state of the table * volume 12
what i ate in my last weeks in sf
i had the full intention of irish exiting from san francisco but unfortunately my propensity to constantly yap about everything in my life prevented me from doing so, so here i am documenting my leave in yet another form (after a 1000 instagram stories of my for-sale furniture and a goodbye picnic). any time i made plans with friends in my last few weeks in the city they insisted i choose the restaurant because i was leaving soon. this put the undeniable pressure on me to evaluate where i really cared to have my last meals in sf, but i decided to not work in such an ultimatum (i’ll be back in july for half the month, lol). i also can’t speak in absolutes, my friend bek’s biggest gripe with me is when she asks for my favorite ramen spot, i provide no less than three options (yes i’m choosing to believe this is my BIGGEST flaw). so this is not a definitive list of my favorite places, but i prioritized some spots in my last two weeks, and those are what this letter is about.
to know me is to know i love mission chinese food, a restaurant i’ve been frequenting for over ten years now. i have been here at all hours of opening at all times of the year, i searched the phrase “mission chinese” in my messages and there are over 200 texts. it is my go to spot for a last minute big dinner; you can get a same day reservation (call them), even on a saturday night. it’s distinctly no frills but has fun decorations polluting the ceilings and the music is always nuts. two weeks ago i had a nine person dinner and my immediate suggestion was MCF; upon being seated i designated myself table captain and proceeded to rattle of my usual order. i try to go with at least a group five so i can get all the dishes i want — kimchi, mapo tofu, rice cakes (the veg version with tofu skins), long beans, eggplant, and the rice with garlic and preserved lemon. when the group is slightly bigger i’ll tack on a noodle dish and maybe something non-vegetarian (like the wings) at the request of the group. YOU CANNOT SKIP THE RICE CAKES. i’m not even sure if they’re my favorite dish on the menu but every person i’ve taken there has raved about them and every person i know who has criticized MCF did not try the rice cakes. in our group of nine we ordered eleven dishes and each got a beer and paid $30 per person including tax and tip, which feels like a deal.
also, if you’re curious, there’s a ton of lore around mission chinese because they opened and closed multiple locations in new york (then ended up separating from the sf identity) and there was a ton of drama. they have a pop-up this summer in ny chinatown and i can’t wait to try it and report back…
my aforementioned favorite three ramen spots are hinodeya, mensho, and nojo. before you object please remember i am speaking specifically about vegetarian ramen. hinodeya has a creamy vegan ramen that has soy milk and crispy kale that is rich without being too viscous. i sub the vegan spinach noodles for the standard ones — these are my favorite noodles of any ramen i’ve had, they’re thick and chewy and the broth coats them so well. i met a friend here last week for a wednesday dinner (i always prefer the original japantown location) and there was no wait, but i have noticed a line on weekends now so maybe lean weekday. she tried the seasonal yuzu vegan zen ramen and it was so floral and light and delicious. it reminded me of the yuzu ramen at afuri in tokyo if you’ve had it!
my last weekend in the city consisted of another seven hour park day in dolores (my sunburn is still peeling), followed by a yuzu radler at fort point beer and dinner at my favorite taqueria, el buen sabor. the reason this spot is at the top of my list is they have a tofu burrito, without the frills of grilled zucchini and carrots and whatever other vegetables that some places add to their vegetarian offering (i also love the breakfast burrito at the el farolito location on mission and 24th if you eat eggs). their red and green salsas are also fresh and spicy and i dollop them on every bite. chips are included too, it’s easy to get a table, and the rice is so moist and flavorful. after dinner we got ice cream at garden creamery, one of my favorite ice cream places where i will always get two scoops because the flavor selection is so enticing.
my second to last weekend i had a saturday night dinner at boiling hot pot in the richmond. i don’t think i have a single photo here because i’m always an edible deep by the time the food comes out and it’s so no frills (are we sensing a theme here) that it’s difficult to capture the magic in a picture. i am a fiend for hot pot; possibly surprising as a vegetarian but i have an entire post from my old newsletter dedicated to doing hot pot at home. i also like going out to an unlimited spot. many will argue that it’s not worth it for a vegetarian and while i understand this perspective, the experience alone is worth it for me. boiling hot pot is a newer spot for me that i started going to last year, but have returned about ten times since. they have all the things that are most important to me: four vegetarian broth options (i always skew spicy, tom yum is nice too), a sauce bar (a must), and multiple mushroom offerings. go hungry.
most people who read these letters weekly are probably sick of me talking about veggie hot dogs but i will never stop. last week i was in berkeley for a friend’s band’s gig at triple rock (it was amazing) and was searching for a late night dinner (why does cheeseboard close so early!). we hiked the 20 minutes to topdog (with a stop at late nigh chai spot elaichi co on the way) for a very nostalgic dog to me. i first experienced topdog in high school during the yearly uc berkeley speech and debate tournament, and i lived a block away from it in summer 2016 and would swing by for a snack as often as possible. it felt special to spend one of my last friday nights amongst throngs of college students, eating my vegan dog with every topping possible, remembering the moments from high school where my friends and i felt so adult for walking around telegraph on our own.
on one of my last nights in the city i had a drink with a friend who recently moved back to san francisco. the pressure was on because he told me to “pick a cool spot” and standards were high after i recently sent him to moongate lounge. i figured we could go to true laurel — it has undeniably good ambience and service, and i’ve talked about the delicious bar nuts in a past letter. true laurel is also special to me because when i lived in potrero hill six years ago it was a frequent night out spot (especially when trick dog was overflowing) and it’s the first place i paid $20 for a cocktail. i feel they’ve become so much more than “the bar to wait at until it’s your time at flour + water” — their cocktail menu has always been fantastic and i’ve exclusively been ordering the into the pines on every visit there. the first time i got it it came in a small glass bottle that used a shaved slice of carrot rolled up as a bottle stopper. i couldn’t stop talking about that detail for days. i am depressed i can’t find a photo because unfortunately that feature of the drink is long gone, but the rest is equally delicious. i order this so blindly i actually don’t know what’s in it, but the menu says it’s “toasted coconut rye, terroir gin, vermouth, maraschino, arak, redwood tips.” i haven’t had the food here in years so i’m not sure if it’s still good, but i remember loving the fondue. i think you need to make a reservation these days to get a table, but i usually successfully score bar seats by being just being nice.
some other special places i went to in my last week — a mano, salt and straw, royal indian (for takeout ofc), and rhea’s deli. the places i missed on my goodbye tour are beit rima, tartine, abv, devil’s teeth, and hong kong lounge, and they will be first on my list for my july trip. this week’s non-food recommendation is these nine songs that i’ve listened to a comical amount over the past week plus. i listened to the playlist on repeat on my two legs + two hour layover on my flight to new york, it’s the perfect length for a 30 minute treadmill run, and they are all now burned permanently in my brain. hope you enjoy.
also, thanks for the responses to last week’s letter by my brother! somehow his ego has gotten even bigger (i didn’t know it was possible). see you next week.
I'm salivating just reading this. Also, that last sentence took me out! This was both a funny and refreshing read. Thank you for sharing, and I look forward to future letters :)