On 24th street in the Mission, not too far from where I live, there used be to a halal butcher. I loved that butcher shop, and feasted on lamb necks regularly.  When it unexpected closed, I was crushed.

But then something new came in.  Something exciting. It was a sandwich shop.  No, wait, a bakery and brunch spot.  Err, make that a cook book library and community space.  And there was something about Jewish mysticism that kept popping up on the blogs.  I was curious, and confused.

What finally did open was Local: Mission Eatery.

In what seems to be a common trend (See also: The Summit) Local introduced itself as a complicated hybrid concept of being a mixed use space – not strictly a restaurant, but more.  I’ve visited them a lot as they’ve evolved over the last year, and think they’ve sanded off a lot of their rough edges, refined what they are doing, simplified menus and expanded their vision.  As a disclaimer for what follows: I couldn’t be considered even close to an impartial with my regular seat at the kitchen bar, and after especially teaching a lab on beer.

So here’s the thing: I think that I’m going to stop being able to walk in on a thursday night and get a seat without waiting, and soon. I predict, in the next few months, you’re going to be hearing a lot of these guys. Expect to see Knead’s Pomme de Amour show up on a lot of “best bites” lists,  blogs to wax rhapsodic on the Andy’s fried pickles, and even reputable print media to discover Jake’s pates.  Word will get out on thier innovative menu pricing with all of the dishes being available as either apps or entrees (Tip: get all apps, and get a couple of them.) The kitchen puts out unassuming but consistently surprising food, often with a refined twist. Chef Jake has a few pet styles and techniques which pop up regularly, lending them a nice signature style beyond the local and organic emphasis.

Whenever I’m asked for a restaurant recommendation lately, they have been high on my list, I’ve been remise about recommending them on this blog. But hey, a SF Beer Week special pairing menu with Sudwerk seemed like just the occasion to bring the camera to dinner.  While it’s not thier usual dinner service, it highlights many of the things I’ve grown to adore.

So, here we go.

We started out with Sudwerk’s Hefe – a classic german wheat beer, overflowing with clove and banana. It was paired with a Chicory Salad with pickled shallots, pistachio butter, blood and cara cara oranges.  I particularly liked the pistachio butter underneath the salad, which acted like a sauce for the biter greens and fruit above it. As with everything every plate, it’s very on-message with local, seasonal ingredients put together with housemade everything. It’s the fine details – perfect citrus supremes, careful green tearing and great seasoning that it rises to more. The pairing tapped that classic orange with a wheat beer character notes, but with a nicely updated take.

Speaking of which, how outstanding have the blood oranges been this season?  I’m obsessed.

Meanwhile, quail eggs fried for the next course.  Always a good thing.

The space is warm and inviting, full of reclaimed wood and art. They’ve added additional tables in back and hung curtains that make the space feel more “whole” than it did when it first opened. The space fits comfortably into a dinner setting as well as a casual lunch spot.

The open kitchen makes it easy to snoop in and see what’s cooking. If you’re sitting at the bar, the chefs will deliver most dishes to you themselves.

Next: Tete De Cochon with beer mustard, fried quails eggs and pickles, paired with a Marzen.  Here we get a few of Jake’s favorite touches: housemade pickled fennel and housemade mustard, along with a dish utilizing the whole pig.  It’s fatty and indulgent, with just he right acidity to balance it. The cold pork had a wonderful delicateness to its flavor. The pairing was OK – I was looking for some hops and bitterness to balance the pork, but the Marzen got by.

Then: Beer Braised Lamb with celery root puree, fava greens, smoked potatoes, apples.  Smoked anything – in this case potatoes – are another pet speciality.  Keep an eye out for his smoked kale on the regular menu.  The lamb is intensely gamey with a deep, rich lacquer.  The paired Doppel Bock pulls out the smoke and richness again, like the Marzen, but this intensely reduced shoulder needs more to stand up to it.

Dessert is cheese (Win, although I’m disappointed not to see Knead have a hand in the meal.) Fiscalini Bandaged Cheddar with beer nuts, quince.  The cheddar is complex and extremely sharp, and nicely complimented with the sweet tinged sides.  The beer, a Dunkelweizen on tap, is the stand out best beer of the night. I would have loved to have it alongside the lamb or the tete de cochon.

I know I’ve knocked the pairings a bit here, but don’t get me wrong: I love Sudwerks craft lagers. They’re classic styles, low bitterness and malt forward character is outstanding.  Just, maybe not the best match for the kitchen’s earthy and rich style.  I think his regular menu is done a great service by his regular bottle list, featuring Odonata Saison, Napa Smith Pale Ale and He’brew’s Lenny RIPA – all beers with a lot of acidity and bitterness to balance the food. I think that’s why the Sudwerk’s wheat beers were the best of the night.

So, great food with good pairings carried the night – which isn’t a bad way to spend a night in the Mission during SF Beer Week.   It was an easy ticket to get this year.  I doubt that’ll be the case by this time next February.  By then, I expect word to have gotten out.

Tags: local mission eatery, mission

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011 at 9:44 am and is filed under Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.