Seafood Festival Hooked in Major Crowds for Second Annual Event
Written By: Alana Aronson Santa Monica Seafood Festival
The second annual Seafood Festival was OFF THE HOOK this past weekend! The celebration, hosted by OFF THE HOOK and in support of Westside Food Bank, kicked off at 3 p.m. on Saturday on the Santa Monica Pier. “The world’s first indie rock tribute band, ” Black Crystal Wolf Kids, was the first band to grace the festival stage, and got attendees moving and singing along in no time. The group played several top hits from today and proved to be a major hit at the event. Also gracing the stage was the festival’s very own mermaid! She and her gold and berry-hued tail posed for pictures with passersby and sea-lovers alike!
Those attending the event were treated to an endless selection of seafood snacks, with ahi tuna tacos from Del Frisco’s Grill being one of the crowd pleasers. Just small enough to devour in nearly one bite, the handheld pieces of heaven had everyone coming back for more. The Lobster restaurant returned with the ever popular item from last year’s event—their lobster and shrimp corndog. Fried to perfection and stuffed with the sea’s most sought after crustaceans, this treat was a home-run. Shock Top’s Belgian White brew was a much-loved libation that helped beat the heat all day long. La Croix, Boxed Water, and Bulletproof Coffee were other tasty beverages available to attendees.
In the Santa Monica Seafood Sustainable Lounge, Red O Restaurant, a fairly recent addition to Ocean Avenue, made a lasting impression with Perfectomundo Tequila tastings and their seafood selection, and served up their famous ahi tuna tostadas. Fig Santa Monica displayed grilled oysters that were almost as beautiful as they were delicious. One of the most intriguing dishes served in the Santa Monica Seafood Sustainable Lounge was baby octopus served on a bite-sized chickpea pancake—and it definitely did not disappoint. Chef Greg’s ceviche from Ashland Hill was fresh and flavorful, and nearly inspired those inside to toast with the Piper-Heidsieck champagne. INFUSE Spirits refreshed palates with crafted cocktails.
Santa Monica Seafood donated the Pink Ribbon Oysters for the shucking contest; 25 precent of proceeds went to the Breast Cancer research Foundation. After the oyster shucking competition, local Venice Beach band Brightside played their blend of reggae rock and transported listeners to island time to close out the event. Salt & Straw Silencio Black Tea & Coconut Stracciatella was the perfect sweet treat to accompany a delicious ending to OFF THE HOOK.
OFF THE HOOK Seafood Festival
350 Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Just in Case You Missed OFF THE HOOK This Past Weekend
