When friends visit, it’s always a great opportunity to try out new restaurants that have been on your list. When I had a friend visiting from Santa Barbara, and she wanted to try an interesting place, I immediately suggested China Live. She seemed eager to go, so we headed over there to give it a try.
You can tell the venue is really new when you walk in. It’s very spacious. They also have a couple of different places to eat on the ground floor. We ate at the market restaurant, but there is also a smaller cafe in the front when you walk in. They also have a lovely market inside as well, with a selection of food, cook books, cookware and other knick-knacks for your house. (And if you eat there, they give you a discount at the shop!)
My friend was running late, so I ordered a drink while I was waiting. My drink was nice (and sadly I can’t remember it, and I don’t think it’s on the current menu), but it was a bit too sweet for me, as I’m usually not a fan of sweet cocktails, but it was nice. After my friend arrived, she ordered a non-alcoholic soft drink, which I thought was really tasty.
We browsed the menu looking for some food to share. (I’m extremely glad I know people who love to share.) She was intrigued by the Firecracker Chicken on the menu, but it turns out to not be spicy despite the name, so we decided to get a bunch of smaller plates to share. We ordered the char siu crunch buns, the barbeque duck, pork lotus buns, pork bao and Sichuan dumplings. Many of which were suggested by our amazing server including the duck.
First out were the buns. While I’m usually used to steamed buns, these were baked and prepared with a crunchy “pineapple” topping. (I learned all about pineapple buns in London from a friend, who informed me that they are only called that because the topping looks like pineapple, but there is no actual pineapple in the bun.) I really liked them, perhaps more than steamed buns as the topping added a nice crunch and sweetness to the bun.
Next up were the Sichuan dumplings and the bao. (I also learned about the difference between bao and dumplings in London thanks to the same friend mentioned above, as bao are very similar to dumplings, but the dough is thicker.) Both of these were also really great, with a nice chili sauce on the Sichuan dumplings, and the bao were really well cooked with a juicy center and a very crispy bottom. They were probably some of the best I’ve had. (I seriously thought I’d come back here for more when said friend came to visit, but alas, we didn’t manage to make it work.)
Finally, the pork buns and the barbeque duck arrived. The buns were served in the “bao” style I was familiar with in London, where the buns were folded over and stuffed. The pork belly was really soft and delicious, and the peanut sauce in them really added a nice level of flavor. The duck was served in some sesame crackers, and sadly, they were our least favorite dish. My friend really wasn’t a fan, so I graciously offered to give her the last bun and I would have the duck. You have to be nice to your visitors, right?
Sadly, none of the desserts sounded that exciting to me, so I decided we should go get egg custard tarts from the nearby Golden Gate Bakery (and if you haven’t read about my opinion of the tarts from there, you can read about it here). But we did wander through the shop to see if there was any interesting stuff for her to get as gifts (and I’m pretty sure she found something).
I really like the restaurant at China Live, and I’m sure I’ll be back to try it again. They’ve also opened up a fine dining restaurant that I’m really excited to give a try, but that may have to wait until next year. It’s a great, modern venue with some really tasty Chinese food. The service was fantastic, as our server was very attentive the entire meal. If you’re in the area, it’s definitely worth a trip to check it out!
Food: ★★★★☆
Service: ★★★★☆
Atmosphere: ★★★★☆
Value: ★★★☆☆
Overall: ★★★★☆
China Live
644 Broadway
San Francisco, CA 94133
