Happy 4714! Chinese New Year Day is Feb. 8, 2016, marking the start of Year of the Monkey. If you're monkeying around in San Francisco's Union Square, Market Street or in Chinatown, take a short walk to great Asian restaurants where you can join the celebration in style.

It's once again the time of year to drag the whole family down to the Bay Area's epicenters of commerce, and force them all to sit on the lap of a costumed stranger.

When I worked for Bi-Rite Catering, one of my colleagues would say she worked in a grocery store, just to see people's reactions. Six years later, I delight in telling people I work in the mall.

Vegetarians, take note: M.Y. China added a new all-veg menu under the dome in Westfield San Francisco Centre.

San Francisco is a city that loves to brunch, lunch and eat in general, and Pride Weekend (June 27-28) is no exception.

M.Y. China, a modern Chinese restaurant in San Francisco, sets its bar with place settings to set the tone for eating.

The Westfield San Francisco Centre at 865 Market Street is ringing in the Chinese New Year with a celebration on the 4th floor under the dome on Saturday, February 9 from 2 until 4pm.

Most every Chinese restaurant worth its salt will be extra busy over the next few weeks when traditional families and curious foodies fill tables to celebrate Chinese New Year. Also known as the Spring Festival, the holiday lasts 15 days and provides a time to wish for peace and happiness.

The Lunar New Year is Friday January 31st, and here are a few ways to celebrate (obviously all of them involve eating).

Expansive seating and outrageous attention to detail (an 1,800-pound bronze bell suspended over the bar, antique snuff bottles) make celebrity chef Martin Yan’s spot feel like the Las Vegas of Chinese food.

Just because it’s flu season doesn’t mean you have to give in to your inner Grinch. Ease those winter blues with a comforting, cozy cocktail, and reap the cold fighting benefits of vitamin C, honey, and chamomile.

For diners looking for a special experience, a chef's table often provides extra comfort or an extraordinary cooking view.

The coming year will be a year of blurred lines in the hospitality industry, with hotel lobbies doubling as living rooms, croissants doubling as doughnuts, and vegetables doubling as dessert ingredients, a hospitality consulting group predicts.

The big food news item of the week is that Top Chef Masters contender Suvir Saran is opening his first West Coast restaurant in San Francisco, on Mid-Market, sometime next spring or summer.

M.Y. CHINA is now offering special prix-fixe lunch and dinner menus.

Chinese Food Goes Upscale

Chinese Food Goes Upscale

In the pre-dawn days before there were multiple networks devoted entirely to the culinary arts, if you were food-obsessed then you probably watched a lot of PBS.

Eating in a gorgeous restaurant might not technically make the food taste better, but a meal that engages all of the senses is most memorable.

Earlier this summer, I visited the wheat farm in eastern Oregon that's been in my grandfather's family since the late 1800s.

Over 20 local chefs, both established and rising in the ranks, will serve dishes that represent a wide spectrum of Asian cooking (from Singapore hawker grub and Northern Vietnamese bun cha to iconic dishes from Japan and Korea). Upstairs, in the grand ballroom, eight mixologists will shake cocktails made with Bombay Sapphire East and other spirits.

For many, the Bar Mitzvah marks the coming of age; for Andrew Freeman, it marked the start of a long path in marketing and public relations.

Everybody loves a good piece of fried chicken and as evidenced by National Donut Day, everybody definitely celebrates a day where it’s deemed okay by the Hallmark gods to indulge in their guilty pleasures.

A four-course dinner paired with cocktails from celebrity chefs including 11-time James Beard winner Charlie Trotter.

Charlie Trotter and Martin Yan Dinner.

It’s hard to believe that Mother’s day just around the corner and with that, comes the lovely celebration.

Mention Martin Yan to any chef and you’re likely to hear this common refrain: 18 seconds.

The newly opened restaurant is a gem on the 4th floor of San Francisco’s Westfield Center with a huge amount of excitement going on.

We've all had the unfortunate experience of having to shout over a blaring club track during an otherwise intimate dinner. Conversely, a too-mellow soundtrack can bring down the energy of a supposedly festive group meal.

Charlie Trotter, who shuttered his famed eponymous Chicago restaurant last year, will be the special guest of honor at a 6 p.m. June 9 dinner hosted by Martin Yan at M.Y. China in San Francisco.

Charlie Trotter, who shuttered his famed eponymous Chicago restaurant last year, will be the special guest of honor at a 6 p.m. June 9 dinner hosted by Martin Yan at M.Y. China in San Francisco.

The following events take place at the James Beard House

Charlie Trotter closed his landmark Chicago restaurant last year, but this summer, he’s going to be coming out of his semi-retirement and cook in San Francisco for a one-night dinner with Martin Yan at M.Y. China.

Chicago icon Charlie Trotter isn't dilly-dallying in his retirement; though his eponymous restaurant closed last year, he's still on the road cooking, and is planning to make a stop to team up with Martin Yan at M.Y. China on June 9 in a benefit for the James Beard Foundation.

Chef Ryan Scott meets up with Chef Martin Yan, the legendary host of 'Yan Can Cook,' in San Francisco.

As someone who lived in Los Angeles for five years, I’m no stranger to dining in a mall. My top sushi spot was in a mini-mall, ditto one of the cooler tiki bars I loved. But M.Y. CHINA is no hole in the wall

Guy Fieri came across some totally crazy-long hand-pulled noodles at M.Y. China, and there’s a picture to prove it.

Americans’ love affair with Asian food has a long history — trendy young diners started going to Chinese restaurants in the 1920s.

While you're in San Francisco next month you can support The Culinary Trust and enjoy a unique experiential dinner and auction, hosted by long-time Culinary Trust supporter Martin Yan.

The Chinese New Year celebration, also known as the Spring Festival, lasts two weeks every year. Food is a prominent part of the celebration, and dim sum is one popular way of celebrating.

In honor of the Lunar New Year, we checked in with Martin Yan, the best-selling cookbook author and pioneering TV personality who recently added the title of restaurateur to his long list of credentials.

It recently occured to me that San Francisco has a good number of upscale Chinese bars.

M.Y. China’s Phantasmagorical Hippodrome Might Surprise (If You Let It)

On February 10th, the lunar calendar rings in a new year which is the year of the snake for 2013.

Chinese New Year begins Sunday February 10th this year, and it brings us the Year of the Snake, which is all about refinement, taste, and introspection.

We were at M.Y. China, Martin Yan’s splashy new modern Chinese restaurant in the Westfield Center checking out among other things, its Chinese New Year’s menu and hand-pulled scissor-cut noodles.

elebrity television chef and noted cookbook author Martin Yan has opened his first San Francisco restaurant on the fourth floor of the Westfield San Francisco Centre under the mall’s famous dome.

Presenting another edition of Scoop Planner, our Monday calendar feature to help you plan out your week of eating and drinking.

Martin Yan’s M.Y. China restaurant in the Westfield San Francisco Centre will be offering two special menus, Feb. 1-26, for the Chinese New Year celebration.

At M.Y. China, the head chef also happens to be one of the world's best noodle-pullers.

M.Y. China, the new upscale Chinese restaurant from Martin Yan, faces two obstacles that may prove insurmountable.

This one not only has Chinese food but also Chinese decor. The bar is clearly a focal point at the entrance, as it features what appears to be an ancient bell the size of a Volkswagon hanging over the center of the bar.

Because drinking and meat eating parties aren't held in churches nearly enough..

Roast chicken is a dish that spans cultures. In fact it seems just about every restaurant offers it.

Like a Chinese theme park, your eye will bounce around from the live fire kitchen, to noodle pulling and a wall of buddhas watching you eat.

It’s been a couple weeks since I shared my favorite dishes. I was out of town part of the time, and maybe it’s the after-holiday doldrums, but I also had more than my typical share of mediocre dishes.

Whether you overindulged over the holidays, drank too much on New Year’s or made a resolution to lose a few pounds, we’ve rounded up 10 delectable, detoxifying and diet-friendly dishes in the Bay Area to help you get back on track.

Daniel Baird, bar manager at the newly-opened M.Y. China in San Francisco, has come a long way since he first got his start behind the bar.

You've heard all about the decor and food at Martin Yan's M.Y. China, but what about the drinks?

A mall isn't necessarily where you'd expect to be wined and dined by a James Beard award-winning chef.

More often than not, tipsters, readers, friends and family of Eater have one question: Where should I eat right now?

Martin Yan's first U.S. restaurant, M.Y. China, just opened its doors on the fourth floor of the Westfield Centre in November, and our favorite bite on the menu so far are the Bang Bang Chicken Wings.

Martin Yan has toured far-flung corners of China so many times on television that we couldn’t wait to see what regional specialties he would unearth for M.Y. China, his dramatically styled restaurant in the Westfield San Francisco Centre.

Even though tableside flambé and dessert carts are things of the past, suddenly in 2012 the Bay Area saw the first signs of a new generation of restaurants where the dining experience promises not to be all hushed tones discussing the pedigree of a carrot.

Every Year, Andrew Freeman & Co. (AF&Co.), a leading SF hospitality consulting firm releases a trend report based on their knowledge of industry practices and innovations

Last year's trends, like Lady Gaga songs, are only a vague memory now, but 2012 ushered in some interesting and exciting new ones.

Appetite: Miso sesame rice crispies, chocolate-dipped peanut butter cupcakes, eggnog latte frozen custard, and more new sweets on the scene.

So you are probably getting most of your nourishment from holiday parties right now, right? But (wo)man can’t live on canapés and latkes alone.

One of television's original celebrity chefs, Martin Yan, has finally opened his first San Francisco restaurant.

More often than not, tipsters, readers, friends and family of Eater have one question: Where should I eat right now?

Holiday shopping sucks. It might suck a lot less if you could take a break with a steaming hot bowl of beef hand-pulled noodle soup crafted by a master.

This new San Francisco Centre restaurant, run by Martin Yan and the Koi Palace team, opens today. Specialties: Beijing duck and hand-pulled noodles.

After what seems like years of teasing and anticipation, TV celebrity Martin Yan’s splashy modern eponymous Chinese restaurant under the Dome in Downtown’s Westfield San Francisco Centre is opening today.

Does everyone remember Martin Yan? No? Well, he was a fixture on public television in the early 1980s with shows like Yan Can Cook and Wok With Yan ("If Yan can cook, so can you!"), and the man has some spunk.

Your neighborhood noodle shop is like a scratch-off lottery ticket — easy and satisfying. Yet you’re still waiting on the big payoff.

This coming Monday is the Chinese restaurant event of the fall/winter season, at least until Danny Bowien does something new in San Francisco.

A lot has already been shared about the many pieces that came together to make M.Y. China. Now, it is time to take a gander at Martin Yan's first Chinese restaurant in San Francisco, living and breathing under the dome in the Westfield, and ready for its big reveal to the public on Monday.

A lot has already been shared about the many pieces that came together to make M.Y. China.

Well, the man behind it—that’d be Martin Yan—is opening his first stateside restaurant on Monday. It’s called M.Y. China, and here’s what you need to know...

Today Eater learns that you will be able to shove Martin Yan dumplings into your face "just in time for the holidays."

A few years ago, the number of restaurant closings continued to eclipse the amount of openings. Tableclothed, high ticket items like Jack Falstaff, Two and Zinnia bowed out, one after another.

A few years ago, the number of restaurant closings continued to eclipse the amount of openings. Tableclothed, high ticket items like Jack Falstaff, Two and Zinnia bowed out, one after another.

It's been two years since we first heard wind of the project, and a year of moving-target dates for Martin Yan's M.Y. China at the Westfield.

Much has already been shared about M.Y. China, the forthcoming restaurant from TV host Martin Yan and his Koi Palace partners Willy and Ronny Ng that aims to debut before the end of the month.

Sex on the Beach. Dark 'n Stormy. Corpse Reviver. Ever wonder how cocktails get their name? Here's your chance to create immortality.

Toasted bread samplers, contemporary Latin dishes, snacks for less than $5 and high-end takeout are among the hot restaurant trends coming next year, a San Francisco hospitality consulting group predicted Tuesday.

Scallion pancakes are as widely popular in China as muffins are in America. The basic recipe for a simple scallion pancake - served with soy milk or rice porridge for breakfast - is just a guide.

Martin Yan’s first restaurant — with a little help from the Koi Palace folks — is quickly nearing on the top floor of the Westfield Center. He’s got his chef/master noodle puller aboard, and the ginormous ornamental bell has made the trek overseas.

It's mooncake time, so how about a look at three of the ten traditional-style Chinese wooden mooncake molds which will be on display at M.Y. China.

Chef Tony Wu stretches out his dough, cracking it like a whip across the room. He maneuvers the ends to create a twisted rope, then stretches and twists it again. He dives into a pile of flour, and two minutes of stretching and folding later, he has 10,000 strands of noodles.

Ever gotten to see a champion noodle-puller in action? You're in luck, that's just what we have for you today. Inside Scoop SF reported that chef and television personality Martin Yan announced M.Y. China restaurant's new executive chef: Yong Dong Wu.

Television chef pioneer Martin Yan's restaurant continues to move forward in anticipation of an October opening.

Watch as a long time resident of Eastern China makes its move into the city of San Francisco.

Listen in as Martin Yan drops by the studio and teaches about Chinese cuisine.

Come see Martin Yan and M.Y. China under the Grand Tasting Tent on Union Square Sunday, August 5th! Taste delicious creations from their table while mingling with the Bay Areas top culinary leaders, mixologists and winemakers. Don't miss Martin's live demo on stage in the tent with Chef Arnold Wong!

Martin Yan showcased his skills promoting M.Y. China at Macy's Union Square.

Tune in and listen to NewsTalk 910's interview with Chef Martin Yan!

Construction is finally under way at Martin Yan's first San Francisco restaurant.

M.Y. China came to life at the SF Chefs 2012 Official Launch Party held at the Westfield Centre San Francisco's Restaurant Collection Under the Dome.

Make a quick, seasonal healthy meal for your family with Martin's Yan's delicious dish.

M.Y. China by Martin Yan (formerly Noodle Revolution) is slated to open in late summer.

As we told you last year, pioneering cooking-show celebrity Martin Yan (Yan Can Cook, Wok With Yan) is opening a restaurant on the fourth floor

The Year of the Dragon is starting out with a roar for cookbook author, restaurateur and certified master chef Martin Yan. The popular host..

Chef Martin Yan dropped by 7Live with some help from a master noodle puller who introduced us to noodle dancing.

With the new year means new eats, many from big names in the restaurant world. Read on for details about the buzziest eateries coming our way.

The Feature: Janny Hu goes to Koi Palace and its commissary kitchen to experience mooncake mania: the 45 days leading up to the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, one of the most important holidays in China. It’s one of the busiest times of the year for the kitchen; they make about 15,000 boxes of mooncakes a year.

The latest restaurant to sign onto the top floor of the Westfield San Francisco Centre is … La Boulange. However, the new cafe won’t strictly be the same La Boulange you’ve come to expect from Pascal Rigo.

Two pizza places eye S.F.: Eater SF shares Mozzeria, a pizzeria documenting its trials and tribulations of pre-opening stressors and success, is slated to open in the Mission at 3228 16th St.

La Boulange has been tapped to fill the final vacant space on the fourth floor Dome level of Westfield San Francisco Centre. It will occupy 1,500 square feet under the dome.

Wine tasting at Safeway? Maybe. Haighteration reports there is an "Instructional Tasting" liquor license application pending for the Castro Safeway (2020 Market at Dolores).

I was waiting on a rendering of Martin Yan’s upcoming Westfield Centre project before writing about it, so here we go.

As it nears its five year anniversary, Westfield San Francisco Centre continues to change with the times.