Have you eaten anything particularly good or bad lately, or seen a good scene while you were munching? Send in your short bites to missionlocal@gmail.com. Full names only.
This focuses heavily this week on Craftsmen and Wolves on Valencia St, making repeated visits that will probably mean that I will need a larger pair of pants, but here is the bottom line: it was worth it.
Chocolate Croissant Stack – sublime. Think layers of flaky croissant dough that has the perfect tease of dark chocolate. Caramel Coffee Eclair – This has an odd and deeply satisfying smooth crunch. Again, this never felt too heavy, which is often the problem with pastry. The Croissant – Light and I could have eaten another one. It felt like Paris, but my husband disagreed. He would however, return for the Blueberry Muffin.
Chicken Sandwich – open-faced. Meaty, not too salty or gooey and the dark bread had a sharp flavor that worked well with the seasoning in the chicken salad. My eating partner got the Squash Lavash, which I took a bite of. I thought it had too much cream or ricotta cheese and not enough flavor, but I liked the thinness of the Lavash. Oh well, not everyone is perfect. – Lydia Chávez
Flat Bread – the best in the Mission is still at the Universal Cafe on 19th Street. On Wednesday we had one with zucchini and cheese. Sometimes I think this is the best pizza in the Mission – at least for those who like a very thin crust. – Lydia Chávez
Niçoise Salad and a cup of Tomato Soup at Paprika on 24th Street where the Nicaraguan Trebol used to be. The plate of tuna, blanched green beens and egg was beautifully presented and dressed with a nice balsamic. The tomato soup had great flavor. I wasn’t too keen on the polenta balls at the bottom of the soup, but then again I’m not a polenta person and my two eating companions loved them. – Lydia Chávez
Walnut scones at Mission Pie. These are another old favorite that still hold up well against any scone out there, but I do have more to try. These are filled with walnuts and give off this lovely nutty smell. Moreover, like any good scone, they tend to be dry and crumbly. Perfect with a strong cuo of coffee. – Lydia Chávez