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.
I’m impressed, I must say. Very rarely do I come across a blog that’s both informative and entertaining, and let me tell you, you’ve hit the nail on the head. Your blog is important, the issue is something that not enough people are talking intelligently about
1health plans may be expensive but it is really very necessary to get one for yourself-
2Thanks for every other informative blog. The place else may I get that kind of information written in such a perfect way? I’ve a project that I’m just now operating on, and I’ve been at the glance out for such information.
3オナドールthe same also is pleasure in the imagination.Hate,
4Just like the old saying goes, within the pro’s head there are few options, however , for a person with the beginner’s brain, the world is open up.
5I am curious to find out what blog platform you happen to be using? I’m experiencing some minor security problems with my latest site and I’d like to find something more safe. Do you have any recommendations?
6very good post, i undoubtedly really like this amazing site, go on it
7Hi folks! I simply would want to provide a huge thumbs up for that terrific info you have got here with this write-up. I will be coming back again to your blog page for much more shortly.
8you are definitely a very good webmaster. The web site loading speed is incredible. It seems that you are doing any unique trick. Moreover, The contents are masterwork. you’ve completed a great job on this topic!
9An intriguing discussion might be priced at comment. I do think you should write much more about this topic, it will not often be a taboo subject but generally folks are insufficient to speak on such topics. To another. Cheers
10Thanx for a very interesting web site. Where else could I get that type of information written in such a perfect approach? I have a mission that I am just now working on, and I have been at the look out for such info.
11I do agree with all of the ideas you have presented in your post. They’re really convincing and will certainly work. Still, the posts are too short for newbies. Could you please extend them a bit from next time? Thanks for the post.
12Oh my goodness! an incredible post dude. Thanks However We’re experiencing issue with ur rss . Do not know why Struggling to sign up for it. Can there be anybody finding identical rss difficulty? Anybody who knows kindly respond. Thnkx
13You really should indulge in a contest for just one of the finest blogs on the internet. I am going to suggest this website!
14I must find the potential for to thank anyone for impressive pointers There are at all times appreciated possibilities a web page. We’re anxious about any graduation to do with your college explore along with the uncut groundwork could not have already been conclude without the need of arriving in your web blog. Household . instead , may well be from a assistance other individuals, Keep away from companies enjoy it to further in what I had learned at this point.
15I’m impressed, I have to admit. Genuinely rarely will i encounter a blog that’s both educative and entertaining, and let me tell you, you’ve hit the nail to the head. Your notion is outstanding; the problem is something which not enough persons are speaking intelligently about. I’m happy i came across this in my search for some thing about it.
16After reading your blog post I browsed your website a bit and noticed you aren’t ranking nearly as well in Google as you could be. I possess a handful of blogs myself and I think you should take a look on it. You’ll find it’s a very nice tool that can bring you a lot more visitors. Keep up the quality posts
17Oh my goodness! a wonderful write-up dude. Many thanks Nevertheless We’re experiencing trouble with ur rss . Don’t know why Unable to sign up to it. Can there be everyone obtaining identical rss difficulty? Anybody who knows kindly respond. Thnkx
18You ought to get involved in a contest personally of the finest blogs on-line. I will recommend this page!
19I am frequently to blogging we truly appreciate your posts. This article has really peaks my interest. I will bookmark your web site and keep checking for brand spanking new data.
20Yeah bookmaking this wasn’t a speculative conclusion great post! .
21Valuable info. Lucky me I found your web site by accident, and I am shocked why this accident did not happened earlier! I bookmarked it.
22plumbing can really be a hardwork specially if you are not very skillfull in doing home plumbing.,
23Thank you for every one of your work on this blog. My mother enjoys going through investigation and it’s really easy to see why. My partner and i learn all about the powerful way you offer informative solutions via this website and invigorate participation from other ones on this subject matter then our child is actually studying a great deal. Have fun with the rest of the year. You’re the one conducting a fantastic job.
24Thanks for this excellent article. One other thing is that a lot of digital cameras come equipped with the zoom lens that enables more or less of your scene to get included by means of ‘zooming’ in and out. All these changes in concentration length are usually reflected while in the viewfinder and on significant display screen right at the back of the specific camera.
25During my mission on the web, We noticed this blog publish, It is extremely detailed and I think you need to acknowledge this kind of remark. I need money too
26You can also put a chatbox on your blog for more interactivity among readers.:;’;”
27Taylor Lautner… By the way you might want to check out this cool site I found……
28I see that you are using WordPress on your blog, wordpress is the best.*:~-”
29Thanks for the good writeup. It in truth used to be a amusement account it.
30Look complicated to far brought agreeable from you! However, how can we be in contact?
Music began playing any time I opened this webpage, so frustrating!
31You made some decent points there. I regarded on the internet for the difficulty and found most individuals will associate with with your website.
32Very interesting points you have noted , thanks for putting up.
33Alors oui et surtout non. Certes parce que il est probable qu’on acquiert d’autres sources qui mentionnent de semblables . Non car il ne suffit pas de copier ce que tout le monde peut trouver avec certains site internet tiers et le transcrire tellement aisément…
34I really like your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you design this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz answer back as I’m looking to construct my own blog and would like to find out where u got this from. thanks
35Nice and concise article, many things i never knew. . . We never know how much talent is devastated this way.
36i would love to sip a cup of green tea each morning because it contains L-theanine which calms the mind.
37Awesome! I thank you your input to this matter. It has been insightful. my blog: palm reading guide
38It was a excitement getting to your site a short while ago. I came here today hoping to get interesting things. And I was not let down. Your ideas on new tactics on this subject material were helpful and an excellent help to my family. Thank you for creating time to write out these things as well as for sharing your thinking.
39I like this site so much, saved to my bookmarks .
40There are very lots of details that way to think about. That is a fantastic examine bring up. I provide thoughts above as general inspiration but clearly you can find questions just like the one you retrieve the spot that the most significant factor will be in the honest excellent faith. I don?t know if guidelines have emerged about things like that, but Almost certainly that your chosen job is clearly labeled as a reasonable game. Both youngsters notice the impact of a little moment’s pleasure, for the rest of their lives.
41I am so happy to read this. This is the kind of manual that needs to be given and not the accidental misinformation that is at the other blogs. Appreciate your sharing this greatest doc.
42inspiring insights you are sharing. I love the way you are sharing it. Is there any way I could get updated for more?
43Cruise is back and this time he brought he comedic chops with him.
44I??m a blog crazed person and i also like to read cool blog like yours.??-,*??
45Write more, thats all I have to say. Literally, it seems as though you relied on the video to make your point. You definitely know what youre talking about, why waste your intelligence on just posting videos to your blog when you could be giving us something enlightening to read?
46I discovered your blog site website on the search engines and appearance some of your early posts. Always maintain up the good operate. I extra increase your RSS feed to my MSN News Reader. Looking for toward reading more from you finding out afterwards!…
47Normally I do not read article on blogs, but I would like to say that this write-up very forced me to try and do it! Your writing style has been surprised me. Thanks, quite nice article.
48contact lens are not only for fashion but it can also protect your eyes from dust and UV radiation,.
49I like this website very much so much excellent information.
50