The Big Eat SF

I'm a sucker for lists, and an even bigger sucker for food challenges. So naturally I was all over 7x7's list of 100 Things to Eat and Drink Before You Die. I checked off 11 items right from the start, and made it to 18 in just a few days. Here's a few highlights:

#40 Cheeseburger from Taylor's (shown left): I've worked in the Ferry Building for over 3 years and this was my first time here. Delicious indeed, though I can think of many other burgers that deserve to be on the list. Oozing with cheese, nice squishy bun, crunchy pickles.


#27 Papaya salad with salty crab from Sai Jai Thai (left): Nearly burned my face off. The salad was worth the venture into the 'Loin, except for the gray mealy tomatoes and massive hunks of cabbage rind on the side. What was that about?


#36 Dry-fried chicken wings from San Tung (not shown): The place was packed when I showed up around 1:30 on a Thursday. Everyone was eating the wings! I got my order to go and went straight to the N Judah. They smelled so good I got off the bus 3 stops to eat them on the sidewalk. Fried in batter with garlic, ginger and roasted red peppers.

#8 Morning bun from Tartine Bakery (not shown): The bun was good, but the gougère was better. I'm just not that into sweet breakfast. Here's the recipe if you'd like to make them at home.

#50 Giant pretzel with mustard and and beer cheese at Monk's Kettle (left): Giant is an understatement. I came in for a snack and ended up with a meal. Served piping hot with stone ground mustard and house-made cheddar ale sauce. I couldn't resist a glass of the bourbon barrel aged ten FIDY from Oskar Blues.

#91 Albondigas soup at Mijita (not shown): I had this for lunch on Cinco de Mayo. Perfect for the cold rainy afternoon it was. A tomato based soup with beef and pork meatballs and LOTS of veggies. Served with tortilla strips (think fritos).

I'll keep working down the list, even though it has a few flaws. For example, the coffee-rubbed pork shoulder (#2) hasn't been on the menu at Range for quite some time. But, if you're up for the challenge you can track your progress with the Big Eat facebook application. Check back soon for progress reports...