BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — A huge vat of green pozole scented the air around one table. Waffles on a stick, dipped in breakfast cereal, adorned another. Looking for booze? Bloody marys and spicy margaritas abounded.

Bakersfield Brunch Fest returned to Stramler Park on Saturday, vendors providing offerings both traditional and innovative. Ever had a club sandwich with blackberries and prosciutto sandwiched between two waffles? This was your chance.

Sonder’s innovative “brunch club” had waffles in place of bread.

That creation from Sonder proved incredibly popular. I later heard it won the “Best Brunch” category.

There were plenty of other treats on hand. And with clear skies and the temperature in the mid-80s, it was a perfect day to mosey from booth to booth and sample them.

That pozole, brought by Brazas Cocina Latinoamerica, was soothing and light, made with chicken instead of pork and wonderful with some diced onions and cilantro thrown in. Brazas also served a spinach quiche that was quite good.

The breakfast skillet from Huckleberry’s was OK. The beignet was delicious.

Huckleberry’s “Mississippi skillet” was fine, but not much different than various other breakfast skillets I’ve had. Far more interesting was their “Mardis Gras beignet,” piping hot, dusted with powdered sugar and delicious.

The excellent veggie bake from Lettuce Eat.

Is there a natural aversion toward healthy-sounding food at festivals? Because when I approached the Lettuce Eat booth my expectations couldn’t have been lower. I figured I’d get something green and good for me but not especially memorable.

Well, they proved me wrong. Their veggie bake was one of the highlights of the festival. If allowed, I would have bought a tray of it to consume over the rest of the week.

The BLVD’s jalapeno bacon wontons provided a couple of tasty bites.

There were so many other great bites — The BLVD’s jalapeno bacon wontons, Mr. Clamato’s aguachile, Harrington House’s fried brunch wrap covered with an outstanding, fiery sauce — far too many to mention them all here.

Countryside Market’s brisket and gravy was my favorite bite of the event.

If forced to choose a favorite, I’d have to go with the cup of brisket and gravy from Countryside Market. Thick gravy, smoky brisket and a depth of flavor blasted into the stratosphere with the addition of spicy honey. It was one of the first items I tried, and, a couple dozen samples later, nothing surpassed it.