I suggest just dropping DH off at the door then find parking, then the reverse for the return home.

I will be looking for parking in the neighborhood myself. I seem to get lucky even if it means a couple of blocks walk. It is mainly a business neighborhood so much of the parking frees up after the workday is over.

thereyet

cat, if you want to go to the Red and white fleet, just continue on Embarcadero till you pass Pier thirty nine. There is a parking lot just past the Pier 39 on the right. I believe this is where the ferry is for the cruise.

If I am wrong, some one is sure to correct me.

thereyet

HELLO FODORITES!
This is my first posting though I’ve been learning a lot from your helpful travel tips for our last few trips. Yesterday we were in the city for a tennis double tournament and we decided to have a quick bite afterwards. I quickly suggested Henry Hunan as I had been reading about it on this thread and will not be able to join the GTG next week. Since you all have been kind and generous with your travel tips, I thought I should share our experience as a preview to those who’s never been there. Warning: it’s good & bad, but hopefully my report will help you avoid the bad.
OUR BACKGROUND:
We eat in San Francisco two to three times a month but mostly French, Italian or Japanese, we hardly eat Chinese in the city because we absolutely don’t know where to go. Our AA dining mileage once led us to a large but charming restaurant inside Chinatown called Four Seasons which was enjoyable. Before that, we did eat at a great chinese restaurant on Geary called Ton Kiang about 10-15 years ago, but it’s no longer there. From time to time, we do eat chinese food in the suburbs around San Francisco. .
THE PARKING
We couldn’t find any street parking within 2 blocks from the restaurant so we decided to pay the $10 parking flat fee at the very convenient public parking that was practically next door to the restaurant.
THE PLACE:
As we entered the restaurant, I could understand why you all picked this place: there is an empty bar with square dining tables upfront and an empty private dining room for 45 people all the way in the back while the main dining hall is spacious and empty. Any of those two private areas would be perfect for a big group. However, we weren’t impressed by the black grouted grey tiled flooring or the black grime covered red carpet islands where the tables were grouped together. On the wall, we saw colorful glowing neon lights spelling Chinatown and Tsing Tao beer along with framed pictures of the various food dishes that they serve. We were worried about getting a table without reservation, but it turned out that there were only 11 diners in the main dining hall with about 30 something formica tables at 7pm. The owner took our order and the bus boy slash waiter efficiently brought the food to our table.
THE APPETIZER:
We were so hungry that we instantly devoured the much recommended Diana’s meatpie which came to our table within 5 minutes after we ordered. It’s really a large crispy sandwich of two thin pancakes filled with some sticky taco meat filler with subtle chinese indian herbs and julienned greens. We were glad that we took the lady owner’s advice on her ‘must try’ appetizer recommendation, it was simply delicious!
THE MAIN COURSE:
It took about 10 minutes for our “must try” smoked ham with string beans to come to our table. Much to our disappointment, the string beans appeared limp,overcooked and oily, I’m talking about dripping sticky oily. What we were not prepared for was the taste. There was a strange diesel petrol smell in this particular dish. We all gave up on that dish and hoped to God that our second ‘must try’ dish, would be better. Well the Hunan velvet chicken gave out the same diesel smell, so we concluded that it must have come from the oil, maybe they accidentally spilled something. I’m sure they won’t be using the same oil next week when you all get there. We reached for the hot tea to cut the nauseating smell and oily taste before we paid and left the restaurant. We all agreed that the best food we had was the bowl of steamrice beside the meatpie appetizer.

LOL, how very nice of you to post Midpeninsular especially since this is your ONE AND ONLY post on Fodor's under your new screen name.

I was wondering when you would chime in to make a comment or two about our GTG.

What an odd post. Oh well.

Paula, now that Mr. Kat is likely not going, I think I amy fly up I can still get Jet Blue for a decent price, and as I will now onnly stay one night, its a wash cost wise. Are you flying out of San Diego? There is a light that will get me to Oak around 12:20. Could we meet up and take the Bart together?

Lovely post MP. I do agree the Diana's meat pie is great. Did you try it with their peanut sauce? That is really the way to have it.

cat, I will miss meeting Mr. cat, but you will be sooo much more refreshed for having flown. See above for BART directions from Oakland to SF.

ty

Hi cat! I am glad to see that you are flying instead of driving. That is a long drive especially since you will be on your own. We sure look forward to seeing you again!

Yeah cat, now you will have time for some shopping...for shoes! :)

thereyet

Gosh, who WAS that, LoveItaly?

I sure wish I could be there. Looking forward to the report.

Hello ncounty, I wish you could be with us also! It will be a fun evening. Regarding your question, I don't wish to answer it here dear one.

ncounty, there ares still seats left on my flight. COme on! You can do it!!!

I am so excited, and while I will love for you all to meet Mr. Kat, he is doing the right thing, as it is his twins' b-day Friday night.

And thereyet, I am sorry to say, after bringing two pairs of boots back from Paris, I must swear off any shoe stores. (We won't be near that Cole Haan store anyways, right?)

Lovie, you are so cute. I really wouldn't have minded the drive. Sometimes driving is the only time I get to myself! But this will be easier, and I can get back in time for DD's soccer game on Saturday now.

See you all very soon!

I AM going to try to make it as well. There are decent fares on United; I just have to check my work schedule that morning and see if I am already booked or not. Faina- please put me on the maybe list for now, :).

Oh ncounty, if you can that would be wonderful! Will you bring your son? I always love reading about him he sounds so delightful.

Cat, no shoe shopping for me either. I do understand about driving and having time alone..I use to feel that way also, lol. Turn on the music and just GO.

Chuckling, LoveItaly, my son is a quiet hoot....did you ever read the restaurant review he wrote that I posted? I sent it to the restaurant (which has been listed as Fodor's top ten in the world!) and the owner finally saw my son's comments and I was notified that they want him to come in for a VIP experience.

Unfortunately, he will be in school that day and won't be with me....but that will free me up to live it up in SF! I am working hard on trying to make it, :).

Yes ncounty, I sure do remember your son's restaurant review!

I wasn't thinking..of course he has school on Friday. Well please tell him one of these days I would love to meet him.

ncounty, I hope you and everyone else on the "maybe" list can come. I don't get out to SF very often so I want to meet as many Fodorites as possible. :-)

I am sooo looking forward to meeting you guys....I promise, if I am not booked to work that day, I'll be there.

OK - its time to fish or cut bait. :) I've been trying to work out a complicated situation involving Tahoe, Sacramento and SF this week and next. Kept thinking I could do it all - but the details are still up in the air.

Sooooo - move me from the "maybe" list to "probably not". :( Things could still change tho'.

If I'm not at Incline Friday night, I'll try to stop by the restaurant - don't count me for dinner. I can just drop in and schmooze and watch you all eat. If I am up at Incline - I'll be toasting y'all w/ free margaritas at the Hacienda :D

midpeninsula,
ton kiang is still there on geary. it is my favourite place for dim sum.
my only regret is that i don't eat there often enough.

Dang it janisj, I wanted to personally thank you for whacking me upside the head a couple of times when planning that London/Spain trip. :D

thereyet