On August 24-26, 2018 at the Festival Pavilion in Fort Mason Center in San Francisco, CA, Eat Drink SF, a premier food and drink festival, celebrated its 10th anniversary with a wide lineup of more than 130 of the finest restaurants and chefs from around the Bay Area. With so many excellent restaurants highlighted, the introduction to the Bay Area’s diverse culinary scene was just beginning.
The Saturday Evening Grand Tasting featured more than 30 different top Bay Area restaurants, serving food bites and beverages exclusive to the festival. Here are some of our favorite bites from the grand tasting event, which showcased some delicious sneak peeks into the masterpieces of these restaurants and chefs.
'āina
The fresh smoked salmon was the perfect pairing to the fluffy warm rice from ‘āina’s booth. Topped with furikake made with house-made popped rice, the crunchy crackling texture added a depth to the dish. ‘āina’s version of a sophisticated “mustard” and “ketchup” sauces on the side tied everything together for a bite full of well thought-out flavors.
Artisan Macaron
The brightly colored and aesthetically pleasing macarons from Artisan Macaron were a treat to both the eyes and taste buds. Among the wide range of flavors from classics like Raspberry and Pistachio, to more unique flavors like S’mores, the Earl Grey macaron in particular had a subtle and sophisticated sweetness to it. One bite went through all the motions of a smooth, delicate crust to the light, slightly chewy interior.
Belga
Belga’s canape took culinary techniques to another level with a smoked salmon mousse that had all the smokiness and earthiness without any visible smoked salmon. The bursts of trout roe and crunch of cucumber bits added contrast to the smooth, velvety mousse and the crispy toast was a great vehicle to round out all the textures and flavors.
Bistro Boudin
Bistro Boudin’s signature sourdough was featured in its sourdough crisps topped with an Arctic char ceviche and avocado mousse. The rich and deliciously fatty fish and avocado paired well with the burst of freshness and slight acidity from the pomegranate seeds, grapefruit, and balsamic drizzle.
Curio
The deviled eggs from Curio were not just any normal deviled eggs. The addition of fresno chili, chives, and some pork rinds elevated the flavors and textures to a devilishly delectable bite. In one mouthful, the spice from the chili and crispiness from the pork rinds lit up the creaminess from the egg and there was an explosion of flavor in the mouth.
Farallon
Oysters, among the many other seafood offerings at Farallon, were the star of the show in this tasting. A smoked oyster escabeche, marinated and cooked in an acidic mixture, added a tartness and zest. This paired well with the earthy flavor and soft texture of the bed of beluga lentils that the fresh oyster was sitting on.
Frozen Kuhsterd
Frozen Kuhsterd’s West Coast style frozen custard included unique flavors like Black Milk Tea made with activated charcoal, as well as classic flavors like Pistachio, which featured pistachios that were roasted and ground in-house. The White Coffee looked like plain vanilla but one spoonful evoked pleasant memories of sipping from a mug of hot coffee. The rich and velvety smooth ice cream was proof of the love and hard work put into its products.
Hudson Valley Foie Gras
Luxury was at its max at Hudson Valley’s booth, which served its trademark high quality foie gras with a foie gras bread pudding. The umami and savory flavors of the foie gras punched the mouth and the texture was out of this world. Like smooth, creamy butter spread on a piece of toast, the luscious foie gras pate was the perfect accompaniment to the toasted bread.
Konjoe Burger Bar
The generous and hearty sliders from Konjoe Burger Bar were the ultimate pleasure food for the stomach and soul. Topped with a mountain of tender brisket barbacoa, the crunchy lime pickled onions and jalapeño mayo added a kick of spice. Everything came together like a well composed orchestral piece, sandwiched between two warm and perfectly toasted brioche buns.
Little Giant Ice Cream
Little Giant Ice Cream was busy at Eat Drink SF scooping the cutest mini scoops into mini cones for the premiere of its new flavor Woodford’s Chocolate. The dark chocolate base was decadent and some Kentucky straight malt whiskey added a spike of flavor, yet the toasted coconut on top added the perfect balance to the indulgent, rich ice cream.
Lolinda
The Malbec braised beef tongue from Lolinda’s booth must have been butter in disguise. Paired with a little bit of corn, the beef tongue was extremely tender and melted in the mouth, and the pops and bursts of corn were a pleasant addition to the dish.
Museum of Ice Cream
Magic and unicorns and of course ice cream were on full blast at Eat Drink SF. The Museum of Ice Cream was there to showcase its new ice cream pint line. The Nana Banana flavor was like eating freshly baked banana bread in ice cream form. Swirls of salted caramel almond butter took the banana flavored base to another level by adding a nuttiness and sweet bitterness to the creamy smooth texture.
Perbacco
This dish from Perbacco was one of the favorites of the night and was the epitome of sophistication and elegance, both in flavor and presentation. The texture of the savory corn panna cotta was luscious and soft, and the flavor of corn was subtle and delicate, all enhanced by summer truffle and fresh corn on top.
Presidio Social Club
Presidio Social Club served a yuzu panna cotta with a berry sauce to showcase an example of some of its delectable desserts served at the restaurant. The bright citrus notes of yuzu paired beautifully with the sweet berry sauce, and each scoop of panna cotta was milky and velvety.
Recchiuti Confections
The pear orelys verrine from Recchiuti Confections looked like an art piece—visually, the layers of decadent ingredients beautifully arranged in a glass were enough to satisfy voracious appetites. A pear mousse at the bottom, followed by a layer of caramelized bits of pears, cream, and a finishing touch of crunchy chocolate pearls composed the dessert. Each layer was heavenly on its own, but together it was even more divine.
Sorrel
Sorrel’s tuna crudo featured fresh tuna enhanced by bright flavors from tomato water, green coriander, black olive, and shiso. The highlight of the dish was the squid ink tuile on top, so delicate and fragile, yet adding a texture and flavor component that the dish couldn’t have been completed without.
Starbelly
The Early Girl tomato soup served at Starbelly was the ultimate comfort food of the night. A side of bacon-onion marmalade grilled cheese was the perfect combination of sweet and salty. Dipped into the soup, the crunchy grilled cheese paired with the creamy soup surely warmed all of the hearts and souls at Eat Drink SF.
Uno Dos Tacos
Last but not least, the carnitas tacos from Uno Dos Tacos wrapped up the night with a bang. The slow roasted pork was tender and buttery and piled high on a warm, fresh corn tortilla. What took it over the top was the roasted salsa, adding spice and acidity from the fully developed flavors that each bite kept on getting better and better.
Eat Drink SF was not just a festival for eating delicious food, but was the perfect opportunity to be introduced to the Bay Area’s finest restaurants, and to appreciate the diversity and expertise that these chefs are sharing through their food. The Bay Area’s leading culinary scene is a force to be reckoned with, manifested in the flavors, techniques, thought, and love put into the food, and is the reason to go try out these restaurants for yourself.