street food
We lost a lot of beautiful, creative souls this year. As travelers, as people who love food and words, as business partners who created a secret supper club based on openness and adventure and the chance to try new things, we felt the loss of Anthony Bourdain especially deeply. This dinner was inspired by his work and that idea that he was happiest when eating street food on some plastic stool in a side street. We combed through his body of work and found some of his favorites (bun bo hue) and a “tolerable” dessert, which was a big compliment coming from someone who disliked that course and frequently said “fuck dessert”. We tried, as he did, to transport our guests to interesting places.
The weather presented a challenge. Originally planned for a city alleyway at the end of a hot and humid week, it suddenly changed to rainy, cold and miserable. We called on some friends at Keen’s Storage Trailers and they stacked up a lego pile of containers for us to hold the event in. The shipping container fit all 28 of our guests perfectly and did exactly what, as a recent editorial in Food & Wine said of Bourdain “he wove us all more tightly together, using the common threads of food, drink, and conversation. He made the world feel smaller.”
RIP, Tony.
M E N U
Trio of Fritters
Takoyaki (octopus), Japan
Coxinha (chicken), Brazil
Falafel (fava bean), Egypt
Ceviche Carretillero (Peru)
street cart-style ceviche with poached and crunchy corn and glazed sweet potato
Bún Bò Hue (Vietnam)
spicy beef noodle soup
Mango Lassi (India)
sweet yoghurt drink
Bhel Puri (India)
crunchy puffed rice and vegetable salad with chutney
Jerk Chicken (Jamaica)
spice-rubbed and grilled with coconut rice, roasted pineapple sauce and cilantro-lime slaw
Halo Halo (Phillipines)
iconic ice cream sundae with flan, passionfruit and coconut fruit gelees, dragon fruit, watermelon and pineapple granita, coconut milk tapioca, pandan ice cream, and crispy caramelized puffed rice
Coffee (Ethiopia)
Photography by Amelia Eliza.
