Despite the latest barrage of gale-force winds and rain across the Bay Area, Off the Grid’s food truck market plans to return to Fort Mason for its Friday residency on March 24.
Now in its 13th season, Off the Grid—which bills itself as the biggest evening street food party in the state—relaunches with a slate of new mobile eateries and pop-ups that will set up shop every Friday through June 23.
Of the 50 chefs and makers serving food at Fort Mason this year, six are rising talents who are brand-new to Off the Grid. The lineup includes Lady M, a roving creperie that calls itself the “world’s first luxury cake truck,” Cameroonian roadside eatery Mimbo House, soul food mobile kitchen Lorraine’s Cafe, Bangin’ Ass BBQ & Sweets, Rocky Island Oyster Co. and Japanese rice ball outfit Tokachi Musubi.
The sparkling San Francisco Bay offers a stunning backdrop to chef Erika Sanchez’s debut at Off the Grid. Tokachi Musubi, her La Cocina-incubated mobile kitchen, specializes in omusubi, or Japanese rice balls that are native to her home region of Hokkaido. On Friday, Sanchez plans to serve eight different varieties of omusubi, as well as comforting udon noodle soup in case the weather is still dreary. Pro-tip: savory rice balls and hearty wheat noodles are a delightful combo when ordered together.
Sanchez told The Standard that Off the Grid is one of the prime spots in the city for an emerging food truck like hers.
“It’s a chance to be recognized as a great food truck in the Bay Area,” she said.
In addition, Friday will mark the arrival of Off the Grid’s “Pop Up Project,” a series of rotating chefs who will serve food from an installation of parklets at Fort Mason.
The culinary offerings pair with a winegarten hosted by Kivelstadt Cellars, a vineyard in Sonoma, along with a full cocktail bar. Rotating musical acts and DJs will provide the soundtrack to the feast.
Off the Grid
📍 Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture, SF
🗓️ Fridays, March 24-June 23 | 5-10 p.m.
🔗 offthegrid.com