This trio of refreshing whites is ideal for spring sipping but also works to quench your thirst year-round.
Yalumba 2022 “Samuel’s Collection” Viognier
Eden Valley, Australia, $24
On my first trip to Australia, I was in awe of the rugged landscape, the unique food offerings, and, of course, the wine. One winery — Yalumba — stood above the rest. Pulling up to the historic property took my breath away. Founded in 1849, it’s now in the hands of the sixth generation of ownership by the Hill-Smith family.
This Samuel’s Collection wine honors founder Samuel Smith but is crafted by respected winemaker Louisa Rose. She has been with the family for more than three decades, and her talent can be seen in this lusciously crisp Viognier. A grape variety well known in France’s Rhone Valley, it’s only successfully planted in select areas of the world. At Yalumba, it shines. Viognier can be an aromatically showy grape, and this version captures the floral notes and exotic spices of the variety. With a deft hand, Louisa has managed to keep the richness with hints of toasty complexity without sacrificing freshness and succulence. A showstopper, especially for the price.
Duckhorn Vineyards 2024 Sauvignon Blanc
North Coast, California, $32
What a legacy Duckhorn Vineyards has brought to not only California but the world. Dan and Margaret Duckhorn began the well-known brand in 1976, and the winery’s consistency and class have endured for 50 years. Known for intensely elegant versions of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc has become a shining star in their portfolio.
This vintage is classic Duckhorn style — layered and lush with a splash of whimsy. Sauvignon Blanc itself is a grape variety that showcases citrusy fruit notes and a zesty brightness. These qualities form the core of the wine, but due to a healthy 14% of the white grape Sémillon blended in, it expresses a richer, more aromatic character. This pair of grapes forms a uniquely mouthwatering white that’s both serious and seriously fun to sip. It’s also sold in a half-bottle size of 375 mL, which I love. You can have a glass or two without cracking open a whole bottle.
Bouchaine 2024 “Alsatian Blend” White
Los Carneros, California $50
If you’re looking for a wonderful outing to wine country, put Bouchaine Vineyards at the top of your list. The property is owned by the dynamic duo Tatiana and Gerret Copeland, whose passion for wine led them to Bouchaine. Their roster of wines expresses a true sense of terroir. This is what I call the “taste of the place in the glass.”
The small-production Alsatian blend is a California nod to the Alsace region of France. The snappy yet supple white is a blend of mineral-laden Pinot Gris, aromatic Riesling and Gewurztraminer, and fleshy Pinot Blanc, each made using a variety of vessels, including concrete eggs, clay amphora and neutral oak barrels. All blend seamlessly together in a sultry, full-bodied white that still embraces its zesty fruit flavors.
Visiting is a multisensory experience with award-winning vineyard views, myriad tasting and food pairing options, and even a falconry offering! I’ve had the pleasure of filming this rush-of-adrenaline experience.
Episode Transcript
♪♪
Sbrocco: Fresh Thai flavors in Berkeley.
Lee: When I go out, I don’t think wholesome — I think decadence.
Sbrocco: Soul food with a twist in Oakland.
Sbrocco: Two big fillets.
Rogers-Ard: The size of a plate.
Sbrocco: And old-school diner favorites in San Francisco.
Kammet: The hash browns over there are perfect hash browns.
Sbrocco: Just ahead on “Check, Please! Bay Area.”
Tam: Are you ready?
Phillips: No.
Tam: Don’t be shy. Come and try.
Phillips: [ Laughs ]
[ Indistinct conversations ]
Sbrocco: Hi, I’m Leslie Sbrocco. Welcome to “Check, Please! Bay Area,” the show where Bay Area residents review and talk about their favorite restaurants. Now, we have three guests, and each one recommends one of their favorite spots, and the other two go check them out to see what they think. Joining me at the “Check, Please!” table today are community arts space director Peggy Lee, educational consultant Rachelle Rogers-Ard, and high school theater teacher Tavis Kammet. Welcome, everyone. Are you ready for a good show?
Lee: Yay!
Kammet: We’re excited!
Sbrocco: Alright! I love it! Tavis’ favorite Thai restaurant doesn’t need a long menu to make a big impression. The flavors pack a serious punch. And yes, the spice level really does go up to 11. Nestled in West Berkeley, it’s Funky Elephant.
♪♪
Laptanachai: Regular spicy? Funky Elephant is a Thai restaurant that represents and honors street vendors in Thailand. They wake up early in the morning, like 1 or 2 a.m. in the morning, just chopping for real, fresh ingredients. We want to give that quality and freshness to the people in the Bay. Funky Elephant is like a taste of our palate. Yellow curry chicken. Pad Thai, add fried egg on top. Fried chicken and roti.
Puttikaew: Some dishes, we got inspired by north of Thailand, some dishes inspired by southern Thailand, and then mix up together to be the Funky Elephant menu.
Laptanachai: Everything made from scratch in the house.
Puttikaew: We make curry paste in house. We have all the sources in house, no store bought. I would say the foundation of Thai cuisine would be Thai aromatics — lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaf, ground pepper.
Laptanachai: And a lot of garlic, too. My favorite thing on the menu is our pad Thai. We do it with the real tamarind sauce and we do it with the real fried shrimps. And it does come with the heads on, so that’s a great part. The drinks here that I make, I try to do layers just to play with colors.
Woman: Oh, my God.
Laptanachai: Butterfly pea limeade. It’s a blue flower. They usually grow in Southeast Asian countries. Once you mix with limeade, it’s gonna turn purple. And it has a lot of health benefits, like it’s packed of antioxidants. The elephant has two sides for me. They’re really strong. They’re really powerful. But in the meantime, they’re a really kind and heartwarming animal.
Puttikaew: The king of animals in Thailand. So, we mix elephant with the funky that we get from us. We’re super fun. Cheers.
Sbrocco: So, Tavis, this place has sort of a street-food kind of vibe to it, doesn’t it?
Kammet: Mm-hmm. I love this place. The first time I went to it was with my family, and the waiter said, “Are you okay with spicy?” My mom was, “Yes, I’m definitely okay with spicy.” She made a mistake that first time. She definitely made a mistake and was sweating beads. But after that first time, I go back probably twice a month.
Sbrocco: And what is the thing that you start with that you love most?
Kammet: The roti bread. Big, fluffy, fried pieces of bread with a little dipping sauce of curry. And they give you a knife to stab this fluffy roti.
Sbrocco: So it does this.
Kammet: Yeah, it just deflates. And then you’re just picking apart these beautiful, flaky pieces of roti and you’re dipping them in this delicious curry. It is so good.
Sbrocco: Did you try that, Peggy? I saw you shaking your head when he mentioned it.
Lee: Oh, I just love roti. I should have gotten that. I got the shrimp chips, which were also very tasty and kind of reminded me of a childhood favorite. That, like, texture, like the little Styrofoam, crispy texture…
Sbrocco: [ Laughing ] Yeah.
Lee: …that when we were kids that would come out, like, if you had, like, a big pork butt or something like that. I’m Chinese American, and we would have the little shrimp chips on top of that. So it reminded me of that.
Kammet: Oh, yeah, yeah.
Sbrocco: What did you start with, Rachelle?
Rogers-Ard: I didn’t have a starter, but that’s why I always drag someone with me, and she loved the roti as well.
Kammet: Mm.
Rogers-Ard: My friend had the chicken curry, and I could tell that it was really great when she started to wipe the bowl. You know what I mean? Like, this was the hint.
Kammet: Yeah.
Sbrocco: Just pick it up and lick it.
Rogers-Ard: I was like, “You don’t like it at all, obviously.” It looked really decadent. It was the yellow curry with chicken. She felt like the heat was just right where it was supposed to have been. I also had this beautiful fried rice that felt extremely fresh, with fresh veggies in it and this beautiful fried egg. I added chicken breast to the rice dish, and they asked me how I wanted it. It was beautifully sautéed, just absolutely gorgeous, and very, very fresh. I was really impressed.
Sbrocco: And, Peggy, what did you have?
Lee: I had the Wholesome Noodles, which was —
Sbrocco: Which is kind of their signature dish.
Lee: An incredible surprise.
Sbrocco: Yeah.
Lee: Because when I go out, I don’t think wholesome — I think decadence. I think —
Sbrocco: Bring on the fat! Bring on the sugar!
Lee: Yes! Let’s go to town! I can be wholesome at home, you know? But it was a beautiful soup noodle, and it was tangy and it was bright. It was herbaceous. It had rice noodles and soft, sort of crumbly pork meatballs. It was a really startlingly good dish. I had never had that before. And it didn’t feel wholesome, which was the best part.
Rogers-Ard: Nice.
Lee: Yeah!
Sbrocco: Tavis, what other dishes did you have?
Kammet: We also started with the crispy Brussels sprouts. They’re fried in their chili jam, and they’re so juicy with these bursts of chili sauce. Not too spicy for me, but my partner, definitely, she was like, “My mouth is on fire,” but she kept eating them. It’s delicious. It’s to die for.
Sbrocco: Let’s talk about anything else you had for mains.
Lee: I also got the K.M.G. #2.
Kammet: Mm!
Lee: It was perfect. Like, there was perfectly poached chicken, really lovely rice. The broth was lovely, as well. Very well prepared.
Kammet: It’s a very popular Thai dish, but it could sound very simple.
Lee: Yeah.
Kammet: It’s boiled chicken on rice with some cucumbers and that chili jam again. But the way they do that K.M.G. is so tasty. It’s another one of these dishes for me that just feels so comforting.
Lee: I got the Jungle Curry. I was excited when I read about it. I thought, “Jungle Curry,” and I saw several asterisks and it said spicy. And I was like, “Yes, let’s go! I’m ready. Let’s do this.” Homemade red curry sauce, dill and basil and snake beans and tofu and kabocha squash, which I love. So I was ready. And then, um, it might have been an off day or an off moment because it wasn’t spicy at all.
Kammet: Mm!
Lee: I did think that outside of Jungle Curry, the other dishes had a nice, like, Thai heat, you know, where it’s, like, a little numbing, a little exciting, but not blow your head off, which I thought was really good.
Sbrocco: Absolutely. Okay. Desserts.
Kammet: They have a sweet roti, and as the appetizer roti, it’s just as beautiful. It comes out, this big puffy roti with cinnamon and sugar, vanilla ice cream — delicious. And it’s so flaky to dip in the ice cream. Something they do there that I think is a bit uncommon is they have a different soft-serve flavor almost every night. And after you’ve eaten a big meal and you’re like, “Ah, I don’t know if I have room for dessert,” soft serve is so easy to just make a little bit of…
Sbrocco: A little pocket, little room.
Kammet: Easily make a little bit of room for some soft serve.
Sbrocco: Did you have any dessert?
Rogers-Ard: No. I was so full.
Sbrocco: Okay. Yeah. You were looking like…
Rogers-Ard: I was like, you guys had room for dessert?
Kammet: I know.
Rogers-Ard: I was so full.
Sbrocco: It sounded like you enjoyed your experience.
Rogers-Ard: I did enjoy my experience. It was amazing.
Sbrocco: So, you would go back?
Lee: I would go back.
Sbrocco: Yeah. Alright. If you would like to try Funky Elephant. it’s located on Ninth Street in Berkeley, and the average multi-course tab per person without drinks is around $40. Rachelle is up next with a soul food spot serving comfort by the forkful. Whenever she’s craving the crispiest of catfish this side of the Mississippi, she heads to uptown Oakland, home to Y’s Choice.
♪♪
Ahmed: When someone walks into Y’s Choice, the vibe for me is like, we’re just about to have a party.
Both: Cheers!
Ahmed: It’s a vibe. It’s music, the good food, and it smells amazing. Y’s Choice, the name came about — My name is Weyanti. So people couldn’t pronounce it, and they used to call me “Y” growing up. My first memory of cooking was back in Sudan, ’cause that’s where I’m from, and my love for food started watching my mom cook. My mom was absolutely African, so she cooked nothing but African dishes. We didn’t have American dishes. So as I started going to hang out with my friends and started going out, I started tasting different foods because, you know, everybody was frying chicken, everybody was frying fish. And I’m like, “Mom, can you try to make this?” Or, “I want this.” And she’s like, “Figure it out.” And so I said, “Okay, I’ll figure it out.”
♪♪
The menu is pretty vast.
A lot of these dishes
are soul food,
like oxtails and grits.
And some of my favorites
are the gumbos.
And the next one would be
the Art’s Crab,
and that’s because
it’s a staple.
When I was young,
I used to go to Art’s Crab,
and so it was a special meal.
We used to only get it
during special times,
and it was an honor
for me to bring it into my menu
and name it the Art’s Crab.
My mother’s tradition
and culture
absolutely is a part
of the menu.
I have some things that
I’ve incorporated, like sambusa.
I grew up on that.
That was a favorite thing.
We only had it during holidays,
and I was just like,
“Oh, my God,
I have to put that in there.”
Some of my spices are used
and some of my ingredients
that come from back home.
The legacy from my mom
means a lot to me.
One of the reasons
why it’s a big portrait —
it’s really a little joke
between her and I.
She used to come to my house and
she used to always ask, like,
“Where’s my picture?”
[ Laughs ]
After her passing,
unfortunately,
I went and got
a big portrait of her on my arm.
So there’s a big portrait of her
that I carry with me
everywhere I go
to show her how proud I am.
So, yeah, it means
everything to me.
All: Y’s Choice!
[ Laughter ]
Sbrocco: Now, Rachelle, how did Y’s Choice become your choice?
Rogers-Ard: Ah, I see what you did there.
Sbrocco: [ Laughs ]
Rogers-Ard: What I really, really like is walking into this restaurant owned by a woman of color who is bringing her heritage into the space. The space is a vibe. It’s giving club. It’s giving, um…
Sbrocco: You guys agree with that?
Lee: Yeah.
Kammet: The space is definitely fun.
Sbrocco: I feel some vibes shaking, yeah.
Rogers-Ard: Full bar, full party atmosphere. Really, really tall drinks. So, all of those things are really exciting. And so then, the first thing I usually do, a couple of friends started with the crab cake egg rolls. So, I think it’s a really great mixture of her heritage, right, and the fusion therein. And then this dipping sauce.
Sbrocco: It’s the way to start.
Rogers-Ard: It was one way.
Sbrocco: Okay.
Rogers-Ard: Also could start with the bar.
Sbrocco: Ah! That’s right! Alright, let’s get over here and dig into your experience.
Kammet: So, yeah, I mean, the place is — is beautiful when you go inside. It’s very comforting. I also got the meat sambusa, which for me was delicious. It was super tasty, super flavorful, packed full of spices. And you can tell this is real home-cooked food. Like, I take a bite and, you know, grease is coming out. That’s what I want. That’s — that’s like real food.
Sbrocco: And what about you, Peggy? Now, he said it’s comforting. You said it’s a total party vibe. I’m feeling, like, a thumping music kind of, you know…
Lee: You know, the music was great.
♪ Try to roll with it, baby ♪
Lee: So, I’m a geriatric millennial, and it was…
Rogers-Ard: Nice.
Lee: …delightful. Like, all the hits. I heard some Mos Def, I heard some Blaqstarr. I heard all this delightful music that like…
Rogers-Ard: Mm, yes!
Lee: Yes, you know, right? Okay, so maybe similar generation.
Rogers-Ard: No, no. No, I just hear you.
[ Laughter ]
Lee: So, um, I had the turkey wings, which were incredible. And I had imagined something — maybe a braise, dry, maybe with some rice. No, but it was like this soft, beautiful, like, stew. It was incredibly deep and warm. And so, my family is Chinese American from Taiwan. So we love congee, and it was like that. And then it was paired with — we got, for the sides, we got the cabbage, which I highly recommend — delicious. And then the mac and cheese was perfect — so tender, had a little bit of mustard. I was so happy.
Rogers-Ard: My favorite is always gonna be the fried fish. And what I love is they bring two huge —
Kammet: Huge!
Rogers-Ard: I mean, just… Where are they finding it?
Kammet: They are huge.
Sbrocco: So, two big fillets.
Rogers-Ard: Yeah. And they’re the size of the plate, right? But it is so good, so tender, but also flaky on the inside, but also crunchy-crunchy, which is what I love. And I just find that I never finish the fish, but I always finish the sides.
Kammet: We also got the catfish.
Lee: Yeah.
Kammet: My partner is from Mississippi, and so anytime we go anywhere that has fried catfish, that’s where she beelines. These pieces!
[ Laughter ]
Rogers-Ard: They’re so big.
Kammet: Now, this is no joke, audience at home. These pieces are humongous. Two pieces, two sides. Right, the audacity to give you two sides.
Rogers-Ard: I know!
Kammet: And the cornbread. She devoured that cornbread. I didn’t even get to try that.
Rogers-Ard: Yeah.
Kammet: And I also — We went for brunch, so it was a little too early for me to start drinking for that. But I wound up getting a dish called the Boozie Brunch, which was fried turkey smothered in gravy over this pile of potatoes. And you can tell it’s home-cooked food. Like, the bell peppers and onions are all different shapes and sizes, and the turkey was so delicious. It was just so much food!
[ Laughs ]
It was a mountain of food.
Sbrocco: I guess I don’t have to ask about quantity and quality here.
Rogers-Ard: No, it’s so much food.
Lee: I ended up getting the oxtail and the grits.
Sbrocco: Oh, nice.
Lee: It was delicious, fall-off-the-bone, on a silky bed of the grits, which I thought was really well done. Maybe like a tiny bit salty for my taste, but I think that’s also part of the dish. Like, it’s supposed to be like a savory, warm, comforting thing.
Sbrocco: Alright, last thing — dessert.
Kammet: Well, I got the peach cobbler and I had to take it to go because it was… [ Laughing ] I was so full.
Rogers-Ard: Right.
Kammet: It was a little bit sweet for my taste, but it was still such a well-seasoned peach cobbler. Beautiful. Delicious.
Sbrocco: Good for breakfast with coffee, as a leftover, right?
Kammet: Oh, yeah.
Sbrocco: Did you have room? Did you have room?
Lee: I got the banana pudding.
Sbrocco: Oh, okay.
Lee: I did not have room, but I did it.
[ Laughter ]
It was delicious.
It had the Chessmen on top,
which I always love.
Rogers-Ard: Oh, uh-huh.
Lee: And the multi layers. It was a very classic, traditional banana pudding, which just means it’s a good one. It was lovely. Yeah.
Sbrocco: Sounds like a great experience for all. So, if you would like to try Y’s Choice, it’s located on San Pablo Avenue in uptown Oakland. The average multi-course tab per person without drinks is around $65. Peggy’s pick is a neighborhood diner that offers the quintessential greasy-spoon experience in the best way possible. Dishing up American breakfast classics in the heart of San Francisco’s Mission District for decades, it’s Jim’s By MLVS.
♪♪
♪♪
Padilla: Jim’s has been in the Mission District for over 32 years. It has built a very strong clientele that are super loyal to the breakfasts here. It’s just really amazing comfort food. This building has such rich history. It was started by a man named Jim and has been here for several generations, and now we’re very proud to be the owners of Jim’s By MLVS. MLVS is Mission Language and Vocational School. We have a culinary program. And so, through that culinary program, we were able to purchase this restaurant so that we can give the graduates an opportunity to find work. We have the biscuits and gravy.
Guest: Thank you.
Padilla: Jim’s By MLVS has been serving very American-style breakfasts that you can find at a diner — pancakes, waffles, eggs, even burgers for lunch. Eggs over easy. We have been incorporating Latino dishes because we want to honor that we’re in the Mission District. So, we have the plátanos fritos. We call this a casamiento. And then we add a delicious fresh cheese and Salvadorean sour cream, so it’s notsosour.
Woman: Cheers!
Padilla: Not only do we serve Latinos, but we also work with Latinos. Our staff, they’re all Latinos, and so we allow them to share part of their cultures.
[ Bell dings ]
Our chef, Beto, started here
when he was 17 years old,
as a dishwasher,
and he’s been here since.
Chef Beto likes to do
his — his own designs
for the food that he serves.
And so when he wants to make
the babies happy, or just anyone
he feels like an extra touch
of flair would be great…
Woman: Look at how cute!
Padilla: …he’ll change up the look of it. Every time those long-term clients come in, they’re just like, “Oh, my God, he’s still here. I’m gonna order my regular stuff.” Still the same?
Guest: Same! I told my husband, I said, “It’s the same!”
Padilla: It’s the same, right?
Woman: Hey!
Padilla: The joy that I get working here at Jim’s By MLVS is being able to see the staff grow in their professional life. Being able to see them come from a place where they never worked in a restaurant here in the United States, to seeing them ready for the next step, it makes me feel super grateful.
♪♪
Sbrocco: So, Peggy, when you go to this place, I mean, it’s been there so long.
Lee: Oh, yeah.
Sbrocco: It really is a locals’ hangout, isn’t it?
Lee: It totally is. People have gone there for decades, generations. I get a variety of things, but generally I go for the corned beef hash. It’s a savory, greasy, delicious corned beef, and then they have the crispy hash browns. And it’s all short-order grill, which I think is also really fun ’cause you can actually hear them, like, ching-ching-ching-ching-ching, like, while there preparing it for you. And then I always have it with my over-easy eggs. I like to make a little mix, like hash brown, corned beef hash, soft eggs, and then I put it on my rye toast and I just shovel it in. And I have to have a side of café de olla ’cause it’s a little sweet, but it’s delicious, and the spices. Cinnamon, to me, is the most forward. And then it’s all mixed in this beautiful ceramic mug. So, it’s just my perfect meal.
Sbrocco: Fantastic. What did you have when you went?
Kammet: So, I got the chicken fried steak breakfast because I rarely see that on menus. And in fact, I don’t think I’d ever eaten chicken fried steak before.
Sbrocco: Is it steak? Is it chicken?
Kammet: Right. It’s definitely not chicken. It’s — It’s more hamburger that’s fried like a chicken. It was a nice, salty piece of fried meat. I will say, the hash browns over there are perfection. They’re the perfect hash browns. They’re thin and crispy. If you’re a hash brown fan, these are perfect hash browns. The French toast we got was kind of like how my mom would make it. Okay, we’ve got sliced bread. Let’s chop them in half, dip them in egg batter, and put them on the skillet. We did also get the sausage patties, which I really enjoyed. They were — I mean, everything at this place is —
Sbrocco: Were they greasy?
Kammet: They were. They were greasy. Ooh, nice, greasy, thin, little traditional sausage patties. And they had me. They had me on those sausage patties.
Sbrocco: And the hash browns.
Kammet: And those hash browns. Those hash browns were perfect.
Lee: Yes.
Sbrocco: Okay. Alright. Rachelle, I have to ask, did you have hash browns?
Rogers-Ard: I did have hash browns. Um, I felt like this was a diner…
Lee: Yeah.
Rogers-Ard: …and it was serving up diner food. I took my sons with me. One had the French toast. I agree with you on the French toast. I wanted maybe some different type of bread, something that would elevate the dish. The other one had the pancake combo, which is why I was able to taste a little bit of everything. I prefer more of a fluffier pancake. It was okay. I really felt like I wanted seasoning.
Lee: Mm.
Rogers-Ard: And, um, on the eggs…
Lee: A little tip is that they have this green salsa. You have to ask for it. And it’s just so bright. ‘Cause everything there is kind of savory, a little sweet. The salsa brightens it all up.
Rogers-Ard: We also ordered a waffle, and the waffle was really, really thin. I prefer, like, a Belgian.
Sbrocco: Mm-hmm.
Rogers-Ard: And so, you know, it was good.
Kammet: We also got the strawberry milkshake. We split the milkshake. Solid. Good. Nothing I’d write home about, but we finished it. I mean, you know, it’s nice. It’s nice when you get a milkshake and you get the glass with it that’s half-filled with more milkshake. So my partner and I were like, okay, we basically got two milkshakes. Yeah.
Sbrocco: Have you gotten the milkshakes before?
Lee: I have not had the milkshake. I should do that next time.
Kammet: Oh, you should do that.
Lee: Yeah.
Kammet: It’s just, it’s such a cool little neighborhood spot and it’s in a cool part of town.
Lee: Yeah.
Sbrocco: I love it.
Lee: It’s a lovely space for me.
Sbrocco: Alright, well, if you would like to try Jim’s By MLVS, it’s located on Mission Street in San Francisco’s Mission District. The average multi-course tab per person without drinks is around $45. And now, reporter Cecilia Phillips has more Bay Area bites you’ve just got to try. This time, it’s all about the sweets at San Francisco’s Chinatown Night Market.
Phillips: So, we’re in one of the oldest Chinatowns in the United States. This event brings together so many people.
Lo: Yes, every month we have approximately about 17,000.
Phillips: 17,000 people?
Lo: Yes. And this is really supporting the small businesses in Chinatown. You’ve got all kinds of food. Enjoy boba, tanghulu, fried rice, chicken, you name it.
Phillips: And it’s cheaper than having to fly to Asia, huh?
Lo: Yes.
Tam: This is my family business, and I’m the fifth generation who make this candy in my family. You see this little hair? Actually, it’s all pulling by corn starch and molasses. Stretch it 100 times until this molasses totally shrinks to the little hairs.
Phillips: Wow.
Tam: In the past, the dragon was the symbol of the emperor. So these desserts were served to the emperor and the prince only.
Phillips: So I should feel like royalty right now.
Tam: Yes, exactly.
[ Both laugh ]
And when he ate this candy,
all the little hairs stick
on his lips and chin,
which just looked like a beard.
That’s why we call this
the dragon beard.
Are you ready?
Phillips: No.
Tam: No? Oh, don’t be shy. Come and try.
Phillips: [ Laughs ] Here we go.
Tam: Okay! Cheers. Mmm! Mmmmm!
Phillips: [ Laughing ]
Tam: Now you see why it’s called a beard candy, right? How do you like it?
Phillips: I love it!
Tam: [ Laughs ]
♪♪
Phillips: So, I heard you are, like, one of the best bakeries in Chinatown.
Chen: Yes, I’m in Chinatown over 40 years.
Phillips: This is a classic Chinese dish, right?
Chen: Yeah, because, you know, over 100 years and nobody stop it.
[ Both laugh ]
Phillips: For 100 years, people have been making egg tarts.
Chen: Yes.
Phillips: That cuts so easily.
Chen: Yes.
Phillips: It’s so delicate. So, you love to decorate, and you make things like this.
Chen: Yes.
Phillips: This is a swan.
Chen: The swan, I did it maybe 20 years ago.
Phillips: Whoa!
Chen: So now I’m eating.
Phillips: I guess I’m eating this swan, then. Can I just have the wing?
Chen: Yeah.
Phillips: Mmm! I love a good wing. I have to tell you, I remember my first memory of having sugar cane as a little kid and chewing and nibbling on some of the stalks.
Efendi: Yes!
Phillips: But I didn’t know that there was a way to actually enjoy it much easier.
Efendi: Absolutely. We have Pure Cane Juice Co. So we press it to order right here with the machine. So, we have Pure Cane and Golden Lime. That’s our most popular drink. We put calamansi in there, which is another citrus that’s also mostly known in Southeast Asia. Besides being delicious, it gives you an energy boost and also gives you gut health.
Phillips: It’s a healthy drink.
Efendi: Cheers.
Phillips: Oh! That is not what I was expecting!
Efendi: Yeah! There you go.
Phillips: It’s so flavorful.
Efendi: Absolutely.
Phillips: Wow. It’s as fresh as it gets.
Efendi: Exactly.
♪♪
Sbrocco: I have to thank my great guests on this week’s show. Peggy Lee, who savors the green salsa at Jim’s By MLVS in San Francisco. Rachelle Rogers-Ard, who craves the crispy catfish at Y’s Choice in Oakland. And Tavis Kammet, who noshes on the noodles at Funky Elephant in Berkeley. Join us next time, when three more guests will recommend their favorite spots right here on “Check, Please! Bay Area.” I’m Leslie Sbrocco, and I’ll see you then. Cheers, everyone.
[ All cheering ]
Sbrocco: We’re done! Cheers!
♪♪
Phillips: It’s called tanghulu?
Woman: Yes. It’s a traditional street food from China. It’s sugar-coated fruits, made fresh every day. This is our memory from our childhood in China. So, today we have strawberry and grapes.
Phillips: Look at how beautiful! It’s almost clear as glass. Here we go.
Woman: Yes!
[ Crunching ]
Phillips: It’s so tasty! That is amazing. I love it. I’m gonna lose a tooth, though. But it’ll be worth it.
