Drag Queens, Gender Illusionists, and Booze (And Dinner Ain't Half-Bad Either)
Written: Apr 12 '02 (Updated Feb 04 '03)
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Pros: Gender Illusionists. Drag Queens. Food.
Cons: Lushes abound.
The Bottom Line: Fun food and drinks served by dancing drag queens / gender illusionists.
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| megugrrrl's Full Review: AsiaSF |
During my first fabulous dining experience at AsiaSF, it reaffirmed my belief that San Francisco is a fun-loving, cutting-edge kind of a town that embraces diversity and trendiness (and isn't afraid to make a buck while doing it.) Where else can you dine surrounded by drop-dead gorgeous gender illusionists offering you trendy drinks and a decent Cal-Asian menu? (Did I mention lip-synching to divas and strutting up and down the red runway/bar as well?) The answer, I discovered in between apple martinis two and three, is here at Asia SF.
Located on the corner of 9th and Howard, this place's heydey has since past, but is still packed with yuppie types, birthday parties, and the occasional hipster. The mood is wannabee trendy, a little bit rushed, and energetic. It's a fun place to go with friends after work. (If you're into dancing, Asia SF's got a subterranean dance room hidden behind a velvet curtain, so you and your other friends can go boogie on the weekends, that is, if you're into that sort of thing.)
AsiaSF's interior is a modern art experiment gone wonky. There's a funky mix of dark blues, rusty woods, lime greens, vibrant yellows, and lots of even funkier shapes strategically placed, sleek track and lantern lighting, and a hodgepodge of modern-looking furniture. There are even entrancing light-projector powered/fiber optic color-changing walls. The result is an energetic and Asian-inspired visual euphoria.
The Grub
Oh, I almost forgot - the food. AsiaSF isn't really the type of place you'd trek to for the food - it's more of a lounge with a glorified menu. Still, the California-Asian fusion food is pretty decent, and since this is supposed to be a restaurant review, I feel obligated to discuss the food.
While most fusion food sounds a lot better than it tastes, the food at Asia SF is good albeit not the best; in general, the tastes are bold, daring, and flavorful. The entrees (anywhere from $8-15) occasionally change and are small enough to order a few and share, which re-emphasizes that this place is a bar with food, not a restaurant.
For nibbling, I'd recommend their Porcupines - these fried faux prickly pillows of bay scallops, shrimp, crispy water chestnuts, rolled in cellophane noodles, served with a plum-soy dipping sauce. They're at their best when they arrive hot, so don't let them sit around too long. Their Asiadilla, a (you guessed it) quesadilla with served with a creamy sun-dried cherry sauce is another interesting option although the jack cheese and peppers overpower the smoked duck.
I've also sampled and recommend their Ahi Burgers (you get two small ground and pan-seared ahi burgers touched with teriyaki sauce, served with a tangy horseradish slaw) and the 'can-I-have-a-bite-of-that' Lemongrass Beef Burger that tasted great but was a little dry.
For something a little more substantial, their Sesame Steak Salad is worth a try - a pile of tossed greens topped with thinly sliced sesame-sauced tenderloin, onions, cherry tomatoes, mint and basil. Asia SF's Sake-Steamed Mussels is also decent - mussles in a spicy red curry broth, served with grilled garlic bread to sop it up with. The mussels were a little rubbery, but the broth was exciting.
Now remember, while the food is decent, it's not the type of place you go to for the food.
AsiaSF also has a bunch of trendy cocktails (each server has a signature drink like Tara's Tarantula (a fortified margarita) or Ginger's Sake Cosmo. The tarty sweetness of Anja's Appletini added a new dimension to all my food. This place also offers a decent wine list.
The desserts are as fun as their "entrees". Their gigantic Banana Beignet is a fancified version of Filipino Turon (a sweet banana wrapped in a thin rice wrapper and deep fried). Served warm, fortified with brandy and coconut ice cream, macadamia nut brittle chunks, and topped with a light chocolate sauce, this dessert is a must. A cuter and somewhat adventurous dessert is the Miniature Ice Cream Cones which features three ice creams and toppings: buko (delicate young coconut) with candied peanuts, ube (taro root) with toasted coconut and good ol' chocolate with sun-dried cherries. Each ice cream cone and its respective topping compliment each other well. They also offer a Key Lime Pie inspired dessert and a chocolate budino/creme brulee type goodness.
The Service and the Show
Hot and saucy Asian drag queens and gender illusionsists wait on your party and break out in a song and dance on the hour. They gyrate and lip synch to everything under the sun - r&b, country, Aretha, Ella, top 40... (Sidenote: there is a difference between a drag queen and a gender illusionist - the former implies flamboyance, a sharp attitude, and too much makeup. Gender illusionists are more subtle; you wouldn't be able to pick them out in a crowd. They keep you guessing, but still have attitude.) AsiaSF, despite the fact they deny having drag queens, have both as waitresses / performers.
I've found that the servers can be pretty moody and range from curt and rushed to lovable and professional. As I mentioned before, some servers/performers are true gender benders - sleek, sophistacated, and shapely and some are a tad gaudy or muscular. This is the only place I know of where people somehow feel obligated to discuss what their servers look like. Still, the show is lively and fun, although after your third or fourth visit, it gets old.
Located South of Market (SoMa) at 9th and Howard. Granted this place isn't as trendy as it used to be, reservations are still hard to make.
www.asiasf.com
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: No
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Best Suited For: Trendy Crowd
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Epinions.com ID:
megugrrrl
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 - Top 500 |
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Location: Oakland
Reviews written: 147
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