Dundada Dishcrawls Its Way Through Pleasanton

As a child I’ve often wondered what it would be like to spend a few hours in Willie Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.

Now I know.

But instead of bubble gum that makes you float, everlasting gobstoppers and rivers overflowing with rich chocolate, I was treated to a delectable menagerie of hors d’oeuvres paired with the finest spirits, a scrumptious sampling of an entire dinner, mouth watering appetizers with award winning margaritas, and a dessert to impress the finickiest palates.

Our journey began and ended not in a glass elevator, but on the streets of beautiful and historic Pleasanton during the newest fad, the Dishcrawl. Similar to the Pub Crawl, the Dishcrawl is an adventure that leads a group of people to the finest restaurants in a particular city.

The idea was sparked by entrepreneurs Jennifer La Court, Jacqueline Do, and Tracy Lee whose mission is to bring people together over food and promote synergistic feelings while supporting local restaurant and businesses.

For a flat and very reasonable rate, guests are wined and dined and escorted to various eateries where friends and strangers come together to get personal, behind the scenes information about the chosen restaurants, socialize, eat and drink.

The event lasts approximately two and a half hours, and I can assure you the time flowed so well that our group never got bored or restless.

My first Dishcrawl was not spent with Grandpa but with fellow Dundada Society Members Derek and Lindsay Fox, Cherie Harrison and Bernadette Guimarin. It was our chance to proudly portray the Dundada buttons provided to us by the Dishcrawl organizers and to introduce ourselves and our group to fellow participants. Imagine socializing and networking with your neighbors!

We were able to talk about our businesses, learn about theirs, and promote Dundada! If all goes well, Dundada’s newest member will be a hair stylist!

Our Dishcrawl began at the Livermore Winery at 7  p.m. where we were greeted warmly by Jennifer and Tracy and offered our choice of beverage. Our group sampled the refreshing ice cold water with fresh, seasonal fruit, Almond and Raspberry Champagne, Shiraz, and port wine filled in an edible dark chocolate cylinder cup.

We were happily treated to a selection of hors d’oeuvres consisting of brie wrapped in a mouth-watering crust, light, flaky crackers, toasted bread with an array of dips, strawberries dripping with juice, and velvety chocolate mousse in chocolate tuxedos. We enjoyed the outdoor ambiance and the guitar music and vocals of Roger Kardinal.

Our next Dishcrawl took us to Pans on Fire where Master Chef Linda showed us how to make and prepare a scrumptious red onion pickle salad, chicken marsala, foccacia bread, potato gnocchi in brown butter sage sauce, and green beans with sautéed grape tomatoes.

Alberto’s Cantina was our third stop. We learned that this delicious Mexican restaurant is named after its owner, Alberto, who treated us to his very popular fruity margaritas, cheesy quesadillas, and a meat roll up. With an accent of warm, homemade tortilla chips, this meal left us fully satisfied.

But as soon as we learned our last stop was at the infamous Cold Stone Ice Creamery owned by Mike and Mindy Salas,  we quickly made room for a delicious velvet cake with strawberry ice cream and cookies and cream ice cream and cake.

At 9:30 we made our way back by foot to our cars. We all complimented the delicious samplings, laughed heartily, concurred that we got a lot for the nominal $26 fee, and agreed that even though we were stuffed like Oompa Loompas, we could hardly wait to sign up for the next Dishcrawl!

Dundada would love to hear your thoughts on this topic!  Please contact us at www.dundadasociety.com

About the Author

Michelle Bedard has been writing for over 20 years. She has written and researched stories, articles, press releases, and web content for local businesses, the San Jose Mercury News, and Parent's Magazine. She currently works as a writer, editor, marketing consultant and owner of Flair For Writing. Her other passions include her four children, animal rescue, and soccer. She can be reached at 925-336-6076.