There's 8 food vendor tents at Sonoma farmer’s market on Tuesday nights. Can fast food be good? Four of us decided to find out. We were hungry. We brought $20 each. We vowed to try all the hot food being sold. We were 90% successful in that goal.
Here’s what we ate:
$4 to $8 depending on the dish
I tried a paper tray full of vegetable pad Thai with tofu. The noodles well al dente, not mushy. The predominant flavors were a mild chili powder and peanut shards. Though I could see shredded carrot, green onion, some cabbage slivers, the flavors did not shine through. Though not bad, this pad Thai food is pretty generic. The spiciness level is low, too low. Oil level is moderate. Thee's no need for me to return for more.
$3 per slice
The longest line of people is at this booth. All the anxious customers are under the age of 11. This is kid pizza. It's oily, crispy, gooey. Working class NY’ers will feel at home with this “pie”. Gourmet tongue Californians will snub it. This is county fair food…
$8 for fish & chips
Made in small batches. The oil fryers are tiny. The panko coating has some parsley. The calamari is pretty oily. The price for the small portion size seems high.
Price: $2 to $8 per plate.
Our unanimous favorite. We tried just about everything. The Jambalaya had
distinctive flavors swimming around in the soupy & saucy bowls. (Keep an eye out
for the Bay leaves, they’re better left unchewed!) The shrimp still have their
tails. The Corn muffins are sweet from honey. The Red beans & rice was a perfect textbook example. Treat the "Insane Dave’s" hot sauce bottle with respect; it’s too spicy for rank amateurs.
Price: $7:50.
We did not eat here.We were too full. The plates that other customers were carrying looked moist & saucy. They looked yummy. We’ll try Primavera soon and report back.
Price: $2 per slice.
Kashaya is obligated to make dessert sweet pizza on Tuesday evenings so as not compete with Gramma’s savory pizza down the row.
We had mixed reactions with these sweet pizzas. Grace P. was really
disappointed with the texture and flavors. She did not like the chewy, slightly
chocolate crust. She found the crème sauce to be tangy & inappropriate. I
was not thrilled either, but I could sense potential here. I think that the recipes need to be tweaked. I’m reserving final judgment until I try the savory pizza at the Friday morning market.
Price: $6 for a big bag.
Popcorn loaded with oil, salt & sugar. The guy making the stuff looks like a
firefighter at a NASCAR race. He’s got on a protective flame resistant suit and full face mask. You can feel the intense kettle heat from 30 feet away.
This business is a license to print money. Hundreds of people line up to purchase this stuff. It’s candy, it’s popcorn. You'll eat way too much of it. It’ll clog your arteries.
So that’s the line-up in mid-April.
I have a few ideas for more booths.
So yes, you can find a fine tasting, cheaply priced fast food meal at the Sonoma farmer's market. You just need to choose wisely.
Look at these happy campers…
