Jackson & Lincoln

This past week my good friend Mike Corsini was in town from Hong Kong. This kid is globally renowned for his awe-inspring ability to shovel food down the hatch. 11 egg breakfast anyone? San Francisco isn't known as the cheapest of cities, so surely trying to fill the bottomless pit that is Corsini's gut would put a sizable dent in the pocketbook. Or not?

Here at globaleats it's not enough to just eat well. Eating deliciously for blue collar prices is one of the most satisfying activities out there. Flavor is flavor (Corsini quote) but at the end of the day it's more gratifying to know you've done the same with $5 that others are doing for $18. I decided to make it interesting and see how much variety one could sample for less than $25. Prices include 8.5% sales tax, when applicable.

Meal #1

Baked 叉燒包 {chā shāo bāo} @ Lung Fung Bakery - 1823 Clement Street {@19th}

I'm a big fan of this little bakery in the Outer Richmond, where they toast up these 叉燒-stuffed buns for chess-playing, tip-sipping patrons as well as the random picture-snapping whitey or two. This bun has that fluffy interior and slightly crisp exterior we all seek out, and the pork inside balances sweet and savory with a touch of rice wine tang. Gristle free since '83 as well.

$1

Meal #2

Mì Vịt Tiềm @ Hải Ký Mì Gia - 707 Ellis St {@ Larkin}

Our second stop brought us west of Van Ness to Little Sài Gòn. One of the more popular bowls at this buzzing lunchtime dive are the braised duck leg noodles, for damn good reason. The duck is simmered in an aromatic 5-spice broth until it just begins to fall apart, and served atop chewy egg noodles. I order mine 'dry' so I can mix in just the right amount of broth, hoisin and chili oil.

$7.50

Meal #3

Bánh Mì Đặc Biệt @ Hoàng Đặt Coffee Shop - 930 Geary Street {@ Larkin}

This Bánh Mì is pure nostalgia for me, as this style sandwich was one of my go-tos back in the People's Republic. The bánh mì trend that hit the states 5 years or so ago brought about several variations of the classic Vietnamese sandwich, although at Hoàng Đặt they keep it classic- and that's plenty good enough for me. The Đặc Biệt ('special' or combo) is a mix of chả lụa (steamed pork paste), giò thủ (head cheese) and ba rội (sliced pork belly roll) with the standard sidekicks of mayo, pate, scallions, pickled carrots, cucumber, cilantro and sliced chilis. Nowhere near Cam Ranh status, but it'll do. The seasoned sandwich slanger from Sài Gòn scoops out the interior crumb to make room for the fillings as well as create a more appropriate stuffing to bread ratio. That means a lot to me.

$3.50

Meal #4

Tacos @ Taqueria Vallarta - 3033 24th Street {@ Treat}

The taco bar at Vallarta is without a doubt the main draw of this homey mexican restaurant in the Mission. It's what keeps me coming back again and again...and again. A dozen or so meats sit on a circular plancha, each with their own compartment, happily bubbling away in their own fat. The skilled taquero takes the tortillas and gives them a quick dip in the grasa before charring them on the griddle. He spoons your carne of choice (this time was suadero, barbacoa and tripitas) on the tortilla and then it's up to you to finish with cilantro, onions and salsa. Just like the pork bun at Lung Fung, I appreciate the consistent absence of those sinewy nasty bits. These style tacos might be a bit of an adjustment for those used to Papalote, but once you begin your love affair with Mexican street style tacos it's all but impossible to step back to grilled chicken and ground beef with shredded iceburg. You can call me a snob, but I'll be at the bar. Eating barbacoa.

$5.25 (3 Tacos)

Meal #5

Wild Boar Sausage @ Rosamunde - 2832 Mission Street {@ 24th}

The last stop on the tour brought us to ever-popular Rosamunde Sausage Grill. Sure we ran into more white devils here than the rest of our trip combined, but it felt right to conclude this multi-ethnic eating crawl with something as Amuricun as apple pie: Grilled meat...inside a white bun...served in a plastic basket. Pass the mustard! God bless this land of the free.

$7.05

Grand Total: $24.30

Boom.

Stay Tactful.