Although we usually fancy ourselves seasonal eaters, we feel there is really no one marked season for chicken wings ($7.50 for 12 pieces) at San Tung in the Inner Sunset. It's juicy, tasty, and filling eating any time of the year. There is other food at San Tung, but it's really all about the chicken.
Evidence Item A? The crazy four hundred pounds a week they go through. That's five eighty pound boxes for you, food and beverage cost analysis types.
San Tung's fried chicken can be ordered dry or wet, diced or wings. Our current fave is the dry wings, but like Married with Dinner, we also alternate between the dry and wet fried preparations. Mix it up a little, so to speak. We prefer the wings rather than wimping out and going for the diced version. It's a personal preference, for sure.
Photo from jamesyu.org.
SFist Mary, contributing.
The advantage of eating the wings with the bones? There's more flavor because the meat is cooked and served on the bone. Yes, this means there is more effort and mess, but the taste rewards offer ample tantalization. We gnaw every last bit of chicken, gristle, and skin off the bone.
Watch out for hot saucy goodness at San Tung that will surely thrill the heat seeking types. Ask your server for a mild version if you are averse to fiery foods. Their addictive spicy sauce and batter are made with garlic, ginger and roasted red Sichuan peppers. You can even munch on the peppers like we did, but do so only if you have a high Scoville scale internally. The results are a sweet, oily and hot glaze for clean and fresh tasting juicy chicken. Obviously not the healthiest of meals but we strongly recommend that any calorie counting should be checked at the door at San Tung.
San Tung
1031 Irving Street, between 11th & 12th Avenues
San Francisco, CA 94122
T: 415-242-0828 or 0837
Open 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Closed Wednesdays.
Reservations accepted. Otherwise, there are almost always long waits for a table, so be prepared.
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thanks for the link! :)
Best Chinese food in the city. I used to live a block away; since I moved from there, I've lost five pounds. And yes, the wings are bomb, and the hot-n-sour soup is super-fine.
Good to know....I'm almost embarassed to say that I live right around the corner from this place and yet have never gone in. Which is ridiculous since there's always a line (usually meaning it's a good place) but I got so used to ordering delivery from Melisa's I let myself get into a rut. Today, that changes....
Thanks for the info, never tried that stylie of wings before!
Anita & Cameron: you're welcome. Thanks for letting us know San Tung takes reservations.
Seamus: I don't live close by which may be a good thing. I have gained at least five pounds since discovering San Tung.
N Judah Chronicles & The Master: get thee to San Tung, stat! You'll be happy you did.