Organized by La Cocina, the San Francisco Street Food Festival and Night Market over the weekend was great showcase for many food entrepreneurs that might not be quite on the map yet. Sure, there are the established restaurants and food vendors that had long lines on Saturday, but it’s also fun to talk to those just starting out, hear their stories and what got them into the food business. Here’s some of our favorite bites from the street food festival on Saturday.
Momos from Bini’s Kitchen
Our winner for best find— Bini’s momos are really awesome dumplings, very similar to something you might find while eating dim sum. Although she does a lot of catering, Binita Pradhan is also selling these awesome treats at Off the Grid: Fort Mason on Friday nights.
Bunny Banh Mi from Central Kitchen
Chefs Thomas McNaughton and Ryan Pollnow created a fun, yet delicious banh mi sandwich that had a little more sophistication than you normal banh mi. Great relish and aioli and plenty of meat too.
BBQ Chicken from Ler Ros Thai
One of my favorite Thai spots in San Francisco, Ler Ros’ booth had the fortunate (or unfortunate) fate of being next to State Bird Provisions—one of the most popular vendors at the festival. The BBQ Chicken they were serving was delicious, juicy and a good-sized portion.
Bento Box from Aedan Fermented Foods
This bento box was filled with a number of delicious options, from the shio-koji yakitori chicken, to the Japanese potato salad and edamame. Koji is a mold used to ferment soybeans in Chinese and Japanese cuisine that I was first introduced to at Izakaya Yuzuki in the Mission District and I think it really gives the food a “cleaner” flavor.
Huarache de Nopal from El Huarache Loco
El Huarache Loco did things right by also offering a secret menu item (Huarache Fries). But the “Big Bite,” the Huarache de Nopal, was a mix of a large organic corn tortilla filled with beans and topped with cilantro, onions and salsa. A bit messy, but isn’t that what street food is about?
What were your favorite dishes from the festival?