Chow posted a very long article on Mission Chinese Food.
One point of interest for me was that it describes the fate of the beloved Chinito. My mom’s theory, being a Chinese restaurant owner herself, was: “It was probably just a pain in the ass to make.” However, it turns out the “Chinese Donut” element of the dish had to be purchased in the morning in Chinatown and they just didn’t feel right about serving it after it had been sitting out all day.
Read all about the chefs, their spicy-as-fuck food, their weird relationship with Lung Shan, and more over at Chow.
Update:
Oh hey, Chow also has the recipe for Chef Bowien’s Explosive Chicken Wings. They claim it’s better than it’s inspiration, from Chinatown Szechuan joint Z & Y. A bold claim!
there’s also this recent rumination:
The Dragon in the Room: Art, Eating, and the Aesthetics of Mission Chinese Food
http://www.artpractical.com/review/the_dragon_in_the_room/