We went down to the international food fair in Balboa Park today. I'd been quite looking forward to it, having thoroughly enjoyed December nights in Balboa Park when all the different International Cottages sold a wonderful array of their cuisines.
Perhaps it was the weather... meatballs, sauerkraut, mashed potatoes, meat pies, and rich curries all seem fabulous on a chilly winter's eve- but the bright sunshine of today led to food that was less substantial, and nothing quite as appealing. The other main issue was that we arrived far too late- by 3pm many of the food trays were empty leaving us no chance to sample the Salade Nicoise or the Indian Samosas.
We will try harder next time, and arrive at the festival much earlier. I think the idea of the fair, and indeed the International Cottages themselves are a wonderful idea- reminding us of the massive diversity within San Diego. But I do think they could perhaps showcase their cuisine a little better. More chances need to be taken to give the food samplers the opportunity to taste something really unique, and not just serve up the precise dishes that are expected from a certain country.
2 comments:
I thought about going down there - but couldn't interest the wife. What was the pricing like? Was it a small amount for a small sample or a normal lunch for a normal lunch price?
Yeah it was actually really over priced. I paid $5 for the falafel sandwich which was not at all good value. Other little plates were costing up to $8. Not crazy expensive but considering you had to stand and eat eat luke warm food it wasn't great.
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