REVIEW: Off The Grid - Fort Mason - San Francisco, CA (1st Edition)
You sit at work not being able to get something off your mind. You think about asking your co workers and friends about your situation, but you don’t want to bother them with your problems and you know that they always seem to have these things figured out. You do your best to try and focus on what you’re doing, but you can’t help but think about what your wife/husband/girlfriend/boyfriend or significant other is going to say to the thing that’s been clawing at your emotions. You see how these things play out on tv all the time and it’s not something you’re looking forward to mentioning. The clock ticks, the second hand seems to move faster and faster, and you’re dreading the moment you know is right around the corner. You start the drive home, your heart pounding, every red light you run into delays the inevitable, but you know it’s something that can’t be avoided. You pull up to your house, sit idle for a few seconds to compose your thoughts, turn the car off and start, what seems to be like, the mile walk to the front door. You turn the key, the lock goes free, you put your hand on the knob and turn. Your significant other meets you at the door, you lock eyes and you immediately know he/she has been thinking about it all day as well….the silence breaks...and, almost in unison, you just let it go………………”I don’t know what we’re gonna eat for dinner…” =)
I’m sure we can all relate to a situation similar to this and it always seems to be a common topic of discussion throughout the entire work week or weekend. You know you have a taste for something, you just don’t know for what. If there only is a place you can go where you can have a plethora of different cuisines to choose from, but not resort to a food court at a local shopping mall. The growth, and trend, of food trucks are starting to become the talk of the town offering up more than what most people are used to. Everything from fusion cuisine, to ethnic specialties, to desserts on the go, food trucks are being redefined by the owners that run them and what better way to market your cuisine than with a weekly meetup of the best food trucks in the area. As part of a multi part review series, settle in, THIS is Off The Grid - Fort Mason in San Francisco, CA
The Place -
Off The Grid is a popular food event where some of the most prominent food trucks in the Bay Area gather for a night of fun and good eats. Occurring almost every day of the week, you can find Off The Grid events at various places in various frequencies throughout the Bay Area, with the biggest gatherings occurring in Fort Mason and The Presidio. Be sure to check out their website (OffTheGridSF.com) for dates, locations, and the list of trucks that’ll be there. I’ve been fortunate enough to visit a few Off The Grid locations (Pleasanton, Concord, and Larkspur); however, I’ve been looking forward to visiting the Fort Mason event for quite some time and my co workers and I finally carved out some time to do so. As with any trip to the City, make sure you bundle up in case for cold weather and have that toll money ready. The location of the Fort Mason event sits right by the Golden Gate Bridge, so depending on which way you’re coming from, it may be best to take the 101/Marin County route, which is what we did. We decided to go on a Friday evening for dinner and we didn't really know what to expect. Traffic was fairly light on the way there and the forecast had rain later in the evening, but that didn't deter us from going, nor did it anyone else that was there. It could be tricky trying to find the place, but just stay along the marina/water and you’ll run right into it. Upon entering the Fort Mason area, it seems like parking is fairly limited; however, make your way around the buildings to find an additional lot. Each parking spot has to be paid for, but it’s not too bad considering what you’re about to get yourself into. The place itself is very well kept, organized and has everything you may need when visiting an event such as this. There are trash cans everywhere so seeing rampant trash and wrappers is highly unlikely. Like many of the other Off The Grid events in different locations, Fort Mason had a DJ as well as live bands playing throughout the night for you to enjoy your food to and socialize around. In addition, Fort Mason also has wine and beer tents where you can freely enjoy your alcoholic beverages in the confines of the event. Off The Grid employs staff to stand by the various entrances and exits to make sure you don’t go astray with your drink and end up getting in trouble with local law enforcement. Anytime you can have a place outdoor that allows the serving of alcohol is a plus in my book as it adds another fun factor to the entire atmosphere. All in all, the environment is fun and you can’t help but get immersed in it with everyone else. There’s something about seeing people lineup for food trucks, enjoying their eats at a table, and socializing with everyone that makes people have a constant smile on their face and it was an awesome sight to see.
The Service -
I usually do a section here where I talk about the service, but in a place like this, it really isn't more about the service you get than it is about the environment that surrounds you. So, very briefly, I just wanna say that interacting with the employees of each food truck is just an honest, down to earth, all around good time. You can tell they enjoy what it is they do and even more so, they enjoying putting smiles on people’s faces through their delicious creations. It’s truly an environment that you just have to experience yourself and would HIGHLY recommend you do so. Whether it’s at Fort Mason or any of the other smaller gatherings, it’s always the same experience and I have no complaints at all.
The Food -
As I mentioned, more reviews of Off The Grid are going to be coming as I’m able to sample more and more food trucks; however, this review is going to focus on two trucks: the infamous Senor Sisig and one that many people may not be aware of, Rocko’s Ice Cream Tacos. First, Senor Sisig. For those that are not aware, sisig is popular Filipino dish that is considered as a “happy hour snack”. Commonly, seen at Filipino gatherings, you can usually find sisig being snacked on throughout the entire night/length of the party. Traditionally, sisig is usually made from the parts of a pigs head; however, most versions you find in the States are usually altered to be more palatable to the masses by using pork shoulder, which is what Senor Sisig uses. If you are looking to be more adventurous and wanting to try a more traditional sisig, let me know and I can recommend a few places, if not bring you some myself haha. Senor Sisig obviously centers their menu around it and offers various iterations of the delectable snack dish by putting it over fries, in a burrito, or served with rice. For those that want to sample the Filipino flavors, but aren’t a fan of pork, no worries there as they offer chicken and tofu as well. As it was my first time trying Senor Sisig, I wanted to sample one of the more popular dishes so I went with the Pork California Sisig Burrito with an egg (aka “Silog It”, Filipino term for putting an egg in the dish). The California Sisig Burrito starts with a typical tortilla and is filled with french fries, shredded cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and pico de gallo. Finally, the pork, which is marinated for over 24 hours in a special blend of spices and then charbroiled until all those succulent flavors are locked into the meat, is placed inside the burrito. The pork is tender, flavorful, and immediately brought me to a Filipino bbq picnic in the park. With all the ingredients going on inside the burrito, the smoky flavor of the pork cut right through everything else and was present with every bite. The french fries, cooked golden, provided a crunchy texture, the sour cream and guacamole smoothed things out, and the pico de gallo helped provide that extra flavor profile and kick that you would expect to get in a burrito. The egg topped it off and offered that savory, salty accompaniment that just seemed to fit just right in with a Filipino dish, but then again, maybe that’s just me haha. When I was first handed the burrito, I thought it was fairly small for its size, but it definitely deceived me and filled me up. Having two of those and I would’ve been set for the evening, but I wanted to make sure I left room for all the other goodies at Off The Grid. For dessert, I treated myself to an ice cream taco from Rocko’s. There were quite a few dessert-specific trucks that were there, not to mention each truck having their own dessert options, but something about Rocko's Ice Cream Tacos drew me in and was something I had to try. Throughout the evening, it seemed like their line never shrank and was a consistent stream of people trying to get their sweet tooth fix, me included. As I stood in line, I glanced at their menu trying to figure out what I was going to get and everything sounded so good. At it’s foundation, you pick an organic ice cream flavor, select a dip, and add toppings if you wish. Their ice cream flavors vary by the season, but you can expect to find some of the more traditional flavor staples throughout the year that include, but aren't limited to, vanilla, salty caramel, chocolate, Rocko Road, Rocko Choco Chip, Mint Chip, and peanut butter. Their dips that accommodate the taco include: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, and peanut butter. I chose to go with the Salty Caramel Ice Cream with a White Chocolate Dip. Their ice cream taco starts off with a waffle cone that has been transformed to take on the shape of a taco shell, they then scoop your choice of ice cream in it and then use liquid nitrogen to freeze your choice of dip to the taco. As a result you get a delicious, sweet, treat that you wish you can only have more of. The ice cream was delicious and definitely had the all-organic taste to it and was refreshing to have after all of the eats you just indulged in. Talk about hitting the spot, Rocko’s Ice Cream Tacos did just that, was spot on, and HIGHLY recommend you give them a shot. I could've EASILY eaten another one! With all the possible flavor, dip, and topping combinations, they’ll have something to satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth!
Overall -
Again, since this is going to be a continuing review cycle as I get more and more opportunities to try out the other food trucks at other Off The Grid events, Fort Mason is definitely something that everyone should come and experience, at least, once in their lives. Good environment, delicious food, and awesome people, you can’t get a much better food truck gathering than Off The Grid! Hope to see you all at the next one!
Off The Grid - Fort Mason - San Francisco, CA
2 Marina Boulevard San Francisco, CA 94123
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