Banh Mi Vietnam at Mission Banh Mi inside Duc Loi Supermarket on Mission and 18th. For my money, it would be difficult to find a better way to spend $5 than on the traditional Vietnamese banh mi sandwich here. Pork belly, pork shoulder, housemade head cheese, and Vietnamese sausage fill a crunchy French baguette that’s slathered in mayo and topped with pickled carrots and daikon, jalapenos, cucumber and cilantro — adding up to one (literally) heavy and satisfying sandwich. —Mark Kurlyandchik
Deconstructed Aloo Tikki at Curry Up Now on Valencia at 18th Street. This was spicy but not too hot. There was a fantastic spectrum of aromatic flavors and textures. The tiny samosas were a nice surprise. —George Lip
Chicken & Vegetable Fajitas at Papalote on 24th Street. This plate was big enough to share and packed with flavor! The chicken was extremely tender and vegetables included eggplant and zucchini, served with rice, beans and tortillas on the side. Though it was a bit on the salty side, the delicious and not-too-sweet horchata made up for it. —Guisel Contreras
Tortilla Soup at La Taza on Mission St. It was a creamy, tomato-y tortilla soup with tortilla strips and sour cream on top. Plenty of flavor but not overpowering. Like a taste explosion, one friend said. If creamy isn’t your thing, you might want to think twice. I’d order it again. —Lynne Shallcross
The San Franciscan at Mission Picnic on 22nd and Valencia streets. I can’t resist pastrami, turkey and provolone with all the fixings on a French roll. I also ordered a side salad with vinaigrette and Mama Zuma’s Revenge habanero potato chips. It was good, wholesome even, and reminiscent of the tantalizing hot pastrami sandwich at the Submarine Center by West Portal Station. —Alexander Mullaney
Tomato Soup and Turkey Club at The American Grilled Cheese Company on Harrison and 20th. The soup was solid — I declined the offer of cream — and Mark reports that the turkey club was excellent and filling. I also ordered a quinoa salad, which was a mix of greens, white beans and quinoa. It was too mushy — either because the quinoa was too wet or because the salad leaves had not really been dried properly. —Lydia Chávez
Egg Souffle Waffle from Lt. Waffle inside Linea Caffe on 18th and San Carlos. How do you make a waffle with the texture and taste of egg souffle? I have no idea, but Anthony Myint, of Mission Chinese fame, has figured it out. The waffle is light and delectable, and topped with chevre and fine herbs. I’ve never had anything like it. —Mark Kurlyandchik