Any turkey or ham leftovers from Thanksgiving are likely long gone from your fridge. You might already miss the mosaic of savory scents filling the air, blending the crispy essence of perfectly roasted turkey with the smooth aroma of buttery mashed potatoes. Though it’s too early to start waiting around for upcoming holiday feasts, we’re ringing in SpoonFest 2018 to appease your cravings in the meantime.
On Friday, November 30 from 12 to 5 pm, join us on the Campanile Esplanade for a celebration of food that is worthy of its own holiday and only features the Best of the Bay; check out the line-up for a bit of an appe-teaser.
Alicia’s Tamales Los Mayas
Alicia knows how to relate to customers through her food. Maybe they love being stuffed with warm ingredients, like how her tamales have stuffings varied from stewed tender pork to soft green beans. Or, maybe customers like to express their inner personalities by accessorizing their outer selves, like how Alicia’s corn on the cob is dressed with mayo (or sour cream), cheese, and chili. Any way you relate, it all pairs well with a fresh agua fresca.
Brittany Crêpes
Laurent Le Barbier of Brittany Crêpes doesn’t just simply present beautiful crêpes to his customers; he exhibits it with a show. As gratifying as it is to see a customer enjoying bites through layers of fresh fruit and Nutella, he loves the effect the crêpe-making process has on a crowd. You’ll get a serving of sweet or savory bliss packaged in a warm envelope, all while experiencing some of the tradition and culture behind the dish.
Crumble and Whisk
We’re all familiar with the dilemma of who will take the last dinner roll or slice of pumpkin pie. Crumble and Whisk resolves the issue completely with its own perfect solution of personal dessert portions. The brownies and mini cheesecakes are optimal for individual enjoyment so you can savor every bite from start to finish.
Crumb•wich Silvanas
A silvana is a Filipino dessert with a sandwich structure that mirrors how Alvin and Ella coupled their foodie passions together to give life to Crumb•wich Silvanas. This cashew meringue buttercream cookie may appear crumbly on the outside, but don’t be fooled. It holds its integrity once you bite into it, possibly with a resilience stronger than your average college student.
Matcha Café Maiko
Though this year’s SpoonFest boasts the Best in the Bay, Matcha Café Maiko is importing the best matcha in Japan. The authentic flavors are translated into a velvety ice cream and presented on a waffle cone that’s made right at home.
#SpoonTip: Check out our advice on buying and cooking with matcha!
Rice Rice Baby
Rice Rice Baby doesn’t march to the beat of basic vanilla flavors. Rather, it boasts the likes of The Notorious OG, a classic mango sticky rice, and DJ Custard, a purple sticky rice with coconut flakes and drizzle. One wouldn’t typically think of rice as a dessert, yet the team behind Rice Rice Baby were determined to introduce this element of Asian cuisine while putting their own inventive spin on the flavors and ingredients.
Sam’s Chowder
Sam’s Chowder House is transporting East Coast flavors to the West, and we’re too busy drooling over the New England Clam Chowder to start getting defensive over which coast reigns supreme. In fact, the 2017 SF Bay Area A-List labeled them the “Best Seafood in the Bay Area,” a title that is no doubt competitive to earn near the vicinity of San Francisco’s Pier 39. The offerings include crab cakes, fish and chips, lobster rolls, and seafood galore; it would be hard to not try everything.
Tante’s
You might ask, “What’s a knish?” As Tante’s explains, “A knish is filled with potato, spinach, onions, garlic, and spices wrapped in a light flour dough.” The workers hand make the potato-spinach knishes before putting them on a griddle alongside the Italian sausages, another popular seller. These snacks are robust with flavor and tested to gratify even the tensest football crowds on game day.
Uji Time
Already a Berkeley local favorite, Uji Time hasn’t failed to provide sweet solace to the stressed-out students who swing by. It’s no question that the popular soft serve ice cream and Japanese pastries have a place at this year’s SpoonFest, especially with fan-worthy flavors and a presentation perfect for Instagram.
Urban Ritual
Urban Ritual has no problem distinguishing itself amongst other boba shops, even with how ubiquitous boba businesses are in the Bay Area. There’s no match to the specialty drinks, which include players like Creme Brûlée (yes, it’s topped with torched raw sugar) and Forever Young (sangria with elderflower cordial, lemon, and berries). The most interesting part? The topping options include honey or crystal boba, so trying a drink here really isn’t a hard decision to chew on.
The Bay Area is a center of innovation, and that creativity provides fuel to a food culture set apart from that of any other region. Yet, at the base of all these businesses remains a deep passion for cooking, a warm spirit that keeps customers at comfort before returning home to feast for the holidays. That’s why we’re bringing the Best of the Bay to the Campanile Esplanade this Friday, November 30 from 12 to 5 pm; all you need is your appetite. It’s time for a second round with your Thanksgiving pants.