Sandwich as Taco

Two seasons have turned since the big Chinese broccoli vs. bok choy debacle, and my roommate Rachel and I are once again speaking the same veggie language (thanks in part to Juan's refereeing in the comments section where he democratically determined that choys and broccolis are of the same family, and so the whole "choy" or "broccoli" thing is like "tomayto" or "tomahto," causing us to cool our burners and call the debate off). Last Thursday the VP debate was on, and after going our separate ways to bite our nails over politics as reality TV (the mavericky, wink-happy Tina Fey later lessened the pain of Palin not quite melting down as everyone had hoped), Rachel and I met up around the corner from our place to check out Bar Tartine line cook Anthony Myint's new 21st and Mission sandwich truck (see the last post).

Word had spread like that paraffin & jam fire I once started, wending its way through email forwards and local food blogs, so that the line was daunting, and Karen's homemade chocolate-chip cookies had run out (she's Anthony's wife). My belly was also still full from my friend Andrea's three-alarm chili, so we decided to hold off on sampling the sandwiches until the following Thursday. Rachel, who in addition to occasional stints as a stringer for Weird Vegetables works in food research, had her camera at the ready for data collecting and managed to snap the above picture of someone else's PB&J, a pork belly and jicama sandwich freshened up with a delightful splash of cilantro aioli sauce. Eater SF has more photos and more to say on the mobile food event.

I know those toppings are laid on scallion flat bread, and not tortillas, but these "sandwiches" look suspiciously like tacos. Is Anthony reaching across the aisle to bridge the divide and ease tensions between the sandwich vs. taco factions in San Francisco's Mission district? Is he saying "sandwich," "taco," "tomayto," "tomahto," "bok choy," "Chinese broccoli," let's just all vote Obama? Will Valencia St.'s Dosa restaurant suddenly toss in a third-party element with the Dosa "It's Like a Crepe" Mobile? Tune in Thursday for the next installment of Mission Street Food.