Editor’s Note: This article was written for Mosaic Vision, an independent journalism training program for high school students who report and photograph stories under the guidance of professional journalists.
Outside the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds in San Jose, traffic backed up on Tully Road next to a long line of people snaking around its fenced perimeter. They came for the FoodieLand Night Market — an outdoor festival hosted in various cities along the West Coast.
Once the clock hit 1 p.m. Saturday, people surged in the open gate, shuffling eagerly through security and into the fairgrounds. Awaiting them were tents boasting bold-lettered signs, an array of colorful displays and smoking grills.
The festival’s dozens of vendors brought various recipes and cultures together in one place on Friday through Saturday. Whether was grilled lobsters, yakitori skewers, chocolate-filled churros or ube-coated turon, every vendor had something distinct to offer.
Some were veterans. The Ensaymada Project, which sold Filipino brioche bread, has its own bake shop in Newhall in Southern California. According to the owner’s niece, Paycee Minoya, the Ensaymada Project regularly participates in festivals and local fairs. One of those, the 626 Night Market, had connected them to the FoodieLand Festival.
Other vendors were still starting out, and the FoodieLand Festival served as an opportunity for them to find their place. Nola Oysteria specializes in New Orlean-style grilled oysters with a choice of five different sauces, and this year is their first of operation. Manager Natasha Haneoko said that Foodieland was just their second event, but said they are receiving steady business.
Returning veteran or rookie, the vendors offered a diverse range of tastes and cultures, including uncommon fusions. The Fist of Fusion served Hawaiian-style chicken wings with Asian sauces.
Owner Ronnie Lucido, a Filipino with family in Hawaii, said he was inspired by the Hawaiian sweet-and-salty trend. From his home, he crafted these recipes while adding what he called an “Asian zing.” One of his most popular dishes is the “kimchi butter” chicken wing, a combination of sweetness with Korean kimchi taste.
Similarly, the Drunken Dumpling put a twist on a typical Chinese dish by cooking their dumplings in Vietnamese pho broth, setting them apart from more traditional dim sum places.
And for Kimoy Chamoy, they sold eye-catching Korean-Mexican fusion candy, an original creation of co-owners James Lee and Micky Shin. The two came up with the idea during the pandemic, when they would coat drinks, fruit and candy with the Mexican chamoy sauce. Eventually, they began to market these unique chamoy-coated candies with a touch of Korean spices.
Through social media, the night market promoted their vendors and attracted thousands of people to bring their family and friends. Customers crowded in front of the tents, milled about the pathways and sat on benches to eat.
Although the food can be expensive, customers seemed to find the cost worth it. CJ Arcoz, who had been to FoodieLand before and was taking his girlfriend there for her first time, said he didn’t mind the prices — except for the beer — because these kinds of events are meant for enjoying unique dishes.
Food wasn’t the only part of the FoodieLand experience; an area designated to merchandise vendors had tents for clothing, handcrafted jewelry, keychains, shoe charms and other items.
On a stage, a man stood singing to Michael Bublé, and in front of the platform, four women spun each other around. The FoodieLand Night Market gave local vendors and people a chance to celebrate diversity and sample food from various cultures.
