Outside Lands Windmill -- recycle, compost, trash.
All Photos: Wendy Goodfriend

Outside Lands, now in it's fourth year, drew nearly 180,000 visitors this past weekend. I was one of them. On Saturday morning, as I walked along a dirt path through Lindley Meadow into a eucalyptus grove with parachutes and rope swings dangling from the trees, I thought of how this seemed a cross between Burning Man and the board game Candy Land. Ok, Outside Lands was fifty degrees cooler than Burning Man and it's in the middle of Golden Gate Park, rather than the desert. Still, the music festival has this collective feel where everyone comes together to appreciate artistic expression, be it music, food, wine or other artistic endeavors. Then, everyone leaves the land no worse for wear, hopefully. In fact, this was the most organized compost and recycling program I have ever seen at a big outdoor event.

Wind Chime Swing. Photo: Wendy Goodfriend

Choco Lands. Photo by Wendy Goodfriend

Outside Lands also has this feeling that everything happening on the periphery is just as interesting as the bigger events, whether they are major rock bands or pyrotechnic shows. And just like Candy Land, curvy dirt paths take you from one fun land to the next. Instead of Candy Cane Forest and Gum Drop Mountain you have Food Truck Forest, Choco Lands, Wine Lands and Eco Lands. Wander down a dirt path away from the polo fields, which hosted the likes of Phish and Arcade Fire, and you might end up, as I did, amidst cypress and eucalyptus trees watching a tiny carny opera with mime faced performers dressed in kilts playing Appalachian ballads and doing their own version of the River Dance. Before the opera I visited Eco Lands, which honors San Francisco's commitment to sustainability, with all sorts of educational booths, valet bike parking and emerging artists performing on a solar powered stage. This year introduced urban agriculture to Outside Lands with yet another land to discover, Farm Lands. Here you could play games like "Veggie Twister," take an urban gardening class and munch on organic watermelon slices from Full Belly Farms.

Arcade Fire. Photo by Wendy Goodfriend

Flotsam's Wonder World Opera. Photo: Wendy Goodfriend

Full Belly Farms Farmers Market. Photo: Wendy Goodfriend

With my appetite whetted by healthy produce, I set out to explore the higher caloric choices at Outside Lands. There are more than fifty local restaurants and food trucks at this event. For a little hog in the fog action, one could try Flour + Water's porchetta sandwiches. Head Chef Thomas McNaughton said, because they only work with small farms, it took six months to prepare for the concert. Eleven acres of arugula had to be planted and, to be honest, I couldn't listen when he explained how many pigs from near Nicassio were slaughtered, let's just say it was enough to make 7,000 sandwiches over the weekend. McNaughton said the idea was also to create a little buzz for Flour + Water's two new projects, also in the Mission, Salumeria and Central Kitchen. Maybe I just knew too much about the porchetta sandwiches but I ended up trying a different meal with pork, Korean tacos from Namu. They were not really tacos at all but rather pork or chicken wrapped in seaweed with a delicious kim chee remoulade. I also had a taste of a veggie samosa from New Ganges Indian Food and a grilled cheese sandwich, with peppers, from The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen. They were both good but not as interesting as the "tacos." You can also read about my time at Wine Lands where i discovered some very delicious small lot wineries.

Thomas McNaughton and porchetta sandwich assembly line. Photo: Wendy Goodfriend

The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen. Photo: Wendy Goodfriend

I am thinking Outside Lands might be worth another visit next year. I mean, what other festival can you listen to the arena-rock jams of English Band Muse while sipping a spicy Pinot Noir preceded by a worm composting workshop?

Muse. Photo: Wendy Goodfriend

Related posts:
• Outside Lands Recap 2011 at KQED Arts
• Guide to Outside Lands 2011 at KQED Arts

This week's culinary tour guide is Sean Timberlake, half of Team Hedonia and the mastermind behind Punk Domestics. As a food blogger for five years running, Sean is known around these parts as the go-to guy for food-related advice. Want to pickle some vegetables? Preserve your grandma's strawberries? Find the perfect place to take your beloved for a very special dinner? He's your guy.

Non-locals might not think to peruse neighborhoods such as the Castro and Noe Valley when looking for distinctive dining experiences, but Sean, a longtime San Francisco resident, has some awesome tips to share on the part of SF lesser known for their edible offerings. Remember: there's more to San Francisco food than the Mission and North Beach!

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What are your favorite summer food events? What makes them so special?
I consider the farmers markets each their own discrete events. The produce is ever-changing, and each market has its own strengths. I love the Castro and Noe Valley farmers markets, but for different reasons. Castro's got great bakeries (oh the irony, considering the carb-phobic demographic) and gorgeous fruit (no comment); Noe Valley has Prather Ranch every other week, plus kooky musicians to entertain the kids. Just watch yourself around the stroller bank. It can get tight. 

When the weather heats up, what are your favorite places to eat in San Francisco?
Because we have relatively few places with outdoor seating in San Francisco, they get busy when the weather is favorable, so I often avoid them. But I can be swayed to hang out at The Ramp over a couple of beers, and I've recently become enamored with the new Bluestem Brasserie downtown. Their upstairs balcony is a great spot to watch the world go by. 

Where are your favorite ice cream places in SF? What's your favorite flavor there?
Like everyone, I love both Bi-Rite Creamery and Humphry Slocombe, but I'm still a Mitchell's loyalist, and there's a spot right in my neighborhood, Subs, Inc. in Noe Valley, that carries it. Mostly I'm a purist. I'm really happiest with simple vanilla, or maybe pistachio. But sometimes I like to get adventurous. At Marco Polo out in Parkside, they have some edgier flavors, like black sesame or the infamous durian. I tried the latter once. I've got a broad palate, but even I was not ready to commit to a whole scoop. Yet. 

Is Noe Valley a culinary contender in San Francisco?
Noe Valley can't compete with the Mission, but we have a few gems. Contigo, the Cal-Catalan place on Castro, is our hands-down favorite restaurant in the city, and we are frequent diners at Incanto as well. Firefly still manages to turn out good food after all these years from its dot-com darling days, and Le Zinc has a lovely brunch. I get the brik every time. 

What other little-known neighborhoods are up and coming in the food scene? 
Hayes Valley has a charming food scene, and the Castro is finally coming into its own culinarily, after years as a virtual dining desert. Frances gets all the attention, and it's great, but little L'Ardoise in Duboce Triangle is unjustly overlooked. Starbelly is a crowd pleaser. And since Blackbird came on the scene, we even have honest to god cocktails in the 'Stro. We're not in Kansas anymore! 

Enjoying Humphry Slocombe Ice Cream. Photo: Sabrina Modelle

The Bay Area is finally seeing 75+ degree weather, and both locals and tourists are out in full force, soaking up some much-needed vitamin D. Dolores Park is packed from corner to corner, the bubble tea shops have lines out the door, and street food vendors are crowding the alleyways and sidewalks.

When the weather warrants sunscreen, what better activities are there to take part in than those that involve eating? Right now is the time to enjoy an epic ice cream sundae while sitting enjoying the sun on a restaurant's outdoor patio, or grab a gourmet pizza and chow down in the park. But how do you know where to eat?

Sure you can just grab a burrito from your favorite taqueria, or walk around the Mission District while following your nose, but we thought we'd offer you a few tips on must-taste opportunities during these gorgeous summer days. We've tapped two local food bloggers to share their inside tips on the best edible offerings around town: meet Irvin Lin of Eat the Love and Sabrina Modelle of The Tomato Tart, your honorary culinary guides for the summer, as they provide insider advice on the best summer fare around the bay.

SF Chefs -- Chef Anthony Strong of Locanda. Photo: Sabrina Modelle

What are your favorite summer food events? What makes them so special?

Irvin: Hands down, my favorite summer food event is the San Francisco Street Food Festival. Street food is often where the innovation is happening in the food world. Though the lines are long, the food is always wonderful to eat and there is always a sense of discovery when you go there. This will be the third annual event (I believe it's scheduled August 20th), sponsored by the fantastic incubation kitchen La Cocina, and there will be established restaurants there as well as unknown vendors. This year sounds even better as they've not only expanded into some parking lots and it coincides with the National Street Food conference.

Sabrina: Since it began two years ago, the Eat Real Fest in Oakland has fallen on my anniversary weekend and my husband and I have had a street food anniversary date. We love strolling around Jack London square drinking local beer, sampling real street food, taking in food demos, and hanging out by the water's edge. This year, it's moved back to September, but since that feels like our summer anyway, I'll include it. I'm also really looking forward to SF Chefs this year. It will be my first time attending, but the preview events started last weekend with an amazing pasta-making demo with Chef Anthony Strong of Locanda and Chef Charles Phan of The Slanted Door. You can catch me hanging out at upcoming preview events each Saturday in July. This Saturday will feature Rachel Saunders of Blue Chair Fruit Jam.

When the weather heats up, what are your favorite places to eat in San Francisco?

Irvin: I absolutely love going to Bi-Rite Market and grabbing a sandwich and heading to the park. Though people complain that Bi-Rite Market is packed with people (navigating the crowds in the tiny store on a sunny weekend is a pain) the secret to getting a decent sandwich there and not going crazy is to call ahead. Just check out their website, look at the deli section and call ahead and place your order for your sandwich. Then ten minutes later, pop on over and just pick it up at the register, no fuss. Walk on over to Dolores Park where the people watching is fantastic and the late summer sun will shine on your face.

Sabrina: When it's hot, I love eating on my little patio, of course. I'm in The Mission, so picking up some essentials from Bi-Rite and throwing together a quick salad is my preferred course of action. If we're going out, I love to eat sushi when it's warm. There's nothing that can compare to the freshness and simplicity of ingredients in well-prepared Japanese cuisine. I'm currently in love with Ichi Sushi. I think Tim Archuletta is amazing -- both because he's very talented and I've enjoyed sitting across the bar and chatting with him. Sushi Bistro on 24th is another favorite for really fresh nigiri, the sushi chef is just amazing and I suggest trying whatever he recommends.

Caprese salad on the patio. Photo: Sabrina Modelle

Where is your favorite ice cream place in SF? What's your favorite flavor there?

Irvin: I adore Humphry Slocombe, and I think Mr. and Mrs. Miscellaneous is fantastic, I'm a Bi-Rite Creamery sort of guy. Again, part of it is the Dolores Park appeal, where you can buy some ice cream and walk over to the park, but part of it is the secret shortcuts that make me feel like I'm in the know. Everyone complains the lines are ridiculous (and they are) but rarely is the line long over a the soft serve window. Even better, if you know what flavors you like, go directly to the cold case in the main part of the ice cream shop and just buy a pint, bypassing the line completely. My partner AJ loves their signature Salted Caramel, but I'm a fan of the Honey Lavender. Rich, floral with a touch of sweetness, I get it every time.

Sabrina: I am a big fan of Humphry Slocombe. I'm exactly two blocks away from their store, and when we first moved in, I actually had a little problem. I had to set rules either one scoop of ice cream or one Dynamo Donut once per week. The ice cream pretty much always won out. Now, I've slowed down on my consumption quite a bit, and I visit about once a month or so. I love their salted licorice, their brown butter, and of course, the first thing I ever tried the ancho chili chocolate.

Ichi Sushi. Photo: Sabrina Modelle

Three popular trucks at 5:45 = MoBowl, Babaloo, and House of Siam on Wheels

Moveable Feast is to the South Bay and Peninsula, what Off the Grid is to San Francisco. But the vibe is most certainly different.

Held this past Friday on July 1st, Moveable Feast felt way more like a county fair than OtG’s hipster foodie hotspot. The San Mateo Event Center location also had plenty of grassy areas for the suburbanite families in attendance to have a dinnertime picnic. There was also a pricier flat parking fee of $10 per vehicle, though that didn’t seem to deter most people from checking out the inaugural event.

Moveable Feast Operator, Ryan Sebastian in front of his truck "Treatbot"

Moveable Feast (formerly called "SJ Eats") is the creation of Ryan Sebastian. This former transportation planner always had plans of creating community spaces, and he knew food was a great catalyst to make that happen.

"My family always had big gatherings growing up in San Jose and I loved it. And my wife has a culinary background, so it happened pretty naturally."

It started this past April with their first food truck gathering in San Jose. Their first time out was huge, but not exactly a success.

"I own the Treatbot ice cream truck with my wife, so I knew a lot of other trucks in the area. I knew the San Pedro Square Market in San Jose had enough parking space, so we ended up there on a Saturday with about 10 trucks and spread the word through Facebook. The demand was so much higher than we ever expected and it got out of control. There was overcrowding, the wait times for food were ridiculous and we got slaughtered on Yelp, afterwards."

Three months later, after a lot more planning and organization, the San Jose event goes off in the same place every Saturday, without a hitch.

Their success eventually caught the attention of the folks at the San Mateo Events Center, who actually called Ryan to ask if he’d be interested in doing a similar event for the Peninsula.

"This is the biggest food truck event on the Peninsula, ever. Twenty-five trucks is pretty big. We’re gonna be here the first Friday of every month from here on out."

Lines are getting long in front of the "An The Go" truck at 5:45

And attendance was pretty big too. Though the event was supposed to start at 5:30, there were plenty of folks checking out the scene at 5:15. By the time I had left at 6:15, the lines for some of the more popular trucks had gotten about 20 people deep, and I estimated anywhere from 1000-2000 people total with many more streaming in. Add to that some local live music on-site, and you’ve got a huge suburban block party.

3 popular trucks at 5:45 = Mama's Empanadas, Hiyaaa, Curry Up Now

The line-up of trucks is intentionally made up of mostly Peninsula and South Bay-based food trucks like Curry Up Now, Mama's Empanadas, Hiyaaa Naked Chorizo and BBQ Kalbi. That's the main difference between Moveable Feast and Off the Grid. OtG features trucks from all over the Bay Area.

But Off the Grid organizer, Matt Cohen had talked a few months ago ambitiously about starting an OtG on the Peninsula. Is there room for both of them?

I estimated at least 1000-1500 people by 6pm.

"People in the Peninsula know there's a huge demand for this and that the food coming out of these trucks is fantastic. This is America and there's room for both of us in a metropolis of seven million people. I have nothing but respect for Matt. OtG is awesome!"

And Ryan has faith that mass food truck events like his are here to stay. "Ultimately, the idea of informal eating is not a new concept and it’s not a fad. When we provide legitimate marketplaces for these entrepreneurs to do business, it helps all of us do better."

Moveable Feast
San Pedro Square, San Jose, Every Saturday 5-9pm
San Mateo Events Center, First Friday of every month, 5:30-10pm

Facebook:MVBLfeast
Twitter: @MVBLfeast

Natalie Galatzer; photo by: Rachel Styer

As a fellow baker and small business owner, my heart dropped last week when I read that Bike Basket Pies was going to ride off into the sunset at the end of this month. So many folks all over the city have come to know and love Natalie Galatzer's hand-held sweet and savory seasonal creations, and the low-overhead business model inspired many newer businesses who were just starting out. It seemed from her weekly newsletter that Natalie was doing incredibly well, there were always new innovative flavors and fresh energy. So I couldn't help but wonder, why? I wanted to hear from Natalie about what led her to make the big decision to put the business on hold, and what might be in the cards for the future.

1. Some folks may not familiar with your story: Why pie? Why did you decide to begin a business around pie?
When I was in college, I had this really slow last semester and I convinced a house full of guy friends that I should be their house cook. There were 5 of them, and they all ate for 4-5 people (growing boys and all), so I was struggling to make enough food in their tiny kitchen. One day I was going to make a chicken pot pie but was intimidated by the crust -- my father had always made a home-made puff pastry crust for our pot pies growing up (my father was an amazing home cook -- I swear I'm not biased). I told my friend that I was going to buy a pre-made pie crust and he gave me a kinda dirty look and said "of all things, I'm sure you can make a pie crust." Soooo I pony'd up and made a pie crust. That's the first crust I remember making, although I'm sure I made one or two early on with my dad. And my mom loved, loved, looooved pie.

As for the business, after 2 years of AmeriCorps, I was unemployed and looking for something to do with food, and I loved baking and baked pies at least once a week and muffins, cakes, and cupcakes every other day. When the Magic Curry Kart and the Creme Brulee Cart started, I got inspired and a friend pushed me to do something myself. So I borrowed his basketed bike and sold pies in the park. The next week I was delivering, and after that I was working on turning my hobby into my (at that point, 4th) job.

2. You've spoken on your own website's FAQ about some of the reasons for leaving Bike Basket Pies: financial, loss of inspiration etc. Can you tell us a little about the decision-making process itself: did you wake up one morning and know it was over or had it been a long time coming
It definitely was a long time coming. This wasn't a light decision. Most of the process was really trying to figure out that maybe this business just wasn't for me -- and that didn't mean it, or I, failed. I gave myself a deadline -- get what I want, in an emotional and inspirational level, out of the business, or move on. So after 6 months, I decided it was time to explore something new and find a new project.

3. Can you talk a little about the food community here in the Bay Area? Did you feel nourished and supported by the community, and did you feel it helped further your growth as a small business owner?
Yes -- but I'm not sure I have very good specifics, or a very good answer for this. I mean, I started baking in the restaurant where I was waiting tables, essentially bartering to use the kitchen on the day they were closed and have a little shelf and fridge space. In return, I'd close up shop, run reports, simple stuff to help take some of the burden off the owner/chef. Louis (the owner/chef, my boss) was a huge help to me as I started and continued this business.

4. For me, when I'm in the kitchen baking and watching other bakers pump out cookies and cupcakes at a rate I could never dream of with pie, there are days I question the slow, slow craft of hand-rolling and crimping seasonal pies. Did you go through doubt in this sense or question what you were actually doing in terms of profitability/ability to keep up with demand?
I know exactly what you're talking about. Yes, yes and yes. Why did I not start "bike basket cookies" or, as a customer recently suggested "bike basket brownies?" It rolls right off the tongue, and I could make just as many brownies in probably a quarter of the time that I spent on pies. But, pie is special, pie is so much better than a brownie. You can't eat a brownie every day, maybe even every week. You can eat a different seasonal pie every week, and maybe even every day.

5. In thinking about the future, you allude to the fact you're open for other projects: anything in the works that you can share? What, in your ideal world, would you be embarking on next? What are you inspired/excited by?
I'm excited and inspired by sustainable food and environmentalism. Before I was doing Bike Basket Pies, I was working on sustainable fisheries issues and I like working on sustainable food -- but maybe not full time in the kitchen. Or, at least, not at 2 or 3 am. I've been putting some serious thought into what exactly it is about Bike Basket Pies that burned me out so badly, so I'm not ready to rule anything out except the lack of a full day off anywhere in the week and the insanely early morning hours.

Flashback to Summer '09; that was when I first heard rumblings about a new generation of creative street food entrepreneurs that were causing a stir in the local SF culinary scene. Some of the original individuals included Curtis Kimball, the Crème Brûlée Man, who could make you a delicious crème brûlée right on the spot; and his brother Brian, the Magic Curry Man, who whipped up a tasty Thai concoction from his humble portable kitchen.

These were lo-fi dining affairs with a twist. They elevated street food beyond the usual greasy fare of hot dogs, pretzels and other fast food and provided an upscale alternative. And part of the fun was cyber-stalking them via Twitter; these nomadic vendors rotated their locations on a regular basis, so hungry customers tracked them down once they revealed their daily location.

Another early pioneer of the nouvelle cuisine of the streets was Steven Gdula of Gobba Gobba Hey, whose name pays homage to the punk rock band The Ramones and their classic catchphrase Gabba Gabba Hey.

Author of "The Warmest Room in the House: How the Kitchen Became the Heart of the Twentieth-Century American Home," Steven moved to San Francisco from the East Coast in 2008 to seek new opportunities. But, according to his blog,

"Shortly after unloading the last box and settling into our new home here this past fall, like so many other people, I started to lose my sources of income. As a freelance writer there just wasn’t that much work to be had. Magazines and newspapers were getting smaller. Some folded entirely. Also, I was new to a city where there were many established writers already ahead of me at the various outlets I approached. But writers have to write just as painters have to paint and musicians have to make music, so I did what so many others have done. I returned to my blog to keep my fingers moving and my thoughts flowing. And then I started baking regularly just to, well, just to see what would happen."

Steven started to bake "gobs," or as he describes it in his upcoming collection of recipes, Gobba Gobba Hey: A Gob Cookbook, "two domes of moist, dense cake with filling in the middle...kind of like a cupcake sandwich." These were "one of my favorite confections as a kid. Growing up in Pennsylvania they were everywhere. You could find them at church bake sales, school bake sales, birthday parties, stores and even in some gas stations on the counter right next to the cash register. I haven’t seen anything like them since moving here to San Francisco so I set out to fill the void."

And fill he did. "Wanting to bring some excitement to his game" in the "new food capital of the world," he went beyond the classic chocolate-and-vanilla standard of his youth and created more exotic flavors made with organic ingredients such as Orange, Cardamom Ginger with Saffron Filling and Black Cherry and Chocolate with Lime Butter Cream. (Full disclosure: I became an early groupie of Steven's and these were two of the three flavors that I served at my wedding in lieu of the traditional cake in the fall of 2010.)

Flash forward to the present-day, and street food is more popular than ever with big festivals, the advent of high-profile food trucks, and crowded weekly events. Steven's grown his business as well, with an online storefront at Foodzie and plans for a truck to help promote his upcoming book that will be available in late August. Start warming your ovens now for 52 recipes including Irish Coffee Gobs with Bushmills & Bailey Irish Cream, Kabocha Garam Masala Gobs with Orange Honey filling and Zucchini Gobs with Lemon-Ginger filling.

Recipe: Original Chocolate & Vanilla Gobs

Yield: 3 dozen complete gobs

For The Batter:

Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, such as Crisco
2 cups sugar, sifted
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1/2 cup 1 cup water, or as needed

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line three 8-by-13 inch cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk the dry ingredients thoroughly.

3 In another large bowl, cream together the sugar and vegetable shortening with a mixer on medium speed. Add the eggs and vanilla to the creamed ingredients, and blend on medium-high until the mixture looks like dense pudding.

4. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the egg mixture, mixing on medium speed after each addition. Then add the sour cream, and mix well. Add water if needed to thin the batter. ("Go lightly" was my mom's original instruction.)

5. Using a tablespoon or a pastry bag, drop 1 1/2 inch rounds of batter on the prepared cookie sheets, leaving 1 inch between each round. Bake them approximately 8 minutes, or until the gob domes have risen. Remove the gobs to a wire rack to cool.

For The Filling

Ingredients:
1 cup milk
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, such as Crisco
1/2 cup margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar, or 2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

Instructions:

1. Heat the milk in a saucepan over low heat. Bring to a simmer, immediately add the flour. Whisk. Continue mixing over low heat til mixture thickens, approximately 3 to 5 minutes.

2. With a mixer on medium speed, cream together the vegetable shortening and margarine. Add the vanilla and sugar, and mix on medium-high.

3. Add the cooled milk-flour mixture to the creamed ingredients, and beat until the mixture is fluffy; scrape the bowl with a spatula to reincorporate the ingredients if necessary.

4. To frost the gobs, flip the baked gob domes over on a cookie sheet and match up pairs of similarly shaped domes. Add 1 tablespoon of filling to the flat side of an overturned dome, then place another dome on top, sandwich-style. Allow the gobs to fully set by refrigerating them on a baking sheet for at least 1 hour. Wrap the gobs in cellophane to prevent them from drying out.

Chances are if a restaurant has pork belly on their menu, I'll show up on their doorstep faster than you can say, "I'll take a second helping, please." When Hawker Fare, the new casual Asian street food-inspired restaurant from James Syhabout (Commis) added dinner hours late last week, I organized a food posse to check it out.

Hawker Fare is the latest addition to the Uptown dining district in Oakland, with Picán, Trueburger, and Luka's Taproom & Lounge nearby. Located within an airy space decorated with Oakland-themed art (and former home of Manyda Thai Cuisine‎), Hawker Fare offers a simple menu of starters, rice bowls and desserts made with local, organic, and sustainable ingredients when possible. It's all affordably priced as well, with everything listed for less than $10.

I began with the green papaya salad, a classic Southeast Asian appetizer from their list of starters, or "snack aisle." It had a spicy kick with more emphasis on the fish sauce essence, which slightly overwhelmed the citrusy hints of lime. Still, it was a crunchy delight that paired well with the superb beef "larb," or grilled beef salad with red onions, mint, cilantro and toasted rice powder. Several friends ordered the chopped salad, with lettuce tossed with pickles, fried shallots and lotus root. It had a gentle sour tang from a light vinegar dressing that nicely complemented the mix of crisp and fried vegetables.

Then the main attraction arrived: the rice bowls. It was no surprise to my friends that I ordered the 24hr pork belly bowl, which came with three glistening slabs of tender belly piled on top of jasmine rice, sauteed greens and an optional luscious fried farm egg. I was hoping to substitute the jasmine rice for their "Kao Mun" rice that had been cooked with chicken fat and broth since I was already throwing caloric caution to the wind, but alas, I wasn't able to swap it out. (Next time I'll do myself a favor and order it as an additional side dish.) The pork belly bowl was accompanied with a homemade five-spice, sweet soy and preserved vegetable mustard sauce that elevated this dish to heavenly status. When my spoon scraped the bottom of the bowl, I lamented the fact that more pork belly didn't magically reappear before me -- but that just means I'll have to return for more pork deliciousness. Our vegetarian comrades chose the "Vadouvan" tofu bowl that was made with homemade tofu and "braised in coconut milk with taro, bamboo shoots, and aromatic herbs" and pronounced it delicious.

Dessert centers around Straus Family Creamery condensed milk soft serve ice cream, which is served in three ways: on a cone, in a sundae or "affogato"-style (paired with a shot of Thai coffee). It seems that Hawker Fare doesn't have their liquor license yet, but their website promises that beer, wine and malt liquor -- "Yes, malt liquor" in case you felt you read that incorrectly -- will be offered in the near future.

Hawker Fare
Address: map
2300 Webster Street at 23rd Street
Oakland, CA 94612
Phone: (510) 832-8896
Lunch: Monday – Friday: 11am – 3pm
Dinner: Thursday – Saturday: 5pm – 9:30pm
@hawkerfare

Street food fans in the East Bay have looked longingly across the bridge (and sometimes even crossed it) at the thriving food truck scene now serving six San Francisco locations, thanks to Off the Grid, the weekly mobile food meet ups conceived by Matt Cohen. (See this previous BAB story on the evolution of Off the Grid.)

Now comes news that starting in June, Berkeley and Oakland residents hungry for their own pavement cuisine parties will have similar events tailored to the flavor of their respective communities.

In Berkeley, Off the Grid is partnering with the North Shattuck Association, a merchants group, to launch its first franchise outside SF. The event is slated to start June 1, permit approval pending, in Berkeley's Gourmet Ghetto, which has a long history as the epicenter of a delicious revolution but could use some fresh culinary blood to draw a younger crowd. Eight mobile food folks will sell their street eats at the intersection of Shattuck and Rose; core vendors dishing up chow each week include Liba (falafel with a twist), Hapa SF (mod Filipino grub), The Taco Guys (self explanatory), and Cupkates (ditto). In the mix the first night as part of a regularly rotating trio: Skylight Snowballs (sweet, slushy treats), 510 Burger, and Fins on the Hoof (surf and turf).

When word first got out on the local site Berkeleyside revealing which street vendors were planning to set up shop in this town, more than a thousand (presumably) local residents responded with a thumbs up on Facebook and the news generated the most cohesive comment thread in, perhaps, that site's short life. (Berkeley residents are known for their strong, frequently differing, opinions. This writer knows because -- full disclosure -- she pens a Friday food post on Berkeleyside.)

No prize for guessing that Berkeley's Off the Grid will feature local, sustainable, and, as much as possible, organic food, in keeping with this city's prevailing food philosophy. No high fructose corn syrup, genetically modified corn, or factory-farmed meat from these roaming restaurants, which use recyclable and compostable materials to deliver their dishes. In addition, one truck (courtesy of Cohen) will serve as a venue to showcase the culinary creations of chefs from the immediate area. First up: Peter Levitt, co-owner of Saul's deli.

The event, slated to be held on Wednesdays in a space already reserved for farmers' market vendors on Thursdays, marks something of a turnaround in this town, which in the past has not been particularly food truck-friendly. Heather Hensley, executive director of the North Shattuck Association, who submitted a proposal to the city in conjunction with Off the Grid, emphasized the controlled event environment (and local merchant approval) as key to getting the city on board, a sentiment echoed by Dave Fogerty from Berkeley's Office of Economic Development.

Hensley sees cross-promotional opportunities for local venues -- including music at nearby Cheese Board Pizzeria and Mint Leaf and drink specials (no alcohol is allowed at Berkeley's Off the Grid event) at participating restaurants. Cohen, who says he's exploring expanding into other East Bay locations, stresses that Off the Grid strives to preserve and build community, while offering affordable, creative, and ethnically-diverse street eats.

Most brick-and-mortar businesses are on board. "Why wouldn't I want a thousand or so people walking past Saul's?" asks co-owner Levitt, whose restrooms will be available for public use during the event, as they are during farmers' market hours (the restaurant is paid for providing such services). "Some of those people may stop in for a beer or come in for some food, either that night or in the future. It's a win-win for me. Unless, of course, Off the Grid starts selling matzo balls." Levitt knows that's not going to happen, since he's involved in helping shape the event so it complements food options already on offer in the area.

Even Pat Powell, who runs the cupcake shop Love at First Bite, doesn't see the weekly presence of CupKates as competition, although her business is open until 6p.m., an hour after Off the Grid starts. "Any event that brings people into the neighborhood is a positive thing in my mind," she says.

But Gregoire Jacquet, who runs Gregoire, named one of the top takeout spots in the Bay Area by San Francisco magazine, is more wary of the new event. "It will bring people into the neighborhood, but they're coming to eat the street food," Jacquet says. Still, he thinks it's worth giving it a go, though he would have preferred a monthly, not weekly, model. "If it works out well for everyone then it should keep going but if it negatively impacts existing food businesses then we should shut it down," adds Jacquet, who notes that it goes against the Buy Local Berkeley campaign, since most of the trucks hail from outside the area.

For their part, street truck purveyors such as Gail Lillian of Liba are delighted to have another venue (in her case close to home and her commercial kitchen) to provide the public gourmet meals on wheels.

Over in Oakland, Bites on Broadway kicks off on Friday, June 10 on the plaza in front of Oakland Technical High School. The food pod party is the brainchild of longtime East Bay events organizer Karen Hester (Temescal and Rockridge street fairs) and food truck owner and advocate Elizabeth August of Guerrilla Grub, which cooks up healthy comfort food. August is a member of Oakland Food Policy Council's mobile food vendors task force and recently formed the Oakland Food Truck Collective.

Most of the vendors at this new location, held on private property, thus bypassing city rules that prohibit mobile food carts from gathering in public places other than the Fruitvale, (though the city is currently reviewing its mobile food codes), are Oakland based. The menu includes a rotating band of pavement cuisine peddlers, including Fist of Flour (wood-fired pizza), Vesta Flatbread (Mediterranean-inspired sandwiches), Boffo Cart (panini, calzones, and such), Guerrilla Grub, Go Streatery (urban peasant food like crispy fava bean crepe) and the peddle-powered El Taco Bike. August, who organizes a mobile food contingent for Oakland's monthly Art Murmur, sees the event as an opportunity to showcase homegrown street food talent.

The family-friendly night, which includes live music and lawn games, has been embraced by the school's PTA, which hopes that down the road food trucks might offer students at Oakland Tech, an open campus, an affordable, healthy alternative to the nearby fast food joints currently frequented by students, says Hester. "We purposefully picked this stretch of Broadway, which is pretty bleak and doesn't have any brick-and-mortar restaurants in the vicinity," she adds. "It's a blighted neighborhood and we'd like to help revitalize this boulevard, which is the gateway to downtown Oakland."

Off The Grid's Cohen is considering sites in other Berkeley and Oakland locations where local stakeholders want to partner with his organization. While Hester thinks there's room for more food hub happenings, she'd prefer to see them powered by people from the immediate community.

"Bites on Broadway grew organically, out of something that is already happening in Oakland, so it's authentic. There's a lot of Oakland pride here. I'd like to see similar community-driven pods pop up in other neighborhoods."

Time will tell if there's a big enough appetite in the East Bay to sustain these recurring street food events. But if the number of new mobile food trucks buzzing around the Bay Area is any indication, residents are ravenous for mobile food fare.

Details:

Off The Grid
Address: Map
Corner Shattuck and Rose in North Berkeley
Wednesdays, 5 p.m-9 p.m.
Starts June 1

Bites on Broadway
Address: Map
Oakland Tech
45th and Broadway
Fridays, 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Runs June 10-October 21

The mere mention of a grilled cheese food truck tends to evoke one of two responses:
1. How hard can it be to make a grilled cheese sandwich at home? Why should I bother tracking down a food truck to get one?
2. Damn, that sounds good.

Sure, you can make it yourself at home. But it can be easier, not to mention tastier, if you get it from the folks at ToastyMelts.

It’s our universal love and affection for creamy melted cheese on perfectly toasted buttery bread that has made the San Francisco food truck, Toasty Melts, so successful.

Business partners, Tiffany Lam and Alex Rando, started the Toasty Melts food cart in 2009 after being inspired by other popular carts like The Magic Curry Cart and The Creme Brulee Man. They also figured they could donate a portion of their earnings to the San Francisco Food Bank, where they were regular volunteers.

So why switch from part-time food cart hobby to full-fledged food truck? "Matt Cohen wanted us to come to Off the Grid, but we weren't that ambitious because we both had day jobs," says Lam. She was a project manager for Marin company, Republic of Tea, and has since quit to devote herself completely to Toasty Melts. Rando is still at his day job. "We heard rumblings last year that the permit process was going to change. So last September, we finally started looking for a food truck to transition to," says Lam.

Just this past March, they finally debuted their shiny new bright red food truck, ready to take on the already crowded food truck space.

But here's the kicker: neither of them have any professional culinary experience. None! And that’s exactly how they came upon the decision to focus solely on the simplistic grilled cheese sandwich.

"There's no way we could do something fancier. It was definitely something we could execute. If we could do it, anyone could do it! It was the most realistic food avenue for us to take. But it's also very versatile. We could be creative with the grilled cheese sandwiches and blend products to make different variations."

This simple sandwich requires no special equipment. They make the sandwiches on the truck's grill, cooking them up evenly to a perfect golden brown.

I tried their two signature sandwiches: The ABC, which has thin apple slices, bacon from Zoe's Meats and cheddar cheese; and the 3 Cheese, made up of smoked gouda, jack and cheddar cheeses. Both were served on Panorama bread, made locally in San Francisco. Most of the cheeses they use are from Kerrygold.

Both sandwiches had the perfect amount of toastiness: golden brown in color with the right amount of crunch. But the interior of the bread was also soft and pillowy with just enough buttery goodness.

The 3 Cheese stood out because it was amazing to me how distinctive all three cheeses were even when melted together. The jack cheese was smooth and creamy, the cheddar gave it the classic flavor, and the gouda provided a wonderfully sharp punch that made it stand out. I absolutely loved it.

I have to admit, though, that I wanted more from the ABC. The best thing about it was the thinly sliced apples, which gave the sandwich additional texture and a subtly sweet contrast in flavor. The bacon, unfortunately, was a bit dry and rubbery. I would've loved if it were more crunchy. And I longed for a cheese with a tad more flavor. The jack cheese just couldn't hold its own.

Regardless, their sandwiches are still worth going back for, especially if you’ve got a hankering for a good grilled cheese. They are fresh, contain quality ingredients, are perfectly toasted + gooey, affordable at $4-$6 a pop, and easier than making it yourself.

"Who would want to shred and blend three different cheeses for one grilled cheese at home? We also provide the novelty and the convenience," says Lam.

For now, you can find them at Off the Grid on alternating Mondays at Civic Center Plaza and on alternating Tuesdays at UN Plaza, along with possible regular stops in San Mateo and Brisbane. Lam wants to have a firm presence in San Francisco, though, despite the food truck permit drama that seems to happen frequently these days.

"We're going to continue to pursue all our permits for various locations in San Francisco. And Alex and I would love to expand our menu at some point. For now, it's just the one truck. My Dad owned a restaurant and I don't know if I really want to own a brick and mortar restaurant. This one truck takes every ounce of my energy!"

Toasty Melts
Off the Grid Mondays and Tuesdays & other various locations pending
Twitter: @ToastyMelts
Facebook.com: Toasty Melts

Nascent Bay Area food producers say one of the biggest hurdles they face in growing their budding businesses is finding a commercial kitchen to work out of that meets their needs.

San Francisco has La Cocina's incubator kitchen, and street eats, underground food folk, and pop-up restaurant types work out of places like La Victoria Bakery, while thriving food enterprises such as Blue Chair Fruit have found a home in the kitchen that houses Grace Street Catering in Oakland.

The Artisan Kitchen. Photo by Sarah Henry

Less well-known is a commercial kitchen work space in Richmond, which gets rave reviews from the emerging and established food companies who work their day and night. The Artisan Kitchen is currently home to two food truck businesses, a few baked goods companies that sell at local farmers' markets and stores, including Guy Birenbaum the French pastry chef behind La Fleur De Lyon, and a gourmet popcorn producer.

Tenants, there are around 12-15 at any one time, say the cooperative kitchen space gets high marks for organization, cleanliness, design, layout, light, and equipment -- as well as a communal vibe conducive to getting the job done.

The Artisan Kitchen is the brainchild of seasoned chef Liane Ingham, who says she'd worked in her share of substandard kitchens and wanted better for her brethren in the culinary community. "I love the energy and enthusiasm of start-up artisans who want to produce their own recipes and try something new they're passionate about," says Ingham, who opened the kitchen in 2009.

Six month after getting the kitchen up and running she opened a cafe out front because she couldn't find anywhere in the surrounding community to buy healthy, fresh food. The cafe sells seasonal salads, sandwiches, and savory and sweet baked goods made from locally-sourced, organic ingredients, along with Peet's Coffee. Early birds can swing by for free range eggs or oatmeal with blueberries for breakfast.

The Artisan Cafe is popular among local business and home-based workers, with its industrial-modern feel, communal tables, and outdoor seating. It's a sunny spot in an otherwise nondescript Marina Bay office park.

Ingham runs her own catering company out of the kitchen and says it's been a pleasure to do business in Richmond, with none of the bureaucratic hassles small food companies grumble about in, say, neighboring Berkeley. She notes that since she set up shop new food businesses, such as Galaxy Desserts, have moved in. Her business model (about 60 percent of her income comes from the kitchen, 40 percent from the cafe) has worked so well she's looking to replicated it in Oakland later this year.

"Liane chooses the tenants carefully," says Gail Lillian of Liba, who roams around the Bay Area in a lime green truck peddling her popular falafel. "We're all small, boutique-y businesses who work well together and share a sense of integrity in our product."

Gail Lillian in front of her Liba Falafel truck. Photo by Wendy Goodfriend

Some tenants find the location central, if business takes them between the East Bay and Marin, though that's not the case for Lillian, who counts the extra 15 minutes of freeway driving as one of the few downsides of the location. Fellow food trucker Kate McEachern, of CupKates, adds that additional permits (since the kitchen is housed in Contra Costa County) is an extra inconvenience and expense, but both agree these are minor quibbles in the grand scheme of running a food business here.

Ancient Organics, which makes Ghee, called The Artisan Kitchen home for about three years, before moving to their own kitchen in West Berkeley recently. "Our company had grown to a size where we simply needed our own space designed for our needs," explains Matteo Girard Maxon, who echoes other tenants when he says The Artisan Kitchen stood out when he and his partner were looking for a space. "But the level of professionalism at The Artisan Kitchen is special. Everyone is focused on building their business. We just outgrew it or we'd still be there."

For the pair behind CC Made, who sell gourmet caramel popcorn, affordability was also a factor. "The Artisan Kitchen had a good price structure that was clear and concise," says co-owner Cassandra Chen.  "I had been to some kitchens and the pricing at most of these places was confusing and high." Ingham charges either an hourly rate for a shared space or a set fee for your own station for producers who book a block of time each week.

Megan Gordon, owner of Marge Bakery and BAB blogger. Photo by Sarah Henry

Adds newcomer and BAB contributor Megan Gordon of Marge Bakery. "the other folks are driven, inspiring entrepreneurs who I've already learned a lot from. It's a nice community -- not just a place to come and throw together some dough."

Cupcake queen McEachern concurs. "Having other professionals in the kitchen was a huge help when I first started," she says. "More experienced chefs can troubleshoot when things inevitably go wrong. Plus, even professionals need to borrow a cup of sugar from their neighbor occasionally."

For owner Ingham the benefits go beyond business:

"Even though the economy has been bad it's a great feeling to have a place for artisans so they can create and fulfill their dreams -- and make a good living doing so."

Details:

The Artisan Kitchen and Cafe
Address: Map
865 Marina Bay Parkway
Richmond CA 94804
Phone: 510-235-2323
Hours: Mon-Fri, 7:30am - 5pm