Review: Boogaloos – ‘unpretentious, just right’

By Liska Koenig
CHIEF COPY EDITOR

At the corner of 22nd and Valencia Streets, just a short stroll away from City College’s Mission campus, is a hip but unpretentious breakfast spot called Boogaloos.

It’s a good place for down-to-earth comfort food spiced up with a touch of latin and Cajun flavors. Most people come here for a good hearty breakfast but Boogaloos’ menu features quite a few lunch dishes as well. Boogaloos offers a well-rounded menu including lots of vegetarian and some vegan choices.

It’s hard to go wrong with the Polenta-n-eggs: golden, grilled polenta fresh off the griddle, two eggs, black beans, crunchy red cabbage salad and mild homemade salsa.

If you’re in the mood for something different try the Boogaloo Classic, which includes a freshly baked herb biscuit smothered in vegetarian gravy. Meat lovers might like the Zydeco Breakfast: spicy Andouille sausage with eggs, beans, salsa and a corn muffin.

Lunch fare consists mostly of sandwiches and salads. I highly recommend the Asian fusion-style Little Shanghai Salad, which can be ordered with chicken or tofu.

Everything is priced below $10, which makes it affordable on a student budget.

The colorful mosaic tile decor is enhanced by an ever-changing art exhibit on the restaurant’s wall back wall, provided by Creativity Explored and The Arc of San Francisco, the only full-time art centers for adults with disabilities in San Francisco. All pieces are for sale, but — best of all —  most of them will set you back no more than $25. Decorate your apartment wall with a new and interesting piece and support these organizations at the same time.

Weekdays are generally less busy than weekends. Don’t dispair if you have to put your name on the dreaded waiting list. You will make it to your next class. Guests don’t linger as long as the weekend crowd and your server will often be able to give you a realistic estimated wait time.

On Saturdays and Sundays the sidewalk outside Boogaloos fills with Mission hipsters who don’t like to get up early. Expect a wait to get seated unless you get there before 10 a.m.

Boogaloos — not too cool, not too uncool. Just right.

3296 22nd Street/Valencia, open daily 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., phone (415) 824-4088, www.boogaloossf.com