Ok, I didn’t actually go to the SF Street Food Festival this year. Yeah, fine, call me a jerk. Especially since they were so kind to invite me to the preview dinner last month. Which was awesome. But I went last year and, honestly, it was such a cluster that I wasn’t super excited to go again. Because I don’t like billions of people congregated in one area, not because I don’t like food, obv.
But, based on the preview dinner this year, I believe I would have liked much of the food at the festival. Here are a few of my favorite vendors who participated this year and the ridiculously delicious dishes they fed me a couple weeks ago:
- Onigilly. I met Onigilly for the first time last year. I love them. I love rice balls with meaty or veggie filling inside. They’re even opening a real restaurant on Kearny just near my work! I can’t wait!
Onigilly…mmm…
- Esquites from El Buen Corner. Esquites are “corn in a cup”. The corn is boiled then sauteed with butter, onion, and chiles. Then the lot is topped with mayo and salt and lime juice. Honestly, they had me at mayonnaise. So. Good.
Really, really good corn.
- Jacked up hush puppies from Zella’s Soulful Kitchen. These were so good. Deep fried corn things with sauce on top. Tender and moist; yum. Granted, I didn’t know what a hush puppy was (you: you write a food blog? wtf?), but still. Good.
Hush puppies. Good.
- Deep fried caramel pops from Clairesquares. Yeah, I know, it looks like a meatball. Or worse. I was hesitant to eat one, kinda. But it was pretty much one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. I ate two. Shouldn’t have, but I did. Burned myself on one, they were so fresh and hot. And gooey. And sugary. Amazing. Caramel battered and deep fried. Just amazing.
Deep fried caramel pop from Clairesquares. So. Good.
So that was my experience of this year’s SFSFF. Can we abbreviate it like that? The whole name is far too long. Like the lines at the actual festival. Zing! Kidding — thank you La Cocina for inviting me to your preview dinner. I had a blast and ate wayyyy too much.
I think the corn cups were from El Buen Comer. Per the preview menu, the dish is called Esquites, described as Corn in a Cup served with cheese and mayonnaise. Yup. And yum.
The corn ball things I think were from Zella’s Soulful Kitchen – “Jacked-up Hugh Puppies” – Corn fritter comprised of pepper jack cheese, onions, jalapenos, fresh corn, spices and drizzled with a remoulade sauce.
Dude, can they host a preview dinner once a quarter or something? I need more of this deliciousness.
PS, shout out to my fave of the night, the Duk Boki (rice cakes in spicy sauce with fish cakes) from To Hyang. I think that was the only thing I had seconds of…
The deep fried caramel pop sounds crazy, but the best things always are. Sadly, I missed the festival this year but am hoping to be at the preview next year as well! Thanks for the summary, it all looks delicious!
Great ariclte, thank you again for writing.