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Shangri-La (vegetarian)
2026 Irving Street/San Francisco/CA/94122
(415) 731-2548
Mon to Sun 11:30am – 9:00pm
CLICK HERE FOR MAP & DIRECTIONS

I may perhaps have high expectations regarding quite a few things in life and tepid restaurant water is no exception. This has been a running joke between my friend Robin and I, due to her endorsement of vegetarian or vegan eateries. I can only conclude from this that ice must not be vegetarian because it is never included in ANY of the meals we’ve had. You would think after the inculcation of this fact into my brain, I would no longer comment about it, but obviously, we haven't met.

Shangri-La, one of the longest running Chinese vegetarian restaurants (since 1978), on Irving between 21st and 22nd Avenue, is yet another one of those lukewarm water-providing establishments.

Having said that, words almost cannot describe how marvelous my dinner was, but I will give it a shot, seeing as how expressing opinions has never been my weak point.
Firstly, I must say our entrees arrived within 10 minutes after we were seated, and yes, it was cooked all the way and hot. This is a plus for people like me who like instant gratification and only go to out to eat at the very last second before dropping dead of starvation.

Secondly, if you are not a fan of tofu, then this is the place to change your mind. The Pie Pa Tofu Balls with Broccoli tastes like an array of spices fused with crispy fried tofu resting atop a soy sauce, garlic, and ginger mixture.


And if you're like me then almost anything fried equals delicious, which leads me to my next dish of Imitated Sweet and Sour Pork (why it's called imitated instead of imitation is beyond me, but we'll just say it adds character).

This dish not only tastes like the real version and was fried, but also arrived inside half a pineapple. Add brown or white rice, plus the complimentary hot tea and cabbage salad, and you have an amazing, healthy meal, with enough food for lunch the next day.



Evening prices are cheap, running about $6.50 per entree, with daily lunch specials for $5.75 that includes soup of the day, rice and an egg roll.

With the owner's friendly and fast service, Shangri-La's tepid, iceless water is not even a factor. That is of course, unless you're me.