Poc Chuc

2886 16th St (between Shotwell & Van Ness)
(415) 558-1583
www.pocchuc.com

D and I finally set a date to crack open the delicious Mt. Eden Chard and then the question became: where do we take this bottle of liquid gold? I suggested Poc Chuc because people seem to be pretty fired up about it.

As most that have dined with me know, I am a huge fan of the variety platter so I chose to have the Platillo Maya appetizer which offers a panucho: hand made tortilla filled with black bean puree, slightly fried, topped with shredded turkey, lemon marinated cabbage, pickled red onions and avocado, sprinkled with ground black pepper, a salbute: hand made tortilla puff, slightly fried, topped with shredded turkey, lemon marinated cabbage, pickled red onions and avocado, sprinkled with ground black pepper, empanadas: half folded hand made tortilla stuffed with ground pork, served on a bed of black bean puree and tomato/onion sauce, a tostada: crisp corn tortilla topped with black bean puree and queso fresco, and a kotzito: crisp taco covered with tomato/onion sauce and queso fresco. The amount of detail on the menu (that I just provided to you) is overwhelming and quite enticing. In practice, though, not so much. After awhile, that many fried things all start to taste the same. Greasy and bland.

D had the braised pork special which was good by virtue that I am a huge fan of braised meat, but really - it was nothing out of the ordinary other than that the pork wasn't trimmed and had gobs of fat clinging to it. The tortillas were the standout here as they were definitely homemade. And tasty.

Service was top notch, but I'd file Poc Chuc in the category of cheap eats that are overrated. Others include Bissap Baobob and Shalimar. Maybe I'd go to these places if I was in the neighborhood and didn't feel like spending a lot of cash. But there are better places that satisfy both those needs. Ducking for cover now...

The Verdict: Not Worth It