This past weekend Fort Mason swarmed with food lovers for a taste of that sweet nectar known as Eat Drink SF. Over 100 chefs and restaurants and 70 beer, wine, and spirits makers from across the Bay Area participated across all three grand tastings. The massive Festival Pavilion transformed into a tree-lined space with a giant alter of fresh produce (very California, indeed) and manicured hedges separating restaurants. Here, for your Monday reading pleasure, are just a few highlights:
1) Stock & Bone's Haley Guild Moore taking a saber to bubbles to kick off the festivities.
2) Lolinda's substantial chorizo baguette with chimichurri quickly becoming a crowd favorite. Chef Mark Sullivan was a fan, saying how nice it was to something more sizable than a thimble of a cocktail or a half a crostini.
3) Dosa's Anjan Mitra was hot off of a win for fan favorite from Thursday night's Taco Knockdown. Dosa, the only Indian restaurant competing, won the People's Choice award with vindaloo and cilantro chutney on a small roti that, according to party-goers, really brought the heat. Trick Dog was a favorite with the judges, taking home Best Overall for their goat and ancho chile taco.
4) Elizabeth Falkner was spotting rubbing elbows with the likes of Kim Alter and Anjan Mitra in the chef's lounge on Friday.
5) Matthew Dolan talking with his sustainability rep on more ways to be a responsible restaurant owner. He mentioned the salmon migration and how the drought has made it near impossible for them to make it back into the rivers, and for fisherman to find them, saying, "You know, I want there to be something of a beach left for my two young kids."
6) The Tablehopper herself, Marcia Gagliardi, shaking, stirring, and MCing a classic cocktail education class in the Firehouse behind the Festival Pavillion, with Leilani Vella from Sipsmith Gin.
7) Uber Eats —like Uber, for your food— has paired up with The Ramen Bar as a launch partner. For anyone worried about how they can survive in a city without on-demand bone marrow, relax... your dreams are coming true.
8) A crowd-funding campaign video being shot in the middle of the action, stirring-up questioning bystanders.
9) Saturday's fare was much heartier than the Friday night bites. Among crowd favorites: the Napa-based Heritage Eats crew with their Jamaican jerk bao and Zero Zero's marinated tataki with avocado, micro cilantro, and crispy fried onions.
10) CUESA was also on hand, sampling interesting produce, including husk tomatoes (aka ground cherries) which are peeled like tomatillos, but are very sweet to taste.
What were your takeaways from this weekend's festivities? Have any favorites? Drop them in the comments below.
