Northern Vietnamese turmeric crepe refined with luxury — sturgeon caviar sits on top, providing a salty, briny burst. The pancake itself is crispy and loaded with shrimp. The interplay between the earthy turmeric, creamy interior, crispy exterior, and salty caviar creates multiple layers of flavor and texture. This is the dish that defines Bodega SF's approach to tradition with modern touches.
Tips from diners
Order this as a starter — it's visually impressive and tastes genuinely interesting. The caviar isn't just for show.
The cocktail program here is serious. This signature drink uses pandan leaf extract, a key ingredient in Vietnamese desserts. The result is floral, slightly sweet, and distinctive. It's a way to taste Vietnam in cocktail form.
Tips from diners
Ask the bartender about the pandan cocktail — it's not on every menu but it's signature here and genuinely inventive.
A Northern Vietnamese classic prepared with the same attention as other dishes. Grilled pork balls are charred and juicy, paired with vermicelli and a light dipping sauce. Fresh herbs and lettuce wrap come alongside.
Tips from diners
Wrap the pork balls in fresh lettuce with herbs and dip. This is how it's meant to be eaten.
Part of the chef's tasting menu. The entire fish is fried until the skin crackles and the flesh inside stays delicate. It comes with fresh seasonal vegetables and sauce. Reviewers describe the execution as precise — crispy outside, tender inside, nothing wasted.
Tips from diners
This comes as part of the tasting menu, but you can also order à la carte. It's an impressive main course — the whole fish presentation is striking.
Bodega SF opened in 2022 at 138 Mason Street, evolved from Bodega Bistro which Matthew Ho's family operated from 2003-2017. The kitchen focuses on authentic Northern Vietnamese dishes refined with unexpected twists. The chef's tasting menu runs eight courses at $90 per person, and the cocktail program incorporates Vietnamese ingredients like pandan and calamansi. It sits at the edge of the Tenderloin and Lower Nob Hill, in a neighborhood reclaiming its culinary identity.
The eight-course tasting menu at $90 per person is the way to go if you want the full story. It changes seasonally.
This is a small restaurant and fills up on weekends. Make a reservation in advance.
The space is intimate and the service is attentive without being stuffy. Good for romantic dinners.
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