up and down in san francisco

October 2, 2009

I’ve been in the city of hills and chills for three days now.

But first, a little layover on the way here.
Yep, we’re definitely not in London anymore.  Houston, Texas, to be precise.

But wait!

A surge of nostalgia for the queues and quirks of London takes over me.

I do miss my city, but I am also quick to remember that there are lots of things I missed while there. A big one:  Mexican food.  And nobody does Mexican better than California.

So, when I touched down in SFO and my friend Liz asked what I wanted for dinner, she zoomed me over to Pancho Villa in the area of town called “The Mission.”

This place is insane.  The sights, sounds, and smells hit me in the same way people describe arriving at Delhi airport.  I had to stop and stare.

Loud, fast, and overwhelming, Pancho Villa is one if those guidebook places locals can’t shy away from.

“What is this plant-based thing you’re doing?!” asks Liz.

But there’s really no need, not when there’s rice and beans and salsa on the best corn tortillas I’ve had.

Liz got a huge plate of carne, rice, and salad, and on top of that we got way too many tortilla chips to share with guacamole and salsa.  This was also the first time I tried horchata, a rice-milk drink that tastes like rice pudding without the lumps.  And the first time I can remember dinner for two costing £17.

That’s Liz after assuring me “We’ll have you eating meat before you leave!”

I didn’t even notice the salsa bar at the back of the room, and the veggies for the veggie tacos had run out, so another visit is definitely in order.

We ate a lot, and we ate late.  The raw factor was low.  I know I feel better when I’m eating lighter than this, but I made it my “mission” to be flexible with myself when I’m not eating at home, especially when I’m far from it.

Coming up:  jaw-dropping grocery shopping, San Francisco style

© 2009 Jessica Stone www.greenappetite.com