That's It: The Center of the Mile - SF

[Robert Lauriston]

Has anyone had the tortas at That's It, featured in Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations last night?

I find no reports here, and only one vague one on Yelp, but searching for "that's it" is problematic.

[The Chowhound Team]

We've split discussions about the Bourdain show to the Food & Media board, please continue at http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/644172 if you want to discuss the show.

Of course please continue discussing the tortas and other SF food items here.

[wolfe]

Link doesn't work, but for Bourdain fans and fressers the address is:
That's It Market
2699 Mission St
San Francisco, CA 94110
[phone]

[grayelf]

Okay I'll bite... fressers? (and I did Google)

[Robert Lauriston]

Yiddish for gluttons. In German, humans eat (essen), animals feed (fressen).

[augustiner]

to me, this is a place you turn to when, whilst drinking in the mission bar next door, you realize that you are going to black out if you don't eat something. so you get an empanada and regret it all through the next day. or someone hands you the other half of their torta, most notable for its size. to people who did not see the SF no reservations episode, please note that That's It doubles as a mission st. corner store. not that good food can't be found in such places, but really, unless you are right in the neighborhood and want a huge monster torta, i wouldn't think too hard on this place.

[Robert Lauriston]

That's close to what I said while watching it, that it looked like something you might eat after closing down a bar.

[vinchar]

That's true re the cubano. It's kind of a shame that the place will be known for that monstrosity rather than for the normal-sized stuff made with the made-to-order tortillas. The times I've been there, at least as many people have ordered those items as have ordered tortas.

[Robert Lauriston]

Here's a 2006 report from Mary "Jalapeño Girl" Ladd, who's married to Oscar Villalon, who took Bourdain there:

"Turns out the torta cubana is at least two meals in one- a huge monster, weighed down with a delicious mix of: pickled jalapeno, grilled onion, tomato, avocado slices, lettuce, two fried eggs, bacon, mayo, queso, sliced ham & chicken, Mexican chorizo, shredded chicken and pork, refried beans, and cubed ham."

http://jalapeno.typepad.com/my_weblog...

[vinchar]

I've had a torta there with pork leg, and one with chicken. Both quite good and massive, although i don't think they are any better than the tortas at Tortas Los Picudos down 24th street. I don't think the bread at That's It holds up quite as well as the bread at TLP. I think the best things at That's It are the tostadas and quesadillas, the tortillas for both of which the lady makes with masa that she kneads in a bowl, rolls out, and grills to order.