A little boy toddled around chasing a pigeon in circles, a sleepy golden retriever lounged at the feet of his owner waiting for the next head rub, a couple walked by, both rambling about their favorite type of chowder—it was seemingly just a normal morning at the Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, California.
Behind the constant mill of people walking through, the 6th Annual Fisherman's Wharf Chowder Competition and Street Festival on Saturday October 20, 2018 began. The Street Festival was free to attend, and since it was a food competition, the number of tickets for the clam chowder competition was limited to 750, which could be purchased online or in person on the day of the event.
Boudin Bakery's Clam Chowder
For my first clam chowder at the Wharf, Boudin Bakery really set the bar with the presentation. It served the rich chowder in a small sourdough bread bowl, which successfully enhanced the experience as the sourdough complemented the rich chowder well and kept it from becoming too salty. The actual chowder was creamy and rich. Topped with fresh crabs and mixed with corn, both elements helped the chowder from becoming too rich.
McKormick & Kuleto’s Three Crab Chowder
Second stop was McKormick & Kuleto’s Three Crab Chowder. The chowder had a distinctive seafood taste but wasn’t too overwhelming with its crab. I could taste all of the distinct ingredients, and the chowder had a rich creamy aftertaste.
Fog Harbor's Clam Chowder with Crab
Moving to the next booth, I had Fog Harbor’s Clam Chowder with Crab. It came with fresh crab meat on top and a slice of sourdough bread with options to get oyster crackers and a Biscoff. The chowder itself was not heavy at all, with no lingering aftertaste. I could really taste the clam and crab, plus the oyster crackers helped add to the texture of the chowder.
Pier Market's New England Clam Chowder
The adjacent booth was Pier Market serving New England Clam Chowder, using the same recipe since 1983. The sample also came with oyster crackers, and a slice of sourdough bread. Its chowder had the perfect amount of seasoning that enhanced the seafood flavor.
Swiss Louis' Crab and Corn Chowder
This sample from Swiss Louis had a nice olive oil and cilantro topping. As someone who normally doesn't enjoy cilantro, the oil really helped enhance the flavor of the clam chowder. The actual clam chowder texture complemented the flavor nicely, and the corn really helped cut through the heaviness associated with chowder.
Blue Mermaid's Crawfish Chowder
Presentation-wise, Blue Mermaid’s Crawfish Chowder was the most Instagram-worthy, as it served every sample with a full crawfish! Although it was hard to eat the crawfish, the presentation alone was the highlight of my day. The chowder itself had a green sauce drizzled on top, accompanied with a slice of sourdough. This clam chowder was a hearty one, with a rich base and distinguishable cubes of potato.
Pescatore's New England Clam Chowder
Pescatore’s chowder was the most unique in taste and texture from the rest of the chowders. It had a spicy peppery kick at the end. This chowder had a semi-grainy texture with a lingering seafood aftertaste. I could really taste the bacon and seafood which added to the flavor.
The Grotto's Clam Chowder
Next up was The Grotto. This was your typical clam chowder with a perfect blend of potatoes and clams. The chowder was thick and creamy, leaving behind lingering tastes of the cream. My experience was made even better by the kind workers, who held the side of the tent cover so I could take pictures without having the shadows interfere.
Tarantino’s Clam Chowder
At this point, all of the chowders that I had consumed were starting to hit me. However, Tarantino’s chowder was a refreshing break. Its base was much thinner, alleviating any heaviness and allowing the vegetables, like celery, to be distinguishable. I could also taste the herbs within the chowder. Adding some of the leftover oyster crackers from a previous booth counteracted the saltiness nicely.
Cioppino’s New England Clam Chowder
I had semi-high expectations for Cioppino’s as it was last year’s Judges award winner. Served in a bread bowl topped with a clam, the presentation of the chowder was outstanding and aesthetically pleasing. The garlic was a nice addition that helped differentiate the chowder. Though the clam chowder initially looked like it would be heavy, it surprisingly wasn’t.
Franciscan's Crab Chowder
Last stop was Franciscan. It had a very distinct seafood flavor but the seasoning was not too overwhelming, and it had a good distribution of crab throughout the chowder.
My personal winner was Swiss Louis as it would be the chowder that I would be able to finish a whole bowl of. The other chowders were amazing as well, but for some, a sample size of the rich, creamy chowder was the perfect amount to satisfy me. San Francisco has a plethora of must eat food stops, and this festival was the ideal weekend activity to experience all of the main chowders, all in the span of two hours. I came into this excited and hungry, and I left full and content.