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Little Beijing Delivers the Goods
By Michael Ho
After spending the summer in Beijing, I felt compelled to write this article about one of my secret food havens in San Francisco. Most of my friends know about my obsession with this restaurant, and what is the most ironic about my experience at Little Beijing is that the food isn't anything like the food in Beijing, that is, the food is wonderful, tasty and delicious. Although my culinary experience in Beijing may have been limited, the general impression I came away with was that Beijing food was not quite up to expectations, and that most of the food did not have enough flavor.
Little Beijing, on the other hand, more than delivers the goods, and has been an integral part of my culinary experience since arriving to San Francisco last year.
Little Beijing is a small, cozy restaurant with a quiet and homelike atmosphere. Staff members are all from Beijing, so I've found it fun to practice my bad Mandarin with them. Based on my experience in Beijing, most Beijingers are quite politically savvy, and it's always fun to trade opinions about current issues.
The best deals at Little Beijing are the incredible lunch specials. Ranging from $3.50 to $4.95, they are awesome deals, and I highly recommend the General Tso's chicken and Kung Pao Chicken (warning: these items are quite spicy). The lunch specials come with an order of the best Hot and Sour Soup I've had and white rice.
As for appetizers, I highly recommend the Scallion Pancakes, which are some of the best I've had. For people who love spicy food, the Spicy Wontons are also a good bet. As for other great dishes, I also recommend the Pork Noodle Soup.
The service is pretty good. They do a good job about bringing the food out pretty quickly and making sure that water is constantly refilled, which is actually quite surprising for a Chinese restaurant. The waiter is very friendly and courteous.
For a great meal and a taste of Beijing, I highly recommend going to Little Beijing — you'll be in for a treat.
Little Beijing is located at 1316 Noriega at 20th Ave. 681-6012 .
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