Sexy Food: The Three Year Anniversary of SMA Food Porn

By Frankie Cruz-Aedo

Three years ago, Jo Davis decided to create a social media page where foodies could write about and share their passion for all things San Miguel gastronomy. On Tuesday, July 14, Cent'anni Live Eatertainment and Crazy Horse Promotions will host the three-year anniversary celebration of SMA Food Porn. The event will feature two DJs alongside guest chefs Max from 3.6.9. pop kitchen, Chuy from Agavia, Andrés from Amatte/Hacintto, and Toño from Garnache, along with Cent'anni's own Juan Carlos.

I arrived here three years ago to open an upscale restaurant in Atascadero. A friend once told me, 'Frankie, dining out in San Miguel is like an Olympic sport!'

When asked what prompted the page, Jo shares: "I arrived here hungry and ready to dive into the local Mexican scene. The heart of every culture is found sitting around a hot, local meal—all while fumbling to learn a foreign language and gaining a little humility. I would go to a new restaurant, try something new, and love it. Then I'd move on to another restaurant and repeat! Grazing our way through San Miguel was fun for the first few months, but it quickly became overwhelming."

"I created SMA Food Porn to crowdsource information and images. Eating out twice a day for a year will get you through every restaurant in this town, but who is that dedicated? Hmmm. Maybe Kathleen Jones?"

So, how many restaurants are actually here? One estimate pegs the number at 800.

"My Mexican family, who adopted me 10 years ago, explained that I needed to develop my 'Mexican ear' to remember the names of restaurants," Jo adds. "I love seeing all the beautiful dishes other foodies share, and it feels good to support local businesses."

On SMA Food Porn, you can search for the food you're craving and go. If you look up a restaurant and don't find it, let them know. "However, if you don't see any posts about a restaurant you want to try, you might want to consider skipping it."

"The world is a wild place right now, so food should be fun and adventurous. Keep it sexy! We have so much to be grateful for."