Address: 1335 Fulton St. b/t Broderick and Divisadero, Western Addition/NOPA, SF
Phone Number: (415) 673-7078
Cuisine: Tacos and desserts
Dining Partner: Bub
When I heard about Kung Fu Tacos, I knew that I had to try it soon. C’mon, Asian tacos! It’s like the best of both worlds here! What I really liked is that they collab’ed with CandyBar and did a Happy Hour event. Tacos and dessert, can’t beat that.
When I saw the bright yellow truck in front of CandyBar, I got real wound up. This visit was at the peak of Street Food Madness. Everyone and their mommas wanted a piece of this craze…I admit, I was one of them. I would check my Twitter to see who was out that night. Luckily for me, we didn’t have to go deep into the Mission for street fare. Happy hour was just about 10 minutes from work…
And boy, did I need an hour to be happy.
Blueberry Compote, Candied Parsnip, Calamansi Sorbet
So we did things backwards and had dessert first. This is my second time at CandyBar, but my first time since the change of chefs. You can see my first visit here. Whenever I see white chocolate, I pant like a dog with a steak in front of it. I was hesitant to order it since I am not too fond of blueberries, but I knew Bub would like them, so I got it. Let me tell you about the toppings first. The calamansi sorbet was tangy and exactly what I thought it would taste like. It reminded me so much of the Philippines. I wasn’t too fond of the candied parsnips…they were tough. The blueberries surprised me a lot. They also had a nice tang which went really well with the rich white chocolate mousse.
The mousse was lovelyyyy…I took tiny spoonfuls and savored every bite just to prolong its life. Honestly, I didn’t need any of the blueberries or sorbet, this was perfect the way it was. However, I do understand what they were trying to accomplish. The toppings were sour which was a nice contrast to the mousse’s fattiness. I think it would have been even better with strawberries (of course). Overall, good dessert.
Wu Shu Char Sui
Glazed BBQ Pork Dressed with a Secret Sriracha Sauce
and Topped with Mango Salsa and Green Papaya
Roast Duck
Seasoned Duck Served with Hoisin Sauce and
Topped with Mango Salsa and Green Onion
Bub and I had a Char Shui taco each while I had the duck one to myself. The roasted pork was even a bit sweet with the glaze it had on it. The roasted duck was my favorite. I love duck - especially that gorgeous brown skin. Actually I would have to say that these tacos were my favorite because of the balance of the rich meats and the freshness of the mango salsa. They were a bit spicy, but that’s how I like ‘em!
Asian Asada
Seasoned Strips of Steak, Garnished with Cilantro and
Onion and Finished with Homemade Spicy Asian Salsa
On this plate, you will see a chicken taco on the left side of the picture, which I will touch upon in a sec. The asada were a bit underwhelming. They kind of tasted like adobo because I have a feel they marinated their steak in a soy mixture. After eating the roasted duck taco, these seemed a bit boring. I mean, they were good, but they didn’t impress me as much as the duck did.
Mu Shu Veggies
Tender Mushrooms Combined with Carrots, Onions,
and Cabbage Stir-Fried in a Rich Garlic Sauce
Nun Chuk Chicken
Grilled Chicken Marinated in a Garlic Ginger Sauce,
Garnished with Cilantro, Onion, and Topped off
with Homemade Spicy Asian Salsa
On this plate you will see another chicken taco and two of the veggie tacos. The Nun Chuk taco was probably my least favorite. A bit monotonous since it had the same exact toppings at the asada tacos. If you can’t eat red meat, go ahead and try these, but among the two poultry tacos, get the duck. The duck and char siu are considered “specialty” tacos and do cost a bit more, FYI. Now…the veggie. They were awesome! Full-flavored and robust. The mushrooms were pleasant with their bouncy texture. Bub said these were his favorite? WHAT?! Yes, it’s true. He raved about the veggie taco for a long time. That says a lot about this taco since Bub is such a meat eater.
Kung Fu Tacos were awesome! Bub and I missed them so much a couple of weeks later and hunted them down in the Financial District for lunch one afternoon. If you are in the FidI by any chance, as of today, January 6, 2009, they should still be at their location on Montgomery and Sacramento, next to the old Jeanty at Jack’s space. As always, check their Twitter to see where they are because they are not out there all the time. If you cannot make it to the Financial District, head over to the Western Addition for Happy Hour starting at 6 in the evening! I can go on and on about Kung Fu. The guys who made the tacos and brought them to us are so nice and charming, as well. Loved the whole experience!
I cannot stop thinking about that duck taco. I have to have two of them in one sitting. They are so good. Rich duck meat topped with a tangy-sweet mango salsa and garnished with verdant cilantro - which is my favorite herb. Talk about perfection! I can’t wait to have another duck taco!
