We had a burger tonight at Papa Maks and then made an impromptu trip to Marco Polo for some gelato. I hadn’t been to Papa Maks in years, probably because our go-to burger place is Habit Grill these days. But we wanted to stay local instead of taking a longer trip to Serramonte.

I had forgotten how filling a Papa Maks burger is. I love the pickle and generous onions. And the fries were super hot and tasty. There is something about going local for dinner here in the Sunset.

After we were done with our burgers, we decided to check out Marco Polo on a whim. Someone suggested that it might be close by. I searched for it on Maps and indeed, it was half a block away. It was the first time I had heard of it.

Marco Polo specializes in tropical and Asian flavors and I decided to get a small cup of Jackfruit and Guava. The Jackfruit was subtle, and the Guava had a rich tropical flavor. And I had to eat it slowly to avoid brain freeze, so I had time to savor the flavors.

I like local outings like this. They feel much more relaxed and friendly than going somewhere farther or going to a chain restaurant. I think a lot of that just has to do with how relaxed the Sunset District is as a neighborhood. Richly diverse yet really chill.