(( insert obnoxious Seitan joke here ))

Jay's Cheesesteak, 3285 21st St, San Francisco

Consider my first post on breadxbread an ode, rather than a review. Oh, sweet seitan cheeseless steak. How tenderly you break apart between my teeth and shimmy into my tummy, dripping sweet barbecue sauce and the salty juices of wheat gluten onto ... Okay, enough.

There is something inappropriately satisfying about biting into a thick, seitan cheeseless steak when you adhere to a mostly vegan diet. I am yet to figure out how Jay's manages to give their seitan such a full and meaty flavor. I stuck with my regular Mushroom Seitan Steak with no cheese and slathered on some tangy barbecue sauce and extra peppercinis. The shredded lettuce lends texture and freshness to the hot mess of seitan and grilled mushrooms, while the pickles and peppercinies liven its flavor with a briney zing. Though initially not very hungry, I couldn't help but shove down the whole thing, savoring each juicy little bite. Dressed with a Wyder's Pear Cider, the September sun, and the chaos of Dolores Park, this sandwhich helped transform my Friday afternoon into a day worth blogging about.

As a vegan who loves the taste of meat, this sandwhich fills all my subdued carnivorous desires. It may not photograph well but it goes down quick and easy.

*Note: If you are vegan, make sure to request no mayo or cheese. I'd also recommend checking in to see if the BBQ sauce is actually vegan.