We Ate Real
Last weekend we went to the annual Eat Real Festival in Oakland. They had it for three days, we went two. And we still couldn’t stuff everything down. The idea is to show that real, good food can be affordable like fast food. The reality is no matter how small each portion was, we ended up walking slow.
Some things were delicious. Like the Korean BBQ tacos from Seoul On Wheels. Ebony loved the chicken, Mudpie swooned about the spicy pork, I adored the bulgogi, all served on a corn tortilla with some lipsmacking sauce for $3. Follow their tweets to know their locations.
Near Seoul On Wheels were Curry Up Now and a Whole Foods‘ truck. Mudpie just couldn’t resist a chicken tikka masala burrito ($5), then drank a whole bottle of water afterwards. I was enticed by the hiramasa (hamachi) ceviche and grilled figs from Whole Foods, $3 each, served in a cone with tortilla chips for dipping.
The ceviche is on the right. It had cubes of hiramasa fish marinated in lime juice, vegetable and spices. The texture utterly resembled boiled fatty pork, so refreshing in a sunny afternoon. This was also my first time having a whole fig. It’s sweet and gummy, pretty similar to prunes. The higo asados (grilled figs) were smothered in a balsamic reduction sauce, fresh goat cheese, and topped with almonds, said the menu (but they tasted more like peanuts).
Speaking of goats…
They had some walking around leisurely in a sandy pen and refusing to show their faces to my camera. There were mommies and babies, goat milking and goat-milk-ice-cream making on Saturday afternoon, just before we arrived. The goats spoke Spanish. 😀
There were also fuzzy headed white chickens, a big children attraction nearby. And Jack London‘s old cabin (looking real cozy), because hey, we’re at Jack London Square.
And boy was it sunny both days. But amidst the heat and smoke from humans and grilled meat did we find something refreshing. The Raw Daddy Foods‘ truck was facing away from the setting sun, and offering only, well, raw foods. In cones.
Pilgrim’s cream cone. $5. Maple cream filling, with carrots, cashe, extra virgin coconut oil, and candied pecans, which ended up tasting like pumpkin pie! Not my favorite flavor, but it was good.
It’s worth noting that the festival was full of tacos (and other Mexican foods). There must have been at least ten trucks with the crunchy half moons. But this one has the most catchy name:
I actually had my eyes on the looking for this truck since I saw the list online. And I actually hate am troubled by the cheesy-advertising-trend-following usage of the word “Kung Fu” in anything, like Kung Fu Panda (hate have an aversion to the movie too, just from watching the trailer). Think “Vampire Burrito” and you may see my point? Anyhow, the tacos from Kung Fu Tacos looked shiningly attractive.
It was either Chinese-style chicken or pork, I can’t remember, on two tiny corn tortillas for $4. The taste was well worth the price, though. Besides, the line was quite short, much more so than Kara’s Cupcake two trucks over, however longer than Ebbett’s Good To Go, who should win Best Decoration with flower pots on bright blue:
We opted for vegan banh mi ($4) with tofu, Thai basil pesto, and pickled carrots. It was nowhere near banh mi, as they spelled it “bahn mi” anyway. Nice try.
BUT, it was still pretty acceptable. Tummy filling at the least. I wish I could say the same about Le Truc‘s one-bite-sized hoppy cheesecake, delivered fresh and fast from a big cheddar school bus:
Look good, eh? Taste like hop. Now maybe it’s good if you’re into beer, but none of us liked it. It’s not the sweet luscious cheesecake we expected. It was stinging bitter at first, then if you haven’t expectorated it already, thick and salty like old cheese on the tongue. The shiny brown sauce was even worse. Consider $4 flipped into the trash.
On the other hand, what was good was excellent. Like the fried plantains ($3) from Soleil’s African Kitchen.
No need for words. The line was fifty persons long under the blazing sun, and kept on growing. But I would do it all again for these salty sweet little beasts. My only complaint: they don’t have a restaurant that I can frequent!
To conclude the day, what’s better than some ice cream?
Nieves Cinco de Mayo let you sample their colorful snows before committing to the scoops. Guava was unexpectedly similar to strawberry, both in hue and in taste (unlike the green apple guava Vietnamese school kids munch with chili pepper salt). I opted for the rose petal flavor, which was more exuberantly rosy than Ici’s cardamom-rose version. It’s the pleasant awakening of every taste buds for merely 3 bucks.
Things we didn’t do at Eat Real Festival this year:
Eat paella;
Eat ice cream from a classic colored ice cream cart;
Learn how to grow mushroom and buy fresh fruits;
Get better pictures of the butchery contest – the guy on the right was superfast with his pink carcass;
And learn the name of the kitchen that made Scotch eggs – $4 a hard-boiled egg coated in meat and batter, deep fried. Overpriced, but yummy.
There’s always next year.
Regards for helping out, excellent information.
1whoah this blog is great i love reading your articles. Keep up the great work! You know, a lot of people are looking around for this info, you can help them greatly.
2Really excellent info can be found on blog.
3I have been surfing online more than three hours today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours. It’s pretty worth enough for me. Personally, if all webmasters and bloggers made good content as you did, the internet will be much more useful than ever before.
4I also think therefore, perfectly written post! .
5This blog is definitely rather handy since I’m at the moment creating an internet floral website – although I am only starting out therefore it’s really fairly small, nothing like this site. Can link to a few of the posts here as they are quite. Thanks much. Zoey Olsen
6Hello, you used to write great, but the last several posts have been kinda boringK I miss your great writings. Past several posts are just a little out of track! come on!
7It’s hard to find knowledgeable people on this topic, but you sound like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks
8It’s arduous to search out educated people on this topic, however you sound like you realize what you’re speaking about! Thanks
9Your place is valueble for me. Thanks!…
10I think you have mentioned some very interesting points, regards for the post.
11Very interesting info !Perfect just what I was looking for!
12Very nice post. I simply stumbled upon your weblog and wanted to mention that I have truly loved surfing around your weblog posts. In any case I will be subscribing in your feed and I hope you write again soon!
13Hey, you used to write fantastic, but the last few posts have been kinda boring?K I miss your great writings. Past few posts are just a little out of track! come on!
14I always was concerned in this subject and stock still am, thanks for posting.
15Wonderful site. Plenty of useful info here. I’m sending it to several buddies ans additionally sharing in delicious. And certainly, thanks on your sweat!
16and some go to great lengths to portray that image to outsiders.But whether the narcissist’s mask is based on material wealth,えろ 人形
17Veery nikce post. I just stumbled upon your weblog and wishedd to say
18that I hsve really enjoyed surfing around your blog posts.
In any case I’ll be subscribing to your feed annd I hope you write again soon! xnxx
You have brought up a very superb points, thanks for the post.
19Thanks for another great post. The place else may just anyone get that kind of info in such an ideal way of writing? I’ve a presentation subsequent week, and I am on the search for such information.
20Excellent beat ! I wish to apprentice while you amend your site, how could i subscribe for a blog website? The account helped me a acceptable deal. I had been tiny bit acquainted of this your broadcast offered bright clear idea
21‘ with Laurie; that’s proper andappropriate,リアル ラブドールsince he’s a warbler.
22This is the precise weblog for anyone who desires to seek out out about this topic. You notice so much its virtually arduous to argue with you (not that I actually would need…HaHa). You positively put a brand new spin on a topic thats been written about for years. Nice stuff, just great!
23I have been surfing on-line greater than 3 hours lately, yet I never discovered any interesting article like yours. It’s lovely worth enough for me. In my view, if all webmasters and bloggers made good content as you probably did, the web will probably be much more helpful than ever before. “Revolution is not a onetime event.” by Audre Lorde.
24I have been absent for some time, but now I remember why I used to love this site. Thanks, I will try and check back more frequently. How frequently you update your web site?
25Great website. Lots of useful information here. I am sending it to some pals ans also sharing in delicious. And of course, thank you on your sweat!
26I got good info from your blog
27I was suggested this blog by way of my cousin. I am not sure whether this publish is written by means of him as no one else recognize such certain about my problem. You are amazing! Thanks!
28I think this website holds some very fantastic info for everyone :D. “America is not merely a nation but a nation of nations.” by Lyndon B. Johnson.
29I have read some good stuff here. Certainly value bookmarking for revisiting. I wonder how a lot effort you put to make this kind of excellent informative site.
30