Restaurant Guide Main Index

---

• Date indicates the most recent update of the restaurants listed
• Bold indicates my recommendations; others come from what I consider to be good sources (see bottom of page for further explanation)

 

Carson City

Basil–311 N. Carson St. (Thai) Closed Sat lunch & Sun (closed 2:30 to 4 pm).  Good ratings, but some reviewers say the food is sweet (it would be a good idea to ask for any orders to be “Thai style” so it would be less sweet). (Dining room is open 9-1-21)

La Santaneca–316 E. Winnie Ln. (Salvadoran) Open Daily.  Good food at good prices according to reviews. (Dining room is open 9-1-21)

Pho Country–2495 N. Carson St. (Vietnamese) Open Daily.  Some reviewers say it compares to restaurants in large cities. I do not believe it is quite this good because reviewers say the fish sauce is very weak and Americanized and that they do not have chopsticks for customers (I guess you have to bring your own). The pho is said to have good flavor, though. (Dining room is open 8-1-21)

Saffron–1301 N. Carson St. (Persian) Closed Sun Mon.  Reviewers say they have Persian dishes that are prepared well, but in addition there is Middle Eastern cuisine from other countries (and these are good also). (Dining room is open 9-1-21)

The Lady Tamales–933 Woodside Dr. (Mexican) Open 10 am to 7 pm (closed Sun & Mon).  Authentic Mexican food that (from the photos) looks like it has the full flavor of Mexican chiles and ingredients. (Dining room is open 9-1-21)

Villa Basque Deli–730 Basque Way (Basque) Open Tue-Sat (breakfast & lunch only).  This is a deli–more casual and less expensive than the Basque dinner and all-you-can-eat restaurants. Chorizo is recommended. (Dining room is open 8-1-21)

Elko

Blue Moon–1430 Idaho St. (Sushi) Open daily 11 am to 9:30 pm.  Has Japanese, Thai, Korean and other Asian cuisines. Based on photos and reviews I think it probably has a few items that would have enough of an Asian taste for me, and seems to be better than other alternatives in Elko (China Garden in Spring Creek has good reviews but it is 5 miles outside of town and right now is takeout only). (Dining room is open 9-14-21)

Odeh’s Mediterranean–282 11th St. (Middle Eastern) Open 11 am to 9 pm (closed Sun).  The reason I am including this is the number of comments on Yelp that say items were “the best I have ever had” (not just item, but many). (Dining room is open 9-14-21)

Star Hotel–246 Silver St. (Basque) Closed Sun (and closed from 2 to 5 pm but the bar stays open in these hours). Some like it, and some say go to Martin Hotel in Winnemucca (that is, if you are planning to travel to Winnemucca). The main item people recommend here is the steak (may or may not be Basque style but they say it is excellent). 6 course appetizer here is good. (Dining room is open 9-14-21)

Fallon

The Courtyard–55 E. Williams Ave. (American) Open 7:30 am to 2:30 pm (closed Sun).  Said to have fresh and flavorful food. Probably the best feature is the variety you can get: salads, steak sandwich, chicken verde soup, variety of breakfast items, etc. (Dining room is open 9-14-21)

VN Pho–2183 W. Williams Ave. (Vietnamese) Closed Sun.  Good reviews. Has pho and vermicelli bowls. (Dining room is open 9-14-21)

Gardnerville

J T Basque Bar–1426 US 395 N (Basque) Closed Sun.  Some say this is the best in NV, but I think it is not for everybody ($$$ for one entree and all the side dishes you can eat, and includes a bottle of wine). Some describe it as a “multi-course family style meal.” Steak or steak sandwich is the entree most often recommended. (Dining room is open 7-17-21)

Las Vegas

Beijing Noodle No. 9–3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (Chinese) Open Daily.  Located in Caesar’s Palace Hotel. Has authentic hand-pulled noodles. I think the menu runs from fairly simple dishes (dumplings, etc) to upscale ones, and the great majority of people say they are excellent. Food is meant to be family style so it is expensive for one person who wants to try more than one thing. Beijing chicken and mushroom noodles and soup dumplings are said to be very good. One reviewer says the beef noodle soup is like the ones in Taiwan. (Dining room is open 7-17-21)

Chengdu Taste–3950 Schiff Dr. (Chinese) Open daily (closed from 2:30 to 5 pm).  Some (I think reliable sources) say this sets the standard for Sichuan food in Las Vegas. Everybody has their own idea of the best dishes here. Some suggestions are dan dan mian, Szechuan boiled fish, and toothpick lamb (said to be the restaurant’s specialty). (Dining room is open but they are using paper plates because of Covid 7-17-21)

Dong Ting Chun–4850 W. Flamingo Rd. (Chinese) Open daily (open until 10 pm).  Authentic Hunan style. One of the specialties is steamed fish with spicy red chiles. Spicy wild mushroom hot pot is very good. Some dishes are very oily (as is common with authentic Sichuan/Hunan food). (Dining room is open 7-17-21)

Food Express–2003 S. Decatur Blvd. (Chinese) Open daily 11 am to 9:30 pm.  Authentic Cantonese style. A favorite with locals for everyday food at good prices. (Dining room is open 7-17-21)

Kapuso Kapamilya–4300 Spring Mountain Rd. (Filipino) Dinner only (open late night).  This is a decidedly local and non-touristy Filipino restaurant. Has karaoke (and is open late). (Dining room is open 7-17-21)

Lindo Michoacan–2655 E. Desert Inn Rd. (Mexican) Open Daily 10 am to 10 pm.  One of Gil’s highest rated gourmet Mexican restaurants in the U.S. Carnitas a la Coca Cola, chuletas estilo Amador Castillo, ceviche de camaron, novillo al cognac. (Dining room is open 6-29-20)

Lotus of Siam–953 E. Sahara Rd. (Thai) Lunch Mon-Fri, dinner daily.  One of the best Thai rests. in the U.S. (by almost unanimous opinion).  Specializes in Isan (northeast) Thai food. Nam kao tod (sausage with rice) is the most recommended dish. Restaurant is so famous it has its own Internet abbreviation “LOS.” Note: recently moved to Sahara Rd. (Dining room is open 6-29-20)

Momofuku–3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (Japanese & Korean) Closed Tue & Wed (and closed from 3 to 5 pm).  Good reviews for a well regarded restaurant. It looks expensive for a normal meal, but not so much that it prohibits most people from going. Many say this is some of the best food they have ever eaten. (Dining room is open 6-29-20)

Omelet House–2160 W. Charleston Blvd. (American) Open daily 7 am to 3 pm.  Old school greasy spoon type of breakfast place that is popular for such things as the chile verde omelet. Banana and pumpkin bread is said to be something not to miss. (Dining room is open 6-29-20)

Osaka–4205 W. Sahara Ave. (Japanese) Open Daily (open late night).  This is some of the best Japanese food I have had anywhere, and the sushi is comparable to Seattle. (Dining room is open 7-17-21)

Settebello–9350 W. Sahara Ave. (Italian) Open daily noon to 9 pm.  Authentic Italian style margherita pizza. (Dining room is open 6-29-20)

Shang Artisan Noodle–4983 W. Flamingo Rd. (Chinese) Open daily 11 am to 10 pm.  Hand pulled noodles are the reason many come here, but overall it is known as one of the top Chinese restaurants in the city. (Dining room is open 6-29-20)

Yardbird–3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (Southern) Open Daily.  Reviewers say you get the same kind of food you would find in Atlanta or Charleston. Fried chicken is the most recommended dish. (Dining room is open 6-29-20)

Middlegate

Middlegate Station–42500 Austin Hwy. (Burgers).  Reviewers say it has excellent burgers, including veggie burgers. Part of the attraction is the setting, located on the “loneliest highway in America” (US 50) about 50 mi. e. of Fallon. (Dining room is open 9-14-21)

Pahrump

Chat Thai–421 S. Frontage Rd. (Thai) Open noon to 8 pm (closed Sun & Mon).  Reviewers say the food is authentic, and I think they should know (being in proximity to Las Vegas). They also say the atmosphere here is very good and it is a comfortable restaurant. (Dining room is open 9-1-21)

My Thai–5020 Pahrump Valley Blvd. (Thai) Open 11 am to 8 pm (closed Sun & Mon).  Seems to be the one of the top restaurants in Pahrump. Reviewers say if you want food Thai style, ask for it to be more spicy and less sweet then the menu version. Some say it takes a long time before their order comes out. (Dining room is open 9-1-21)

Terrible Herbst’s–1750 Pahrump Valley Rd. (American) Open 24 hours.  I am putting this on the list because I have eaten here, but I do not know if there are other restaurants that are equally good. Located inside a casino, I think it is mainly known for their insanely cheap prices for good food in order to make it likely customers will frequent the casino. Note: web sites say the menu changes to breakfast at 11 pm. (Dining room is open 8-1-21)

Reno

101 Taiwanese–400 W. 5th St. (Taiwanese) Closed Tue.  One of the authentic Chinese rests. in Reno. Food is Taiwanese style. Spicy beef noodle soup seems to be the most popular item. (Dining room is open 7-17-21)

Bazaar European Deli–3652 S. Virginia St. (Russian) Open daily (closing times vary).  This is a Russian grocery store with a deli inside where you can get sandwiches and other typical everyday Russian food. Blinchiki (crepes), Russian potato salad, borscht, and salami sandwich are among the most popular items (and of course most people order the desserts). (Store is open 9-1-21)

Crawfish Asian Cuisine–1296 E. Plumb Ln. (Chinese) Closed Mon.  To me the food looks too upscale (Chinese banquet style), but it is authentic and has a lot of good possibilities such as serving Chinese New Year dinner. Yelp says garlic noodles are popular (so probably not everything is upscale). Google Maps reviewers give it a perfect five star rating, so they must be doing something right. (Dining room is open 9-1-21)

Jia’s Wok–477 E. Plumb Ln. (Chinese) Closed Tue.  Spicy food (Sichuan style). Food seems good and authentic, but Yelp has more than the normal number of bad reviews (some say it used to be great but not any more). Google maps says it is hit or miss (but has a lot of hits) (Dining room is open 9-1-21)

Louis’ Basque Corner–301 E. 4th St. (Basque) Dinner daily; lunch Tue-Sat.  This restaurant seems to focus more on everyday Basque food than the restaurants specializing in steaks and high end meals. Many say the food is European style, and many items are quite different than are normal in American restaurants. The price looks reasonable also. (Dining room is open 9-1-21)

Moo Dang–1565 S. Virginia St. (Thai) Closed Sun lunch & Mon.  Has papaya salad. Has good reviews, and seems to specialize in northern Thai food. There is no MSG in the food. (Dining room is open 9-1-21)

Thali–148 West St. (Indian) Open 5 pm to 9 pm (closed Mon).  There are two restaurants here in the same space. Thali is open in the evening and serves northern Indian/Himalayan/Nepalese food. Maya’s is open for lunch and serves south Indian food (and is also closed Mon.). Both are said to be very good. (Dining room is open 7-17-21)

Sparks

Carillos Cocina–415 S. Rock Blvd. (Mexican) Breakfast & lunch only (closed Sun).  Very high ratings for its basic home style Mexican food (tacos, burritos, etc.). Chile relleno is said to be very good. Apparently it is all counter seating except for a couple of small tables. (Dining room is open 9-1-21)

Sawasdee Thai–2855 N. McCarran Blvd. (Thai) Closed Sun.  Said to be authentic food with good flavors (pays attention to using the correct Thai herbs and ingredients). (Dining room is open 7-17-21)

Spring Creek

China Garden–263 Spring Valley Pkwy. (Chinese) Closed Mon.  Chinese food is American style, but it is still has good flavor and low prices for those who prefer this style of food. (Located 5 mi. SE of Elko). (Takeout only 9-14-21)

Wells

Taqueria El Compa–1092 6th St. (Mexican) Open 10 am to 8 pm (closed Sat & Sun).  One of two food trucks parked next door to each other that have five star ratings (this is the green one). Serves tacos and burritos–carne asada taco is recommended. Also serves burgers and quesadillas. (Takeout only 9-14-21)

Taqueria El Jaguar–970 6th St. (Mexican) Open 11 am to 8 pm (closed Sat & Sun).  Food truck with tacos and burritos that visually look very good (this is the yellow truck). Menu looks very much the same as the green truck. Tacos al pastor are recommended here (but the other truck has “marinated” tacos which I think are the same thing). (Takeout only 9-14-21)

Winnemucca

Bakarra Basque Bistro–180 Melarkey St. (Basque) Closed Sun & Mon.  Has excellent reviews. Family style meals with beans and cabbage soup are popular (and reviewers seem to be as impressed with the side dishes as they are with the steak or lamb main dishes). Possibly the appetizer plate is a good choice if you don’t want the normal steak dinner. (Dining room is open 9-14-21)

Martin Hotel–94 W. Railroad St. (Basque) Closed Sat lunch & Sun. Lamb chops, split pea soup, Basque style beans. Steaks and lamb look pricey but it would be less so if you want to skip the main dish and get side dishes and a sandwich (chorizo sandwich is available on the lunch menu). (Dining room is open 8-1-21)

Sid’s–1195 W. Winnemucca Blvd. (American) Open daily 5:30 am to 9 pm.  For those who have fond memories of this 1960’s style coffee house (as I do), there is at least one that is still open in Winnemucca that still has the same good food as before (at least for breakfast, according to reviewers). (Dining room is open 9-14-21)

The Griddle–460 W. Winnemucca Blvd. (American) Open 6 am to 2 pm (closed Tue & Wed).  Diner with good reviews (especially for breakfast). (Dining room is open 9-14-21)

 

Notes About This List:

This is a “master list” of restaurants that I have seen on the Internet or other sources and would like to try, or that I think would be of interest to others.  I do not mean for this to be an exhaustive list of every good place to eat, but it should represent a good sample of the most interesting or unique restaurants, along with a few that best represent an area’s regional cuisine.  My own recommendations are in Bold.

I am not looking to include:

• Fine dining (unless they are unique because of regional specialties)
• Low end restaurants that are popular with locals but may not be of much interest to travelers or people in general (everyone will have to use their judgment on this one)

Extra consideration for the following:

• The food is organic, fresh, healthy, or farm to table
• The restaurant serves a relatively hard to find type of ethnic food and reviews are good

In addition to the regular guidelines I try to include:

• The best Asian restaurants in the area even if they are not totally authentic
• Particularly good Mexican restaurants (this usually means the food is from a particular state in Mexico or it is one of the best examples of a U.S. regional style)

Please feel free to leave your own comments or suggestions.

 

Sources:

Bon Appetit City Guide (Las Vegas)

Chowhound (Las Vegas)

Chowhound (Reno)

Eater (Las Vegas)

Gil’s Thrilling (And Filling) Blog

Google Maps

Urbanspoon.com (former web site which I used for preliminary research)

Yelp (Las Vegas)

Zomato (Las Vegas)

Restaurant Guide Main Index

---

• Date indicates the most recent update of the restaurants listed
• Bold indicates my recommendations; others come from what I consider to be good sources (see bottom of page for further explanation)

Boulder

Burr Trail Grill–10 N. Hwy 12 (Organic) Lunch only (open daily).  Organic food–everything is grown in their garden (but they do have meat dishes). Thai style burger is popular. Seems to be more casual than Hell’s Backbone (this is mainly a sandwich place). (Dining room is open 7-9-21)

Hell’s Backbone–20 N. Hwy 12 (Southwest) Open daily (dinner only). Local & sustainable. Expensive, but people say you are paying for chefs who know what they are doing and prepare dishes the right way. (Dining room is open 7-9-21)

Brigham City

Maddox Ranch House–1900 S. Hwy 89 (Steakhouse) Open Tue-Sat (open until 9:30 pm).  Primarily a steak place, but has turkey and trout (as well as fried chicken, hamburgers, and other items more popular at lunch). Yeast rolls with raspberry butter, chicken, homemade pies are very good. They raise their own beef and brew their own root beer. Very large restaurant (and people apparently drive from SLC to eat here). (Dining room is open 7-16-20)

Clearfield

Argentine Corner–442 N. Main St. (Argentinian) Closed Sun.  Reviewers indicate it is not exactly like being in Argentina but it is close. Has empenadas and plate dinners. Food is made fresh so you have to wait for it. (Dining room is open 7-16-20)

Haru Ramen–1266 S. Legend Hills Dr. (Japanese) Closed Sun.  Ramen is said to be very good. Miso ramen is said by some to be the best. (Dining room is open 8-19-21)

High Hat Diner–1147 N. Main St. (Mexican) Open 8 am to 2 pm (closed Mon & Tue).  Breakfast is popular. Mexican food with green chile is popular (breakfast with green chile is popular as well). (Dining room is open 8-26-21)

Pho Banh–1286 S. Legend Hills Dr. (Vietnamese) Closed Sun evening.  Reviewers say this is the best Vietnamese in Davis County, which isn’t saying a whole lot, but they say the food is legit. Serves pho, banh mi, and a few other dishes such as rice plates with toppings such as Korean beef or vegan lemongrass tofu. (Dining room is open 8-19-21)

Green River

Tamarisk–1710 E. Main St. (American) Open daily 7 am to 10 pm.  Standard American food, but is better than many places because of high quality ingredients (according to reviews), and has a nice view of the river. (Dining room is open 8-22-20)

Heber City

Back 40 Ranch House–1223 N. Hwy 40 (American) Open Daily (I think these are their summer hours). Serves family style meals at dinner. This is a farm to table restaurant (so I don’t think they have a permanent menu–it changes according to what is available). (Dining room is open 7-9-21)

Kanab

Luo’s Cafe–365 S. 100 E. (Chinese) Closed Sat lunch & Sun.  Reviewers say it has some authentic dishes such as mapo tofu, chinese broccoli, bittermelon & beef, etc. (Dining room is open 8-19-21)

Rocking V–97 W. Center St. (Southwest) Closed Tue & Wed.  Food supposedly is as good as in San Francisco or New York. Veggie enchilada is popular (also serves meat dishes). Fish tacos and key lime pie are good. (Dining room is open 8-26-21)

Layton

Black Bear Diner–310 E. Gentile St. (Diner) Open daily 6 am to 10 pm.  Most reviews are for breakfast. They say the pancakes are some of the best ever (baked items such as chicken pot pie, bear claws, etc. are said to be good). This is part of a chain, but still said to be one of the best breakfasts. (Dining room is open 6-27-20)

Little Taste of Britain–768 W 1425 N (British) Open 11 am to 8 pm (closed Sun). Reviewers say the fish and chips are spot on. Pea soup is also recommended. The weird thing is that Hug-Hes Cafe is also supposed to have good fish and chips, and Sill’s Cafe is supposed to have good scones (both of these are also in Layton). The scones, though, appear to be a Utah version that resembles a sopapilla, and bears little relation to the English ones. In any case, though, there does seem to be some good British food in this town. (Dining room is open 6-27-20)

99 Thai Fusion–768 W 1425 N (Thai) Open daily (opens at 1:30 on Sun).  Reviews are good. Curry is recommended (they also have some less common dishes such as papaya salad). (Dining room is open 6-27-20)

Logan

Bluebird–19 N. Main St. (American) Closed Sun.  I’m not sure if people really go here for the food or for the quirkiness and novelty of it. It is a restaurant owned by Asian people who serve American food, but they have some Asian dishes such as sweet and sour chicken. One of the most popular American items (and supposedly extremely good) is the strawberry chicken (grilled chicken with a strawberry glaze). Also the desserts are very popular (especially the mud pie). Has a candy store inside the restaurant, and many people come just for this. (Temporarily closed 8-19-21)

Tandoori Oven–720 E. 1000 N. (Indian) Closed Sun.  Indian restaurant inside a gas station–people say the food is solid. They especially like that the spice level is straightforward–it you ask for spicy they will make it spicy. (Dining room is open 8-22-20)

Thai House–51 W. 200 S. (Thai) Closed Sun (and closed from 3:30 to 4:30 pm).  Thai food that impresses people from other cities, and which gets very good reviews. (Dining room is open 8-22-20)

Moab

Antica Forma–267 N. Main St. (Pizza) Open Daily.  Wood fired pizza that gets good reviews. (Dining room is open 7-5-21)

Arches Thai–60 N. 100 W. (Thai) Open Daily.  Authentic and very good Thai, but prices are about double what they would be at most Thai restaurants. Curry is recommended (but all dishes appear to be good). (Dining room is open 7-5-21)

Desert Bistro–36 S. 100 W. (New American) Dinner only (open daily).  Prices are far above most other restaurants in town, but it has had excellent reviews for years, and I think this is probably the best fine dining choice. When I was in Moab I looked at their menu posted outside and saw that it was too expensive for me, but I think people will love the food if they can afford it. (Dining room is open 7-5-21)

Miguel’s Baja Grill–51 N. Main St. (Mexican).  Open daily (dinner only).  Fish tacos were good (in fact, some of the best I have had). However, the beans, rice, and salsa were somewhat bland. (Dining room is open 7-5-21)

Singha Thai–92 E. Center St. (Thai) Closed Sun lunch and closed from 3 to 5 pm.  More Americanized than Bangkok House, but customers can ask for food “Thai style” and order some off-the-menu dishes that are very authentic. Note: Bangkok House is still open but Arches Thai now has better reviews. (Dining room is open 7-5-21)

Monticello

Doug’s Steak and BBQ–496 N. Main St. (BBQ, Steakhouse) Dinner only (Thu-Sat only). Based on reviews, most people order the BBQ, and say it is very good (pulled pork, ribs, brisket, etc.). Some do not like the sauce, though. (Dining room is open 8-26-21)

Ja Roen Thai Sushi–360 S. Main St. (Thai) Open daily (closed from 2 to 4 pm).  Most reviewers say they were surprised to find Thai food this good in a small town like this. Down side seems to be that there is one person cooking, so wait may be longer than you want if you have a limited time to eat before hitting the road again. (Dining room is open 7-5-21)

Ogden

Aroy D Thai–1167 W. 12th St. (Thai) Closed Sun & Mon.  Mostly good reviews. It seems to be the best Thai food in northern Utah (north of SLC). (Dining room is open 8-19-21)

Hanamaru–357 E. 37th St. (Japanese) Dinner Wed-Sat; lunch Sat only.  Udon, katsu curry, ramen, shabu shabu, sushi.  Mostly everyday Japanese food done very well at good prices. Note: was closed during Jan & Feb 2019 (perhaps the chef goes to Japan periodically?) (Dining room is open 8-26-21)

Rosa’s Cafe–2660 Washington Blvd. (Mexican) Breakfast & lunch Tue-Sun; dinner Fri & Sat.  Enchiladas, burritos, etc. are covered with chile verde and/or chile colorado (some indicate that the chile verde is better). One reviewer says this is El Paso style, and he knows because he is from El Paso. (Temporarily closed 8-26-21)

Orem

Asado Argentinian Grill–360 S. State St. (Argentinian) Closed Sat & Sun.  Good reviews–people like the quality and the flavor. There are two sections of the menu–the cheap section has empanadas, etc. and the expensive section has steaks (and people say they are memorable). (Dining room is open 7-7-20)

Bangkok Grill–934 N. State St. (Thai) Closed Sun.  A restaurant for “picky eaters” (such as ones who have been to Thailand). Curries and noodle dishes are recommended (some curries are spicier than others, so you might want to order based on what spiciness you want). (Dining room is open 7-7-20)

Great China–1632 S. State St. (Chinese) Closed Sun.  Mostly American style dishes, but it has pan fried noodles (and is a place Chinese people can go and find something they consider to be authentic). Reviews did not give very many details, though. If you get Americanized food they say it is cheaper than the other places. (Dining room is open 8-19-21)

Red Fuego–824 E. 800 N. (Peruvian) Closed Sun.  Reviewers say the food is comparable to Peruvian food in large cities in the US (with very good restaurants). (Dining room is open 6-27-20)

TRUreligion Pancake & Steakhouse–360 S. State St. (American) Breakfast & lunch only (open daily).  When almost everyone talks about the breakfast, and say it is the best in Utah County, I think this is what most people consider to be their best food. I particularly like the fact that multiple items come with an optional green chile (and they say the green chile is very good). (Dining room is open 8-26-21)

Park City

Adolph’s–1500 Kearns Blvd. (Swiss) Open daily (dinner only).  This is a European style restaurant with Swiss specialties. Multi course dinner, but many times the other courses are as good or better than the main one. Expensive, but may be worth it for your special occasion dinner. Check the reviews, though, because some are disappointed with the food. (Dining room is open 8-22-20)

Bangkok Thai–605 Main St. (Thai) Dinner daily; lunch Fri-Sun.  A good choice to get good food at a reasonable price in PC (not an easy thing to accomplish). Most say the food is good but the service is bad. It helps to get a reservation (this will make the service better for you). (Dining room is open 8-22-20)

Fletcher’s–562 Main St. (New American) Open daily (dinner only).  Good choice for your upscale, special occasion experience. Steak, chicken, mussels, ribs, lamb shank, and probably several other entrees are all very good. Everyone raved about the biscuits and jam (served with all meals). I’m listing this restaurant because people say it is worth the price. (Dining room is open 8-22-20)

Harvest–820 Park Ave. (Cafe) Open daily 8 am to 3 pm.  Based on a post on Gil’s Thrilling (And Filling) Blog it make me think you have have the quality here of Park City’s upscale restaurants without the high prices, so this place looks like a winner for breakfast or lunch. (Dining room is open 9-13-21)

Kuchu Shabu–1612 W. Ute Blvd. (Japanese) Dinner daily; lunch Thu-Sat.  Has shabu shabu, poke, hot pot, pho, etc. People complain about high prices and small portions, but have a high opinion about the food. (Dining room is open 8-22-20)

Szechwan–1612 Ute Blvd. (Chinese) Closed Mon.  This is a place that is inexpensive (by PC standards), has good service (waiters are not snooty), and you don’t need reservations. It also has good food, but it’s mostly Americanized. The lunch specials are about $10 (with American style dishes). There are some “authentic” dishes on the dinner menu (twice cook pork, etc.) but they are more expensive. This does not sound great, but it sounds good for PC. (Dining room is open 8-19-21)

Price

Farlaino’s Cafe–87 W. Main St. (American) Open 7 am to 7 pm (closed Sun).  It is not totally American–it has some Italian dishes including Italian sausage that people say is great for lunch or breakfast (Groovin Gourmet on Chowhound recommends the Italian sausage sandwich for lunch).  Pancakes are recommended for breakfast or burgers for lunch. (Dining room is open 8-26-21)

Provo

Bombay House–463 N. University Ave. (Indian) Dinner only (closed Sun).  Probably the best Indian restaurant in a several-state area. Less spicy than most Indian restaurants, but you can get it spicier if you ask. Not a buffet–dishes are individually cooked.  (Additional locations in SLC). (Dining room is open 8-19-21)

Communal–102 N. University Ave. (New American) Dinner only (closed Sun).  Seasonal and locally sourced food. Tends to be upscale and expensive, but portions are big (and they encourage people to share). People say the butterscotch pudding is not to be missed. Do not come here if you like high fat and sodium content (I think because of this some reviewers say the food is bland). However, because of the prices I would say take care in what you order. (Dining room is open 6-27-20)

Hruska’s Kolaches–434 W. Center St. (Bakery) Open 6:30 am until they run out of kolaches–usually about 11:30 am (closed Sun). Breakfast kolaches are popular (sausage, egg, etc.). Fruit kolaches are also very good. (Takeout and delivery only 8-19-21)

Koko Lunchbox–1175 N. Canyon Rd. (Korean) Open 11:30 am to 8:30 pm (closed Sun).  Authentic Korean–because of this it has better reviews than many other Asian restaurants in the Provo area (in fact I think it has the best reviews on Yelp). Some say it is as good as the food trucks in other cities, but here you can eat it in a restaurant setting. (Dining room is open 7-7-20)

Molly’s–753 W. Columbia Ln. (American) Lunch only (Wed-Sat only).  It is said to be home style food, and food you would find at a cafeteria but served restaurant style. Some reviewers recommend ordering something simple (more complicated dishes like meat loaf lack spicing). (Dining room is open 8-19-21)

Note: Provo and Orem have a notable variety of ethnic restaurants due to Mormon missionaries going to just about every country, with some of the converts wanting to go to BYU for school and to stay in the area afterwards. I do not know if I have included the best ones on the list, and this certainly is not all of them, but I tried to include ones that had good reviews.

Saint George

Durango–245 Red Cliffs Dr. (Mexican) Closed Sun. Reviewers say it is better than Cafe Rio. Has green enchiladas, so I think it is worth a try. (Dining room is open 8-19-21)

Honolulu Grill–706 E. 700 S. (Hawaiian) Open 11 am to 7 pm (closed Sun).  Good value, and good Hawaiian style food. Katsu chicken, kalua pork, macaroni salad are good. (Dining room is open 7-7-20)

Red Fort Cuisine of India–148 S. 1470 E. (Indian) Closed Tue.  Reviewers say this is the real deal (many of them compare this to restaurants in large cities). (Dining room is open 7-7-20)

Viva Chicken–1183 E. 100 S. (Peruvian) Closed daily 11 am to 9 pm.  Has a large menu with probably anything you would want (including plantains and arroz chaufa). Chicken dishes are all recommended, but especially the rotisserie chicken. (Dining room is open 7-7-20)

Wagon Wheel Diner–2654 Red Cliffs Dr. (American) Breakfast & lunch only (open daily).  Reviewers say this is the best place in the area to get breakfast. Located just west of the town of Washington. (Dining room is open 7-7-20)

Salt Lake City

All Chay–1264 W. 500 N. (Vietnamese) Closed Mon (and closed from 2 pm to 5 pm).  Vegetarian Vietnamese food that is so good it is the number one restaurant on Yelp in SLC.  All the flavors are said to be authentically Asian. (Dining room is open 8-26-21)

Bruges Waffles & Frites–336 W. 300 S. (Belgian) Open daily except Sun. night.  Popular for breakfast (serves several types of Belgian waffles). Sandwiches, frites, and desserts are popular. Also in Provo and Draper. (Dining room is open 8-26-21)

Dim Sum House–1158 S. State St. (Chinese) Closed Wed.  Dim sum served all day. Serves congee and some menu items. Everything is said to be authentic. (Dining room is open 8-26-21)

Feldman’s Deli–2005 E. 2700 S. (Deli) Closed Sun & Mon.  Jewish deli with very good reviews. Reuben is apparently the most popular item, but this restaurant also offers a number of items that are difficult to find just about anywhere in the West. (Dining room is open 8-26-21)

Golden Dragon–1716 S. State St. (Chinese) Open Daily.  Dim sum and authentic menu items, but the emphasis seems to be on the latter. (Dining room is open 8-26-21)

Kobe–3947 Wasatch Blvd. (Japanese) Open daily except Sun lunch (closed from 2 to 5 pm Mon-Fri).  Known for it ramen (many say it compares with Tosh’s and it’s easier to get a table). Also has other menu items. (Dining room is open 6-27-20)

Les Madeleines–216 E. 500 S. (Bakery) Open 8 am to 2 pm (3 pm Fri & Sat); (closed Sun & Mon).  Gil Garduño describes a French pastry called Kouign-Amann that is crunchy and gooey at the same time with a caramel flavor. The specialty here is French pastries but has breakfast items as well (most reviewers think whatever you get should include the Kouign-Amann). (Dining room is open 9-13-21)

Market Street Grill–48 W. Market St. (American) Open daily (closed from 2 to 5 pm).  I was impressed by their fish specials, consisting of fresh fish flown in daily (the fish makes you imagine that you are in Seattle, where I had eaten very similar fresh fish the day before eating here). (Dining room is open 9-13-21)

Nauvoo Cafe–15 E. South Temple St. (American) Closed Sun.  Owned by the LDS Church and open to the public. Home style cooking served cafeteria style. Some say this is better than Lion House on the same block, but both have similar food. No coffee or tea is served, but they have decaf Coke. Turkey pot pie is the most recommended dish here (pot pie is also the most popular dish at Lion House, but the big thing at Lion House is the rolls). Some food may be bland and/or salty (like a typical cafeteria). (Temporarily closed 8-26-21)

Nomad East–1675 E. 1300 S. (Pizza) Open daily except Sun lunch.  Gil Garduño (Gil’s Thrilling And Filling Blog) says this is one of the ten best pizzas he’s ever had, so I think this is enough to put it on this list. In addition, though, the roasted local peach dessert looks like a must try dish. (Dining room is open 9-13-21)

Oh Mai–3425 S. State St. (Vietnamese) Closed Sun.  Specializes in pho and banh mi, but has a varied menu. Offers vegetarian pho, and uses no MSG in the food. I think it looks interesting, and probably compares favorable to restaurants in larger cities. (Dining room is open 8-26-21)

Red Iguana–736 W. North Temple St. (Mexican) Open 11 am to 9 pm–10 pm on Fri & Sat (closed Mon).  Has 7 types of mole (I only saw 6 on their menu, but this would be plenty). Note: there is another Red Iguana at 866 South Temple. I have seen on reviews that reservations are a good idea and parking is a problem (at least at the S Temple location). (Dining room is open 8-26-21)

Settebello–260 S. 200 W. (Pizza) Closed Sun.  “Almost” authentic Neapolitan pizza (but they say it’s about the best you are going to find in Utah or a lot of other places).  (Dining room is open 6-27-20)

Thai Garden–868 E. 900 S. (Thai) Open Daily except Sun lunch (and closed from 3 to 5 pm).  Groovin’ Gourmet says it’s better than Lotus of Siam in Las Vegas–red curry with pumpkin is recommended. (Dining room is open 8-26-21)

The Med–420 E. 3300 S. (Persian) Closed Mon & Tue.  Persian & Turkish cuisine. There are several comments saying the food is not authentic, but Persian food is so good I think it might still be worth a try. (Dining room is open 8-26-21)

Tortas Y Jugos El Morelense–2470 S. Redwood Rd. (Mexican) Closed Sun evening & Mon.  Recommended place for authentic Mexican street food. (Dining room is open 8-26-21)

Tosh’s Ramen–1465 S. State St. (Japanese) Closed Sun (and closed from 2:30 to 5 pm).  Many say it is the best ramen in SLC, but is inconsistent (one visit could be great and another not so much). Take your pick between this and Kobe (also Tonkatsu is good). (Dining room is open 8-26-21)

South Salt Lake

Afghan Kitchen–3142 S. Main St. (Afghan) Dinner only (closed Mon).  Traditional Afghan food, which is a combination of Middle Eastern and Indian (based on some of the dishes that are available). (Dining room is open 8-26-21)

Spanish Fork

Los 2 Potrillos–146 S. Main St. (Mexican) Open 10 am to 10 pm (closed Sun).  Authentic south of the border style food.  Specializes in fish tacos (owner is from So. Cal. and has connections to get fresh fish).  Also has enchiladas suizas and other menu items. (Dining room is open 7-7-20)

Springdale

Park House Cafe–1880 Zion Park Blvd. (American) Open daily 8 am to 2 pm (I think in winter it is closed Tue).  Popular for breakfast. Eggs Benedict are recommended. (Dining room is open 8-26-21)

Spotted Dog Cafe–428 Zion Park Blvd. (American) Open for breakfast and dinner only (no lunch).  Mainly popular for dinner because it is casual but the food is more upscale than most (and not too expensive). (Dining room is open 8-26-21)

Springville

Art City Trolley–256 N. Main St. (American) Closed Sun.  This restaurant has somewhat of a cult following–you sit in a real trolley car and eat diner food (but people say it is very good). Apparently there is a dining room next door if the trolley is overcrowded (which it frequently seems to be). People recommend hamburgers, mac & cheese, quesadilla, Philly sandwich. (Dining room is open 7-7-20)

Sundance

Tree Room–8841 N. Alpine Loop (American) Open Tue-Sat (dinner only).  Robert Redford’s 5 star restaurant.  Fine dining and expensive, and it seems to be a place that everyone enjoys. (Dining room is open 8-26-21)

Torrey

Capitol Reef Inn–360 W. Main St. (American) Open daily 7 am to 9 pm.  Seems to be more New American than traditional American (lemon-hickory chicken is one of the specialties). Said to have good food at good prices. (Dining room is open 6-27-20)

Vernal

Antica Forma–251 E. Main St. (Pizza) Closed Sun.  Gourmet pizza made with fresh mozzarella and interesting toppings. (Dining room is open 8-26-21)

West Jordan

BFF Turon–8860 S. Redwood Rd. (Filipino) Closes at 7 pm (closed Sun).  Like most ethnic restaurants in Utah, the real comparison to make is with restaurants in other states. Reviewers say this restaurant stands the test very well. Turon is their specialty, but there is a large list of dishes with excellent reviews. (Dining room is open 8-26-21)

West Valley City

Don Pollo–3531 S. 5600 W. (Mexican) Open Daily.  Specializes in Mexican style charbroiled chicken and various types of tacos (reviews are excellent for these as well as the salsas, etc.). (Dining room is open 7-7-20)

Red Maple Chinese–2882 W. 4700 S. (Chinese) Open Daily.  One of the best dim sum restaurants in SLC, if not the best (reviewers say it tastes fresh). Also has a Chinese menu of other dishes. (Takeout only 8-26-21)

Thai Star–3197 S. Redwood Rd. (Thai) Open Daily.  Serves Thai food with some Lao dishes (but other restaurants have a better selection of Lao food). The best features here are freshness, good flavor, and good quality. I am not sure if it is really authentic based on reviews I read. (Dining room is open 8-26-21)

 

Notes About This List:

This is a “master list” of restaurants that I have seen on the Internet or other sources and would like to try, or that I think would be of interest to others.  I do not mean for this to be an exhaustive list of every good place to eat, but it should represent a good sample of the most interesting or unique restaurants, along with a few that best represent an area’s regional cuisine.  My own recommendations are in Bold.

I am not looking to include:

• Fine dining (unless they are unique because of regional specialties)
• Low end restaurants that are popular with locals but may not be of much interest to travelers or people in general (everyone will have to use their judgment on this one)

Extra consideration for the following:

• The food is organic, fresh, healthy, or farm to table
• The restaurant serves a relatively hard to find type of ethnic food and reviews are good

In addition to the regular guidelines I try to include:

• The best Asian restaurants in the area even if they are not totally authentic
• Particularly good Mexican restaurants (this usually means the food is from a particular state in Mexico or it is one of the best examples of a U.S. regional style)

Please feel free to leave your own comments or suggestions.

 

Sources:

Chowhound (Utah)

City-Data (SLC Restaurants)

City-Data (What/Where to Eat on Utah Road Trip)

Gil’s Thrilling (And Filling) Blog

Google Maps

Trip Advisor (Park City)

Urbanspoon.com (former web site which I used for preliminary research)

Yelp (Utah)

Zomato (Salt Lake City)

 

Restaurant Guide Main Index

---

California

Los Angeles | Orange County | San Bernardino/Riverside | San Diego

---

• Date indicates the most recent update of the restaurants listed
• Bold indicates my recommendations; others come from what I consider to be good sources (see bottom of page for further explanation)

---

Alameda

Phnom Penh House–1514 Webster St. (Cambodian) Closed Sun.  People say the food here is excellent. The only thing is that it is different from Thai food in that it relies more on the freshness of the food and subtle flavors rather than spices, etc. Asian crepe is one of many interesting looking items (this is similar to the Vietnamese banh xeo). (Dining room is open 8-4-21)

Berkeley

Imm Thai Street Food–2068 University Ave. (Thai) Open Daily.  I honestly do not know how authentic it is, but from the photos it looks very visually appealing, and reviewers say it is very good. In 2019 there was about a 45 minute wait to get a table much of the time–I don’t know about post-pandemic. (Dining room is open 8-4-21)

Kiraku–2566 Telegraph Ave. (Japanese) Closed Mon & Tue (dinner only). Japanese tapas restaurant with a wide variety of dishes. Advice from reviewers is to order anything that looks interesting (it is all good). Not a sushi place– this is an Izakaya restaurant (but they have sushi also). There is a $15 minimum to eat here (or $30 if you make a reservation). It seems to be worth it for the type of Japanese food that it is hard to find in the U.S. Wait (without a reservation) can be up to 2 hrs. on weekends. (Dinning room is open 8-20-21)

Udupi Palace–1903 University Ave. (Indian) Closed Tue. South Indian vegetarian. Thali is good (I really liked the former Seattle location–I recommend thali sampler plate). Dosa is also very popular. Also in SF. (Takeout only 8-4-21)

Burlingame

Copenhagen–1216 Burlingame Ave. (Danish) Open daily until 6 pm (serves breakfast daily). This is a bakery and cafe. Some say it’s as close to true Danish as you can get in the U.S. Pastries, sandwiches, Danish meatballs. (Dining room is open 8-4-21)

Mokutanya–1155 California Dr. (Japanese) Open daily (dinner only).  A destination Japanese restaurant that is not terribly expensive, but has enthusiastic fans for its hard to find authentic and delicious dishes. Black garlic ramen is one of the specialties (this is an izakaya restaurant–not primarily a sushi one). (This seems to be a place to come with friends–they give you individual rooms for each table). (Dining room is open 8-20-21)

Corte Madero

Burmatown–60 Corte Madero Ave. (Burmese) Dinner only (closed Sun & Mon).  Excellent reviews, but restaurant is very small. It is recommended to go at the most off-peak time possible (but food is said to be authentic and very worthwhile). (Dining room is open 8-4-21)

Cupertino

Red Hot Wok–10074 E. Estates Dr. (Taiwanese) Closed Mon (and closed from 2:15 to 5 pm). Reviewers say this is one of their favorite Taiwanese restaurants in the Bay Area. This is pretty much everyday comfort food (not expensive or high end). (Dining room is open 8-20-21)

Yayoi–20682 Homestead Rd. (Japanese) Open daily 12 pm to 8 pm.  Japanese Teishoku restaurant (several small dishes served with steamed rice). Has very good reviews. Udon and katsu are popular items. Also in Palo Alto. (Takeout and delivery only 7-16-21)

Daly City

Chibog–2055 Gellert Blvd. (Filipino) Open until 6 pm (closed Mon).  Reviews are not as good as Boracay Garden in South San Francisco, but there seems to be plenty here that is very flavorful (it would be best to read on-line reviews to see what they recommend). Probably cheaper than Boracay also. (Takeout only 8-4-21)

El Cerrito

99 Ranch Market–3288 Pierce St. (Grocery Store) Open Daily.  Good place for Asian groceries. Nearby, though, are a number of small Asian restaurants, dessert shops, etc. that look interesting. (Store is open 8-20-21)

New Dumpling–10064 San Pablo Ave. (Chinese) Closed Mon (and closed from 2:30 to 5:30 pm).  Some say this is the best dumpling place in the East Bay. Green onion pancake is recommended. Located about 4 blocks from the BART station. (Dining room is open 8-20-21)

Zomsa–10558 San Pablo Ave. (Himalayan) Closed Wed.  Prices are very good for the Bay Area, and the Himalayan dishes seem to be especially flavorful. (Dining room is open 8-4-21)

Foster City

Joy–1489 Beach Park Blvd. (Taiwanese) Closed Tue (and closed from 2:30 to 5 pm).  Has a “secret” Chinese menu which is a favorite with Chowhounds (it’s actually written on cards on the wall). The regular menu is Hong Kong, Sichuanese and Taiwanese. Reviews in late 2018 and 2019 indicate that it is now “uneven.” Part of the problem is that the landlord raised the rent and they can no longer afford to serve the cheap dishes (such as Taiwanese pancakes). They do say, though, that they have authentic Taiwanese food. (Dining room is open 8-4-21)

Fremont

Din Ding Dumpling House–3213 Walnut Ave. (Chinese) Closed Tue (and closed from 2:30 to 5:30 pm).  This is a Shanghai style noodle and dumpling house. Xiao long bao (with pork) is said to be excellent, but has many other excellent dishes as well. This is said to be a good alternative to the higher priced dumpling houses and is said to be the same quality (but perhaps not exactly the same menu). Also in Union City. (Dining room is open 8-20-21)

Line Thai–3964 Washington Blvd. (Thai) Open daily (closed from 3 to 5 pm).  Opened in 2017, and many had been anxiously awaiting it. Reviewers say the curry is spot on, but the pad thai is really the special dish here (because they do it right and so many other restaurants do not). Spice levels are at Thai levels (so be cautious when ordering). (Takeout only 8-4-21)

Shanghai Flavor–46132 Warm Springs Blvd. (Chinese) Closed Mon  (and closed from 2:30 to 5 pm).  Has a very large menu of authentic dishes. Many say skip the xiao long bao (it is better at other restaurants). This place, though, has many items you may not find in other restaurants so this would be a good opportunity. (Takeout only 7-16-21)

Half Moon Bay

Barbara’s Fishtrap–281 Capistrano Rd. (Seafood) Open daily (closes at 7 pm weekdays).  Clam chowder, fish & chips. (Dining room is open 8-4-21)

Monsoon Himalayan–20 Stone Pine Rd. (Nepalese) Dinner only (closed Tue).  This is said to be one of the best Himalayan restaurants in the Bay Area (Little Nepal and Cuisine of Nepal are said to be the ones that would be comparable). (Dining room is open 8-20-21)

Los Altos

Estrellita–971 N. San Antonio Rd. (Mexican) Dinner only (closed Mon) Note: has lunch Fri-Sun.  Mostly a pretty standard Mexican restaurant, but the best dishes on the menu are Yucatan and Oaxaca style. This seems to be one of the best “sit-down” Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area. (Dining room is open 7-16-21)

Noodle Talk Home Cuisine–4546 El Camino Real (Chinese) Open daily (closed from 2:15 to 5 pm).  Authentic Hunan cuisine, but I think the “home cuisine” means that it is casual, inexpensive, and is more home style food than “banquet style.” (Dining room is open 7-16-21)

Millbrae

Ben Tre–219 El Camino Real (Vietnamese) Closed Tue.  This is a “homestyle” Vietnamese restaurant that reminds Vietnamese people of home. It is not a special occasion restaurant and they do not have any special dishes–just ones that show you what people in Vietnam eat on a daily basis (and for this it is a good choice). Also in S. San Francisco. (Dining room is open 8-20-21)

Hong Kong Flower Lounge–51 Millbrae Ave. (Chinese) Open daily (closed from 2:30 to 5 pm).  Seems to be the No. 1 place in the Bay Area for dim sum (rec. by Chowhound). (Dining room is open 8-20-21)

Hubei–1055 El Camino Real (Chinese) Open daily (closed from 2:30 to 5 pm).  Authentic food from Hubei Province (and city of Wuhan). Some comments say that the Hubei food is not that great, but the hot-dry noodle is really worthwhile (and is the specialty of the restaurant). (Dining room is open 8-20-21)

Stick & Steam–350 Adrian Rd. (Singaporean) Open daily (closed from 2:30 to 5 pm).  Reviewers who have been to Singapore say you get the same food here. May be a little expensive, but it seems to be because it is good quality. (Dining room is open 8-4-21)

Wonderful–270 Broadway (Chinese) Closed Tue (and closed from 2:30 to 5 pm).  Hunan style food that is said to be the spiciest in China (spicier then Sichuan). The flavor, though, seems to be excellent. Stir fried pork and marinated tofu seems like a good dish to try. (Dining room is open 8-20-21)

Milpitas

Banana Leaf–182 Ranch Dr. (Malaysian) Closed Sun (and closed from 2:30 to 5 pm).  I think this is the place to go for Malaysian in the Bay Area (has the best reviews). Mango chicken is popular, and my experience in Seattle indicates that this may be a good bet. (Dining room is open 7-16-21)

Chili Garden–210 Barber Ct. (Chinese) Open daily (closed from 2:30 to 4:30pm).  Hunan style (said to be one of 2 authentic Hunan rests. in the Bay Area–the other Hunan rest. was in Sunnyvale but is now closed-one that recently opened in Los Altos may also be authentic).  House special Chili Garden beef, sour cabbage bamboo pork (ask for Chinese menu). (Dining room is open 7-16-21)

Mountain View

Caspian–1910 El Camino Real (Persian) Open daily except Sun evening.  Reviewers say the quality is good and they make good use of herbs and spices for a very nice flavor. (Dining room is open 7-16-21)

Oakland

Champa Garden–2102 8th Ave. (Lao) Open daily (closed from 3 to 5 pm).  To me everything looks good, and reviews seem to support it. Lao Tae has better reviews, but it seems to have fewer items and has different hours. I would say take your pick (Champa Garden looks less expensive and more home style). Also in SF. (Takeout only 8-4-21)

Da Nang Quan–615 E. 12th St. (Vietnamese) Open 9 am to 7 pm (closed Thu). One of the best places for authentic Vietnamese (although Oakland has a large concentration of similar restaurants). Bun Bo Hue and banh xeo are specialties, but has a number of hard to find dishes. Specializes in central Vietnamese cuisine (Hue style). (Dining room is open 8-20-21)

Doña–3770 Piedmont Ave. (Mexican) Open Daily.  Popular during the pandemic because it has a large outdoor dining area. Food gets good reviews. Coming from El Paso the menu doesn’t look very exotic but it looks like a good find. (Dining room and outdoor patio are open 8-20-21)

FOB Kitchen–5179 Telegraph Ave. (Filipino) Dinner Wed-Sun; lunch Fri-Sun.  Several things stand out here including the variety of dishes they serve, how good it looks visually from the photos, and the reviews it gets (other Filipino restaurants in the Bay Area also have a large variety of dishes though). I think this is one of the places that is worth seeking out. (Dining room is open 8-20-21)

Lao Tae–6516 Moraga Ave. (Lao) Dinner only (open daily).  Food seems to be very flavorful and uniformly good. Lao sausage and crispy pork belly are particularly popular. (Temporarily closed 8-20-21)

New Gold Medal–389 8th St. (Chinese) Open daily (open late night).  Very authentic Cantonese food. Seems to have good food, but I get the impression that the staff expects you to know what you are ordering and some end up with items they do not like. Dry style chow fun is recommended. Has an extremely large menu (as most authentic Cantonese restaurants do). Serves food without MSG if you order it that way. (Dining room is open 8-20-21)

Phnom Penh House–3912 MacArthur Blvd. (Cambodian) Closed Sun.  It is billed as Cambodian, but actually has Thai and Lao dishes as well. Cambodian food seems to be good, but many people order the other items because they are more familiar with them (and say they are very good as well). (Takeout only 8-4-21)

Shan Dong–328 10th St. (Chinese) Closed Mon (and closed from 3 to 4 pm).  Mandarin/northern Chinese. Handmade noodles, dan dan noodles, dumplings. One of the favorite Chinese places of locals. (Dining room is open 8-20-21)

Palo Alto

Chef Zhao Bistro–2180 W. Bayshore Rd. (Chinese) Closed Mon (and closed from 2:30 to 5:00pm).  Chef Zhao appeared on the Yan Can Cook show and prepared a couple of notable dishes–fish and ma po tofu (both of which have good reviews at the restaurant and appear to be authentic). Reviewers also recommend Lanzhou beef noodle soup, chili chicken, and dan dan noodles (and say the Sichuan boiled fish is very good). Has xiao long bao. (Takeout only 7-16-21)

Richmond

Huong Tra–12221 San Pablo Ave. (Vietnamese) Closed Sun.  Said to be a neighborhood favorite (is probably not a destination restaurant for the entire Bay Area). However, reviews and description of the food are very good, and I think there are many things here I would like to try (menu is pretty extensive). (Dining room is open 9-10-21)

San Francisco

Beijing–1801 Alemany Blvd. (Chinese) Open daily 11 am to 8:45 pm. Beijing style. Reviewers say it’s the most authentic Beijing style rest. in SF. Beijing street pancakes, beef noodle soup, dumplings are recommended. (Dining room is open 9-10-21)

Bund Shanghai–640 Jackson St. (Chinese) Open 11 am to 9 pm (closed Tue).  Shanghai and Mandarin style. Said to be very good. Has XLB but reviewers recommend that you explore the menu. (Dining room is open 9-10-21)

Burma Superstar–309 Clement St. (Burmese) Open daily (closed from 3 to 5 pm). Reviewers say it is authentic. Samosa soup, tea leaf salad, chicken tofu kabat, pork curry. (4-4-19)

Champa Garden–613 Faxon Ave. (Lao) Open daily (closed from 3 to 5 pm).  Rice ball salad, drunken noodles, coconut soup are recommended. Also a Champa Garden in Oakland but I don’t know if they are related. (Dining room is open 8-4-21)

De Afghanan–1035 Geary St. (Afghan) Dinner only (closed Sun & Mon).  Seems to be an excellent place to try authentic Afghan food. However it is a very casual place that mostly serves kabobs. It is the variety of kabobs and the side dishes served that make it much more interesting than the average kabob restaurant. Also in Tracy, and takeout only in Fremont. (Dining room is open 8-20-21)

Dim Sum Bistro–675 Broadway (Chinese) Open daily 8 am to 3 pm.  This is rated as the no. 1 dim sum restaurant on Yelp. Reviewers say it has some very good items (i.e. shrimp dumpling, steamed pork bun, siu mai, shrimp and chives dumpling). There are others they say to skip. Two important factors in its number 1 rating are its price (cheaper than most) and the fact that it is in a “good area” (I don’t know where the bad area is but they mentioned Broadway Dim Sum Cafe as being in it). (Takeout only 9-10-21)

Golden Crab House–1830 Irving St. (Seafood) Closed Mon & closed Tue lunch.  This is a Vietnamese style seafood restaurant, but you can get “regular” (non-Asian style) seafood if you want. House garlic noodles seem to be the most popular side dish to go with the seafood. Dungeness crab seems to be its seafood specialty. Popular for its fixed dinners for 2, 4, 10 etc people, but diners can order individual items as well. (Dining room is open 8-4-21)

Hon’s Wun-Tun House–648 Kearney St. (Chinese) Open 10 am to 7 pm (closed Sun). Authentic Hong Kong style noodle house (one of the few really authentic places in Chinatown). Serves many versions of wun tun (wonton) soup–all of them seem to be good. (Dining room is open 9-10-21)

House of Dim Sum–735 Jackson St. (Chinese) Open daily 6:45 am to 6 pm.  Menu consists of dim sum, noodles, and congee. Reviewers say dim sum is the authentic version from Guangdong and is not Americanized. They also say orders are very large (although the on-line menu indicates they are not much more expensive than at most dim sum restaurants). (Dining room is open 9-10-21)

House of Nanking–919 Kearney St. (Chinese) Open Daily.  Owners are from Shanghai but the wife’s dad was from Nanking (I think they have both types of food in the restaurant). Some reviewers say a good strategy here is to ask the restaurant to bring them something they would recommend. They also have Nanking sesame chicken and probably other dishes that are representative of this cuisine. (Dining room is open 9-10-21)

Ken Kee Cafe–2109 Clement St. (Chinese) Open 11 am to 9 pm (closed Thu).  A Google search for dim sim without MSG turned up this restaurant, except that it is a full menu Cantonese/Hong Kong restaurant and not dim sum. The rating for this restaurant is higher than most others in Chinatown, including the ones I put on this list. Reviewers say it is one of the best bangs for the buck. Has authentic food, and some items take 30 or 40 minutes to prepare. (Dining room is open 9-10-21)

Kui Shin Bo–22 Peace Plaza (Japanese) Closed Mon.  Home style Japanese. Fresh fish specials are good. Mainly a lunch place (good prices for lunch) but it’s open to 8 pm. (7-13-19)

Lime Tree–836 Clement St. (Malaysian) Closed Mon (and closed from 2 to 5 pm).  Reviewers say you get good food and good prices. The city’s only Indonesian restaurant closed during the Covid period and reviewers recommend this as an alternative. There is another location at 450 Irving St. (Dining room is open 8-4-21)

Mandalay–4348 California St. (Burmese) Closed Tue (Dinner Wed-Mon; lunch Fri-Sun).  Not only is this a hard to find cuisine, but the restaurant gets excellent reviews. Tea leaf salad, sauteed green beans, chicken in garlic sauce. Reviewers say it is Burmese-Chinese, so Burma Superstar might be more authentic. Reviewers are particularly disappointed with the tea leaf salad, but like the curry chicken, fish soup, singapore noodles, balada, mango chicken, mango salad, and others. (Dining room is open 8-4-21)

Muracci’s Japanese Curry–307 Kearney St. (Japanese) Lunch only (closed Sun). It is actually open until 7 pm Mon-Thu, but some reviewers say they frequently run out of their best dishes earlier than this. I think this is probably one of the things that makes it good (everything is fresh and things are not prepared in large quantities). The specialty here is Japanese curry, which many people get with chicken katsu. The menu seems to be fairly limited but something really worth trying if you are a fan of Japanese food. (4-4-19)

Plaj–333 Fulton St. (Swedish) Open daily (dinner only).  Expensive and maybe dress up, but it’s a good chance to try a full menu of Swedish food (there are not many in the U.S.). (4-30-19)

Shanghai Dumpling King–696 Monterey Blvd. (Chinese) Closed Tue (and closed from 2:30 to 4:30 pm).  Recently moved to new location. Notes from the old location: best XLB in SF, and maybe the U.S; small place–cash only. New place seems to be the same, but I’m not sure about the cash only part. Some say the XLB here is better than in Shanghai. Also has a location in Millbrae. (Dining room is open 8-4-21)

The Grotto–2847 Taylor St. (Seafood) Open Daily.  Touristy place–expensive with a good view, but my parents said this was their favorite seafood place in SF (the best food for the money). (Temporarily closed 8-4-21)

Ton Kiang–5821 Geary Blvd. (Chinese) Closed Wed. Dim sum served all day. One of the most popular dim sum places in SF. There is lots of competition, so it’s hard to say which one is best. If you come here try the Shanghai meat dumpling, mushrooms and shrimp, ha gao, onion pancakes, egg custard tarts. (4-4-19)

Udupi Palace–1007 Valencia St. (Indian) Open Daily. South Indian vegetarian. Thali is good (I really liked the former Seattle location–I recommend thali sampler plate). Dosa is also very popular. (Dining room is open 8-4-21)

Yank Sing–101 Spear St. (Chinese) Closed Mon & Tue; Open to 7 pm Wed-Fri; lunch only Sat & Sun. In the running for best dim sum in SF. XLB is excellent also. 100 varieties of dim sum. Down side is that it is expensive, even for San Francisco. (Dining room is open 8-4-21)

San Jose

ASJ–1698 Hostetter Rd. (Taiwanese) Open Daily.  Possibly the best Taiwanese street food in Bay Area.  Most people like beef noodle soup, but other items are good also. Cash only. (Takeout only 7-16-21)

Khaosan Thai–2062 Curtner Ave. (Thai) Open daily (closed from 3 to 5 pm).  Very good reviews. Has northern style sausage, papaya salad, and other dishes from the north (but I believe it has southern Thai dishes as well). (Dining room is open 7-16-21)

Popular Bakery–1636 Alum Rock Ave. (Bakery) 7am to 5 pm Tue-Fri; 7 to 5 on Sat.  Portuguese bakery. Egg tarts, queijadas, meringue are popular. Rec. by Doug in Mesa (from Chowhound). (Takeout only 7-16-21)

Santouka Ramen–675 Saratoga Ave. (Japanese) Open daily 11 am to 8:30 pm.  Maybe the best authentic Japanese ramen in the U.S., but some reviewers say it is good but not exactly like it is in Japan. Cash only. (Dining room is open 7-17-21)

Zeni–1320 Saratoga Ave. (Ethiopian) Open 12 pm to 7 pm Thu-Sun only.  Apparently the best Ethiopian in the Bay Area. Vegetarian combo plate gets the best reviews. (Takeout only 7-16-21)

San Rafael

Pibil Authentic Yucatan Food–842 4th St. (Mexican) Dinner only (open Fri-Sun only).  This appears to be a family run place that started in a very small space in the San Rafael Transit Center, and now has a regular restaurant. The name tells you what kind of food it has (authentic Yucatan style). Probably in time they will be open more days of the week. (7-13-19)

Yet Wah–1238 4th St. (Chinese) Open daily (closed from 3 to 5 pm).  Reviewers say this is the best Chinese food in Marin County (if you don’t want to cross the bridge into San Francisco).  Has some authentic items on the menu. (4-4-19)

Santa Clara

Din Tai Fung–2855 Stevens Creek Blvd. (Chinese) Open daily 11 am to 8 pm.  Shanghai style dumpling restaurant with Xiao Long Bao. Good reviews compared to several similar restaurants. (Dining room is open 7-16-21)

Orenchi Ramen–3540 Homestead Rd. (Japanese) Open daily (closed from 2 to 5:30 pm).  Ramen restaurant that is particularly noted for its good broth, and some describe it as solid but not particularly the best in the Bay Area. Tonkatsu is recommended. Patrons say it is not uncommon to have a 30 min. wait to get into the restaurant. (Dining room is open 7-16-21)

Tay Ho–2047 El Camino Real (Vietnamese) Open daily 11 am to 7:30 pm.  Banh cuon is the specialty here. I had it in Oklahoma City in the now closed Tay Ho restaurant (a chain with most restaurants in California, apparently including this one). I recommend it as much as the reviewers of this restaurant do. (Dining room is open 7-16-21)

South San Francisco

Boracay Garden–269 El Camino Real (Filipino) Closed Mon.  This seems to be the best and most authentic Filipino restaurant in the Bay Area. It is more expensive than some of the others, but most dishes seem to be in the $15 range (not bad for the Bay Area). Also an advantage here is less greasy food and a very clean restaurant and restrooms. (3-5-19)

Sunnyvale

Chelokababi–1236 S. Wolfe Rd. (Persian) Open daily except Mon lunch & Tue lunch.  Good food, but more expensive than it might be in other cities (also seems to have more menu choices). (Dining room is open 7-16-21)

Saravanaa Bhavan–1305 S. Mary Ave. (Indian) Open daily (closed from 2:30 to 5:30 pm).  South Indian/Sri Lankan vegetarian restaurant. Some say this is the best South Indian rest. in the U.S. (there is also one in New York). Dosa, rasmalai. Serves thali. (Dining room is open 7-16-21)

 

Notes About This List:

This is a “master list” of restaurants that I have seen on the Internet or other sources and would like to try, or that I think would be of interest to others.  I do not mean for this to be an exhaustive list of every good place to eat, but it should represent a good sample of the most interesting or unique restaurants, along with a few that best represent an area’s regional cuisine.  My own recommendations are in Bold.

I am not looking to include:

• Fine dining (unless they are unique because of regional specialties)
• Low end restaurants that are popular with locals but may not be of much interest to travelers or people in general (everyone will have to use their judgment on this one)

Extra consideration for the following:

• The food is organic, fresh, healthy, or farm to table
• The restaurant serves a relatively hard to find type of ethnic food and reviews are good

In addition to the regular guidelines I try to include:

• The best Asian restaurants in the area even if they are not totally authentic
• Particularly good Mexican restaurants (this usually means the food is from a particular state in Mexico or it is one of the best examples of a U.S. regional style)

Please feel free to leave your own comments or suggestions.

 

Sources:

Chowhound (San Francisco)

Google Maps

Urbanspoon.com (former web site which I used for preliminary research)

Yelp (San Francisco)

Zomato (San Francisco)

Restaurant Guide Main Index

---

California

Los Angeles | Orange County | San Bernardino/Riverside |  San Francisco

---

• Date indicates the most recent update of the restaurants listed
• Bold indicates my recommendations; others come from what I consider to be good sources (see bottom of page for further explanation)

---

Bonita

Donny’s Cafe–3901 Bonita Rd. (Cafe) Breakfast & lunch only (closed Sun & Mon).  When looking at why people like it, they say the service, the sandwiches, and the coffee (all of these are equally good for breakfast and lunch). (Dining room is open 8-3-21)

TJ Oyster Bar–4246 Bonita Rd. (Mexican) Open Daily. Baja style seafood, specializing in raw and marinated dishes. Has a large variety (much of it cooked), and all of it seems to be like you would get across the border. (Dining room is open 8-3-21)

Carlsbad

Bluewater Grill–417 Carlsbad Village Dr. (Seafood) Closed Mon.  Highly rated place with a “today’s fish” menu. (Dining room is open 8-3-21)

Miguel’s Cocina–5980 Avenida Encinas (Mexican) Closed Mon.  Fish tacos.  Rec. by Scott P. (from Yelp). (Dining room is open 8-3-21)

Chula Vista

El Patio–410 Broadway (Mexican) Closed Mon.  May be Cal. style Mex. food (but I’m not sure). Has been in business since 1954. Many especially like the breakfast. Some say skip the tacos and enchiladas and get the slow cooked meats (such as costillas de res). (Dining room is open 9-9-20)

Tacos El Gordo–556 Broadway (Mexican) Open daily 10 am to 2 am (4 am Fri & Sat).  Tijuana style street tacos that seem to be regarded as the best in San Diego. (Dining room is open 9-9-20)

Talavera Azul–365 3rd Ave. (Mexican) Breakfast & lunch only (open daily).  Owner moved from Tijuana, and serves authentic Baja style food. Best known for its breakfast (huevos rancheros, chorizo, chilaquiles, etc.). They have omelettes because it is “popular everywhere” but this is about the extent of their food that is not Baja style. (Dining room is open 9-9-20)

El Cajon

Crafted Greens–745 Jamacha Rd. (American) Open Daily.  Healthy and fresh cuisine–mostly known for salads but salads and sandwiches have meat if you wish. (5-17-19)

Sahara Taste of the Middle East–2990 Jamacha Rd. (Middle Eastern) Open daily 10 am to 10 pm.  Reviewers say it is good quality Middle Eastern food. The big bonus here, though, is the Indian style food and chai they have (the cuisine here must be Pakistani and food from neighboring countries). (Dining room is open 8-22-21)

Escondido

Pho Truc Xanh–503 W. Mission Ave. (Vietnamese) Open daily 11 am to 8 pm. Scott P.’s favorite. Not just pho (has a good Vietnamese menu). (Dining room is open 8-22-21)

Tamales Jovita–158 W. Grand Ave. (Mexican) Open daily except Sun dinner.  Tamales are not only very good according to reviews, but there is a large variety of special types: rajas, mole, chocolate ice cream, etc. (3-19-19)

Flinn Springs

Grand Ole BBQ–15505 Olde Hwy. 80 (BBQ) Closed Mon.  Texas Style BBQ (brisket is said to be very good). Said to be very good for San Diego. Some say compared to Texas it is average (but it sounds as if this is still pretty good). (Dining room is open 8-22-21)

Julian

Julian Cider Mill–2103 Main St. (Cider) Open daily until 5 pm (5:30 on weekends).  Fresh cider, apple butter, nuts, trail mix. I especially want to try this since Stout’s Cider Mill in Arizona closed (and I think this will be just as good). Located in NE San Diego County. Recommended by Scott P. (from Yelp). There are several other businesses in the same block such as Julian Pie Co, Mom’s Pie House, Julian Cafe, Apple Alley Bakery, Candied Apple Cafe, and Julian Tea. (Takeout only 7-9-20)

La Jolla

George’s at the Cove–1250 Prospect St. (Seafood) Open Daily.  Seems to have a good balance between upscale seafood and affordable prices, along with an ocean view. It also actively promotes sustainable fishing. (Dining room is open 8-22-21)

The Cottage–7702 Fay Ave. (American) Breakfast & lunch only (open daily).  Known for its very good breakfasts (innovate dishes), cost is about $12 to $15.  Featured in magazines as one of the top breakfast places in the U.S. Also has dinner menu which includes fish & chips and other seafood dishes such as mahi and salmon (this runs about $18 to $24). (2-10-19)

Oceanside

Sabai Sabai–1906 Oceanside Blvd. (Thai) Open Daily.  In an area full of Thai restaurants, many reviewers say this is the best they have tried. Recently changed owners, and comments say the food is at least as good as before and possibly even better (and they like the facelift that has been made to the restaurant). (Dining room is open 8-3-21)

San Diego

Bane Phonkeo’s–110 47th St. (Lao) Open 9 am to 7 pm (closed Tue).  Located in a cluster of Lao food (this is the upscale restaurant). Next door is Muang Lao Market (which I think is takeout). In 2019 I found a Lao Community Market listed at the same address which was recommended (but it is not currently on Google Maps) (Dining room is open 8-22-21)

Blue Water–3667 India St. (Seafood) Open Daily. Casual, cheap, many times has line going out the door. Has an outdoor patio. Clam chowder, oysters, fish & chips. Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. (Dining room is open 8-3-21)

Chef Chin–4433 Convoy St. (Chinese) Closed Tue.  Shanghai style restaurant with popular dishes such as soup dumplings, but it is a good place to try other dishes that are not normally found in US restaurants. Note, though, that these come from the Chinese section of the menu (which has English translations so you don’t need to go with someone who speaks Chinese in order to know what to order). Also has Sichuan style food, but I think the Shanghai cuisine is more popular with people who have eaten there. (Dining room is open 8-3-21)

Devine Pastabilities–3545 Midway Dr. (Italian) Closed Sun.  This seems to be simple and flavorful Italian food (the way they do it in Italy). They have their own take on many dishes, though, with one being salad stuffed in a toasted garlic roll (called a torpasta). (Dining room is open 9-9-20)

Din Tai Fung–4301 La Jolla Village Dr. (Taiwanese) Open Daily.  Specializes in soup dumpling (xiao long bao). Has a large selection of soups, dumplings, and noodles. This is part of a chain with locations in LA, San Francisco, Seattle, etc. (Dining room is open 8-3-21)

El Agave–2304 San Diego Ave. (Mexican) Open Daily. Authentic Mexican–specializes in pre-Spanish food. 10 kinds of mole. Rec. by Gil. (Dining room is open 9-9-20)

El Zarape–4642 Park Blvd. (Mexican) Open Daily (open late night).  Maybe the best fish tacos in SD. (Dining room is open 8-3-21)

Grill House Cafe–9494 Black Mountain Rd. (Persian) Open daily 11 am to 9 pm.  Good reviews, and has a good menu (such as ghormeh sabzi). (Dining room is open 9-9-20)

King Bistro–4957 Diane Ave. (Chinese) Dinner only (closed Tue).  Authentic Sichuan style restaurant known for its hot pot, but has a large menu of dinner items. Chowhound diners particularly liked the braised fish-flavored eggplant casserole, ma po tofu, and twice cooked fish (but the latter was only on the Chinese menu at the time the review was written). (Dining room is open 8-22-21)

Kous Kous Moroccan Bistro–3940 4th Ave. (Moroccan) Dinner only (closed Mon).  Chicken tagine is a customer favorite, but it looks as if they have a full menu of Moroccan dishes. Reviews are excellent. Seems to be on the expensive side, though. (2-10-19)

Los Cuatro Milpas–1875 Logan Ave. (Mexican) Breakfast & lunch only (closed Sun). Cheap and “very good authentic Mexican food.” Seems to be south of the border style. Rolled tacos and chicken tacos are popular. (3-19-19)

Mien Trung–7530 Mesa College Dr. (Vietnamese) Closed Mon, closed Sun evening.  The most distinguishing feature of this restaurant is that it serves Hue style Vietnamese food (something hard to find anywhere in the US). Bun bo Hue is a good bet here, with a more seasoned and well flavored broth than people find at other restaurants. Apparently it is a take-out place with a few tables inside. Serves the traditional style of bun bo Hue (with blood balls, etc.), so check the ingredients if you are only used to the more traditional Vietnamese restaurants in the US. (Dining room is open 8-3-21)

Mitsuwa Marketplace–4240 Kearney Mesa Rd. (Japanese) Open daily (closes at 8:00 pm).  Grocery store and market that has stalls for small restaurants. Reviewers say the food at these restaurants is authentic and “just like home.” It seems to be rather inexpensive also. Reviewers say the best item is ramen. The store is similar to Uwajimaya in Seattle which is great for picking up tea and other treats. (3-19-19)

Oscar’s Mexican Seafood–746 Emerald St. (Mexican) Open Daily.  Some consider it to be the best place for Ensenada style tacos (fried fish with cabbage). There is another location nearby at 703 Turquoise St. (Dining room is open 8-3-21)

Point Loma Seafoods–2805 Emerson St. (Seafood) Open daily to 6 pm.  Reviewers say the seafood is truly fresh, prices are high, and you get what you pay for (it does not serve expensive fish, just the normal San Diego fish that supposedly is better than in other restaurants). Some say do not get the chowder or fish sandwiches, though (their flavor just not justify the high prices). (Dining room is open 8-3-21)

Shank & Bone–2930 University Ave. (Vietnamese) Open daily for dinner only (lunch served on Sat & Sun).  Known for having possibly the best pho in San Diego, but has a good menu of other items as well (all with good reviews). The name comes from the fact that some types of pho include a whole beef bone. (Dining room is open 9-9-20)

Super Cocina–3627 University Ave. (Mexican) Open Daily. Serves authentic home style meals. Mole, pozole, red and green enchiladas are popular. (Dining room is open 8-3-21)

The Taco Stand–645 B St. (Mexican) Closed Sun.  This is a “taco bar” type of restaurant where they have a help yourself salsa bar, but it is a regular restaurant and definitely not a “stand.” One good point of it is that there is such a large variety of tacos, but the other important point is that they are so good (according to reviewers). Several locations throughout San Diego. (Dining room is open 9-9-20)

San Marcos

Muay Thai–740 Nordahl Rd.(Thai) Closed Mon.  What convinces me most about this place is not necessarily because most reviewers really like the food, but the complex ingredients used in the curry and the fact that the Thai tea is not too sweet (meaning that this is likely more authentic than most restaurants). (Takeout only 8-3-21)

San Ysidro

Tuetano Taqueria–143 W. San Ysidro Blvd. (Mexican) Lunch only (closed Tue & Wed).  Owner is from Tijuana, and the mission of the restaurant is to bring Tijuana flavors to this side of the border. (Dining room is open with restrictions 9-9-20)

Vista

Shaks Mediterranean Bistro–406 Main St. (Middle Eastern) Closed Mon & Tue.  This is the former Armenian Cafe which moved from Carlsbad and changed names (but the owner is the same). Food is standard Middle Eastern (I do not see any Armenian specialties on the menu but perhaps there is a special way of cooking that gives the restaurant its high ratings). (Dining room is open 9-9-20)

 

Notes About This List:

This is a “master list” of restaurants that I have seen on the Internet or other sources and would like to try, or that I think would be of interest to others.  I do not mean for this to be an exhaustive list of every good place to eat, but it should represent a good sample of the most interesting or unique restaurants, along with a few that best represent an area’s regional cuisine.  My own recommendations are in Bold.

I am not looking to include:

• Fine dining (unless they are unique because of regional specialties)
• Low end restaurants that are popular with locals but may not be of much interest to travelers or people in general (everyone will have to use their judgment on this one)

Extra consideration for the following:

• The food is organic, fresh, healthy, or farm to table
• The restaurant serves a relatively hard to find type of ethnic food and reviews are good

In addition to the regular guidelines I try to include:

• The best Asian restaurants in the area even if they are not totally authentic
• Particularly good Mexican restaurants (this usually means the food is from a particular state in Mexico or it is one of the best examples of a U.S. regional style)

Please feel free to leave your own comments or suggestions.

 

Sources:

Chowhound (San Diego)

Eater (The San Diego Restaurants Bringing Tijuana Flavors Across the Border)

Gil’s Thrilling (And Filling) Blog

Google Maps

Thrillist (Best Mexican Restaurants in San Diego)

Trip Advisor (Eating in San Diego)

Urbanspoon.com (former web site which I used for preliminary research)

Yelp (San Diego)

Yelp (Scott P.)

Zomato (San Diego)

Restaurant Guide Main Index

---

California

Los Angeles | Orange County | San Diego |  San Francisco

---

• Date indicates the most recent update of the restaurants listed
• Bold indicates my recommendations; others come from what I consider to be good sources (see bottom of page for further explanation)

---

Colton

Gul Naz–1624 E. Washington St. (Pakistani) Closed Mon.  Serves halal food with what is described as very good herbs and spices. People say everything is very delicious. (Dining room is open 8-19-21)

Island Breeze–1063 S. Mt Vernon Ave. (Jamaican) Closes at 6:30 pm (closed Sun).  Jamaican food that seems to be done the right way. (Dining room is open 8-19-21)

Maharajah–1091 S. Mt. Vernon Ave. (Indian) Closed Tue (and closed from 3 to 5 pm).  Formerly called Ravi’s. Family run restaurant with very good food. Thali is recommended (sampler plate). (Takeout only 8-19-21)

Corona

Kra Z Kai’s Laotian Barbeque–1218 Magnolia Ave. (Lao) Open 11 am to 8 pm (closed Sun).  Lao restaurant that specializes in short ribs, chicken, and other BBQ meat (Asian BBQ just means that it is slow cooked). Lao sausage is also recommended. Papaya salad is spicy, but there are no surprises and you will know what is spicy and what is not. One person said this is real, everyday Laotian food (and this is what makes it so good). Also in Stanton, CA. (Dining room is open 8-29-21)

Min’s Dumpling House–1297 E. Ontario Ave. (Chinese) Open Daily.  Several types of good dumplings, but xiao long bao is recommended (several say this is the next best XLB to Din Tai Fung, which is the best). They are glad they have a place like this in Corona. Also has a location at 440 N. McKinley St. (Dining room is open 8-19-21)

Loma Linda

A Dong–25685 Redlands Blvd. (Cambodian) Closed Mon.  Vietnamese restaurant that supposedly also serves Cambodian food (but this isn’t reflected by reviews I have seen). People respect it because it has been in business for a long time and remained consistent. (Dining room is open 7-25-21)

R Thai Cuisine–25685 Redlands Blvd. (Thai) Closed Tue. Thai people say it is authentic. Mom & pop place that sometimes has snags in the food or service because they have a large number of customers (but mostly they manage to keep up). (Takeout only 7-25-21)

Note: Loma Linda is well known for having a large vegetarian population, but I could not find a large number of vegetarian restaurants listed. Tess’ Place was popular but now is apparently closed. The best bets seem to be Thai and Chinese restaurants in Redlands and San Bernardino (R Thai in Loma Linda has some vegetarian dishes, and probably A Dong as well).

Montclair

Szechuwan Garden–8851 Central Ave. (Chinese) Open daily (open until 9:30 pm). In a search for an actual authentic Chinese restaurant in the Inland Empire I found this place–supposedly has very good Sichuanese food that will save you a trip to Monterey Park. Menu sounds good, and food looks good. (Dining room is open 8-19-21)

Palm Springs

El Mirasol–140 E. Palm Canyon Dr. (Mexican) Closed Mon & Tue.  Maybe the best Mexican food in Palm Springs. Seems to be California style. (Dining room is open 7-25-21)

533 Viet Fusion–1775 E. Palm Canyon Dr. (Vietnamese) Dinner only (closed Mon).  Good Vietnamese restaurant with interesting dishes (seems to be a little pricey though). Some say Rooster and the Pig has better Vietnamese food, but it is takeout only. (Dining room is open 7-25-21)

Fuzion Five–285 S. Palm Canyon Dr. (Vietnamese) Closed Tue.  Perhaps the best choice for traditional Vietnamese dishes such as banh xeo. Higher prices, though, than most visitors would find in their home town. (Dining room is open 7-25-21)

Jake’s–664 N. Palm Canyon Dr. (American) Open daily except Tue dinner and Sun dinner.  Upscale soup and sandwiches with items such as Hangar steak and eggs sandwich. (Temporarily closed 8-19-21)

Lulu California Bistro–200 S. Palm Canyon Dr. (American) Open Daily.  Has an array of upscale American food. Featured on Gil’s Blog (some dishes that look good include oven roasted turkey and filet mignon. (Dining room is open 8-19-21)

Pomme Frite–256 S. Palm Canyon Dr. (Belgian) Dinner only (closed Tue & Wed); lunch on Sat & Sun.  Pommes frites, stroganoff, chicken vol au vent. Some reviewers say the main courses are the best items here (not so much the pommes frites, salads, etc.). (Dining room is open 7-25-21)

Shanghai Reds Bar & Grill–235 S. Indian Canyon Rd. (Seafood) Dinner only (closed Mon & Tue).  Known for its fish tacos. This is probably a good place to get good food and not spend as much money as at the average Palm Springs restaurant. (Dining room is open 8-19-21)

Sherman’s Deli & Bakery–401 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way (Deli) Open daily 8 am to 9 pm.  Gil describes this as “an old-fashioned kosher-style Jewish deli to which savvy patrons pilgrimage from all over the world.” The food seems to bear out the claim. Also in Palm Desert. (Dining room is open 8-19-21)

Rancho Mirage

Catalan Mediterranean–70026 Hwy 111 (Spanish) Dinner only (open daily).  Spanish tapas restaurant (one reviewer said they have a two course fixed-price menu for $25). Almost all reviewers give it five stars. (Dining room is open 8-19-21)

Francesco’s Cafe–72047 Dinah Shore Dr. (Persian) Closed Sun.  This is an Italian and Persian restaurant, but reviewers recommend ordering from the Persian side of the menu. Ambiance is like a down home diner (but one reviewer said they charge $23 for a dinner–would probably be for something like the lamb chops). (Dining room is open 8-19-21)

Redlands

MU Restaurant–309 W. State St. (Thai) Closed Sat lunch; closed Sun & Mon. Vegetarian Thai food that many say is very authentic (they also have meat dishes). Note: closed between 3:00 and 4:30 in the afternoon. (Dining room is open 7-25-21)

Rui’s Shanghai Bistro–1711 W. Lugonia Ave. (Chinese) Closed Tue.  Authentic food that people say tastes like the food in San Gabriel Valley, but with less menu selection. Their main food style is Shanghai, but others are offered as well (particularly Sichuan). (Dining room is open 7-25-21)

Thai Spoon Cafe–802 W. Colton Ave. (Thai) Closed Mon.  Good reviews. I don’t know if it is totally authentic, but there are no indications in the reviews that it is not. (Dining room is open 8-19-21)

Riverside

Anchos Grill–10773 Hole Ave. (Mexican) Open Daily. Probably California style. Fresh tortillas. Some say the best meals are the ones with meat (steak, chicken, seafood, pork, etc.). Popular on Chowhound. (Dining room is open 8-19-21)

Best Thai–1735 Spruce St. (Thai) Open Daily. Very good reviews. Seems to be authentic. Reviewers say it is LA quality and that the vegetarian dishes are good. (Dining room is open 8-19-21)

Las Campanas–3649 Mission Inn Ave. (Mexican) Lunch Fri-Sun; dinner Wed-Sun. Located in the Mission Inn Hotel. There are some reasons this probably should not be on my list (it looks expensive, you probably need reservations, and I don’t know if it is truly authentic). The reasons maybe it should be on the list: whether or not it is authentic, it looks like high quality food (and it probably is authentic) and I’m looking for places that will provide a unique and memorable experience with Mexican food (and this may be one of those places). The combination plate looks good from the photos. A lot of the food looks non-traditional, so the trick is to find out if it is modified in a good way or a bad way (I’m not sure how it will be). (Dining room is open 7-25-21)

Oasis Vegetarian Cafe–11550 Pierce St. (Vegetarian) Closed Sat (closes early Fri & Sun).  Connected to La Sierra Natural Foods store, so the setting is much like a food court. Mainly has sandwiches and burritos, and they have good reviews. (Store is open with deli dining 8-19-21)

San Bernardino

Happy Family–2150 S. Waterman Ave. (Chinese) Open daily (closed from 3 to 5 pm). Vegetarian Chinese food that reviewers say is quite good (even those who do not normally eat vegetarian). Has a few meat items also. (Dining room is open 8-19-21)

Royal Dumpling House–1689 Kendall Dr. (Chinese) Closed Sun.  Diners say they are excited to have authentic Chinese food in San Bernardino, although it does not seem to be as good as you can get in LA. Specializes in Shanghai style dumplings including XLB. This is a mom & pop restaurant, so you don’t get “conveyor belt” food as you do at some of the larger restaurants. (Temporarily closed 7-25-21)

Temecula

Havana Kitchen–41955 5th St. (Cuban) Breakfast & lunch only (closed Mon)-open to 7 pm on Sat.  The big draw here is the Cuban coffee, but food gets equal compliments. Cuban sandwich is said to have the proper meat, sauce, and toppings that makes it both authentic and very good. Ropa vieja is popular. Sampler plate is recommended (and can probably feed 2 people). (Dining room is open 8-19-21)

Nuristan Food–27287 Nicolas Rd. (Afghan) Open Tue-Sun (closes early on Sun).  Grocery store with a small restaurant that serves kabobs and other items (kabobs are fresh and natural, giving them a very good flavor). Note: Pamir Kabob House used to be a popular Afghan restaurant, but it apparently changed ownership and moved to San Diego (and now commenters recommend Nuristan even though it seems to have a smaller menu). (Dining room is open 8-19-21)

Upland

Ashirwad–583 E. Foothill Blvd. (Indian) Closed Mon. Vegetarian Indian restaurant with very good food (and reviewers seem to know Indian food). Masala dosa is recommended, but has a wide variety of good dishes. Has thali (sampler plate). (Takeout only 7-25-21)

 

Notes About This List:

This is a “master list” of restaurants that I have seen on the Internet or other sources and would like to try, or that I think would be of interest to others.  I do not mean for this to be an exhaustive list of every good place to eat, but it should represent a good sample of the most interesting or unique restaurants, along with a few that best represent an area’s regional cuisine.  My own recommendations are in Bold.

I am not looking to include:

• Fine dining (unless they are unique because of regional specialties)
• Low end restaurants that are popular with locals but may not be of much interest to travelers or people in general (everyone will have to use their judgment on this one)

Extra consideration for the following:

• The food is organic, fresh, healthy, or farm to table
• The restaurant serves a relatively hard to find type of ethnic food and reviews are good

In addition to the regular guidelines I try to include:

• The best Asian restaurants in the area even if they are not totally authentic
• Particularly good Mexican restaurants (this usually means the food is from a particular state in Mexico or it is one of the best examples of a U.S. regional style)

Please feel free to leave your own comments or suggestions.

 

Sources:

Chowhound (Riverside)

Eater Los Angeles (Palm Springs Restaurants)

Gil’s Thrilling (and Filling Blog)

Google Maps

Urbanspoon.com (former web site which I used for preliminary research)

Yelp

Yelp (Wayne W.)

Zomato (Inland Empire)

Restaurant Guide Main Index

---

California

Los Angeles | San Bernardino/Riverside | San Diego | San Francisco

---

• Date indicates the most recent update of the restaurants listed
• Bold indicates my recommendations; others come from what I consider to be good sources (see bottom of page for further explanation)

---

Anaheim

Aleppo’s Kitchen–513 S. Brookhurst St. (Syrian) Closed Mon. Legit Syrian food with very good reviews. Voted “Best Middle Eastern” by OC Weekly. (4-3-19)

E-San Rod-Sap–1719 W. La Palma Ave. (Thai) Open 10 am to 6 pm (closed Tue). Northeastern Thailand (E-San) style food with very good reviews. When I have had this type of food before I particularly liked the pad thai (and some of the reviews I have read confirm that this place has the real deal). However, there are a number of other dishes that are not common in Thai restaurants and that will have an authentic spice scale if you order them here. Cash only. Note: the Thai and Laos Market is next door. (Dining room is open 6-30-21)

Jagerhaus–2525 E. Ball Rd. (German) Closed Mon; Opens 9 am; closes 7 pm Tue-Thu; closes 9 pm Fri-Sun.  Famous for its breakfast (German potato pancake with lemon and sugar).  Many people also like the lunch and dinner menu (Schnitzel and Bratwurst get a lot of good comments). Most people, though, say to go for breakfast. (Dining room is open 8-22-21)

Lindo Michoacan–327 S. Anaheim Blvd. (Mexican) Open daily (serves breakfast).  Some say it is the best and most authentic Mexican rest. in Orange County. However, it is a taco restaurant, so the menu is somewhat limited (also has burritos, menudo, etc.). Also in Santa Ana. (Dining room is open 6-30-21)

Noodle House–613 N. Euclid St. (Chinese) Open daily 11 am to 9:30 pm. Authentic Chinese–some dishes are as good as in SGV. Green onion pancake, xiao long bao, hand cut noodles, three cup chicken, fish in spicy sauce, Chinese burrito are recommended (not all as as good as SGV but all are good). (Dining room is open 8-22-21)

Sahara Falafel–590 S. Brookhurst St. (Middle Eastern) Open daily 10 am to 2 am.  I have heard that in Israel they love falafel, but they know they can’t make them as good as the ones in Lebanon. In Orange County people apparently go to Sahara for the really good ones, and the reviews seem to be unanimous about this. (And yes, they do serve other good items besides the falafel). (Dining room is open 6-30-21)

Sawali Grill–3414 W. Ball Rd. (Filipino) Open daily 10 am to 6:30 pm. Small rest. with 7 tables. Positive is that the food tastes like home cooking. Some say that it is somewhat inconsistent though. (Dining room is open 9-2-21)

Buena Park

Mountain–7446 Orangethorpe Ave. (Korean) Open daily 11 am to 10 pm.  This restaurant seems to have many items that you probably have not seen at other restaurants. If you don’t know what to order, don’t worry–reviewers can’t seem to find anything they do not like. From the photos, though, I worry about there being too much food, especially with all the side dishes (perhaps it is best not to go alone). (Dining room is open 9-2-21)

Costa Mesa

Din Tai Fung–3333 Bristol St. (Taiwanese) Open Daily.  Taiwanese chain that opened this restaurant in OC, specializing in its famous (and very popular) xiao long bao (XLB).  In fact, this may be the place in the US to get the authentic version (at least the Taiwanese version).  Pork is the most popular, but they also have shrimp, red bean, and others.  Also try the sauteed string beans.  (Dining room is open 6-30-21)

Hokkaido Ramen Santouka–665 Paularino Ave. (Japanese) Open daily 11 am to 7:30 pm.  Tokusen toroniku ramen is recommended. (Dining room is open 6-30-21)

Outpost Kitchen–1792 Monrovia Ave. (New American) Breakfast & lunch only (open daily). Excellent food, but breakfast seems to be particularly interesting (many recommend the Aussie scramble, tropical muffin, and a number of other dishes). This place has every trendy label you can put on it–gluten free, organic, and vegan (if you want vegan). Don’t worry–everyone says you will enjoy the food either because of this or in spite of this. Also at 3420 Bristol St. (Dining room is open 9-2-21)

Taco Maria–3313 Hyland Ave. (Mexican) Dinner only (closed Mon). Offers much more than tacos–this is an upscale restaurant from one of the country’s most acclaimed chefs. Tacos are available with blue corn tortillas. A four course dinner with wine pairing is also available.  This was named the best restaurant in Orange County by OC Weekly in both 2014-2018.  I don’t know how expensive it is, but it’s listed as $$$ on Yelp. (Dining room is open 9-2-21)

Vietnam’s Pearl–1215 Baker St. (Vietnamese) Closed Sat evening & Sun. Described as “authentic,” a “true gem,” a “great alternative outside of Little Saigon,” and better than anything in San Diego. Has a wide menu, but the pho is very popular. If this is the same restaurant as the VP that used to be in Seattle, I highly recommend it based on my own experience. (Dining room is open 8-9-21)

Cypress

California Fish Grill–10569 Valley View St. (Seafood) Open daily 11 am to 9 pm. This may be one of the best bets for affordable but very good fish and seafood. People recommend Taco Tuesdays, the Cajun salmon, ahi tacos, shrimp wrap, and really a long list of choices. Several locations in OC. (Dining room is open 8-9-21)

Dana Point

Waterman’s Harbor–34661 Golden Lantern St. (Seafood) Open Daily.  Many years ago I ate at the Crab Cooker in Newport Beach, and was impressed by the seafood (so I didn’t want to leave this category off the list). Some say Waterman’s Harbor is now the best balance of good seafood, an ocean view, and prices that are not out of line. Is dog friendly. (Dining room is open 8-9-21)

Fountain Valley

Au Lac–16563 Brookhurst St. (Vietnamese) Closed Mon (and closed from 3:30 to 5:30 pm). Serves vegetarian Vietnamese food. Despite being a little different from “normal” Vietnamese food, reviewers say it has real Vietnamese flavors. (Dining room is open 8-9-21)

Brodard–16105 Brookhurst St. (Vietnamese) Open daily 8 am to 9 pm.  Said to be very good home style Vietnamese food that has been going strong since 1996. Named best Vietnamese by OC Weekly for 2018. Reviews indicate it has good quality and a good variety of dishes. (Dining room is open 6-30-21)

Istanbul Grill–18010 Newhope St. (Turkish) Open daily to 2 am (closed from 3 to 5 pm).  Good food for a good price (lunch was about $10 in 2019). (Dining room is open 9-2-21)

Fullerton

Fuoco Pizzeria–101 N. Harbor Blvd. (Pizza) Open Daily. The owners, reviewers, and even the OC Weekly assure us that this is the “real deal” Neapolitan style pizza. The margherita pizza is said by many to be the best in the US, and definitely the most authentic. Also has the “real deal” spumoni for dessert. (Dining room is open 8-9-21)

Garden Grove

Mama Tieu’s–10130 Garden Grove Blvd. (Vietnamese) Closed Thu.  Reviewers say the Vietnamese food is very solid. Most popular item is the vermicelli bowl, but there may be more varieties of it than in most restaurants, and it seems to be ways that give you an authentic taste of Vietnam. (2-15-19)

Vientiane Thai Laos–10262 Westminster Ave. (Lao) Open 11 am to 7 pm (closed Wed).  Authentic and flavorful Lao food. This is a hole in the wall restaurant run by a family.  Reviewers say everything is prepared the way it is supposed to be (both in flavor and in authenticity). (Dining room is open 8-9-21)

Irvine

Annapoorna–14450 Culver Dr. (Indian) Open daily (closed from 2:30 to 5 pm).  Named best Indian restaurant in Orange County by OC Weekly 2018. South Indian cuisine–good place for dosa. (Dining room is open 8-9-21)

HiroNori Craft Ramen–2222 Michelson Dr. (Japanese) Open Daily.  Named best ramen restaurant in 2018 by OC Weekly. Pork and vegan ramen are equally flavorful (according to OC Weekly). (4-3-19)

Jinbei–3923 Portola Pkwy. (Japanese) Open daily (closed from 2:30 to 5 pm).  Good sushi, but it is one of the few really good Izakaya restaurants with a large menu. (4-3-19)

Laguna Beach

Brussels Bistro–222 Forest Ave. (Belgian) Dinner daily; lunch Fri-Sun.  Casual restaurant with very good food (but it’s a little pricey for casual).  Vol au Vent de poulet, Liege meatballs, pommes frites, and all you can eat mussels (Mon, Tue, & Wed) are recommended.  Some say in summer there are bigger crowds so they like to avoid it. (Dining room is open 6-30-21)

Mission Viejo

Hayashi–27531 Puerta Real (Japanese) Open 9:30 am to 7:30 pm (closed Sat & Sun). A locally popular Japanese fast food style restaurant that most reviewers simply describe as “really really good.” Udon, ramen, and salmon bowl are recommended. Reviewers say the food here is too good to just order things like teriyaki (that you can get at many other restaurants). (4-3-19)

Paul’s Pantry–27409 Bellogente (American) Breakfast & lunch only (open daily).  Named the best breakfast restaurant in Orange County by OC Weekly in 2018. They say whatever breakfast you get, be sure to have a cinnamon roll with it. (Dining room is open 8-9-21)

Newport Beach

Hook & Anchor–3305 Newport Blvd. (Seafood) Open Daily.  OC Weekly said this was the best seafood restaurant in the county in 2018. Best of all, it is not restricted to upscale food, but also has very good poboys, fish tacos, lobster fries, etc. (Dining room is open 6-30-21)

Orange

Anepalco–3737 W. Chapman Ave. (Mexican) Breakfast & lunch only (open daily).  Voted Best Mexican Restaurant by OC Weekly 2016. Authentic food with flavorful sauces–this is a rather upscale sit-down Mexican place. (Dining room is open 6-30-21)

Placentia

El Farolito–201 S. Bradford Ave. (Mexican) Open Daily (open for breakfast). Reviewers say this is one of the two best places for “authentic” Mexican (along with Los Compadres in Long Beach). Some authentic looking dishes include red enchiladas, fish al mojo de ajo, carnitas, steak picado. Some Cal-Mex looking dishes include tostado salad, burrito, taquitos, and the enchiladas shown on the Yelp photos. It seems to be good for both types of food. (Dining room is open 8-9-21)

San Juan Capistrano

Sol Agave–31111 Rancho Viejo Rd. (Mexican) Open Daily. Upscale restaurant that is described as “authentic” and “artisan.” The restaurant grew out of a very popular food truck. The menu is pretty basic (tacos, burritos, simple meat plates) but the preparation of it is what is said to be special. (Dining room is open 8-9-21)

Santa Ana

El Moctezuma–809 N. Fairview St. (Mexican) Open daily 9 am to 10 pm. Oaxacan style. Has 5 kinds of mole. (Also in Orange at 1740 W. Chapman Ave.). From reviews, I would say the one in Santa Ana is better. (Dining room is open 6-30-21)

Noodle Place–2321 E. 4th St. (Chinese) Open 11 am to 7:30 pm (closed Sun).  Inexpensive street food style noodles that are apparently near the top of this category of food (reviewers stress not only the quality of the food but the low cost of buying it). (Dining room is open 8-22-21)

Stanton

Irrawaddy Taste of Burma–7076 Katella Ave. (Burmese) Open daily (closed from 3 to 5 pm).  Authentic Burmese food in an area where this cuisine is not very common. Gets recommendations from Burmese patrons. (Dining room is open 6-30-21)

Thai Nakorn–11951 Beach Blvd. (Thai) Open daily (closed from 3 to 5 pm).  Some people say this is one of the top Thai, if not the top one, in the U.S. Get beef curry, chicken yellow curry, papaya salad (but if it’s really the top restaurant in the U.S. I would say you could order just about anything). (Dining room is open 6-30-21)

Tustin

Honda-Ya–556 El Camino Real (Japanese) Open daily (dinner only).  Izakaya style–good food, sushi, and drinks (in fact, most say it has excellent food).  Also has a location in Fullerton and in LA (Little Tokyo). (4-3-19)

Masala Bae–13812 Red Hill Ave. (Indian) Open daily (closed from 3 to 5 pm).  Specializes in south Indian food including dosa. (Dining room is open 6-30-21)

Westminster

Banh Cuon Tay Ho–9242 Bolsa Ave. (Vietnamese) Open 8 am to 7:30 pm (closed Tue). I have been to the one in Oklahoma City, and know that this is a “real deal” Vietnamese restaurant (although it is a little on the downscale, fast food side). I recommend the Banh Cuon (rice sheet wraps), but I make sure to tell them to omit the MSG. (Dining room is open 8-22-21)

Lau Xanh Grill–15041 Moran St. (Vietnamese) Open daily 10 am to 2 am.  This is a little different from the other Vietnamese restaurants in that it specializes in seafood (Vietnamese style). (2-15-19)

Le Croissant Dore–9122 Bolsa Ave. (Vietnamese) Open daily 7:30 AM to 7:00 PM. One source indicates it is a bakery (not a restaurant), but other information indicates that they also serve food. In any case, the bakery is the main reason to come here. Fruit tart is recommended. (4-30-19)

Mai’s Kitchen–9039 Bolsa Ave. (Vietnamese) Open daily 9 am to 9 pm.  Authentic Vietnamese (the canh chua actually has okra in it). It’s also cash only (so this keeps the price down quite a bit). They seem to have quite a few dishes you will not find at most restaurants. (Dining room is open 7-1-20)

Sumran Thai–6482 Westminster Blvd. (Thai) Closed Tue (and closed from 3 to 4 pm).  Just when I think I have found all the best Thai restaurants some more pop up, such as this one listed by OC Weekly as the best Thai of 2016. I would like for some of the reviews to recommend a favorite dish, but it seems that everything is good (so there is no favorite dish that I can tell). OC Weekly says they have E-San sausage, so personally when a restaurant serves Isan style Thai food I will probably order this. Most reviewers say it is really not a good idea to order the food here “hot” (if you are basing it on “hot” in other restaurants). (Dining room is open 6-30-21)

 

Notes About This List:

This is a “master list” of restaurants that I have seen on the Internet or other sources and would like to try, or that I think would be of interest to others.  I do not mean for this to be an exhaustive list of every good place to eat, but it should represent a good sample of the most interesting or unique restaurants, along with a few that best represent an area’s regional cuisine.  My own recommendations are in Bold.

I am not looking to include:

• Fine dining (unless they are unique because of regional specialties)
• Low end restaurants that are popular with locals but may not be of much interest to travelers or people in general (everyone will have to use their judgment on this one)

Extra consideration for the following:

• The food is organic, fresh, healthy, or farm to table
• The restaurant serves a relatively hard to find type of ethnic food and reviews are good

In addition to the regular guidelines I try to include:

• The best Asian restaurants in the area even if they are not totally authentic
• Particularly good Mexican restaurants (this usually means the food is from a particular state in Mexico or it is one of the best examples of a U.S. regional style)

Please feel free to leave your own comments or suggestions.

 

Sources:

Chowhound (Orange County)

Google Maps

OC Weekly–Best of 2015, 2016 (no longer on line)

OC Weekly–Best of 2018

Urbanspoon.com (former web site which I used for preliminary research)

Yelp (California)

Zomato (Orange County)