The Bay Areas Chefs Lounge

The Bay Area's Chefs Lounge is a causal, social and networking club of food professionals and foodies, who gather the first Monday of every month in a different location. The group was started in 2007 by Todd Spanier, CEO of The King of Mushrooms, a wholesale mushroom company in South San Francisco. The monthly event is hosted by a restaurant, bar or food business of a member and will often serve light snacks.  Attendees bring food pot-luck style, but it's not just any food after all, it's their peers that will eating it.  Sometimes a winery will offer a tasting too.  The 2-3 hour event is filled with lots of industry talk, and you might even find that new line cook that you have been searching for.

This months location was in San Francisco at The Ramp Restaurant

Chef Neils Marquis amazing Saffron Rice and Chicken Kabobs

Chef Todd Spanier's Hot  and Cheesy Black Chantrelles 

The King of Mushrooms, Todd Spanier

Local Lamb Prosciutto

Saiwaii Ramen Noodles

Spicy Garlic Tonkotsu

Tonkotsu Pork Flavor with Kikurage

Custom Made Butterfish and Unagi Roll

On a recent cold and rainy weekend I wanted a big bowl of steaming hot noodles. Most of the time I frequent a Pho restaurant on Clement Street in San Francisco, but I had another soup idea this time. Japanese Ramen soup is becoming very popular now and lots of restaurants are popping up everywhere. I visited one of San Francisco's Asian neighborhoods on Irving Street right off of 19th avenue; this is where Saiwaii restaurant is located. A somewhat small space but with comfortable seating. This restaurant specializes in Ramen noodles with many popular variations and a list of optional additions like pork belly, egg and seaweed. There is also a big sushi list as well as a menu of classic hot Japanese entrees like tempura or pork Katsu. I expected good food but was blindsided by how good it was, complex and refined with amazing flavor and textures. It's my new favorite restaurant and with decent prices too.


Saiwaii Ramen
2240 Irving Street
San Francisco, CA
94122
415.665.7888