…everywhere else but home it seems.
It’s funny. I think I’m more in tune with dining in places I visit (Tokyo, Singapore) than where I live (San Francisco).
San Francisco has lots of overpriced, “good” food. It also has a lot of mediocre and overpriced food. Why is it overpriced? A lot of it is the hipster factor, but a lot more of it is the stupid laws that restaurants have to comply with. Let’s start with the “living wage” and the city health insurance. Now add in the regulatory requirements (no formula retail) and the cost of outrageous rent. It’s amazing we have places to eat at all.
Because of these factors, the affordable gem, the fantastic hole in the wall or the latest trend skips San Francisco entirely. Ever wonder why there’s no Din Tai Fung (opening in San Jose) or Ippudo (opening in Berzerkley) in San Francisco?
And if I want to have xiaolongbao or Hakata style ramen, I have to visit Tokyo or Singapore. Which works, I guess.
