During the great depression Americans went nuts over the novel idea of combining peanut butter and jelly. Nearly a century later the art of food mash-ups has been taken to a bizarre and mind boggling level. Even America’s largest restaurant chains are getting in on the action. From KFC’s Double Down Dog (a cheese filled hotdog wrapped in fried chicken) to Taco Bell’s Doritos Locos Tacos (Taco Bell filling inside a Doritos flavored shell), it’s all about the two-in-one. Restaurant chains are finding these food mash-ups to be both popular and profitable – allowing them to standout from the crowd. And the Bay Area is not missing out on this wild food craze.
Here are five of the most popular Bay Area food mash-ups not to miss:
Sushi + Burrito. What’s better than sushi? Made to order sushi wrapped in an easy to-go burrito. Sushiritto, the San Francisco based eatery, serves up fresh nori wraps with options like the Sumo Crunch (shrimp tempura, crab, shaved cabbage, cucumber, ginger guacamole, red tempura flakes and Sriracha aioli). Perfect for a quick lunch or if you’re craving raw fish but don’t feel like spending your weeks paycheck. $10.50
Croissant + Muffin. Known as the “unicorn of pastries” the cruffin at Mr. Holmes Bakehouse, a San Francisco cult favorite, has a seriously real reputation. Eager patrons line up early to get their fingers on one of these croissant muffin mutants that come out at 9am. Flavors range from passion fruit, salted caramel and s’mores. Check their instagram account @mrholmesbakehouse where weekly flavors are announced. $4.50
Bacon + Mochi. As SFStation suggests “No mashup guide is complete without bacon”. I couldn’t agree more. At Fusebox, they wrap the popular Japanese rice cake with the salty bacon and bake until gooey. Smother it in their special sauce, top with green onions and you have their best selling appetizer. $3.50
Muffin + Scotch Egg. The cruffin isn’t the only one getting cozy with a muffin. At Craftsman and Wolves they’ve taken breakfast up a notch. Meet the Rebel Within– an asiago, green onion, and sausage muffin filled with a soft cooked egg. Do I have your attention? You’re not the only one drooling over this all in one breakfast. Being the most popular item on the menu means it usually sells out by noon so get there early on weekends. $7.25
Indian Dosa + Waffle. An unlikely pair but this dish is all the rage at Juhu Beach Club in Oakland. Their weekend brunch offers three varieties of the Doswaffle including the Classic (Belgian waffle topped with masala potatoes, sambar, and coconut chutney). If you don’t jive with gluten not to worry, the Dosawaffle is gluten and guilt free. $15