A Taste of the Bay Area at Outside Landsfeatured

As featured in Bay Area Bites, August 31, 2009.

Festival-goers swarmed Golden Gate Park this weekend at San Francisco’s Outside Lands to soak in some world-class music, chow down on some local and diverse eats, and bask in the abnormally warm weather (discounting wintry Sunday).

There seemed to be something for everyone at this massive festival, with a variety of music showcased…

Fergalicious

No shortage of spectacles to enjoy…

Fou Fou Ha!, performance troupe extraordinaire

And of course, a plethora of tasty food and beverages to fuel the fun, because a San Francisco event just would not be complete without some good grub.

Pica Pica Maize Kitchen, Yucca Fries and Cachapas

Top tastes included Venezuelan bites from Pica Pica Maize Kitchen, who served up arepas, cachapas, and yucca fries. My cachapas filled with shredded beef, black beans, plantains, and cheese hit the spot with its savory filling and sweet corn pancake shell, crispy on the outside and slightly gooey when I bit down.

Maverick’s Cincinnati Pulled Pork Sandwich

Maverick’s Cincinnati Pulled Pork Sandwich was smoky, rich, and meaty, with just the right saucy tang, and crunchy slaw on top. And, the house-made potato chips were without a trace of grease.

Hog Island Oysters

Hog Island Oyster Co. was back again this year, shucking and barbecuing their prized oysters. Nothing like rock n’ roll and oysters. Mmm slurp.

Little Skillet, Fried Chicken, Waffles, Mac n’ Cheese, and Cornbread

Farmerbrown’s offshoot, Little Skillet fed the masses with their famous Fried Chicken and Waffles…so good they must be made with love (and butter…same difference). I had been hoping and wishing and praying for some more of those ridiculous black pepper biscuits with brown sugar crumble I tasted a few weeks ago at their pop-up happy hour block party, but alas, that will have to wait for another day.

Philz Coffee, Turkish Coffee

Local favorite, Philz Coffee made sure the party went strong into the night with their frothy, deliciously caffeinated beverages.

Yats, Catfish Po’Boy

And Yats brought a taste of New Orleans to Outside Lands, with their Fried Catfish Po’Boys, Jambalaya, and Eggplant Beignets. A hidden gem located inside Jack’s Club in Potrero Hill, Yats has been a long-time favorite of mine with their authentic po’boys and Creole dishes. I have a feeling that after this weekend, this will be a best kept secret no more.

Yats, Eggplant Beignets

The Eggplant Beignet was probably the most interesting thing I tried this weekend. Thick batons of eggplant coated in a savory peppery batter, deep fried, and dusted with powdered sugar, I’m still not quite sure how I feel about it. It had the sweet and savory combo going, which I dug, but…it was a little weird. Addictive, but weird.

Q Restaurant, Tater Tots

My tastebuds needed something familiar to recalibrate after that, and Q Restaurant had just the thing with their good old fashioned, crispy Tater Tots, available in traditional (ketchup) or fancy (chili lime aioli) accoutrement.

Charles Chocolates S’more…and adorable asian munchkins!

For the sweet tooth, giant S’mores from Charles Chocolates brought smiles to the kiddies and grown-ups alike.

Three Twins Ice Cream, Mint Confetti Cone

And Three Twins Ice Cream kept the crowd cool one scoop at a time.

Props to Outside Lands for creating an event that brought together so many of the things SF loves best.

‘Til next year

San Francisco’s Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival
Golden Gate Park
August 28-30, 2009