La Oaxaqueña's Grasshopper Tacos Banned, Pork Belly Dogs Hit Mint Plaza, Big Mac Wine Pairings and More

ILLEGAL EATS - The food-curious of San Francisco have been loving La Oaxaqueña's grasshopper tacos since they came out a few months ago. But the fun is over. The Health Dept. has cracked down on the owner, Harry Persaud. Apparently his source in Oaxaca isn't FDA approved, so he's going to have to stop serving the critters until he can find or grow a local supply. This applies to the tarantulas and crickets he's tossing into tacos too. Bummer. [ABC 7]

THE LUNCH BUNCH - According to this tweet, Thermidor is ramping up the options coming from its lunch-time stall on Mint Plaza. Chef Bruce Binn is now serving $4 pastrami sliders, a $5 pork belly dog and a $12 big burger, in addition to the popular carnitas tacos. Lady Hopper says the hours are 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesday through Friday. [Twitter, Tablehopper]

COMING ATTRACTIONS - The Mission's Beast and the Hare is doing a wine pairing dinner with Unti Winery next Tuesday. Chef Ian Marks is especially jazzed about a mixed grill of lamb sausages, chicken, pork shoulder, market veggies and warm farro salad to be served with Unti's '06 Benchland Syrah. More info and tickets, here. [EaterWire]

FERRY BUILDING - At tomorrow's market, Chotto chef Armando Justo will do the guest taco at the Tacolicious stall: a sake-braised, crispy pork belly taco with pickled onions and jalapenos. All proceeds go to CUESA. [EaterWire]

MEATY NEWS - Cafe Rouge butcher Scott Brennan is starting his own charcuterie biz called Fifth Quarter. It's still in preliminary stages, but there will be "mousses, rilettes, raw sausages, crepinettes, liverwurst, lamb’s tongue and pickled beef tongue," when this thing gets going. [ISSF]

UNLIKELY BEDFELLOWS - Snooth has taken it upon themselves to find some wine pairings for popular McDonald's menu items. It's a lengthy post with ample click-throughs, so we'll cut to the chase and tell you the verdict on the Big Mac pairing. The best choice, in their estimation, is a 2008 Red Rock Merlot Reserve: "the burger really helped the fruit in the Merlot to pop." [Snooth]