SPECuLOuS SunDAE FROM LExIE'S FROzEn CuSTARD the entertainment. After dark, strings of lights illuminate the area and the fun continues until 9:00 PM. At Off the Grid in El Cerrito, you’ll join patrons ranging from newborn to ninety--parents pushing strollers, elderly or handicapped in wheelchairs, businessmen and laborers still wearing work clothes and ID badges, teenagers and toddlers, policemen and EMT’s, singles, couples, and entire families--gathered together on this cordoned off city block for a common purpose. The atmosphere is casual and friendly, and it isn’t unusual for complete strangers to start a conversation by asking “Where did you get that?” or “Is that good?” or “Which is your favorite place to eat?” Patrons walking dogs on leashes or those carrying babies are often stopped by friendly admirers to engage in conversation. We noticed that people were very courteous, and also did not leave messes when they finished eating—trash and recyclables found their way into the appropriate receptacles--making the overall environment a very clean and pleasant place to enjoy dinner outdoors without having to cook. The first Wednesday evening that we visited, we arrived around 6:00 PM to find approximately 100 people in the general area, most wearing coats to fend off the cool, windy weather. Some were perusing the menu boards posted outside of the brightly colored food trucks, some were sitting and enjoying their food purchases, while others strolled around munching on this or that, looking for the next food item they might like to try. The size of the crowd ebbed and flowed all evening, with the attendance peaking around 7:00pm with close to 200 customers. Menu boards were posted at each truck, some of which were large and easy to read from a distance, and some of which required a more close-up look to see the items available for purchase. As various items sold out during the evening, menu boards were updated accordingly by truck operators. All vendors accept credit cards and cash, and payment is made when orders are placed. Some of the trucks present during our first visit to OTG included: Cupkates, featuring numerous custom cupcake creations; Bacon Bacon, featuring sandwiches, sides and desserts made with bacon (including Bacon Fried Chicken and Chocolate Covered Bacon!); The Gyro Stop, LLC, featuring Turkish, Greek, Balkan, north African, and Middle East Cuisines; Seoul on Wheels, featuring Korean Barbecue selections; Drewski’s hot Rod Kitchen, featuring interesting Grilled Cheese Sandwiches; and The Crème Brule Cart, which offered over a dozen different flavors of sweetness! The vendors hailed from as far away as Sacramento, although most were local to the East Bay. My guest and I first shared an order of potstickers from Seoul on Wheels, $5 for six pieces. unlike most potstickers, these were lightly fried, making the outsides a bit crunchy, though not greasy; and they had a flavorful and spicy filling. Our next sample consisted of two Asian Bulgogi Beef skewers ($3 each) with a side of asparagus from “Slightly Skewered.” Each skewer had generous chunks of tender, seasoned beef, and the asparagus was thin and tender with light seasoning. After enjoying these, we perused all the trucks again looking for the perfect entrée, although our hunger was already waning. We opted to try
Contra Costa Marketplace - July 2015
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