From Grilled Octopus to Nachos — A La Carte & Art Caters to All
Street Food from Around the Globe at Mountain View Festival
Whether you’re a globetrotting gourmand or a connoisseur of all things corn, downtown Mountain View’s A La Carte & Art festival will be the place to eat, May 15-16 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Castro Street.
Fresh crepes, roasted corn and barbecue are among the tempting festival fare
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New to the festival this year — bringing food from the Mediterranean/Adriatic region — is Bobby the Greek. A gregarious proponent of the Slow Food movement and organic, locally sourced ingredients, Bobby Gekas draws his inspiration from memories of cooking alongside his grandmother in an ancient Greek village. He offers succulent souvlakis (marinated skewered meats) of lamb, chicken, or wild-caught swordfish and baby octopus. His traditional Cypriot sheftalia are meatballs made of lamb, pork, red onions, parsley and spices, wrapped in caul fat (the membrane surrounding the stomach of a pig or lamb, which melts away when the meatballs are cooked). Vegetarians will enjoy his delicately tangy handmade dolmas. All dishes are served with pita, tzaziki (yogurt-cucumber sauce), tomato and onions.
Carmel’s Lugano Swiss Bistro is another new entry for the festival. You may find yourself yodeling with pleasure after tucking into Chef André Lengacher’s mild veal Swiss bratwurst, coarsely ground pork Bavarian bratwurst, sauerkraut with apples and potatoes, and German-style potato salad served warm with a bacon vinaigrette.
The friendly folks from Lockeford Meat & Sausage will serve up a more American take on sausage, with their classic Dakota smoked bratwurst — a blend of turkey, pork and beef — on a hoagie roll with sauerkraut.
Another newcomer to the event, Thai Gourmet will offer delicately spiced chicken, beef and pork satays, along with chicken curry, chicken and vegetables in peanut sauce, and — everybody’s favorite noodle dish — pad thai. Festival veteran Thai Stick will also be firing up the grill for barbecue chicken and pork sticks, chicken wraps and rice bowls with chicken.
South-of-the-border flavors are the specialty of The Tamale Factory, also coming to the festival for the first time. The plump handmade tamales are stuffed with pork, chicken, or cheese and jalapeños, as well as beef and chicken tacos, all served with rice and beans.
The event’s longstanding purveyor of French cuisine is Lemoine Crêperie. With one of the fresh-off-the-griddle crêpes in your hands, if you squint hard enough you’ll swear you’re strolling through the Latin Quarter in Paris. Among the savory options are cheese or spinach with bacon, while sweet fillings may be simply fresh strawberries, or more decadent duos such as Nutella and whipped cream.
Several vendors will serve up classic American street fare. Sweet Delights features corn dogs, funnel cakes, burgers and corn on the cob. Russotti’s offers jumbo hot dogs, jumbo pretzels, nachos and ice pops. KC Concessions fries up calamari and corn dogs. And for corn purists, there’s corn-on-the-cob at California Corn Roast and the mouthwatering, to-die-for Kettle-Korn at Suitcase Ron’s.
Refreshing beverages at the beer and margarita booths
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For those eschewing all fat, sugar and dairy but still seeking a special treat, Fruit Friz satisfies with its triple-layer, strawberry/peach/banana smoothie.
Thirsty yet? Salvador’s Top Shelf Margarita offers festivalgoers a refreshing beverage alternative. Genuine 100% agave tequila, masterfully blended with premium orange liqueur and natural flavors, give Salvador's 100% De Agave Margarita its distinctive, smooth, and mouth-watering flavor.
Beer lovers will be delighted with the assortment of world-class brews –– Stella Artois, Widmer Hefeweizen, Budweiser and, and Bud Light Lime –– that will be served along with premium wine at several booths along Castro Street.
Take home commemorative wine glasses with the stylish festival logo and the collector-item Stella Artois and Widmer branded “real beer-drinking glasses”. Festivalgoers will find a spacious seating area with umbrella tables and chairs near the music stage at California and Castro. |
