"A restaurant closure story is, unfortunately, a common one. Especially at the start of the pandemic and the ensuing shutdowns of 2020, Filipino-Mexican street food spot Mestiza closed temporarily — then made that closure permanent in April 2020. But now owner Deanna Sison is on the verge of a comeback that bucks the restaurant closure narrative, reopening Mestiza in a new home in SoMa with chef Syl Mislang at the helm. Together, they’re serving a Filipino menu in San Francisco’s Filipino Cultural District, just a block from Oracle Park, starting Thursday, April 18. Mestiza is launching as a fast-casual restaurant in the former Primo Patio space, catering to the neighborhood with a grab-and-go case and takeout window ready for neighbors and Giants fans on the way to a game. The menu consists of a mix of convenient small plates, bowls, and wraps, highlighting Mislang’s way of cooking Filipino food and placing vegetables at its center. Mislang is formerly of vegan pop-up the Roaming Spoon, but here at Mestiza there will be some meat in the mix, such as in the restaurant’s chicken inasal, a grilled chicken dish served with green papaya achara, a pickled relish side or the braised pork adobo wrap. Mislang’s dishes will continue to display her prowess at vegetarian and vegan items, such as the lumpia, which eschews the typical pork or beef, and instead incorporates sweet potato as its filling, served with pineapple chile jam; or the calabasa coconut curry with aji verde, which highlights squash as the central ingredient, and is a play on flavors from Mislang’s Filipino and Mexican background. The ever-popular Filipino dish sisig is typically made with pork jowl but Mislang subs in mushroom tempeh for the protein with chile garlic crisp layered in and pickled red onions on the side. Locals can also expect salads, such as a colorful rainbow salad with sesame-miso dressing. The food is conveniently prepped for takeout, but should diners opt to stick around for their meal, they’ll be rewarded with a lush patio highlighting a brightly-colored mural from artist Cheyenne Randall titled “Vanilla Sky.” Depicting Filipina singer Grace Nono, it’s a loving tribute to both the entertainer and Mislang and Sison’s Filipino heritage, and the patio features plants spread throughout. It’s also the scene of the ultimate Mestiza experience: A reservation-only kamayan feast starting in May will feature Filipino foods served family-style on a table lined with banana leaves; guests are encouraged to eat with their hands. Think bites of pork belly, whole shrimp, chicken skewers, garlic rice, and more. Kamayan dining is a rarity among Filipino restaurants, due to the involved nature of the dining style, which typically requires everyone at the table to participate. But Mislang’s kamayan dinner also stands out in continuing that focus on vegetables with the aforementioned sweet potato lumpia, grilled rounds of eggplant, pickled cucumbers, baby bok choy, and sweet bites of sliced pineapple. Oat milk soft serve will round out the menu’s sweet side, served with a rotating list of toppings, including pinipig, or toasted rice, and ube brownies. Drink offerings include a selection of craft beer, local wine, plus soju cocktails, as well as nonalcoholic drink options such as a pineapple-ginger shrub and a cold brew made with Barako coffee. Mestiza (214 Townsend Street) debuts on Thursday, April 18, and is open 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday." - Dianne de Guzman
