Foodies Pony Up at the Del Mar Racetrack

Only in San Diego can you miss out on tickets for the Mac and Cheese Festival and drive north, the same day, to taste a variety of delectable treats at the Gourmet Fall Food Truck Festival in Del Mar on Nov. 7. The smells of fresh Maine lobster, Texas barbecue, and yes, even that mouth-watering cheesy goodness could all be found here. Just one whiff had some people salivating at the glands to step in lines ranging from 10 to 20 minutes long. With over 30 food trucks to pick from, foodies from all ages scrambled about to heed the call of hunger.

As part of the month-long Bing Crosby horse racing season, held from Oct.29 through Nov. 29, the food festival drew in crowds by the thousands this past Saturday. Tickets to the event were free with $6 admission to the horse races or $3 if you signed up with the free Diamond Club membership right outside the gate. Scheduled from 11 AM – 4:30 PM, both gamblers and foodies gathered near the Seaside Concert area to place bets and fill their bellies.

From boisterous babies to starving students, hungry people found something savory to eat throughout the clustered collection of trucks. Kevin Cho and his girlfriend, alumni of UCSD, could both be spotted in line bobbing up and down amongst the crowd in anticipation to try the famous Cousins Maine Lobster food truck. Standing toward the middle of the line, they had been waiting patiently for over 15 minutes to try only one thing. “I came here to try out different foods and especially the lobster truck. We like lobster rolls,” he said. Today’s rolls were oversized chunks of fresh lobster spilling from the sides of a perfectly buttered New England style bread roll, smothered in mayonnaise and freshly squeezed lemons.

If seafood isn’t quite your thing, there were plenty of other tasty treats to indulge your taste buds. Best friends Mattie and Aimee, teens from Del Mar, suggested sticking to dumplings and grilled cheeses if you wanted your money’s worth. “The Chopsooey truck is really good. I ordered the Vietnamese dumplings and I think it was around $7 for fries and the dumplings,” says Mattie. Aimee was quick to add, “I had the All American grilled cheese from over there [Grilled Cheese A-Fair truck]. I think it was like $10 for the grilled cheese and the dipping sauce.” From the looks of their plates, not one crumb had been spared. The remnants of a perfectly toasted sourdough sandwich, filled with the golden greatness that is American cheese and butter, are now a distant memory being shared or liked on some social media outlet in digital space.

Over behind the Stuff N It Burgers food truck, Anna, the truck’s lead cook, stops to take a quick smoke break before she has to head back to the grill. This is her first time in San Diego, but she’s already driven the truck from Orange County to Las Vegas and has another stop planned for Tempe, Arizona next week. With plates ranging from carne asada fries to one pound stuffed mushroom burgers, the truck is building a fan base here in Del Mar.

“This is really busy. This is how it was in Vegas, which they [the venues] had said it was going to be. It’s my first time here, but it’s cool. As long as people understand it’s going to take a little bit for their burgers to come, then its fine,” Anna said.

With all the commotion swarming from truck to truck, it’s no wonder dozens of people found refuge under the shady shelter of the closest beer garden. Tons of tables and chairs lined the interior, where groups of couples and families sat munching away at all their savory goods. Hot plates ranging from barbeque to nachos were begging to be paired with various collections of craft beers as crowds watched the races on the nearby jumbotron. On screen, Chaulk O Lattey seemed to be leading the 8th race, but gamblers in the crowd cringed when Full Ransom suddenly appeared out of nowhere to snag the title away. It was a close race, but the crowd seemed to dissipate as the food vendors wrapped up their last orders around 4 PM.

Mattie and Aimee slowed down their pace to get a final glimpse of the 9th race, saying, “Well, we came for the food, but we’re going to stick around to watch the horse races.” It might’ve been the final race, but to them, it was an added bonus as they polished off the last of an ice cream and strawberries waffle.

All Photos Courtesy of Jessica Resendez

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