But apparently, one of the most not-at-all-kept secrets just outside SF proudly flaunts everything abalone. When you enter you see tanks full of the creature. Then, as if that weren’t enough, they make you walk into display cases of shark’s fin and swallow’s nest.
This was the famous Koi Palace (in Chinese it sounds better.) As our hostess showed us in, we passed by dozens of tables, each loaded with foods I had only seen in traditional Chinese banquet halls. Even at 8:45 pm the kitchen was still in endless commotion. As we thought over our menu and sipped our chrysanthemum tea we watched waiters lay food on other’s tables and the enticement was unbearable. After a short wait our very own prayers were answered in the form of half a roasted duck, seafood & tofu soup, steamed abalone and stewed oysters.
