House of Nanking

Very good Chinese food, enough to attract crowds and have a full house on a daily basis despite not having the most glamorous decor or the best surroundings. Is an indifferent ambiance synonym of an excellent meal?

The House of Nanking, San Francisco

Suppose you are in San Franciso, on the border of Chinatown and North Beach, and in need of a good place to eat on the cheap, just follow the crowds then; they will surely lead you to the House of Nanking.

You will see the lines waiting for the restaurant to open long before you bend the corner to reach the door, and it is so in any given day. Though not located in one of the posh districts, huddled as it is between massage parlors and a nude bar, the House of Nanking is usually packed.

What does this restaurant have to call in the crowds?

Once inside, you cannot less than wonder what the buzz is about. The surroundings are not pleasing. The décor does not exist, consisting in just marble tarp with the metal seam in the middle and tables that require an exceptional balancing act on your part as their legs are not the same length and your food will not sit still. The staff is generally curt with words and short in temper; consider yourself lucky if you get a menu.

So what is it?

Of course, it is the food. Once you have the first taste, you will forgive and forget anything else. By recommendation, I tried the Paul Bunyan sized scallion pancakes appetizer. It was spicy, but the sweetness of the sauce and the scallions mixed well. One could easily get hooked on them.

You can order whatever takes your fancy from the entrees. Letting the waitress know that you’re new to the place will get you a sampling of dishes. You surely enjoy the chicken and the shrimps drenched in garlic sauce… though sometimes they come drenched in black bean sauce; it depends on the chef and his mood that day. The vegetables are shredded impossibly thin so they are easy to swallow even if you not consider yourself vegetarian. The food went down smoothly, accompanied by the Tsaosing beer –another recommendation.

What is the buzz? All dishes are skillfully prepared to please you, and it is cheap.

Rating

The House of Nanking Restaurant

919 Kearny St near Columbus, on the border between Chinatown and North Beach.
San Francisco, California

Food: very good

Ambiance: poor

Service: average

Cost: $

 

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