Monday, February 09, 2015

Wonder Cafe indeed

Me and MC were cruising South Sac for a place to eat after midnight and coming up short. The places that used to be open really late (Cuidad Neza., various Pho spots) all seem to have started closing earlier. We almost went to Rick's Hacienda in desperation but it was packed for karaoke only and not serving food (?!). We ended up down on Stockton at a place called Wonder CafĂ©. It had 40-ish and younger bro Vietnamese dudes and cute young women, some of whom were sitting at their tables, obviously "hostessing" for tips. It had a lot of exotic stuff on the menu, including virility-related dishes like deer and cow penis. I asked about the deer but it was pretty clear I'd have to arm twist to get it served to me, and since I didn't even know if the food was good I dropped it. We got deep fried quail and a chicken salad with a really good, sweet/sour dressing but kind of off-flavored meat. I am having digestive troubles currently. The girls were very sweet in that stripper kind of fake-ish way. There is yelp drama about it, but funnily enough nobody mentions the hostess aspect. I didn't feel like it was unfriendly at all. Except for the servers no one paid any attention to us. At first when we got there they were karaoke-ing Vietnamese songs and then it switched to blaring rap, which is obviously ok by me.

12 comments:

Rosalitahead said...

I may as well ask, I can't be the only one confused were they "hostessing" stripping? or "hostessing hooking? Or in fact just hostessing?

Sorry, euphemism is often lost on me.

Is that a common thing?

The yelp page didn't help, although I learned that foul mouthed ladies hang out there.

-Natalie.

DJ Rick said...

I've definitely wondered about that place. Have you tried that new "spicy" Chinese place in front of the SF Supermarket where 88 Tofu used to be? I've tried to go, but people in the passenger seat always chicken out when they see the mysterious food photos in the front windows.

Stephen Glass said...

As a small-town rube, I'm seconding Natalie's (not a rube) question about "hostessing." Is this indeed a thing? I'm curious; I've been to Vietnamese restaurants in the Bay Area, and kind of gotten this vibe too and now I feel like I was totally not picking up on something. Which is totally in my wheelhouse, of course.

Caroline said...

Hostess bars are really weird. No sex acts are involved. Instead it's for company, including lots of flirting. It's good for ego stroking (but not dick stroking). The patrons get lots of attention and can think they are so clever or interesting or crass or whatever.

beckler said...

What she said. I didn't even see any touching. Just being cute and puffing up egos for tips probably.

Have not tried that place yet, but I should!

Anonymous said...

That new Sichuan place was pretty good. There are some major hits (fried chicken) and misses (beef roll)...definitely worth exploring further but I just can't stop going to Yang's every time!

MH

Rosalitahead said...

Got it, thanks.

And for the record I am a bit of a Rube, certainly not too good at picking up hints, vibes and innuendo.

-Natalie.

Stephen Glass said...

I feel like my consciousness has been raised to a new level. And Natalie, next time I'm down there we can have a Rube-Off.

Rosalitahead said...

dare to be mild.

DJ Rick said...

Yeah...I definitely love being walking distance from Yang's.

Scott Miller said...

The hostesses are actually allowed to give Rube-offs.

wburg said...

They used to call them "B-Girls," it was a big controversy downtown in the 1940s and 50s. Basically the women ask men to buy them a drink, which costs several times the regular cost of a drink, and is usually soda or iced tea but looks like a cocktail. She gets half the cost of the drink and the bar gets half.