Sidewalk Smorgasbord

Comments (0) By Evan James Wednesday, Aug 12 2009

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Everyone loves to eat food in the street lately. City people everywhere can be seen nibbling on fricasseed frog legs from the backs of trucks, sitting on abandoned loading docks with their faces buried in bowls of organic scrapple, and scarfing down Moon Pies while speeding down the street on rollerblades. It’s all so fresh, so fancy, and so fast, just like the inaugural San Francisco Street Food Festival. The street closes down, the omnivores come out, and a caravan of food trailers and tents from the likes of Kasa Indian Eatery, Poleng Lounge, and Zella’s Soulful Kitchen serve up handheld dishes for discerning urban palates. Ceviche, Moroccan squid salad, and handmade organic corn tortillas with slow-roasted and achiote-rubbed pork shoulder are just a few of the delights on offer from a selection of vendors spanning the culinary spectrum. A silent auction includes prizes such as a day in the kitchen with chef David Tanis at Chez Panisse, a meal for four at hoppin’ new pizzeria Flour + Water, and Japanese cooking classes from Peko-Peko Catering. The event is a benefit for a Mission District "incubator kitchen," which provides commercial kitchen space and technical assistance to low-income and immigrant women starting food businesses. The Street Food fest promises to be an apt and timely celebration of the Bay Area’s flourishing food culture.
Sat., Aug. 22, 11 a.m., 2009