We’ve been spending the last couple of weeks trying to figure out if it’s possible to eat good food on a tight budget.
Do you have to sacrifice aged Gouda for Kraft singles or sun-dried tomato aioli for Best Foods mayo? Maybe in some situations, but there’s at least one food establishment on the block trying to keep it real for under $10.
It’s no secret that this week’s buzz prize goes to the Mission Food Truck run by Anthony Myint of Bar Tartine. He’s been serving hungry hipsters gourmet sandwiches on the corner of 21st Street and Mission every Thursday from 8 p.m.to 2 a.m. these last couple of weeks with tremendous success.
Burrito Justice had some lovely pictures to salivate over and Serious Eats did a nice write-up on what to expect, but we sent Sweetie into the trenches last night for some firsthand coverage. He confirmed the long line woes (he counted easily 50 people when he got there a little before 9 p.m.), but that didn’t stop him from waiting 40 minutes to try the pork belly flatbread sandwich.
Five bucks for a gourmet sandwich seems like quite the deal, though we have to admit that it’s a tad more expensive than typical street food, considering the general consensus seems to be that two sandwiches will hit the spot, and adding a side of $2 slaw (Sweetie was all over the Asian pear slaw he had with his sandwiches) makes it a complete meal. There’s also the issue of the wait. Sweetie clocked in at 8:53 p.m. to report the situation and decided to battle the line; he was next to order at 9:40 p.m. and was waiting for his order at 10:00 p.m.—an hour is a long time to wait for street food, actually and hour is a long time to wait for any take out!
Of course, we’re willing to pay a a few extra dollars more than traditional street food when we consider what we might pay for a traditional gourmet sandwich, and assuming the crowds are the result of the recent hype, one can hope that the Mission Food Truck won’t require reservations 7 months in advance for a spot on the curb.
To be honest, we’re pretty sure a system will soon solidify at The Mission Food Truck and things will be under control, making Thursday the new Friday at 21st and Mission.
Mmmm… Street Food… [Burrito Justice]
For Gourmet Sandwiches in San Francisco on Thursday Nights, Go To Mission Food Truck [Serious Eats]
Bar Tartine [MenuPages]
Bar Tartine [Official Site]
[photos via Bobby “Sweetie” Rullo]
