city vs. south bay

as much as i would theoretically like to live in the city, i pretty much think EVERYTHING up there is more expensive. the food, the parking, the living, the whole 9 yards. but, shockingly enough, i have found there are some things that are waaaaay more expensive in the south bay, and that would be chinese bakery treats.

sun maxim bakery on clement is where hide and i like to go. for $1.50, you can get 3 cha siu baos, 3 dumplings of your choice, or the biggest loh mai gai (sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves) you have ever put your face into.

i woke up with a craving for gai mai bao (cocktail buns) yesterday and so i made hide take me to the one place i knew sold such things in this area outside of marina or ranch 99 (which is really called 99 ranch, did you know?) -- hong kong bakery on castro.

i almost DIED. $2.90 for 3 dumplings, 1.65 for ONE cha siu bao ... you get the idea. it was at least twice, if not three times as expensive as my place in the city. barring gas costs, i had half a mind to jet up there (or ask jaz and m to do so for me) to produce some much needed chinese dirtiness at a fraction of the cost.

two things going for hkb: 1) we saw the hobart in the back. mind, it was all crusty and icky, but it was a hobart! they make their own food for reals. and 2) they made these deep fried spicy beef onion curry buns that hide and the carlsons will vouch for. fry, when done well, will almost always get you some extra points. so maybe they are almost breaking even.