Luke Tsai
@theluketsai.bsky.social
Food editor, KQED Arts & Culture
Pinned
Luke Tsai
@theluketsai.bsky.social
· Dec 18
This Gas Station Food Truck Serves Amazing Kyrgyz Street Food in Santa Clara
Vostok is dishing out piping-hot shawarma and plov until 11 p.m. every night.
www.kqed.org
Did you know that there's a gas station food truck in Santa Clara specializing in Kyrgyz street food? We went for Midnight Diners, and it was even more delicious than we could have imagined. www.kqed.org/arts/1398504...
Reposted by Luke Tsai
Reposted by Luke Tsai
Sunday, February 1 is the LAST day for the DeYoung Museum's "Art of Manga" exhibit -- if you're planning on going this weekend, be sure to buy tickets in advance, as it'll likely be crowded.
www.famsf.org/exhibitions/...
www.famsf.org/exhibitions/...
Art of Manga
Manga — Japanese comics and graphic novels — have become a global phenomenon. Art of Manga showcases the world of manga from the 1970s to today.
www.famsf.org
January 29, 2026 at 10:45 PM
Sunday, February 1 is the LAST day for the DeYoung Museum's "Art of Manga" exhibit -- if you're planning on going this weekend, be sure to buy tickets in advance, as it'll likely be crowded.
www.famsf.org/exhibitions/...
www.famsf.org/exhibitions/...
Reposted by Luke Tsai
me, emotionally writing an essay on the use of force by federal agents: ok but what if i packaged this in the most insane way possible www.theverge.com/policy/86857...
Best gas masks
“How did these people go out and get gas masks?” AG Bondi asked.
www.theverge.com
January 29, 2026 at 2:25 PM
me, emotionally writing an essay on the use of force by federal agents: ok but what if i packaged this in the most insane way possible www.theverge.com/policy/86857...
You can now get Dominican food in San Jose! @tavos-kitchen.bsky.social with the report. www.kqed.org/arts/1398593...
This San José Food Truck Is One of the Only Dominican Food Spots in the Bay
El Fogon d’Geny is repping the Dominican Republic with its mofongo, pica pollo and assortment of hearty stews.
www.kqed.org
January 28, 2026 at 7:45 PM
You can now get Dominican food in San Jose! @tavos-kitchen.bsky.social with the report. www.kqed.org/arts/1398593...
Reposted by Luke Tsai
ICE are alllll over Harlem right now, 116 & Frederick Douglass, checking IDs and targeting the area’s African community. Multiple people have been detained.
Community members are advising folks to carry citizenship documents - or stay away if they are at risk
Community members are advising folks to carry citizenship documents - or stay away if they are at risk
January 28, 2026 at 5:48 PM
ICE are alllll over Harlem right now, 116 & Frederick Douglass, checking IDs and targeting the area’s African community. Multiple people have been detained.
Community members are advising folks to carry citizenship documents - or stay away if they are at risk
Community members are advising folks to carry citizenship documents - or stay away if they are at risk
Reposted by Luke Tsai
Wrote this for all my art school friends, teachers and nemeses; for CCA's patient and helpful staff; for my library coworkers; my media services pals; for all the baby artists who won't get to go this art school:
www.kqed.org/arts/1398541...
www.kqed.org/arts/1398541...
What We Will Lose When California College of the Arts Closes
After the closures of the San Francisco Art Institute and Mills College, the announced end of CCA hits triply hard.
www.kqed.org
January 14, 2026 at 10:07 PM
Wrote this for all my art school friends, teachers and nemeses; for CCA's patient and helpful staff; for my library coworkers; my media services pals; for all the baby artists who won't get to go this art school:
www.kqed.org/arts/1398541...
www.kqed.org/arts/1398541...
Reposted by Luke Tsai
Love, love, love this @coyotemedia.org essay about Pacific East Mall from my colleague (and fellow Albany kid) @cecilialei.bsky.social.
Also it's Ranch 99. I did not realize this was up for debate www.coyotemedia.org/asian-market...
Also it's Ranch 99. I did not realize this was up for debate www.coyotemedia.org/asian-market...
What the ‘Asian Market Boom’ Is Missing: An Ode to Pacific East Mall
As shiny, new Asian grocery stores are hailed as retail "saviors," the decades-old Pacific East Mall in Richmond shows how immigrant cultural spaces matter beyond their economic benefits.
www.coyotemedia.org
January 9, 2026 at 8:20 PM
Love, love, love this @coyotemedia.org essay about Pacific East Mall from my colleague (and fellow Albany kid) @cecilialei.bsky.social.
Also it's Ranch 99. I did not realize this was up for debate www.coyotemedia.org/asian-market...
Also it's Ranch 99. I did not realize this was up for debate www.coyotemedia.org/asian-market...
Reposted by Luke Tsai
🎙️ON AIR:
We're talking to @kqedfood.bsky.social's Luke Tsai and Octavio Peña, and @laurensaria.bsky.social about their picks for what you should nosh on in 2026.
❓What's a restaurant or dish you recommend trying in 2026?
📻 Listen:
We're talking to @kqedfood.bsky.social's Luke Tsai and Octavio Peña, and @laurensaria.bsky.social about their picks for what you should nosh on in 2026.
❓What's a restaurant or dish you recommend trying in 2026?
📻 Listen:
KQED Radio - Tune in Live Radio | KQED
Stay connected and informed by tuning into KQED's radio for engaging news, captivating stories, and thought-provoking conversations.
buff.ly
January 9, 2026 at 5:11 PM
🎙️ON AIR:
We're talking to @kqedfood.bsky.social's Luke Tsai and Octavio Peña, and @laurensaria.bsky.social about their picks for what you should nosh on in 2026.
❓What's a restaurant or dish you recommend trying in 2026?
📻 Listen:
We're talking to @kqedfood.bsky.social's Luke Tsai and Octavio Peña, and @laurensaria.bsky.social about their picks for what you should nosh on in 2026.
❓What's a restaurant or dish you recommend trying in 2026?
📻 Listen:
My one travel tip, if you’re flying out of SFO this holiday season. www.kqed.org/arts/1397835...
Mama Go’s Serves the Best Late-Night Airport Food at SFO
The home-style Filipino meals — including breakfast at 3:30 a.m. — are a surprising find in Terminal 1.
www.kqed.org
December 21, 2025 at 6:52 AM
My one travel tip, if you’re flying out of SFO this holiday season. www.kqed.org/arts/1397835...
Reposted by Luke Tsai
Located in the parking lot of a Santa Clara gas station, Vostok’s Kyrgyz-style shawarma wraps and wok-fried noodles are served piping hot, from noon to 11 p.m. daily. Latest from KQED's Midnight Diners:
This Gas Station Food Truck Serves Amazing Kyrgyz Street Food in Santa Clara
Vostok is dishing out piping-hot shawarma and plov until 11 p.m. every night.
www.kqed.org
December 19, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Located in the parking lot of a Santa Clara gas station, Vostok’s Kyrgyz-style shawarma wraps and wok-fried noodles are served piping hot, from noon to 11 p.m. daily. Latest from KQED's Midnight Diners:
Reposted by Luke Tsai
Catch me, @ogpenn.bsky.social and @theluketsai.bsky.social on Forum this morning, from 9–10am.
(Wish I could say we'll have dogs in the studio!)
88.5 FM / kqed.org
(Wish I could say we'll have dogs in the studio!)
88.5 FM / kqed.org
Your One Beautiful Thing from 2025 | KQED
This year’s picks include handwriting letters, supporting a struggling artist and taking a solo trip to follow a band on tour. And, we want to hear from you, what was the One Beautiful Thing in your l...
www.kqed.org
December 19, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Catch me, @ogpenn.bsky.social and @theluketsai.bsky.social on Forum this morning, from 9–10am.
(Wish I could say we'll have dogs in the studio!)
88.5 FM / kqed.org
(Wish I could say we'll have dogs in the studio!)
88.5 FM / kqed.org
I'll be on this episode, talking about how bad I am at crossword puzzles! 😅
🎙️ON AIR:
We're talking to the @kqedarts.bsky.social and @ucsanfrancisco.bsky.social's Elissa Epel about the KQED Arts team's annual series, One Beautiful Thing.
❓What was the One Beautiful Thing in your life that punctuated 2025?
📻 Listen:
We're talking to the @kqedarts.bsky.social and @ucsanfrancisco.bsky.social's Elissa Epel about the KQED Arts team's annual series, One Beautiful Thing.
❓What was the One Beautiful Thing in your life that punctuated 2025?
📻 Listen:
KQED Radio - Tune in Live Radio | KQED
Stay connected and informed by tuning into KQED's radio for engaging news, captivating stories, and thought-provoking conversations.
buff.ly
December 19, 2025 at 5:06 PM
I'll be on this episode, talking about how bad I am at crossword puzzles! 😅
Reposted by Luke Tsai
Did you know that there's a gas station food truck in Santa Clara specializing in Kyrgyz street food? We went for Midnight Diners, and it was even more delicious than we could have imagined. www.kqed.org/arts/1398504...
This Gas Station Food Truck Serves Amazing Kyrgyz Street Food in Santa Clara
Vostok is dishing out piping-hot shawarma and plov until 11 p.m. every night.
www.kqed.org
December 18, 2025 at 11:41 PM
Did you know that there's a gas station food truck in Santa Clara specializing in Kyrgyz street food? We went for Midnight Diners, and it was even more delicious than we could have imagined. www.kqed.org/arts/1398504...
Did you know that there's a gas station food truck in Santa Clara specializing in Kyrgyz street food? We went for Midnight Diners, and it was even more delicious than we could have imagined. www.kqed.org/arts/1398504...
This Gas Station Food Truck Serves Amazing Kyrgyz Street Food in Santa Clara
Vostok is dishing out piping-hot shawarma and plov until 11 p.m. every night.
www.kqed.org
December 18, 2025 at 11:41 PM
Did you know that there's a gas station food truck in Santa Clara specializing in Kyrgyz street food? We went for Midnight Diners, and it was even more delicious than we could have imagined. www.kqed.org/arts/1398504...
Reposted by Luke Tsai
The area around Brown University -- which is also where I grew up and now live -- is quaint and picturesque. A postcard version of a New England college town.
But I never thought "this can't happen here." Because there is nowhere in the U.S. where this can't happen.
But I never thought "this can't happen here." Because there is nowhere in the U.S. where this can't happen.
December 14, 2025 at 4:01 AM
The area around Brown University -- which is also where I grew up and now live -- is quaint and picturesque. A postcard version of a New England college town.
But I never thought "this can't happen here." Because there is nowhere in the U.S. where this can't happen.
But I never thought "this can't happen here." Because there is nowhere in the U.S. where this can't happen.
Here's @tavos-kitchen.bsky.social on a San Jose bakery pop-up that sells 18 (!) different varieties of egg tarts, with more in the works. www.kqed.org/arts/1398489...
This San José Pop-Up Bakery Sells 18 Different Varieties of Egg Tarts | KQED
A&M Pâtisserie's pastries draw inspiration from Cuban guava strudels and Korean cheese corn.
www.kqed.org
December 12, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Here's @tavos-kitchen.bsky.social on a San Jose bakery pop-up that sells 18 (!) different varieties of egg tarts, with more in the works. www.kqed.org/arts/1398489...
Reposted by Luke Tsai
I wrote about the time I entered a crossword puzzle competition in Berkeley...and got absolutely smoked! 😭 www.kqed.org/arts/1398472...
In 2025, I Became a Competitive Crossword Solver — and Got Absolutely Smoked | KQED
How Luke Tsai learned to embrace losing.
www.kqed.org
December 10, 2025 at 5:08 PM
I wrote about the time I entered a crossword puzzle competition in Berkeley...and got absolutely smoked! 😭 www.kqed.org/arts/1398472...
I wrote about the time I entered a crossword puzzle competition in Berkeley...and got absolutely smoked! 😭 www.kqed.org/arts/1398472...
In 2025, I Became a Competitive Crossword Solver — and Got Absolutely Smoked | KQED
How Luke Tsai learned to embrace losing.
www.kqed.org
December 10, 2025 at 5:08 PM
I wrote about the time I entered a crossword puzzle competition in Berkeley...and got absolutely smoked! 😭 www.kqed.org/arts/1398472...
Reposted by Luke Tsai
friends! @coyotemedia.org is dropping our paywall for December so you can see what we’ve been up to even if you have none dollars. All of our posts are currently free to read.
Come check us out & spread the word? www.coyotemedia.org
Come check us out & spread the word? www.coyotemedia.org
COYOTE
Independent journalism with a bite!
www.coyotemedia.org
December 3, 2025 at 6:46 PM
friends! @coyotemedia.org is dropping our paywall for December so you can see what we’ve been up to even if you have none dollars. All of our posts are currently free to read.
Come check us out & spread the word? www.coyotemedia.org
Come check us out & spread the word? www.coyotemedia.org
Reposted by Luke Tsai
For KQED Arts & Culture food editor @theluketsai.bsky.social, 2025 was all about finding new favorites — from his favorite Peking duck house to a Lao restaurant inside a bowling alley.
The Best Dishes I Ate in 2025
A year of spicy raw crab, mindblowing Peking duck and bowling alley Lao food.
www.kqed.org
December 3, 2025 at 6:29 PM
For KQED Arts & Culture food editor @theluketsai.bsky.social, 2025 was all about finding new favorites — from his favorite Peking duck house to a Lao restaurant inside a bowling alley.
For parents of students in West Contra Costa, I found this guide very helpful. richmondside.org/2025/12/02/w...
Is your family prepared for WCCUSD teachers strike? Here’s what to know
The United Teachers of Richmond union says a strike this week is possible. Richmondside compiled a FAQ to help WCCUSD families prepare.
richmondside.org
December 2, 2025 at 11:29 PM
For parents of students in West Contra Costa, I found this guide very helpful. richmondside.org/2025/12/02/w...
This late-night hand-pulled noodle spot in San Leandro is pretty great! www.kqed.org/arts/1398373...
An East Bay Newcomer Slings Hand-Pulled Noodles and XLB Until Midnight
Dao Artisan Noodle brings Lanzhou-style noodles to San Leandro.
www.kqed.org
November 14, 2025 at 7:57 PM
This late-night hand-pulled noodle spot in San Leandro is pretty great! www.kqed.org/arts/1398373...
Here's @tavos-kitchen.bsky.social on a new bột chiên stall at Lion Plaza in San Jose. Look at those rice cakes! www.kqed.org/arts/1398362...
A New San José Food Stall Specializes in Vietnamese Rice Cake Omelettes | KQED
Bot Chien is an exciting new addition to Lion Plaza.
www.kqed.org
November 10, 2025 at 11:25 PM
Here's @tavos-kitchen.bsky.social on a new bột chiên stall at Lion Plaza in San Jose. Look at those rice cakes! www.kqed.org/arts/1398362...
I wrote about the Bay Area’s Filipino pie lady—back after a year-long hiatus with a fresh set of pies for Thanksgiving. www.kqed.org/arts/1398341...
The Bay Area’s ‘Pinay Pie Lady’ Is Back, Just in Time for Thanksgiving
Sweet Condesa returns with a new lineup of Filipino-inspired treats.
www.kqed.org
November 5, 2025 at 2:07 AM
I wrote about the Bay Area’s Filipino pie lady—back after a year-long hiatus with a fresh set of pies for Thanksgiving. www.kqed.org/arts/1398341...