The Hard Knox Cafe in San Francisco, California: A Restaurant Review

Soul food is traditionally the cuisine of the southern states of America and particularly centers on African American culture. So it might be a little odd to find a highly regarded soul food diner owned and operated by a Vietnamese couple, but don't let that throw you off the track, as this is one of the finest soul food restaurants to be found in the Bay Area.

I'm sure you'll expect fried chicken, barbeque ribs, and pork chops, and they do all these up decently, at about ten to twelve dollars per plate, which include sides and cornbread. Some of the more unconventional menu items are the ones worth exploring if you make the trip, however. Oxtail is a dish you don't see served in many restaurants, and I wouldn't wish preparing it on anyone, which is probably why it costs $15 per plate here. The way they do it up here is very tender and delicious, though, and it's one of those rare restaurant dishes I doubt I could manage to replicate somehow, so the expense doesn't seem like such a big deal. Catfish is to be expected on the menu in any joint billing itself as a soul food place, and you have your choice of it blackened or fried for $13 here. A more uncommon fish to try, however, is fried Red Snapper, which is actually a mild white fish that tastes great with some seasoning and/or something to dunk it in. The entree menu also includes smothered pork chops, smothered chicken, country fried steak, Cajun meatloaf and turkey wings. My personal favorite here is the Cajun meatloaf but just about everything is worth trying; the fried chicken is decent, but really outclassed by the caliber of many of the other dishes, which you shouldn't skip in favor of it.

If you want something a little simpler and less expensive, there's also a full menu of sandwiches. The basic hamburger is $6, the cheeseburger $6.50 and a bacon cheeseburger $7.50. Nothing wrong with any of these, but with all the unique and flavorful alternate options on the menu, these will probably be used only for placating finicky kids who come along. More interesting in the sandwich realm are the catfish and shrimp Po-boys, Louisiana hot link sandwiches, a pretty good cheese steak and chicken Philly, and a roasted pork loin sandwich. Side salads available are Cajun Shrimp, Garden and Chicken Salad.

The price is moderate, maybe a touch high on some items, but most of the menu is quality enough to justify it, and the portions are pretty generous. I'd be surprised if you don't leave satisfied.