Lunch Spots for SF Professionals

Let’s Do Lunch ! Well as we embark on this mission to seek out enjoyable cuisine for all, I am going to start with a restaurant that I encountered after walking past it for months. Mid of last year, I went on a diet to minimize the amount of bad fat that I absorb so that I could reduce cholesterol. (See Harvard Study) And while I know that eating right can be good… We all know that “FAT” taste good, I love french fries, fried everything for that matter, pastries, chocolate and more. And as we will explore all types of cuisine, I will try to identify those menu items that can provide us with the healthy alternatives to cooking it ourselves. When you really look closely at restaurant food, you will see that taste and repeat business is priority over healthiness… So with that, I stopped by Hayes & Kebab to see how healthy of a lunch I could buy there. Three months after visiting there 2 times a week, I dropped 50 of the bad cholesterol points. H & K’s kebabs were just one of a handful of items I had eaten over that time period. I’ll share the other restaurants and items a we go along. And for those of you who don’t have a health concern, do understand that I want to have a good meal EVERYTIME possible. I generally eat a small breakfast and 1 or 2 good meals every day. I am not happy if I have a bad meal ever. Growing up in the Bay Area has developed this sense in me to eat well whenever I eat.

Hayes & Kebab is a brief walk from the Civic Center Bart Station just inside Hayes Valley. It is basic Middle Eastern Cuisine with my favorite meal there being the chicken shish kebab. Occasionally, I also order the grilled vegetables which are usually grilled mushrooms, zucchini and sometimes sliced tomatoes. It also comes with fresh salad, a piece of a wonderful type of flatbread and yogurt sauce that I use to dip my bread. The bread always seems as though it is freshly baked.I generally have water to enjoy my meal but they do offer wine, beer great coffee and Numi Tea. The restaurant is very cozy on cold days which today was and yet on hot days it always feels comfortable inside, and, if you like the sun, you can sit outside and enjoy the passers by. The staff is very friendly and although my shish kebab cost $10.95, and the Salmon Kebab, which is a little less filling, is $12.95, and may be considered a little pricey, I love it. Emin Tekin and his brother are owners of the Restaurant and at least one (if not both) of them seems to always be there. I met Emin when I first went there about a year ago and he has always been there to ensure I was happy with my meal.

Another valued satisfying meal that many people opt for is one of the Wraps: Chicken, Lamb & Beef, Vege and a few others that range between $6.50 and $6.95. You might also try one of the salads with added chicken or beef. I had the house salad with chicken and noticed that while it was good, it was the fattier and tastier part of the chicken whereas the chicken shish kebab was much leaner(healthier). The service here is good, you order at the front desk and they deliver to your table via a number they give you. Water and ice are on the side and self serve. If they are not busy, a waiter will get it for you if you ask. They will give you extra bread if you are just loving it- but you will have to ask for it. It gets busy around noon but if you get there by 11:50 you should not have a line. If you are unhappy with anything, the graceful owner is on site to assist.

Enjoy !