Snapshot: Mission Chinese Food, San Francisco

"Eat where the locals eat" I said, so off to Mission Chinese it was. This is one of those legendary local eateries where you can expect to battle Hipsters and Dotcom nerds for a table but the food is worth it. Rather like Ichiban boshi in Sydney - no reservations, no parties larger than 8.

Most of the food is served family style, don't let the humble prices fool you the serves are huge.

Mapo tofu $12USD

I'm not kidding when I say this is the best Mapo tofu I've ever eaten. Soft fresh silken tofu is served with lashings of chilli oil and shredded roast pork shoulder. There's just enough collagen from the pork in the sauce to delight an umame fan like myself.

Kung Pao Pastrami $12USD

This is probably the most American Chinese food one can imagine. Pastrami chunks stir fried with chili, celery, shallots and peanuts. It's hardly authentic, but it is delicious. 

Tsingtao $3USD

What better to wash all that chilli down with a beer or 5? At $3 why not!

Like many good Asian restaurants of this ilk the focus is on the food. Hard, fast, furious. If you like your restaurants with class and trimmings try elsewhere.The decor is sticky table shabby and the waitresses are all bored looking tattooed girls who never seem to look your way. Don't go expecting The Ritz, do go expecting hearty American Chinese classics. Don't dilly dally the people waiting will glare at you, but the food is worth the wait.

Mission Chinese Food (Lung Shan)

http://missionchinesefood.com/sf/

Super casual, don't expect high class

Do expect to wait

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Recipe: Low Carb Beef and Broccoli

Beef and Broccoli 

500g Sirloin steak
1 brown onion
1 can sliced water chestnuts
1 head of broccoli
1 shallot
1 glove of garlic
1 tbspn pickled or fresh ginger
1/2 tspn chilli flakes
100ml soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1 tspn sesame oil
2 tbspn oil for frying

Method

• Heat the oils in a wok or large pan
• Cut the onions into strips and stir fry
• While the onion is cooking cut the beef into 3mm thick strips
• Once the onion is sweated add the garlic, the ginger and the chilli to the onion and stir fry until the spices become aromatic
• Add the beef and stir fry until slightly pink, add the water chestnuts and continue to stir fry
• Add the soy sauce and stir fry until all the meat and vegetables are coated
• Cut the broccoli florets into small pieces, add to the stir fry along with the water
• Stir fry until the florets are coated with soy sauce and then cover to allow to steam
• While the broccoli is steaming cut the shallot into small pieces for serving
• Take the stir fry off the heat and serve in bowls, splash with remaining liquor and sprinkle with shallots
• Be carb smart; each tbspn of Soy Sauce contains 1g carbs, 1 serve of Water Chestnuts (half the can) is 8g carbs
• If you're craving a rice alternative serve with diced silken tofu sprinkled with Ginger, Soy sauce and Sesame oil