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 located in the Valencia Street Corridor is the French-Vietnamese Restaurant TAO CAFE. For a few years, it sat there on most nights empty, and I could never understand this. This is not you're typical hole in the wall restaurant that you find in the tenderloin, but has class written all over it. Just looking from the outside, beautiful hand crafted vases sit in the window which right away gives you the feeling that this is a restaurant that was designed by someone that wanted this to be a place that was personal to their own tastes. Once you walk in you will find smaller wooden tables with bamboo chairs for parties of 2-4. In the back are larger tables. The place seats about 60. Small hand painted portraits and scenes of French Viet Nam adorn the white walls. But the atmosphere the one thing that will draw you back after you're first visit. It's quite, it's cozy, and it is a restaurant that you go to for a sense of intimacy.

APPETIZER
**Imperial Rolls Deep fried & crunchy, choose from 2 kinds: Shrimp or Vegetarian
7.5 for six 5.5 for four
Tao Calamari Salad Grilled spicy Calamari on bed of black eye peas 8.5
Swinging Crab Cake Crispy in wonton wraps spicy aioli 9.5 for six 7 for four
**Saigon Salad, Nuoc Cham fish sauce dressing with fresh daikon, jicama & celery.
Pick the regular poached Shrimp & Pork, or the Vegetarian with candied almonds 6.5
**Summer-To-Spring Rolls 3 choices of rice paper-thin wrapped rolls:
Classic Shrimp & Pork, Spicy ginger Beef or Vegetarian Tofu & Shiitake 7.5
**Street-Side Salad, soy dressing with crunchy Green Papaya
Pick the original candied Beef or the Vegetarian with crunchy Tofu 6.5
**Tao Rice Crepe (Turmeric-Coconut-flavored) served with lettuce & mint for do-it-yourself rolls
Pick one of 2 kinds: Shrimp & Chicken or Shiitake & Tofu 8.5
MAIN
Rice or Noodle as side-dish is recommended with these main dishes
Beefsteak a la Vietnamese Spicy New York cut, onion & red bell pepper sauce, salad 13.5
Sweet-Mekong-Bass Pan-seared, lemongrass-coconut-curry sauce, plantain banana 13
Ginger-Chicken Pan-roasted, ginger sauce, sautéed of zucchini 11.5
Green-Pepper Pork Pan Roasted Pork chop, green pepper cream sauce, roasted root veggies 11.5
Tao Grilled Lamb In medallions, cumin-flavored, smothered grilled eggplant 13.5
Saigon-Paris Leg of Duck Oven slow-roasted “Confit”, peppercorn sauce, steamed veggies 12
Lemon-O-Salmon Pan-seared preserved lemon sauce, soy bean 13.5
CLAY POT
Piping-Hot-Bass Braised & caramelized with hot pepper in clay pot, steamed vegetables 12.5
**Tao Ratatouille Spicy zucchini, eggplant, bell pepper with your choice of Chicken or Tofu 11.5
Square-Dancing-Prawns Braised in clay pot with soy bean, tamarind glaze 13.5
Vegetarian eaters please follow the stars**
We are glad to guide your choice for a gluten-free meal
NOODLE
Noodles-for-the-Queen Shrimp, Chicken & Calamari w/ vegetables over crunchy egg noodles 13.5
Bourguignon a la Vietnamese 5-spice stew of beef with carrots, rice noodle & vegetables 10.5
No-Broth-Noodle-Soup A bowl of egg noodle, vegetables & Shrimp Crisp with your choice of Roasted Pork Or Roasted chicken breast 10.5
Saigon-Hanoi “Bun” (pronounced Boon) A bowl of warm salad with lettuce, mint & rice vermicelli and choice of Sauteed of Minced Beef Or Grilled Pork tender loin 10
Chef’s Yam Noodles Sauteed of Chicken with mixed vegetables & soft Yam noodles 11
SOUP
**Red-Passion Soup Sweet, Sour & Spicy tomato base broth w/ tofu & choice of Fish, Shrimp Or Veggie 9
Pot-au-feu Viet People’s hearty Beef soup Pho with many spices & rice noodle 9
Our-Mom’s-Healthy Chicken Soup Shiitake mushroom, broccoli & glass noodle 9.5
With-Broth-Noodle-Soup Pick the noodles (egg or rice), then pick the roasted meat (Chicken or Pork), the soup is served with Shrimp crisp, vegetables & hearty chicken broth 10.5
VEGETARIAN CORNER
Chef’s Tofu Steak Pan-fried “steak” of Tofu lemongrass fish sauce, roasted root vegetables 11
Buddha’s Favorite Soy-ginger steamed soft Tofu, shiitake mushroom, glass & crunchy egg noodles 10.5
Around-Midnight-Craving Sauteed of Tofu with lemongrass over mixed vegetables 9.5
Monk’s-Gourmet Soft Tofu, plantain banana, broccoli & cashew nut coconut curry sauce w/ rice noodle 11
SIDE
Grilled eggplant coconut sauce Spicy Garlic Mixed vegetables Roasted root vegetables Sautéed of zucchini & Shiitake mushroom 4.5 each
Plain rice Coconut sticky rice French tomato rice with almond Black wild rice Garlic egg noodle
1.5 per serving
PRIX FIXE $15.5 Monday thru Thursday only
Combo Salad & Crispy Imperial Rolls (2 pieces), choose between Shrimp or Vegetarian
Pick a dish from NOODLE, SOUP or VEGETARIAN CORNER (add $3 for Queen’s dish)
Lychee ice cream with Ginger Confit Or Lime Mango Sorbet with Strawberry Granite
Our Food is truly Vietnamese with French Cooking techniques
Think of our trays of hors-d’oeuvres for private parties.
Catering & Cooking Lessons are available. Please send inquiries online @ www.taocafe.com.
18% of Gratuity is added for parties of 6 or more

As you can see the price range is moderate, but the menu is pure French Vietnamese.

Now I was saying how the Tao Cafe stood empty for a few years. Well, that is changing. Most nights the place is 3/4 full, and on many night it is full. But it still has maintained its intimacy and charm. A great place for that first date, or to take you're family from out of town.

Location: 1000 Guerrero St. corner of 22nd. St. hours: Mon-Sun-5:30pm-10:30 pm. They take reservations, but can just walk in. Phone: 415-641-9955.

You can visit their website by clicking on the image.