Redesigned, renovated and renamed, E & O Asian Kitchen in the heart of San Francisco is geared for smooth sailing. Everything in this elegant restaurant seems to contribute to an exceptionally harmonious dining experience.
The restaurant’s ambiance is elegantly dark, with minimalist bamboo-shaped vertical lights backing the bar and yielding just enough luminosity to the candlelit dining area to provide a cozy intimate feel.
Attentive and efficient servers, clad in black, are happy to provide suggestions, but judging from the few items I’ve tried at E & O, you cannot go wrong with anything from the menu. 
The kitchen, led by Chef Sharon Nahm in collaboration with Arnold Eric Wong, perfected the art of modern Asian cuisine, so every dish here is an inspired little masterpiece.
The kitchen, led by Chef Sharon Nahm in collaboration with Arnold Eric Wong, perfected the art of modern Asian cuisine, so every dish here is an inspired little masterpiece.Starting your meal with the restaurant’s signature cocktails created by lead bartender Carlos Yturria is a no brainer, since there are wonderful libations on offer for every taste.
Simply-sounding Beefeater Gin, sea beans and lime Sea Witch caught my imagination, and it was light, peridot-green and wickedly refreshing – with slim salty crunchy sea beans mocking seaweed in a tidal wave. 
East Meets West made with Wild Turkey bourbon, lemongrass and soda, was pale pink, almost beige, and subtly creamy on the palate. Other notable cocktails include Gazebo made with Hangar vodka, pineapple, basil and lemon, and Concubine with gin, St. Germain, house made orgeat and lime – but hey, a girl can try only so many in one sitting.
The enhanced dinner menu offers scrumptious starters, and among them humble pickle jars. 
A daily selection of house made pickles should never be overlooked. I tried all four specials of the day, and couldn’t decide which were the best – crunchy rainbow carrots with coriander, chewy shiitake with sea beans, bright yellow lemon cucumbers, or crimson li hing mui mangoes.
A daily selection of house made pickles should never be overlooked. I tried all four specials of the day, and couldn’t decide which were the best – crunchy rainbow carrots with coriander, chewy shiitake with sea beans, bright yellow lemon cucumbers, or crimson li hing mui mangoes. 
Oxtail dumplings from the short but enticing dumplings menu were served with black beans, carrots, and 5-spice nage, and were very hard to share. 
Asian "Gnocchi" from the Rice & Noodles menu are short cut on bias rice sticks generously interspersed with chunks of beef filet, cabbage, chili flakes, and topped with spicy soy sauce. 
Another dish from the same menu section is a wonderfully satisfying Japanese “bop” – a little platform of crispy rice holding a construction of pickles, spinach, chili, and marinated plum crowned by a soft-fried fresh egg. 
Seafood choices include a sweetly tender wood roasted char siu black cod, garnished with sautéed pea tendrils, which makes for a light yet filing dish. 
Among meat and poultry offerings there is a moderately spicy black pepper shaking beef, smothered with red onions, tomatoes, chili, and watercress. 
Most of the dishes we tried were suggested by our knowledgeable server Sandra, and manager Holly Friedmann made sure we and other patrons were well taken care of, as well as the entire skilled staff of E & O – my new favorite in Downtown San Francisco. E & O Asian Kitchen is located at 314 Sutter Street in San Francisco. Lunch is served Monday-Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Happy Hour 3 to 6 p.m. Dinner Sunday from 5 to 10 p.m., Monday-Wednesday from 4 to 10 p.m., and Thursday through Saturday from 4 to 11 p.m. A Late Night Bar menu is available Thursday through Saturday evenings until midnight or close. For more information, visit: www.eosanfrancisco.com.
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