Iconic drunk food emporium Sam Wo, which closed in 2012 after 105 years on Washington St., will soon be dispensing jook and noodles once again at the former location of Anna Bakery (715 Clay St.)
A ribbon-cutting is planned for October 21, but they may “soft open” as early as next Wednesday if all the permits are in place.
When I stuck my camera in the grating to take the picture below of the remodeled interior, the man in the background emerged to give me the scoop.
Nice. I remember eating there more than 12 years ago. (only once or twice though)
That doesn’t look like a kitchen, can’t be the first floor. 
The original is among my memories of 1970s Chinatown. First place I ever tried wide rice noodles.
My memories go back to late 1962, when my wannabe Beatnik friends and myself would go there drunk and trade barbs with Edsel Ford Fong. (He could take it as well as he could dish it out).
It was actually at Sam Wo that I learned to use chopsticks, under duress. After my third or fourth visit there, Edsel refused to give me a fork. “You use fork too long,” he said. “You use chopsticks.” I took it as a sign that I was “in” at Sam Wo.
More importantly, will this place be operated by the same people. I hope they did just buy the name from the previous owner.
I read this title and thought “wait a minute, didn’t I know this place?” Of course I did having moved to SF in '76. Look forward to hearing about the food. Hope to be back in the city at the end of the year. Thanks.
It’s the same family. The place was never really known for its food though, but for its history and grungy atmosphere.
According to their website, they are looking for the new “world’s rudest waiter” which strikes me as a dumb idea. There will only be one Edsel Ford Fung, ever, and he is gone.
http://www.samwo-restaurant.com/
I walked by tonight and they appeared to be having a training session going on, so they may indeed have a soft opening soon.
I don’t know what to think of the new place. It certainly looks better, but it loses a lot of its charm. I remember the place for being incredible inexpensive.
I started going there during the Presidential primary campaign in 1971. I was a young volunteer working for the McGovern campaign. I would finish making that day’s flyers for press releases and rallies on a Gestetner duplicator at about midnight. We would walk over the hill into Chinatown to eat dinner at Sam Wo. I remember those tiny tables and small windows. The noodles were competently made, cheap and hot out of the wok. Only later did I learn about the fish salads. I remember the waiter was brusque but he didn’t bother us, we were too tired to be good fun.
