Vegan Golden Era at Golden Gate Saturday, September 24, 2011
Morning of the third day, we wanted a walking tour of the city, so the best mode of transport happened to be right at the door step of our hotel, facing the turnaround of the cable car Powell-Mason line and directly across the street from Westfield Loving Hut. We joined the long snaking queue and chatted with an Austrian tourist on her first visit to San Francisco..No sooner had we wondered whether we had to purchase a ticket then some kind tourists pointed out the ticket booth for us just outside our view along market and 5th. So we had to join another long and growing queue at the ticket booth together with our Austrian friend.
Finally we had our day tickets, hopped on the Powell-Mason line and two stops away at the street junction we were off the cable car, our tickets still brand new.. Along O'Farrell we had a pleasant stroll and it was little sister who first noticed the familiar old sign of the vegan Golden Era in this new Golden Age.
This is the view looking at the arguably oldest vegan restaurant West of the Bay Area from the vantage point of the table of honour, a well liked corner of the restaurant distinguished by an overhead Celestial lamp hanging from the ceiling.
We had already seen the owner outside, waiting for him to be relieved of his work to join us at the table.. Lunch was easy to order, we had the best dishes from the restaurant served at our table.
Very soon another vegan friend joined us and it was reunion time, with cups of Chinese tea being poured endlessly just like in the good old times again.
We talked of our relationship going back so many years, and we chatted on the development of Loving Hut around the Bay Area.. so much to share and so little time to do it..
We had also ordered the vegan Pad Thai, over and above the recommendations made by the owner, because we wanted to compare the taste with the Vegetarian House. Little sister remembered it was dry by the time we were served at the Vegetarian House, but here at Golden Era, the Pad Thai was a perfect vegan dish. We gave it full marks secretly... Of course, little sister's taste was pampered by the undending serving of different flavoured cakes... ask and it shall be served..
We bade the owner farewell as we travelled on the next leg of our trip, this time riding on the electric Jeep..
Labels: Golden Era, usa, vegan
Lasm's story told @7:15 PM
Westfield at San Francisco Thursday, September 22, 2011
While we were touring, we had received news of an impending video conference where Master would reveal the most auspicious locations for world leaders to shift their headquarters in order to effect permanent peace in the world. In the evening, we changed our travel plans immediately, returning the car so we can relax in the hotel for the night, and early next morning at 9am, we gathered in front of the laptop, eagerly awaiting the start of the conference.When it ended about 2 hours later, we settled our accomodation problem and headed straight to the streets for the bank at 8th. On our way back, we were enticed by the fruit market and picked up some peaches and apples for the fruitarian social vegan brother.
Just a few blocks away, right across the street from where we were based, we visited the most convenient Loving Hut in San Francisco..
We love Westfield very much.. It is so cool !
It is big, the signs are friendly and it is located at a most auspicious place
of good luck !! Just across the street from our hotel !!
Of course the draw of the variety of cakes proved irresistible to little sister, but I rather fancy the boon huey, which is authentic !
After a satisfying meal, the fruitarian social vegan ventured off to a bus journey for a visit to Golden Gate park, near the latest loving hut location at Sunset, leaving us to our shopping at Westfield. The watches were cheap, especially the Fossil, which is selling like half price, so we picked up half a dozen or more in the mall.
Right at the entrance of the mall at street level, near to the escalator, we found a stall selling vegan bags !! Oh my God, what a pleasure to talk to the tall young black man who is also a vegan. We feel that we had to support his stall, so little sister duly forked out some money and chose a good durable vegan bag to bring home..
Labels: usa, westfield loving hut
Lasm's story told @1:38 PM
San Jose at night Wednesday, September 21, 2011
After Stockton and we have checked into our hotel and rested, the next place we knew that we had to go is the House of the Master. The jewelry set would probably set us back by a few grands but visitng the famous house that started the first vegan movement on the west coast wouldn't hurt a bit..
This is tradition, this is it! Little sister was pretty excited as we gingerly park our car at the spacious car park besides Street 11 and head for the main entrance, a welcoming grand piano awaits us..
Looking at the menu, I had the irresistible urge to order a strange sounding concoction, root beer with vegan ice cream !! Ah... just the perfect drink !
Of course, being the savvy vegans we were, and a Loving Hut owner amongst one of us, we were not easy guests to please by all measure, there is something you just got to try when you are in San Jose, yes, the vegan tradition, the Pièce de résistance, the dish that laid the foundation stone linking two continents and two countries, the land of the plum blosssom and the land of the brave and the free !!
You don't have to know the history, you just need to know the name.. It is called the Three Cup Sauce, probably the most challenging and difficult to satisfy, this dish has transformed itself and reinvented itself as the Sun rises from the East to the West. It is the definitive Loving Hut signature dish. The many venerable traditions and tonight, tonight we got to taste the latest vegan iteration, right here on this holy place at the house of the Master !! We are indeed fortunate..
We shared another dish, the claypot tofu... again something of a little test. If it were no good, it would have been obvious for the vegan connaisseur that we were, having tasted the best of both worlds.. so of course this dish passed with flying colours.. There is flavour and cooked with the invisible "qi" of the wok !
Labels: usa, vegetarian house
Lasm's story told @2:44 PM
A Visit to Stockton Loving Hut Monday, September 19, 2011
In search of the Real Love, we arrive at Stockton Loving Hut, San Francisco at the nice afternoon of 26 Aug 2011. After figuring out the sophisticated street side coin operator for parking the car, we walked in to the welcome atmosphere of the first Loving Hut stop in our tour.
Stockton, located in Chinatown, one of the largest on the West Coast of USA, is where we find ourselves, and of course the friendly staff there whom we know quite well.
We tried the pot-sticker, and various other dishes, which of course is unverally loved by the Chinese people every where..
And dessert ? Surely, that will change any woman's hearts, the vegan cake !! Must try...
The tiramisu is phenomenal... Well it just might change a woman's heart, who knows !
Of course, we had to try the fabulous and ubiquitous boon huey..
Here at the far end of Chinatown, you can still see traditional Chinese herbal shops around, and warm comfortable feeling leaving us satisfied for the enjoyable afternoon there.
Labels: loving hut, stockton, usa
Lasm's story told @5:01 PM
