By Mary Bishop
The Taste of Oceanside kicked off this past Friday night with its VIP event held at the Oceanside Museum of Art. The museum provided an elegant backdrop for the evening and a great opportunity to explore the artwork while enjoying drinks, mingling with friends, and enjoying appetizers. The ambiance was warm and inviting, and Pacific 333 provided the hand-passed hors d’oeuvres which hardly had a chance to make their way out of the kitchen before being devoured by the guests. With 56 businesses participating this year, we were looking forward to the following day to taste and sip the diverse array of flavors and experiences.
This year, my husband and I joined some friends as we tackled the food and drink tastings throughout downtown that offered samples from local restaurants, breweries, wineries, and distilleries. Every participant is provided a map and punch card and may choose their route. The free trolly has numerous stops and takes continuous loops throughout the downtown to make it easy to travel between all the stops.
On this picturesque day, we were wowed by the spectacular views at the Roof Top Bar at The Mission Pacific Resort and The Coco Cabana Rooftop. The Roof Top at Mission was our first stop where we sampled a tasty white bean hummus and their specialty cocktail called the Buccaneer. Wow! It had a great kick. It was clear from the start of our day that the businesses involved were trying to provide a quality offering and the food variety was better than in previous years.
Each tasting was small but flavorful. Some of the standouts were a new appetizer from Hello Betty’s, the brisket tart by Toasted, the charbroiled cauliflower from Coco Cabana, the Strawberry Basil Lemonade from Pacific Coast Spirits, and the carnitas on a plantain chip by The Lab Collaborative which was bursting in flavor.
Orfila Tasting Room & Kitchen offered a pumpkin pie latte soup which none of us were sure what to expect. It certainly captured the spirit of the season and tasted like fall. It was creamy with a slight sweetness, and we were all pleasantly surprised, we loved it.
The Landmark Plant Company offered two different samples from The Northern Pine Brewing Company, which is veteran and woman-owned. We learned that they are opening a new eatery in Oceanside this coming Friday which we will certainly check out.
Unexpected Surprises: Bubbles by the Beach Liquor Store was probably the most surprising. They offered homemade chocolate chip cookies, white chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies, and freshly squeezed fruit juices that are made and bottled daily. These were so good that we went back at the end of the day to purchase some to take home for the family and they were completely sold out. The place has been beautifully renovated and offers an extensive liquor selection, and if they don’t have what you’re looking for, they will order it for you.
The Taste of Oceanside was a delightful opportunity to learn more about our local businesses and discover surprises. It celebrated the flavors and talents of Oceanside, leaving us with an urge to return and revisit our favorite stops. After the event, we were blessed with a stunning sunset, which was like the cherry on top. The event did not disappoint, we will be back next year!
What is MainStreet Oceanside?
MainStreet Oceanside had its beginnings in the Downtown Business Association, formed in the early 1990s as a loosely organized group of business people who met on a regular basis to discuss common concerns. By the end of the decade, as business conditions improved, the group decided to elevate the Downtown Business Association to a more organized approach to downtown issues and applied for state recognition as a certified California Main Street city. Official status was granted to the organization in July 2000.
