Tasting Notes
ROLLING STONE and DoorDash joined forces this past Sunday, for their newest “Tasting Notes” collaboration. The SXSW event aimed to savor and celebrate different mediums of creativity, both through tunes and taste buds, and successfully achieved just that! From a delicious food tasting with world famous Chef CJ Jacobson to a stripped down Remi Wolf performance, the evening was chalk-full of monumental moments.
The event was hosted at upscale South Congress restaurant, Aba; a foodie-favorite within the Austin grub scene. Guests arrived eager to indulge, entering into the restaurant’s remarkable ambiance, which has given Aba such a notable reputation in the city. Surrounded by sprawling greenery, delicious smells and dim mood lighting, guests had the option to choose from a variety of complimentary drinks. Wine, beer and non-alcoholic cocktails were served, as well as Aba’s signature ‘Aloe? It’s Me’ cocktail. The cocktail, which is raved about across town and online, blends illegal mezcal, aloe, green juice, jalapeño and pineapple; staying true to Aba’s mission of integrating unlikely flavor pairings from across the board.
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In fact, Aba is known for its unique Mediterranean-inspired dishes, curated by three-time Top Chef Veteran, Chef CJ Jacobson. Guests were able to try a taste of it all, as they served themselves from a large buffet of various Mediterranean must-haves (i.e. Aba’s signature whipped feta, classic humus, lamb and beef kefta, pita bread, grilled chicken drizzled in yogurt marinade, and plenty more of the region’s delicacies).
However, Jacobson’s influences aren’t limited to just the Mediterranean. As guests devoured small bites from the event’s personalized Fireside Chat menu, Jacobson spoke a bit about his inspirations, proudly describing how he merges elements of Lebanese, Greek, Turkish and Israeli foods with his background in California cooking. The blend of the aforementioned, he explained, is responsible for the curation of his exquisite cuisine, which has become such a sought-after commodity in the food world.
One of the most notable dishes served from the Fireside Chat menu was Jacobson’s Green Falafel, complete with avocado tzatziki, garlic tahini and jalapeño. “I’m from southern California, so that’s why I added the avocado,” Jacobson admitted, with a smile.
The panel, which was moderated by Rolling Stone’s Ilana Woldenberg, seamlessly connected the similarities between the creation and sourcing of both food and music. Music superstar Remi Wolf also joined Illana and Jacobson on stage, to talk about her personal connection to food.
“I feel like my music is kind of a collage of flavors.” Remi explained, “For those of you who actually do know my music, I do have a lot of food references in there. I’m constantly thinking about food!”
In practice, both Jacobson and Wolf express themselves much differently, but within the actual creative process, they proved to be eerily similar. Both from California, they take much of their inspiration from West Coast living and ingredient forging. In fact, Wolf’s mother is a chef, so she finds food particularly close to her heart.
“Food is therapeutic for me,” Remi explained. “Music is my therapy.” Jacobson responded, professing his love for 90s’ indie group Pavement.
To top off the culinary experience, Wolf played a collection of songs backed by acoustic guitar. The set, though stripped of her iconic funk and bass grooves, was nothing short of energetic. Her massive 2021 hit “Disco Man,” was one of the songs performed on Sunday. “He likes his cherries when they’re maraschino. He likes his movies when they’re Taratino.” Wolf sang with a bit of laughter; a familiar call-back to her food-inspired lyrical process.
After the performance, DashPass members, who were given priority access to the event, were invited to an exclusive meet and greet with Remi. DashPass is DoorDash’s membership program which gives all members $0 delivery fees on eligible orders, access to the best restaurants in their neighborhood, and members-only perks and experiences. In fact, Aba is one of the restaurants available for delivery with DoorDash, for all of your at-home feta and hummus needs!
Rolling Stone and DoorDash’s “Tasting Notes” had it all; ridding guests of the Sunday scaries, and instead comforting them with a memorable night of food and music.
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