Photo: Via Twitter/Mission Chinese FoodFrom a quest to be the most hated restaurant on Yelp to a string of anti-gluten-free tirades, S.F. restaurant owners have been stirring the proverbial pot lately. And, it doesn't seem to be slowing down. Over the weekend, Mission Chinese Food added fuel to the fire by posting a Twitter pic of the new MSG shakers it's placing on tables.
Why is this happening now? While MSG was previously believed to be linked to heath problems ranging from weakness to migraine headaches, recent research suggests that the flavor-enhancing additive — which occurs naturally in foods like walnuts, tomatoes, and some cheeses, and is artificially produced by fermenting starch, sugar beets, sugar cane, or molasses — doesn't deserve the bad rap. Despite anecdotal reports of adverse reactions, it is perfectly safe to consume. Obviously, Mission Chinese Food proprietor Anthony Myint agrees. So does Momofuku chef David Chang, who was CC'ed on the original tweet and responded, "I fucking love this."
While we don't know if we'll be sprinkling the stuff on our MCF chicken wings or lamb ribs anytime soon, we do find Mission Chinese's "authenticity option" highly amusing. We're also curious to see whether the rest of the foodie world will follow Myint's lead.