Inaugural LA Fried Chicken Fest this Sunday

Fried chicken is on the rise.  It may be the pork belly of 2012.  In the continuing wave of upscale comfort food, whether fancy burgers or macaroni and cheese, fried chicken is enjoying its day in the sun.  A well deserved high profile after soaking in deep fryers for many long years paying its dues.  This Sunday will be the premiere of the L.A. Fried Chicken Fest, at the Coop (aka Gonpachi) on La Cienega in Beverly Hills.

Nine of LA's most popular and talented chefs will each be making their own take on Fried Chicken (that is eight versions as Marcel Vigneron and Haru Kishi are collaborating on their dish).  There will be Asian, Latin and European takes on the American classic.  The list of participating chefs is a whose who of recent award winners, such as Ricardo Zarate from Mo Chica and Pica  and Bryant Ng of the Spice Table, who won Food & Wine Magazine's Best New Chef in 2011 and 2012, respectively.  

Tickets are $55 and are in limited supply.  No tickets will be sold at the door.  So get on the waitlist or do what you gotta do, as this fest is not to be missed.  Sunday, August 26th from 4 - 8 pm.  Where else will you get to see Beverly Hills housewives chowing down on golden bird?  Plus there is a charity component as 10% of proceeds will benefit Share Our Strength.  This is going to be one finger lickin' good afternoon.

134 N. La Cienega Blvd, Beverly Hills.  www.lafriedchickenfest.com

Outdoor BBQ Coming to Drago Centro this Sunday

Drago Centro.  Photo courtesy of Food GPS

This Sunday afternoon you should head to Culver City for the Taste of the Nation fundraiser for Share our Strength.  But for a lucky (and hardy) few, that will just be the appetizer.  At Drago Centro from 5 - 9 pm on Sunday evening, the patio will be the scene of an outdoor bbq the likes few have seen before.  There will be a veritable festival of meats including a whole suckling pig, New York strip steak, lamb, baby goat, chickens and sausages.

A Noah's Ark of animals will be cooked on the grill.  Two by two the swordfish, soft shelled crabs, scallops and salmon will join the bounty of meat and seafood.  If all that protein is not enough to entice you than the variety of pastas on offer may be just the thing to scratch your summer bbq itch.

What else for dessert but homemade gelato from pastry chef Jashmine Corpuz?  The bbq is the perfect opportunity to check out the new seasonal cocktail menu from Michael Shearin and Jaymee Mandeville.

The price for this feast is $50 per person, including all food but not including beverages.  For goat, lamb and the rest of the cornucopia on offer, that is a bargain.  The only way to partake of this summer kickoff is to make a reservation by calling Drago Centro at (213) 228-8998.

Drago Centro: 525 South Flower St. (Downtown LA). Phone: (213) 228-8998. Website: dragocentro.com

Spicy BBQ: Khao Soi is just the beginning

The path to Spicy BBQ in Hollywood is well trodden.  Midtown Lunch, Food GPS and Jonathan Gold have left markers pointing the way to this tiny outpost in a strip mall on Santa Monica Blvd & Normandie.  There are seats for roughly 20 people inside and with reasonable prices and excellent food, there can be a wait to be seated.

Based on prior intel, my compatriot and I ordered from the Northern Thai section of the menu and were particularly exited to try the elusive khao soi (below), described on the menu as Northern Thai Egg Noodles.  The key ingredient was the egg noodles which were soft and just a little sweet.  The dish also included chicken, cilantro, coconut milk.  Pickles and a lime wedge were served alongside it and the waitress (owner?) insisted that we stir them in.  There were allegedly crispy noodles on top but either they got soggy before we got to them or they were never there.  In any case, this is a dish worth returning for.

We also tried the namesake dish of the restaurant, Spicy BBQ, which is beef barbequed and served off of the bone with a spicy Thai dipping sauce.  (There is a choice between beef & pork for this dish).  We ordered sticky rice to accompany this and the following dish.  The sauce on the beef had some heat but was manageable.  The beef had been marinated and had a good flavor.

The waitress also suggested that we order Nam Prik Noom, a spicy Northern Thai relish made from roasted green chili.  It was served with green onion and cilantro on top and lettuce and cucumber on the side to dip into it.  The sticky rice was also suggested as a dipping vehicle.  This dish was seriously spicy and the two of us only barely scratched the surface, even after we had eaten all of the dipping veggies.  A Thai friend later commented to me that she sometimes uses roasted eggplant in this dish to lessen the heat.  I enjoyed it, but a little goes a long way.

I left Spicy BBQ thinking, why didn't I come here before?  It is a great value, the service is efficient and most importantly the food is seriously good and as a bonus they aren't afraid to serve spicy food and didn't seem to tone it down for Westerners.

Please not that Spicy BBQ is Cash Only.  Also the bathroom is upstairs in the minimall; you obtain a key from the waitress.  Ample parking in the minimall parking lot.

Spicy BBQ: 5101 Santa Monica Blvd @ Normandie, Hollywood.  Phone: (323) 663-4211.

Showdown at the Verdugo Bar Corral: Beer Float II

In a sequel that is more than welcome, Josh Lurie of FoodGPS will be hosting the second L.A. Beer Float Showdown on Sunday October 10th at 5:30 PM at Verdugo Bar in Glassell Park. The showcase showdown will feature four teams competing to create the best beer float in LA. Last year Golden State and Scoops teamed up for the grand prize, but as they are not able to defend their crown this year, it is anybody's game.

The competitors are Boneyard Bistro, Ladyface Alehouse, Simmzy's and Tony's Darts Away. Each competitor will make a float which will be judged by those in attendance based on flavor and originality. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 in cash at the door, and half the proceeds will go to benefit the great charity Share Our Strength. If you want to be a judge, you don't need a degree in chemistry or experience as a judge on Iron Chef America, all you need is to purchase a ticket and be ready to cast your vote.

To help you feed your belly with food as well as beer, Josh has arranged for the Manila Machine and Mandoline Grill food trucks to be stationed outside Verdugo Bar to sell their famous eats.  This event is part of LA Beer Week, the second annual festival of all things sudsy here in Los Angeles.

Click the Pay Now button on the post here to buy tickets.

Verdugo Bar: 3408 Verdugo Road, Los Angeles. Phone: (323) 257-3408. Website: verdugobar.com