SFGuide
The SF (Quarantine) TV & Takeout Guide
We’ve all been watching a lot of TV lately (thanks to our ex who still hasn’t changed their Hulu password). But if you’re over combing through Netflix’s “Critically-Acclaimed Witty Sitcoms” category every night, only to end up half-watching The Office and half-scrolling through Twitter, it might be time to switch things up. Let us help you. Here are 10 great TV shows you can stream right now, and what to eat while you watch.
The Spots
TV Pairing:Pen15 (Hulu)
“Pen15 is a reminder that kids who came of age in the late ’90s were too obsessed with making friends on AOL Instant Messenger and choosing AIM screen names (mine was surfsup7up). Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle play 13-year-old versions of themselves and deal with crushes, nosy siblings, and newfound urges to sit on a washing machine. This cringe comedy makes you constantly reminiscence about your early teen years - both the awkward and the great. For me, one of those great growing-up memories were the frequent family dinners at Yung Kee, a Chinese restaurant in Oakland Chinatown. We always got the large bowls of wonton soup (I still get it to this day). It comes with egg noodles and chives, and you should absolutely get it with the barbecued pork.” -LC
TV Pairing:Veep (Hulu)
“I once had a dream where Julia Louis-Dreyfus came to me, laid a hand on my cheek, and told me I was ‘cute and small.’ Best night of my life. But this isn’t about me. It’s about Veep, a brilliant comedy that follows hot mess Vice President Selina Meyer (played by the hilarious, absolutely perfect JLD) and her misguided efforts to become president. It’s also almost unfair how great the cast is - if we harnessed their collective comedic abilities it could probably power a 10-car BART train. So what to order while you watch this satirical masterpiece? Definitely Beit Rima’s mezze platter with delicious labneh and muhammara, and hand-kneaded pita covered in za’atar - you’re going to need something that won’t get cold while you inevitably watch the entire first season in one sitting. If you need further convincing, watch this.” -JC
photo credit: Erin Ng
TV Pairing:Monk (Prime)
“I have an inherent fondness for TV shows that are set in the Bay Area (Silicon Valley, The OA, Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper) mainly because there aren’t many of them, and I get a kick out of seeing my hometown on-screen. I recently started rewatching Monk, the police procedural with Tony Shalhoub. It takes place in San Francisco. And in the memorable opening sequence, Tony walks across a North Beach street at night. The scene gives me cravings for my favorite restaurant in the neighborhood - Golden Boy Pizza. Their Sicilian-style slices are the best in the city - they have a fluffy crust and a lightly crispy bottom, and are topped with a thick layer of cheese. You’ll think all other pizzas are inferior after ordering takeout from here.” -LC
photo credit: Julia Chen
TV Pairing:Survivor (CBS)
“I know what you’re thinking. Survivor is still on? Yes, the reality competition series just finished its 40th season, and it’s one of the best shows on TV. Nothing is more fascinating than watching strangers battle for $1 million through a glorious clusterf*ck of social, strategic, and physical gameplay - you’ve got iconic blindsides, 11-hour immunity challenges, and Jeff Probst in khakis yelling “Come on in, guys!” every episode, without fail. There’s no way to be a casual fan of Survivor - you either have no idea it exists, or watching it religiously is your most prominent personality trait. Boichik Bagels has a similar cult following (which I’m also a part of). In pre-quarantine times, people lined up on College Ave. at 7am to snag a dozen of their New York-style bagels, which usually sold out within hours. Now, you can pre-order online for pick-up. And since Survivor’s new season just wrapped, you can start your thorough rewatch of seasons 16, 20, or 28 (the best ones) over an everything bagel, lox, and scallion schmear.” -JC
TV Pairing:The League (Hulu)
“I love a challenge and friendly competition - especially when it’s over something as time-consuming and stupid as Fantasy Football. Full disclosure: I’ve made the playoffs in my league for the last three years, and take great pride in this fact. My life as a casual Fantasy Football player is also why I find this comedy series about adult friends who’ll lie, cheat, and sacrifice the well-being of their children to win wildly entertaining. One running joke involves Jason Mantzoukas randomly pulling hot dogs out of his pocket (don’t ask). So, naturally, I’ll pair this with the excellent hot link or the kielbasa from Top Dog. The stand near the Cal campus serves it on a warm sesame-seed bun and tops it with sauerkraut and mustard.” -LC
photo credit: Brit Finnegan
TV Pairing:Kim’s Convenience (Netflix)
“Kim’s Convenience is a fantastic sitcom about a Korean-Canadian family that runs - yep, you guessed it - a convenience store. It’s a refreshing and much-needed depiction of first-generation Asian families, done justice by a hilarious cast of lovable, complex characters. And like my family (a plate of cut fruit, anyone?), one of Mrs. Kim’s love languages is food: she often shows up in her kids’ apartments to stock their fridges with containers full of leftover kimbap. For me, love is a plate of hand-folded steamed pork dumplings, which I’d order from Dumpling Specialist, along with their delicate, juicy xiao long bao and wontons doused in spicy chili oil.” -JC
photo credit: Carly Hackbarth
TV Pairing:Casa De Las Flores (Netflix)
“Without spoiling anything (OK, fine, there’s a flashy dance sequence involving Thalia’s “A Quien Le Importa”), Casa De Las Flores is a Mexican soap opera about a family who owns a flower shop. It’s fantastic, refreshing, and you will stream all three seasons in one weekend. At its core, it’s really a dark comedy about a family that’s complicated (in the very best way). If you like your meals to be complex, order from Nari. Their Thai dishes are like fireworks in your mouth - they’re sweet, salty, and so spicy you’ll need a firehose to put out the burn. Nari is offering dinner sets for two to-go. Their menu changes frequently, but the meals usually include curry, soup, jasmine rice, and dessert.” -LC
TV Pairing:Elite (Netflix)
“If you took Gossip Girl, set it in a small mountain town in Spain, and threw in way more sex and murder, you’d get Elite. The teen drama is chaotic and thrilling. And watching ridiculously attractive teenagers cover up crimes in between lavish mansion parties and super complicated relationships (yes, there’s a thrupple) makes me want to eat something equally as exhilarating: the Little Lao set from Farmhouse Kitchen. It’s a massive platter that comes with an overwhelming amount of dishes - there’s the hat yai fried chicken, spicy papaya salad, panang neua short rib, and lots more. Choosing which delicious bite to take next is like trying to keep track of the back-and-forth drama and figuring out who actually killed who - a near-impossible task.” -JC
TV Pairing:Lucifer (Netflix)
“Let’s get this out of the way: Lucifer is absurd and makes no sense, and yet it’s somehow one of my favorite shows. It’s a supernatural dramedy and a police procedural about the devil (dressed as a dapper British man named Lucifer Morningstar) who leaves hell, moves to Los Angeles, and helps the LAPD solve crimes. Oh, and he owns a nightclub and drinks lots of dark liquor. (This is the only part that makes sense). In honor of Lucifer’s beverage of choice, order from Acme Bar & Company. It’s a fantastic bar in Berkeley with an extensive whiskey selection, and right now you can get Old-Fashioneds, and bottles of bourbon, scotch, rum, and brandy for takeout and delivery. Trust me, you’ll need a drink to get through all the bad devil puns.” -LC
TV Pairing:Gilmore Girls (Netflix)
“There’s never been a better time to revisit one of the most wholesome on-screen mother-daughter relationships ever. Lorelai and Rory see each other through graduations, almost-weddings, and heartbreak - and since Lorelai can’t cook to save her life, they usually end up ordering three years’ worth of Chinese takeout for dinner, or grabbing a burger at Luke’s Diner. So when you watch, it’s only logical to brew yourself a pot of coffee and order a huge Belcampo Burger, which comes stuffed with caramelized onions, aioli, and white cheddar, and a side of fries - perfect to eat while sitting on the couch and debating the pros and cons of Team Dean vs. Team Jess.” -JC
