On Saturday, Eater celebrated its 20th anniversary in true Eater fashion: by bringing together tons of our favorite restaurants and bars of the past two decades for the ultimate food bash: Eater Off Menu.
Revelers were treated to a flavor-packed journey through two decades of dining, from the street-food-forward (spicy cold noodles from Xi’an Famous Foods) to the downright decadent (Tatiana’s truffle-and-caviar-topped oxtail rangoons). Guests could also scoop a copy of Eater’s very first, super limited-edition print magazine — packed with stories looking back on all of the biggest moments of the last 20 years, from the cupcake craze to the rise of food trucks.
The sold-out event kicked off with the Capital One Exclusive Preview Hour for Capital One cardholders, then opened its gates for an evening of eating our way through the tastes, trends, and institutions that shaped the state of food today. Guests took an immersive journey through four different themed zones: More Is More, dedicated to excess (let’s just say there was a lot of caviar); Slow Food, with a sustainability-focused take on modern cuisine; Heritage Cooking, with barbacoa tacos from South Philly Barbacoa and shrimp and grits from chef Sean Brock; and Sweet Treats, where Superiority Burger’s corn cob gelato was a major hit.
There were also plenty of surprises (was that Padma Lakshmi inside the martini-dispensing phonebooth?) , strong drinks (did we mention the seven-food negroni fountain?), and guests going back for seconds from Sushi Nakazawa.
Overall, it was an incredible night that not only reminded us of some of the past two decades’ biggest food trends — high-horsepower blenders, cronuts, and supergreens — but also showcased many of today’s major players in the restaurant world and offered edible reminders of what makes them so special.
Special thanks to our sponsors: Capital One, Cadillac, Cathay Pacific, Foodmarks presented by Coca-Cola, Grüns, Impossible Foods, and Vitamix. Ticket revenue also supported World Central Kitchen, founded by chef José Andrés, and its mission to feed communities in crisis around the world.
