The Hidden Chinatown of San Francisco

A while back, I lamented the death of Washington Bakery and Restaurant , but the spot was too good to stay unoccupied, and in August, the place reopened as the flagship location of Hon's Wun Tun House, which previously occupied a smaller store 648 Kearny. Now, the new location is "Soft Opening", but it is serving a full menu, more than just wonton and noodle soup. In fact, when I went in over the weekend, there was a waiting list!  I ordered beef stew with wonton noodle soup, and it's pretty good. The portion is a bit less than the equivalent priced bowl of pho in restaurants a block away (Golden Star, Golden King, etc.) but it is pretty good. Nothing really bad to stay about it other than the wait.  Give it a try at least. 

If you came to Chinatown, you probably walked or drove past Portsmouth Square many times. But this "square" predates the statehood itself, and has a history far beyond "where you park for Chinatown".  Google Maps of Portsmouth Square 2022 courtesy Google, USGS, Maxar, Airbus, et al The town square that will become Portsmouth square was set aside in 1833 by the Mexican community who had won their independence from Spain. At the time, the area was called "Yerba Buena" (lit: Good Herb). In 1835, it was officially designated "Grand Plaza", but it was an empty gesture, as there were no residents until William A Richardson and his family (Richardson married Maria Antonia Martinez, the daughter of the commander at the Presidio, Ygnacio Martinez, who controls the local Mexican army fort) moved to the area just west of the plaza, in late 1835, in an attempt to map and settle the area. He was soon joined by Jacob Leese (known to the Mexicans as Don Jacobo ...