2nd Annual LA Street Food Fest Brings New Tastes

The original LA Street Food Fest returns to the Rose Bowl for their 2011 Summer Tasting Event on July 16. With over 65 top restaurants, gourmet trucks, Top Chefs and for the first time ever, a group of Baja chefs including Javier Plascencia, the LA Street Food Fest seems to have outdone themselves once again. This past week, the event organizers invited us out for a preview of what will be offered.

Food and Wine Best New Chef award winner Ricardo Zarate presented Peruvian cantina treats from his new restaurant Picca, including his Causa Sushi, where the rice is replaced with potato. Taste and texturally well put together, you could taste the years of experience that Chef Zarate has with Peruvian and Japanese cuisines. He is also expected to offer some off-the-menu surprises to represent his take on street food.

The LA Street Food Fest has teamed up with Street Gourmet LA's Bill Esparza to put together an awesome line up of Baja chefs this year. What are Baja chefs? A number of chefs from south of the border will be coming to LA for the first time, to show their culinary magic. Chef Javier Plascencia will be offering Pacific Oyster Asada with Chicharron Short Rib, Serrano Ponzu Butter, and Lemongrass Foam, while Chef Sabina Bandera brings a Sea Urchin Tostada to the table, to name a few. A full list of chefs and vendors (and their menus) can be found on the LA Street Food Fest website.

Another newcomer to the LA Street Food Fest, NaanStop, have their own unique take on Indian food. Co-owners (and brothers) Samir and Neil Idnani have taken the recipes of their beloved mother, and reinvented it through items like the NaanWich. We tried a sample of their Tandoori Chicken Naanwich, which was served deconstructed for the tasting. Tandoori chicken topped with a masala sauce, a bit of yogurt-cilantro raita on the side and a naan stick. The also served a vegetarian samosa which was well complimented with an apple tamarind chutney and a spicy coconut, mint, cilantro chutney. It was a nice bite and a great balance!

Making their public debut at the LA Street Food Fest this year, is GlowFish featuring Japanese festival and street food. With an Osaka-style Okonomiyaki, GlowFish mixes bacon, shrimp, scallion, provolone cheese, and pickled ginger, then batters it with cabbage, Japanese mountain yam, wheat flour and kelp stock. Topped with okonomiyaki sauce, mayo, bonito flakes, and green laver (seaweed), you've got to try this oko!

Offering Taiwanese street food snacks, The Mighty Boba Truck will be have their Buttermilk Popcorn Chicken. A customer favorite, The Mighty Boba Truck uses thigh meat exclusively, as dark meat guarantees far more flavor than white meat. Lightly seasoned with herbs, spices, and basil, then fried in a buttermilk batter, you'll be hooked. After a few bites, you'll want to wash it down with one of their Boba Milk Teas (made with non-dairy creamer for the lactose intolerant).

This being their 2nd annual summer tasting event at the Rose Bowl, the LA Street Food Fest knows that street food goes great with beer. For that reason, there will be two Singha Beer Gardens. Looking for other libations? Worry not, as mixologists like Julian Cox will be creating cocktails with Hendrick's Gin, while another bar will be making refreshing summer-friendly cocktails with Sailor Jerry's Rum. Looking for dessert? There will be an ice cream social, with LA favorites like Beachy Cream's natural ice cream sandwiches, and Batch from Scratch, who has partnered with Scoops to bring you their own unique creations.

So many options, and you get it all with your admission. Food, drinks, and an ice cream social, a day at the LA Food Fest sounds like a great escape from the nightmare on the freeways this weekend. In fact, there are even free shuttles to take you from the Metro Gold Line to the Rose Bowl. Tickets are still available at http://lastreetfoodfest.com/buy-tickets/, but keep in mind, they sell out every year.

By Ivan Randall, photography by Ivan Randall.