Normally, when one hears the phrase “off the grid,” it’s in the context of technology-less, remote destinations or hideaways. But when you hear it on the streets of San Francisco, “Off the Grid” has a much different meaning; one of ethnic food, inevitable over-indulgence and a vibrant social scene.
Off the Grid is self-described as “your roaming mobile food extravaganza — bringing you delicious food, with free sides of music, craft and soul. Check out all your favorite gourmet food vendors in one place – creating markets like you’ve never seen before.”
I’d take it one step further. Off the Grid is any food enthusiast’s heaven.
I had the pleasure of making my first trip to Off the Grid at Fort Mason on a Friday evening a few weeks back, and the spectacle certainly lived up to my high expectations. The only issue was where to begin! My dining companion and I did what any smart foodies would – we developed a fool-proof strategy.
First things first, we took a lap around the food trucks and made mental note of the items that caught our eyes before purchasing anything. Word to the wise – if you start buying food before you take this essential lap, you will never make it all the way around. Everything looks good.
Next, we reconvened and decided that in order to optimize our dining experience, we would go halvsies on everything, enabling us to taste twice as much as if we kept each item to ourselves. The third pillar of the strategy was to double-up on our desserts by allowing ourselves to alternate savory/sweet/savory/sweet. I see you judging me. Stop judging.
From there, it was go time.
I made a beeline to Happy Dumplings, an SF must-have that I’d heard much about, and opted for an order of the Chive and Pork Pot Stickers and the Beef and Onion Pot Stickers. The pot stickers did not disappoint, as they were the perfect start to our feast.
From there, we paid a visit to The Crème Brulee Man, whose Honey Vanilla Bean Crème Brulee was perfectly caramelized and utterly decadent.
Next stop was back to savory with the Sweet Potato Tater Tots from Little Green Cyclo, which specializes in Vietnamese street food. The tots were blissful – a strange combination of Thanksgiving meets Napoleon Dynamite.
Last, but certainly not least, we indulged in a sweet treat from Cupkates, the Bay Area’s first cupcake truck. My only complaint at Cupkates was that they were out of the Salted Caramel flavor that I’d set my heart on. But the delicious Red Velvet and Double Vanilla quickly made up for that.
Bottom line – if you find yourself in SF with a few hours to spare, it’s worth finding the nearest food truck! Off the Grid is at a different location virtually every day of the week, so odds are there’s a time/day that works for you. You can view their full weekly calendar online here.
Tortilla Heights, San Francisco
Not only am I a huge fan of Mexican food, but I also love taking trips to San Francisco, so when my friend decided to have her birthday party at Tortilla Heights I was there in an instant! Tortilla Heights is located in San Francisco with a menu loaded with delicious Mexican cuisine. Since there was a large group of us, we were each given a customized menu, and I couldn’t have picked the dishes better myself.
To start, a pitcher of Hacienda Sangria was brought to the table. This delicious, pink concoction included red wine, spiced rum, fresh fruit juice, clover honey and fresh fruit. The sangria went perfectly with ourappetizer of white corn tortilla chips with two separate dipping sauces. The first was guacamole made from ripe Hass avocadoes, onions, chiles, fresh lime juice and cilantro, topped with a little pico de gallo. The second dipping sauce was warm queso, made from spicy melted cheeses, tomatoes and green chiles. I probably went through a basket of chips on my own because the dipping sauces were so amazing and refills just kept coming!
The first main dish brought out to the table was the Carne Tacos, which were served on tortillas stuffed with grilled chicken or carne asada, pinto beans, pico de gallo and guacamole. Next came the Quesadilla Suiza: a flour tortilla with Monterey jack cheese and stuffed with sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo and chicken. Talk about the perfect combination!
By the end of the dinner I was stuffed and swore I couldn’t eat another bite – that is until the Churros were brought to the table! I couldn’t help myself but it definitely topped of the meal. If you’re in the San Francisco area, I would recommend making a stop at Tortilla Heights for dinner. You will leave stuffed and satisfied!
Tortilla Heights
1750 Divisadero Street @ Bush St.
San Francisco, CA 94115
415-346-4531
Forget Batman and Superman, We Love Food Heroes
A few weeks back, I had the pleasure of attending An Evening with Food Heroes with fellow foodies Angela and Amy, hosted by Eventbrite San Francisco at Terroir Natural Wine Merchant. The event was timed with the release of Georgia Pellegrini’s book, “Food Heroes,” which documents her international travels in pursuit of true heroes of the culinary world.
While there were several impressive local vendors sampling at the event, two stood out above the rest. Before I sing their praises, I feel compelled to couch that statement with the obvious: I am a sucker for cheese and chocolate. My roommate and I even had an entire conversation once about what life would be like were we restricted to a diet of only foods that began with the letters C and H, and eventually decided that thanks to cheese and chocolate, we would likely survive.
“CH” diet and joking aside, Pizza Politana and Charles Chocolates really took the cake.
Pizza Politana is proof that simplicity wins in my book, every time. Warm slices of Margherita pizza with tomato sauce, basil, and fresh mozzarella fresh out of their signature wood-fired oven could not have been more delicious.
To satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth, Charles Chocolates offered Fleur de Sel Caramels, Signature Peanut Butterflies, Raspberry Hearts and more. You can imagine my surprise and delight when Charles Chocolates was featured on Groupon the following week. Let’s just say there will be more Charles Chocolates in my near future.
The best part? All proceeds benefited Chez Panisse Foundation’s Edible Schoolyard, a program that includes a one-acre organic garden and kitchen classroom project hosted at Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School right down the road in Berkeley.