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You are here: Home / Blog / 2015 Latin Food Festival: Notable Highlights

Blog California Food San Diego USA

2015 Latin Food Festival: Notable Highlights

This article showcases the best of the 2015 Latin Food Festival.

This past weekend I attended the Latin Food Festival in San Diego.

For those of you who are not familiar with the event, on Saturday, I was part of the main attraction which is known as Grande Tasting. Think about this tasting as a four-hour-long, all-you-can-eat journey through Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Spain.

In total, there were more than 50 local restaurants, wineries, breweries, distilleries, markets, and food-oriented companies offering tapas-sized dishes to hundreds of attendants.

This post is my attempt to describe the flavors, aromas, textures, and sounds of the festivals in about a thousand words.

Table of Contents

  • 2015 Latin Food Festival
    • The Venue
    • The Food
    • VIP Lounge
    • Chef Demonstrations
    • Music
    • Sponsors
    • Details
    • Related posts:

2015 Latin Food Festival

This post is my attempt to describe the flavors, aromas, textures, and sounds of the festivals in about a thousand words.

The Venue

The 2015 Latin Food Festival took place at the Broadway Pier located on San Diego’s North Embarcadero. The pier overlooks the San Diego Bay and Skyline.  As an additional treat, the USS Midway (an aircraft carrier that now serves as a museum) is visible from the festival grounds.

The Port Pavilion (serves as a cruise ship terminal) housed part of the event (VIP lounge).

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

The Food

Let’s get to the most sought after part of the event: the food.  Here are details of what was served during the four-hour event.

Fogo de Chao

I have to take my hat off and salute the chefs/servers of Fogo de Chao.  They served food non-stop from the beginning to the end of the festival.

We didn’t want to miss their delicious cuts of meats, so, we visited their booth first.

They served three cuts of meats (picanha, bacon-wrapped chicken, and linguica (Portuguese sausage)). All this was served with potato salad and marinated peppers.  Every bite felt way too right. I have to admit that I went for seconds.

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

I2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

Puesto

This restaurant specializing in Mexican street food served fish tostadas.  I love Puesto.  Therefore, I couldn’t be happier with their samples.

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

Tacos Perla

This is another of my favorite restaurants in the San Diego area (they have a super cool and funky vibe).  This time they served tuna tostadas and vegan cauliflower/carrot ceviche.  The tuna tostada was really good but the vegan sample surprised me.  These people can make anything taste good!

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

Aqui es Texcoco

This restaurant is famous for its barbacoa.  The word barbacoa can be translated to English as Mexican Lamb Barbecue.

Traditionally, barbacoa is prepared by slow roasting the meat for more than seven hours in an underground fire pit covered with the succulent leaves of the maguey plant.  The restaurant replicates the process using a special oven.

They cut the meat and put it in a tortilla.  You garnish it as you want.  I do not have to get into details about the tenderness of the resulting dish.

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

Northgate Market

The market offered carnitas tacos, guacamole, fish ceviche, and agua frescas.  I kept going back to their cinnamon-infused horchata all afternoon.  My husband preferred the watermelon flavor.

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

Café Sevilla

This is another establishment that surpassed my expectations.  They brought to the event a huge paella covered with seashells and Spanish chorizo.  On top of that, they were also offering pulpo a la gallega (Galician style octopus). I couldn’t help it.  I even licked my fingers.

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

Sirena Seafood

This gourmet Latin seafood restaurant presented attendees with melt-in-your-mouth octopus ceviche and tuna sashimi with a Latin twist.

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

Indigo Grill

A plump shrimp was served over a piece of pita bread dressed with guacamole.  All the ingredients were topped with chimichurri resembling pesto sauce.

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

The Hopping Pig

To me, this was one of the most creative dishes of the day.  The sample consisted of sous vide octopus served with achiote paste, plantain chips, and pineapple.

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

Peohe’s

I found this dish inventive too.  They did a take on an octopus ceviche with cucumbers and pickled red onions.  The crunchy element was added by a fried plantain chip (instead of the usual tortilla chip).

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

West Coast Tavern

Who can say no to a sope?  The ones from West Coast Tavern were topped with shredded chicken, guajillo salsa, refried white beans, queso fresco and lettuce.  Judging by the lines, these sopes were a total hit.

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

La Diferencia

One of the most iconic dishes of Mexico (and of Puebla), Chile en Nogada had to make an appearance at the festival.  This is a seasonal dish so I try to order it as often as possible when I see them in menus.

IMG_5574

IMG_5571

Bush’s Beans Comida Latina

This sponsor was giving out bean and cheese tacos.

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

Kokopelli Tacos

I know I have praised a lot of restaurants here but I have to do it once again. I am just in love with the guys who have invented these beyond delicious tacos and tostadas.  I tried the salmon, watermelon, mango, tamarind, and Serrano chile tostada.  And that is not all! You were able to garnish your tostada with one of their excellent sauces (peanut, tamarind, berries, and one called Lucifer tears).

I do not have to go into details of why their fame had spread in both Californias.

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

VIP Lounge

Do you think that was it?  Well, no.  There was an entire 2015 Latin Food Festival VIP section where famous chefs were serving food and drinks.

The folks from West Coast Prime Meats were serving Spanish–style cured ham. Take a look at the pig’s leg below.  That was gone at the end of the show.

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

Fresh oysters (opened on-site) and juicy shrimp were served as a courtesy of the Pacific Wild Shrimp Company.  My husband was elated since he adores oysters.

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

Chef Mario Medina, who is considered a celebrity in San Diego, and his staff were serving tuna tostadas.

Chef José Bossuet Martínez, with restaurants in San Miguel de Allende and Valle de Guadalupe, was serving duck tostadas.

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

The VIP Lounge offered other amenities such as tequila, champagne, and wine tasting.

Chef Demonstrations

Chef José Bossuet Martínez demonstrated how to prepare duck tostadas.

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

Chef Mario Medina prepared an awesome braised octopus (served over tostadas). Ana Saldaña, cookbook author and TV presenter, gave step by step instructions on how to prepare shrimp and huitlacoche (corn smut) sopes. She also showed how to prepare shrimp over a bed of salt.

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

Music

The happy note was introduced by the San Diego based band Todo Mundo.  They played tons of fun pop, reggae, rock, and tropical songs

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

Sponsors

All these fabulous food was possible because of the sponsors and exhibitors.

Here is a partial list of the sponsors present at the event.

Lincoln Motor Company
Jarritos
Manzanita Sol
Cupcake Vineyards
Bush’s Best Cocina Latina
Camaronazo
Chocolate Ibarra
Northgate Market
Cerveza Montejo
Tito’s Vodka
Mexico Tourist Board

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

2015 Latin Food Festival, San Diego, California

¡Viva la comida latina!

Details

  • Find more information about the event 2015 Latin Food Festivals and other upcoming events here.
  •  Subscribe to the event’s mailing list to keep up to date with upcoming events.

What are your thoughts on Latin food? Would you attend an event like the 2015 Latin Food Festival?

Related posts:

Latin Food FestLatin Food Fest: Highlights and Photos Alice's Italian Gourmet, Encinitas Restaurants: Where to Eat in this San Diego County CityEncinitas Restaurants: Where to Eat Building near the Fiesta de Reyes Area, Old Town San Diego, CaliforniaPapillon Photos: Old Town San Diego McArthur-Burney Falls, Places to Visit in California: Bucket List for TravelersPlaces to Visit in California: Bucket List for Travelers


57 Comments

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Comments

  1. image-in-ing (weekly photo linky) says

    August 18, 2015 at 5:50 am

    Great series of mouthwatering photos!
    Thanks for linking up at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2015/08/double-play-on-way.html

    Reply
  2. Malinda @mybrownpaperpackages says

    August 18, 2015 at 6:26 pm

    What an awesome venue and everything looks so mouth watering.
    Thanks for joining in #wednesdaywanderlust

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      August 19, 2015 at 5:00 pm

      Everything was mouthwatering! I have to go back to San Diego soon.

      Reply
  3. Bumble Bee Mum says

    August 18, 2015 at 7:23 pm

    Why do you always show me photos of food?? That paella looks too good! And I love how everything is in bite-sized portion,so you can try a greater variety of food!

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      August 19, 2015 at 5:02 pm

      Ja, ja! I have a master in making you hungry. The paella was awesome. I hadn’t tried Spanish chorizo in a long time. So, you can imagine how happy I was.

      Reply
  4. Natalie says

    August 18, 2015 at 8:41 pm

    It’s lunchtime here and you have made me very hungry! That food looks so delicious. It’s great to be able to taste a little bit of everything.

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      August 19, 2015 at 5:04 pm

      I am noticing most people check the blog while hungry or before eating time ;0) Have you been to a food festival?

      Reply
  5. Lyndall says

    August 18, 2015 at 9:56 pm

    Hey Ruth – Love your pics of all that delicious food. You’re making me hungry, even though I just ate! Looks like a fabulous food odyssey 🙂

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      August 19, 2015 at 5:05 pm

      Like I mentioned, this is probably my favorite festival of the year. They were featuring octopus, so, I was a happy camper.

      Reply
  6. Cathy (MummyTravels) says

    August 19, 2015 at 1:22 am

    Wow this all sounds delicious – such a range too. Thanks for linking up to #MondayEscapes

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      August 19, 2015 at 5:06 pm

      Hello Cathy, thanks for stopping by. The huge variety of samples is one of the things I enjoy about food festivals like this.

      Reply
  7. Anna says

    August 19, 2015 at 1:23 am

    You make me drool everytime I read about those food festivals!! We don’t have things like that in Greece and they sound so much fun!

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      August 19, 2015 at 5:07 pm

      Well, not sure if a festival like this is necessary in Greece. I bet the weekend family meals are full of delicious dishes.

      Reply
  8. Sally@Toddlers on Tour says

    August 19, 2015 at 2:19 am

    What a great looking festival with dishes from such a wide range of nationalalities – YUM!

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      August 19, 2015 at 5:08 pm

      It is also great to try new flavor combinations. There is a lot of traditional food but also the opportunity to enjoy the chef’s creativity.

      Reply
  9. Marcella @ WhatAWonderfulWorld says

    August 19, 2015 at 2:28 am

    Oh wow, this looks amazing! Street food festivals are seriously one of my favourite things, and this one looks like it had such great variety 🙂

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      August 19, 2015 at 5:10 pm

      Thanks Marcella. Glad to know you are a food festival lover. What festivals have you attended?

      Reply
  10. Driller's Place says

    August 19, 2015 at 6:59 am

    Whew! That’s a lot of incredible looking food. Very nicely captured and thanks for sharing with us. Well done.

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      August 19, 2015 at 5:11 pm

      No problem. I love to do food posts since I can always go back and take a look at what I ate on that particular day ;0)

      Reply
  11. Johanna Bradley says

    August 19, 2015 at 8:44 am

    I KNEW it was a mistake to read this at teatime! I’m starving!!! 🙂 Thanks for your company and recommendations, Ruth!

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      August 19, 2015 at 5:12 pm

      Cool! I would love to have tea time here where I live. At least, we have a snack time in the afternoons.

      Reply
  12. Carlee says

    August 19, 2015 at 9:12 am

    Oh my goodness, I am so green with envy right now! Everything looks amazing!

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      August 19, 2015 at 5:13 pm

      I hope you are referring to good envy! I am sure you would have enjoyed the food as much as I did.

      Reply
  13. Karen says

    August 19, 2015 at 8:28 pm

    Looks like a good time! It’s lunch time here and now I’m even more hungry. Your photos are great. Beautiful venue too.

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      August 20, 2015 at 10:11 pm

      Yes, we had a great time. I am always grateful for the opportunity to attend these awesome events.

      Reply
  14. budget jan says

    August 19, 2015 at 9:31 pm

    I am so jealous of the tacos available in California!! San Diego is on the top of my places to visit in the States.

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      August 20, 2015 at 10:12 pm

      Yes, we have tons of tacos around here. I can see why San Diego it at the top of your list. There are a lot of things to see and do and the weather is unbeatable.

      Reply
  15. Phoebe @ Lou Messugo says

    August 20, 2015 at 3:44 am

    Oh all that food looks so delicious and so different from what’s available where I live! The paella looks to die for!

    Reply
  16. Pinay Flying High says

    August 20, 2015 at 11:13 pm

    This post should have warning in the beginning that it’s not supposed to be read by people who are on a diet. Lol.

    I love attending food festivals. It gives you a taste of different food for a cheaper price. I just wish that there’s such a venue as Broadway Pier here in the Middle East. *wishful thinking* :p

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      August 21, 2015 at 6:58 pm

      Ja, ja! You are the first one who mention a diet. I didn’t even things about that ;0) Hope food festivals gain track in other parts of the world. They can be a boost for local food businesses.

      Reply
  17. lana says

    August 21, 2015 at 12:56 am

    You’re making me hungry. The paella and carnitas look yum!!

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      August 21, 2015 at 6:58 pm

      The paella was one of my favorite dishes. Well, I guess I love Spanish food in general.

      Reply
  18. Jen says

    August 21, 2015 at 11:47 am

    How much fun was that afternoon?!?! Everything looks amazing, & I am supremely jealous. That shrimp in the one photo is huge!

    Thank you for sharing with us again this week at Photo Friday!

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      August 21, 2015 at 7:17 pm

      Jen,
      Those giant shrimp were so good. They are from Sinaloa and I think they are some of the freshest I have had in all my life.

      Reply
  19. Rachel Heller says

    August 22, 2015 at 12:44 am

    The Latin Food Festival sounds wonderful! I love getting to try lots of different dishes, which is why I enjoy tapas and dim sum restaurants. Waiting in lines at festivals? Not so much.

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      August 23, 2015 at 9:36 pm

      Rachel, the good thing about this festival is that the lines are relatively short. I do not think I even waited 10 minutes on the longest line. That is why I keep saying this is one of my favorite festivals of the year.

      Reply
  20. Brian & Amanda Eat_Work_Travel says

    August 22, 2015 at 5:01 am

    Wow, everything looks delicious! My mouth was really watering from the paella that Café Sevilla was serving. We recently returned from Spain and we have a new appreciation for the dish. We hope to attend this food festival some day!

    Reply
  21. Carlyn Bullock says

    August 22, 2015 at 8:46 am

    Hi Ruth! Thanks for stopping by to check out my photos and quotes! I loved this post and want to seriously DIVE into that Paella! Wow it look yummy, your photos are awesome. Thanks for sharing them 🙂

    With a smile from Tampa, FL Carlyn 🙂

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      August 23, 2015 at 9:37 pm

      Hi Carlyn, thanks for stopping by! The paella was delicious. When I saw it, my eyes widened like you have no idea. This was one of the highlights of the afternoon.

      Reply
  22. Nancie says

    August 22, 2015 at 3:01 pm

    WOW, Ruth!Now that is what I call a food festival. I don’t think I would have ever left. Living in Korea, finding good Mexican/Latin food can be difficult. Although, my choices are definitely better here in Seoul. My stomach is aching with hunger, and I am drooling on the keyboard. I want at least one of each. I do have to ask…What is a sope?

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      August 23, 2015 at 9:42 pm

      Hmm, I will like to try some Mexican / Latin food in Korea. That would be interesting. A sope consists of a thick tortilla with pinched sides (in other words, it has a masa rim). The tortilla can be topped with different ingredients such as refried beans, crumbled cheese, salsa, lettuce and a variety of meats. They are really good.

      Reply
  23. Michele {Malaysian Meanders} says

    August 22, 2015 at 8:42 pm

    I am amazed by both the incredible flavors you described and also the amount of notes you must have taken. Good job! I love Fogo de Chao, so that would have been a first stop for me, too. Cinnamon horchata sounds really yummy, and I think watermelon agua fresca would be perfect on a summer day. Everything looks wonderful. I’ll have to keep a lookout for something similar near me. Thanks for linking up with #WkendTravelInspiration.

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      August 23, 2015 at 9:44 pm

      Thanks Michelle! Actually, I didn’t take a lot of notes. What I tend to do is to take photos of the restaurant names and of the menus. In that way, I can reconstruct the festival in a post when I get home. In this occasion, there weren’t a lot of menus around so I had to remember from memory or form looking at the photos.

      Reply
  24. Corinne says

    August 23, 2015 at 12:34 am

    Ruth, Yum! Are you allowed to camp out and go back for seconds, thirds, etc.? I’d never heard of Chile de Nogado before but it looks gorgeous and tasty! So do so many of the other dishes.

    Thanks, once again, for linking up with Weekend Travel Inspiration!

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      August 23, 2015 at 9:47 pm

      What you mention here sounds like a good idea. Even if they do not let you camp there, you always have the option to go to one f San Diego’s wonderful restaurants. The Chile en Nogada is a dish that dates back from the colonial days. It was invented by nuns in the State of Puebla.

      Reply
  25. Vlad says

    August 23, 2015 at 1:13 am

    Everything looks soooo good, especially the paella and the octopus, I would have liked my fingers too! Your posts are always making me so hungry, haha!

    Reply
  26. Paula McInerney says

    August 23, 2015 at 2:51 am

    All of my favourite food groups in the one place. Put my name down for next year.

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      August 24, 2015 at 9:20 pm

      Ja, ja! It would be cool to attend together.

      Reply
  27. Liz says

    August 23, 2015 at 3:41 am

    Yummm, everything looks good! Great post!

    Reply
  28. beatravelling says

    August 23, 2015 at 11:04 am

    Once again the food looks delish!! Thanks for all the food festival tips!

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      August 24, 2015 at 9:21 pm

      Not a problem! I want to convert everybody into food festival experts.

      Reply
  29. Nancie Lee says

    August 23, 2015 at 6:35 pm

    This looks like a great event! I had linguica in Brazil and love it! I’m not a seafood eater, but I’m sure there were plenty of other delicious choices. I’ve never done an eating event, but I want to try one soon. Louisianians are always eating something. haha Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      August 24, 2015 at 9:22 pm

      Oh yes! The linguica is so good. So, you are from Lousiana and doesn’t like seafood. Well, I guess Lousiana is full of delicious things to eat.

      Reply
  30. Linda Bibb says

    August 23, 2015 at 7:20 pm

    Oh wow! You certainly had a filling day. 🙂

    I’m accustomed to seeing pork on Latino menus and your photos surprised me. I have to admit the variety at the festival is greater than I’d expected.

    Dan and I have always avoided Latino food festivals because so much of it has pork, shellfish and bread, all of which we need to avoid. I guess we’ll have to reconsider going the next time they have one in Miami.

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      August 24, 2015 at 9:25 pm

      I think festivals like these are important because they showcase what Latin food is really about. There are a lot of misconceptions about our food and people do not realize Latin America is big and diverse. Good to know you saw another face of the cuisine in here.

      Reply
  31. Lynn @ Oh-SoYummy says

    August 25, 2015 at 11:11 pm

    We attended this event as well! Love seeing events from someone else’s perspective. I didn’t know that Puesto had a vegetarian option but the fish version was fine for us! Check out our recap as well!

    Reply
  32. Priya says

    November 2, 2015 at 6:49 pm

    What a fun event, such diverse and colorful food, make me hungry for some tacos!

    Reply

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