7x7's 2010 Big Eat 100

This year, 7x7 offered a prize to the first person to make their way through the 2010 100. And you know, for like, a good 10 minutes, I thought it could be me. I pictured a cover story where I got to tell San Franciscans what my favorite little gems were in the city; green salsa at Tacolicious, smoked salmon at Boulette's Larder, coconut chutney at Udupi Palace...and then I snapped out of it and I think that was right about when the winner was crowned. No joke, it took less than 3 weeks for some guy with a family who dragged his wife and kids to Michael Mina and Quince. Can he be my dad?

Anyway. This year's list reveals even more uncharted territory within SF's 49 square miles. I don't know how anyone has enough time to explore all these spots, let alone how the magazine decides which dishes make the list—all I can picture (in my happy food-driven imagination) is a team sitting around reminiscing and salivating over their exploits. I want that job.

Ok, so now that I've established my envy of the list's creators and conquerors, here is the list:

The 2010 Big Eat List

1. Roast chicken and bread salad at Zuni

2. Coffee-rubbed pork shoulder at Range

3. Carnitas taco at La Taqueria

4. Fried chicken and waffles at Little Skillet

5. Chasu ramen at Katana-Ya

6. Basil gimlet at Rye

7. Crab with cellophane noodles at the Slanted Door

8. Morning bun at Tartine Bakery

9. Tofu soup with kimchi at My Tofu House

10. Nick’s Baja-style fish tacos at The Taco Shop at Underdogs

11. Pork sugo with pappardelle at Delfina

12. Porchetta sandwich at RoliRoti

13. Soup dumplings at Shanghai Dumpling King

14. Beef brisket sandwich at Il Cane Rosso

15. Any seasonal flavor at Scream Sorbet

16. Katsu curry from Muracci’s Japanese Curry & Grill

17. Samusa soup at Burma Superstar

18. Oysters on the half shell at Swan Oyster Depot

19. Lobster pot pie at Michael Mina (well, at MM's XIV in LA anyway...)

20. Salumi misti plate at Perbacco

21. Pizza margherita at Pizzeria Delfina

22. Vietnamese roasted pork sandwich at Saigon Sandwich

23. Beer sausage with sauerkraut and grilled onions at Rosamunde Sausage Grill
(Bonus: Bring it Toronado next door and grab a beer to go with it.)

24. Blue Bell Bitter from the cask at Magnolia Pub

25. Loaf of bread straight out of the oven at Tartine

26. A bottle of Burgundy at RN74 (it was a glass)

27. Papaya salad with salty crab at Sai Jai Thai

28. A Gibraltar at Blue Bottle Café

29. Tuna tartare and a gin martini at Bix

30. Burger at Fish & Farm

31. Tuna Tostada at Tacolicious (so tricky! in the application, it's the beef taco which is to DIE FOR)

32. Pupusas at Balompie Café

33. Prime rib at House of Prime Rib

34. Way too much cold sake at Oyaji

35. Salted-caramel ice cream at Bi-Rite Creamery

36. Dry-fried chicken wings at San Tung

37. Rotisserie chicken at Limón Rotisserie

38. Burger and fries at the bar at Spruce

39. Pierna enchilada torta at La Torta Gorda

40. Cheeseburger with sweet potato fries at Taylor’s Automatic Refresher

41. Pho ga at Turtle Tower

42. Fried-shrimp po’boy at Brenda’s French Soul Food

43. An Old Fashioned at Alembic

44. One of Neyah White’s shrubs at Nopa

45. Secret Breakfast from Humphry Slocombe

46. Chips and salsa at Papalote

47. Ceviche and a pisco sour on the patio at La Mar Cebichería Peruana

48. Angels on horseback at Anchor & Hope

49. Ginger snaps at Miette

50. An obscure Belgian beer at The Monk’s Kettle

51. Maccaronara with ricotta salata at A16

52. Coconut buns from King’s Bakery

53. Carnitas at Nopalito

54. Spiced-chocolate doughnut at Dynamo Donut with a Four Barrel coffee

55. Chicken porridge for breakfast at the Bush Street Out the Door

56. Nuestra Paloma at Beretta

57. Agnolotti at Quince

58. Chicharrones from 4505 Meats

59. Huarache with cactus salad at El Huarache Loco
(Saturdays at the Alemany Farmers Market)

60. The Little Star at Little Star Pizza

61. Egg custard tart at Golden Gate Bakery

62. Dim sum at Ton Kiang

63. Meatballs with grapes at Aziza

64. Sand dabs at Tadich Grill

65. Cookies-and-cream cookie and milk at Anthony’s Cookies

66. Pig parts at Incanto

67. Paper masala dosa at Dosa

68. The housemade hot dog at Absinthe

69. Foccacia at Liguria Bakery

70. Omakase menu at Sebo

71. Scotch egg at Wexler’s

72. Shanghai Buck at Heaven’s Dog

73. Popovers with strawberry butter at the Rotunda

74. Corned-beef sandwich with Gruyère at The Sentinel

75. Fried green beans at Coco500

76. Chicken hash at Ella’s

77. Eggs benedict on the back patio at Zazie

78. Super burrito at Taqueira Cancun

79. Onion strings at Alfred’s Steakhouse

80. Apple fritter at Bob’s Donuts

81. Chicken curry lunch special at Punjab Kabab House

82. Fried chickpeas at Piqueo’s

83. French fries at Universal Cafe

84. A margarita at Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant

85. Pulled-pork sandwich at Roadside BBQ

86. A cheese slice at Arinell Pizza

87. Sesame balls at Yank Sing

88. Buckwheat crepe and a French cider at Ti Couz

89. Lettuce cups at Betelnut

90. Korean taco at Namu’s market stand

91. Albondigas soup at Mijita

92. Bacon-wrapped hot dog from a cart in the Mission

93. Seven courses of beef at Pagolac

94. The house cappuccino at Tosca Café

95. 3 a.m. bowl of caldo verde soup at Grubstake

96. Ube ice cream from Mitchell’s

97. Lamb schawerma at Truly Mediterranean

98. Bloody Mary with brunch at Foreign Cinema

99. Clam chowder at Hog Island Oyster Co.

100. Menage a Trois at Ike’s Place

I count 22 so far. The crazy thing is, a bunch of these items on the list are seasonal or even on the menu by chef's daily discretion! Even with the best intentions, I can't imagine getting through this without gaining about 50% body mass and blowing through my savings account. However, if you want to meet up and cross one of these off, I am there.