Off the Grid Holds ‘Soft Launch’ Monday

The has moved on, for now – but is about to go off.

The downtown foodie event, taking place every Monday from 5 to 9 p.m., is holding its “soft launch” this evening, giving vendors a chance to get “a sense of their audience and tastes, how much food they need to prepare for future events, which dishes sell more than others at this location, etc.,” organizers said. Several thousand are expected to attend the events, which are being held at the downtown Caltrain station in the parking area between 1st and Baldwin.

Members of the Downtown San Mateo Association (DSMA) say they worked hard to bring Off the Grid here with the hopes that overflow patrons will end up dropping dollars in local bars, clubs and restaurants.

“Jamie Sears Turri (owner of J'me Boutique on 3rd Ave) and I successfully lobbied the manager of Off The Grid, Matt Cohen,” wrote Rob Edwards, executive director of DSMA, in a message earlier today. “We assisted with city permits, helped chose the downtown Caltrain location, and as recently as yesterday, I was tying up loose ends to ensure that the event would be a success.”

Both Off the Grid, based in San Francisco, and Moveable Feast, based in San Jose, are part of a new trend in mobile food vending, with high-end restaurants rolling in to offer a wide variety of cuisine to discriminating foodies. Marie Millares, director of Local Label Faire, which helps organize Moveable Feast, described her event as a “young and scrappy underdog from SJ,” while Off the Grid’s organizers are “well-established power event planners from SF.”

Participating vendors in tonight’s event include Hapa SF, 3-Sum Eats, Chairman Bao, Pacific Puffs and others. For more information, visit http://www.facebook.com/OffTheGridSF.