It's a different concept than the traditional Roy's. "Named after one of the first restaurants constructed in HawaI'I, by a Portuguese businessman named Peter Fernandez, Eating house plays homage to the popular casual eateries of the mid 19th century that incorporated a medley of flavors from the Island's growing and diverse communities."

Some of the regular Roy's dishes are so popular that they serve them at Eating House too, however.

Woke up with a sudden craving for a Monte Cristo. So, gonna see if I can sell an early dinner at SF's Mama's, along with Swan Oyster Depot highly recommend this restaurant to those visiting SF, and pick up some focaccia from Liguria.

yum - bonus to walk from mamas to Swan and back to Liguria.

I love Swan but I've always suspected that it's really just a tourist joint. (Though I'd love for an SFer to tell me I'm wrong.) I laugh whenever I have the occasion to visit friends staying in hotels locally -- I'll pick up one of the Chicago tourist guides and read about restaurants that appear to be the most popular spots in the city but in reality are spots locals rarely if ever go.

it’s both. Locals and tourists; it’s great and I last ate there in January 2012. The only reason why I don’t eat there is because there’s a long line and limited space and nobody has asked if I want to eat there. For me, zero restaurant is worth a long queue unless it’s a bakery that lacks reservations and online ordering. I eat at restaurants with reservations because I have zero desire to wait so I’ll never suggest Swan’s for seafood. There are so many amazing restaurants all over the world so that I don’t care about what I’m missing - I only care about where I am.

Ah, the answer is a little nuanced, in my view. I've been eating at Swan ever since my Father brought me as a child, a tradition I've continued to this day. Locals still enjoy Swan because I suspect, like me, many have grown up with eating here, and probably have something off the menu made to their specific preferences.

Before social media, it wasn't always crowded, and I really can't remember the long lines. Once upon a time, having lunch there was a relatively simple affair, and, at worst, the line would consist of a few people--never anything remotely like what I've seen. It reminds me of the time I saw that long queue at a Shake Shack in Singapore, and I had to ask those waiting if the food were free. While I'm sure Swan's owners appreciate the extra business modern social media has brought, I certainly don't eat there nearly as often as I have in the past. What was it Yogi Berra said? It's so popular now that no one goes.

While only speaking for myself, I enjoyed Swan much more in the past before all this social media craziness, and rarely go there for lunch these days.

Gintei, San Bruno ca

grilled cow tongue
Agadashi tofu
prawn tempura
fried chicken

assorted sushi including tuna belly
hamachi with truffle & roe


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One of those meals that tasted delicious but looks blech.
Pasta with duck confit.
Starters were a loaf of hot pretzel bread and thai beef skewers.
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That looks like orecchiette... should be good for anything that needs to suck up sauce...

That's true. It is just that the duck and the pine nuts and the demi glace are all sort of the same color. Thank god for parsley and peas. But I scarfed it up---very good.

The dinner plan is grilled salmon. I had planned to mash potatoes and steam Brussels sprouts. But since I picked the first radishes (officially the easiest vegetable in the world to grow), I will have to prepare a salad as well. I have lettuce and tomatoes in the fridge. I wish I had something more than flowers on my cucumber plants.


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Thanks. I probably last ate there in 2003, maybe 2002, so definitely pre-social media and definitely a line -- maybe half an hour? But I have little tolerance for lines these days, so can't imagine I'd seek it out again.

Dinner plan.... was at Costco and picked up a roasted chicken (on top of other things)... spent the time extracting the meat. Currently making "beh" (a type of congee except not as wet). Plan is to mix in the meat from the chicken and then serve it with some cubes of fermented tofu.

I know there is a thread somewhere about Costco chickens not having flavour, but I don't see a difference between the ones here and the free range chickens I can get at the higher-end supermarkets. I also am not relying on that to solely provide the flavour...

Sunset reservoir brewery, San Francisco

shared:
Brussels sprouts with orange
fried cauliflower
potato chips with onion dip

pulled pork tacos with pico de Gallo & salsa

shared:
brownie sundae
bread pudding with ice cream

2 saison pints

Actually, that sounds like a really good combination! I'm sure I've had something very similar in HK (assume you meant "foo yur"), and haven't it in over 10 years. Participating on this thread has me lamenting even more HK's current closure to the West.

Perhaps I have less refined palates, but I find the $4.99 Costco chicken better than Whole Food's $10 organic ones that everyone around me keeps insisting is better. Anyway, when it comes to food, my philosophy, at times, is "have ranch, will eat"!

For dinner, I'm thinking of getting the Chinese roasted fatty pork with (siu yook) crispy skin, and dipped in oyster sauce mixed with granulated pepper.