SF restaurant known for 'rudest waiter' closing

[AsahinaKimi]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A 100-year-old Chinese restaurant in San Francisco known for having "the world's rudest waiter" is shutting its doors.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports (http://bit.ly/J7Aao9) that Sam Wo will serve its last customers Friday. Health officials demanded changes after finding violations including rodent activity, improper food storage and kitchen disrepair.

Owner David Ho met with health and fire officials this week, but says the restaurant is just too old.

Sam Wo — a hole-in-the-wall in Chinatown — was famous for the late Edsel Ford Fung, dubbed "the world's rudest waiter." Fung was known for insulting customers and slamming dishes on tables.

http://news.yahoo.com/sf-restaurant-known-rudest-waiter-closing-141005631.html

[Lint Head]

1. This is an interesting story. I love places that have a history like this.

I've been to SF several times and had heard of the place. Would loved to have experienced it all but not the Health Department code violations part. Ha.

[gateley]

2. Wish I would have gone when Edsel Ford Fung (what a name!) was still there. nt

[Bennyboy]

3. I love that place.

back in the day I used to take visitors to SF there. The guy was so rude "You don't want that".."If you order that you are gonna have to get it yourself" etc. Guy was hilarious (So was Sammy Wo himself) but whenever people came to SF on a return they demanded to go there. The dining room was on the second floor and you had to walk through the kitchen to get there.

You had to take your won booze in, cuz they didn't serve it. The food was delivered via a dumbwaiter and the waitstaff would sit by it and smoke ciggys waiting for the arrival of the meal.

I am gonna miss that place:
Lately it has been the only place that was cheap in Chinatown and not made up primarily of Dim Sum. They served noodles there mostly. One fo the true treasures of SF...

[xchrom]

4. NOOO! This breaks my heart.

I was waited on by Edsel back in the day.

Never were you so magnificently insulted - a great place to take unsuspecting newbs.

And the food was very good - though I didn't ever after Edsel passed.

[NV Whino]

5. Been there. Been insulted.

Been awhile, though.

[bayareaboy]

6. Lots of dinners there ... ...

I went to City College and SF State during the late 60s and lived for a while above a Jazz Club on Broadway. Those noodles filled this boy well.

Edsel was fine, but after a while most of the noodle shops got a loud waiter just like him. There was place below ground a block or two away called Wo Loy Goy that had an excellent Corned Beef plate for about a buck and quarter. Where else can you celebrate Saint Pattys day every day in Chinatown but San Francisco, an still have enough change for busfare

[mitchtv]

8. me too,

I also went to Wo Loy Goy.Sam's got too crowded, especially when i drove a cab for Veterans Cab and couldn't wait long.

[parkia00]

7. I remember that place!

Always remembered it as the reversed restaurant with the kitchen in front and customers had to walk through it. Sometimes when you walk by, all the hot air coming out from the place was not caused by the kitchen. Since I don't understand Cantonese the staff could be hollering in Klingon for all I care. I did however find out the meaning of one word; "fei chai" which was "big fat dude"

[Brother Buzz]

9. 'Rudest waiter' is subjuctive and this is one where Herb Caen and I disagree

I first encountered Edsel Ford in the late sixties. I found him fun and entertaining; a gracious host. He made suggestions on ordering food and steered us away from dishes he thought we didn't understand and would not like, he even sat down and tasted the food when it arrived and laughed with us as he imparted wisdom. I have cherished memories of Edsel Ford, a cool dude.


Was a time, if someone wanted a rude waiter, they would go to Caffe Sport. They had the market cornered on surly ones, for sure.

[bayareaboy]

10. At Caffe Sport...

They wore rude suits with rude shoes and passed out rude menus with lots of omissions.

Any one who has ever been there will tell you about the waiters there. I never went a second time.

[Auggie]

11. Must mention the Aub Zam Zam on Haight ...

and the owner, who might be best described as the Martini Nazi. Only bar that ever threw me out.

I never heard of Sam Wo until this story broke. And I lived in San Francisco for twenty years!