let’s be pals

i was all ready to post some pictures of a crab dinner i had last week, but then totally got sidetracked by today’s lunch. word on the street was that a new gourmet takeout joint was opening in the mission this week and i was pleasantly surprised to learn that it’s just down the street from sfgh at 24th and hampshire, inside tony’s market. pal’s take away. siiiiick, right in the ‘hood.

at first i felt a little guilty about my excitement over this new joint since i have a fierce loyalty to yat’s (which, strangely, is also another hidden gem tucked away in a liquor selling establishment). but let’s be real - heavy frye is not something i can, nor want to, eat daily. so the appeal of fresh, handmade sandwiches and salads made from local products was hard to resist.

i walked into tony’s and was immediately greeted by a friendly man in round tortoise shell glasses dressed all in white like a butcher thowback. i think this was jeff. or maybe it was david. let’s call him jeff.  i ordered the slow-roasted becker lane pork shoulder sandwich which came with wild arugula and herbed mayo on an acme sesame kaiser roll (for 7.25!) since i detest mayo i asked for my sandwich without. but let me tell you, the mayo was hard to pass up because it was made with all sorts of yummy goodness (like fennel, i think??) that kind of took it away from being a mayo and turned it more into a ”dressing.”

“jeff” tried to persuade me into getting the mayo since he felt the sandwich might suffer without but in the end he suggested champagne vinagrette as a happy medium. i also ordered the french fingerling potato salad that came chock full of sugar snap peas, chives, and parsley, and maybe what looked like pea shoots, all dressed with a champagne vinaigrette. while jeff was making the sandwich, i started to shoot the shit with “david” who was also dressed like an old-school butcher. they were both real pleasant guys who made my first visit to pal’s a great experience.

i like people who are excited about their food. oh, and did i mention that they have a rotating menu? the new one hits later today.

but i digress… so i get back to my office to eat lunch and was stoked to find my sandwich wrapped in butcher block paper, sealed snugly with a big pal’s sticker. it’s all in the details, people. packaging is important.

my sandwich was delicious, as expected, and the salad was refreshing and light. basically, i was amazed to be eating food this good at work. the options around here are limited and most of it is expensive and/or tastes like crap. for the quality of my meal, pal’s is a total steal.

oh, and fyi, my camera has never been the same since i dropped it in the hot tub, so these photos are the best i can do right now.

hmmm, how many pictures of one sandwich can i take?

and in case you didn’t believe me about my camera, look at this fucked up shit. do you know how many pictures i had to take of this sandwich in order to make it come out somewhat clear? what i do for you people…

and p.s. pal’s totally paid me to write this positive review. just kidding. that place is rad. go there pronto. but only at lunch time on weekdays because they have limited hours.