John's Snack & Deli for Kimchi burritos & tacos, SF - any reports?

[hhc]

Yelpers are talking about it. Last day for the lunch special Fri 3/27/09: Kimchi Burrito $5.95
(Softshell tortilla, bulgogi beef, sauteed kimchi, lettuce, salsa, onions, cilantro, rice)

& Kimchi Soft Taco $2.95
(Softshell tortilla, bulgogi beef, sauteed kimchi, lettuce, salsa, onions, cilantro)

03/27 Friday: Dak Doritang
Tender chicken drumettes, potato, carrots, and onion sauteed in a family recipe sauce. Comes with rice, miso salad, and piece of fruit. $8.95

website:
http://www.snackanddeli.com/?m=200903

John’s Snack & Deli
40 Battery Street
San Francisco, CA 94111
415-434-4634
[e-mail]

-----
John's Snack and Deli
40 Battery St, San Francisco, CA 94111

[The Dive]

Had the kimchi burrito today -- "suicide" style. Nicely spicy, with the beef adding some sweetness. Great lunch!

[realfilf]

I used to work next door to John's and I watched his 200 sq ft. Korean food hole-in-the-wall blossom into a FiDi destination. By the time my office moved, I had to phone my order in ahead so he didn't sell out of my favorite burrito.

Lately, I've been recreating Kimchi Burritos at home. Here's a post on my food blog, realfilf - http://www.realfilf.com/?p=485

[Keesey]

The Kimchi burrito needs retooling. They have the right tortilla, but they don't steam it like they do at regular taqueria's. You know that metal box they put the tortilla in and they pump in steam in there? John is missing that. So the tortilla comes out really dry and a lil brittle.

Cheese and kimchi... not a great combo. Although his kimchi is good stuff... probably has more bite than the salsa. I had mine with chicken, since they ran out of bulgogi (marinated in a Korean sauce), which was fine... although it was lacking in flavor.

Bottom line... worth trying. Nice mix of flavors, but really not something I'd get too often. I have yet to try the tacos. But John is super duper friendly and is really excited his lil deli is getting a lot of good buzz.

[Robert Lauriston]

I thought I saw one of those Fresh-O-Matic steamers. In any case, my tortilla was quite moist, I was thinking one improvement (impossible in that kitchen) would be to grill the burrito a bit like they do the shawerma wraps at Truly Med.

[tigerlion]

So I was intrigued by the idea when I first heard of it and so I decided to give John's shop a try. Total disappointment! I am not sure if they ran out of everything at 1 p.m. or if the burrito I had was the standard. The skimpy burrito contained only little rice, chicken, maybe a piece of kimchi and lettuce, and a dab of cheese wiz (see my yelp picture review). It was stone cold and dry. The lady was making it out of a toaster oven. (WTF)! I was really hoping to like the place, and the idea of Korean/Mexican fusion, but this is not a great mix at John's. Maybe another place can improve on the idea and bring the life of Kogi to S.F.

[Robert Lauriston]

I'm working a couple of blocks away so I tried one. Pork, kimchi, "beans" that were maybe some kind of jang? "salsa" that seemed Korean too. Tasty but would have been better with more meat and chiles and less rice.

[rworange]

Any Plans to try The Place on the Corner on New Montgomery. The bulgogi hot dog perhaps?

[Robert Lauriston]

Usually I bring my lunch, and it's a short contract, so probably not.

[Robert Lauriston]

Forgot my lunch today, so I checked ou that corner, and it doesn't seem to exist. Maybe the space was taken over by Caffe Trieste.

[rworange]

It would help if I had the correct name

The Store On the Corner
121 New Montgomery St

Caffe Trieste
199 New Montgomery St

The kitchen is in the back of a liquor/tobacco store.

[Robert Lauriston]

Ah. That's at the corner of Minna, not Natoma.

[zenduck]

John's just a couple of doors down Battery from my office, and I finally tried the burrito. I thought it was pretty darn good. I found all the dominant flavors (other than the tortilla) to be straight Korean - my lips are still tingling from the kim chi.

[larochelle]

Thanks! John's is right by one of my doctor's office and I've been meaning to pop in for ages but I'm usually in a rush to get back to the office.

Now I have motivation to stop and smell the burritos....or kim bap.

[Windy]

I love John's and get the kim bap and soon tofu all the time.

The kim chi taco was awful. Pretty sure there was cheese on it too. I didn't finish it.

[david kaplan]

Agreed -- kim bap and soon tofu there are very good. I also really like their dokbokki (except the one time they used the ovalettes rather than cylinders and they were mushy) and the bibim naengmyon. I don't like the bi bim bop or the meats as much.

Haven't gotten anywhere near the kimchi taco/burrito. The combination of salsa and kimchi sounded unpleasant to me.

[Windy]

I only tried it because John was talking it up. And it's hard to resist John.

Bi Bim Bop is greasy, but good on a cold day. All the more impressive for being made while you wait on a burner.