Super Mall Find

This evening, I met up with a very good friend from the East Bay who is leaving town soon. We tend to meet in the middle which often puts us at the San Francisco Centre at the food court. Last time we met up, we tried out Out the Door, one of the Slanted Door family of restaurants, which (of course) was delicious and an undeniable treat. This time, we made our way to "the Restaurants Under the Dome," and found the gem that is The Straits.

I won't lie, I'm not a fan of fine dining in any kind of mall setting. I'm not really a fan of malls in general... so many people, so many bright lights, so many things I can't afford to buy... But, I must admit that San Francisco Centre has worked it out! Even though most of their dining establishments are small chains, they offer good food and ambiance that doesn't make me think I'm sitting in a mall. No Elephant Bar here, friends!

Out the Door probably doesn't need to even be described. They've got contemporary Vietnamese cuisine down. It's probably a pretty sure thing that whatever is ordered will tantalize the taste buds. My friend and I started our meal there with the Imperial rolls, fried rolled goodness shoved with exotic mushrooms, shrimp and pork. I decided on the Chicken Clay Pot that smacked of ginger and cilantro and had a mild kick to it and a fruit bubble drink. My friend ordered the spicy Lemongrass Chicken which was equally delightful. I like Out the Door doubly because they use organic and sustainable products when possible.

Tonight, we walked up to the fourth floor and peeked our heads into The Straits, a Singaporean restaurant and lounge. They told us about their super-fabulous happy hour which boasted $4.95 small plates and $3.00 beers, in the bar. The bar is nicely set up with small low tables for as many as four people (squeezed tight). We ordered up some Singapore Soda and Kirin, and roti prata (yummy flat bread), samosas, and calamari. The best part was the variety of sauces: yellow curry, chili-garlic, and kafir lime aioli. We sat under a likeness of Buddha and dipped to our hearts content.