Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

if you like ferrero rocher in a bar form, try Duplo (made by Ferrero), or Kinder Bueno.
You can find them at Cost Plus world market in the US...Kinder Bueno is a bit easier to find, I have seen the at some mom & pop grocery stores.. and random Walgreens...

Bourbon biscuits...discovered M&S are selling them again on my last trip!

Ah..is it just me, or does the first photo look like it's cut WITH, not against grain on the meat?

Cost Plus World Market has a reasonably priced selection of teapots (including cast iron ones). I like their white ceramic "president's" teapot ..which has a built in tea ball (that allows you to suspend it over the water to stop the seeping).

http://www.worldmarket.com/family/index.jsp?view=all&categoryId=3591727

My grandpa used to swear by Yixing clay teapots (which you are never suppose to wash with soap).

I personally use the IngenuiTea from Adagio
http://www.adagio.com/teaware/ingenuiTEA_teapot.html?SID=ca3267507b2af0a9f7d1c0a4c997485e

The chinese food in SF Chinatown is mainly old school Cantonese. Which can be fun, in a nostalgic, OMG I haven't seen this for years sort of way...but that's just my opinion, I grew up on some darn good Cantonese cooking.

Though there are some pretty good Taiwanese places down in Cupertino..as well as the already mentioned Muslim Chinese food (Dada in Milpitas).

Dim Sum, ah skip it. I don't think it's worth the price (Yank Sing) or trek for (Koi Palace). Those two places are the best in the area..probably comparable to maybe the best in NYC or Toronto (it's cheaper in Toronto). But nothing compared to what you would find in Vancouver or Hong Kong.

A lot of people worship the custard tart at Golden Gate Bakery (their operating hours are erratic at best)...but the few time I tried it, I was not impress. I prefer ABC bakery on Stockton (near Jackson)..if you like puff pastry crust egg tart. For Chiffon cake (paper wrap cake) , New Hollywood Bakery on Pacific (south of Grant). There is also a divey restaurant next to New Hollywood that serves breakfast & lunch...old school Hong Kong cafe style food. Suppose to be good (and cheap). Boba/Pearl Tea at Sweet Heart Cafe.

In general, I think the Indian Food (in particular South Indian), Vietnamese, Singapore/Malaysian food be way better here. Korean food is better in Manhattan.

In SF Amber, Dosa, Mefhil for Indian Food.

There are many great options for Vietnamese food in San Jose. Personal favorite, Pho Kim Long.

Singapore/Malaysian food, Banana Leaf in Milpitas (already mentioned by a previous poster) is well known and very popular (especially for the local tech lunch crowds), but Layang Layang (in Milpitas, just a bit north) is better. In SF, there is Limetree over in the Inner Sunset. Penang Garden in SF Chinatown isn't too bad (not as good as Banana Leaf or Layang Layang though).

Fresh handmade manju from Benkyodocompany in SF Japantown or in San Jose Japantown Shuei-do Manju Shop.

Acme bread...in particular the Rustic Baguette or Epi. Almost as good as being in Paris.

Coffee ...ahh...I tried the local favorites (people can get quite militant about it, there is even a youtube video mocking it). I am not impress. Cafe Grumpy in Chelsea (NYC) still does it better.

For ice-cream... Bi-Rite is okay...but try Delise Dessert Cafe (http://www.delisesf.com/). I think they are way better, small batches of unique flavors.

Liguria Bakery for their focaccia. Go early (i.e. 8 am)..they sell out quickly, and then close up shop for the rest of the day.

Sand Dabs at Sotto Mare in North Beach.

Pizza from Arizmendi Bakery.

I could go on and on..........

After SARS, the HK government really cracked down on street food hygiene. Much of the street carts & dai pai dongs were moved to storefronts & into markets.

Street food "meals" are at dai pai dongs. There are still a few in central out on the street. But do check out Java Road Cooked Food Centre (2/F, 99 Java Road, North Point), in particular Tung Po Seafood Restaurant (they take reservations phone #2880-9399). It was also show on Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations.

Street food snacks, my favorites are egg waffles, curry fish balls, siu mai on a stick. Another popular one Stinky tofu. Many such vendors at the night markets throughout the city.

@Hilfy - I use our office kitchen to get rid of food ... things just magically disappeared..until that last bit. In our office, they would rarely take the last serving, so almost empty container could be there forever until someone (usually me or one of the other few female employees) checks & throws it out.

Experience over the years, working with mostly male software engineers, it doesn't matter if we get free fruits/snacks/meals at work...people will still eat anything you bring in (usually no questions asked)...homemade baked goes quickly (and are much appreciated), but even if it's store bought, or mass manufactured snacks...if they notice it's something not normally there..they will eat it.

TJ has two, one that requires refrigeration, and the beluga lentils (cooked, but don't require refrigeration).

Anyways, I like to toss the refrigerated ones with fresh tomato, cucumber, basil, chili powder, salt, curry powder. The juice from the tomato makes a nice "dressing". That's my "base" recipe. You can add pretty much anything to it. I just had it for lunch, with the addition of some garlic powder, nice radishes & fresh corn (that I boiled) that I picked up from the farmer's market.

Good to know they are farming Geoducks now.

Isn't this similar to Singapore noodles?

10/10 .. But most of these were common fruits when growing up in asian. Didn't know that people with kidney disease shouldn't eat Star fruit though...good to know!

#6 looks like lap cheon (chinese sausages)

The OJ and Oil combination is probably a promotional item ... the OJ is a
"free sample" with purchase.

Korean soft tofu soup using extra soft tofu (there is a recipe on Serious Eats that is great)
Ma Po tofu using silken tofu
Hot and Sour soup with firm tofu

If you have access to freshly made tofu, once you had it, it's hard to go back to prepackage stuff. just pan seared or steamed, dash of soy sauce, oyster sauce, maybe sesame oil. Serve with chopped scallion and bonito flakes on top.