Mission Mission

So claims Chef David Chang, basically, in a new editorial for Lucky Peach:

What’s happened to ramen in the past decade is a microcosm of the larger food world. In 2003, when I was working at Café Boulud, the other cooks and I used to go down to wd~50 after service just to look at the menu and try to envision what the food might look like. That’s how it used to be before the Internet; you would still go to restaurants, look at their menu, and just imagine. You’d order ramen books from Japan and wait weeks for them to arrive, so you could pore over the photos from across the planet.

Now the Internet’s changed everything. People can get all the information they want instantaneously, and that has killed innovation in ramen.

The Internet exploded in the 2000s, and with it came the ramen boom in Japan. Suddenly, ramen became the very establishment it once stood against. A variety of magazines and websites arose, solely dedicated to ramen. Everyone could learn everything about it. Anyone can read the Lucky Peach ramen issue and possess information that’s taken decades to develop and accumulate.

Great, first the internet ruined San Francisco, now it’s ruined ramen. Thanks a lot, internet.

Read on for more gripes and stuff.

…The Bold Italic made you a list. Here’s what they have to say about the Upper Haight:

Street Taco is such a breath of fresh air in a neighborhood that shouldn’t have to suffer from burrito mediocrity! The Upper Haight is already home to El Faro and Zona Rosa, both aggressively average taquerias, with Zona as the slightly better option. At Street Taco, the tables are clean, the chips are warm, and the Al Pastor comes straight from the spit. Enjoy some Mexico City street food from an establishment where you won’t have to avert your eyes from the health rating on the wall.

Read on for lots more recommendations. (Or just stay in the Mission.)

What the heck

[via Jane]

[via Mills]

@ScannerSays was locked down inside Serrano's pizza for over 30 min. Cops say CSI on the way

— Allison Shiman (@theshiman) December 28, 2014

I can think of worse places to be locked down.

That is all.

(Thanks, Tyler!)

It’s my favorite New Year’s Day tradition ever, and possibly my favorite Mission holiday tradition ever, AND this year it sounds like it’s gonna be even better than ever:

RICE PAPER SCISSORS NEW YEAR’S BRUNCH 2015

New Year’s Day Brunch
Thursday, January 1st
Brick and Mortar Music Hall
1710 Mission Street (at Duboce)
11:00 AM – 3:00 PM

On January 1st, Rice Paper Scissors is hosting their annual New Year’s Day Brunch.

It also marks their one-year anniversary at Brick & Mortar Music Hall, where they serve lunch on weekdays.

On the menu is Ma Po Scramble (scrambled eggs, ma po tofu, grilled toast), Steak & Eggs Banh Mi (featuring housemade oyster sauce) and Crab Imperial Rolls because ‘tis the season.

New Year’s specials include Char Siu Pineapple Buns, which is what happens when a cross a pork bun and pineapple bun as well as Coconut Rice Pudding Fritters with pineapple and a coconut jam.

Soup’s on with two hangover cures: Hanoi-Style Beef Pho and Canh Ga, a hearty soup with roasted rice, chicken, Chinese greens and fried shallots.

There will also be Detox and Retox drinks: Vietnamese Kale Smoothie (in case you’re wondering – the condensed milk makes it Vietnamese) and of course Tecates and mimosas to keep you nice and buzzy.

RSVP and invite your friends ‘n’ fam! Full menu after the jump:

(more…)

In a couple pieces for SF Weekly over the last few months, our pal Omar has put together a list of La Taqueria’s secret menu items:

• Dorado-style (grilled) burritos
• Combining multiple meats into one burrito
• Red sauce
• Side of blistered Serrano chiles
• Nachos
• Dorado-style (grilled-til-crispy) meat
• Sirloin ends (pictured)
• Quesarrito

Read on for all the details and lots more pics: Part 1 and Part 2.

[via Omar on Instagram]

(Just kidding, this is not a real product but rather a glorious work of art by local genius Porous Walker.)

First, sort of an update on Sunflower (SFist did a little digging):

SFist called the Potrero branch of Sunflower to see if there’s any update on the space at 506 Valencia (which is also connected in back to another storefront at 3111 16th Street) and an employee there said she did not know if there were plans to reopen. Also, she said, she could not discuss why they closed.

Mission Mission commenter Susie, who claimed to represent the restaurant, noted earlier that the problem had to do with ADA compliance, which could stem from threats of litigation, or actual litigation, from local opportunist ADA enforcers who have also struck other nearby Mission businesses like Chile Lindo. Back in 2010, Chile Lindo owner Paula Tejeda told Inside Scoop and SF Weekly that “The entire Mission is being attacked by this same lawyer,” referring to Thomas Frankovich and his disabled plaintiff Craig Yates, who at the time threatened Tejeda’s landlord with $1,000 fines for every incident of lack of access to the restaurant because of a six-inch step required to enter the premises.

Hopefully they’ll reopen eventually. Meanwhile, the Sunflower family opened a new place right next door, in the former Mariachi space:

The restaurant’s About page says that they “bring traditional Korean dishes and make them vegan,” but the only Korean items on the menu so far are a kimchi maki roll and a vegan version of bibimbap.

The place got a handsome remodel and just snuck open on Thanksgiving day, and vegans the city over will be clamoring to try dishes like lemongrass “chicken”; wok-fried spicy tofu with bell pepper, celery and chili; red and yellow curries; deep fried yam maki rolls; and vegan Mongolian Delight. All dishes are in the $5 to $12 range, which should also make them popular, and you can see the full menu here.

Hokey dokey!

How’s everybody been dealing with the loss, anyway?

Read on for more.

[Photo by Google Maps]