino and Sanchez did, Chef vs City. I thought it might be gimmicky as they used it in a macho hot dish eating segment. But not only did I not find it overly spicy, I thought it was quite complex and delicious. I could eat just that and a bunch of steamed rice and be quite content.

[Windy]

Glad I missed that episode. I had trouble imagining the Old Mandarin owners latching onto a trend.

[tranewreck]

Beijing on Irving.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/751126

Devils Teeth has switched to Sightglass coffee.

Outerlands is my go to place. They are now selling loaves of their natural rise (bread pan) bread. Makes great toast.

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Beijing Restaurant
3925 Irving St, San Francisco, CA 94122

[vulber]

agreee with what's been posted so far, but outerlands is an absolute gem

[DavidT]

The Pizza Place on Noriega at 45th is worth a visit.

http://www.pizzaplacesf.com/

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The Pizza Place on Noriega
3901 Noriega St, San Francisco, CA 94122

[pane]

Excellent--thanks so much! What do you order when you go?

[DavidT]

Last time there we ordered a sausage pizza and a vegan pizza, as one of the people we were with is a vegan. The vegan pizza was surprisingly good!

[Pandora]

The pizza place also has entrees - spaghetti and meatball nights or pork dinners. I love the italian subs at lunch actually. i think they use amoroso rolls and zoe's meats. Also, we always get a side of cauliflower.

Java Beach is nice to hang out at for a bit too. I think Trouble's coffee is better though. There's a little bocce ball court across the street on La Playa. Not sure where to get the balls - wouldn't be surprised if you could borrow them from Java Beach.

Noriega Market is a good neighborhood produce mart. They're owned by the same family as the larger Haight Street Market.

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Java Beach
1396 La Playa St, San Francisco, CA 94122

[Windy]

I liked it a lot when I had a whole pie and had less good results mid-day with a slice and a side. Skip the meatball hero (meatballs okay though--might be fine with spaghetti). It's more a neighborhood place than a destination.

Other spots:
Other Avenues coop by Judahlicious has great stuff especially prices on bulk coffee beans and a huge raw selection

Old Mandarin Islamic is outer outer--love the lamb dumplings

Shin Toe Bul Yi is as good as ever, assuming you stick to fried chicken, jap chae, and kalbi. They have a boxed lunch service during the week that's a good deal, but no fried chicken unless they're in the mood.

Still haven't made it to Toyose.

Fun but disappointing: Trouble Coffee

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Other Avenues Food Store
3930 Judah St, San Francisco, CA

[Thomas Nash]

Toyose is a gem: atmosphere like a bar in Seoul, great fried chicken, seafood stews, ... Open late.

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Toyose
3814 Noriega St, San Francisco, CA 94122

[Windy]

Thanks for the encouragement.

[Robert Lauriston]

Toyose's fried chicken wings are first-rate and to clue you in as to what to order their logo is a cartoon chicken. The other stuff I tried was so-so but that's typical of soju bangs that specialize in fried chicken.