Like many millenials, my love for avocados runs deep. Like “I don’t care about how much the extra upcharge is, I want avocado on my desired food item” deep. For avid avo-lovers such as myself, there is a convention for us: Avocado Con. I attended the 2nd Annual Avocado Con with a couple of friends on April 8, 2018 in San Francisco and it was foodie paradise. It was unlike any convention I’ve ever attended: chill vibes, a great outdoor space, Insta-worthy foods left and right, and so many cute dogs.
Avocado Con was a smaller venue than I was expecting. However, it packed so much variety into the Spark Social SF Food Park. The vendors put in a lot of work to put their own spin on our favorite green, creamy fruit in fun, unexpected, and fantastically delicious ways. There was a plethora of avo foods offered but I was only able to sample a small portion of what was there.
White Chocolate Thai Ice Cream Bar with Avocado Slices
Frozen Kuhsterd pushed the envelope with this daring dessert; all three flavors wouldn’t normally go together but they are a surprisingly great combination. The sweet red bean flavor of the Thai tea ice cream paired with the crunchy white chocolate coating would have been sweetness overload to my palate. However, the slices of avocado not only added to the sumptuousness of the bar, but it also cut through the sweetness, making for a very refreshing and balanced dessert.
Avocado Fries
One of the food items I knew I had to get at the Avo Con was avocado fries. Leave it to Nombe Japanese Catering to sell some of the best avo fries I’ve ever had. Despite the long line, the wait was well worth it. Their fries were made to order with thick slices of Hass avocados, battered with panko bread crumbs, fried, and served piping hot with a spicy serrano aioli. The light, crispy batter and the soft avocado were a match made in heaven and the serrano aioli added some needed complexity to the fries. They were so good, I wanted to wait in line again for a second batch.
Avocado “Burger”
The caprese salad got a twist at Avo Con with Toasty‘s reimagining of the traditional Italian appetizer—a thick slice of mozzarella cheese and tomato, a basil leaf served between an entire avocado, topped with balsamic dressing and sesame seeds and a side of tortilla chips. This different take on the classic burger shone as a great sandwich appetizer. The addition of the avocado substituted the need for any olive oil drizzle, adding much needed fattiness to the otherwise light flavors of the caprese sandwich.
Avocado Thai Tea
Frozen Kuhsterd had to make another appearance on this list; amongst the many offerings, this drink was by far the craziest thing we saw offered at Avo Con. The moment I saw this brightly colored layered drink, I knew I had to try it. If this drink is enticing to you, I would recommend sharing it with some friends; it was a thick, rich drink thanks to the high fat content of the avocado and condensed milk. The sweetness of red bean and avocado flavor was a fun “out of the box” drink experience.
“Umami Bomb” Avocado Toast
I love a good piece of avocado toast so I couldn’t say no to this aesthetically pleasing avocado toast offered by Spro
Avocado Con may be one of the newer food festivals in the Bay Area, but it is one every avo-loving foodie should attend. Whether you decide to push out of your comfort zone with experimental foods or stick with some tried and true favorites, Avo Con has something ready to take your taste buds to the next level. I will be back for the next Avo Con, ready for new avocado food experiences and hungry for more.