Ma Po Tofu
@ Mission Chinese Food

The Dish:

Ma Po Tofu was an all-time favorite Chinese dish growing up. Originating from the Szechuan province, this spicy and saucy dish will set your mouth on fire. And just like gravy, you can't eat Ma Po Tofu by itself. Well, you can, but it's not quite the same. The marinated and ground pork shoulder combined with the smooth texture of bean curd and fermented black beans perfectly complements plain, white rice. With hints of ginger, cardamom, garlic, and star anise, this dish will make you a fan of dining in the Mission all over again.

Mission Chinese Food's Ma Po Tofu also made it to 7x7's 2011 Big Eat list - 100 Things to Try Before You Die.

Key Ingredients: Tofu, Ground Kurobuta pork shoulder, Szechuan peppercorn, chili oil, steamed white rice (on the side)

The Place:

Don't waste time looking for the Mission Chinese Food signage. You won't find it. And don't bust out the fancy attire either. You won't need it. The magic of Mission Chinese is that it lives under the same roof as the unassuming Lung Shan Restaurant – an extremely casual, Mission street dive with a miniscule kitchen and one giant, hovering dragon. On a recent visit, old-school rap played in the background of this uniquely special hole-in-the-wall. Wednesdays are their day off, but they are open all other days for lunch and dinner. No parties over eight allowed, and no reservations.

Other Menu Musts:

Salt Cod Fried Rice, Cold Dan Dan noodles, Szechuan Pickles

Local Insider Tips:

• Mission Chinese Food donates $0.75 of each entrée to the SF Food Bank. They've raised over $60,000 so far.
• Although I'd recommend dining in the restaurant over take-out, they do deliver anywhere (most anywhere) in the city of San Francisco.

Recommended By:

Mika Takeuchi is a Tokyo-born, California-based writer and entrepreneur. In addition to working in restaurants, Mika has ventured across the globe, dining and seeking out dishes from street food to haute cuisine. She is a contributing author of the book "Creating a Meal You'll Love" and founder of the website/blog, Food Fashionista. Her company and writings have been featured in The Washington Post, BlackboardEats, Culinary Trends, and more.

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