Before attending the 2019 Foodieland Night Market in San Francisco, I had only ever been to farmer’s markets back home in San Diego. Those Wednesday evenings in Ocean Beach seemed like the biggest gatherings of foodies imaginable. I would visit home often and think, how could anything else come close? How could anything else possibly fulfill my advanced palate? But as it turns out, some things can come close, and even have their own unique value. The world of food festivalism (yes, that's a thing) was a foreign concept to me until recently. I learned that in comparison to my hometown's weekly farm-to-table events, food festivals make for a fleeting comfort-food heaven. Although Foodieland had been advertised as "an Asian-inspired multi-cultural event" with over 150 vendors, it hosted a wide range of foods from all over the world. With such diverse options, I couldn’t resist branching out to get a taste of the various cultures.
Japanese Treats
The Asian options accurately reflected the Bay Area’s mastery of these cuisines. I had my first takoyaki, a popular Japanese snack. These deep fried balls of chopped octopus were topped with zesty sauces and garnished with green onion. They were very light and well seasoned, though filling after just a few. For my fellow matcha lovers, Uji Time Dessert is a tried-and-true Japanese classic. The matcha ice cream cone with pocky was a hit with its beautiful color and even more impressive taste. If your mouth is watering just looking at it, head over to the Telegraph location for a quick fix.
Cheese Wheel Pasta
Still, I had some room in my belly for Cheese Wheel Pasta—the crossroads of cheese lovers and pasta lovers alike. The cheese wheel method involves the placement of cooked pasta into a hollowed cheese wheel. It is flamed and mixed thoroughly until melted cheese coats the pasta strands. This variation had some black truffle and tomato confit as well for a nice kick.
Mexican Michelaguas
On the spicier side, I couldn’t resist a good michelagua. If you’ve never had the honor of trying michelaguas, they are made from a variety of aguas frescas (juices of pineapple, mango, strawberries, cucumber, etc.) and each topped with a spicy chili rim. Some of these aguas frescas are infused with chamoy and tajin, which are popular Mexican products meant for added sourness and spice. While this drink did not have chamoy and tajin, it was still the sweetest and freshest fruit juice ever!
Indian Lamb Skewers
I ended my visit with a favorite—Indian food. Biriani House offered the loveliest lamb skewers. With zesty marinade and the perfect char, they were worth the long wait. Served with cool yogurt and rice, I could have eaten a dozen more of these if I had the room for them. Orders over $10 also received a free cup of hot chai, an Indian staple.
The next time there’s a food festival near you, don't pass it up. Plan for a cheat day, switch your shift, do what you’ve gotta do. While NorCal food may be a world apart from my beloved SoCal eateries, the options here in Foodieland and near UC Berkeley in general have been my key to falling in love with my brand new home.