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Ad Hoc Restaurant by Thomas Keller in Yountville

April 13, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

During our wine tasting day trip to Napa via Grayline (see recap here), we had some leisure time in the charming town of Yountville. David, his friend William, and I went for a casual brunch at Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc Restaurant. While Thomas Keller has three restaurants in Yountville, Ad Hoc is the most casual (though not Michelin starred) and serves American, family-style comfort food.

Note: None of the food in this review were complimentary. Opinions are my own.

David had recommended the place as he already owned Thomas Kellar’s cookbook (circa 2009) entitled “Ad Hoc at Home: Family-Style Recipes.” It was sort of full circle to finally be able to experience the restaurant in person. Walking into the restaurant, I immediately spotted the cookbook in one of the corners. For anyone who is interested, it is available on Amazon (disclosure: affiliate link – here.)

Temporary Cafe

Thomas Keller opened Ad Hoc in 2006 and it was initially meant to be “ad hoc” – that is, a temporary cafe while he prepared his new restaurant for the space. At that time, they were only serving a nightly single four-course prix-fixe dinner. Due to the success of the concept with locals and tourists, Ad Hoc became a permanent establishment serving family-style, casual American comfort food as a set menu. Dinner is four-course while brunch is three. They are best known for their fried chicken, pot roast and barbeques. The restaurant is open for dinner five nights a week as well as Sunday brunch.

Casual & Relaxing

Coming in for Sunday brunch, I noticed the relaxed and casual atmosphere at Ad Hoc. The interior is minimal but bright and inviting. I enjoyed the large, bright windows overlooking Washington Street.

We opted to sit outside on the patio where heated lamps are available.

Ad Hoc Fried Chicken Schedule

Ad Hoc is famous for their buttermilk chicken and they serve it every other Monday night, and every other Sunday brunch. The Sundays where they don’t serve the fried chicken, they will serve it the Monday the day after, and vice versa. I didn’t do my research ahead of time and didn’t realize that the buttermilk chicken is not a regular item until we were at the restaurant. You should also check the menu on the Ad Hoc website where they post the daily menu at 9 am.

A good alternative is to order the chicken via takeout. It’s available Thursday – Saturday 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m as family, serving boxed lunches to-go. For $17.50, guests have a choice of either the buttermilk fried chicken or barbeque pork ribs or pulled pork sandwich, each accompanied by two house-made sides.

What We Tried

Our $35 prix-fixe Sunday brunch featured three courses. As we were already in wine country and doing wine tasting, I liked how they didn’t push the wine menu. The feature drinks on the menu were an ad hoc Bloody Mary or Chandon Mimosa ($14).

First course: TFL Mixed Green Salad

The first course was a mixed green salad with greens from The French Laundry garden. It was an ultra-refreshing salad loaded with flavours featuring smoked salmon, pickled red onion, capers, radishes and a wonderfully creamy avocado dressing. While we didn’t make it The French Laundry restaurant on this trip, I’m excited to have tried some of the ingredients grown in their garden.

Second Course: Corned Beef Hash

Served in a stainless steel platter was the Corned Beef Hash with crispy red potatoes, English peas, button mushrooms and wilted spinach.

The corned beef hash was truly fantastic – tender, flavourful and a bit briny. Here’s a close-up shot of a piece.

I did notice the large proportion of potatoes given; this made sense as this was American comfort fare. The English peas were especially good being very fresh and juicy.

Final Course: Cinnamon Blondie

For dessert, we had a cinnamon blondie topped with carrot cake ice cream. I found the blondie a bit harder than I would like. It was an okay dessert but the two previous courses appealed to me more.

Service

I thought service was pretty attentive considering we were sitting outdoors on the patio. As mentioned above, I was disappointed that the buttermilk fried chicken wasn’t available so our server did mention that he could try to get us a seat at their sister restaurant, Bouchon. I think this must happen often that customers come in from fried chicken and there is none.

The only issue I had was that he didn’t know how to process my credit card correctly. He said it was declined after he swiped it to which I was incredulous as I had spent even more money the previous night at Saison. I asked him to insert the card with the pin to which the card worked. I was rather annoyed nevertheless.

Overall Impression of Ad Hoc Restaurant

I thought that the three course-brunch at Ad Hoc nicely showcased a very simple, casual yet delicious American-style fare. I personally don’t have a strong desire to revisit as I would like to try Thomas Keller’s other restaurants in Yountville first. The dessert wasn’t really my favourite but I really enjoyed the salad and corned beef hash. Rating: 3.5/5

Ad Hoc Restaurant
Address: 6476 Washington St, Yountville, CA
Website: ‎/www.thomaskeller.com/adhoc

Sonoma and Napa Wine Tour from San Francisco

April 12, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

One of the best possible day trips you can take while visiting San Francisco is to Sonoma and Napa Valley for wine tasting. A fun and relaxing way to experience this is through Grayline on their popular Deluxe Sonoma & Napa Valley Wine Tour. The eight-hour tour consists of pick up and drop off from San Francisco hotels, wine tour and tasting at three wineries, as well as free time for lunch. I recently had the opportunity to join Grayline’s Sonoma and Napa Valley tour. Here’s a look at what you can expect.

Disclosure: I joined this tour as media where my ticket was complimentary. Opinions are my own.

Golden Gate Bridge

After pickups in San Francisco, the day started off with a drive over the Golden Gate Bridge where we enjoyed views of the Bay Area and Alcatraz. We briefly stopped at one of the view points for a photo opportunity before heading off to wine country.

Aboard the luxury, air-conditioned Grayline coach, I was able to relax and admire views of the rolling hills.

Cline Family Cellars

Our first winery stop was to Cline Family Cellars in Sonoma, a family-owned and operated winery that specializes in Zinfandels and French Rhône-style wines.

Our group wine tasting consisted of the 2015 Pinot Gris, 2017 Viognier, 2017 Ancient Vines Mourvèdre Rosé, 2016 Ancient Vines Zinfandel and 2016 Cashmere Black Magic.

Madonna Estates

Next, we visited one of the oldest vineyards in Napa Valley, Madonna Estates. Located in the world-renowned Carneros region, Madonna Estates is a unique winemaker utilizing dry-farming production and organic grapes.

Madonna Estates produces Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Dolcetto, Barbera, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Rosetto and Muscat Canelli.

Lunch in Yountville

After visiting two wineries in the morning, we proceeded to Yountville where lunch was at our leisure. My friends and I went to Thomas Kellar’s Ad Hoc for a relaxing brunch.

Andretti Winery

Our last winery stop was at a boutique winery, Andretti Winery, which is located in the Oak Knoll District portion of Napa Valley. The estate exudes an old-warm charm as it was modeled after an Italian village.

The winery focuses on fruit-forward and food-friendly wines and they grow diverse varietals such as Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay.

Overall Impression

My friends and I enjoyed the Grayline Sonoma and Napa Valley Wine tour which featured a nice cross-section of wineries. If you’re looking for a Napa wine tour from San Francisco, Grayline would be an ideal company to go with. The tour is priced at $105 per person which is a fair value. For more information on this tour and other Grayline tours, visit the Grayline website.

Chinese Historical Society of America Museum

April 11, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

On my recent trip to San Francisco, I had the opportunity to immerse myself in Chinese American History at the Chinese Historical Society of America (CHSA) Museum. The CHSA is an organization that promotes the contributions and legacy of the Chinese in America through its exhibitions, publications, and educational and public programs. The museum is housed in the landmark Julia Morgan-designed Chinatown YWCA building at 965 Clay Street, San Francisco.

Disclosure: I visited the museum as media; my admission was complimentary.

A permanent exhibition at the museum is Chinese American: Exclusion/Inclusion which chronicles the complex history of Chinese people in America, from the early days of the China trade to the history of Chinese immigration and the life of Chinese Americans.

The Chinese Exclusion Act excluded Chinese laborers from entering the United States but exempted students, teachers, merchants, and diplomats in order to protect US trade and treaty interests. This marked the first time the US explicitly restricted immigration based on race and class.

A few mock detention barracks featuring men and women’s dormitories were showcased at the museum.

While much of the museum chronicled the hardships endured by Chinese Americans, I really enjoyed one of the lighter and more heart-warming exhibitions. The Chinatown Miniatures Collection was created by artist Frank Wong who donated these pieces to CHSA in 2004.

These charming detailed miniature dioramas represent San Francisco Chinatown of Wong’s youth during the 1930s and 1940s. The seven dioramas include his grandmother’s kitchen, Chinese New Year, the family’s living room at Christmas, an herb shop, Chinese laundry, shoeshine stand, and life in a single room occupancy hotel common in Chinatown.

The Chinese New Year diorama was particularly charming with details of the food, chinaware, and tapestry.

Overall Impression

I enjoyed my educational visit to the CHSA Museum and am impressed by the organization’s efforts to promote the contributions and legacy of the Chinese in America.

Museum Admission

Adult General Admission (ages 18-65) : $15.00
Senior General Admission (age 65 and over): $10.00
Student General Admission (age 13-17 and college student with valid ID): $10.00
Children age 12 and under (with adult admission): Free

Hours

Wednesday-Sunday: 11 am-4 pm
Closed Monday–Tuesday, Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, holidays

Chinese Historical Society of America Museum
Address: 965 Clay St, San Francisco, CA
Website: ‎https://chsa.org/

San Francisco Teochew Hot Pot: Teo Restaurant

April 10, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Most of us are familiar with the spicy, Sichuan-style of hot pot, but one restaurant in San Francisco brings a rather, unique hot pot experience to the dining scene. Teo Restaurant at The Good Hotel (7th and Mission) in SoMa specializes in Teochew-style (aka Chiuchow, Chaochow, Chaozhou) hot pot. Teochew is a region of Southern China’s Guangdong province and is known for a style of Chinese cooking which is healthier, lighter and more natural. During my visit to San Francisco recently, I had the opportunity to dine at Teo Restaurant and experience their Teochew hot pot. Here’s a look at this style of hot pot and why you need to try it when you visit San Francisco.

Disclosure: I attended a media tasting at Teo Restaurant where all food and drinks were complimentary. Opinions are my own.

Fresh Beef

Compared to other hot pot styles, Teochew hot pot uses only beef but not just any kind of beef – in fact, only fresh beef. You might be used to dropping in slices of frozen meat into your hot pot but that is not the case at Teo Restaurant. They source fresh beef (never frozen or aged) from grass-fed and pasture-raised cows raised on farms in Sonoma, California. Furthermore, the beef they use is certified humane, antibiotic free, hormone free, and is sustainably raised.

Superior Bone Broth

Teochew cooking is considered to be one of the healthier, lighter and natural styles of Chinese cooking as the use of oil is modest. Teochew cuisine is known for fresh ingredients, vegetable carving, and superior bone broth. Teo Restaurant’s Chef, Zhang Zongwen, personally hand-selects and hand-cuts the local beef to be placed into the soup.

What We Tried

How it works is that you choose a broth (regular or spicy) and wait for it to boil. You then select the beef, vegetable or noodles to cook in the broth. For some added flavours, Teo Restaurant offers house-made dipping sauces. The hot pots come as individual sizes so you can cooking however you like and adjust the hot plate heat settings yourself.

We tried the Beef Short Rib ($10.98), Beef Flank ($6.98), and Beef Tongue ($10.98). The Beef Short Rib is a must-try being ultra tender and juicy. The Beef Tongue was more a delicacy being tender and crunchy. Not to be missed are Teo Restaurant’s handcrafted beef meatballs which were very bouncy, flavourful and oh-so-delicious. We also enjoyed vegetables like napa cabbage, lotus root and mushrooms. The suggested cooking times for the meats are written on the labels.

Teo Restaurant’s regular, non-spicy broth was just perfect for me. I loved how hearty it was and it was very drinkable.

Interior

I quite enjoyed the contemporary, industrial-chic interior of Teo Restaurant. Bright windows, cozy banquettes, a bar and a mix of small and larger dining tables. They also have VIP rooms to accomodate events and larger parties.

Other Menu Items

If you’re not in the mood for hot pot, Teo Restaurant also offers other dishes like claypots, soups, rice & noodle, vegetables and desserts.

Overall Impression of Teo Restaurant

I love the concept of having fresh beef in hot pot and the delicious broth prepared by Teo Restaurant. I’d recommend others to try Teochew-style hot pot which was nicely light but still satisfying. Teo Restaurant is certainly one place I want to revisit on my next trip to San Francisco.

Teo Restaurant
Address: 1111 Mission St, San Francisco, CA
Website: www.teosf.com

Essential San Francisco Bakery: Vive La Tarte

April 9, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

There is no shortage of amazing bakeries in San Francisco and one of the city’s top places for baked goods is Belgian-inspired Vive La Tarte in SoMa. After getting caffeinated at Blue Bottle Coffee, David and I proceeded to try out some of the goodies crafted at Vive La Tarte and, of course, take photos of their very Instagram-worthy croissants.

Note: None of the food in this review was complimentary. This review was done anonymously. Opinions are my own.

Industrial-Chic

Walking into Vive La Tarte, I was immediately impressed by the cool, industrial-feel of this spacious, modern bakery. The kitchen is open and also very big; I love how they allow customers to see how their products are freshly made.

Seating is aplenty at Vive La Tarte but could be a bit of challenge as it is very busy. I really like their theatre seating area (very unique!) but there are also dining tables, seating outside and by the window.

Vive La Tarte Menu

Vive La Tarte is known for their photogenic stuffed croissants like Pain Au Chocolat, Orange blossom and Za’atar, Almond, and so forth. These tantalizing pastries are on display at their ordering counter. Also on the menu are some lunch and breakfast menu items like Smashed Avo Toast, Fried Egg Sandwich, Cobb Salad and more.

What We Tried

I went all croissant-crazy and got the Pain Au Chocolat ($4), Orange Blossom and Za’atar ($4), Key Lime ($5) and Strawberry Shortcake ($5). David had a Breakfast Pizza ($8).

The Key Lime and Strawberry Shortcake croissants are what I would call, “next-level croissants.” It’s hard to go back to a regular croissant after this. Each bite is sinfully delicious with the combination of buttery and flaky pastry and a luscious cream and custard filling. I’ve seriously died and gone to croissant heaven.

The meringue on the key lime croissants was a nice touch.

The Strawberry Shortcake croissant wasn’t as sweet as the Key Lime, so it might be a good option for those want something less sweet.

David also really enjoyed his bacon egg breakfast focaccia – a great savoury, breakfast option by the way – which had a delicious crust.

Overall Impression

The stuffed croissants at Vive La Tarte certainly had me excited and they are just as delicious as they looked. I really love the atmosphere inside Vive La Tarte and would love to revisit them again next time I am in San Francisco. Rating: 4.5/5

Vive La Tarte
Address: 1160 Howard St, San Francisco, CA
Website: ‎www.vivelatarte.com/

San Francisco Coffee: Blue Bottle Coffee Mint St

April 7, 2018 by foodgressing 2 Comments

Last month, David (pickydiners.com) and I ventured to San Francisco for a fun-filled, foodie adventure. After David flew in from San Francisco (and I already being in the city), we met up in San Francisco Union Square and visited one of his favourite places for a good cup of joe, Blue Bottle Coffee.

Third Wave Coffee

For the uninitiated (such as myself), Blue Bottle Coffee originated in Oakland, California and is a top place for third wave coffee. The popularity of Blue Bottle Coffee has emerged beyond the Bay Area as there are locations in New York; LA; Miami; Washington, DC; Boston; and even Japan (Kyoto and Tokyo). The company was acquired by Nestle in 2017 but still retains its “hipster” charm.

Mint Street Location

David and I visited Blue Bottle Coffee at 66 Mint Street which is located inside the historic 1912 Provident Loan Association building. It’s a small cafe and when we arrived there was a line up past the door. The line moved quickly and we put in our orders in no time.

In terms of seating, there is a communal table as well as seating along the counter by the bar and windows. It’s a tight space for the number of people but I enjoyed the large, bright windows letting in the natural light.

Blue Bottle Coffee Menu

On the menu at Blue Bottle Coffee are a variety of espresso-based drinks like macchiato, cappuccino, latte mocha and so forth. They possess the coffee contraptions to brew the coffee however you want (drop, siphon and more). Iced coffee is also on the menu as well as a few food breakfast and lunch options like avocado toast, breakfast sandwich, steel-cut oatmeals, and more.

What We Tried

I had the 17ft Ceiling Almond Milk Latte ($5.75) while David had the Oji Coffee ($3.25) and Fruit Buckle ($3.75).

I found my almond latte to be very smooth, rich and flavourful.

This location of Blue Bottle Coffee has an Oji iced coffee contraption that yields a refined cold-brewed coffee that they collect and serve in tiny glasses. David’s Oji Coffee had rich flavours and zero calories.

Overall Impression

It was a nice first-experience trying out Blue Bottle Coffee in San Francisco. I would be interested in visiting one of their locations again in the future. Rating: 4/5

Blue Bottle Coffee
Address: 66 Mint Street, San Francisco, CA
Website: www.bluebottlecoffee.com

Things to do in San Francisco: Madame Tussauds

April 5, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

There’s nothing like getting up close and personal with the stars. That is why one of my favourite attractions to visit when traveling is Madame Tussauds. Having been to locations in Las Vegas and Washington, DC before, I was excited to visit one of the newest Madame Tussauds locations in the world. Opened in 2014, Madame Tussauds San Francisco is located right in Fisherman’s Wharf and features wax figures of famous figures from movies, music, politics, popular culture and sport. Here is a look at my experience at Madame Tussads recently.

Disclosure: I received complimentary admission to Madame Tussauds San Francisco as media.

Music

Some of the notable figures that I saw in the music section include Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Elvis, Adele, and Rihanna.

Film

It’s a fact that I’ve always loved Leonardo Dicaprio. Other Madame Tussauds locations that I had been to didn’t have him at their location so it was particularly exciting to stand close to him (well, his wax figure at least).

And I love, love, love Audrey Hepburn. She is the epitome of classic Hollywood. This reminded me of the time where I stayed at Brookside Inn in Abbotsford and they had a themed-breakfast room called “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.”

You can also share a ride with the most lovable ET.

Sports

In the sports section, you can find figures like Serena Williams, Stephen Curry and Jeremy Lin.

The Spirit of San Francisco

Madame Tussauds San Francisco also has a special area dedicated to the spirit of San Francisco featuring wax figures of local artists, musicians and activists from the city’s past. I particularly liked seeing the Giant Fishnet Stocking Legs at Haight-Ashbury and the Golden Gate Bridge.

They also included a figure of Harvey Milk who was an American politician to become the first openly gay person to be elected for public office in California.

They also have some mock Alcatraz cells for you to explore. Check out Alcatraz Prisoner “Cool Dude” – a mother’s dream come true!

Politics

And if you’re an Obama fan, you’ll find him in the leaders section next to Abraham Lincoln and George Washington.

Sightseeing Pass

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means I receive a commission if you click a link and make a purchase. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they will help us keep this site up. Thanks for the support!

One great way to see multiple attractions like Madame Tussauds in San Francisco but at a discount is to get a Sightseeing Pass. The Sightseeing Pass is an attraction pass that allows customers to create their own sightseeing tour with an unlimited admission to the popular landmarks. You can simply purchase the pass online and keep it on their phone or buy it in person and receive a card.

For San Francisco, the passes are sold based on number of attractions that you want to visit (like 3 – 6 attractions) or duration of the pass (like 1 – 5 days). Popular attractions that have partnered with Sightseeing Pass include Aquarium of the Bay, Golden Gate Park Guided Bike Tour, City Sightseeing Night Tour, 1 Day Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour, and Madame Tussauds San Francisco.

For 3 attractions, the Sightseeing Pass is $69 whereas for 6 attractions the cost is $97.30 ($41.70 savings). A one day pass is $69 whereas a 5 day pass is $139 ($60 savings).

For more information on Sightseeing Pass, visit their website. For more on Madame Tussauds San Francisco, see here.

Madame Tussauds San Francisco
Address: 145 Jefferson St #600, San Francisco, CA
Website: ‎www.madametussauds.com/san-francisco/

San Francisco Seafood Restaurant: Pier Market

April 3, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

No visit to San Francisco would be complete with indulging in some delicious, local seafood and Pier Market Seafood Restaurant is just the place for that. Located on PIER 39, Pier Market Seafood is family-owned and operated by the Simmons Family who also founded the pier. The restaurant has been around since 1983 and is known for their stunning waterfront views, mesquite grilled seafood and award-winning clam chowder. During my visit to San Francisco, I had the opportunity to dine at Pier Market. Here’s a look at my experience there.

Disclosure: I visited the restaurant as media where my meal was complimentary. Opinions are my own.

Award Winning Views

Pier Market with its beautiful bay views is certainly one of the most popular dining destinations on Fisherman’s Wharf.

You can also dine al fresco at Pier Market’s spacious outdoor patio which might appeal to those who enjoy people watching.

Mesquite Grilled Fresh Seafood

One aspect that is unique to Pier Market is that they mesquite grill fresh seafood. The mesquite wood infuses the seafood and meats with a wonderful, smokey flavor.

Watch the video below to see how the restaurant mesquite grills their seafood and meats.

100% Sustainable Seafood

Enjoying delicious seafood doesn’t mean that you need to hurt the environment. Pier Market proudly supports the preservation of the ocean and its fisheries. Therefore, they only purchase sustainable seafood following the guidelines of the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program and Aquarium of the Bay. The menu at Pier Market has 100% sustainable seafood.

What We Tried

On this dining experience was my friend, David, of Vancouver Gourmet Tours. We enjoyed a three-course lunch at Pier Market.

Award Winning Clam Chowder

A must-try at Pier Market is their award-winning New England Clam Chowder ($8.95). The chowder was a People’s and Judge’s Choice winner during Wharf Fest 2017. I loved the smooth, creamy consistency of the chowder and the rich flavours. It wasn’t too salty and didn’t have a metallic aftertaste. Very delicious.

Steamed Mussels

The steamed mussels were prepared in a red curry coconut broth with onions and peppers. The mussels were nicely plump and the broth was flavourful. This starter comes as a half order ($10.95) or full order ($13.95).

Garlic-Roasted Whole Dungeness Crab

Dungeness Crab is a food icon of San Francisco and Pier Market is known for being one of the best places to enjoy it. I loved the buttery sauce that coated the crab meat and the shells. Eating with your hands is encouraged and an apron is available as well. Priced at $40.95.

Pier Market Mixed Grill

A great way to enjoy a variety of seafood that Pier Market has to offer is to get the Pier Market Mixed Grill ($26.95). The dish comes with a selection of fresh salmon, fresh Pacific Cod and shrimp skewer which were cooked over a mesquite grill. It also comes with mesquite-roasted vegetables and choice of rice or garlic-buttered potatoes.

Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding

For dessert, there was the Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding ($7.95). The bread is from Boudin, an iconic San Francisco bakery known for their sourdough bread. The bread is baked with chocolate and served with a vanilla bean sauce.

Overall Impression of Pier Market

Located in a prime spot at Pier 39, Pier Market is an ideal place to enjoy a true San Fransico seafood experience. All the seafood tasted delicious but the stand-out was the Garlic-Roasted Whole Dungeness Crab.

Pier Market
Address: Pier 39 Concourse, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA
Website: ‎piermarket.com/

Things To Do In San Francisco: Exploratorium

April 2, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

A great family-friendly activity in San Francisco is The Exploratorium, a hands-on museum designed to spark curiosity with its 650+ interactive, educational exhibits and activities. Located at Pier 15 along San Francisco’s Embarcadero between Pier 39 and the Ferry Building, The Exploratorium is a great place to spend half or even the whole day. There is just so much to experience there. When my family and I were in San Francisco last week, we visited The Exploratorium for the first time using CityPASS. Here’s a look at what you can expect.

Disclosure: I am a CityPASS media partner and received complimentary CityPASS. The links below are affiliate links, which means I receive a commission if you click a link and make a purchase. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they will help us keep this site up. Thanks for the support!

About CityPASS

If you’re not familiar with CityPASS, it is a fantastic way to visit a city’s top attractions with admissions packaged into one convenient booklet. For San Francisco, you save 45% off admission to 5 top attractions. The pass is valid for 9 consecutive days and the booklets can be shipped, received via instant email delivery or purchased at a partner attraction.

CityPASS pricing for adults is $89 and $69 for children 5 – 11. For children aged 4 and under, check the specific attraction’s pricing. The regular admission for The Exploratorium is $29.95 for Adults and $19.95 for Youth (4 – 12).

With CityPASS, you get to save time from standing in line and paying for admission at the attraction. All you need to do is walk up to the entrance, present your booklet, and then you’re in! One tip is that the CityPASS booklet is treated like cash so you must keep in safe. Unfortunately, if you lose the booklet, it cannot be replaced.

650+ Exhibits

The Exploratorium is really an ongoing exploration of science, art and human perception. When we visited on weekday morning, it was packed with people. However, because there are so many exhibits, you never feel like you have to wait in line for one. There are definitely more than enough things for people to do or see.

Is The Exploratorium good for younger children?

Yes! My son is 4 years old and he had a blast at The Exploratorium. The exhibits do seem to gear towards older school-aged children who can better understand the scientific principles but my son just loved the hands-on fun.

PRO TIP: You can enjoy breathtaking views of city and bay from indoors and just outside The Exploratorium.

Parking at The Exploratorium

Information on parking for The Explorarium can be found here. We parked on the side street and used Pay by Phone and topped it up as we needed. My son was having so much fun that he didn’t want to leave and we stayed longer than we expected.

Overall Impression

It was a fun and memorable experience visiting The Exploratorium with CityPASS. We would definitely be interested in visiting again on our next trip to San Francisco. For more information on CityPASS, visit www.citypass.com

Matcha Cafe San Francisco: Matcha Cafe Maiko

April 1, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Bay area matcha lovers, rejoice! San Francisco’s first matcha cafe, Matcha Cafe Maiko, has now opened in Japantown. The much-anticipated opening was hyped up on social media and I was excited to have visited the cafe while I was in San Francisco last week. Located inside the Japan Center Kinokuniya Building on Webster Street, this will be cafe’s third location with its original location in Honolulu and second in Tokyo.

Matcha Cafe Maiko Menu

On the menu at Matcha Cafe Maiko are matcha soft serve, frappes, lattes, floats and more. The items generally come in either medium or large size. Prices typically range between $4 – $8.

Matcha Cafe Maiko sources their matcha from Uji, which is in the southern part of Kyoto and is known for their high-quality matcha. Furthermore, their products including ice cream, sponge cake, waffle cones, and even the adzuki bean toppings, are made in-house.

Japan Center

Matcha Cafe Maiko is located on the ground floor of the Japan Center Kinokuniya Building. It’s a small cafe with limited seating inside but there are plenty of places to sit in the mall. Given the popularity of the cafe right now, it seems like a lineup is quite common. Stanchions were setup to facilitate lineups by customers. The process from ordering to receiving the food was less than 10 minutes. Staff seemed friendly and enthusiastic, especially the franchise owner.

What I Tried

Note: This review is not sponsored and is done anonymously.

I tried the cafe’s signature parfait, the Maiko Special. It’s a layered treat which has plant-based jelly, Japanese brown sugar syrup, corn flakes, red beans, homemade matcha chiffon cake, mochi balls, and chestnuts, topped with soft serve (either matcha, vanilla or mix).

Having tried something similar in Vancouver at Bon Crepe, I thought the Maiko Special was of higher quality and more refreshing. The matcha used in the soft serve had just the right amount of matcha bitterness to complement the sweetness of the vanilla soft serve. The highlight for me was actually the chiffon cake which was amazingly light, fluffy and was just perfect in terms of matcha and sweetness; that cake most definitely tasted fresh and made in-house. The mochi balls were nicely chewy but I particularly liked the jelly which was very soft, smooth and light. Overall, it was a delicious dessert that I would gladly have again.

New Vancouver Location?

I spoke briefly with the franchise owner, Chris Chin, and he mentioned to me that a location of Matcha Cafe Maiko is planned for Vancouver. This information was also noted in this article by Eater SF. There is no official word on the timing of the opening.

Overall Impression

Based what I tried, I’d definitely be interested in trying more of Matcha Cafe Maiko’s menu. Maybe next time in Honolulu or Tokyo? Rating: 4/5

Matcha Cafe Maiko
Address: 1581 Webster St #175, San Francisco, CA
Facebook: ‎www.facebook.com/matchacafemaikosf

Temporary Cafe

Casual & Relaxing

Ad Hoc Fried Chicken Schedule

What We Tried

First course: TFL Mixed Green Salad

Second Course: Corned Beef Hash

Final Course: Cinnamon Blondie

Service

Overall Impression of Ad Hoc Restaurant

Golden Gate Bridge

Cline Family Cellars

Madonna Estates

Lunch in Yountville

Andretti Winery

Overall Impression

Overall Impression

Museum Admission

Hours

Fresh Beef

Superior Bone Broth

What We Tried

Interior

Other Menu Items

Overall Impression of Teo Restaurant

Industrial-Chic

Vive La Tarte Menu

What We Tried

Overall Impression

Third Wave Coffee

Mint Street Location

Blue Bottle Coffee Menu

What We Tried

Overall Impression

Music

Film

Sports

The Spirit of San Francisco

Politics

Sightseeing Pass

Award Winning Views

Mesquite Grilled Fresh Seafood

100% Sustainable Seafood

What We Tried

Award Winning Clam Chowder

Steamed Mussels

Garlic-Roasted Whole Dungeness Crab

Pier Market Mixed Grill

Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding

Overall Impression of Pier Market

About CityPASS

650+ Exhibits

Is The Exploratorium good for younger children?

Parking at The Exploratorium

Overall Impression

Matcha Cafe Maiko Menu

Japan Center

What I Tried

New Vancouver Location?

Overall Impression

About Me

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