Watch CBS News

3 New Places to Savor Asian Fusion Fare In San Francisco

By Hoodline

Asian fusion fare is on the upswing again in San Francisco, as we reported recently. If you're a fan, here are the three newest places to check out the next time you're in the mood for some creative cuisine.

Janchay's Bistro
400 Waller St., Lower Haight

Janchay's Bistro is a fusion Thai spot that recently replaced longtime Lower Haight Thai bistro Thep Phanom. As we reported back in October, former chef-owner Pat Parikanont has remained as executive chef.

Many of Janchay's hybrid dishes have a French flair, including a chicken roll served with a Provençal sauce and mushroom risotto, Bangkok scallops with beurre blanc, and seared foie gras over sticky rice with a fig reduction sauce. You can check out the full menu here.

The new bistro's current Yelp rating of 4.5 stars out of 15 reviews indicates praise from patrons thus far.

"Portions were good for [the] San Francisco price point, beautifully plated and super tasty," Yelper R. R. noted. "Service was excellent and my glass was always filled with water! "

And Yelper Parastoo E. added, "Food was delicious and the staff was very friendly. I will definitely go back. The crab was very good."

Janchay's Bistro is open from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. and 5 p.m.–10 p.m. daily.

Amirah
993 N. Point St., Russian Hill

Over in Russian Hill, Amirah is now open at 993 N. Point St. Owner Nisheet Shah told us back in October that it would serve Indian fare with a fusion twist.

The all-halal menu includes samosas, tikka street tacos (served with chicken, prawns or paneer) and the house special Masala Nacho Fries: french fries topped with house-made sauce, plus a queso drizzle.

Amirah's current Yelp rating of five stars out of four reviews indicates positive attention from users.

Yelper Colin P. wrote, "All the food was incredibly well-done — as others have said, the samosas were crisp and delicious, with just the right amount of spice. Both the saag paneer and the egg masala were perfectly seasoned. The food was well-priced, and had enough for another full meal."

"The nando wing fries were perfectly cooked, with a perfect amount of spicy sauce," Yelper Maya I. added. "Parking is easy to find compared to all the other halal restaurants, where you have to spend a good half hour searching for parking."

Amirah is open from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.–9:30 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. (It's closed on Monday and Sunday.)

Pushcart Fare
3224 22nd St., Mission

Pushcart Fare is a fusion dim sum spot located in the former Futo Sushi Burrito space at 3224 22nd St. (at Valencia). The mostly takeout-oriented restaurant is the project of chefs Nikki Ma, Ivan Ou and Thomas Wu, as we recently reported.

On the menu, look for new takes on dim sum like mushu chicken tacos, mapo tofu fries and the house specialty: visually striking black-and-gold-streaked salty egg yolk buns. (You can see the full list of offerings here.) While there is limited seating inside, the shop's main focus is takeout and delivery.

Pushcart Fare's current rating of four stars out of 18 reviews on Yelp indicates the newcomer has received solid feedback in its early days.

"Charcoaled lava salty egg bun! 'Nuff said!" enthused Yelper Fraulein C. "Texture was soft and fluffy, with the right amount of rich flavor stuffed inside that amazing bun!"

Yelper Billy D. called the menu "fun," despite a few misses. He did enjoy the truffle shrimp dumplings — "overall solid flavor, and the truffle works here."

Pushcart Fare is open from 11:30 a.m.–8:30 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 10:30 a.m.–3 p.m. on Sunday. (It's closed on Monday.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.