Mission Food: Taste the International Rainbow

Someone retrofitted their street-access walk-in closet with ten stools, a counter, an industrial oven, and some small refrigerators, and called it a Burmese restaurant. … Where once there may have been shoe racks are now two women working the oven the burners, sweating to prepare some of the best noodles around. To know what drinking frog eggs is like, order the Grass Jelly. As for the menu, well, everything is great, made in your face, cheap, and loaded with authentic amounts of cucumbers, oils, and spices. Entrees cost $5.25 and include curry dishes, black bean fish, stir fries, and chow meins. [link]

This is an authentic rendition of Nicaraguan food without the glue-sniffing children of Granada, three legged dogs of Masaya, or machete banditos of Matagalpa. The Comida … Tipicas are the best to get a true flavor of Nicaraguan food, especially vigoron, which is sold is plastic bags at mercados. Other classics include the plantains with cheese (tajadas con queso) and anything yuca. [link]

A terribly common name that misrepresents a restaurant whose menu flaunts salmon steaks, tuna, and the expected pasta options of any respectable Italian eatery. The … servings are large, the prices are low, and no effort or expense is wasted on anything superfluous. Menu offerings are written on paper cut-outs and stuck to the walls and the salads are mostly iceberg, but the no-BS vibe makes it A-OK. [link]

Ethiopian food is known for its spiciness -- not necessarily picante, but well-varied. Cafe Ethiopia delivers a straightforward, traditional hands-on injera-fueled … dipping heaven. To complement the wat, they offer some amazing lager and a honey wine that's far too sweet, but what can you do when it's the only such place in the Mission? [link]

Serving tallboys of King Cobra and more reputable English beers, the Front Porch has no pretension concerning its comfort roots. However, the seasonal entrees earn back … any money lost on cheap beer drinkers, and rightfully so. Far from a stilted chicken shack, the menu offers carefully prepared crab and grits, fried chicken with mac and cheese, and vegan one-pot stew. This time of year they're open seven days a week for dinners, but during the summer they throw down barbecue just like in Ole Miss. [link]

One entree of Indian/Pakistani, two orders of naan, and a side of rice get you out the door for less than $12 for two or three people. Add the fact that you can step … across the street to buy a Fosters oilcan or other cheap drink of choice (if you plan ahead, you can bring alcohol of whatever caliber you desire), and Pakwan is a keeper. Two plastic tables and chairs on the sidewalk provide "patio seating," first-rate people-watching, and a point of bicycle surveillance if yours is locked up in the area. [link]

I've heard this place called "frisky," "funky," and "hip." I prefer well-lit and rather sterile with a retro-futuristic aesthetic for a slightly noveau riche clientele … who are the crossbred results of Banana Republic buyers and Banana Republic models, thus making it slightly out of place for it's proximity to the heroin hub at 16th and Mission. However, the sushi is fresh, creative, and changes seasonally. They also offer great happy hour drink and hand roll specials. [link]

Be sure to check out the wall art in this relatively cheap spot that's far enough away from the hotspots to feel that you're maybe not in one of the wealthiest cities in … the United States. And Old Jerusalem continues the Middle Eastern restaurant tradition of goading you into eating family-style because the entree dishes can typically feed two or three people. Other highlights are fresh falafel, Arabian coffee, and the daily specials. Their nearest neighborhood rival is Truly Mediterranean at 16th and Valencia. [link]