Porchetta Truck: Best Thing to Happen to Ciabatta

I wish I never tried the porchetta sandwich by chef Evan Funke.

Now I can't stop thinking about that little sandwich - and craving it like that perfect stranger that you've only met once, but had such an intense 'moment' with (which may or may not have been completely arbitrary) and who you wish you would have held onto because you're more sure than anything you've ever been sure about in your life, crazy as it sounds, that you're meant to be.

Fresh back from a cruise around Europe/ the Mediterranean with my family, I found myself:

• Going through Post Foodgasm Depression (miss the fast and furious amazing foodie experiences we had while on vacation)
• ...made worse by the fact that I had depleted my already meager bank account on the trip, meaning no mind blowing food excursions for the foreseeable future
• Quickly and necessarily ramped back up to the daily grind (love my job, but hard to go back to 50-70 hour work weeks after living in foodie fantasyland for 'so long')

Then I somehow came across articles on the Porchetta Truck, a temporary mobile kitchen for chef Evan Funke and his partner until they get the necessary permit to open their highly anticipated restaurant, Bucato, at the Helms Bakery in Culver City. Chef Funke had previously headed up kitchens at Rustic Canyon and Milo & Olive - unfortunately I had never gotten around to visiting either one. But I was intrigued by this pork sandwich (they had me at fried pork skin) that was getting so much buzz - it's apparently the only thing sold from the truck besides sodas, it's only $5, and this week it was going to be right down the street from my office!!! So I grabbed a food-loving co-worker and set out to chase it down.

The white, barely marked truck (only identifiable by the red pig silhouette that I'd seen on Instagram) was near the end of food truck alley, and Chef Funke was there personally to greet guests.  You could smell the deliciousness as you approach the truck.

And then there it was...in our eager hands - the Porchetta Sandwich ($5) perfection between crusty pieces of locally baked ciabatta - juicy, flavorful 'Umbrian style' roasted pork (apparently, made from the belly and loin), thinly sliced with gorgeous streaks of fat, fragrant with pesto 'modenese' (paste made of lard!!! garlic and rosemary), counterbalanced by lemon juice, arugula, and this amazing, crisp, super flavor-rich piece of chicharron (fried pork skin).  The only way I could describe the porchetta is with an analogy to beef...you know when you've been eating mass produced steak forever, and then the first time you bite into a grassfed steak, it feels like every other piece of beef you've ever had before was not even....real? That's what the porchetta tasted like - except it was pork. Mmmmmm.....instant addiction.

Probably easily the best pork sandwich I've ever had in my life, and my coworker loved it too.  We just wish we had bought two (while an amazing deal for the quality of food you're getting, portion size is not enough to be a filling lunch even for average sized Asian girls). Apparently you can get the sandwich topped by an egg fried in duck fat too.  I'm so trying that next time.

Thank you, Porchetta Truck, for saving this foodie back on a budget from the everyday mundane.
Today is Saturday, and the truck is not out and about.  Not until Tuesday, I think.  I will be in absolute agony in my cavernous need until then (yes, I am in fact a bit of a food geek, if you didn't know that already).

Can't wait til Bucato opens so that there will be a permanent space to get my fix!  (I hear it will be a matter of 6-8 more weeks, and that this sandwich will be served there!)

Update: Had the version with duck egg (+$2) and it was even more mind blowing!

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Porchetta Truck
All over LA - check Twitter or Instagram for latest location
Twitter: @bucatola
Instagram: @evanfunke @bucatola

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Eggslut LA: ACME Foodporn

When I first heard about Eggslut truck, I was a bit turned off by its name. Such a gratuitous marketing gimmick, I thought.

But the truck was co-founded by Chef Alvin Cailan, who had worked in the kitchen of critically acclaimed MB Post with Michelin-starred chef David Lefevre (previously of Water Grill), and sounded like one of those passion projects that is only temporarily on wheels - until the idea incubates, heats up and hatches a brick and mortar down the line.  After reading that even Ruth Reichl stopped by while in LA and raved about it, I decided it was time to give it a try. Even if it meant waking up at the crack of dawn to hit up the truck, parked pretty much every Monday to Friday 7-11:30am in front of Coffee Commissary on Fairfax, on my way to work if I take the longer route.

Once I had a taste last week, I realized the appropriateness of the name. It's eggs, 'done every which way' (their quote is "wet, hard, and on top of everything"), indiscriminately offering all who desire it, indescribeable pleasures that you'll want to experience again and again. (Ok somebody please stop me, now.)

The most unique, and pretty much its signature dish, is: Thee Slut ($8) a soft-boiled, coddled egg atop potato puree topped by grey salt and chives - served up in a glass jar.  Eggs and potato have gone together - forever - but the two breakfast staples I have never seen served up like this, and never at this unexpectedly high quality from a truck.  The egg was literally perfectly cooked (how can they achieve the precision needed in what tastes like a 63 degree egg on a truck?!!!) and absolutely transcendent, when the liquid gold yolk runneth over into the buttery potato puree below, with the chives and grey salt softly punctuating the lot with extra kicks of flavor and crunch. 

The beast with two backs indeed.  Lots of fellow foodies have reported the correct way to savor this proof-of-a-higher-being, is to break the yolk, then plunge the accompanying toasts down through it to the potato below, to end up with a bit of everything on the toast.  I had been so distracted by the flavors and textures of what was in the jar, that I completely forgot about the toasts - so will have to try the 'proper' way on my next visit (and there will be many - I've never been a morning person, but Eggslut may just change my life...ok maybe not.  But it will be commute-route-altering...)

Aside from Thee Slut, eggs are also served in various breakfast sandwich-burgers, creative egg-centric takes on familiar dishes like "Notcho Slut" (gourmet nachos with eggs) and in daily specials.  The day I went, one of the specials was Mushroom Tartine ($8) soft-scrambled eggs served open faced on French loaf with diced cremini mushrooms, roasted grape tomatoes, parmesan & chives.  It was over for me the minute I read that on the menu board: I had to get it (lust: check. pre-meditated gluttony: check).

The presentation was beautiful, and again, the quality of every element was shockingly high caliber for a food truck.  If you put this on an unmarked plate and brought it to me next to another unmarked plate of eggs from Farmshop - I would venture to say that I really don't know if I would be able to tell the difference based on quality.

The cool thing about Eggslut's 'regular' location that I want to note, is that it's right in front of Coffee Commissary: it's a perfect pairing not only in terms of each providing breakfast staples that the other lacks - but also that Coffee Commissary has some nice seating both inside the cafe and outside on the patio - which Eggslut clients...I mean customers...can also use. 

So unlike other food trucks where you have to eat standing up on the sidewalk, perch at makeshift bar height tables, or go ghetto fabulous with seats made of overturned buckets -  you can actually enjoy a leisurely breakfast in a nice setting with real tables and chairs.  IF you don't have to rush off to work, that is.  I didn't wake up early enough that morning, and had to run back to the office, so I took my food to go.  But not before picking up a coffee from Coffee Commissary.  Again, I am not at all a coffee connoiseur, so no idea how good this coffee ranks among others in the city, but to me The Cuban ($4) was super fragrant, smooth, with subtle spices that went really well with the luscious egg dishes.

The other thing I should mention is, if like me you want to just 'swing by' and pick up breakfast from Eggslut - note that they make every item to order (hence the insanely delicious bites), so don't expect to be able to complete anything at the speed of a drive by.  It took about 10 minutes for a 2-dish order.  SO worth the wait, and with Coffee Commissary right there you can just use that time to get your drink order in - but just something to plan for, if you've got places to go and appointments to keep.

All I know is - I'm hooked, and can't wait to make my way back to Eggslut for more. Don't let the name throw you off - the food is absolutely legit.

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6.5 bites
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 5.5 bites
Ambience - 5 stars
Service - 5.5 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $ (1 bite mark)
Probability of return visit - 100%
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Eggslut LA
In front of Coffee Commissary Mondays to Fridays 7-11:30am
Location varies on Saturdays - see Twitter for updates
Twitter: @eggslutla
Website: eggslut.com

Coffee Commissary
801 N. Fairfax Ave., #106, Los Angeles, 90046
Website: http://coffeecommissary.com/
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Nom Nom Truck - Offal Sandwich Extraordinaire

It was my first few weeks at the new job on the Westside - and I was going to say I was 'still' in my honeymoon phase, but with this one I think that feeling is going to last!

On top of the excitement with new responsibilities, I was also happy about the whole new world of lunch options that are now open to me - and that is not just about restaurants, but extends to food trucks as well (some of which did not make their way to the Valley, at least not by my old office!).

When I saw that Nom Nom Truck (which Food Network fans might recognize from The Great Food Truck Race) was by my new work one day, I practically leaped out of my chair. I had tried their infamous Bahn Mi (Lemongrass Chicken) before, and while it was good, it wasn't mind blowing. What I really wanted to try was their Deli Special sandwich - packed with a combination of things that would make my non-foodie friends cringe, but which sets my Spidey Foodie Sense a-tingling!

What's in it? According to their menu description: Vietnamese head cheese, meatloaf, ham, pâté. The last time I encountered Nom Nom Truck, they had been out of this. Ever the optimist, I set out that day hoping to catch the Deli Special for lunch.

And: cue triumphant music: they had it!! Perched in a 'cookie cutter', all-business-business-park that day, I was pretty much the only one in line that was excited to give the offal sandwich a try. The 'suits' loss, my gain.

So what exactly is head cheese? It's definitely not dairy or, in people's worst imaginations, some form of mucous-y extrusion from the cabeza of a four legged beast. It's just a well-intended but misguided and epic fail of an euphemism for a cold cut made from various bits of meat taken from the head of a cow or pig - if you like beef or pork cheek, that's one of the bits of meat you can get from the head.

I loved the sandwich, with its intriguing mix of various textures: cold cut of head cheese, slightest crunch, with more hefty tasting bites of meatloaf and juicy smooth ham with creaminess of pâté (mousse made from duck liver). And the signature flavors of Vietnamese cuisine with savory and sour and sweet all coming through at the same time, all in balance with each other. All in a fresh and delicious baguette.

LOVED. Can't wait til Nom Nom Truck comes back around again.

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Nom Nom Truck
All over Los Angeles (and in San Francisco too!)
Follow on Twitter:
@Nomnomtruck

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http://onemorebiteblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/nom-nom-truck-offal-sandwich.html

Not Your Mother's Ice Cream Truck: COOLHAUS vs. Lake Street Creamery

A music-box-like jingle used to signal the magical arrival of all that is good in the world, neatly compressed into a single silver scoop / heaping swirl on a blissful sugar cone - that could roll into the neighborhood on any given day.  That jingle said to kids everywhere - run out to the street to grab your favorite treat.  And that was back in the days of chemical cones, and mass-produced ice cream and rusty roach coaches. 

Fast forward to present day - handcrafted, all-natural ice cream and their eco-conscious purveyors are helping to drive the food truck movement that started here in LA, and kids of all ages can now 'experience' frozen treats of a quality like we've never had before from a roving artisan, that lets you eat well, while being a responsible citizen. (And with the recent heat wave in LA, ice cream becomes not just a tasty treat, but a life-saving device!)

COOLHAUS and Lake Street Creamery are two that I have developed addictions to.  Last week, I had my 'food truck zombie*' moment - though I am far from a hipster, I promise! - (*yes, I'm working in a Happy Endings reference, it's my new fav show!), tailing Lake Street Creamery as they struggled with a local business complex, who had overbooked their space, on where to park. 

So how do the two measure up? 

CONCEPT

COOLHAUS:  All-natural, handmade, customizable ice cream sandwiches inspired by architects and architecture!  Modernist vibe. The name comes from: Bauhaus (modernist design movement of 1920′s & 30′s) + Rem Koolhaas (Dutch Architect and Theorist who challenged mantra “Form follows function”) +  “Cool house”: ice cream sandwich deconstructs into cookie roof and floor slab with ice cream walls!

Lake Street Creamery: Handmade ice creams, gelatos, sorbets served in waffle bowls, and floats in unique flavors. Nostalgic, old-timey soda fountain aesthetic.  Though their website manifesto is rather random, with a tagline that doesn't have obvious relevance to the name: "We guarantee IT WILL TURN YOU INTO A GOD.*"

Winner: COOLHAUS for most cerebral, cohesive, clear and customizable concept


VARIETY / FLAVORS

COOLHAUS: Rotating menu, usually 8-10 flavors of ice cream and 6-8 varieties of cookies. 'Construct' your own ice cream sandwich via mix and match!

Flavors are original and eyes-rolled-back-delicious: from Nutella Toasted Almond to Lycee Martini to 'luxe' flavors like Pistachio Black Truffle.  My all-time favorites are Balsamic Fig Mascarpone, and those mentioned above - but I've pretty much loved every flavor I've tried - and they are always coming up with new creative ones (like Foie Gras, Strawberry Jalapeno and Spiced Persimmon).

Cookie flavors range from classics like Chocolate Chip to Lemon Rosemary to Brioche.

Lake St C: There are 6 ice cream flavors on the regular menu, with rotating specials.  The flavors are original and fun.  For example, chocolate based flavor Aztec Sacrifice, is described as "...hot, spicy chocolate in the tradition of the Precolumbian Americas...chiles, cayenne, and the blood of a thousand virgins." (Tastes like Mayan Hot Chocolate in ice cream form) There is a Donut flavor, and Pancake Breakfast which is is described as "Cakey, satisfying flapjacks, pure maple syrup, and bits of real bacon, sprinkled with fresh-ground peaberry coffee." - I think the Pancake Breakfast is my hands-down favorite!!!

They also offer rotating specials like Strawberry Basil and my favorite, the hilarious and tasty at the same time "Don Draper" - made with vanilla, caramel, bourbon, and smoke!  On on particularly stressful Friday, I decided to make my own 2-scoop combo - the "Don Draper Breakfast" (1 scoop Don Draper + 1 scoop Pancake Breakfast) for lunch, died and went to heaven - and it is as great as advertised)!

Floats combine ice cream with gourmet sodas - fun pairings include Jelly Donut with black cherry soda + Donut ice cream or Orange Blossom with orange soda + California Zephyr ice cream.

Winner:  Tough call, I LOVE flavors from both but COOLHAUS wins narrowly for greater variety, being ever full of surprises, and a concept that never gets tired (there are SO many DIY combinations!)

QUALITY

COOLHAUS: Their ice cream sandwiches are all-natural, handmade and organic whenever possible, using local and seasonal market fresh ingredients. Dairy is produced sustainably and is free of artificial growth hormone.  I am blown away every time by the sophistication and creativity of their flavors.  They don't skimp on ingredients either - the Pistachio Black Truffle ice cream has actual, very visible bits of truffle throughout!  Cookies also taste fresh, homemade.
Lake St C: Makes their ice creams by hand, right on the truck, using the freshest ingredients available.  In the California Zephyr, made of "Tahitian vanilla, fresh Meyer lemon, and bits of fresh mint leaves," you can see and taste the actual flecks of fresh lemon and chopped up leaves of mint - the flavor is undescribly refreshing.  Donut is made with actual cake donuts.  Waffle bowls also taste fresh made and crisp.

Winner: Lake Street Creamery's ice cream wins for best mouthfeel with incredibly smooth, creamy texture that says homemade, and tastes like it's good for you.

ALL ABOUT CUSTOMS

COOLHAUS:  Customize sammiches by picking your own flavors of ice cream and cookies.  Fun suggestions inspired by architects are offered.

Lake St C: Customize floats by choosing your own soda flavors and ice cream to dunk into it. Fun suggestions inspired by other sweet treats like Jelly Donut and Black Forest, or random ideas like Weird Creep (Black Jack ice cream and cream soda)

Winner:  Tie. COOLHAUS makes their entire menu customizable.  Lake Street Creamery's DIY floats are simply a brilliant idea for an ice cream truck - best use of ice cream to create a product extension, offering another refreshing treat that lets you cool down with 'dessert', while quenching thirst on a hot day!!

ECO-FRIENDLINESS

COOLHAUS:  Ice cream sandwiches are made using all-natural, handmade and organic, local ingredients whenever possible. Dairy is sustainably produced and artificial growth hormone free. Even the wrappers are edible and all-natural - made of potato paper and soy ink.

Lake St C: Ice creams served in waffle bowls to eliminate waste.  Utensils are biodegradable: wooden spoons and cardboard straws. The only drawback for me was that the straw gets a bit soggy after a while, so not the best way to experience your float (kinda like pixie stix, if you suck on them to get the candy powder out, the paper becomes soggy and gross - and with the floats you can't really just dump the contents into your mouth).

Winner:  COOLHAUS for zero waste, and making their edible wrapper is a zero-calorie novelty that enhances your enjoyment of the treat.  (Well, for their ice cream sandwiches.  If you order your scoop in a cup they'll still give you a paper cup and plastic spoon.  But for the most part, zero waste with ice cream sandwich orders! Can't wait to see how they continue their green efforts when they open their brick-and-mortar store this summer!)

FINAL VERDICT?  It's like asking a mother which child she loves more (so I'm not a mom, but can imagine).  COOLHAUS is like the valedictorian who impresses with smarts and constant achievement, and Lake Street Creamery is like the sensitive, artistic hardworker, whose talent shines through with their passion projects.  But ultimately I can't choose - love them both in different ways!  Somebody get me a Coolhaus by the Lake, stat.

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COOLHAUS
All over Los Angeles - see Twitter for updates
Price: $5 ice cream sandwich, $8 for double; $20 for skyscraper of 5 sandwiches (skyscraper is free if you can eat all by yourself!)
Twitter: twitter.com/coolhaus
Website: eatcoolhaus.com

Lake Street Creamery
All over Los Angeles - see Twitter for updates
Price: 1 scoop $4, 2 scoops $6, 3 scoops $8; floats $6
Twitter: twitter.com/lakestcreamery
Website: lakestreetcreamery.com

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COOLHAUS:                Lake Street Creamery:
  

Grill 'Em All Truck - Breadbar Hatchi Truck Stop Pop-Up 8 Dishes 8 Dollars

Malls are steadily looking to transform into more than just a place to shop.  With complexes like Century City and Santa Monica Place at the forefront of the 'culinary evolution' - from aspiring dining experiences on rooftop terrace to high end food courts serving global fare - mall dining has its gaze firmly affixed on becoming more than mere utilitarian pit stops to refuel during marathon shopping sprees, but destinations /events that garner attention from gourmands.  There is still a lot of work to be done before they can achieve that goal - but as someone used to experiencing fine dining in malls in Hong Kong, I for one am cheering on their efforts.

BREADBAR is one of the trailblazers, with its focus on "artisanal bread in the classic tradition of French breadcraft...inspired by the French bakers of past centuries, and updated with a contemporary American taste." Combining "tradition and innovation with a passion for good eating", Breadbar first made headlines with Ludo Lefebvre's game-changing pop-up concept at its 3rd street location a few years ago.  It's since progressed to Hatchi guest chef series at its Westfield Century City location. The latest in the series, "Hatchi Truck Stop", featuring food truck chefs the last Thursday of every month, rolled into BREADBAR this past week.
"Hatchi," which means 'eight' in Japanese, has the original idea of offering diners eight inspired small plates priced at $8 each as a one-night-only engagement, smartly driving 'urgency to try'. Guests have to order a minimum of 4 dishes each including alcoholic beverages. This needs to add up to a minimum of $32 (which is almost 'one unit of Mozza') - so I did look over the list of trucks carefully before making my reservation for opening night.

The "gastrotruck" kicking off the series is Grill 'Em All, Food Network's "The Great Food Truck Race" winner. Grill 'Em All, helmed by Chef Ryan Harkins and Chef Mathew Chernus, is known for its rock 'n' roll persona backed by a menu featuring (I heard) incredible burgers and other comfort foods.  I actually didn't watch the show and was drawn purely by the menu items described for BREADBAR's Hatchi Truck Stop opening night, which included such Pavlovian words as "truffle", "foie gras", and "poutine". 


A big fan of food trucks as incubators for up and coming talent, who just may not be funded yet to launch their own brick and mortar venues - I see food truck chasing as sometimes involving both an element of rooting for the underdog and the thrill / vanity of discovering new talent. So I was excited about the Hatchi Truck Stop series, as it gives food truck chefs run of a full kitchen to exhibit their skills at producing higher end fare.

Tucked in the back of Century City, by escalators leading to AMC Theaters, BREADBAR has a cosmopolitan vibe that you would expect to see in a bustling neighborhood in Manhattan or San Francisco.  I loved that they went with modern / sleek vs. the expected rustic, in line with the traditional bread-making techniques they are marketing.

"Designer" agreed to check this event out with me, and when we arrived Thursday night, we were promptly seated at the communal bar-height tables on the 'patio'.  Menus were already waiting for us at each spot.

To meet our minimum, we each ordered 3 dishes plus a cocktail.  In terms of drinks, BREADBAR was featuring signature microbrews from Humboldt County's Lost Coast Brewery.  Not a big beer fan, I went with the Elderflower St. Germain cocktail ($10), which unfortunately reminded me of what you would get if you hand-squeezed several moist towelettes into a glass, except the citrus is orange instead of lemon.  Designer went with an interesting cocktail made of ginger beer, beer and fresh sprigs of mint ($10) - this was refreshing but not mindblowing and not something we would crave.

My first dish was Beer And Cheese Soup ($8) - with Frisee, Lardon, Bacon Vinaigrette.  Seemed like the chefs were having fun with the traditional pairing of soup and salad.  Beer with cheese in soup was a new combination for me and I was excited to try it.  I did like this soup - which had an interesting consistency that was at once creamy and 'sticky'.  The mix of savory and sweet was also interesting as well, and I love the quick toss of herbs on top for texture contrast. 

As for the frisee salad, much as I love bacon, this couldn't save the salad from being as washed out as an 80s' rock star.  The bacon vinaigrette did not come through at all in taste, the frisee was barely dressed, and the lardon bits though tasty were also a bit on the dry side - so that the whole thing did not come together cohesively.  I ended up just picking at all the bacon bits and leaving the rest.

Designer's first dish was Deconstructed Cleveland Polish Boy ($8) - Wild Boar Sausage, Blue Cheese Slaw, BBQ Pulled Pork, Cleveland Stadium Mustard, Steak Fries.  This was probably the most unappealing presentation of the night - I am not even going to repeat what Designer described it as, but it has to do with 'presents' you will often find on the sidewalk in neighborhoods with irresponsible pet owners. 

The pulled pork was actually incredibly juicy and rich in flavor, and possibly the best dish of the night.  The rest of the plate fell flat on stage - the sausage, which had so much potential with its exotic sounding meat, was not exotic at all in flavor - there just wasn't much flavor to be had, period.  The mysterious sounding 'stadium mustard' was also lackluster in the flavor department.

We both got the Poutine ($8) - Fried, Duck Confit, Gravy, Mozzarella based on the description.  I've yet to take my brother up on his offer of an authentic poutine 'tour' in Montreal, but I've liked all that LA has to offer so far, and was excited to see this on the menu at the BREADBAR event.  I liked this dish for the most part - the duck confit and gravy was rich, tender and flavorful - the fries served hot and crispy.  My only note was for the mozzarella - I know that poutine by definition involves cheese curds, but the mozzarella bits had a consistency that was a bit too rubbery for our taste - they were just short of the rubbery-ness of little erasers on the ends of pencils.  It would have been nice to get fresh mozzarella bits in as their own interpretation of the dish. A solid dish overall though, and a great deal - the portion size was generous and we could have eaten this as an entree.  As it is, we were able to take leftovers home.

Based on the description, the dish we were most excited about for the night was the Pierogi ($8) - "Stuffed with Pate de Foie Gras and Portobello Crimini Mushroom, Truffle Sour Cream", which includes a few of my favorite foods / ingredients on earth! We *almost* spent all 3 of our required dishes on the Pierogi.  Unfortunately, this turned out to be probably our least favorite dish of the night - the pierogi wrapper was thick, chewy and crusty on the edges, tasting like it came from a bag of frozen dumplings that has sat in the freezer far past its expiration date. Foie gras, best known for its luxurious, decadent, rich texture - did not have its signature features highlighted, but was instead a broken down, jumbled mess that is a mere shadow of its original state.  There was neither richness of texture nor taste.  The asian-inspired sauce was oily overkill, overwhelming any subtle flavors that might have been lurking in the pierogi filling.  I thought at least that we could enjoy the truffle sour cream - but was disappointed when we found we could not taste any hint of truffle flavor in the cream.


Even if we had room for dessert after all these dishes, we were too disappointed in the quality of our savory dishes to throw any more money into the meal.

All in all, while I applaud in concept BREADBAR's support of up and coming chefs with these pop-ups, and will undoubtedly be back for others in future - this particular event with Grill 'Em All Truck was not what I had anticipated.  And this out of all the food trucks listed is what I would most look forward to trying (I'm already addicted to Coolhaus and chase it down far too often).  Knowing that Grill 'Em All Truck's specialty is really burgers - I would still be up to try one the next time they roll into my neighborhood, but as far as more ambitious dishes go - I would say they still have several miles to go before they get 'there', if that is even their goal.

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 4.5 bites
Presentation - 4.5 bites
Originality - 4.5 bites
Ambience - 5 stars
Service - 5 stars
Overall experience - 4.5 bites
Price - $ (1 bite mark)
Probability of return visit - 65% 
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Breadbar LA
10250 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90067
Ph. 310.277.3770

Hatchi Truck Stop - last Thursday of the month March through December 2011

Website: breadbar.net
Twitter: twitter.com/breadbar_la

OpenTable (get points!):  Look for reservations
Eligible for Westfield Century City Dining Rewards program - bring receipts within 7 days to mall concierge for registration
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Willoughby Road: Inspired Southern / Fusion Thoroughfare

Part of the charm of food truck culture, at least for me, is that it makes every day kinda like waking up on Christmas morning as a kid - what will the day bring?  Has Santa delivered against my wishlist?  Will I receive that completely unexpected gift, that is beyond anything I could have thought to ask for?  Checking Twitter to see what culinary delights the day has brought to my 'hood is a little like that - going downstairs to see what's arrived under the tree. 

Today, I got that unexpected gift - its name is Willoughby Road.

Whenever I'm looking for quick, inexpensive food on a weeknight after work, or on a weekend when I wake up starving and/or don't feel like cooking - I've developed the habit of checking which purveyor of gourmet-on-wheels is in my neighborhood via Twitter.com/foodtruckssfv.  I love that on any given day, I can get anything from  Japanese to Brazilian to everything-bacon to creative fusion to artisanal desserts, and you can even make multi-course meals by mixing and matching from truck to truck - but you don't know until usually days before if not the day of, what will come your way.

Willoughby Road had been recommended by "3starbackpacker" a while back, and their slogan "southern cuisine redefined" definitely piqued my interest - but it was always just out of reach, on days that I was valley-bound.  So I nearly jumped up in my car today when I saw that it is in my neighborhood, finally, and headed over immediately!

Though its entire menu of mainly bbq items sounded appealing, I asked Jeshua, chef and co-owner - what he would recommend if I could only get two items.  And yes, both for me. 

His first recommendation was a new item on the menu: Fried Grit Cake ($6) - this lit a series of fireworks on my tongue and in my brain!  Basically, incredibly creamy garlic cheddar cornmeal is crusted and fried, then smoked corn whiskey sausage gravy is poured over it, then the whole thing is topped with apple slaw that has been marinated in malt vinegar and sprinkled with herbs.

Jeshua said he came up with this while dining at his friend Ilan Hall's restaurant, The Gorbals, and while thinking about a way to do southern inspired poutine that doesn't involve cheese fries, which are difficult to do on a truck.

Jeshua has worked in the kitchens of notable chefs including Ludo, and the pride he takes in pushing the envelope really shows. Grits are a simple food that is easy to just relish to a canvas to make other ingredients shine, but Jeshua found a way to bring its simple beauty center stage, while kicking it up a few notches with the creative combination of savory, sweet, spicy, tart!  And I consider it a balanced meal with its inclusion of protein, fruit, dairy, (can I consider herbs veggie?!) and of course grain.  The incredible interplays of textures and flavors, and skillful control of consistency and temperature easily made this the best side dish I've ever had from a truck!  If not for the rapid outgrowing of my jeans, the Fried Grit Cake would have compelled me to make a second trip to Willoughby Road for dinner.

The second recommended dish was Smoked Fried Ribs ($10) which comes with a choice of two sides, from Thai Slaw, Mac & Cheese to Pork & Beans.  This was fall-off-the-bone tender pork ribs, flash fried to form a light, nice crisp shell over rich layers of delicious meat and fat.  I would have liked the flavor to be infused more evenly through the meat, but I did like the light crust over the meat.  The Mac & Cheese was creamy, but in my opinion could have used richer flavor perhaps by using a more pungent cheese or combination of cheeses.  The Thai  Slaw, I expected to taste like the slaw from LudoTruck, but ended up being a little bland.

The portion sizes of each of the two dishes were hearty - I could have just had either one as a meal on its own, and did end up saving some of the ribs for dinner.

Other items on the menu that I look forward to checking out are the Fried Chicken of course, and pulled pork sandwich.

All in all, because of the amazing Fried Grit Cake, which I haven't seen anywhere else with this type of execution - I can't wait to take Willoughby Road to Taste Bud Utopia again! 

Will be eagerly checking Twitter for the next time it ventures into my area (and perhaps will even venture out myself to chase it)!  Thanks 3starbackpacker for the rec!

Update April 2011:

So excited one night after work when I saw that Willoughby Road is again on the road, this time in Glasell Park for late night dining, outside Verdugo Bar.  I was probably the only one in jeans and a sweatshirt, there just for the food - no interest in the bar. 

Though I had no idea if Jeshua would have the amazing Fried Grit Cake that night, I made the trek out from the SFV on pure faith - but knowing that I would probably love whatever they had on the menu anyway.

So I was a little sad when they didn't have the Fried Grit Cake on the menu that night - apparently people didn't know what it was and so hadn't been ordering it (come on, people, it is insanely good - please please ask Jeshua for it so he will keep it on the menu!!)  But Jeshua recommended the Pork Belly Sliders instead. Everything Jeshua makes is packed with flavor, and the sliders are no exception - he uses hoisin sauce with the most incredible, perfectly juicy/fatty pork belly skillfully fried to a crisp but light shell.  An instant favorite that I plan to order again next time Willoughby Road is within range!


On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6 bites
Presentation - 5.5 bites
Originality - 6 bites
Ambience - 5.5 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $ (1 bite mark)
Probability of return visit - 95%______________________________________________________________________

Willoughby Road
All around Los Angeles - check Twitter for latest location
Ph: 760.784.5301     

Website: willoughbyroad.com/
Follow on Twitter: twitter.com/willoughbyroad

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Lobsta Truck - Rollin' New England Style

With probably 20 dining reviews banked in my head from all the incredible stops on my Sabah/Hong Kong trip this holiday, waiting for fingers to unload to keyboard - I still can't help but take a short detour to post about Lobsta Truck.

After an incredible vacation packed with culinary adventure, featuring the freshest of seafood and dishes starring exotic ingredients, I was in denial about the return to the mundane with my first day back at work. Then I realized that Lobsta Truck was going to be in the neighborhood around my office at lunch!

As its name indicates, Lobsta Truck's focus is on lobster - the only food truck out in Los Angeles thus far to build its menu around this delectable crustacean, and most exciting of all, lobster freshly flown in from New England, just like the fresh split top rolls they sit in.

When we got to the truck about a half hour into its service, there was a line down the block, and it didn't seem to be moving.  But everyone in line did not appear agitated - as if they knew the rolls would be worth the wait.

It took us about 35 minutes in the queue before we got to place our order, but we didn't mind once we took one look at the food (although, good thing it was so close to the office - so that we could take the rolls back to work to eat since we will have spent our whole lunch hour driving/parking and waiting). 

I got a Lobsta Roll ($11) and a Crab Roll ($9) - originally intending to keep the Crab Roll in the fridge for dinner.  You can order the rolls with either butter or mayo - so I picked one for each - butter with the lobster and mayo for the crab.  Both were incredible - not only were they stuffed with really big chunks of meat that tasted fresh from the ocean, juicy and sweet, but the bread was also the perfect weight and fluffiness, and perfectly toasted on the outside to add a great crispy crust with each bite. The butter was skillfully controlled to avoid overflow - and I am happy to report that the roll did not in any way feel greasy or heavy at all, but tasted fresh and light. Our only note was that the roll was fairly small (barely longer than my hand), so that it would probably take at least 2 rolls for the average diner to get full.  I ended up gulping down the crab roll as well at lunch, as much because its freshness was irresistible, as that I found I was not really full after the Lobsta Roll.  But otherwise, the seafood was of incredible quality unexpected for a food truck.

I had also wanted to try the New England Clam Chowder ($3.50 cup / $6 pint) as well, but they were sold out before we even got to the order window! 

My co-worker got a Lobsta Roll and loved it - not bad for his first food truck experience!  I also grabbed a Freshly Squeezed Lemonade, a good deal at $2 for a roughly 'grande' size cup - a brilliant pairing with the seafood rolls and for the health-conscious, much better than soda.  Other bottle beverages spotted at the truck include Izze sparkling fruit drinks, root beer and bottled water.

All told, though a bit on the pricey side for a 'mobile' lunch, considering that it's $11 for big chunks of freshly flown in New England lobster and the lovely feeling that gave us of being highrollers - splurging on lobster at an office lunch -  it's a welcome indulgence for this diner.  Can't wait to try the Clam Chowder as well. 

Hope Lobsta Truck rolls into our neighborhood more often!

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6 bites
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 5.5 bites
Ambience - 5 stars
Service - 5 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $$ (2 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 100%

___________________________________________________________

Lobsta Truck
All over Los Angeles - see Twitter for updates
Twitter: twitter.com/lobstatruck
Website: lobstatruck.com
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Buttermilk Truck - Breakfast of Champions Any Time of Day!

On a sleepy Saturday morning, while idly checking my Twitter feeds, I jolted wide awake when I saw that the Buttermilk Truck was parked just 12 minutes away from my apt...and we only had a little less than a half hour left in their service. 

As someone who doesn't enjoy waking up early in the morning - I sleep in whenever I can on weekends.  But, with the opportunity to get an awesome gourmet breakfast at stake, I quickly ran into the other room and shook my visiting relatives awake (hey, they came from Montreal so they should be on East Coast time, i.e. much more awake than I was, right?) and issued marching orders.  Do what you need to do to get out the door in 5 minutes - quick clothes change, shower and tooth brushing optional.  We have our priorities!

The fact that Buttermilk truck was rated one of the Top Food Trucks in LA by media and foodie bloggers aside - it was really the menu itself that had a Pavlovian effect on us.  This consisted of traditional comfort breakfast foods, but with creative twists - such as french toast sticks made with Hawaiian bread, or their famous red velvet pancake bites.  And you could have them anytime of day that the truck is in service - breakfast, lunch or dinner.  And I love eating breakfast at all times of day. 

This particular Saturday (late) morning we arrived with only 6 minutes to spare in their service and felt like Indiana Jones sliding under the descending stone door - though our excitement was somewhat deflated when we saw that they had already sold out of some key items, including the sliders and rosemary garlic hash browns. 

With three of us, all used to family style dining, we decided to order almost everything left on the menu to share for wider sampling, starting with Hawaiian Bread Cinnamon French Toast Sticks (3 sticks $2.50, 5 sticks $4).  These were served with powdered sugar and were delicious, just the right thickness (without the issue that plagues a lot of other people's french toasts - soggy / overly eggy centers that aren't cooked all the way through, or have so much bread that it's overwhelming), with a perfectly flavored, crispy shell all the way around.  Syrup was offered on the side, but the sticks were already so full of flavor that we did not find that we needed the extra syrup.

Next up were Buttermilk Pancake Bites - Buttermilk truck apparently offers this item with changing flavors - and this month's is red velvet chocolate chip (order of 6 plain $4 filled $5).  This is obviously a hotseller, so much so that a sign was posted next to the order window that stated only two orders of these pancake bites can be placed by each party.  The red velvet chocolate chip pancake bites were AMAZING - light, super fluffy, piping hot, in a beautiful shade somewhere between red and pink, sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with a generous dollop of whipped butter.  The chocolate chips melted into a nice Nutella consistency and added additional sweet flavor to the pancakes - these bites were also so flavorful (without being overpowering) that we did not need to add any syrup.  These are so good you could plate and serve them at the Four Seasons and I would not have questioned the source.  The red velvet choc chip pancake bites are now my favorite breakfast item off a food truck - if only we hadn't ordered the entire available menu, and arrived just before they were getting ready to leave, I would have shamelessly gone back for seconds.

For the 'traditionalists' looking for a good egg dish - Buttermilk truck offers the Southwest Veggie Omelette with sauteed onions, tomatoes, jalapenos, and cilantro topped with jack cheese - and adds their own creative touch by serving it with housemade cornbread (omelette + corn bread total $5).  This was possibly the best omelette I've had this year - rich in flavor but light in texture (the omelette was about the shape and size of a crepe), with all the ingredients really coming together as a cohesive whole.  The cornbread was a great touch and also incredible - very light, fluffy, with actual kernels of corn inside - and not too 'mealy'.



But that's not all for our bottomless stomachs - we still had to get to the Buttermilk Biscuit Breakfast Sandwiches - served on housemade buttermilk biscuit with cheese and fried egg, choice of applewood smoked bacon, tocino, or chicken apple sausage ($3.50 each).   We tried two varieties:  bacon, and tocino (tastes and looks like a combo of ham/sausage).  I had the bacon and it was fantastic, with a perfectly runny fried egg - but it was not as unique and mind-blowingly great as the pancake bites and french toast sticks.  My brother & his wife had the tocino and agreed.

Normally, these breakfast sandwiches can be ordered with rosemary garlic hash browns (add $.50) - which also sound amazing, but they were sold out of this by the time we got to the truck, so it's something I'll have to save to try next time along with the sliders. 

My only note for Buttermilk Truck would be that if they could offer some gourmet coffees and teas to accompany the awesome breakfast foods, that would really put the meal over the top.

In any case, we left with very full and happy bellies - and Buttermilk Truck left with three new 'followers'.  My fav part aside from the awesome food?  We fed three insatiable adults a very filling gourmet breakfast for a total of $24.  That's really only a few dollars more than a meal of heavily processed foods from any fast food chain, and the same cost as a platter of run-of-the-mill breakfast foods at any diner chain.  And it's fresh.  And fast.  And gourmet. 

Will definitely be keeping tabs on Buttermilk Truck - this is one of the few food trucks I will actually chase, and venture out of my neighborhood for!

Update April 2011:

I finally got a chance to try Buttermilk Truck's late night menu, when they rolled into the neighborhood by my office last Friday. 

They were already sold out of the chicken and waffles by the time I got there, so I picked my second choice - Buttermilk Brick ($8). 

What does this consist of, you ask?  All kinds of awesome.  Hash browns, 2 eggs over easy, buttermilk biscuit and housemade chorizo gravy.

Buttermilk Brick is at once crispy, luscious (from the perfectly runny egg that you can't see underneath all that beautiful gravy), creamy, fluffy, and meaty, savory and buttery with a kick from the chorizo.  I love it!!!!

It's now my second favorite from their late night menu after Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Pancake Bites!!!  Can't wait til the next time they're in my 'hood for late night dining!!!


On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6 bites
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 6 bites
Ambience - 5.5 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $ (1 bite mark)
Probability of return visit - 100%

___________________________________________________________

Buttermilk Truck
All over Los Angeles
Website: buttermilktruck.com/
Twitter: twitter.com/buttermilktruck
___________________________________________________________



  

Lardon - Sizzling Start for Genius Bacon Truck

At just over a month after its soft launch, all signs point to Lardon being much more than just a 'flash in the pan' on the LA Food Truck scene - like the greasy but supertasty browned bits in the crannies of cookware after bacon's been on the hotspot - Lardon is here to stay.  It's already got its hold on the city, or at least those who have been lucky enough to try it. 

As a devout bacon-ist, I had been keeping tabs on Lardon via Twitter since news broke of this exciting new food truck concept. They recently started serving three meals a day, but it was often close to my apartment while I was stuck at work - or just out of reach, a little too far for me to sneak out to at lunch. And I hadn't seen it yet on food or art fest circuits. So last night, it felt like I had won the lottery, when I noticed it would be just a short drive down the street at dinnertime. I tried to finish up at work and get out as soon as I could, knowing from Twitter updates they were already out of most items halfway into service, due to locals going hog-wild for their offerings.

Arriving to a stretch of Riverside Dr on the Burbank/NoHo border 10 minutes after the truck was scheduled to take off, I was relieved to spot Lardon still parked by the curb. A handful of people were chatting on the sidewalk, and I walked up with a mix of dread (what if they are from Lardon, getting a quick break before packing up to leave?) and cautious optimism (perhaps they would indulge me in one small morsel before closing down for the night?).  I stepped up to the window, but my heart sank when told they were out of absolutely everything...the folks on the sidewalk had been waiting a long time for the last of the food.

The guy handling the orders (who I later found out was owner Jeremiah) - saw my disappointment and offered a brownie for my efforts. Instantly cheered up, I started to reach for the money in my backpocket when he said the magic words:  "Don't worry about it, it's on the house!"  Then he asked co-host Heather to pull brownies for everyone.  Awesome, I thought, and stepped to the side to wait and check out the menu that I planned to try next time. 

Then they kicked it up a notch - the chef found a straggling 'baco' - did I want it?  Did I want it!!??  That made my night!!!!  So I pulled out money again, ecstatic about the chance to try the 'baco' after all - which is what I would have ordered in the first place!  As Jeremiah waved the money away, I tried to object - I couldn't possibly take a brownie AND a baco for free!!!  But he insisted the baco would also be on the house.  I couldn't believe it - BACON + Nutella + Brownie, and it's all free - all in one night.  (And I have to be clear here that at NO time did I ever mention that I have a blog - to Jeremiah and Heather I was just a regular customer).  I am now a fan for life.  Can they be any nicer??!!!!  I challenge anyone to find a more perfect couple in all of the food trucks in LA!!!

So, sorry for the uncharacteristic rambling of the circumstances of my arrival at this particular review venue - but it was too awesome not to recount.  On to the food then!

"the baco" ($4)

So what is "the baco" ($4)?  The concept is sort of like a bacon taco / savory crepe - except that a bacon 'shell' is used instead of a tortilla or crepe as the wrapper, and potato and cheddar are used for stuffing, all served in a plastic cone-shaped cup.  The 'platter' comes with a side of horseradish sour cream topped with bacon bits! 

The baco fulfilled two of what in my humble opinion are the keys to great street/food truck food - (1) it has to SMELL amazing - street/food truck food is an up close and personal experience, with a sense of immediacy that you don't get from most restaurants (unless you sit at the bar right in front of an open kitchen) and I like to first be lured by enticing smells.  Lardon definitely gets this, and the smell of bacon cooking pervades the entire block where the truck is parked - it's impossible to NOT notice that it's there, and to be drawn to it like the puppy from the Beggin' Strips commercials - except that this really IS bacon!!!  (2)  it has to be designed to be easy to eat standing up in the street, without a counter or silverware.  Anything that requires both a knife and fork to eat, even plastic ones, should not be served off a food truck (unless they are also providing tables and chairs) - anyone who has tried to balance their tray of food in one hand while trying desperately to cut food into bite-sized pieces with the side of a plastic fork in the other would understand.  The 'baco' was served up perfectly - you just toss the little container of sour cream over the whole thing, and then grab the plastic cone-cup (which protects you from the delicious and minimal, but potentially messy grease) in one hand and munch away. 

In terms of taste, the baco was divine.  The proportions of potato to cheese to bacon shell was just right, and I loved the layered textures of the soft, creamy but substantial and mild flavored combo of potato and cheese inside with the crunchy and salty bacon shell enveloping the whole mix.  My only minor note is that I would have liked the horseradish flavor to have a little more presence in the sour cream mix, but overall I loved the concept and execution of this bacon taco.


Lark's brownie with bacon and Nutella spread ($3.50)

And for dessert...the Lark brownie with bacon Nutella spread ($3.50) - or, as far as I'm concerned, the dessert that delivers on three essential food groups:  chocolate, bacon and chocolate-hazelnut spread.  This brownie will make you a believer in Lardon - over a moist, dense brownie from Lark bakery in Silverlake, Lardon has ingeniously slathered creamy Nutella chocolate-hazelnut spread as 'frosting', and topped the whole thing with bacon bits for a kick of saltiness to complement the sweet.  The portion size is also generous, so that I felt full after the baco and the brownie, and didn't have to eat anything else for dinner afterwards!

All in all, I will definitely be keeping a lookout for Lardon on Twitter, and treating their menu like a checklist.  The next thing I think I'm going to try is the frisee au lardon sandwich with a fried egg and vinaigrette on toasted brioche ($6)...though the breakfast items look tasty as well...if they don't sell out before I get there, a risk that I am sure will only increase as more people hear about this incredible little truck!!!  Great work, Lardon - keep it up!!!

Update Nov 2010:  Tried the frisee au lardon sandwich - it was awesome!  Great balance of the frisee with the runny egg, punctuated by salty bacon chunks - my only note is that there was a little too much bread in proportion to the 'fillings', but very minor.  Overall it's a great, tasty little gourmet sandwich for $6 - served with a side of friendly service!

Update Dec 2010:  With visiting Canadians in my house, I couldn't let them leave without checking out the great American way with bacon - in combo with the food truck craze.  We ordered one of everything that was left on the main menu, as well as bacon pancakes with bourbon maple syrup ($5.50) and brioche french toast sandwich filled with crumbled bacon and bacon bourbon maple syrup ($5.50).  My brother and his wife loved the frisee and baco as I did, and the BLT was fairly good as well. 

The french toast and pancakes had likely just gotten cold by the time we got to them, after all the picture taking, driving back home and gorgefest on the mains, but those items were a bit overshadowed by the beauty of the frisee and baco.  Also, I had expected for some reason that the pancakes would actually be made of bacon flavored batter - but could not taste bacon beyond the crumbled pieces that seemed to be tossed in quickly to the center of the griddle cake.

On a 7 point scale:

Flavor - 6 bites
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 6 bites
Ambience - 6 stars
Service - 7 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $ (1 bite mark)
Probability of return visit - 100%

___________________________________________________________

Lardon

All over L.A. - track them on Twitter!

Ph: 213.500.3345
Website: GetYourLardon.com

Twitter: Twitter.com/getyourlardon

____________________________________________________________

Los Angeles Times Celebration of Food & Wine - Devastatingly Disappointing Debut

Prepared to fully enjoy every minute of the last weekend of summer, and the last long weekend before the holidays, to the fullest - I had been excited to see the inaugural Los Angeles Times Celebration of Food & Wine event set for Sunday, and really wanted to like it and hoped for it to be an event to look forward to every year. 

Unfortunately, it ended up being a complete rip-off, and had I paid full price (luckily, my 'designer' friend and I had purchased discounted general admission tickets through Goldstar Events for $39 with fees, versus $65 at the door) - we would have been even more disgruntled.

The concept was great - a general gathering of restaurants, food trucks and wineries / beverage companies to allow for a pleasant day of sampling on the backlot of Paramount Studios.

The execution left a lot of room for improvement:

Marketing - most people we talked to at the event were just as confused as we were, as to what would be included with the price of the admission ticket. Based on event communications, we thought for the high price of admission, there would be plenty of food - with the majority of booths offering free samples, and select vendors offering food for purchase. We arrived at around 1:30pm and were extremely disappointed to find that there were only maybe 8-9 vendors that actually offered free food (bite-sized samples of Voskos greek yogurt, Kyocho fried chicken, korean pancake, calamari from Tantalum, La Brea Bakery bread and Kerrygold cheese, cake balls, curry and thai pancake, strawberry buttermilk gelato). Though we shamelessly went several rounds at each of these booths, it was definitely not enough to be filling.

We did hear of a 'Hoy Cantina' which supposedly served a mexican buffet that only cost one drink ticket, and had a fun mariachi band performance in the space - but they ran out of food very quickly and we never got to experience it. (And again, communication was an issue here - the fact that 'drink tickets' could be used to redeem food in some places, but not others, was confusing). 

The Gorbals / Fiji station also offered bacon-wrapped matzoh balls, but as it was sort of hidden inside a small storefront built into a facade building, so we didn't see it until around 5:15pm by which time they had completely run out of food.

(Not) dealing with the heat: It was a sweltering day - the event started at noon and very little if anything was done to provide more shade or cooling/ hydration stations for guests. They could have easily taking a cue from Vegas and set up misters, fans, water stations or even more canopies, umbrellas or tents to provide shade. The only water that was provided to guests was at the Fiji 'cafe', which had long lines, and a real estate agent's booth (water source unknown). 

We skipped all of the demonstrations / panels as seating was all out in the open with the sun directly overhead.  It was difficult to enjoy the event overall as we felt overheated and dehydrated most of the day, between standing in long lines, weaving our way through crowds and trying to sample as much alcohol as we could handle to get our money's worth.

Limited seating: there were only a handful of tables provided outside the Gorbals/Fiji station for people to sit and eat their food or rest. Everyone else either ate standing up or sitting on the curb or steps (which by the way were riddled with bird droppings) while trying to juggle their purses etc.

Food trucks not included with admission: The major complaint on this one is that we still had to pay for food from these trucks on top of the admission ticket price, and the small selection of food trucks at the event was not even that impressive. If I wanted to sample food trucks there are a number of events around the city I could go to for free (e.g. Abbot Kinney First Friday, Unique LA, Downtown Art Walk etc.) - which offer greater numbers and variety of food trucks in one place, and I would pay only for whatever food I choose to buy from the trucks anyway.  'Designer' had also recently gone to a festival that specifically offered a collection of food trucks for sampling - and paid around $40 for a day of all-you-can-eat at any of the food trucks at the event.  So for the LA Times event, since we had to pay for individual portions of food from the trucks anyway, the food trucks really did not add any value to the price we paid for our admission tickets.

The VIPs seemed to have a much better experience, though the number, and - with a few notable exceptions - the caliber of the majority of the exhibitors were not even in the same league as some of the other more upscale foodie events around LA. For $125, I would much rather go to Taste of Beverly Hills, or Taste of the Nation event in Culver City - both of which offers sampling from restaurants that are truly haute cuisine.

Another component of the event that was supposed to be a highlight, a concert performance by She and Him (love Zooey Deschanel!) - also proved to be underwhelming.  We sat through only the first few songs - the acoustics were so poor that we couldn't hear much of what she was singing.

There were some positives at the event:

• Drink sampling: 
• Communications about drink sampling were fairly clear - and the 8 drink tickets were generous and more than enough.  Plenty of alcohol was on pour, from wine, rum, Veev acai vodka to Korean soju and Japanese sake.  It was a great experience walking around checking them out and sampling. A lot of the alcohol vendors did not even bother to collect drink tickets, so we left with over half of our drink tickets still in our pockets.
• Izze gave out unlimited samples of a large variety flavors of their sparkling fruit juice - this kept us hydrated throughout the day and possibly saved our lives.
• Delicious Wishes: Great discovery for us at the event, as we had never heard of this place. Very tasty chocolate covered balls that look like truffles but were super moist and fluffy inside - turns out because they are 'cake balls', not truffles :)
• Sedthee Thai: awesome curry and thai pancakes made fresh on site. One of the best free food samples at the event.
• Kyocho Chicken booth: Great samples of fried chicken, and event marketing done right. They had a prize wheel as a fun activity integrated with their sampling tactic - and everyone wins a prize that is clearly marked with restaurant branding, that they can carry around in a handy shopping bag that was handing for storing your drink glass (to leave your hands free for more sampling!).
• Making new friends:  all the negatives of the event helped bring people together - strangers bonded while in the seemingly interminable lines, exchanging tips on where to scavenge the coveted free food samples; showed their humanity in squeezing over in the limited shade to save just one more person's life from the heat; guided others to booths/ bathrooms where volunteers failed to be helpful.
• Parking:  Since the event was on a Sunday, street parking was free - so we were able to avoid the crowds (and the confusion that we heard that many guests experienced while trying to park on the studio lot) by snagging metered parking on Melrose just west of Larchmont.  It was an easy block and half walk to the event entrance.

Knowing that the first time is always tough, and that the organizers will hopefully take many learnings from this year's event - unless they drastically lower the price of admission, increase the number and quality of exhibitors giving food samples, and get much better organized next year, I for one will definitely not be planning to attend this event again - and judging from the reviews online, many others are likely to join me in deciding to pay just a little more for a much better experience with Taste of Beverly Hills instead.