Food-related social gatherings are an integral part to the human spirit. It’s an exchange in culture and, more often than not, it’s a chance to accept that culture. In his 2000 autobiography Kitchen Confidential, celebrated chef and writer Anthony Bourdain wrote, “I’ve long believed that good food, good eating, is all about risk. Whether we’re talking about unpasteurized Stilton, raw oysters or working for organized crime ‘associates,’ food, for me, has always been an adventure.”
If that’s the case, Bourdain would get along pretty well with the modern music festivalgoer. The most skilled of our kind has a number of Bonnaroos, Coachellas, or Lollapaloozas under their belts, in addition to some sacred rarities that would make the average reader here cry. But outside of seeing unique performances, they’ve also tasted a number of eats specific to that festival or area. If you want to talk about risk, here’s a nice picture: You’re about to eat some kind of strange meat you’ve never tried in your life and you’re 100 miles away from a traditional bathroom. That enough, Tony?
Risk has its rewards, naturally, and over the years Consequence of Sound has dabbled in a spoil of riches. With that in mind, we scaled back our taste buds and put together a rogue’s gallery of our favorite eats from various music festivals across the world. Some of our picks might startle your bellies (remember, it is festival food), others might make them ache with hunger. But really, our gang is a bunch of picky eaters, so there’s gotta be something for everyone here. Having said that, we’re open to suggestions, especially this time around.
-Michael Roffman
President/Editor -in-Chief
Alligator Nuggets
Festival: Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
Location: Manchester, TN
What: Alligator Tail deep fried in crispy batter. Sure, you didn’t have to fight the alligator to get it, but someone did. And that’s awesome.
Taste Factor: 5. Not terribly tasty, but definitely a textural heaven. Also it’s made of alligators.
Best for: On the side of some spicy jambalaya in the hot sun, you’ll sweat out the calories right away.
Eaten by: Michael Zonenashvili
Asiadog
Festival: Governors Ball
Location: New York, NY (Randall’s Island)
What: Remember Bánh mì sandwiches? Neither do I, because I discovered Asiadog. Not only does it embody the Great American Food Mashup, it’s hard to argue with pate, aioli, and pickled daikon. Just be sure to get two.
Taste Factor: 7. Really depends on which ones you get, and in which combination. Time’s limited at festivals, so decision-making time compromises its desirability.
Best for: Lunch or dinner.
Eaten by: Harley Brown
Baohaus Buns
Festival: The Great GoogaMooga
Location: Brooklyn, NY
What: Like cupcakes, Asian-derived meat buns are kind of a fad. But Baohaus elevates this from the pages of an eat-this-now column to something that will make you never want to eat fried chicken again unless it’s encased in a pillow of dough and drizzled with orange ambrosia.
Taste Factor: 10. Just be careful of getting sauce on your face and bun in your teeth lest you start a feeding frenzy.
Best for: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You can even stash some in your pockets for later.
Eaten by: Harley Brown
Cajun Duck Po Boy
Festival: New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival
Location: New Orleans, LA
What: Well, the name’s pretty self-explanatory, but hey, there’s lettuce and pickles in there, too.
Taste Factor: 7.5. I’m sure the crawfish ones are better — considering that’s what most people were eating — but goddamn those seafood allergies of mine. For now, the duck does it.
Best for: A pre-headliner snack, right as the Louisiana sun is cutting you some slack.
Eaten by: Michael Roffman
Chicago Diner Gyros
Festival: Pitchfork Music Festival
Location: Chicago, IL
What: You won’t find better vegan simulcra than The Chicago Diner and the toast of their menu are the gyros. Even for people who don’t like fake meat (me), you (almost) can’t tell you’re eating synthetic lamb shavings.
Taste Factor: 6. Only because I now think of it as synthetic lamb shavings.
Best for: Impressing your vegetarian boyfriend or girlfriend.
Eaten by: Jeremy D. Larson
Coolhaus
Festival: Austin City Limits // South by Southwest
Location: Austin, TX
What: Two freshly baked cookies barely hold together a heaping amount of gourmet ice cream. Create your own (double chocolate cookie + peanut butter ice cream is heaven), or rely on the menu options. Either way, be sure to eat the paper, because it’s edible, obviously.
Taste Factor: 12. Ice cream sandwiches are flawless to begin with. Add an extra 2 points for flavor options.
Best for: Austin heat.
Eaten by: Alex Young
Crifdog
Festival: The Great GoogaMooga
Location: Brooklyn, NY
What: Hot dogs a million and a half ways, but whenever there’s an egg involved, the egg comes first. And a bacon-wrapped hot dog nestled within an egg within a bun? Better than any McDonald’s breakfast sandwich, and that’s saying a lot.
Taste Factor: 8. Delicious, but you’ll probably feel at least a little ill afterward.
Best for: Good Morning Crifdog + beer = festival breakfast of champions.
Eaten by: Harley Brown
Dave’s Mini Donuts
Festival: Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival // B.O.M.B. Fest (R.I.P.)
Location: Manchester, TN // Hartford, CT
What: A bag of 12, piping hot miniature donuts drenched in cinnamon and sugar. Best of all, they’re apple cider donuts. Second best of all? Free samples.
Taste Factor: 8, unless you burn your tongue. Then it’s still an 8.
Best for: Bonnabreakfast
Eaten by: Michael Zonenhasvili
