LA Times The Taste

The Saturday night event of LA Times The Taste was as good as a food festival can get. Superstar chef Ben Ford and Top Chef's Katsuji Tanaka excited fans, but the overwhelming favorite were lambchops from 10e Restaurant, an Armenian eatery in downtown LA.

Disappointment with the heat and the quality of the lunchtime events was a prevailing sentiment of the event. While Taste devotees pointed out that the weather was milder than last year, it was still undeniably hot. Sunday's BBQ themed event did nothing to cool down attendees, and it was reflected in the lower than normal turnout. But those who attended Saturday night were not disappointed.

Hosted by Times Restaurant Critic Jonathan Gold; Jenn Harris, Times Deputy Food Editor, Chef Michael Fiorelli of Love & Salt, and Master Bartender Vincenzo Maríanella, Saturday's Dinner with a Twist had so many great eats, it was food heaven.

Mi Piace offered up beautiful Smoked Salmon Strata as well as Braised Beef Short Ribs.

As reported from LA Food and Wine Festival, pork was in. But Doomie's Home Cookin brought vegan BBQ "Pork."

Sure there was plenty of pig to go around with one of my favorites, Ben Ford offering Pulled Pork tacos. The chef brought several whole pigs to go around.

Hopefully that will help the reporter who asked for his business card recognize him next year. What with a Ford's Filling Station at LAX and a bestselling cookbook, Chef Ford is #morethanjusthansolosson.

Tipple and Brinbe had no compunction about bragging about their marinated clams.
But you know what? They were right.

Loteria Grill handed out beautiful Tacos de Chiles en Nogada.

Saturday's lunchtime event highlights were:
Kye's BBQ Pork Mini Kyerito filled with Slow Roasted Heluka Pork Shoulder, White Rice/Quinoa Blend, and Poppy Seed Fennel and Cabbage slaw wrapped in a collard green.

M Cafe's beautiful Hijiki and Mizuna Inari with Pickled Burdock and Daikon.

Cafe Del Rey's yummilicious mushroom creations especially their Mushroom Pate.

Asian Box never disappoints, and they certainly didn't with their lamb meatballs.

 

I could eat Pedalers Fork's Skuna Bay Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs forever.

Sunday offered fewer pleasures but saving graces were
Ocean Prime Beverly Hills' Crab Cocktail

Asian Box's Chicken-Ginger Porridge (jook/congee)

and 10E's Lamb sliders.
(wouldn't you know it--I dived in before I could take a photo which is very common at food shows!)

LA Times The Taste: Ocean Prime Beverly Hills Crab Cocktail

Anyone who knows how to use seaweed gets my endorsement. Ocean Prime Beverly Hills brought their crab cocktail to LA Times The Taste. The base was fresh seaweed in sesame seed oil, always refreshing. Topped with pineapple and pickled mango, the cocktail was a cooling reprieve from the heat.

LA Times The Taste: Stella needs to Get Her Chill Back

What was up with Stella Artois? Uptight, veering toward tyrannical, the Stella presence at LA Times The Taste definitely didn't fit with the groove. First there was the anal cheese selector/beer sommelier Marc Stroobandt who demanded that guests have a beer in their hand before getting a cube of cheese. He barked at the female pourers, "Cidre!" as if they were his slaves. I've never seen someone so uppity because he cuts cheese. What an ass.

Then at the end of the event when all guests wanted were some of the glassware discards, the idiot volunteer made people join the beer line. "Chef rules." The thing is the chefs had abandoned the booth long ago.

Get over the rigidity, Stella. Otherwise, you're just sour and flat.