The City of 10,000 Buddhas is one of those places that never gets mentioned on list of places to go to in the Bay Area. I learned about this city through a foodie friend who highly recommended their vegetarian restaurant, Jyun Kang, serving food without MSG, onions, garlic, scallions, leeks, shallots or eggs.

After a festive, gastronomic holiday season, it was perfect timing to head out of hustle and bustle of San Francisco and eat healthy to start the New Year right. Although there are many vegetarian restaurants in SF, Jyun Kang is special since it is in an enclosed, expansive monastery where Buddhist monks live.  Most visitors drive directly to the restaurant, but my companion of the day and I took the time to soak in the peace and quiet of the compound and visited the Jeweled Hall where 10,000 Buddhas are displayed. The city's street is even named after Buddhist virtues, such as morality and wisdom. The 2-hour drive to the city was definitely worth it.