Thursday August 6th: Ottoman Cuisine for the Beat Within and St. Anthony's Foundation

This Thursday we are pleased to have Jeff Harpel, Bryan Harpel, and Kirstin Dau who will be presenting a menu of cuisine from the once-great Ottoman Empire (North Africa, the Balkans, Turkey, Greece and the Middle East). Between them, Jeff and Bryan helped open A16, Spruce and Terzo, and have worked at Zuni Cafe, Nopa, O Izakaya Lounge, Cavallo Point and Cellar 360.

Jeff, Bryan and Kirstin will be donating some of their proceeds to The Beat Within, a juvenile hall writing program whose staff and volunteers hold weekly workshops helping 700 detained youth to share their ideas and life experiences in a weekly publication. The program encourages literacy, self-expression, and critical thinking skills, as well as social services and internships as part of a progression towards a healthy, non-violent, and productive life. MSF profits will go to the St. Anthony's Foundation which serves over 2,600 meals per day-- 365 days a year--and provides medical services, clothing, and housewares to those in need.

MENU:

Mezza Plate: carrot-filo cigar, smoky eggplant puree, scallions, olives and pita - $8

Cucumber, cauliflower, chickpea, and arugula salad - $7

Mint Soup with chickpeas, and rice - $6

Crispy Dolmades: stuffed with anchovy, cured olive, israeili cous cous, and cheese - $7

Mussels with charmoula, fried polenta crumbs, and cilantro - $9

Almond-Chicken with saffron-currant cous cous - $9

Lamb Belly, roasted beet, chorizo, mache and goat cheese-tatziki - $8

Lung Shan's Vegan Delight: shitake and oyster mushroom dumplings in miso soup - $5.5

House made Hazelnut Turkish Delight - $3

Ras El Hanout Toast Crunch: bruleed Firebrand pan de mie with young pistachio and sweet goat milk - $6

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Open Letter to the People of Mission Street Food from Karen:

About a year ago, my husband suggested that we run a little taco truck on one of his days off. The plan was to work together: he would cook and I would talk with the customers. We told a few friends to come by, but mostly we expected we’d be hanging out together in a metal box on the corner.

Since then, the business has grown in ways we could never have imagined, and we’ve met so many wonderful people. After almost a year of Mission Street Food, though, I have to say goodbye--for now--because I’m starting a job as a professor in another state. Anthony will continue Mission Street Food with the help of our incredible staff, but this will be my last week at the restaurant. We’ll be taking a week off (Aug 13 and 15) while Anthony helps me settle in, and then it’s back to the regularly scheduled programming. Come by this Thursday or Saturday if you want to say goodbye in person.

Cheers,
Karen