Anyone who didn’t know what was happening on April 20, 2019 at the Memorial Glade in UC Berkeley would be confused when walking past—what was such a large crowd of people doing, and why were there lots of tents and stalls? Among the many things that were happening that day, *cough* 420 *cough*, Spoon University at Berkeley held its fourth ever SpoonFest showcasing eateries from around the Bay Area: The HIGHlights of the Bay. On such a beautiful sunny day that was meant to be spent lounging outside, these six vendors brought out all the stops to win over some hungry stomachs.
Alicia's Tamales Los Mayas
A returning vendor from SpoonFest Fall 2018, Alicia's Tamales Los Mayas brought some delicious tamales to the UC Berkeley campus for all to enjoy again. Each of the tamales was incredibly moist and soft. The Carnitas Tamale was flavorful and hearty with lightly spiced tender pork, while the Pollito Tamale was packed with juicy chicken and fresh vegetables like carrots, potatoes, zucchini, and peas.
My favorite was the Queso Tamale—the melted and creamy Oaxaca cheese oozed out and the simpleness went well with the complex flavors of the salsa verde on top.
Antonik's BBQ
The smoky and meaty waft of smoke from the grill of Antonik’s BBQ was enough to draw a hungry crowd of people. The juicy, tender pork of the Pork Skewer was very satisfying to bite off the stick, but the highlight was the sauce drizzled on top. It was sweet yet savory and added another depth of flavor.
Among all the meat options was Antonik’s empanada, which was another of my favorites. The light crispy fried pocket of dough was fluffy and soft on the inside and packaged a flavorful mix of meat, egg, and veggies.
Breadbelly
I was so excited to eat Breadbelly’s Kaya Toast again after falling in love with it at the brick and mortar store in San Francisco. I fell even more in love with the first bite straight off the griddle. The house-made milk bread was thick and fluffy and toasted to perfection with a crisp buttery exterior. The coconut pandan jam carefully piped on top of the toast was creamy and dreamy, with flakes of sea salt contrasting the sweetness.
Breadbelly also had two kinds of cookies, the Chocolate Soba Ko Cookie and Coconut Matcha Macadamia Cookie, both of which were so soft and tender. The texture and flavor combinations were well thought out, with the crispy caramelized savory buckwheat contrasting sweet chocolate chips, and the coconut flakes and macadamia nut pieces added crunchiness to the creamy matcha chocolate drizzle.
Frozen Kuhsterd
With the sun shining the entire day, something cool and refreshing was definitely needed. Frozen Kuhsterd brought its frozen custard to the rescue, with scoops of the creamy and smooth velvety dessert that was delicious on its own, but also available with additional toppings or even sandwiched between a donut!
The standout flavors were the Andytown Coffee and Tiger Milk Tea, both of which thoroughly showcased those flavors described in the names. The Andytown Coffee transported me to Andytown's coffee roastery with coffee beans being freshly roasted and ground. The Tiger Milk Tea used black tea and Thai tea, incorporating the best of both worlds: smokiness and earthiness from the black tea and sweetness and spiciness from the Thai tea.
Happy Dumplings
I was so amazed to see the Happy Dumplings team filling and shaping the dough into dumplings on the spot. Literally freshly prepared, these dumplings were definitely a crowd favorite. A fluffy and soft interior was a great texture contrast to the bottom of the dumplings, which were seared to crispy perfection. The juicy and spicy flavors of the tender pork belly dribbled out with each bite of the Pork Belly Dumplings.
Another item on the menu with lots of texture was the Pumpkin Pancakes. These had a subtle pumpkin flavor, which was made even better by the enjoyment of the crispy flakiness of each pancake.
Out the Dough
If you are craving cookies, why wait for the cookies to finish baking when you can just eat the batter? Out the Dough had the perfect answer by bringing cookie dough available by the scoop or in other dessert forms such as a SpoonFest Spring 2019 exclusive item—Chocolate Dipped Cannolis. The cookie dough inside of the cannoli was rich and velvety, while the waffle cone exterior added a nice crunch. A coating of melted chocolate completed a bite of sweet bliss for any sugar tooth.
The Ellen DOUGH-Generes scoop of cookie dough not only had chunks of house-made Oreo cookies incorporated throughout, but also peanut butter, a flavor combination that must be eaten again.
We at Spoon University at Berkeley hope that all those who stopped by SpoonFest were able to leave with full and happy stomachs. I certainly did—not only was the food delicious but the love and thought that the vendors put into their craft and products was heart and soul-warming. I am excited for these eateries to continue to showcase the food as some of the HIGHlights of the Bay and for others to discover and try them out. Until the next SpoonFest, it’s time to go on an adventure to find some of your own favorite food highlights of the Bay Area.