knights07: How fun can Chinese food be?

This fun. The name of the place is Jai Yun Restaurant, 923 Pacific Avenue (415) 981-7438 in SF. Eric and Felice got wind of it from a friend writing a book about the best Chinese restaurants (on each continent? something big and exotic like that.)
Anyway, the recommendation was a good one. The meals are fixed price and the chef prepares whatever is fresh. So we had 8 appetizers -- small, each very different. The one pictured here was pickled cucumbers.

Then I think we had about 5 other dishes. No rice. No filler. Just small amounts of very fresh vegetables, some fish, some beef, some tofu dishes. They don't serve beer or wine, so Eric brought a bottle of red. (At another table, a party of 7 brought their own wine, their own wine glasses, and a big wine decanter. Serious business.)
The restaurant seats only 32, requires reservations, has clean but wrinkled tablecloths. The toilet paper is stored over the doorway entrance, a soft-drink frig sits in the dining room. Relaxed, no pretensions. Very hole-in-the-wall.

Here's two of about six "menu scan" web site blurbs:

"When Chinatown cooks crave mainland cuisine, they go to Jai Yun, where chef Chia Ji Nei runs a one-man show..." (SfChron 2003)

"...His 32-seat place is an oasis of refined cuisine. Each of his plates is stamped with pure flavors, classic approach and impeccable technique..." (SFChron 2002)

I'm no specialist in Chinese food, except to say that ALL of it in Alaska stinks. For those in the know, check out their menu here.

So when next you are in SF, maybe try this place?