By Koko McDowell
On Friday, October 1, my husband and I had the honor to attend the VIP Taste of Oceanside event at the Roof Top of the Pierside Apartments. As expected, the view of the sunset set the stage for a wonderful evening of savory food from Chef Luke of Orfila, decadent sweet treats by Bliss Tea & Treats, and a hosted bar provide by Senor Grubby’s.
Chef Luke of Orfila blessed guests with his skills on the grill. As one who dislikes lamb chops, Chef Luke made his lamb chops look so delicious that I had to try one. Upon request, he graciously cooked one to order for me, well done, and it was absolutely AMAZING!! My husband and I were shocked by how he has completely obliterated our distaste for lamb chops with the first bite of his masterpiece. Not to mention, his bit size shepherds pies were addictive. I wish I could tell you what it was made of, other than potatoes, but just know, it was mouthwatering. Then, just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, the wonderful servers floated through with his Harissa Spiced Duck Confit Slider on a Hawaiian bun. Yummy!!! Admittedly, I am not a foodie and I know my words cannot accurately describe how good Chef Luke’s food is, but what I know is, I am a very particular eater who would rather starve than experiment with food. Chef Luke has encouraged me to expand my horizons and I will try anything that he is able to whip up without hesitation.
Bliss Tea & Treat hosted a lit Mad Hatter’s themed sweet treat stand layered with a variety of cupcakes and cookies. Staring at this stand made the inner child in me smile. The owner of Bliss, Rushell Gordon, shared with me details about her Modern-day Lounge and Tea Room and offered me the opportunity to indulge in some deliciousness. Wow, what an experience. I look forward to hosting a Tea Party soon.
The evening also included presentations by affiliates from Main Street Oceanside. It was refreshing to hear the intentional efforts being made to promote sustainability for business in Downtown Oceanside. Several speakers shared other recycling and reusable initiatives and the importance of providing reusable sporks and cups for the Taste of Oceanside to significantly decrease waste. I personally love the ability to reuse my spork and cup, but I also love having a memento from the event, which leads me to Saturday, October 2, Taste of Oceanside.
On Saturday, we arrived at 1:30pm to check-in for the Taste of Oceanside. As a party of six, we had a plan to hit every spot within the three hours of allotted time. We were on a mission! As expected, we experienced a variety of food, some familiar and some we had never heard of. Again, as a picky eater, I was a bit nervous to expand my palette, but I ventured beyond my comfort zone and enjoyed myself immensely. I also realized that our 12-year-old son is much like his mom when it comes to food, and I had an opportunity to demonstrate for our son, how I pushed beyond my comfort zone. The beautiful thing is, he followed my lead and sampled several dishes he would have never tasted under other circumstances. This event was not only filling for our bellies, but for my mommy’s heart as well.
Like kids at Disneyland, our crew of six was so excited to flutter from place to place. I thought it would be befitting to include the reviews of everyone. So, my favorite dish was Orfila Tasting Room & Kitchen’s Chef Luke’s Crispy Brussel Sprouts. Again, I am not a fan of brussel sprouts, but Chef Luke has made a fan out of me. My husband’s favorite dish was Miss Kim’s Gumbo. Knowing that he is very particular about gumbo, he was hesitant about trying it. To his surprise, he enjoyed how well seasoned the rue was with just enough kick to it. Our son’s favorite dish was Veneto’s Pasta and Garlic Knots. Although he nibbled on samples throughout the event, he ate a nice helping of Veneto’s pasta and a few garlic knots. My mom’s favorite was LTH’s Kung Pow Cauliflower. She especially loved the purple cauliflower and the ambiance of LTH. Our friend Susie wasn’t able to pick just one dish, instead she said, “I loved the presentation and the unusual Trout Dip at Piper. The tacos at Carte Blanche were so good as well as the ones at Fat Joe’s. The Gumbo at Miss Kim’s was really flavorful. I loved the veggies with peanuts at Pacific Coast Spirits. Oh! And the brussels sprouts with goat cheese was so tasty.” Last but not least, our friend Amy’s favorite dish was the chickpea salad sandwich from The Green House. We were on an adventure and successfully tasted 27 of the 29 food options. We really enjoyed all of the musical artists who were perfectly placed throughout the downtown area.
As for the adult beverages, my husband and I do not drink, but Susie shared that the non-IPA beer at The Arcade Tattoo & Museum “was so cold and light and perfect for the hot day.”
Two of the restaurants listed did not participate in the Taste of Oceanside, Benito’s Pizza Café and DQ. We were saddened to see the fire damage done to Benito’s Pizza Café. I said a quick prayer for the owners as we passed by, and we hope that they are able to rebuild. As for DQ, our son was looking forward to their ice cream, so we took the time to order some shakes for the road.
The Taste of Oceanside was well organized and efficient. Each restaurant was ready to serve and if there was a line it moved quickly. I really appreciated seating being made available for us to enjoy our dish at most locations. This allowed us to savor the moment and not have to choke down our food or contend with the balancing act. The shuttle service saved our feet a few thousand steps, which my son really appreciated.
After riding from The Miller’s Table to the Harbor House, my husband discovered he left his phone on the shuttle. Fortunately, Henry, the shuttle driver, looped back around to the Harbor Café and we were able to get the phone. This was a blessing because Henry didn’t know that the phone was on the shuttle. We were grateful for him circling back toward us and we tipped him generously. We look forward to next year’s Taste of Oceanside and we hope you can join us!
