Mongol Cafe

The Mongol Cafe on Geary between Hyde and Larkin has plenty of western food for those in a hurry, but the Mongolian food is the real attraction here. Everything Mongolian is made to order and takes 20 minutes, so if you're both wanting Mongolian food and in a hurry, call to order before you get there.

Tea Time didn't mind the wait, and the food was certain worth waiting for. We chose to share two dishes and they were more than enough food for a hearty lunch.

  

 Guliash (beef stew). Hard boiled beef served with steamed rice with egg on top and two side salads, potato and traditional beet. Both complimented the Guliash.

Buuz. Steam cooked bun filled with ground beef. This side salad featured julienne cut carrot and cabbage seasoned with garlic and dressed with mayonnaise.

There is also a large selection of juice, water and soft drinks.

There were plenty of desserts to be had as well, but we weren't sure where the day would take us (we were considering gelato!) so Tea Time chose to wait and indulge in their treats another time. We'll be back next time we need a Mongolian food fix! This cozy resto is a great place to stop in for a relaxing lunch if you want to get away from the hectic pace of Geary street.

Dinner at Grubstake

There had been articles in the local news that Grubstake would be closed temporarily while a new building went up, using its land, but with a space for it inside, so Beth and I wanted to have dinner there before the closing. This never happened--the new building didn't use the Grubstake space and the restaurant never closed. We don't know what happened, but we're not complaining!

There's an extensive menu of craft beer, but we decided on cider. Beth chose the Magner's, which is imported from Ireland, and I ordered the Crispin, which is a local California brand.

Beth's dinner choice was the mixed grill.

Mixed Grill served with potatoes & veggies
pork chop, chicken & linguica

I wanted something a little smaller and settled on the Grilled Cheese with Bacon.

Grilled Cheese with Bacon and Tomato
And an Order of Sweet Potato Fries

We both enjoyed our dinners and highly recommend this old favorite restaurant.

2017 San Francisco Writers Conference Chinese Banquet

Once again, Board member Harvey Pawl treated the speakers and volunteers of the 2017 San Francisco Writers Conference to a Chinese banquet at Great Eastern Restaurant on Jackson Street in San Francisco.

  

Elegant Place Setting and a Big Bowl of Fluffy Rice to go with everything 

We started with an appetizer of barbecued pork.

Honey Glazed Barbecued Pork

After the appetizer, the dishes rapidly followed.

Deep Fried Chicken

Sauteed filet of flounder with lily bulbs & asparagus

Deluxe Mixed Vegetables

 Noodles, of course, for longevity and good luck.

Chow Mein with Mixed Vegetables

Sauteed Scallops with Bean Cake and Vegetables

Fried Sweet Potato

Sauteed Fillets of Beef with Vegetables

HoneyGlazed Walnut and Sauteed Shrimp with Mayonnaise

Peking Duck with Steamed Bun

As usual, at the end of the meal, there was a beautiful presentation of orange slices.

 

Sunday Brunch at Olea

I finally caught up with Herrick for brunch at Olea on the corner of Larkin and California. We decided on Olea too late to make a reservation, so we had to wait 15 minutes for a table, but that was reasonable, especially since I was five minutes early and Herrick was five minutes late, so I would have been waiting for ten of those minutes anyway. The brunch menu is extensive, but substitutions aren't allowed, which helps the kitchen to get orders out quickly. It's also varied, so there's something for everyone. The sample menu says no reservations for brunch, but when Herrick called, he was told it was too late to make a reservation but half of the tables were unreserved. The white sign in the middle photo instructs those with reservations to wait at the door, and everyone else to line up at the fire hydrant on the corner.

You can't miss the place. The door is on the corner, the name is on all three sides and there are outdoor tables on both streets.

  

And there's an inspirational quote at the door.

There's a special brunch menu.

I had the scrambled egg sandwich. I tried to substitute the Apple Cider Slaw for the Mixed Greens (Tea Time loves slaw!), but unfortunately that wasn't possible.

Scrambled Egg Sandwich on an Acme Rustic Roll 

w/ Tomato Slices, Bacon, Cheddar Cheese. Served with Mixed Greens

Herrick chose the Omelet, which also came with the Mixed Greens.

Omelet;  Fresh Spinach, Green Onions, Mushrooms, Almonds, 

Provolone-Mozzarella Cheese,  w/  mixed greens

The food was excellent, as was the service. We repeatedly emptied our water glasses, due to the heat, but our waiter cheerfully kept them filled, even after we finished out meal.

Poki Time

Tea Time has been thinking about trying all the poke joints in San Francisco, but poke is becoming so popular that this may not be possible.  However, we heard good things about Poki Time, so we headed over to the Lombard Street location.

You really can't miss the place. (yes, it's the old KFC)

Poke is the only option, but there are several choices to be made along the way. You can see the menu on the website, in case you have trouble deciding on the spot.

You build your own bowl, however big/small you prefer. Choose a base, protein, toppings, sauce and then you're ready. Fast, healthy food at it's finest. All the ingredients we got to pick from were fresh and tasty.

JK's bowl with lettuce base, Hawaiian style fish and toppings.

Angela's bowl with lettuce and rice base, Hawaiian style fish and toppings.

  

 You know Tea Time can't resist a good dessert and this Poki Time features a  macaron ice cream sandwiches right next to the main counter in a cute cooler. Made in San Jose, they were a delight. Check out Mavens Creamery if you need a fix!

Jk's Chocolate and Angela's Strawberry.

Poki Time has a open seating plan and when you enter you can either loiter in the back staring at the menu or hop in the line (there wasn't one when we arrived, phew) and get your meal pronto. It's a homey restaurant and the workers were very nice, helping us get our ice cream dessert after we were done with our bowls (so the sandwich wouldn't melt). Tea Time is sure they would have let us eat dessert first, but this time we decided to honor traditions by saving it until the end. We had a great time and a great meal, so we'll be back.

Mel's Diner Mission

I was downtown shopping and needed some lunch, so I decided to try Mel's Mission Street branch. I sat at the counter, next to a jukebox.

My frosty glass of water arrived immediately, but I had to wait a while for my sandwich.

I ordered the meatloaf, with coleslaw as my side. Nothing surprising here, just a good, tasty sandwich. Mel's Diner is an SF institution. They have several diners around town including one on Geary Street with Parking! They serve classic diner food including fried chicken and hearty breakfasts. If you're in California, but not in SF, look at the Mel's website for more locations all over the West Coast. Or if you've got a hankering to see the original Mel's, check out the opening scene of American Graffiti.
 

meatloaf sammie

Ted Nelson's Birthday Party at the Internet Archive

I wasn't aware of Ted Nelson before the Internet Archive announced his birthday party, but it seemed like a good occasion to learn about him. Turns out he's a very interesting guy. Ted was one of the pioneers of the computer industry, starting long before the internet. You can listen to a 1979 interview here. There are many more interviews with Ted online, but this one is hilarious, as a clueless interviewer tries to convince Ted that nobody would want a computer in the home.

The program was preceded by a reception that included drinks and substantial snacks. 

One of several platters, before the crowd demolished it

The drinks included (sugar-free) lime Kool-Ade, Ted's childhood favorite.

Ted speaking

It was a warm evening, so there were fans.

Both sides of fan 

After the program, there was birthday cake.

Cake with lit candles

Cross-section of cake slice

Ted blowing out his candles

Video of Ted blowing out his candles

 It was a fun evening, and I am looking forward to learning more about Ted.

If you're not familiar with the Internet Archive, check it out. They have a lot more than the archived internet, including a free lending library, and the Wayback Machine, which has archived content no longer available via a regular search engine.