New Paper Mention Today

Got a little PR in the SF Chronical today regarding Kayaking and Great Whites.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/outdoors/article/Bay-Area-coast-s-secret-haunt-for-great-white-12513763.php

Bonus article!

How adversity helped launch Native Sons BBQ in San Francisco
By Omar MamoonJanuary 18, 2018 Updated: January 18, 2018 11:48am
 
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 S.F.-native Marvin Lau of Native Sons BBQ works the smoker at a pop-up in S.F. Photo: Eric Wolfinger
Photo: Eric Wolfinger
IMAGE 1 OF 2 S.F.-native Marvin Lau of Native Sons BBQ works the smoker at a pop-up in S.F.
What would you do if all of a sudden one day you were diagnosed with a life-changing disease that put your future into question?

For one man, the answer was simply one word: barbecue.

Back in 2010, San Francisco-born-and-raised Marvin Lau was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC), a rare type of cancer that affects the head and neck. He underwent years of chemotherapy, and it was during those difficult moments of uncertainty that he had time to think about the important things in life ... like smoking meats low and slow for long periods of time.


When Lau’s health had finally stabilized, he told himself “It’s now or never.” Together with a food-obsessed friend — a fellow native San Franciscan named Eldo Chan, who moved back to the city after years in Texas — he started the aptly named Native Sons BBQ in September 2014.

The foodie hipster (foodster?) in me wishes I could tell you I discovered this gem before anyone else did. But it was my photographer friend Eric Wolfinger who tipped me off with an invite to a pop-up at Harmonic Brewing in Dogpatch on a recent Saturday. But even Wolfinger was late to the game — when we got there, a crowd was lingering at 4 p.m., an hour before Native Sons was even ready to serve food. The place is already blown out. How did I let this one slip past my food radar?

So it goes.

If you live in San Francisco and don’t want to make the meat pilgrimage to the famed Franklin Barbecue in Austin, Texas, Native Sons is your next best option. You won’t have to wait nearly as long in line and the barbecue is a very close approximation to the real thing, as Franklin was a big inspiration for Lau, who these days runs the pop-up by himself.

Brisket at Native Sons BBQ in S.F. Photo: Eric Wolfinger Photo: Eric Wolfinger Brisket at Native Sons BBQ in S.F.
The thing to get is the brisket — it’s Central Texas style, meaning the meat is dry-rubbed (simply with salt and coarsely ground black pepper) and then smoked over oak. It’s not uncommon for Lau to pull almost all-nighters when he’s low-staffed, as he smokes his brisket 12 to 16 hours at a low temperature that dances between 225 and 300 degrees.


The result is the Platonic ideal of a Central Texan smoked brisket: The meat is perfectly seasoned and cooked, tender on both the fatty and lean sides while maintaining a crust with a slight bite. Arguably as important is that the brisket passes the textural integrity test, in which a slice will stand up under its own weight but will easily come apart with a gentle pull. (A brisket plate, which includes sides, costs $16.)

If you’re a first-time visitor, it’s probably prudent to get a three-meat combo ($25), just so you can try everything; the platter will come with brisket and either pulled pork, pork ribs or lamb shoulder, depending on what he’s smoking that day (meat-wise, that is). But if you get there early enough and it’s available, the beef rib is a must-order addition (he only does 12 per pop-up; $25). Contrary to popular belief, smoked ribs should not be fall-off-the-bone tender, but rather still-on-the-bone with enough fat rendered. You want texture, chew (but not chewy) and still a prominent bark.

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There’s also a rotating roster of sides, such as cole slaw, baked beans and cheese grits. They are all perfectly acceptably delicious. But you’re here for the brisket — don’t forget it.

You’ll see a squeeze bottle of house-made barbecue sauce, but you don’t need it. By all means try it on the side, but certainly do not douse your meat in it. “It hurts me when I see people cover the meat in it right off the bat,” Lau says. “Now they don’t know what it tastes like without it.”


The next Native Sons pop-ups are slated for Saturday, Jan. 27, at Speakeasy Brewery, Feb. 11 at Harmonic Brewery (for a barbecue competition) and Feb. 16 at Triple Voodoo, all in San Francisco.

My advice is to get there early, get there hungry, and if Lau’s story is any lesson, be patient and thankful to be alive and able to stand in line for beautiful barbecue while sipping fancy craft beer in the best city in America. It truly is a luxury. Life is a luxury. And it doesn’t last forever, so eat all the smoked meats while you can.

Ty for sharing.

I'm kinda dubious whenever I hear people say "GWS love to hang out here, or at Stillwater (south)". I mean, my thinking is that they're EVERYWHERE where there is food. Probably just a lot more ppl in the water at Bean?

Bonus article!

How adversity helped launch Native Sons BBQ in San Francisco
By Omar MamoonJanuary 18, 2018 Updated: January 18, 2018 11:48am
....

Makes me hungry! I love me some BBQ.