This article discusses the main highlights of the Los Angeles Food and Wine Festival.
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I know that lately, I have been publishing a lot about food festivals but, what can I say, I love food!
This past weekend I had the opportunity to attend the Fifth Annual Los Angeles Food and Wine Festival. I thought about not publishing a review of the event. However, I desisted of the idea after going thru the 400 hundred photos I shot on the two evenings.
I promise I would not bore you with words this time. This is intended to be a highlight of the festival in photos.
The Los Angeles Food and Wine Festival is a four-day event showcasing the fine food culture throughout Los Angeles and the country. This is an opportunity to get a sample of the food cooked by some of the industry biggest influencers and talents.
Beware foodies: this post may cause excessive drooling (keep your electronic devices safe!).
Los Angeles Food and Wine Festival: Asian Market
The Asian Night Market featured an abundance of unique tastings using Asian-inspired ingredients from some of the nation’s most influential chefs. In part, the event tried to mimic the multi-sensory street food experience of the night’s markets of cities like Chiang Mai, Kuala Lumpur and Taipei. However, this ‘market’ was a little different since the food was prepared with distinctive West Coast flavors
One Pico
Slow cooked pork belly & smoked pork tenderloin with napa cabbage-apple & chipotle BBQ Sauce
Fluff Ice
Mango and Coconut Fluff
Chaya
Tai snapper carpaccio with ume dashi puree & yuzu koshu jelly
Phorage
Crispy coconut rice cakes with shrimp
The District
Handmade noodles
Chef Daniel Jolly
BBQ Pork Sliders
Pakpao Thai
Kalua Taco
Kettner Exchange
Pork Char Siu Bao
Birch
Palm sugar glazed pork with fermented cabbage and zatar yogurt
The Slanted Door
Rice noodles with turmeric and pork
Holsteins Shakes & Buns
Reuben Egg Rolls with Russian Dressing
Campfire S’mores Trifle
Sambar
Sev Puri Chaat with mango & avocado
B Sweet
Assorted flavors of hot bread pudding
Ray’s Stark Bar
Banh Mi
Hamasaku
Jewelry box
KRU / Fish Face
Sturgeon Poke with Marrow Soy
Patina
Dungeness crab with cardamon, nuoc mam, and green mango sorbet
Chef Jason Fullilove
Chef Steven Fretz
Okonomiyaki Dog
Los Angeles Food and Wine Festival: Grand Tasting
The grand tasting event featured the best chefs from Los Angeles and beyond.
Scarpetta
Coppa di Testa with picked vegetables and salsa verde
Montage Hotel
Citrus marinated hamachi with purple potato-date salad, jalapeno and ginger yogurt
Mirabelle at Beaver Creek
Grilled chicken, avocado, tomatoes and micro greens
Roasted Pork Shoulder with peach mostarda & escarole
Sotto
Goat meatballs with braised cabbage, pine nuts, currants and shaved goat cheese
Falk Yeah! Productions
Tomato-raspberry, avocado, Brazil nuts and marjoram
Bestia
Strawberry shortcake with mascarpone cream biscuit and sweet cream ice cream
Mourad
Tartlette smoked salmon, dill, cucumber, and lebni
Salt & Straw
Strawberry shortcake: ricotta cheesecake ice cream, strawberry vinegar, roasted strawberries and buttered almond
Bouchon
Salade Nicoise
Vadouvan rice bowl with crispy pork belly and charred octopus
Verve Coffee and Dark Matter Coffee
Espresso
The Grange Restaurant & Bar
Cowboy sushi: zabuton, uni, horseradish, and shiso
McConnell’s
Sea salt Cream & Cookies and Eureka lemon & Marionberries Ice Cream
Taco Maria
Squid, potato, cucumber and recado negro
Peach Tres Leches
Many thanks to Plated an M Booth PR for inviting me to be a part of the festivals and their road trip along the United States!
Make sure to read my post about Plate’s Road to Discovery Roadtrip.
What dish would you like to try?
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- Get inspiration by reading my Los Angeles Ultimate Bucket List
- Venice Beach Graffiti, Murals and Street Art
- Venice Beach Canals
- Driving in Los Angeles: Top Tips by a Local
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Sally@Toddlers on Tour says
Ruth you find the most amazing food festivals.
Ruth says
I know. The funny thing is that I had no plans at the beginning of the festival season. I won tickets to one and then, have had opportunities to attend other. It has been great.
image-in-ing (weekly photo linky) says
Wow – these are amazing food photos!
Thanks so much for being a regular visitor to Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday) at image-in-ing, and for linking up to this week’s party at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2015/08/strange-visitors-in-garden.html
Rhonda Albom says
Wow, what a huge food festival. I love the photos. The little coconut pie with shrimp is the one I would pick.
Ruth says
Rhonda, that is a good pick. I wasn’t expecting a lot of it but, boy, I was wrong. It tasted delicious. Now, I need to find a bigger version.
Jacqueline says
So, I am thinking that I am probably living my life wrong because I have never been to a food fair or festival! Your posts lately are making me wonder why! It looks so delicious and like a fun time!
Ruth says
You definitely need to attend a food festival! It is just a lot of fun. We are lucky to live in Los Angeles where the food scene bursts and bursts with creativity. However, I think many cities are organizing their events too.
Photo Cache says
Everything! I would like to try everything. All look so yummy.
Ruth says
Hey! I like you already. You should have come with me. I went by myself and it was good but I would have like to share the event with somebody.
Laia | colibrist says
I never imagined there were so many food festivals!! Everything looks good and tasty, with many common and not-so-common ingredients and mixed flavours… Oh, I feel like eating Asian food now 😉
Ruth says
In Los Angeles,food festivals are everywhere (and every publications has its own). This week alone I have seen tickets to a lobster, chocolate and cider festivals. Let’s see if I can attend another ;0)
Daisy @ Simplicity Relished says
Wow! I love this. I’m also really sad I missed the food festival this year! Reliving it through your snapshots. 🙂
Donna says
Wow, that is a very delicious post! Such amazing and varied delicacies. Thanks for sharing at #OMHGWW!
Ruth says
This is one of the best festivals of the season. It is always a pleasure to attend.
maxholidayseo says
Great desserts and food recipes varieties to be enjoyed are indeed are very relishing and tasty.
Ruth says
Glad you liked it! Everything was very good.
Bryna says
You just made me SO hungry! I only had a sad little breakfast sandwich for breakfast 🙁 I’ve been to a food fair here in my city, but it doesn’t look nearly as fancy as the one you went to! All the food looks like it was presented so nicely! Now I think I need to go find a second breakfast to eat… haha!
Ruth says
Oh Bryna, sorry for making you hungry. I hope you find something delicious to eat! Los Angeles is know for its great food festivals. That is one of the huge pluses of living in here.
Indah Susanti says
Gosh, the images are sounding delicious..I am about to have dinner now in NL, I wish there were such festival by now 🙂 Thank you for the tour!!
Ruth says
Hey, by the way, how is the food in New Zealand? Would love to visit. I wish I can attend another food festival too.
Rachel Heller says
The competition must be fierce among restaurants in Los Angeles! That all looks so good! It must make it hard to stand out. There’s a food festival one weekend a year here in Groningen, but it’s SO much smaller scale. I go every year anyway!
Ruth says
There are tons of awesome restaurants here in Los Angeles. The thing is that, with the amount of people who live in the metropolitan area and with the love for food the residents have, you will always be in business if you serve delicious food. More and more restaurants keep opening (some by very famous chefs) and a lot of them are a success.
Muza-chan says
Delicious….
Ruth says
Agreed! Everything was delicious.
Anna says
oh my…so many delicious dishes!! I don’t know which one I’d like the most! To play it safe I’d say the BBQ Pork sliders and all the desserts!!
Ruth says
Those are very good choices. Actually the desserts on day two were better than the savory options. I was in awe on how a simple recipe can be reinvented in such a delicious way.
Ting at My Travel Monkey says
I love food festivals – I find them such interesting places because like you I like my food! They all looks so delicious. I am seriously hungry now! Thanks for linking up with #MondayEscapes
Michele {Malaysian Meanders} says
I’m living in the wrong town. I though Austin was supposed to be a foodie haven, but we have no where near as many food festivals as LA apparently does. Yes, I’m a little jealous of you. Everything looks so delicious. Good thing I just had lunch or I’d be drooling all over the keyboard. Is that Mango Fluff like Taiwanese snow ice?
Ruth says
I know Austin has good food but, with all respect, Los Angeles seems to be on another league. It is crazy the variety of food you can get in here. I would say that is the number one reason to live here. I believe the mango fluff (they had coconut too) is the same thing as Taiwanese snow ice.
Fairlie says
I should not have read this post BEFORE lunch! It all looks so delicious.
Ruth says
I will say it again. Looks like bloggers love to browse the Internet hungry ;0)
Anda says
Like I said before, Ruth, you know all the fun events taking place in Los Angeles and I don’t. Shame on me to live so close to all this good food and not be aware of the Los Angeles food festival.
Ruth says
Anda, I am subscribed to newsletters of publications such as DoLA, LA Weekly, TimeOut Los Angeles, Los Angeles Magazine and other. In that way, I can keep on top of what is happening on the city. I am also get newsletters of sites live Groupon and Living Social.
Kathy Marris says
I love food festivals and your’s in LA looks particularly scrumptious. You make all the food look very appetizing with your wonderful photos. 🙂
Ruth says
Thanks Kathy. It was not easy to take the photos. As a matter of fact, I can write an entire post of the suffering of taking photos at a food festival (including all the times I was pushed and stepped over).
Liz says
Yummy post! I’d like to try all of course (especially the desserts) but right now I’m in the mood for the roast pork. Thanks for sharing this!
Ruth says
Ahh Liz! You would love to this festival. Roast pork sound good! I will like some too ;0)
Lyn - A Hole in my Shoe says
Wow, I love food festivals. What an amazing selection, now I’m hungry.
Jennifer (Dr. J) says
Food festivals are the best! This post is making me hungry 🙂 #weekendwanderlust
Ruth says
I know they are the best. Enjoy every one I attend!
Jen says
I wouldn’t even know where to start with all of that gorgeous food. Holy crow!
Great captures (& you’re right – made me want to drop!). Thank you for joining us again this week for Photo Friday!
Ruth says
To be honest, it is a bit overwhelming when you enter the festival and you see all those booths offering food. You felt petrified and do not know where to start. I just start making the lines and try to calm down. At the end, I know I will try a lot of dishes and end up stuffed.
Karen says
Wow, what a spread! You weren’t kidding about West coast flavors mixed with the Asian dishes! I would try the turmeric pork with rice noodles and the assorted bread puddings. I just turned to my husband and asked if we could go have a dessert later.
Ruth says
It is interesting to see how chefs reinterpret certain Asian dishes but with a Californian touch. I didn’t feel like trying the bread pudding at first but then I decided t go ahead and taste them. Oh, they were so good. Glad I didn’t miss them.
Vlad says
I remember how much I liked and drooled at your other post about a night market so I had to stand further from my laptop this time, haha. The food looks soooo good! 😀
Ruth says
Yeah, I know what post you are referring to. In that other post, food was traditional. This Night Market version was more creative and innovative. Both were good though.
stephanie@stephsjoy says
Looks like an lovely day of feasting! Thanks for linking up!
Ruth says
That is kind of a poetic way to describe it in words. I like it a lot.
Nancie says
I want one of each. Difficult to make a choice, but I would definitely be in line for the mango sorbet.
Ruth says
I thought I was not going to enjoy the mango sorbet (I usually like the fruit but not anything prepared with it) but, like I said in the post, that was probably the best dish of the night.
Shellie Bowdoin says
Just one word…yum!! It looks like you had quite a culinary experience. Having lived in Asia for over 20 years, I am quite partial to Asian cuisine. Thanks for joining us on Oh My Heartsie Girl Wordless Wednesday!
Shellie
Ruth says
That is great! Here in Los Angeles we had a great representation of Asian food. However, I would like to visit the continent more often.
Jolanta | Casual Travelers says
Goodness, you were right to put in a warning at the beginning! Good thing I just had some lunch, otherwise this post would make me VERY hungry! 🙂 It’s still torturous of you to post the photos and only let us imagine how good that must have tasted. So much yummy food! Looks like a wonderful day!
Sarah Christie says
omg I think it would be impossible to read this post without drooling it all looks so incredible. I would love a day at a food festival trying bits of everything x
Ruth says
Ha, ha! You are so funny. I agree that everybody needs a day of feasting and eating.
Linda Bibb says
Oh my goodness, Ruth, you certainly ate a huge variety! I’m convinced that even someone who has dietary restrictions (me) would be sure to find things to enjoy there.
I’m always impressed with chefs’ creativity. What was your favorite?
Ruth says
I had several favorites. All the deserts on day two were delicious. I loved the crab in a cone from patina. The sushi from the chef from The Church key was delicious too. I went back for more.
Connie Reed says
So many unusual foods, and all so pretty. The desserts look the most appetizing to me, though. Not surprising.
Ruth says
I have not thought about the food in the festival as unusual but I see your point. It is not necessarily what you will see at a typical restaurant.