Food, Food, and More Food Thread

bmwracer wrote:
What's good for the goose.... :hehe:

----> :beatyou: <----

I had the good fortune to attend the 2nd Annual LA Weekly Gold Standard Food & Wine tasting event yesterday. It was held at the Petersen Automotive Museum on Wilshire Blvd. 40 restaurants were handpicked by LA Weekly food critic Jonathan Gold, who is the first food journalist to win a Pulitzer Prize. Restaurants ranged from quick food places to high end restaurants renowned for fine dining. It was awesome! I attended the event with 3 friends of mine that I went to elementary school with, two I've known since kindergarten and one since the fourth grade. It was a blast.

Unfortunately I was too busy pigging out but I took a few photos. :yippee:

Fried oyster sandwich on a crostini
[image]

Seasoned Haas Avocado taco
[image]

Jerk chicken with veggies and rice
[image]

Signature Pot Roast on a brioche bun with horseradish sauce from The Jar Restaurant
[image]

Peruvian Roast chicken roasted in a wood-fired oven with rice and beans from Pollo a la Brasa
[image]

Tu_triky wrote:I had the good fortune to attend the 2nd Annual LA Weekly Gold Standard Food & Wine tasting event yesterday. It was held at the Petersen Automotive Museum on Wilshire Blvd.

Sugoi... Cars and food. :victory:

bmwracer wrote:
Sugoi... Cars and food. :victory:

Yeah it was the first time I've been to that venue. It is really nice. And it was also the first time attending the Gold Standard event. It was so worth it. All you can eat, and drink for one set price. It was so worth it. We were literally stuffed. :sweat:

Tu_triky wrote:I attended the event with 3 friends of mine that I went to elementary school with, two I've known since kindergarten and one since the fourth grade.

That's pretty amazing... I don't know where any of my friends from those years are anymore... :sweat:

bmwracer wrote:
That's pretty amazing... I don't know where any of my friends from those years are anymore... :sweat:

Yup, I have to agree. We went to a small private school that doesn't even exist anymore; it's been turned into a charter school. So our friendship has basically outlasted the existence of the school even.

I guess good food brings people together :D

Tu_triky wrote:I guess good food brings people together :D

Second that. :victory:

For any SoCal foodies on deck:

=====================================

Beef short rib and grilled cheese sammie
[image]

Big Changes Bring Bigger, Cheesier Grilled Cheese Invitational
By Elina Shatkin, Tuesday, Mar. 2 2010

It started as a casual throwdown in Tim Walker's loft, but this year the Grilled Cheese Invitational is growing much bigger and much, much cheesier. After last year's invitational drew record crowds (and record annoyances), Walker (a.k.a. Captain Shady) decided to reboot the event and turn it into a more expansive celebration of grilled cheese rather than a simple cooking contest. For the 8th annual Grilled Cheese Invitational (Twitter: @grilldcheez), to be held the end of April, he's made some major changes by bringing on Tillamook as a sponsor, creating a competitive division solely for professional chefs, adding cheese-themed activities for spectators and bringing in vendors to sell grilled cheese sandwiches for $2-3. (Check out pictures from last year --> http://www.laweekly.com/slideshow/view/8108182)

Long lines -- to get in, to get samples and to try the entries cooked up by hundreds of contestants -- plagued last year's event, which drew 5,400 people. At this year's event, a complete reboot of the GCI concept, Walker expects to draw 8,000 to 10,000 people. "It grew so huge I couldn't effectively put it on and have the competition be the only event," Walker says. "We're only going to have 250 competitors. So if the event is going to continue to grow, I need to make it fun for everybody and not just for the 1,500 people lucky enough to register as judges." Look for cooking demos, a costume contest, standup comedy and 10,000 free sandwiches grilled up by Tillamook.

A thoroughly egalitarian affair -- it's grilled cheese, after all; how serious can you get? -- the winners of the amateur division will pit their sandwiches against the winners in the pro division. The overall champion will earn a trophy "that's probably bigger than they are," Walker says. As usual, the contest, for both pros and amateurs, will be divided into three categories Missionary (traditional sandwiches made with only bread, butter and cheese), Kama Sutra (anything goes) and Honey Pot (dessert sandwiches).

One more highlight, look for some kind of collaboration with the Grilled Cheese Truck. After all, it was at last year's Grilled Cheese Invitational that chef Dave Danhi was inspired to launch his truck. Also, look for an appearance by Heidi Gibson, the invitational's most lauded contestant. The six-time champion is in the final stages of prepping her restaurant, American Grilled Cheese Kitchen, to open in San Francisco.

The 8th Annual Grilled Cheese Invitational will be held April 24 with registration starting April 1 (or possibly the last week of March if Walker gets his act together). The location will be announced in March. Tickets will cost $10 and must be purchased in advance. The first 1,500 people to buy tickets online can sign up to be judges. Judges will be able to try at least three different samples. And to cut through all the grease and starch, there will be a beer and wine garden with up to four breweries and four wineries.

^ George Costanza: "I was at home relaxing and eating a block of cheese the size of a car battery...!" :hehe:

bmwracer wrote:^ George Costanza: "I was at home relaxing and eating a block of cheese the size of a car battery...!" :hehe:

:rofl: That's dayem funny.

Tu_triky wrote:Beef short rib and grilled cheese sammie
[image]

Looks like one of the Panninis I had at my brother's house... :drooling:

bmwracer wrote:
Looks like one of the Panninis I had at my brother's house... :drooling:

Looks friekin' good is all I'll say!

Apparently it's a photo of food from 8oz Burger on Melrose Ave.

http://www.8ozburgerbar.com/

Piggin' out with my cronies at The Hungry Cat in Hollywood.

Raw snapper, edamame puree, blood orange, shiso leaf, and Maldon sea salt
[image]

Seafood Platter (Shrimp, Prawns, Mussels, Lobster tail, Snow Crab legs, and Skookum Oysters from Washington)
[image]

Season peeled shrimp with oil, garlic, salt, and parsley
[image]

The lobster roll on butter toasted bun with french fries
[image]

Sherry Darling (boomsma gin, muddled apple, lime, pedro ximenez sherry, balsamic vinegar)
[image]

^ Itai...!!!!

Time for me to go work out... :sweat: :sweat: :sweat:

I want to eat all that too!! :shamefulcry:

Eve wrote:I want to eat all that too!! :shamefulcry:

Come over, we'll hit it up sometime. :D

bmwracer wrote:^ Itai...!!!!

Time for me to go work out... :sweat: :sweat: :sweat:

I think my brain is still at the LA Gold Standard Food & Wine Tasting event.

Tu_triky wrote:

Come over, we'll hit it up sometime. :D

When I make it out west I'll be taking you up on that! :thumbsup:

I find most people dont really know how to appreciate good food.
The world is not like this thread.... :shakehead:

Eve wrote:

When I make it out west I'll be taking you up on that! :thumbsup:

On my word, if you and Mr. Beastie ever come out to the rough and tumble smog filled L.A. area you can take that promise to the bank. :say_yes:

I find most people don't really know how to appreciate good food.
The world is not like this thread.... :shakehead:

Haha. :hehe:

I guess we are a sheltered bunch. Yeah I was probably counted among them back in the day when I spent most of cheddar on partying and what not...but now that I have mellowed a bit in my elder years, I have come to appreciate the "good eats" of my town. I think L.A. didn't get the respect in that sense several years ago but I think it's come into its own within the last 5 years and has become a culinary destination worth checking out. While New York still reigns supreme, we ain't the bastard child anymore.

The confluence of cultures here probably has something to do with that.

Back at this thread after a goodly workout and a decent, if not spectacular meal: a salad, grilled marinated salmon, and Haiga brown rice. :victory: