Guide To The 6th Annual L.A. Street Food Fest
The folks behind the L.A. Street Food Fest suggest wearing your most comfortable pair of pants on Saturday because attendees are guaranteed to gorge themselves with some of the city's best local dishes, as well as a number of imports that have become synonymous with Los Angeles. When it comes to stuffing your face at this particular outdoor food extravaganza, the last thing you want to be is unprepared. This guide that will put all of the must-know information in your head, so your hands will be ready to snag plates.
Los Angeles Street Food Fest
Rose Bowl
1001 Rose Bowl Dr
Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 577-3100
www.lastreetfoodfest.com
Date: Saturday, July 11, 2015 from 3pm - 8pm
Shawna Dawson, the founder of the L.A. Street Food Fest organized the first Food Fest in 2010 as a way to celebrate some of LA.'s best, and occasionally lesser known, street food vendors. Food trucks were everywhere at the time, so they had a stronghold on the Fest. Over the last few years, the vendor list has diversified, attracting brick-and-mortar restaurants, chefs and street carts from as far as Mexico. Most costs, and in some cases all, are subsidized by the organization, which stands behind its mission to bring the best, hand-picked dishes to the masses. The sixth annual festival is back at the legendary Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
Howlin' Rays Nashville-style Hot Chicken is a definite must try, and you can rest assured, it won't be too spicy. Other stand outs include Mama Masubi's, a farmers market favorite, which will serve its famous Rice Balls. This is the summer of poke, so make sure to sample Sweet Fin Poke's fresh and spicy Sriracha Tuna Poke. Of course, the summer is also about burgers, and the new-and-improved Cassell's Hamburgers' will dish out classic beef sliders.
Pay a visit to the Bronzed Aussie's station for savory Australian ground beef meat pie, sausage rolls and and spinach and feta rolls. If you're lucky, you may even snag an oatmeal and coconut cookie, otherwise known as the Anzac Biscuit. Tacos are prime street food, and Taqueria El Severo will have braised cactus leaves and soft Granny Smith apples with a Guajillo sauce nestled in a tortilla. Versions of the sandwich will also appear. Grab Picnic Sandwich's crunchy Ham & Frito Sandwich, or nosh on Eat Berlins' mini versions of the original German Döner Sandwich with either chicken or beef and a topping of cabbage and the chef's special sauce. One Veg World will offer its vegan BBQ Jackfruit and Philly Dream sandwiches for the meat-free patrons.
Although food will be plentiful, you'll want to make sure to leave plenty of room for cocktails, wine and beer. The Tequila Tasting Tent will feature several brands, including Corazon Azul, Suerte and Tequila Cocula, or stop by Home Brewed Bar for their Lavender Milk Tea and Peach Oolong Iced Tea and Frijolito's Mobile Coffee Shop's Cafe de Olla, Coconut Latte & Banana Latte in the Iced Coffee + Donut Lounge. As for cocktails, the Corner Door's shaking up a smokey, sweet Mezcallin with mezcal, pineapple cordial, lemon and ginger. Venice's own Venice Whaler will also be around offering two drinks on its roster-- the Texas Fruit Cart with vodka, agave and melon juice and cayenne salt rim and The Buck Stops Here with vodka, strawberry, Orgeat and ginger beer. Corazon y Miel's bar set-up will include brown butter-infused Reposado & Pineapple Slushies, and Ludlow's Cocktail Co. will hand out various flavors of its on-the-go jello shots. Enjoy wines from Stella Rosa and Vina Sympatica, beers from Firestone Walker, Singha, Angel City Brewery and Golden Road Brewery. A number of non-alcoholic beverages from Jarritos, Clover Juices, The Bu Kombucha, Hache LA, Just Chill and more will be available.
