Roka Akor chefs assembling chiccharones topped with Mendocino uni at LuckyRice.
Last Friday night, the San Francisco Ferry Building was transformed into a celebration of Asian foods and cultures.
It marked the debut of the city’s first LuckyRice Festival, which has already been held in New York, Los Angeles, Los Vegas and Miami.
Twenty of the city’s top restaurants held court, doling out Asian specialties to the sell-out crowd, as mixologists shook up cocktails created just for the occasion.
Take a taste:
The action at the Ferry Building.
Roka Akor’s rice cake with fig jam and El Rey Chocolate.
Chef Alex Ong (right), formerly of Betelnut, manning the Chubby Noodle stand.
Chubby Noodle’s congee with ginger minced pork and salted fish.
It’s thirsty work. Chef James Syhabout (right) of Hawker Fare.
Hawker Fare’s beef tartare with shiso.
Nojo’s flavorful, textural beef tendon and squid salad.
Ahi on crisp dashi rice cakes by E&O Asian Kitchen.
House of Nanking’s vegetarian dumplings.
Dashi tomatoes draped with lardo and bonito — by Hopscotch restaurant.
Ichi Sushi’s house-cured local king salmon.
Brasserie S&P’s scallion corn pancakes.
Pabu’s grilled pork patties with duck confit and fresh herbs.
Ken Tominaga of Pabu making spicy tuna hand rolls.
One of my favorite tastes of the night: the Slanted Door’s creamy, bright avocado panna cotta with banana tapioca and lime meringue.
Francis Ang (right), pastry chef of the Fifth Floor, putting the finishing touches on a black tea cremeux with calamansi ice and menthol espuma…
…before handing it to a happy me.
