Eliza's

1457 18th Street

Tel: 415-648-9999

Jane and Ping Sung share visions and temperament that go far beyond what I have come to expect from a Chinese restaurant, and their visions are broad, vivid and lush, like great impressionist landscapes.

I first encountered their intoxicating charm at Eliza's on Oak Street near the Civic Center about six years ago, and was captivated by the stylish and colorful interior of that first restaurant named in honor of their daughter Eliza. The decor is a warm jolt, familiar and inviting, gorgeous Asian antiques mixed freely with contemporary, vividly colored blown glass. It's a sensuous and rich feel, and matches perfectly Ping's subtle and vibrant cooking. I think the reason I'm drawn to their establishment is the feeling I get when I visit their place; I really do feel like I'm going out to dinner, that I'm going to be entertained by an entertainers concept of sharing his or her deepest feelings with invited guests. That's a feeling I always seek when I go out for a meal, a complete experience with the people who own and operate the establishment I'm a guest of.

Several years ago, Ping and Jane found the location at 18th Street on Potrero Hill, and created another venue to present their charm and Ping's delicious food. Hand blown, bright glass objects and impressionist style art co-mingle with quality oriental pieces, white linen table service and colorful, whimsical light fixtures come together in a way Pat Kuleto schemes to achieve. The feel is simple, elegant and sophisticated, and after a typical wait of about 30 minutes Jane will take you to your table and offer suggestions not to be taken lightly. All ingredients are top quality and as fresh as possible, the condiments, china and serving pieces elegant and miles above what you're probably used to finding in a Chinese Restaurant. They serve beer and wine, but there's little depth to either list. The magic lies in the food that you'll soon be served. I've yet to have an inferior meal at either location.

I don't usually know what it is I'm actually eating in Chinese restaurants, but I can discern different meats, poultry and seafood here, the vegetables are superior and cooked to order, and to my taste, they serve the best potstickers in the City. The menu reads like many other Chinese restaurants, but that's where the similarities end. There are also a number of items not on the menu which Jane will usually be glad to order for you, and if you have the time, and the kitchen isn't backed up, try her suggestions, they're always excellent. Service can be a drawback here, so if you're reasonable, ask Jane to guide you herself through the menu, and you'll wind up having your order delivered by her and whatever staff are near the kitchen as the food becomes ready to serve.

My personal favorites here are the sizzling rice soup, it's a terrific presentation and filled with chicken breast slices, scallops, shrimp, mushrooms, peas and water chestnuts in an intense stock-like broth, rice added at the table to crisp and crackle. I mentioned their potstickers above, they're cooked crisp to perfection on one side in a clean, fresh oil, filled with a heavenly mixture and crisp, fresh vegetables and meats or shellfish. Their lemon chicken isn't the traditional gelatinous glob of citrus flavored syrup flecked with Foster Farms carcasses, it's a clean, pure lemon sauce complementing good chicken breast meat. I very much like their Mongolian Beef, Szechuan beef, and my favorite, the sunflower beef, thin slices of good beef gently immersed in a rich brown sauce with enoki mushrooms. Superior to other treatments I've had in the City are each of their preparations of shellfish, whole fish, pork and poultry. I've also enjoyed excellent salads pointing to the fusion school so rabidly popular these days, but somehow quite acceptable here, especially the julienne root vegetable salad in a simple sesame dressing.

Desserts are neglected here, but good ice cream is available.

This is a destination restaurant with excellent food and ambience, with charming and genial owner/hosts, and far more compelling reasons to pay a visit than any other Chinese restaurant I know of in San Francisco.

Stu Smith

Comments and suggestions to Stusmith97@aol.com

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