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Ramen Done Right: Hapa Ramen Serves Big Bowls with Big Flavor

[rating: 5]

After my first time experiencing what a real bowl of ramen is supposed to taste like, I was left feeling utterly perplexed. How in the world did Nissan foods take something so rich and complex in flavor, and create a replica that is totally overloaded with sodium and tastes like absolutely nothing? Who did a side by side comparison and decided, “Hey! Our instant Cup of Noodles can totally pass as ramen! It’s close enough to the real thing, I bet hardly anyone will be able to tell the difference!” It would be like saying an M&M could pass as a fresh cream truffle from Jean-Charles Rochoux, one of the best chocolatiers in Paris. It simply makes no sense...Continue Reading

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A Tribute to the Men Who Arepa'ed Me - Part 2

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Following Jonathan Kauffman's footsteps, my quest to find San Francisco's best arepa led me to Pica Pica Maize, a relatively new Mission eatery located at 15th and Valencia. Although Kauffman was rather critical of many of Pica Pica Maize's menu selections, his description of his arepa led me to believe that I would have a similarly satisfying arepa experience. I was wrong. Comparing Mr. Pollo to Pica Pica is like comparing McDonald's to In&Out - the menu selection may be similar, but the quality of food is radically different...Continue Reading

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A Tribute to the Men Who Arepa'ed Me - Part 1: Mr. Pollo

I want to say thank you to a man, a man, I'm sure, most of you are familiar with. A man whose unmitigated arrogance and exaggerated self-confidence actually led me to one of my most cherished dining discoveries. Bobby Flay, if it wasn't for that historic episode of Throw Down in 2008, I would have never made Caracas Arepa Bar a dining destination on my visit to New York City. Without you sir, I would have never known the messy, all-encompassing delight of a perfectly cooked arepa...Continue Reading

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Need a Go-To Tacqueria to Satisfy Those 2am Cravings? Look No Further Than El Farolito

[rating: 3.5]

Ahhh Farolito. We've certainly had some good times together, haven't we? Like, that one time I came in drunk just before 2 and ordered a Super Carnitas Quesadilla? Or that other night when I stumbled in drunk after bar-hopping in the Mission, and ordered a Super Carnitas Quesadilla? And, of course, you can't forget the time when I wandered in drunk on a Saturday and ordered a Super Carnitas Quesodilla. Do you remember that!? Good times my friend, good times...

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Sausages in the Mission? Yes, Please!

[rating: 4]

This place is going to be dangerous. Why? Because now juicy, delicious sausages are right off of the 24th street Bart station, and I will have to walk by it at the end of the day when I'm tired, hungry, and too lazy to cook anything for myself. The chances of me eating a sausage every day went from 1 in 300,000 to about 2 in 5. Obesity here I come!...

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