[Photographs: Lauren Sloss]

Don't hate me. I ordered a vegan sandwich at a Cajun restaurant. But not just any vegan sandwich—the Sloppy Josephine ($9) at Brenda's French Soul Food. A massive pile of finely diced, well-textured tofu is deeply saturated with Brenda's take on Sloppy Joe sauce—slow cooked onions, tomato paste, paprika, cayenne, chipoltle—allowing the spices and flavors to shine.

But what kind of sandwich lover would I be if I didn't try a Brenda's po'boy? The catfish po'boy ($9.75) was a study in perfectly fried fish: the crisp, cornmeal exterior wasn't greasy, and the fish itself was flavorful without being too oily or funky. Topped with a spicy chipoltle remoulade, Brenda's po'boy is a Southern sandwich that San Francisco can be proud of.

Brenda's French Soul Food

652 Polk Street, San Francisco CA 94109 (map)
415-345-8100; frenchsoulfood.com

About the author: Lauren Sloss is a bicoastal food-lover who is based in San Francisco. Some of her favorite things include The Black Keys, goat gouda, and guacamole. You can follow her on Twitter @laurensloss.