A Cheap and Spicy Treat!

When my parents told me they were coming to San Francisco for the weekend, I was stoked. I was obviously happy to spend some quality time with my parents, but I was more excited knowing that we would be dining out all weekend! My parents had spent quite a bit of time in San Francisco long before I moved here, so they know their way around and know some great restaurants. My dad has had clients in San Francisco for more than twenty year and after spending so much time here, has lots of favorite restaurants, especially in the financial district. Although I am not a huge fan of any Asian cuisine, I agreed to step out on my comfort zone and join my parents and a family friend at Henry’s Hunan.

Henry’s Hunan has four San Francisco locations, which are all located in and around the financial district. My family and I dined at the Sacramento Street location in the heart of the financial district, which is obvious because the majority of the customers were middle-aged men in suits. The food at Henry’s runs circles around the décor, but do not let it deter you from enjoying the delicious food, the New Yorker Magazine boldly said it is “the best Chinese restaurant in the world.” Not only does Henry’s offer a huge selection of Chinese cuisine, it is super inexpensive. Our party of four dined for $38 dollars! As for the ambiance: the walls are stark white, it is busy and loud, and the tables and chairs could have easily been ransacked from an old convention center. However, once you get past the lack of décor, Henry’s will have you filled to the brim with fabulous food. The menu has a lot to offer, so it is best to share, that way you can sample a variety of different selections. A few suggestions: Marty’s Special, Kung Pao Beef (very spicy!), dumplings, and Diana’s Special Meat Pie (the most popular menu item).

This place is great; not fancy, but great. It is cheap, the white rice is perfect, and the traditional Chinese tea is delicious and hot. As I said earlier, I am not a big fan of Chinese food, but Henry’s Hunan stepped up—I loved it! Touché.