Allen T.'s Profile

It was so long ago, it might have just been a dream. I wanted some tacos, and this awesome hipster girl took me to the El Tonayense taco truck on Harrison and 22nd. She tried every taco truck and taqueria in the Mission, and she said this was the best one.

When we got there, I was shocked to see that not only did they have patio seating, they even had a perfect 100% score from the city health department!

Taco Truck Girl explained to me that taco trucks are superior to taquerias because the meat is fresher. They grill each taco to order, making the meat nice and crispy. The tripitas (aka tripe, cow stomach) tacos were awesome! They were crispy like hash browns, but made out of tripe! So heavenly and delicious, I could live on tripitas tacos!!

The lengua (cow tongue) and cabeza (cow cheeks) tacos are awesome too! The perfect compliment to these awesome tacos is a bottle of  Mexican coke,  served in a real glass bottle, sweetened with real sugar.

And after introducing me to the best taco truck ever, taco truck girl disappeared, never to be seen again. Did she even exist, or did I imagine the whole thing while in a drunken hangover? I guess I'll never know, but thank you Taco Truck Girl, for showing me El Tonayense on 22nd and Harrison, the best taco truck in world.

Citizen Chain is a super friendly neighborhood bike shop in North Beach. They specialize in old vintage bikes and do an amazing job restoring neglected beaters to their former glory. They also have a nice selection of new bikes for commuters and for people who want to ride around for fun.

Dallas (the owner) and Henry (the mechanic) are really knowledgeable about bikes and are very chatty and friendly. There's never any pressure to buy anything, and they're not snobby at all. In fact, the older and more beat up your ride is, the more they'll love it.

Henry did a great job truing some wheels for me, and did a nice job tuning my road bike. I've also bought a bunch of parts from them, and they encouraged me to take a bunch of their bikes out for test rides around North Beach, just for fun.

Citizen Chain is a fantastic neighborhood bike shop, run by really friendly guys who know a lot about bikes.

Focus. Determination. Always finish what you start. You can do it.

2 hours, and 5 courses into the meal, I was ready to explode.  My belt was unbuckled, my gut distended, and the main course still had not even come out yet!  I had already come this far, and there's no way I'm doggie bagging it home.

Downing a giant serving of the City's best calamari as an appetizer prior to a huge 7 course Osso Bucco might have been too ambitious, but the food was so good! And there's so much of it.

The food is outstanding, and if you're determined enough, and wash it down with plenty of vino, you might be able to finish it! The Osso Bucco is melt-in-your-mouth delicious!

Good greasy cheesesteaks with generous portions of meat and cheese. They also serve Mexican Coke (with real sugar) which perfectly complements the cheesesteaks and fries.

They're open til 3am and are very friendly. Highly recommended!

Freddie's is my favorite neighborhood sandwich shop. They make the best Italian Combo in North Beach, their meats are just a bit tastier and fresher than everyone else's, and it's simply heavenly on a soft sourdough roll.

I have a really big appetite, but a small is good enough for me. When I'm working from home, my favorite lunch is to grab an Italian Combo and a Ginger Beer from Freddy's, then head over a couple blocks to Washington Square to finish it off.

Freddie also makes pretty good hot toasted sandwiches as well. I highly recommend getting a toasted corned beef with swiss. Yum!

Because Freddie's kicks ass, there can be a long wait during the noon lunchtime rush. The trick is to phone your order in 10 minutes before you pick it up.

Philz serves the best coffee in the City, individually hand brewed by the cup. They'll even mix in the cream and sugar for you, along with some fresh mint if you ask.

My favs are the Philharmonic, which is a refreshing medium blend, and the Turkish is a bit darker, with spicy overtones.

And best of all, Phizs has some comfy couches to lounge around while sipping your brew.

Greatest fucking tacos ever. You have not lived until you've eaten their Lengua taco with cheese and avocado doused in their heavenly hot sauce.

So good, and so delicious. There is nothing better. I would choose a meal at La Taqueria over any restaurant in the city.