HIDDEN GEMS

BBQ Pork Bao aka pork bun or Butanikuman in Kobe, Japan: I am always on a search for good Pork Bao which are so easily found at any dim sum (Yamcha) joint in Chinatown, the Sunset or the Richmond distrticts in San Fran. Likewise, in Japan you have to go to China town to get the sweet kind. Don't be fooled by 551 Horai's or any convenie's nikuman- they are salty. Only the anman are sweet. The pizzaman are interesting in a fast food kinda way, but for the real deal, get yourself to kobe's chinatown and ask for "amai butanikuman."

Bun Thit Noung, San Francisco- Can you tell I am a pork eatin' yid? The best Bun (Vietnamese Vermicelli) to be had thus far (including in VietNam) is from Yummy Yummy 1015 Irving Street, (between 11th and 12th avenues), San Francisco. It's well, yummy.

Plastics- New York, NY- One bit of advice for you son- "Plastics." Canal Plastics on Canal street is plastic fantastic.