For those who enjoy dining out locally or while on vacation but often find it nearly impossible to stick to a healthy diet when tempted by the most mouth-watering (and fattening) dishes, San Francisco Chef and Co-owner Kathy Fang of Fang Restaurant has shared a few of her expert dining-out tips. Please find her guide below, designed to help you and other diners make healthy choices – at least most of the time:
Tips from Celebrity Chef Kathy Fang
Dining Out Tips
- Always get an appetizer! Ordering an appetizer can deter you from ordering a sizeable heavy entrée. When selecting appetizers, I lean towards salads with no cheese or vegetable-based soups. If they have raw fish, that’s even better. Oysters, ceviche, smoked salmon, and tuna tartare are all GREAT starters—low in fat but high in lean protein.
- Order a glass of wine or a potent cocktail with little to no sugar. Martinis or vodka sodas are always better than a house cocktail made with sugary syrup.
- Use the process of elimination when navigating your entrée selection. F and the lean proteins on the menu (fish, chicken, venison, filet mignon, etc.) See, you’ve narrowed it down; remove the options with heavy sauces or starchy side dishes. Y you can then choose the one that sounds the best to you. Don’t worry about what else is in it. R moving the essential “evils” listed above is enough. For example, I make a Five Spice Whitefish dish topped with jade spinach at FANG. T e white fish is a lean protein sautéed with spinach and aromatics. It’s full of flavor but low on calories.
- I always say moderation over deprivation—l arn when to indulge and when to hold back. Make your eating decisions wisely. If I go to an incredible steak house with famous carb-heavy sides, I will go for it. If I go to a top-notch Italian restaurant specializing in pizza and pasta, I’ll eat that and indulge without any qualms. The trick is not to indulge at a run-of-the-mill restaurant and cheat on a mediocre dish. Sy and have a salad or grilled fish because you will have that pizza when you go to Delfina or A16. Be picky with when and how you indulge, and you’ll find that when you do, you’ll enjoy and appreciate those fantastic meals with little or no guilt.
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About Kathy Fang:
Chef Kathy Fang is a native San Franciscan who grew up in Chinatown. The daughter of famed House of Nanking chef/owner Peter Fang, Kathy has emerged from her renowned culinary family to make a name for herself in the industry. After receiving her formal training at the esteemed Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School, Kathy opened Fang restaurant with her father in the SoMa district of San Francisco in 2009. F ng has become a beloved neighborhood favorite, offering a fresh take on dishes influenced by both Northern and Southern China’s cuisine.
Related: Recipes from the Culinary Institute of America
Apart from her role as a successful chef and restaurateur, Kathy Fang is also the author of a popular food blog, which offers more than 700 recipes inspired by her travels and culinary experience, and a new YouTube channel offering quick, easy, and healthy recipes. Kathy has appeared on “Guy’s Grocery Games,” “Good Day Sacramento,” and “Cutthroat Kitchen.” In January, she competed and won a Chinese New Year-themed episode of “CHOPPED” on The Food Network.
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About The Author
Randy Yagi is an award-winning freelance writer who served as the National Travel Writer for CBS Local from 2012 to 2019. More than 900 of his stories still appear in syndication across 23 CBS websites, including CBS New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Francisco. D ring his peak years with CBS, Randy had a reported digital audience reach of 489 million and 5.5 million monthly visitors. Additionally, his stories have appeared in the Daily Meal, CBS Radio, Engadget, and Radio.com. H is a Media Fellow of Stanford University.
