Ginny Kolmar: Mayflower Restaurant
One cold recent evening we found ourselves in the Outer Richmond District and decided a fine Chinese seafood restaurant would suit us for dinner. Mayflower is just such a restaurant and we were not disappointed.
Walking through the front door, we are confronted by an aquarium running down a short wall. It's on two levels, holding all manner of fish and seafood. We saw giant geoducks (huge clams), white, King and Bay Area crabs, fresh lobsters, catfish and rock cod, shrimp and more. White walls and a high ceiling, dark wood trim, maroon carpeting and white tablecloths with pale pink napkins give a feeling of elegance. Dining chairs are padded with maroon fabric; two golden chandeliers with lovely crystal drops add to the feeling of luxury. There are even chopstick/spoon rests on each table.
If you desire a cocktail, beer or wine, a full bar is available. Service is somewhat peremptory, but the food arrives hot and more than makes up for it.
Complimentary jasmine tea and marinated vegetables are given when diners are first seated. Next time we will take a large party so more can be sampled. Since this was spur-of-the-moment and only involved two of us, we ordered only one dish each. Then, as an afterthought, we spotted our favorite appetizer on the large menu, Minced Squab with Lettuce ($11) and promptly called our waitress back.
This, for the uninformed, is the most delicious dish, consisting of minced squab, combined with tiny bits of water chestnut and spices, cooked and served with a small dish of plum sauce and lettuce leaves. We are used to large leaves, but here they are quite small and hard to roll.
One places a small amount of the plum sauce on the leaf, then a dollop of the squab mixture and rolls the leaf up like a burrito. The blended taste of cold lettuce with room temperature sauce and hot squab mixture is indescribably delicious!
Our entrees consisted of Sauteed Clams in Black Bean Sauce, a most reasonable $8 and Crabmeat Sauteed with Egg Whites, $15. Both are excellent choices. The clams were perfectly cooked in their shells and the mixture of flavors were just right.
Not mentioned in the menu, the crabmeat dish also contains bean sprouts and all is on a small bed of crispy rice noodles. I was delighted with the different textures and mild flavors of the dish, a nice contrast with the clams. We also had a side order of steamed rice - $2 for 2 of us. It should be stated we brought fully half the crab dish and some of the rice and a few clams home with us for dinner the next night!
Lunch specials, somewhat mundane, are available for $7, $6.50 and $6. The higher priced list features Soup of the Day, BBQ Spare Ribs, Sauteed Seafood in Black Bean Sauce, Yang Chow Fried Rice and dessert.
For $6, you get soup, Fried Won Tons, Chicken with Vegetables, fried rice and dessert.
Dim Sum is also served at lunch every day.
On the a la carte menu, 17 appetizers are listed, from $6 for Egg Rolls to $23 for a whole Peking Duck. Eleven soups go from $7 for either Won Ton or Hot and Sour to $9 for a large number, including Dried Scallop with Bamboo Shoots, Soup of the Day or Fish Maw Soup with Crabmeat.
The Shark's Fin and Abalone list has 10 items, from Braised Sea Cucumber with Shrimp Roe or Black Mushroom and Tender Greens, $13 to a high of Braised Whole Abalone with Oyster Sauce, seasonal price. There are also Pork and Beef entrees, most for $8.50. They include Spare Ribs, Peking Style or with Spicy Salt (hot); Steamed Minced Pork with Salted Fish; Sauteed Shredded Beef with Green Onion or with Dried Scallops & Pine Nuts or w/Preserved Vegetables in Crispy Nest.
Ten poultry dishes are also tempting. Whole Roasted Chicken is $18 (half for $9); Most expensive is a whole Sauteed Squab Fillet w/Fungus & Tender Greens, $16. The bulk of dishes are $8.50, including Sauteed Diced Chicken with Cashew Nuts, Chicken with Hot Pepper and Kung Pao Chicken (hot).
If Clay Pot dishes are your preference, find eight of them here, from $8 to $9.50 each and 12 Vegetables and Tofu plus 12 Noodles & Rice listings appear, from $7.50 to $11 each.
Only three desserts are on the menu: a dessert of the day, fresh fruit pudding or coconut pudding.
With few elegant and moderately-priced Chinese restaurants in the district, this will become our favorite spot for family and friends, particularly those from outside the city and state.
Mayflower Restaurant
255 Geary Blvd. (at 27th Avenue)
Phone: 387-8338
Full Bar; wheelchairs; Visa/MC/cash
Hours: 7 days/week
Lunch: Mon-Fri: 11 a.m. 2:30 p.m. Dinner: 5 p.m. 10:30 p.m.; Sat, Sun, Holidays: Lunch: 10 a.m. 2 p.m. Dinner: 5 p.m. 10:30 p.m.Food to go; catering
Atmosphere: ****
Service: **
Food: ****
Price: **
Overall: ***