San Francisco Street Food Fest 2012

Whether you’re craving comfort food or something crazy, La Cocina’s 4th Annual San Francisco Street Food Festival is a scrumptious summer staple that means lots of savory bites, samples and brushing shoulders with some of the city’s finest chefs and foodies.

San Francisco Street Food Festival 2012
Saturday, August 18, 2012 (11a-7p)
Folsom St. & 24th St., SF (Mission Dist.)
FREE Admission (Food is $2-$8)
>> 2012 festival map 

So to help you decide between that braised brisket or bahn mi, FunCheapSF has come up with some superlatives for a few of our favorite dishes at this year’s festival, including a sassy soul food staple, saucy South American apps and even a little something for your sweet tooth.

Best Newcomer: Minnie Bell’s Soul Movement
– Gumbo with Chicken, Turkey Sausage & Shrimp served with Rice – $8
The soul really shines through Minnie Bell’s tasty, Southern-style gumbo, which was by far one of the best samples we had from the SF Street Food Festival vendors. We would probably even eat this if the festival was on an 80-degree day, because after all, those hearty chunks of tender chicken and spicy sausage simmered in a rich, salty broth are hard to resist.

Most Authentic: Maite Catering
– Mini Arepas with Carnitas – $3
For the traditionalist, Maite Catering offers up a classic carnitas arepa, perfectly seasoned and wrapped in a lovely, crisp corn shell. Deep fried and complete with all the fixings, these bite-sized babies pack a flavorful punch and is a true example of how good traditional South American street food can be.

Hottest Bite: Zella’s Soulful Kitchen
– Jacked-Up Hush Puppies – $3
These jacked-up hush puppies left our tastebuds with a pleasant tingle thanks to lots of pepper jack and a healthy serving of jalapenos, making these our pick for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up for when you’re starting to feel that food coma.

Savory Stand-by: Sabores del Sur
– Pork Lomito – $8
A FunCheapSF favorite, Sabores del Sur is bringing their new lomitos to the streets this year for the perfect snack-sized South American street food sample. Creamy mayonnaise and a slather of rich avocado works well with the tender, melt-in-your-mouth pork that’s offset with a little kick from a sassy tomato aji, which all makes for one mouth-watering Chilean sandwich.

Sweet Finish: La Luna Cupcakes
– Cakepops – 2 for $5
Another favorite from last year, La Luna Cupcakes impressed again this year with their colorful cakepops that feature everything from gourmet chocolate shavings to carnival-colored sprinkles. Soft, moist and with a perfect frosting to cake ratio, they aren’t cloying and overly sweet like many other cupcakes in the city, which make these portable, bite-sized pops the perfect way to wrap up your SF Street Food Festival experience.

Still Hungry?
Here are a few other street food festival favorites that won’t break the bank. Many of these fancy-pants places usually charge more, so take advantage of these snack-sized gourmet bites and sample to your heart’s (and wallet’s) content!

– A16 – Pork Meatballs ($3)
>> State Bird Provisions – Spicy Summer Tomato Giardinier ($2)
– Local: Mission Eatery – Chilled Corn Soup ($3)
– Namu – The “Real” Korean Taco ($3)
– Slanted Door – Pork or Vegetarian Bun ($3)
– Wise Sons Deli – Chocolate Babka ($3)
– Zaré at Fly Trap – Ash Reshteh ($5)
– Bi-Rite Creamery – Fresh Fruit Popsicle ($2)

Photo credits: Sandra Song and ileftmycartinsf.net