The Happy Crane in San Francisco.

Photo by Jeremy Chiu
San Francisco

The Happy Crane

  • Californian
  • Chinese
  • Special Occasion

Happy Crane was a hot opening in 2025, one of the new school of Cantonese restaurants that have fired up across the country. The chef, James Yeun Leong Parry, was born in London and grew up in Hong Kong, and he brings a different perspective than many of his contemporaries in San Francisco’s Chinatown. He also has fine-dining finesse through his work at Michelin-starred spots in Hong Kong, Tokyo, and San Francisco. In a modern glass space, he digs into Cantonese traditions with Californian creativity: firecracker shrimp crackling in nori and shiso leaves, chicken liver mousse and coppa piled on fluffy bao buns, and lacquered Peking duck with shaved persimmon.

To really delve into Cantonese food — it’s the most developed cuisine, probably, in the world. But we see very little of it, and I like the glimpses that the new guys are bringing to it.
Chef Nancy Oakes
Nancy Oakes

Nancy's Perfect Order

Smacked Cucumber and Tea Smoked Cherry Tomatoes at The Happy Crane in San Francisco.

Photo by Jeremy Chiu

Smacked Cucumber and Tea Smoked Cherry Tomatoes

Riffing on the traditional salad, cool cukes are salted and tossed in a Chinkiang balsamic vinegar jelly, then hit with a curveball of Pu-er tea and brown sugar-smoked cherry tomatoes.

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