Are you a street truck(Roach Coach) obsessed foodie like myself and my VivaLAfoodies entourage?  If your answer is yes than you will not want to miss the LA Street Food Festival on February 13, 2010 from 11am-5pm.



The event is brought to you by our friends Shawna Dawson(SauceLA) &  Sonja Rasula(UNIQUE LA)



Complete Event Info is below:

Shawna Dawson and Sonja Rasula not only share the same birthday, but they both love street food. After working together on a few small projects they decided to join forces to bring something ‘delicious’ to the city they love…

What: 1st Annual  LA Street Food Fest

When: Saturday, February 13th, 11am – 5pm

Admission: Tickets will be available at the door the day of the event. Exclusive VIP Tickets are available online now, but will not be for sale at the event.

$5 General Admission Includes entry to the festival, a free drink ticket, cool giveaways.
$30 VIP Includes all of the above plus access to above street-level VIP patio with a bird’s eye view of the fest, goodie bag, exclusive bites not available to GA attendees, private bar, access to indoor restrooms, and more.

Children: Little ones age 10 and under admitted free with a paying grown up.

Where: LA CENTER STUDIOS (Enter on 500 S. Beaudry Ave, LA, CA 90017)

How: Pay as you go (cash only!) directly to food vendors with special Street Food Fest sampling menus priced $1-$5!

Who: You! Food lovers of all ages are welcome, but due to food/health regulations, no dogs allowed. (Sorry Fido!).

Park/Ride/Bike: We encourage attendees to take the METRO, bike, skate and skip to the festival. The venue is a close walk from the 7th & Fig METRO stop. (You can plan your trip here). We are offering FREE BIKE VALET at the festival (yay!), with a separate entrance on Bixel Ave. For those driving, there is plenty of parking available both on surrounding streets and in neighboring parking lots.

The Participants

Here is the mouth-watering list of Food Vendors and the coveted Valentine’s Marketplace design/art vendors who will be at the festival…

Food Vendors

Try as many of LA’s best as you can with the LA Street Food Fest exclusive ‘tasting menus’…  All of our food vendors are offering specially priced $1-$5 tasting menus and day-of-event-only items, just for you. Eat it up!



For a complete list of participants, click the link below:

http://lastreetfoodfest.com/the-participants/

Comments Off | In: Events | tags: LA Street Food Festival, Sauce LA, Shawna Dawson, Sonja Rasula, Unique LA. | #

It was a beautiful Sunday; yesterday in Los Angeles and our destination for the day was the home of “The Fry Girl” for a backyard party and a tasting presented for VivaLAfoodies and a few of her close friends. From the moment we arrived we were greeted with happy faces and sweet smells, and I still have flashbacks to our day of sweet fried heaven as I write this.



What started back in April 2001 as a dream has blossomed into a sweet success story. Shelley Beals is better know as “The Fry Girl” these days and as she explained, her name is a play on “The Fly Girls”; those crazy hip-hip acrobatic dancers from the comedy sketch Show from the early 90’s: “In Living Color.” Her array of fried food stations are amazing bold creations with a few conservative confections thrown into the mix that like the fly girls will make your taste-buds bounce to the beat.



I first encountered the “Fry Girl” and her talented team at the Guess Holiday Party in December in Downtown LA. At the time, her colleague Donnell Brown was cranking out mini-donuts and he gave me a brief introduction into the world of “The Fry Girl” and I must say that I was sold from my first bite of sugary goodness.



Shelley, formerly of the Advertising industry is passionate about her new culinary direction and continues to bring her fried treats to Hollywood sets, premiers, celebrity homes, private events, television morning shows and just about anywhere and for anyone who wants to host an event featuring mini donuts, mini corn-dogs, French fries and her newest devious delights: deep fried Oreo’s. The great thing about her lines of fried foods and stations is the fact that they are all fried in Canola oil which contains Zero Cholesterol and no trans fats and her nouveau treats are a healthier nod to sweets and treats of old.





And now onto the menu……..Each item below is fried with love, time and care in Trans Fat/Cholesterol free canola oil.

Mini Donuts



Her donuts are pumped out in small batches from her mini donut machine that is essentially a miniature donut factory on wheels. Believe it or not, each mini donut contains 1 gram of fat, 26 calories, 3.5 grams of carbs and are cholesterol and trans fat free. This has been verified and her cart lists these facts to curious onlookers. Therefore, nobody should deprive themselves of these bite sized morsels. Watch your donut evolve from batter to tasty bite in a matter of seconds, which is all the time it will take to get your mouth watering.

French Fries:



Bliss in a dixie-cup, need I say more? With an arsenal of sauces ranging from Rosemary Mayo, Garlic Mayo, Black & White Truffle Mayo, and Thai Ketchup, just to name a few, you can rest assured that the fry is just a vehicle for “The Fry Girls,”sauce.

Mini-Corndogs:



Bite sized corndogs, made from chicken, a healthier option to beef and pork, will take you back to those corndogs of your youth. Pop a few and take turns dipping into every sauce until all of your cravings are met.

Fried Oreos:



And just when you thought that was it, make room for donut battered fried oreo’s. Each soft capsule of goodness is a unique creation because the batter forms various one of a kind round shapes. One bite is all you need because you will be hooked, but keep in mind that every treat is best enjoyed in moderation.





Our tasting was indulgence to the “nth degree”, but each calorie was well worth it. Once again, The Fry Girl took care of us and didn’t let us down. It was a journey that will be ingrained in my memories for years to come.



For a brief moment during the sugar induced frenzy we had a chance to meet Shelley’s friends from Sweet Lucie’s Ice Cream and Treats and we are excited to see how their journey unfolds in the coming months as they make their Los Angeles Debut on the mobile scene. We at VivaLAfoodies hope that like Shelley, they experience a taste of sweet success.



It was so great to learn how to make mini-donuts and fried Oreo’s that will knock socks off, but I will leave all of the work to the experts from “The Fry Girl”. Why mess with a good thing, when someone else has the magic formulas. I know I will be calling on Shelley and “The Fry Girl” team in the near future for my next special event.



The Fry Girl
Shelley Beals
Ph: 213-590-1710
Fax: 310-327-7940
E-mail: minidonutgirl@aol.com



Photography by Zach Schueller
contact: zach@zacharyjphoto.com

Comments Off | In: Street Food LA | tags: los angeles street food, min donuts mobile catering los angeles, shelley beals is the fry girl, thefrygirl.com. | #

Last Saturday’s wine festival was quite a special event. Not only were international wines represented, but VivaLAfoodies had a chance to debut a taste of what is to come in 2010 with VivaLAcatering and events.



This exclusive gathering would not have been possible without the help of our friend, Dan Silberstein from Drink:Eat:Play. He curated an amazing venue at the Hollywood Renaissance Hotel and provided us with a space to display our culinary creativity.



Between plating up our “Taste of Nappa in Hollywood” chef’s “Amuse” we were able to take turns sampling the best wine vendors that K&L wine merchants, Hollywood put on display for all of the guests.



Our small bite was a hit and we made sure that the platters were never left empty. Our Savory and sweet tribute consisted of “Sourdough Garlic Toast points with Apricot Pineapple Chutney, Mascarpone Cheese and Pear Balsamic glaze topped with fresh local-organic spearmint.”



We also had a chance to meet some great people, bloggers and reminisce with our friend Carina Ost from uncouth gourmands who was covering the event for her blog. Our friend Rich Allen provided some amazing event photography and his partner in crime; Eliza James(musician) made sure that both Luis Castro and myself had a chance to sample some of the wines that were on display.



Some of our favorites included a trio of wines(Tannat, Estival & Alcyone) from Uraguay demo’d by Bossa Imports. From Gooseberry’s to pineapples and even marshmallow, chocolate and pralines these vinters know how to push the flavor envelope. Blueberry Sake from Banzai Beverage rounded out our unique day of work and wine tasting.

It was great to be among the community of food and beverage fanatics and once again be behind the scenes. Special thanks to our VivaLA girls Marissa and Allison for encouraging vendors and guests to visit us.



We enjoyed meeting everyone at the VivaLAfoodies/VivaLAcatering table and it was our pleasure to treat you to a taste of the wine country in LA. Stay tuned as we have more to come real soon…..We hope to see you all at the Cupcake Festival for a taste of something sweet.

Comments Off | In: Events | tags: drinkeatplay.com, food and wine events los angeles. | #

Thank you to my friends Jac and Tina who got me hooked on Gwyneth Paltrow’s GOOP newsletter. I had to share this great recipe for a healthy quick bite. My new year’s resolution of eating healthy and bringing my lunch to work just got easier.

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Little Tokyo watch out! Redondo Beach has its own traditional izakaya Sushi house tucked away in the shadows of the pier that will knock your taste-buds off. SUSHI, casa Arigato or as I sometime call it, casa Sushi takes traditional Japanese sushi to a whole new level with their own fusion twists mixed in and I ensure you that most South-bay residents would agree. And with a menu that would please any sushi fanatic, it made perfect sense that on my first visit to this well established restaurant I would have my first “Omakase” experience.





Omakase, translates to “It’s up to you”, and this is the ultimate way to experience the magic from the chef’s at Sushi Casa Arigato. With Omakase you are entrusting the chef’s to put on a show and put all of their artistry on display for guests that are open to something out of the ordinary.



The team at Sushi, casa are truly food artists and Chef/Owner, Shigeki Matsumoto and sous chef, Tsuyoshi Kajihara want guests to dine and have a total body experience. This is evident from the movies and music that are projected on the wall of the modern interior space. Sushi is center stage at SUSHI, casa Arigato and you will soon forget that you are in the seaside community of Redondo Beach, California.





Out of our 12 course Omakase meal last Thursday each item that the chef presented was precise and loaded with amazing flavor.

Our Omakase menu is below complete with pictures. See for yourself why we were in awe.

1. Miso soup



2. Chef’s starter amuse(cucumber salad, shredded crab, seaweed salad)

3. Daily Special Croquet(Red Pepper & Mushroom filled fried croquet cake)



4. Nigiri Selection(Tuna, Yellow Tail, Salmon & Halibut



5. Spicy Tuna with Parmesan on a crispy rice cake served with wasabi mayo



6. Nigiri Selection #2(Uni, Giant clam, Sweet shrimp, squid sushi roll



7. Chawan Mushi-Savory Custard soup with sweet shrimp, spinach and mushrooms



8. Sweet fried crispy shrimp head



9. Nigiri Selection #3(Albacore, Seared Ahi, Duck Sushi,Salmon Roe w/ quail egg)



10. Spicy Scallop and Ahi Tuna flower inspired sashimi



11. Baked Black cod with miso yogurt served with shredded daikon



12. “Steamed Sushi” Chesapeake Bay Harmony with Freshwater Eel, Shitake Mushrooms, Burdock, on the Kanpyo Sushi Rice





Stop by this week and taste for yourself the wonders of CASA sushi and present to your server a coupon from the Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce, “Restaurant of the Week” section for a discount coupon good for 15% off your meal. 1/2 price drinks and happy hour specials are also available during the week and on Saturday and Sunday. You will be glad that you discovered this Redondo Beach wonder. Wrap up your meal with a pastry or coffee from Cafe Arigato next-door and you will not be disapointed.



Sushi Casa Arigato
215 Avenue I
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
(310) 543-0586
www.casaarigato.com

Comments Off | In: Restaurant of the Week-Redondo Beach | tags: Fresh Sushi in Redondo Beach, Omakase Sushi, Redondo Beach Sushi, SUSHI casa Arigato, Sushi on Avenue I, Traditional Sushi. | #

Join our friends from Drink:Eat:Play this Saturday, January, 23 at the Hollywood Renaissance Hotel and Sip and sample dozens of international wines supplied by dozens of distributors including Italian, German, Brazilian, South African, Spanish, Australian, Israeli, French, and New Zealand wines to name a few. K&L Wine Merchants will hand pick a wide selection of their international favorites and the Hollywood Renaissance Hotel will provide an assortment of cheeses and breads. Stop by our VivaLAfoodies table for a small chef “amuse-bouche” between tastings and meet the team.



Tickets are $60 at the door. But $40 tickets are available with purchase before Jan 1st and for $50 by the 15th with code “facebook”. Go to https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/93170 to purchase tickets at the discounted rate.

Date: Saturday, January 23, 2010
Time: 5:00pm – 8:00pm
Location: Hollywood Renaissance Hotel
Street: 1755 N Highland Ave

http://www.drinkeatplay.com/intlwinefestival/

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Second Story at the Belmar Hotel in Manhattan Beach is a hidden treasure that local residents, Angelinos and visitors alike have been flocking to since their opening 2 years ago. Second Story prides itself on serving up California Cuisine with the same contemporary flair and design that the Belmar radiates with. Think W Hotel, Viceroy and Spago all rolled into one. Their beliefs in sustainable practices and the utilization of locally sourced ingredients make Second Story Restaurant an asset to both Los Angeles and surrounding communities. Creative cuisine and premium ingredients ensure that you will only get the best. Sit back relax and let Second Story take care of the rest.



We had the pleasure of having Emir Dedic, director of Food and Beverage for the Belmar hotel as our host for the evening. He provided us with amazing service and arranged a one on one tasting guided by Executive Chef, Vania Almeida. She took us on a journey through the Second Story repertoire and treated us to some off menu delights in the process.



In the theme of Sustainability we began with beverage selections that embody just that. From a micro-brewed Mirror Pond(Oregon) Pale Ale to an ECO-tini with Veev Acai(Carbon Neutral Acai Spirit) we paid homage to local and socially responsible alcohol before starting our meal.



As soon as we had taken our first sip a chef “amuse-bouche” arrived at our table to tease us a little bit and get us into the mood for the evening. The miniature “taco-like” tortilla round was topped with skirt steak, guacamole, caramelized onion and micro-cilantro. Loaded with flavor we had no idea what to expect from the other courses, but we relished in the mystery of being at the mercy of the chef.



Shortly thereafter our Appetizer course arrived. The plate consisted of a “duo of salads”(Caesar & Calamari)presented in chef Almeida’s own creative way. The Caesar salad was placed in a Parmesan tuile basket and was a play on an American basket of french fries and was completed with a fry shaped crouton . Along side the basket was a Calamari salad dressed with homemade vinaigrette, roasted red peppers and artichokes. This wonderful Italian themed presentation illustrates the versatility of Second Story and the chef’s skilled attention to detail.



Our entree courses were equally dynamic in composition and flavor. The menu blends flavors that will make your mouth and senses go wild and were evident in our selections. Both the Horseradish crusted Alaskan halibut wild mushroom risotto, roasted beets and four citrus reduction and the Rib eye cap steak with chipotle Demi glaze,garlic potatoes, marinated tomatoes and grilled romaine hearts were made of ingredients balanced in harmony creating a multitude of flavor notes and impacted all of our senses.



No matter your fancy for beef, poultry, seafood or vegetarian you will not be disappointed at Second Story.

Just when we thought we were full our Desert arrived courtesy of Becker’s Bakery of Manhattan Beach. A cupcake medley of miniaturized cupcakes was plated with 4 equally flavorful versions; Lemon, Red velvet, Vanilla and Chocolate. No sugary morsel had a chance of being left behind and all were gobbled up before our server had a chance to come back and check on us. Bring your friends by Second Story or have your next private party at one of the restaurants private party lounges. Think of Second Story as a tree house for adults with mature food and beverages.



Second Story Restaurant
3501 North Sepulveda Boulevard
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
310-750-0312
http://www.secondstoryrestaurant.com/

Comments Off | In: Fine Dining | tags: Belmar hotel restaurant, locally sourced ingredients make Second Story, Manhattan Beach Second Story Restaurant, Second Story at the Belmar Hotel in Manhattan Beach. | #

Ruby’s is located in Redondo Beach at the Seaside Lagoon and is a place where locals and visitors can take a trip back in time and experience a taste of Americana. Ruby’s offers a plethora of dining options with an old-school diner theme running throughout. A view of Seaside Lagoon and a comfortable interior with a family atmosphere makes Ruby’s Redondo a great place to bring the entire family.



In the spirit of celebrating the new year and the classic American diner that Ruby’s is known for, it was only proper that we would indulge in a few milkshakes, burgers and fries.



We started off with the Oreo Cookie Fantasy and Strawberry shakes. Made to perfection, these sweet treats tantalized our taste-buds and took us back to our childhood. We continued our journey back in time with the Spicy Jalapeno Jack Cheese Sticks. These cheesy treats are a variant of traditional mozzarella cheese sticks and have a nice kick and are presented with 3 dipping sauces. We rounded out the meal with one Ruby’s new appetizer selections, the Hickory Bourbon Sliders. These American Kobe ground beef patties are served on Kings Hawaiian sweet rolls and topped with an onion ring and smothered in hickory bourbon bbq sauce and served with Zero Trans-Fat “Refillable” Fries. A larger version is also available, but I recommend the sliders so you can take full advantage of all of Ruby’s fries. We refilled twice, once with the traditional shoestrings and the homemade chili fries. Both versions were tasty and I was a fan of the shredded beef chili topped with green onions.







I plan on visiting Ruby’s real soon because I know I will be craving a shake and a burger and am starting to make myself hungry. Visit Ruby’s between 1/18-1/24 and present the Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce “Restaurant of the Week coupon” (below) at the start of your meal and you will receive a free appetizer of your choice. Take my word for it that Ruby’s will take care of all of your comfort food cravings.



Download Redondo Beach Restaurant of the Week Coupon(Below) or visit chamber website

rubys redondo coupon

Ruby’s Diner
www.rubys.com

245 North Harbor Drive
Redondo Beach, CA 90277-2508
(310) 376-7829

Comments Off | In: Restaurant of the Week-Redondo Beach | tags: burgers and fries in redondo beach, redondo beach diners, ruby's diner redondo beach. | #

Whether it’s a Loco Moco, Beef Pot-stickers or Crispy Shrimp Curry, Maui Rose has Hawaiian BBQ covered in Hermosa Beach. Mike Radke(Chef/owner) and South-Bay local brings his passion for quality food and his positive energy to his guests. From the moment you enter his restaurant you are treated like family and Maui Rose prides itself providing great tasting reasonably priced pacific rim cuisine.





Maui Rose has become the local haven and grub stop for Hermosa residents for the past 6 years. Feeding everyone from Surfers to business people in the South-bay, fans of Maui Rose have been loyal and keep coming back for more. I have been doing just that since I discovered this Hermosa gem a few months back.



I fell in love with Hawaiian cuisine in Kona, this past summer and now I have a place where I can experience the nostalgic flavors of the Island with Chef Radke’s creative Island creations and some mainland items thrown into the mix. At Maui Rose there are always new chef specials and it’s always a trip to just tell Mike to make something good if you don’t feel like ordering of the menu. He is a chef that understands his customers and knows his food. You will not find bottled marinades or dressings because everything is made from scratch at Maui Rose.





Order al-a-carte or opt for a combo and sample several items. We chowed down on the Combo Special (#46) Chicken Katsu Cutlet and Kalbi plate with Miso soup and Maui Rose Garden salad. This was the perfect amount of food and an explosion of flavors; the ultimate Umami experience.



Radke’s own touches are evident throughout the menu. His version of Miso soup is garnished with sesame seeds, scallions, carrots, and cabbage and these touches add a nice crunch to each bite. The Garden Salad is liberally coated with his own homemade Asian vinaigrette and is a perfect way to start your meal. Toss in some egg rolls and some pot-stickers and you have a complete meal.





The Chicken Katsu is lightly breaded and flash fried in trans-fat free oil and has a nice healthy crunch. Radke’s Kalbi pays homage to Korean bbq and one bite of his Kalbi-marinated Korean spare ribs and you will feel like you took a trip to Korea-town without the traffic. Complete your meal with a side of Macaroni Salad and White Rice and you are all set. Other house favorites are the Kahua pork plate and the Bulgogi plate. Sip a Hawaiian punch and will think you left the mainland(no plane ticket necessary).





No matter what your Asian fancy is, Maui Rose has you covered. Just tell Radke what you are in the mood for and he will take care of the rest. For a happy ending of all happy endings try an order of crispy bananas for desert and you will leave with a smile on your face. Sit back and take in the Hawaiian sounds and reggae rhythms on the boom-box and taste for yourself why Maui Rose planted its roots in Hermosa Beach.



Event catering and take-out is also available. Visit the website or call Maui Rose for more information @ 310-999-FOOD.







Maui Rose
450 Pacific Coast Highway
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
(310) 372-2419
http://mauirosehermosa.com/Main.html

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Chef Darren Weiss has been entertaining guests for years at various restaurants both locally and across the United States with his well crafted menu’s and his take on New American Cuisine and he now has his namesake restaurant speaking to South-bay residents one plate at a time.

A little over two years ago Darren’s Restaurant and Bar began bringing his culinary creations to Manhattan Beach residents. Darren has created quite a buzz about his cuisine and he has won numerous awards from Zagat, Open Table and more recently Wine Speculator honored him with the “Award of Excellence” for his efforts in 2009. With all of this notoriety, you would have no idea that chef Darren is hearing impaired. Instead of this being a hindrance, Darren lets his food speak from his soul and his heightened sensitivity towards ingredients allows him to express his art through his artfully presented dishes.



His philosophy and cooking style puts strong emphasis on the farm to table movement by only utilizing local and seasonal produce and the menu evolves as the seasons change. We were delighted to sample a range of seasonal dishes that Darren feels capture the current season and its essence.

The interior dining room is modern and classy with an upscale beach cottage vibe running through and an outdoor enclosed patio provides a secondary space for guess to dine as well as a bar area with its own bar menu.



Darren’s offer’s a range of beverage options for patrons from draft beer selections from Allagash, Racer 5, and Stone Brewing, as well as an extensive wine list and an array of signature cocktails.





To get things started on the right foot we sampled a duo of martinis selected by our bar-tender. Our first one was a Pomegranate Green Tea Martini with an infusion of
Pearl Pomegranate Vodka, Pomegranate Juice, and Zen Green Tea Liquor. This intoxicating libation was quite a refreshing way to entice our taste-buds for what was to come. We also tasted a lighter option, the Italian Lemonade. A blend of Absolute Vodka, Campari, Fresh Lemon Juice and a Sugar Rim got us primed and ready for the feast to come.





Our first dish was the Rock Shrimp Ravioli stuffed with Goat cheese and pine nuts. Every component was meticulously chosen and all built off one another to create a powerful starter dish loaded with flavor and even the crispy leek tumbleweed garnish got eaten.



Next we had one of my favorite dishes; The Sweet and Spicy Lobster Chowder. This is not your ordinary chowder and it draws influences from Asian and American Cuisine. Maine Lobster Knuckles, Diced Purple Potato & Red Garnet Yams, Shiitake Mushroom, Sweet Corn and a Thick Coconut Broth all come together with amazing flavor in this savory seasonal chowder and it will keep you coming back for more. Take my word for it.



Our final dish was the Scottish sweet chili and peanut crusted salmon. This salmon is chef’s ode to Pad Thai and Asian fusion cuisine and I simply call it “Pad Thai Salmon” because after one bite you will think you were diving into a bowl of Pad Thai noodles. Other flavor notes come alive from the Sushi style sticky rice, house Pickled English Cucumber and Lemon Grass Sake Beurre Blanc sauce.



As you can see it only takes a few dishes to illustrate how amazing and dynamic the food is at Darren’s. Darren and his well seasoned team with Shawn Davis(Chef de Cuisine) and General Manager Bart Thompson make sure that guests keep coming back for more and that diners feel at home at this Manhattan Beach seaside eatery. See for yourself why Darren’s draws crowds day in and day out and have a taste for yourself.





Darren’s Restaurant & Bar
www.darrensrestaurant.com
1141 Manhattan Ave
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266-5333
310-802-1973

Photography by Joseph Briscoe @briscoephoto.com

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