Our favorite food blog posts of Tuesday, May 19, 2009
A nation divided: In perhaps the ultimate act of foodie patriotism, the NY Times food blog went on a 50-state search for dishes containing the fiery condiment sriracha, like the cheesesteak dumplings with sriracha ketchup at Philly's Fireside Tavern. Problem is, red states seem to have an aversion to the red stuff: Thirteen states are apparently sririracha free, including Arkansas, Kentucky, and Idaho. WTF, America?
Well put: Ideas in Food'
Top: The Ba Le contender. Bottom: The Saigon sammy.
A product of French colonialism in Vietnam, the banh mi is classic street food, a sandwich that combines elements of both nations' culinary traditions - France's baguette and pâté, usually, and Vietnam's cilantro, chiles, and pickled vegetables. One of the most popular banh mi sandwiches contains grilled pork. SFoodie tried versions at two highly touted spots, Saigon Sandwiches in the Tenderloin and Ba Le in Oakland, in our own
It seems a new frozen yogurt shop opens somewhere in San Francisco almost every week. In that kind of environment, how do you distinguish yourself? Trang Nguyen is hoping she's found the answer at her Financial District shop The Chill Cafe (125 Kearny at Post). There's much more on tap than the standard cup or cone, starting with an inviting, airy atmosphere; shaved ice with more than 20 not-so-standard all-natural flavors; dessert crepes; a slew of specialty drinks (frozen hot chocolate, anyone
We try to spend as little time as possible under fluorescents, which is why we were heartened by news that a favorite (if ill-lit) pho place, Pho Clement, added a second location on Geary, sans harsh, flickering lights.
Even pho looks better in soft light. There are two dozen numbered combinations here (this is the medium-size #10, Nam Ve Don, well-done flank steak, $7.50), or you can customize with other meats. Besides the usual plate heaped with bean sprouts, Thai basil, sawtooth herb, chiles,
Meredith BrodyCupcake maker Kingdom of Cake is one of 10 new vendors.On Monday last week, the Earth Island Farmers' Market in the Metreon (101 Fourth St. at Mission) expanded into the former Sony PlayStation store on Fourth Street, adding more than 10 new vendors. The market opened in mid-May with some two dozen prepared food stalls and produce sellers in the space on Mission that once housed the Discovery Channel Store.
"The PlayStation space was always part of our plans," organizer Ma
Melanie Dunea, from "My Last Supper"So disturbingly wrong.Behold the fifth and final winning entry in SFoodie's No Reservations viewing party contest. In case you shed brain cells over the weekend, a referesher: We asked groupies of Anthony Bourdain's Travel Channel food show to tell us why they love Tony. the five winners will meet us out tonight for the broadcast of the San Francisco episode, to mingle with a very inside group of S.F. foodies (we swore we wouldn't say more).
Winners f
Tatyana BalteMagic Curry Kart: New logo, new food on the way.Last night, in a bit of self-confessed "rumormongering," Mission Mission speculated that street food vendor Magic Curry Kart would soon be serving Vietnamese noodles from his impressive new bicycle cart. But, as the Magic Curry Man himself told SFoodie, that's how rumors get started.Mission Mission wasn't too far off, actually -- at least as far as region goes. Instead of Vietnamese noodles, Magic Curry's Brian Kimball confirmed the
J. BirdsallDish: Shredded pork shoulder, served with Vietnamese pork quiche with duck egg (chá truong vit) ($12)
Source: Out the Door, 2232 Bush (at Fillmore)
Breakdown: This is two dishes in one: a tangle of cold pork and pork skin sanded with toasted rice powder, served with a wedge of cold pork cake (the "quiche," in menuspeak), a mass of even more pork gilded with bright-yellow duck egg yolk. You eat both with mouthfuls of rice, dipped into nuoc cham.
Backstory: "In Vietnam, that's a
foam order.com
