Get Stuffed: El Metate

Of course, if you don't know, a Metate is the traditional stone bowl that is used to crush the limed corn, or hominy, into masa flour. Like a mortar and pestle, but much bigger, it's probably up there with the wok in terms of cooking tools so elegant and simple that they are still in use three millenia after their invention. While knives have evolved into wonders of artistry and technology, the Metate has not changed significantly since it was first used by pre-Colombian civilizations in North and South America.

While we're pretty sure El Metate gets its masa from a wholesaler like everyone else in the Mission, the name still speaks to the sense of culinary tradition that imbues their food. And the best part is that it's cheap. Really cheap. Like "super steak burrito for four dollars with tax" cheap.