Betelnut Pejiu WuGreat food, energetic atmoshphere,Great food, energetic atmoshphere, and good drinks!6/11/2013 12:00:00 AMInspired flavors, impeccable servicWe had the kanpachi, the Kumamoto oysters, the chili crab, the beggar's chicken, the fish head curry (WOW), the green beans, the black pepper shrimp, the wild boar noodles, the Thai coffee ice cream and espresso granita, the fried banana fritters with salted caramel sauce, the raspberry sorbet and the tapioca pudding with red bean. Each dish was a delight, with flavors that were inspired by and rooted in their host culture but given their own delicious embellishment by Chef Ong.
Our server was very attentive, accommodating and helpful, as were all the staff that served us that night.
Our foodie friends were suitably impressed. We are definitely coming back for more. Especially for that fish head curry.6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMGood meal but didnt check us inWe eat at Betelnut frequently and enjoy the consistenly good food. The new menu items that survived the brief name change are generally very good. My only complaint is that the hostess didn't check us with Open Table even though we had reservation.6/6/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious green beans!I finally had an opportunity to dine here with a friend. We started off with a drink at the bar. The bartenders were friendly and served us promptly. Although the bar is pretty small, the ambiance was lively around us since there were also some smaller tables behind the bar.
We asked the waiter how many dishes we should get. He recommended 2 dishes per person so we picked 4 items off the menu. He was right! We ordered 4 items and it was perfect for us. This place has some of the best stir-fried green beans I have ever eaten! Definitely order those!
Great service, but they started clearing the things off our table after we had paid, even our water glasses. I guess that was a hint to get going...5/31/2013 12:00:00 AMpleasant dinning experienceloved the oysters topped with the granite type chilli sauce.
The green papaya salad was delectable, the seasoning was just right.
The laksa was tasty although I would prefer it a bit hotter, nevertheless I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The service was courteous and efficient. The wine list has a nice variety of good wines.
I will definitely repeat the experience and fully recommend the restaurant.5/30/2013 12:00:00 AMTerrific foodThis was our first visit to Betelnut and we throughly enjoyed the experience.
The Food was excellent, but too many choices actually. We will need to go
again.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat blend of flavorsEverything was cooked, seasoned and sized perfectly. Service was friendly, prompt and attentive. The smell upon entering draws you in and makes you anticipate the delights to come.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMNever fails to pleaseMy husband and i have been going to Betelnut for at least years. The food is still amazing. And the service excellent. The small plates style serving is great for us as we like to try lots of diferent dishes. You reslly cant go wrong!5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMExplosion of Flavor!Not from SF, friend suggested we try Betelnut. SO happy he did. Wednesday night and the place was hoppin'. Service was prompt and super friendly, very helpful in making good choices. Brilliant Sake list, we ended up with an amazing bottle of the best Sake I've ever had. We had 5 different dishes from apps to noodles and everything in between. Brilliant flavors, from subtle and succulent salmon skewers to bursting beef noodles. I cannot speak highly enough about the flavors and the food. Prices were a bit high for the portions, but . . . whatever. No legit complaints.5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMNew MenuI looove betelnut - not sure about the new menu as some of my favourites are missing - but just an opportunity to try new things....... Service and speed still fabulous. I will keep on coming back.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMInnovative gourmet AsianThis place is awesome. Friendly service, great decor, impeccable. But the food is the real draw. Gourmet Asian in small, but not too small, portions, a great selection for everyone's tastebuds. Really enjoyed it, and will come back again. Easy parking on a great walking/shopping street so the whole experience is upbeat, upscale but not uptight.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat PlaceTwo people that lived in SF had recommended this restaurant, so we took the chance and went despite the recent changes and we were blown away! The food and drink selection was unbelievable (get the glazed short ribs and !!). Our waiter seemed to be a bit slow, but was very nice and even called my cell when I left my credit card. If I ever get back to the Bay Area, I'll definitely be back.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMthe sashimi was great as wellthe sashimi was great as well as the kale salad, skewers and cauliflower. good for large party at lunch!4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMTapas, Chinese-StyleGreat authentic Chinese tapas-style restaurant. Especially liked the Squid Kabobs.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMSmall plates for sharing -Small plates for sharing - 6 was more than enough for 2 people. Kale salad, fried chicken livers, and spareribs were excellent. Squid skewers and noodles with boar were very good also. Chicken wings were fine, not terribly interesting though. Decent beer selection. Service was very attentive and informative.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMVery good and I would return.Very good and I would return. Michael Bauer's review in yesterday's Comical was less than stellar, but don't let that stop you from visiting and enjoying.4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMSplendid as always!Chef Alex Ong made a wise decision to make Hutong's portions tapa style. This allows you to load up on all of the delicious and unique dishes, without the guilt ;) Perfecto!4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMAlex Ong is THE MASTER creator!Alex Ong is THE MASTER creator! Love this restaurant and all 16 dishes we ate during our "feast" was pure heaven:
Appetizers awesome- squid skewers, oysters siracha, ora king salmon skewers, hutong chicken wings, lamb belly
Entrees- citrus brined niman ranch pork loin, oxtail hot pot, black iron steak, braised short ribs, arugula salad, green beans, Stone Pot Noodles, Fried Rice
Dessert- Fried Banana and the Coffee Ice Cream Granita
WOW! YOU MUST GO!4/8/2013 12:00:00 AMFirst visit to Hutong sinceFirst visit to Hutong since the change. We've seen the negative reviews but we found the food to be creative with exciting flavors and good portions for the money. Congratulations. Kale salad, mushroom skewers, chicken skewers, and flatiron steak. Four dishes and drinks for under $60. We'll tell our friends and we will be back often.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was outstanding asThe food was outstanding as was the service. The waiter spent time to explain the menu items and the best way to order. Each dish exceptional as was the experience.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMBetter than...Very delicious and interesting food. We were dining with a world renown chef and food writer/educator. He said, "this is better than the Slanted Door" where we had eaten the night before. I won't go back to Slanted Door, but I will recommend Hutong and I would eat there again. Also, the signature Thai Basil Gimlet is my new favorite drink. Happy Juice! Kampachi was exquisite. Chicken livers an indulgent delight. Wild boar egg noodles were a big hit.4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMI've been to Betelnut manyI've been to Betelnut many times before and always thought it was hit or miss. Hutong was much better. We were able to get a reservation for 9 without much problem. The small plate style and drinks were a great combo and end up being very reasonably priced. $40 a person, pretty good for a boozy dinner.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMWe liked Betelnut, but thisWe liked Betelnut, but this seems to be just a step up. The drinks were very good, the food good. I was restricted by food allergies, but still managed to put together a nice selection of dishes.3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMFood was very good, servedFood was very good, served in tapas style that allowed for sharing and trying many different selections. Would absolutely make a point to dine there again on my next visit to San Francisco.3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent restaurant thoughExcellent restaurant though a bit heavy on using salt!!!3/21/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was delicious andThe food was delicious and the service wonderful. We had a totally enjoyable evening and will be going back for sure.3/15/2013 12:00:00 AMSmall Plates and MoreI am very excited about Alex Ong's new place Hutong- it had some great small plates and was very tasty and authentic. I hear they are going to be packed the next few days so make a reservation on open table in advance if you plan to go! I was glad Alex kept the coffee granita dessert on the menu and I hear the begging chicken is coming back too!3/13/2013 12:00:00 AMImpressive openingImpressive opening night, I hope they can keep it up if and when the crowds come in. Dishes--pretty much all small plates--were all tasty and fun and reasonably priced, service was attentive and helpful, and updated venue rocked. Minor quibbles, they have to improve the shrimp chips that come with the tombo, and the semi-circular booth seating is too tight and intimate, unless one is on a date, of course3/11/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways Love It!We've been to Betelnut for what seems like a thousand times. Always good. Even really liked the meal we had when it was Hutong. The one thing that always stands out is the service. Incredibly as many times as we've been we have always had exceptional service. Whether we're in a hurry or just want to take our time the service is always on point - and really friendly. Have yet to have even a slightly bad experience.3/3/2013 12:00:00 AMVery good food, would neverVery good food, would never have found this place if not recommeded. A bit tough to get the server's attention, but the food more than made up for it.2/26/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent but a little rushedOverall, very good as usual. Two distractions: waitress checked in too many times and food orders (all for sharing among group) were brought too rapidly versus being spaced.1/20/2013 12:00:00 AMWent to Hutong on Monday andWent to Hutong on Monday and I loved it. The small plates were perfect to try a bunch of different things. Must try: the oysters (they put a spicy ice on top of each one), the chicken livers, the oxtail and any of the raw dishes. Loved it all. Excellent desert: best coffee ice cream with shaved espresso on top. The ambiance hasn't changed much at all, but its fun being able to try a bunch of different dishes, all very creative and delicious.1/1/0001 4:00:00 PM