Mission Mission

It has been quite some time since I’ve contributed to Mission Vegan. I apologize. There has been a bit of a dearth in new and exciting vegan eats in the Mission, I’m afraid, and I was feeling sort of down about it. There are so many new restaurants on Valencia, and not only are they out of my income bracket, but they don’t have a single damn vegan thing on the menu. I don’t think restaurants are obliged to provide vegan options, but it is a nice thing to do because sometimes even omnivores get tired of pork belly and weird artisan cheese. Plus, it sort of makes me think that these fancy pants chefs aren’t very creative if they must rely on animal products to develop a dish. Anyways, I digress. This post isn’t about how much the Mission and Valencia Street suck now. We have enough of that.

Us vegans have it pretty lucky in the Mission though, especially when it comes to pizza. Escape from New York and Beretta both offer vegan pizza and Paxti’s and Amici’s deliver to the Mission. Once upon a time, however, we weren’t so lucky. The dark days of a Mission without vegan pizza were tough. We’d request cheese-less pizza from Serrano’s and get strange looks. Or, we’d buy those crappy Amy’s vegan pizzas from Cala Foods and dump a bunch of Tapatio on them and pretend they were tasty. It was hard times, my friends.

There was one place that did offer a vegan pizza, however: Atlas Cafe. As a Northern Californian, I don’t claim to know anything about pizza, but I do know that what Atlas offers should NOT be called pizza. The No Cheese Pizza’s toppings are an unholy trinity of sweet potatoes, beets, and avocados–three things that are a) too heavy to go on a pizza and b) have no business being on a fucking pizza!!!! And oh wait, I almost forgot, it also has tofu on it? The first time I ordered it, I was like “oh hell no,” but once I started forking it into my mouth (you can’t pick it up and eat it like normal pizza), it started to grow on me. It is so wrong, that it is right. I ordered it again the other day for the first time in years and this mystic pizza thing still holds strong.

So thank you, Atlas Cafe, for being a vegan pizza mainstay in the Mission. Never take it off your menu.

Every week, photographer Joshua Cobos shoots a roll of film just for us. He picks the best 13 photos and we post them here, and it’s called “Bad Blood with Joshua Cobos.” Here’s what Joshua has to say about the above shot:

I’ve been taking photographs of Fancy for the past 4, 4 1/2 years. I’ve seen many transformations, lots of different stage names & hair colors take place in these 4 short years. The lady has only become more self assured, dynamic & vivacious as time has gone on, this is the last photograph I took of her before she left to London.

Thanks, Joshua!

Nine more shots after the jump:

(more…)

I didn’t say.  Greer said it!

Btw, The Mallard has been killing it lately!  Do yourself a favor and go see them already!

Previously:

• Lou Reed lunching at St. Francis Fountain?
• Lou Reeds
• Is That Lou Reed in Your Raincoat?
• Punk Rockers Employed By the Government Are Causing Trouble in a Puerto Rican Neighborhood
• Lou Reed Defaced
• Big Corporate Lou Reed All Over The Valencia Street Art Wall

Yay 1st day of pumpkin soft serve at the Creamery (Friday fall special)! Twist it up w/ vanilla, maybe some spiced pecans on top?? 3-9pm #i

— bi-rite market (@BiRiteSF) October 19, 2012

(Thanks, Nattles!)

American Tripps is finally back from its big west coast tour, and what better homecoming than a sequel to the wildly successful “Hip Hop & Ping Pong” party from last May? Here’s the deal:

Our first HIP HOP & PING PONG event, back in May, was such a smash, we felt obliged to do it again quick. We got DJ LASER TAD once again, and he promises chill ’90s hip hop (and maybe a few surprises) once again.

As always at Rickshaw Stop, there’ll be foosball and skeeball (and great views of the ping pong action) upstairs, and plenty of rickshaws to snuggle in.

Sounds good! RSVP and invite your friends!

Well this is fucking unacceptable. Leo Nocentelli, guitarist for New Orleans funk pioneers the Meters, was allegedly subjected to some racist bullshit here in San Francisco last night:

I guess something could be said about a musician of Leo’s stature being put up in that notoriously sketch Travelodge (and having to pay for it himself) but still.

Some mixed reports of Travelodge’s feeble attempts at damage control are already coming in on the thread:

There is an early post on this line from Deejay Platurnipus that say’s “Just called. (Last night) They said Ginger isn’t working tonight. Lying i assume? “Manager” on hand said she’ll be there tomorrow, which I assume is also bullshit….” 
That contradicts the TraveLodge spokesperson that says not worked there in 6 months….

To be clear, it looks like Ginger isn’t the staffer that did this (being a female when the report specifies a male), but the New Parish is encouraging folks direct all complaints to her as the branch manager.

The New Parish just weighed in with this update:

…we prepaid for the rooms and when artists arrived for check in, they demanded cash deposits from 3 of 4 band members. I called police and they forced the manager to give me contact name – “Ginger Latu” was the name on the card he gave me. Incredible.

More details as we find out.

Leo Nocentelli is gearing up to play two dates at Brick and Mortar tonight and tomorrow night.

[via the New Parish]

It really speaks to the quality of the product when the purveyors consider their food delicious enough to eat themselves. And I’m totally admiring the decorations adorning this little alcove, too, which come together nicely to promote the authenticity of the rustic fare. Everything except for the overalls! Why do people still wear overalls???

With that said, they do fit the theme, and I must admit that was some damn good chili.

The natural gas fracking facility at Valencia & 23rd should be online by the end of the month.

Koch Industries promises flaring will not start before 7 AM on weekdays, 8 on weekends.

A beloved member of San Francisco’s restaurant scene fell victim to violence during Monday night’s brawl. His friend and colleague Eric Ehler would like to say a few words:

Long time Serpentine cook, Caesar Chuc, was attacked at 16th and Valencia, on Tuesday morning, at around 2. The only thing we know is that he was somehow involved in a brawl, and was found unconscious, and with no pulse. He was rushed to SF General, and is hanging on with life support, however he is not expected to make it.

Caesar was a family member to everyone who worked at Serpentine, and a friend to dozens of other cooks and restaurant workers in the City. Serpentine ran, because of Caesar.

He came to the United States 6 years ago, in hopes of providing a better life for his family back in the Yucatan. He worked numerous jobs is kitchens around the City, and quickly became a legend among kitchen crews. Not only was he a selfless gentleman that would go down in flames with any kitchen crew; he also was the guy to call if you needed something. If you needed a fill in line cook, dishwasher, cleaner, whatever, Caesar was the guy to call.

We’re praying for you, Caesar, and even if you pass, your legend is going to live on.

Thanks, Eric. Pull through, Caesar.

SFGate says: “Anyone with information about the fight is encouraged to contact San Francisco police. Callers can use an anonymous tip line at (415) 575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 and begin the text with SFPD.”

Right? Anyone catch them hanging out across the street in Dolores Park?