Eric's Chinese Restaurant in Noe Valley, SF

The food was good and without a doubt this was the cleanest most efficiently run restaurant I've been in, well, perhaps, ever.

Eric's Restaurant

From the outside the tall paned windows were so sparkling clean I could see the bright white tablecloths draping the tables and thought it might be an expensive bistro.

A peek at the menu in the window and I realized it was a Chinese restaurant (that specializes in Hunan and Mandarin cuisine) with very moderately priced food! Pleased to have stumbled upon it I stepped inside. I was immediately greeted, and asked for a table for one. Menus are already on each table which expedites the seating process.

As I settled in I enjoyed the decor. With welcoming yellow walls, a beautifully carved, wooden dividing screen, and fresh orchids creating a sense of elegance, the restaurant ambience was much more upscale than one would expect given the price of the food.

A pot of tea and glass of water with a fresh lemon slice was at my table within moments.

I ordered the Asparagus with Black Bean Sauce ($7.50).

And a side of perfectly cooked, short grain, brown rice ($1.65). I wish more restaurants would offer short grain brown rice. As a whole grain It's a far healthier choice than the more widely available enriched white rice.

As I dined the restaurant quickly filled with lunchtime diners. And the waitstaff continued with outstanding service. They would spot whenever my water glass reached the halfway point and would come back to refill it immediately. I will definitely go back to Eric's again. They had a Szechwan Green Bean dish on the lunch specials I'd like to try.

Another nice touch. My check came with not just a fortune cookie but two glisteningly fresh orange wedges. Speaking of the check, the moment I folded my napkin and placed it on the table the check arrived.

So, not only was the food good, the service was so attentive it was impeccable. Percentage wise it was the largest tip I've left at a restaurant in a very long time. Thank you to Eric's for such an enjoyable dining experience.

Eric's Restaurant
1500 Church Street (at 27th)
San Francisco, CA 94131
415-282-0919