Foodbuzz Community Table: Food & Fun of Epic Proportionsfeatured

Big thanks to Foodbuzz and Visa Signature for hosting a fun-filled night at Epic Roasthouse last week! The Foodbuzz Community Table event brought together 20 food bloggers for an evening of colorful conversation, good food, flowing wine, and a bay-view sunset.

We got the royal treatment as we sipped pink bubbly (Scharffenberger’s sparkling Brut Rosé) and nibbled on canapés outside on the patio.

Our servers humored us bloggers as we whipped out our SLRs/Powershots/ iPhones as each new dish hit the table.

Oh yes, the food paparazzi were out and proud.

Ham Hock Butter Bean amuse bouche.
<<Flash Flash Flash!>>

Organic Iceberg Salad with Shaved Radish, Rustic Garlic and creamy Gorgonzola Cheese Croutons.
<<Scan the table for most photogenic crouton, set it in the center of the table…Flash Flash Flash!>>

It just so happened that Jo, Marc, and I ordered different entrees, so naturally, we formed a tasting alliance.

Wild King Salmon served with a ragout of Butterball Potatoes, Sicilian Olives and Butter Pears.

Wood Fired Rotisserie Pork Rack Chop accompanied by a delicate Asparagus Flan, roasted Chanterelle Mushrooms and smoky Gingered Ham Hock Sauce.

Steak n’ Cake, a Petit Beef Filet with spicy Crab Cake, Dungeness Crabmeat Hollandaise, and a ragout of Summer Tomatoes and Sweet Corn. I thought the Steak n’ Cake was the clear winner (despite the too-cutesy name) with a filet that just melted in my mouth.

By the time the entrees hit, our end of the table was unabashedly in full photo-shoot mode.

“Can you pour the jus from that side?”
“Try lighting the dish from your flash over there while I take the shot from over here.”
“I have lens envy.”

And then there was the Duo of Desserts: Crunchy Bread Pudding with fresh Ricotta and perfectly ripe Peaches and Chocolate Banana Cake with Caramel Sea Salt Ice Cream (unanimously declared the best bite of the evening with a delicate crust, rich, almost pudding-like chocolate inside, and salted caramel perfection).

While the food was good, the highlight of the evening was really the fantastic company. It was a real treat getting to know some of my fellow food bloggers in the SF Bay area.

I chatted with Silvia Gregori of Citron et Vanille about her personal chef business, and learned about Jennifer Anne Shorr’s new print edition of Off the Vine.

I met Chef John Mitzewich of Food Wishes, and picked his brain about how he successfully became a full-time blogger with a book deal at that (congrats!), and swapped war food stories with Danielle Tsi of Bon Vivant, Vera DeVera of The Ghetto Gourmet Chronicles, Melissa of Size Six, Marc Winitz of Chefectomy, and Joanne Boston of Taking Over the World One Bite at a Time.

We talked about everything from our favorite restaurants to food photo tips, from $48 Zuni chicken to foreign menu items lost in translation (juicy, tender, “chicken tits” anyone?). I told you the conversation was colorful.

Thanks again, Foodbuzz! And to my new foodie friends, Yay! It was such fun 🙂 Smooches.