SF Foodbuzz Food Bloggers Fest – Barracuda (lunch on Thursday)

As you might already know, I visit San Francisco about once a year.  It’s my favorite domestic city (after New York City, of course), and really, it’s my second home.  I seriously feel at home there… which is no easy feat for me.  In any case, among the reasons I love SF is the bento shopping!  One of my favorite places to hit is Daiso in Serramonte Center over in Daly City.  It’s HUGE, it has its own parking lot that is ALWAYS empty, and the goodies are just incredible!!!  (Aside from bento goodies, I stocked up on fingerless gloves – which I adore, a pink raincoat for Keywee (!!!), and a pink scarf/shawl that has gotten a lot of compliments already and suits me very well while being cheap enough that I don’t care if I mess it up.  The fingerless gloves were $1.50-2 a pop, the raincoat $4, and the shawl/scarf?  Also $4.  Come on!!!  How can you not love this store?) 

Anyway, after my flight and checking into the hotel, getting showered and ready to face the day, I went shopping but then realized I was kind of hungry.  Not sure I could wait until dinner, I peered around Serramonte Center and noticed that way over on the other side of the huge parking lot were a few restaurants.  All chain places, but hell, I just needed a bite to calm my crying tummy. 

Though I’m extremely wary of chain Japanese places, the other places didn’t exactly beckon to me.  Plus Barracuda had a sign that said “Happy Hour, half price appetizers” – sold. 

The happy hour menu wasn’t extensive but it wasn’t complete crap, either.  I opted out of the $2 sake because I was driving. 

I started off with the rock & roll without asking what was in it.  Lucky for me, it was eel and avocado, which I like.  The roll was standard, not particularly interesting or awful.  I could have stopped there but with such inexpensive dishes, I felt stupid just ordering one. 

The kara-age or Japanese fried chicken was fried properly, but lacked flavor.  A little bit of salt sprinkled on top would have been nice, or seasoned dredge instead of whatever they used.  The lemon was nice but I needed something to balance the acidity from that… so I wound up dipping most of the chicken in the sauce of my next dish.  (Yes, I ordered 3 dishes and subsequently went out for dinner shortly after… hehe)

My last dish was yakitori.  The menu didn’t say what kind, but I wasn’t surprised when chicken came out.  I was surprised, however, that it was literally drowning in a sweet soy sauce glaze-ish type of sauce.  This dish was alright but really, way too much sauce. 

Yvo says: With a very generous tip, the above came out to $14.  Not bad for so many dishes, right?  The food wasn’t amazing or wonderful, but the price is right and it filled the need to get food in my belly before I passed out.  I’d probably go back if I was at Daiso and REALLY needed food again.  (Which has happened in the past… lol) 
better than expected, not bad