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Chinese

Beijing on Irving
$$. A clean, open, neighborhood place with top Mandarin food and an extensive menu. 1030 Irving St. above 11th in the Inner Sunset (415/753-9802). Lunch M-Sa., dinner 7 days. Beer and wine. (H.H.)
Brandy Ho's
$. A real neighborhood Hunan place. You will enjoy smoked ham with bamboo shoots, calamari with black bean sauce, and chicken curry with garlic and hot sauce. 217 Columbus at Pacific in Chinatown (415/788-7527). Lunch, dinner, late dining 7 days. Beer and wine. (H.H.)
Coriya
$. All-you-can-eat self-cooking Taiwanese buffet with marinated meat, mussels et al. 852 Clement St. at 10th in the Inner Richmond (415/387-7888). Lunch Sa-Su; dinner, late dining 7 days. Beer. (H.H.)
Dragon House
$. Most Shanghai dishes are not on the English menu, so you'd better know how to read Chinese or be sure to ask for guidance. 5344 Geary Blvd. above 12th in the Inner Richmond (415/751-6545). Lunch, dinner 7 days. Beer. (H.H.)
Eliza's
$$. A California kind of Mandarin restaurant, and while the food certainly deserves the imperial designation, the atmosphere doesn't 205 Oak Street above Gough in Hayes Valley. (415/621-4819). Lunch M-F, Dinner M-Sa. Beer and wine. (H.H.)
Eric's
$$. Not a bad choice for an inexpensive, well-prepared, often imaginative meal. Arrive early to beat the regulars. Noe Valley, 1500 Church, (415/282-0919). (P.A.)
Firecracker
$. Great decor and atmosphere, OK vegetarian pot stickers; broccoli and shrimp; red-cooked eggplant. 1007 Valencia St. at 21st in the Mission district (415/642-3470). Lunch, dinner Tu-Su; late dining F-Sa. Beer and wine. (H.H.)
Five Happiness
$$. Crowded, popular neighborhood feeding hole. 4142 Geary Blvd. above Fifth in the Inner Richmond (415/387-2626). Lunch, dinner 7 days. Beer and wine. (H.H.)
Fountain Court
$$. Elegant dining room to go with the elegant seafood. And yes, there is a fountain. 354 Clement St. at Fifth in the Inner Richmond (415/668-1100). Lunch, dinner 7 days. Beer and wine. (H.H.)
Gold Mountain
$. Northeastern chinese dim sum breakfast and lunch is a plus here. 644 Broadway above Grant in Chinatown (415/296-7733). Breakfast, lunch, dinner 7 days. Beer and wine. (H.H.)
Golden Pagoda
$$. Dishes of Chiu chow (aka Chao Chow), a small area not far from Canton. Try the oyster omelet or the pan-fried pomfret. 960 Grant Ave. above Washington in Chinatown (415/397-1411). Lunch, dinner 7 days. Beer and wine. (H.H.)
Ha's
$$. The food's not as fiery as some people like, but try the dumpling with Sichuan sauce, shredded beef in hot sauce, and spiced prawns in red garlic sauce. Irving St. above 24th in the outer Sunset (415/665-6033). Lunch, dinner 7 days. Beer and wine. (H.H.)
Happy Valley
$$. Try the Volcano prawns or the Mongolian hot pot. (415/399-9393) 1255 Battery St. in Levi Plaza. Lunch M-Sa, dinner 7 days. Cocktails. (H.H.)
Harbor Village
$$$. One of a small chain out of Hong Kong, I've enjoyed their prawns with glass noodles in clay pot, braised crab with ginger and scallions, and sizzling chicken in black bean sauce. Dim sum is served from carts 7 days. 4 Embarcadero Center (415/781-8833). Lunch, dinner 7 days. Cocktails. (H.H.)
Hong Kong Flower Lounge
$$$. Another Hong Kong-based restaurant. Favorites are sun-dried scallop bisque, and butterflied catfish, deep fried and dressed with oil and soy. 5322 Geary Blvd. above 17th in the Outer Richmond (415/668-8998). Lunch, dinner 7 days. Cocktails. (H.H.)
House of Nanking
$. Come early or come late, or wait on the sidewalk. 919 Kearny St. above Jackson in Chinatown (415/421-1429). Lunch, dinner M-Sa. Beer and wine. (H.H.)
Hunan
$$. Enjoy harvest pork, sautéed with onions, cabbage and hot bean sauce, dry sautéed string beans, cooked with black beans, red hot peppers, garlic and ginger. 924 Sansome above Broadway, foot of Telegraph Hill (415/956-7727). Lunch, dinner 7 days. Cocktails. (H.H.)
J & J
$$. A special here is the five-spice squab, but try the clams in black bean sauce as well. Dim sum is served from carts. 615 Jackson above Kearny in Chinatown (415/981-7308). Breakfast, lunch, dinner Tu-Su. Beer and wine. (H.H.)
Just Won Tons
$. A small place that might be playing heavy-metal rock at lunch and offering a varied menu of fist-sized won tons stuffed with fish, roast duck, barbecued pork, vegetarian duck and other delectable items.1241 Vicente St. above 23rd (415/681-2999). Lunch, dinner Tu-Su. No alcohol. (H.H.)
King Tin
$$. A Hong Kong-style barbecue house. The barbecued chicken and pork loin are good, as are the prawns in spicy salt. Vegetarian is available. 826 Washington at Waverly in Chinatown (415/982-7855). Breakfast, lunch, dinner and late dining 7 days. Beer and wine. (H.H.)
Kowloon
$$. Specialties here are dim sum and dishes like soup with mushrooms, cloud-ears and bamboo pith; rice porridge with vegetarian ham, mushrooms, water chestnuts, carrots, snow peas and sea moss. 909 Grant Ave. above Washington in Chinatown (415/362-9888). Lunch, dinner 7 days. No alcohol. (H.H.)
Kublai Khan
$$. Cook-it-yourself, tabletop barbecue in the style of Northeastern China. 1160 Polk St. above Post (415/885-1378). Lunch, dinner and late dining 7 days. Beer, wine and sake. (H.H.)
Lhasa Moon
$. Tibetan pan-fried dumplings; curry-marinated chicken nuggets; a pancake stuffed with meats and vegetables; curry of lamb andpotatoes. 2420 Lombard St. above Scott in the Marina district (415/674-9898). Lunch Tu-F; dinner Tu-Su; late dining F-Sa. Beer and limited but well-priced wine list. (H.H.)
Lichee Garden
$$. Go for the off-menu clay-pot dishes, the quail, the deep-fried chicken and the black-pepper beef. 1416 Powell St., above Broadway in North Beach (415/397-2290). Lunch, dinner 7 days. Beer and wine. (H.H.)
Lotus Garden
$$. One hundred percent vegetarian, in the Buddhist tradition, and at least that delicious. The portions are quite large, as is the menu. Chinatown, 532 Grant, (415/397-0707). (P.A.)
Lucky Creation
$. Dim sum is available, and try the fat choi noodles with black mushrooms and bean curd rolls; spicy shrimp balls in hot sauce; and braised eggplant with carrots in clay pot. 854 Washington St., above Waverly in Chinatown (415/989-0818). Lunch, dinner Th-Tu. Beer and wine. (H.H.)
Mandarin Palace
$$. Go for the seafood. 2800 Leavenworth St. in the Anchorage Center (415/673-6789). Lunch, dinner 7 days. Beer and wine. (H.H.)
Pearl City
$$. A good selection of dim sum (try any of the dumplings or rolls), followed by an excellent dinner menu with prawns and scallops in garlic with sizzling platter and baked crab with spicy salt and pepper. 641 Jackson above Kearny in Chinatown, (415/398-8383). Breakfast, lunch, dinner 7 days; Late dining F-Sa. Beer and wine. (H.H.)
R&G
$$. Expect a choice of dishes with eyes, fins, spines, tentacles and feelers. My particular favorites here are dishes like stir-fried sea whelk/geoduck clam with chives, braised two squabs in clay pot and braised live crab with spicy salt. 631B Kearny at Commercial in Chinatown (415/982-3811). Lunch, dinner 7 days. (H.H.)
Red Crane
$. Sample delights: vegetarian duck (!) with cashew nuts, snow peas with mushrooms and water chestnuts, won ton soup with spinach. 1115 Clement St. above 12th in the Inner Richmond (415/751-7226). Lunch, dinner 7 days. Beer and wine. (H.H.)
Sam Wo
$. Everyone has to go to Sam Wo once in this life to share the San Francisco experience, to eat late or to save a bundle. 813 Washington St. above Grant (through the kitchen and upstairs) in Chinatown (415/982-0596). Lunch, dinner, very late dining M-Sa. No alcohol (but get beer across street). (H.H.)
Shanghai 1930
$$$. The new concept restaurant from the fellow who did Betelnut. The stylish atmosphere complements the complex food. Downtown, 133 Steuart, (415/896-5600). (P.A.)
Ten Thousand Buddhas
$. The menu here is fat with luscious but realistic photos of the Chun Kang assortment of highly flavorful dishes available. Service is far from slick, but charmingly well-intentioned. Tenderloin, 608 Geary, (415/928-2178). (P.A.)
The Mandarin
$$$. Try the pot stickers, the appetizer sampler plate and the spare ribs. The atmosphere is worthy of a mandarin, even if the food is lesser. 900 North Point in Ghirardelli Square (415/673-8812). Lunch, dinner and late dining 7 days. Full bar with an award-winning wine list. (H.H.)
Tommy Toy's
$$$. The atmosphere is better than the food or the service, but work the menu to find the roast duck with plum wine sauce or the minced squab, the medallions of beef in garlic and wine. The fixed-price lunch is a bargain. 655 Montgomery St. above Clay in the Financial district (415/397-4888). Lunch M-Sa, dinner 7 days. Cocktails. (H.H.)
Ton Kiang #2
$$. The cooking here is "hakka," of the nomadic people who settled outside of Hong Kong and Macao. Try the salt-baked chicken or the stuffed geoduck clam. A plus is excellent dim sum. 5821 Geary Blvd. in the Outer Richmond (415/387-8273). Lunch, dinner 7 days. Beer and wine. (H.H.)
Wu Kong
$$$. Shanghai style Chinese food. 101 Spear St., in Rincon Center (415/957-9300). Lunch, dinner 7 days. Cocktails. (H.H.)
Yank Sing
$$. Dim sum-R-Us, served from carts that prowl around the room. Point at what you like. A bit Westernized, but that's good if you need an introduction. 427 Battery St., above Clay in the Financial district (415/781-1111). Lunch 7 days. Late lunch Sa-Su. Cocktails. (H.H.)
Yuen's Garden
$$. Roast chicken, roast pork, and noodles, noodles, noodles ... and you're expected to slurp. 1131 Grant, above Pacific in Chinatown (415/391-1131). Lunch, dinner 7 days; very late dining M-Sa. No alcohol, bring your own. (H.H.)
Yuet Lee
$$. Your fish will probably still be breathing as it's carried to the pan. This is a top spot for late dining. Bring your own wine. I love the salt and pepper squid. Broadway at Stockton in Chinatown (415/982-6020). Lunch, dinner, very late dining nightly except Tu. Beer. (H.H.)

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