The thing about Puerto Rican food is that it’s just really, really good. It’s the kind of delicious that you feel guilty eating, even when it’s still relatively healthy. I recently had the pleasure of attending a Foodspotting + Scoutmob “eat-up” at Parada 22 in San Francisco, which just so happens to be a personal favorite restaurant of mine in the City, and the best Puerto Rican food I’ve ever had.
My dining companion Amy (who was a founding member of the SacFoodies team during her time at Fleishman-Hillard and now works at TripIt) was chatting it up with the Foodspotting and Scoutmob teams when I arrived. We were thrilled to learn that we’d be receiving 50% off our purchases that evening thanks to their new partnership, Mobspotting (click here to learn more about the partnership). Discount or not, I couldn’t wait to get down to business and place my order.
I’m a self-proclaimed creature of habit, so naturally, I ordered the same thing I’d previously enjoyed at Parada – the Ensalada de Pollo – marinated, sautéed chicken breast with creamy cilantro-garlic dressing. You can’t eat at a Puerto Rican restaurant and not order something with plantains, so we also splurged on the Tostones – traditional fried and salted green plantains served with salsa rosa dipping sauce. Living in San Francisco, I’ve quickly learned to love anything made by the lovely team at 21st Amendment Brewery, which made selecting the Watermelon Wheat Beer off the Parada 22 drink menu a no-brainer. Needless to say, the food, atmosphere and company did not disappoint. The salad is perfectly balanced and the plantains can’t be beat for anyone with a soft spot for savory and salty (yours truly included).
The best part? I even walked away with this cute, new t-shirt courtesy of the ScoutMob team, complete with clever slogan:
The bottom line: Parada 22 is a must-try in San Francisco. If you ever find yourself in the Haight, stop in and see for yourself!
Parada 22
1805 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA
(415) 750-1111
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