Knee Deep in the Rivers of Rage

August 31, 2005.
It's hot today. Rare for SF. So Big Jay Rendon suggested we go to Chef Jia's, at 925 Kearny St (between Jackson & Columbus).
I was skeptical, asking "is this still technically Chinatown?"
It is, though. The southern edge of it, in fact.
Ted Bluey Joined us, and thank God he did.
The menu begins with a chest-thumping from Chef Jia himself. I like that.

This place is right next door to the famous House of Nanking. According to Jay, CHef Jia used to work there, but got into a bitter dispute with HON's owner. So what did Chef Jia do? He opened a restaurant right next door. Touche.
Alas, Chef Jia's is nowhere near as popular as HON, but having dined at both, I must say that Chef Jia's is superior.
Jay did all the ordering, because he grew up in San Francisco.

We had: Chicken in Tsingtao Beer Sauce
Prawns in Peanut Butter Sauce
and, the champion, Honey Chili Eggplant. A stoner-ific meld of sweet, spicy, crunchy, soft and tangy. Dude. The other stuff was good, too. The atmosphere was clean, with gaily painted walls. Almost like a taqueria. But in Chinatown. Fortunately the wall art was random and none of the plates matched, thus proving it wasn't a chain. And as you can see, Chef Jia doesn't keep his boasting to the menu, but it spills out onto the walls, generously slathering us patrons in his glory, as if were prawns in the penaut butter sauce of his ego. Delicious, savory ego.