I finally made it to Mission Chinese Food, one of the most iconic restaurants in the city from chef Danny Bowen.

Mission Chinese Food has two locations, San Francisco and New York, and serves non traditional fun takes on Chinese food. The atmosphere here is pretty dope too with funky décor and hip hop music playing in the background. Portions aren’t skimpy either so it’s the perfect place to go with a bunch of friends and chow down.

Kung Pao Pastrami with Peanuts, Potatoes, and Celery (7.5-8/10).

The Kung pao pastrami is a signature dish, a must try for any newbie. Tender pieces of meaty pastrami with peanuts and crunchy celery. A strange combination but delicious. My only criticism is that is was slightly on the salty side.

Tiki Pork Belly with Pickled Pineapple and Toasted Coconut (7.5-8/10).

First of all, the presentation for the tiki pork belly is adorable! The outside was super crunchy with a fatty unctuous inside with sweet and sour pickled pineapple and toasted coconut flakes on top. Fun and festive.

Taiwanese Eggplant with Basil and Fried Garlic (8/10).

I’m a sucker for eggplant, one of my favorite vegetables ever. This was simple but delicious. Tender slices of eggplant with a sweet glaze and aromatic Thai basil.

Matcha and Squid Ink Noodles with Ginger, Hoisin, and Cucumber (8/10).

These noodles were dank! While the squid ink flavor wasn’t very prominent, I loved the addition of fresh spicy ginger, sweet hoisin sauce, and a light dusting of matcha powder. Creative and tasty.

Thrice Cooked Bacon and Rice Cakes (7/10).

The bacon and rice cakes, another signature dish, was good but even slightly too spicy for me. The rice cakes had a nice chew to them and there was a ton of porky bacon goodness in every bite.

I’m happy I finally tried Mission Chinese Food and look forward to trying other items off their menu. Overall, the food and atmosphere was great so my rating is a 7.5-8/10.