Chinatown’s Dragon Papa and Dragon’s Beard- Sydney Lolly Buffet Floss
The story goes, Dragon’s Beard was first made for the emperor of China, but has since spread to Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and the United States. The malt syrup is so delicate, Derek says, that the process cannot be mechanized — it requires the human touch. The Tams can only make seven boxes of dragon’s beard candy an hour, which is why it costs $9 for a box of eight.
Every time one of the Tams stretches candy in the window, tourists flock around to watch. Neighborhood residents, meanwhile, dart inside to pick up boxes, though few can resist stopping for a few moments to watch the show.
By Jonathan Kauffman
September 30, 2015 Updated: September 30, 2015
Dragon Papa, 572 Grant Ave., S.F.; (415) 539-7728. Open noon-8:30 p.m. daily.
Jonathan Kauffman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: jkauffman@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @jonkauffman