My Kitchen My Table

Dinner at Eric's

It had been several years since I had last dined at Eric’s restaurant in Noe Valley. I used to be a frequent visitor both for dining in and take out. When we go for Asian food it’s usually a negotiation, I prefer Thai or Vietnamese and Paul’s preference is Chinese. When Paul wins the negotiation we often go to Eliza’s in Potrero Hill, a relative of Eric’s. Recently Paul saw a stellar review for Eric’s so we thought we’d mix it up and head to Noe!

We arrived at 6:40 and our timing couldn’t have been better, a car was leaving a spot across the street and we were seated without having to wait – just before the rush.

Eric’s is located on the corner so while the room is small and tables close the floor to ceiling windows on two sides coupled with bright white and yellow walls make for a fresh and light interior. We sat against a wall that had a shelf full of thriving orchids and several awards from the likes of CitySearch, SF Bay Guardian, and Zagat…

So far we were impressed and with stomachs grumbling looking forward to placing our order. Paul leaned across the table and suggested we have a couple of Tsingtao’s while perusing the menu and before we knew it, they arrived at our table. The service was quick and intuitive.

We started with vegetarian spring rolls that were full of tofu, carrots, celery, sprouts and a few other veggies. They were served straight from the fryer – piping hot and crispy-crunchy. We had a hard time deciding what else to order – we were hungry and so many things sounded good. We ended up selecting 3 entrées to share and figured that whatever we didn’t eat would be good for lunch.

The first entrée that came out was the Sesame Beef. Thinly sliced beef was braised in Szechwan sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds. Served on a bed of thin crispy cellophane noodles this dish was simple, had a bit of heat and rich flavor. Next up was Hunan Lamb. Slices of spring leg of lamb were stir fried with leeks, red bell pepper, and garlic. The lamb was tender and the sauce a pleasing combination of sweet and spicy. Our final entrée was Eric’s Chow Mein. I must explain that Chow Mein is a fave of Paul’s and a required order when we eat Chinese food. He likes Eliza’s so there was a high standard to live up to. Eric’s excelled. It was served streaming hot with large chunks of chicken and generous amounts of asparagus, zucchini, and snow peas atop thick chow mein noodles.

After his first bite, Paul exclaimed “Eric’s gets an A!” Not a surprise for a restaurant that has been going strong for 17 years and has spawned off shoots such as Eliza’s and Alice’s! By the time we left an hour and a quarter later, the line was out the door and the restaurant buzzing. The next time Paul wins the where to have Asian food negotiation, we’ll be back!

Eric’s Restaurant
1500 Church Street @ 26th
415.282.0919

Sassi Stars
Every Day Eating
Paul gives Eric’s 3.875 Sassi Stars

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