Pink Zebra

I know the restaurant itself has closed, but Pink Zebra has been partnering with Namu Gaji every so often. I was very lucky to see that he was going to be at the Ferry Building’s farmer’s market on Thursday.
I had the Ramen Carbonara, which was ramen noodles made with carbonara sauce — so good! Definitely suggest in trying the food wherever you can!
Protip: look at their website!

I pray to the food and my taste bud gods that this place resurfaces somewhere. Good, so so good. Expensive, but my pallet won the stomach v. wallet battle royale.

We came with a friend to this hidden gem within the Tao Yin Restaurant called Pink Zebra. Very hidden — only knew about through word of mouth and eventually their website. Had to try it!
Our shared items among 3 included:
–Clams and Lamb: lamb chorizo, winter squash, miso dashi, kombu butter, black garlic shoyu, pickled shallot
–Pink Chawan Mushi: beet dashi, anago, scallop, uni, citrus zest
–Trout a la Plancha: peas, carrot, beech mushrooms, in white wine and dashi with trout chicharrones
–Negi Monster
–Tsukune
–Five Spice Chicken Confit: leg riette, cauliflower two ways, sunchoke,
hibiscus-​pickled mustard seeds
–Panama cotta
–Big Snow Saké — Takenotsuyu BTL
Right away, I must say I liked every single item. If you’re asking for favorites, though, I would highly rate the Clams & Lamb because I love their lamb chorizo, hits the spot. Their Pink Chawan Mushi was also exquisite and delicious. Do try as much as you can family-​style here — you’ll benefit greatly!
Our Big Snow Saké complimented the dishes well, I might add, as it did the friendly conversation.
I’d never been to Tao Yin before, but purely for Pink Zebra’s selections, I was impressed. I do wish we had gotten Omakase, despite such good dishes. Needed a reservation for that, though. When they pop up soon within Namu Gaji, perhaps there will be another chance.

This restaurant within a restaurant was a memorable experience. It is a pop up inside the Tao Yin restaurant so the décor is not really its own but don’t let that stop you from checking it out. Pink Zebra earns its five stars purely on its food. Yea, it’s that good! The service was good, the décor is nice, but the food was OUTSTANDING!
We started dinner off with the popcorn and pig ears and it was quite a savory start, but I didn’t mind. I picked out the crispy pig ears and ate them on their own. The next dish that came out was the lamb and clams. A new twist on surf and turf. The curry or broth, I don’t really know what it was, at the bottom of the bowl was so rich. I used the bread, shamelessly, to sop it up and when I ran out of bread I resorted to the popcorn. The gaminess of the lamb was absent but it was not missed. Next up was the polenta and bacon dish with the poached egg. I was not surprised by the deliciousness of this dish. Creamy polenta, perfectly poached egg, and bacon. Perfectly executed.
Overall, I was left impressed with the eclectic dishes and left incredibly satisfied. I was also very appreciative that the restaurant was not super dimly lit or blasting early 00’s hip hop music. That’s my type of music, but I feel that it’s more of a trend than anything because it doesn’t in with every single restaurant vibe. Make a plan to check out Pink Zebra

Omakase dinner, food was good, the chef was really nice and knew what he was doing. Interesting concept they follow here more than other places is pre-​marinating the fish, which some people may find more interesting than we did. Worth trying for sure, but not sure we’d come back. Also, given the hype on Unilocal,you’d think every seating would be packed, but it was completely empty (and not quite transitioned to the Japanese restaurant yet.3 restaurants operate out of the one spot – a Chinese place, a Japanese place and Pink Zebra.). We had taken the 530pm «seating» but were the only two people at the sushi bar until we were about to leave. So to try, get a group together (if you don’t care about the surrounding ambience of other people enjoying their food), and take an early seating. For the same/​similar bracket of money, felt like we’ve had better omakase elsewhere.

Every time I or a friend go here we have a great time and eat well. Its also much less expensive than $$$$ — look at the menu.
The food is delicious and special — the beef tongue is incredible tender, the hurricane popcorn (which is soaked in fish and mixed with spiced and fried pig ears) is delicious and fun, the katsu was likewise awesome (its layers of pork and gruyère cheese). Recently he added a pea toast with tartine bread to the menu which is fantastic. And if that sounds like the whole menu, it’s because I’ve tried and loved almost everything there (have I mentioned the trout chicharrones?).
Besides the food I wanted to mention how kind and warm the staff and chef are here. I have many food allergies so the first time I went I called in advance to talk to them. When I got there the chef came out of the kitchen and went through the menu with me, figuring out what I could eat and what he could adapt if I wanted to try it.

4.5 Stars — Izakaya menu only review
FOOD:
Hurricane Popcorn & Pig Ears — This sounded strange, but I got hooked from the first bite. Popcorn was a great medium to deliver the umami flavors. The fresh lime juice was icing on top. A must try.
Chicken & Green Onion Yakitori — All the yakitori options sounded good so we went with our server’s favorite. The chicken was juicy, simple, and cooked to tender perfection.
Giant Pea Toast — Tartine and Benton ham?! Hell yes please. The balsamic was perfect to cut through all the rich buttery goodness. Pink Zebra’s toast was worthy of the Tartine bread medium.
Clams & Lambs — And it just got even better. This was the first time I’ve had lamb with my clams. Genius combo. The lamb chorizo melded with the clam juice to create this awesome savory and umami loaded broth (hello kombu butter). The dish came with a couple pieces of Tartine bread. Obviously we had to get more to soak up every last drop. One of the most satisfying dishes I’ve had this year.
The food was awesome and lived up to expectations. I would prefer this over Mission Chinese (overhyped and meh) any day. I wish I tried the omakase as well — next time!
SERVICE & AMBIANCE:
The dining experience is food-​centered, with minimal focus on the ambiance. The décor is typical of a casual Chinese restaurant — simple and sparse. Lighting has a subtle pink cast. Vibe is divey and similar to Mission Chinese. Service is friendly and casual as well.
Other notes:
— We made reservations far in advance for Saturday dinner, but it was a fairly slow night. Reservations don’t seem essential unless you want the omakase (sushi counter seats five).
— Pink Zebra is easy to find if you look for the Tao Yin sign.
— Sake, beer, and wine only.

I hate to write this review, since it may make it harder to get a spot at this small 5 seat gem, but… i cant say enough good about this small pop up. Ryo was awesome, Jesse, super cool, and the experience unparalleled for SF. I’ve had several Omakase meals in NYC and SF, and this was by far the most personal, enjoyable, and just plain fun time i’ve had at a sushi bar. I’d put this one up with Chefs table in brooklyn or Sushi Nakazawa in the village. The sake selection isn’t anything close to those two, but… it didn’t matter. We had a nice $ 60 bottle that took us all the way through the experience, which was fresh, curated, and exceptional.
If you’re looking for a one of a kind experience in SF, this is it. Get it while the pop up is in play.
And… Thanks to our host, server, chef, and DJ Ryo for playing our requested Black Sabbath album during our meal (both sides!). Super cool. Will bring an album for you guys next time we’re there.

We walked through the Mission District looking for Pink Zebra and couldn’t find it.
«It’s supposed to be right here,» I said to Kim, pointing to a Chinese restaurant.
We checked online to see if they closed. Nope. We called their phone number but got a message saying they’d get back to us within two days. What the what?!
«I guess I messed up. Let’s give up and go to that comic shop across the street.»
«Let’s just go inside the Chinese place and ask,» Kim said.
As soon as we walked in, the Greeter recognized confusion on our faces.
«Pink Zebra?» he asked.
«Yeah.»
“Right this way.“
Turns out Pink Zebra is a pop-​up restaurant within this very take-​out looking Chinese place (Tao Yin). Had I done even a smidgen of research, I would have known this. I should have my Foodie license revoked.
My girl and I are always down for a culinary adventure (she more than me, let’s be honest) and this place was off to a good start. We chose the regular menu, but you can also sit at the sushi bar and order the Omakase — which I hear is several hours of special sushi off the dome of Chef Jesse Koide (previously of Mission Chinese).
We started with the Hurricane Popcorn & Pig Ears because how could you not? Buttered popcorn, crispy pig ears, a little lime and a sprinkle of powdered furikake. They should replace all the popcorn in every movie theater with this stuff. Sorry, vegans.
Next up, the less adventurous, but no less delicious, Menchi Katsu. Nicely fried sliced pork with Gruyère, thin and crispy Brussels sprouts, some pickled ginger, a citrus braised endive, and smoked tonkatsu sauce. These are expertly conceived and executed flavors — a far cry from your typical Katsu. The pickled ginger really gave that dish a bright and sweet counterpoint.
If tongue is on the menu, my girl is gonna order it — and here it comes; the most tonguey looking tongue I ever put in my mouth. Well, kinda. A decidedly anatomical yet Tender Beef Tongue served with pear and fennel mostarda, pickled chili with capers, herb salsa, and the most adorable little carrot slivers you ever did see. Probably the ballsiest thing on the menu, next to the spice-​rubbed chicken hearts with pickled pineapple. My mom would never eat at this place.
This menu is full of the kind of playful yet masterful plates foodies dream about. We don’t just want to eat, we want to have fun, we want to make discoveries, maybe even learn a thing or two. And, of course, take a picture of our meal we can share with our friends back home who ultimately hate us for it.

Made dinner reservation for Pink Zebra on a Friday night… surprisingly, it was real easy to make reservation via phone! Driving to that area sucks; however I got lucky with a parking space outside… otherwise, prepare to circle or park far!
I felt that the omakase was a little overpriced. Don’t get me wrong, I had omakase before, and I wouldn’t mind paying over a hundred for it, however those usually consisted of at least toro or Japanese uni of some sort without supplement cost. At Pink Zebra, the Russian uni cost extra and toro was nowhere to be seen or ordered. But it’s okay – the cost can be put to use for them to open their own restaurant later, which I hope would include more variety of exotic fishes.
Since it is a pop-​up, there are no signs anywhere. You can only follow the door number and walk into Tao Yin restaurant and ask – yup, it’s located in the back of Tao Yin! My friends and I were 10mins late, which usually is okay considered restaurant will wait up to 15mins… but I felt bad because the other 2 customers at the omakase counter there did not get served until we arrived.
The chef was super welcoming and nice. He cared very much to explain where the fishes he chose came from and what inspired him in every dish. He also shared sake with us as well as some of the firecracker squid he dried himself. The fishes he served were very fresh and delicious. The rice, however, was a little underwhelming. I understood some were meant to be served warmer, but it was just very bland and under seasoned overall. The small dishes were very creative yet simple. He recommended to order other small dishes after the omakase was done, and so my friends and I ordered a few, which included the hurricane popcorn & pigears, the pink chawanmushi and the kimchee «gyudon». All these small dishes were very innovative; however some were better than the others. The hurricane popcorn & pigears were very cool as the chef explained that it consisted of grinded up fish powder he dried himself as seasoning. The pink chawanmushi was eck… it wasn’t silky and smooth and it lacked flavor. The texture was just weird. The gyudon was just okay – a bit too salty.
I would go back when other fishes were available, but otherwise it was a nice to try experience!

A pop-​up by two longtime SF food friends/​colleagues, with fantastic and lengthy pedigrees (Blowfish, Domo, Mission Chinese) and a unique vision for food and drink.
No, it’s not cheap… but few good things are.

After dining here the other night, I wish I had more praise to sing than I do, but the whole experience was fairly underwhelming, and frankly, disappointing.
RESERVATIONS.
I made ours 2 weeks in advance for the 8:45 pm seating on a Friday night. We made an immense effort to drive up, hunt for parking, and be in the restaurant 5 – 10 minutes before our reservation time, as it was a set seating, and the entire group wouldn’t be able to begin their meal if we weren’t present. Well, we got there as planned, and 4 of the 5 seats at the sushi bar were still full, from the previous seating, so we were asked to wait at one of the nearby tables. No problem, sure, we’re early. Except two of those in the previous seating didn’t leave until 9:25 pm, making us stuck at a table with just beer and water for nearly forty-​five minutes, which made me extremely upset. I actually wanted to walk out several times, but this was supposed to be a special dinner for my boyfriend’s birthday, and he thought we should stay. To be fair, the sushi chef did come out to apologize after about 20+ minutes of waiting, and they started bringing out 2 of the omakase courses around 9:20. I’m not sure how I would’ve handled the situation, but keeping 4 customers in a queue in order to cater to two diners who have already paid their bill and aren’t willing to leave was extremely frustrating.
LOCATION.
I understand that it’s a pop-​up, and obviously that should significantly lower anyone’s expectations about the venue being of a certain caliber, and it wouldn’t be fair to judge Pink Zebra on another restaurant’s look. However, the place was deafeningly loud at all times, with the biggest issue being the music that was blaring through the speakers at all times, making every patron basically shout to be heard. We thought maybe it would be better when seated at the sushi bar, but it was located next to the speakers, making it difficult to hear the sushi chef about 65% of the time. I’m used to an omakase seating being a more quiet, intimate event in which you’re both watching a master at his craft, while listening (in some cases) to his anecdotes. The watching did occur, but it was far too difficult to hear anything.
OMAKASE.
There are 5 seats for each of the 2 omakase seatings they offer, and there were 4 of us total at the 8:45 pm (more like 9:35 pm, really) seating. Our sushi chef was knowledgeable, friendly, interesting, and skilled. I have nothing negative to say against him. The sushi, however, fell short. Only a small handful of the dishes really were memorable (the ‘looks like a poke but is NOT a poke’ bowl, the uni nigiri, and the ebi nigiri are the only ones I can recall). The rest seemed extremely simple, and underwhelming for both the experience and the price point. I have had better omakase at more expensive, and less expensive places, and have never had an issue paying those price points, as I was clearly getting what I was paying for. I did not, unfortunately, feel the same here.
PRICING.
I fully understand that omakase is never going to be your bargain dining option, and that market price can be a vague, terrifying phrase to see on a menu, especially in San Francisco. Per person, omakase ended up being $ 105 a head, which seemed excessively high for what we had received. The kicker especially was that we were charged separately for the uni nigiri that we had all received, seemingly as part of the omakase, but was apparently separately charged. With 3 drinks, 2 orders of omakase, and 18% tip, we walked out $ 300 poorer. Let me be clear — I have no issue paying more for a fine dining experience, but this was not that at all. While the food was good, if I knew to expect that price point, I can confidently say I would’ve gone to somewhere else.

Pink Zebra is a creative, tasty and unique dining experience.
We love Mission Chinese and Pink Zebra lived up to our high expectations. The popcorn with crispy pig ears is one of my favorite dishes. I tried the clams and lambs dish last night which was really tasty and highly recommended.
We’ve never had trouble getting seating, but we usually come fairly late (8:30) on weeknights.
Have not tried the Omakase but I want to soon.

Well… here’s a funny story. It says here on the Unilocal no reservations… but some Unilocalers say they had reservations… ok. So I show up early and try to see if there’s a spot. Friendly host says, yes, you’re early there’s spots. I tell her i’m going to go help my friend park and we enter back in under 15 minutes. The bar is now filled. I get that. Sure.
And so our party of 3 is seated at a table. What’s odd here is there is no sushi options at the tables. I mean zero! None! Not even a single sashimi dish. Totally totally odd. That was disappointing.
So i guess we get the normal menu and our waitress was less than ambivalent. There’s some yakitori, some katsu, and some oddness on the menu. Not that that’s bad but popcorn and pig ear is an oddity (and reported as too piggy). We order a fair sample of the menu we had option on. What we got was ok to very good… which is nice. The grilled chicken hearts were great as was the beef tongue. It was all nice.
The problem here is, nada on the sashimi. Nada on the sushi. I get it… there’s one sushi chef and he can deal with 5 omakase people at a time… but really having one or two dishes to satisfy the sashimi hungry folk regulated to the tables is a no brainer. Hence my 3 star Unilocal «A-​OK».

M makes reservation for Omakase then Whatsapps me several times. «Are you for sure going? They charge me $ 50 to hold the reservation. If you don’t, I need to find someone to go with.» I was reading late at night and forgetting to respond. Thinking back, perhaps not cool to be so uncommitted. Next day, I was clearly lost (did not read the description that it’s within Tan Yin, like Mission Chinese was within Long Shan. Just then M jumped out of Über and walked towards me, hugging me mid way, while pointing the sign behind me.
Things to note:
1. Omakase is served at 5-​people counter. Judging by seating time, it’s two seatings a night.
2. They feed you like you are a dolphin about to perform tricks. One piece of fish at a time to reward your patience and undying devotion.
3. Fish come in a wooden case and are served in a series of 3. In my novice like opinion, the sequence is moving from mildest to the strongest flavor, by act 3 you are definitely getting into the serious fish flavor territory.
4. Best fish is often served last. It climaxed well at the end. Or, at the very least, the most impressive stunt was saved for last. The shining black against silver, the most likely the best saba I have ever had, the Mendocino sea urchin.
5. Like Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare, you are stuck with your companion at the sushi counter for two hours or more, like it or not, it’s a close encounter.
It has been concluded by more than one friends, as of late, I’m the worst kind of misanthrope, for I am a deceptive misanthrope, I act that I like people. People think I like them, but I really don’t feel comfortable around them, it’s not that people are not nice, I appreciate them at a distance, but, I don’t like to dine and chitchat with strangers. This experience brings me back to Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare, a lot.
So here are somethings one must consider:
1. Are you ready for some close encounter action where your fish and your neighbor’s fish are served in unison and you must, bite, chew and appreciate it at the same time while nodding to your neighbors knowingly?
2. Are you ready to discuss the merits of the sushi, your travel experience in Tokyo and your impression of Japan? Answer yes to all three, then please hop on the board of Omakase because you are in the club. If not, think again before booking this very exclusive, high end, experimental, crazy-​concept-​done-​right-​but-​still-​need-​time-​to-​perfect-​craft place.
Fork over $ 100+ per person, and book the 8:45 reservation, you may find me here, once again, back with the crazy, outrageous, brilliantly smart, take-​no-​prison, cocky as ever M, debating about the best Izakaya place in town, whether Singaporeans suffer the lack of self-​identity, what is our respective favorite food to get in Stuttgart, and why New York remains to be the best place on earth. All the while, we will be sipping sake and waiting patiently, longingly, for the next piece of fresher-​than-​ever sushi be placed on our plate.

We started with the popcorn and pig ears as appetizers, then we had the trouts, the gyudon and the clams. Everything was very tasty and well cooked.
I definitely recommend it!

[This review is for the dining room/​regular menu, NOT omakase]
Damn. DAMN. This is some tightly-​engineered, drool-​worthy Japanese food. I’m a huge fan of not only the taste but the presentation, creativity, and laid-​back environment of Pink Zebra itself. Go to Pink Zebra with some adventurous foodie friends and prepare to be both satiated and delighted by the offerings.
FOOD: Japanese home cooking «basics» with a luxurious and modern/​innovative twists. The menu seems pretty fluid and will probably be different depending by the time you’ve mad your res, but yakitori chicken hearts better be at the top of your priorities list here as well as the unbelievably fluffy chawan mushi.
ATMOSPHERE: No need to bust out the ball gowns here. Pink Zebra is actually housed under the banner of another restaurant with a very casual atmosphere and dress code. The service is excellent but will leave you in peace to enjoy your meal. (No constant cloying «SO HOW ARE WE DOING HERE?!»)
Can’t wait to return and see what this innovative kitchen comes up with next!

I wanted to see what all the hype was about so I decided to take my bff visiting from NY to this hip new spot. I thought the place would be packed but it was super quiet for a holiday evening. We were bummed that they wouldn’t serve any sushi at the tables since omakase dining is only available at the 6 person (or so) sushi bar.
So we ordered off the menu and went for things that seemed different. I can only remember 2 things below:
— hurricane popcorn w/​pigs ears: it sounded like it would be really good but it was ok
— crostone — eh it was just ok. kinda weird textures together, sometimes its work and this time I didn’t think it did
All in all it was just ok.

I came here last night and it was absolutely amazing!
It’s an interesting «pop-​up» like restaurant located in a chinese restaurant. It’s very intriguing to see people who come in for either the well-​refined japanese/​mediterranean food of pink zebra or just grabbing some pink up from the chinese restaurant itself.
We had the omakase and sat the bar (5-​seats only). In front of us was our sushi chef, ryo, who is such a pleasure to talk to. He made the 1.5 hours we spent there with him fly!
The fish we were served were all fresh and melt-​in-​your-​seat delicious. In particular, some of my favorites were the ocean trout, sanma, and the uni. The ocean trout was seasoned just perfectly and the sanma was so tender and the taste was so unique! The uni was creamy without too much of a fishiness taste to it. However, all the other fishes were just as amazing and Ryo told us about how each fish was cured or seasoned and the nuances we should look for in each. In addition, we were given some other small dishes such as a sunomono with baby clam, etc. Each dish was carefully planned by Ryo and the entire set was ordered so that by the end, you really didn’t want anything more!
I can’t wait to come back and I look forward to all the unique fishes Ryo presents. I love that he brings in the best of the season, so you know you’re getting special fishes you might not get at another restaurant or season!
I definitely want to come back and try the omakase again and well as some of the a la carte dishes! Can’t wait!

I’ve been taught to NEVER eat sushi on a Sunday. It’s a big no-​no. Then, to eat sushi in a Chinese restaurant? Yah, I’m asking for the Hershey squirts but life is all about taking risks. Plus, that’s where my pink bff comes in handy.
Admittedly, I was skeptical when hearing that the chef from Mission Chinese Food was starting a Japanese pop-​up called Pink Zebra SF in Tao Yin a Chinese restaurant that also serves sushi:
. The same thing can be said when I first tried Mission Chinese Food but look what happened… they became a national sensation:
.
Softly opened on Friday, Pink Zebra SF is open Thursday to Monday from 5:30 to 10:30 pm. There are no reservations so come early as the sushi counter only holds 5 people for omakase. If sushi is not your thing, there’s an izakaya (tapas) menu by Chef Koide. The sushi chef (forgot to ask his name) hails from Domo in Hayes Valley.
If you’re looking for authentic Japanese cuisine, then look elsewhere. You’re in hipster capital for christ sakes. Pink Zebra SF uses traditional Japanese techniques and pairs it with the inventiveness of Californian cuisine for something truly unique. Mmmm, Hurricane Popcorn & Crispy Pig Ears!
Since they’re closed on date nights, we came to Pink Zebra SF last night. I wouldn’t touch sushi from Kome or Moonstar on a Sunday with a 10 foot pole but from a place like this that sources quality fish locally, you will be fine. I was and I have a sensitive stomach.
O M A K A S E ($ 80 pp)
*House Made Tofu:
*“Poke” w/​White Sea Bass, Ocean Trout, Big Eye Tuna:
*Nigiri, Part 1: Aji, White Sea Bass, Ocean Trout, Butter Clam, Marinated Tuna, Butter Clam #2 (?), Big Eye Tuna:
*Nigiri, Part 2: Uni, Masaba, Ikura, Chilled Simmered Sanma (Mackerel Pike), Cured Saba, Uni #2, Tamago:
The house made tofu was a refreshing start. Loved the prominent sesame flavor and bite from the wasabi. The cubes of «poke» were fresh and firm with a tangy crunchiness from the sunomono cucumbers.
For the nigiri portion of the omakase, the fish selection (local and sustainable) was pristinely fresh and topped with housemade sauces (no need for soy). My fav was the butter clam, ocean trout, ikura, and masaba, It was my first time I had butter clam and it was just like a plump oyster as described by the sushi chef. The buttery texture of ocean trout never disappoints. The ikura was wrapped with nori roasted over the fire which added a smoky, nutty dimension. I’m usually not a fan of mackerel but the masaba was firm and lush.
My only gripe was the shari (sushi rice). With more seasoning, it would have heightened each bite.
I Z A K A Y A M E N U (
)
*Hurricane Popcorn & Crispy Pig Ears ($ 6):
*Pork Belly w/​misozuke liquid, daikon ($ 12):
The Hurricane Popcorn & Pig Ears was like Hawaiian crack! It was warm and addictingly good. How can anything with crispy, gelatinous pig ears not be? They need to bag and sell this!
Had we not been SO full, I would have asked for a bowl of the rice to eat with the Pork Belly. It was über tender and the misozuke liquid was liquid gold; full of umami flavor. This is a must order!
Service was friendly and leisurely paced. Expect to spent close to 2 hours for the omakase. Unlike traditional omakases I’ve had where the sushi chef barely speaks and just throws (not literally) nigiri in front of you, the sushi chef here will take the time to explain each selection and preparation.
I’ve never eaten at Tao Yin but have passed by numerous times. Their revamp of the space has turned it from dreary to Asian mystique with red lantern balls and tastefully sexy boudoir pictures in their back dining area. Since they are sharing a space with Tao Yin, it may be hard to get a table once word gets out, unless you come early.
Parking is a biatch in the area but the 21^st and Bartlett garage is just a block away.
Kanpai!