There’s always an exciting new creator to discover at our Off the Grid events. Each week, we highlight one of our favorites and share them on our weekly newsletter. Make sure to sign up here so you don’t miss out.
An the Go
An the Go is an extension of the famous 54-year-old San Francisco restaurant, Thanh Long. The family has hit the road in a food truck while keeping their signature dish of garlic noodles on the menu. You can pair the noodles in a combo which includes two skewers and an appetizer — we recommend going for the yuzu shrimp and five-spice pork. They also offer small bites like crab puffs and crispy rolls. If you need a jolt of energy to fight off the food coma after slurping a bunch of allium-coated carbs, try their Vietnamese coffee.
Yakitori Harue
Yakitori Harue is a new concept from Justin Funamura (owner of The Waffle Roost). He offers a chicken and mushroom yakitori skewer both basted in his signature glaze made from ginger, garlic, and soy sauce. They’re cooked over a flame until lightly charred to provide a hint of smokiness. Aside from skewers, you can also find two forms of fried chicken — a technique that Justin mastered while working The Waffle Roost. There’s panko-crusted chicken served with katsu sauce and extra crispy Korean fried chicken nuggets. Don’t miss out on their sides like yakimeshi (Japanese fried rice) or sauteed sesame cabbage. We’re most excited to slurp up a bowl of the garlic butter ramen noodles.
Curry Up Now
Curry up now is the OG Desi food truck that started way back in 2009. They serve street-style eats like burritos, tikka tacos, loaded samosas, pani puri, pav bhaji, and more. We love their unique fusion dishes too. You can’t miss their sexy fries — poutine infused with Indian flavors. They also offer a naughty naan, which they describe as Indian pizza that comes topped with caramelized onions, jalapeños, mozzarella, and cotija. Our favorite is their Tandoori fried chicken sandwich that’s made with chicken marinated for 72 hours. It’s stacked on a brioche bun with bombay dust aioli, Mike’s hot honey, and pickled onions. We love that they also offer vegan options like the Hella Vegan bowl piled with samosa, chana masala, chutneys, and pico de gallo. Another great vegan option is their burrito filled with samosas, turmeric rice, chutneys, chana masala, and onions.
Vegan Mob
When most people think of barbecue, they envision large slabs of meat, but Vegan Mob set out to prove that delicious barbecue can be vegetable-based. Vegan Mob has long been praised as some of the best barbecue in the Bay by NBC, Eater SF, Eater’s Digest, Food & Wine, San Francisco Chronicle, and more. You don’t need to take their word for it though, one bite of their brisket will have you convinced. One of their most popular dishes is the barbequito — brisket, mob sauce, macaroni, barbecue baked beans, slaw, and guacamole wrapped in a tomato or spinach tortilla. We love their Po’ Boy built on Dutch crunch and filled with mayo, BBQ fried shrimp, green onions, diced tomatoes, Cajun sauce, and slaw. End your meal with a sweet treat in the form of their sweet potato pie or Oatly soft serve ice cream.
Burke and Black
Burke & Black was founded in 2019 by Nicole Burke and Monique Black who met while working together at the Michelin-starred restaurant Quince in San Francisco. When home life took them away from the restaurant world, they decided to create Burke & Black. Monique left the company in 2021, but her passion will always be a part of Burke & Black. Nicole Burke specializes in grazing tables, boards, boxes, and cones. She has a commitment to using the best ingredients available including premium artisanal cheeses, homemade jams & compotes, and desserts. More than just creating beautiful food for her clients, she ensures everything is fresh, seasonal, high quality, and made with the taste foremost. The small bites menu truly looks like the menu at a Michelin-starred restaurant. You can order deviled quail eggs topped with caviar; mini crab cakes; brussels sprouts with bacon jam; tuna belly with preserved lemon and caper berry on crostini; and much more.
House of Tiffins
House of Tiffins is a food truck dishing out South Indian cuisine like dosai and sundal. Suppraja Raman started House of Tiffins to share her take on traditional recipes she infuses with her own creative flair. She sees House of Tiffins as more than a food truck — it’s a community space where people can connect, learn, and celebrate the rich tapestry of South Indian cuisine. The menu is entirely vegetarian and focuses around dosai, a crispy crepe typically made from fermented rice and lentil batter. At House of Tiffins, the dosai are made with pearl millet and lentils. They offer six varieties. To fully enjoy their crispy texture, go for the plain or spicy gun powder seasoning dosa that doesn’t include any wet ingredients to soften the crispy texture. The millet mysore masal dosai is filled with spicy red chutney and spiced potato masala. There’s also dosai filled with melty cheese or fiery red chili chutney. Aside from dosai, you’ll find other classic South Indian dishes like idlis, soft and spongy cakes served with coconut chutney, tomato chutney, and sambar. You’ll also find pongal, a savory porridge made from millet grains, lentils, and spices.
Dabao Singapore
Emily Lim moved to San Francisco in 2014 and sought to fill the gap in representation for Singaporean hawker foods in the Bay Area. During the pandemic, she started Dabao Singapore to share beef rendang, laksa, and more with the Bay Area. She’s even received a James Beard nomination for her efforts. You can’t miss her seafood laksa — thick rice noodles, fish balls, sambal, puffed tofu, and egg in a spiced coconut broth. Her chicken cutlet over fragrant rice is also a hit — it’s served with a ginger-scallion sauce and a calamansi chili sauce. She also switches up her menu regularly, so keep an eye out for the whole dungeness crab served three ways; beef rendang; and five-spice roasted chicken.
La Parilla Loca
This Oakland taqueria is known for their carne asada and juicy al pastor straight from the trompo. Their vampiros, a crunchy tortilla topped with meat, cheese, and guacamole, is a great way to sample everything they offer in a single bite. It’s a Tijuana-style taqueria that grills their meat over charcoal to get a smoky flavor and deep char. Their chorizo tacos aren’t made with crumbled sausage meat, but rather an entire cooked sausage link which gives it a plump texture. Although quesabirria’s moment has come and gone, La Parilla Loca offers a stellar example that includes a thin layer of crispy cheese. The tortillas here are made by nixtamalized and made fresh to order which takes their tacos to the next level.
Gim Belly
Gim Belly is a Filipino pop-up dishing out pork buns filled with jammy eggs, grilled pork belly, garlic noodles, shrimp, and more. The name Gim stands for “get in my” belly which the owners assure is how you feel after a single bite. The business highlights traditional Filipino cuisine but also implements its own twists, like the St. Louis-style ribs paired with Filipino sides. What really makes Gim Belly great is their dedication to grilling over a live fire until they develop a deep, smoky char. They do so while maintaining the meat’s juiciness and tenderness. Don’t miss out on their ube cheese bread!
