Drew Rivetty – Foodzooka

Posted on Jan 17, 2019 by Drew Rivetty

The Mission Barbeque Grills Generously

The Mission Barbeque - Foodzooka Splat Feature

Barbeque famously brings people together to enjoy hearty feasts made with effort and expertise. As a family-run business, The Mission Barbeque aims to add even more meaning to their skillfully grilled meats as a means to help feed the needy in the local community.

The Mission Barbeque started bringing juicy, smoky, fall-off-the-bone barbeque classics and sides as a new vendor at La Cañada Farmers Market nearly three months ago. Each week, George and Judith Buendia and their helpful children prepare two bountiful batches of slow-roasted meats and dishes: one set to sell at the Saturday farmers market, and another set to give directly to the homeless that same evening.

The Mission Barbeque - Combo plate (Foodzooka) — The Mission Barbeque – Combo plate (Foodzooka)

“We cook enough for the sales, and then we make extra for service—for skid row, or the river, or wherever the homeless camps are—and take food out to them,” said Judith. A portion of the proceeds from the market sales pays for the food that the family donates.

On the menu of meats is Texas-style brisket, St. Louis-style pork ribs, and Southern-style pulled pork, which you can order as a combo meal with two sides or buy on their own by the pound. All of the meats are selected and hand-trimmed by George before spending hours and hours in the smoker, absorbing flavors from pecan and oak woods. The final result reflects the amount of patience George devotes to the process as well as the amount of sleep he loses the night before.

“It’s a 12-hour cook a lot of times with the brisket,” he said, which may explain why it’s The Mission Barbeque’s most requested item. The Angus beef brisket is simply rubbed with black pepper and kosher salt and injected with George’s secret mix of juices to ensure the meat is flavorful to its core. As he cuts through the blackened surface, each slice reveals a mark of excellence in the pinkish red ring along its edges. “That’s the smoke ring. That’s the one you’re working for,” he explained.

The Mission Barbeque - Texas style brisket (Foodzooka) — The Mission Barbeque – Texas style brisket (Foodzooka)

George coats the ribs and pork meat with rub recipes he developed to infuse flavors of brown sugar, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and other spices overnight. He also adds special final touches in the last hours of grilling, such as a homemade barbeque sauce glaze on the ribs and a spritzing of apple juice on the pulled pork.

All of it cooks inside a smoker grill large enough to feed 200 people. The Buendias had the grill custom built in Atlanta, Georgia and towed it across the country themselves. Then for three years, George strove to excel in the art of pitmastering and find that coveted balance of timing and temperature required to make plump piles of meat.

The Mission Barbeque - St. Louis style ribs (Foodzooka) — The Mission Barbeque – St. Louis style ribs (Foodzooka)

“I still see myself as learning, but I take it very seriously,” George said. One particular lesson he had to learn was to stop opening the grill to check on the meat. “Once you can get to where you can leave it alone, just keep the temp right and keep the smoke going, then it’s going to be fine.”

To accompany your choice of meat are the traditional sides. Crisp coleslaw, creamy mac and cheese, velvety baked beans, and fluffy cornbread are all made from scratch in a commercial kitchen in Sunland. Judith puts her 23 years of experience as a baker to good use to craft each item from Southern recipes. Even the barbeque sauces are made in-house. “We’ve had people from the South come up to our booth and give us compliments,” she said.

The Mission Barbeque - Side dishes (Foodzooka) — The Mission Barbeque – Side dishes (Foodzooka)

In case you’re finicky about your barbeque, George and Judith are happy to offer sample bites for market goers to try. “A lot of times people are kind of hesitant. They hear that it’s barbeque, but they don’t think it’s real barbeque,” said George. Nevertheless, when the market nears closing time at 1pm, The Mission Barbeque is completely sold out. “There are times when we’re taking everything down and people say, ‘Wait, do you have anything left? Anything? Whatever you have in there, we’ll take it!’”

Like their meals, The Mission Barbeque’s farmers market stand is packed with the essentials and delivers more than expected. Absent is the actual smoker grill, which would be difficult to place, being the size of a small vehicle. But everything else about this tent is pure barbeque delight. The inside is surrounded with food, and the meat is kept dripping hot inside a well-insulated carrier throughout the Saturday event. Foil-covered catering trays keep the side dishes cozy, and a carving station gets its share of marks from George’s slicing skills. Within reaching distance are squeeze bottles of homemade regular or spicy barbeque sauce, along with honey for the cornbread.

“We’ve received nothing but positive feedback. The food—everybody enjoys it. Word is getting around. People are telling their friends. We’re always selling out, pretty much every week,” said George.

The Mission Barbeque - George Judith and Karina Buendia (Foodzooka) — The Mission Barbeque – George Judith and Karina Buendia (Foodzooka)

After the market closes on Saturdays, the Buendias return to their Eagle Rock home to drop off supplies and reload the car with more food. The family then spends the evening driving around Skid Row and along the banks of the Los Angeles River, parking near the tents and offering the crowds warm-cooked meals.

“We get this renewed energy,” said Judith. “And the appreciation from all of the people and all of the hearts you touch, it’s priceless.”

George and Judith were inspired to take this approach by other organizations that encourage helping those in need. They had been active with Angelus Temple, a local Foursquare Gospel church, which runs the Dream Center, a nonprofit community outreach center. The church also practices an active approach of giving items directly to people on the streets, such as food, money, clothes, and blankets. These efforts motivated the Buendia family to come up with their own way of contributing to help others, by serving high-quality meals to the homeless.

The Mission Barbeque - Beef burnt ends (Foodzooka) — The Mission Barbeque – Beef burnt ends (Foodzooka)

“To give people a real hot meal, they appreciate it,” George said. “And not only because it’s food, but because you took the time to give them something that they know you could sell at a restaurant.”

In the near future, the family expects to take on catering gigs. And you can currently request special items, such as beef burnt ends, which The Mission Barbeque will bring to the La Cañada Farmers Market. George and Judith ultimately want to take their passion as far as a brick and mortar restaurant that might allow them to feed thousands of homeless each week. But for now, as their slogan states, The Mission Barbeque is “Smoking hunger one meal at a time.”

The Mission Barbeque - La Cañada Farmers Market (Foodzooka) — The Mission Barbeque – La Cañada Farmers Market (Foodzooka)

For more info and updates, click the Foodzooka profile below to find The Mission Barbeque website and follow them on social media.

Posted on Dec 19, 2018 by Drew Rivetty

Soup Goddess Stirs Up A New Soup Base In Burbank

Early this fall, a Soup Goddess shop sprung up in the Burbank media district, becoming the area’s go-to spot for comforting, plant-based soups. Though the store was new, it marked the next phase of a vegan soup business that started simmering for Lizzie Meyer over a year ago.

Before converting the storefront to Soup Goddess, Lizzie had been operating there as an I Love Juice Bar franchisee. With her passion for healthy foods and creating recipes, she was also making soups and offering them on a special menu alongside the juice bar’s fresh juices and smoothies. “People were coming in our store when it was so hot outside, and they kept asking for soup,” Lizzie recalled. “My son said, ‘You’re like a soup goddess, Mom!’”

Soup Goddess - Gianna DiDonato, Lizzie Meyer, Dillon Meyer (Foodzooka) — Soup Goddess – Gianna DiDonato, Lizzie Meyer, Dillon Meyer (Foodzooka)

As the soups grew more popular, Lizzie’s oldest son Dillon Meyer and his girlfriend Gianna DiDonato helped spin off Soup Goddess into a separate business last fall, selling three or four varieties of jarred soups across nine local farmers markets. With her soups gaining momentum and the juice bar losing business to a new Whole Foods up the street, it was a logical step for Lizzie to reinvent her shop and establish a fixed location for Soup Goddess.

“I can’t tell you how many people stop in because they’re excited to see soup,” said Lizzie. “They ignore the whole vegan part of it and just come in because it says soup!”

Soup Goddess - Bae-rito and Cabbage Fit Soup (Foodzooka) — Soup Goddess – Bae-rito and Cabbage Fit Soup (Foodzooka)

To live up to such enthusiasm, the new grab-and-go eatery offers 15 varieties of soup, plus sandwiches, salads, and an array of novelty dishes—all of which are vegan. Several soup selections carry the appeal of popular flavors, such as the Pot Pie, Mushroom Heaven, French Onion, Broccoli Cheddah, and T-Basil. But instead of using dairy, creaminess is achieved with ingredients made from cashews, almonds, or coconuts. A few gazpachos offer cold alternatives, including Wa-wa-watermelon and Avocado Mint.

Soup Goddess soups are densely concentrated with vegetables and packed with flavor, borrowing from some of the produce-pulverizing techniques that Lizzie mastered with the juice bar business. Thanks to top-of-the-line extractors, she can easily remove skins and seeds or liquefy vegetables to use as natural soup sweeteners.

Soup Goddess - Rojo Lentil Soup (Foodzooka) — Soup Goddess – Rojo Lentil Soup (Foodzooka)

A mirepoix, or flavor base, of carrots, onions, and celery goes into almost every soup. “The way I caramelize it, and the way I make it and spice it up is what builds each one of these soups,” Lizzie explained.

In the mornings, you might catch the staff chopping away at fresh produce that was delivered moments ago. Mounds of diced veggies get tossed around in pans before they fulfill their soupy destiny inside the towering stock pots simmering on stove burners.

Soup Goddess - Caramelizing leeks (Foodzooka) — Soup Goddess – Caramelizing leeks (Foodzooka)

Because customers often stop by to pick up a soup for lunch at the office or for dinner on the way home, Lizzie crafts each soup to be filling and satisfying. “They want a soup, they want it to be good for them, but they don’t want to be hungry an hour later,” she said. “I put a lot of asparagus in my soups, a lot of cauliflower. I think it may actually be too much produce, but I want it to taste good.”

Ingredients like lentils, beans, potatoes, or broccoli also add substance to individual soups. The Chili is a popular hearty choice, packed with five different beans and fresh ground pumpkin.

Another nourishing option brimming with seven vegetables is the Cabbage Fit Soup, which at only 85 calories per serving, is also the cornerstone of a weight-loss and detox diet that has been well received by customers from nearby offices. “You’re not starving yourself, you’re not hungry. So you don’t have those pangs. And then you’re doing your body a really good deed,” Lizzie said.

Soup Goddess - Cabbage Fit Soup (Foodzooka) — Soup Goddess – Cabbage Fit Soup (Foodzooka)

Recognizing that the appeal of soup is often driven by health conditions, Lizzie can offer simple vegetable broths or create customized orders in small batches on request. With so many soups that are comforting and easy to eat, Soup Goddess is a happy find for those who’ve recently had dental work or who can’t handle coarse foods or certain ingredients.

“It’s good for ailments, too, so that’s the kind of thing that I’m focused on, trying to reach people for health aspects,” said Lizzie.

As a health-conscious vegan with three active sons to feed, Lizzie spent many years crafting recipes with items that were easy to find in grocery stores. Now she can feature more of these dishes at Soup Goddess, mixing and matching a range of flavors and textures that pair well with soup. In addition to the salads, sandwiches, and wraps are items that sound indulgent without the guilt, such as nacho chips, cheesy potatoes, and cheesy pasta. The menu continues to evolve as Lizzie comes up with new creations, including Italian tacos, pizza rolls, and chocolaty breakfast oats.

Soup Goddess - K-Booty (Foodzooka) — Soup Goddess – K-Booty (Foodzooka)

The brazen names for many of the dishes—the Skinny Ass-paragus soup, the K-Booty pasta salad, and the Bae-rito burrito, to name a few—convey an attitude that resonates with young workers from nearby entertainment offices. The hashtag #VeganAF written in large letters on the window also reflects the lighthearted atmosphere inside. Regulars enjoy the energy and welcoming vibe that greets them when they visit Soup Goddess. “For me, it’s not just about what we’re serving, it’s also about how we’re serving it,” Lizzie said.

At the shop, the soups are sold in 16 or 32-ounce mason jars, and other menu items are conveniently packaged to go. You can pick up a refrigerated jar of soup to enjoy later or request a warm jar to devour right away. Though the store isn’t currently set up for dine-in service, a bar counter along the window offers space to enjoy your meal on the spot. And if you bring your jar back for recycling, Soup Goddess will apply credit toward your next purchase.

Soup Goddess - Vegan takeout selection (Foodzooka) — Soup Goddess – Vegan takeout selection (Foodzooka)

You can also find Soup Goddess jars on the shelves of three independent grocery stores across LA: Rainbow Acres in Marina Del Rey, Follow Your Heart in Canoga Park, and Handy Market in Burbank. Though Lizzie had to leave the farmers markets during the transition to open the store, she has since brought Soup Goddess back to the Malibu and La Cañada farmers markets, and she aims to return to more next year.

One of the underlying motivations that pulled Lizzie into the food business was to make healthy foods more available, but an even broader aspiration for Soup Goddess is declared in its slogan: “Feed the world!” True to this cause, the team regularly works with charities to feed the homeless and those in need, setting aside time to serve their soup at places such as the Midnight Mission shelter in downtown Los Angeles. Last month, Soup Goddess fed Malibu residents who lost their homes in the destruction of the Woolsey Fire.

“That’s actually very gratifying. And it’s one of the reasons why I really want this to spread. Not for me to get credit, but to help and support people who need it,” said Lizzie.

Soup Goddess - Burbank (Foodzooka) — Soup Goddess – Burbank (Foodzooka)

For shop hours and more info, click the Foodzooka profile below to find the Soup Goddess website and follow them on social media.

Posted on Dec 11, 2018 by Drew Rivetty

Big Grandma’s Kitchen Gives Pupusas & Yuca Fries A Crisp Edge Around Altadena

Big Grandma's Kitchen - Foodzooka Splat Feature

At the heart of Big Grandma’s Kitchen is a pupusa recipe that’s made its way from El Salvador to Los Angeles through three generations of grandmas. Now in the hands of Chef Guillermo Lima, the family recipe for these savory stuffed corncakes has ventured beyond the home kitchen to local farmers markets and events.

“This recipe comes from my great-grandmothers. It goes way back,” said Chef Lima while manning his regular station at the Altadena Farmers Market. “I was lucky enough that my mom was able to show me, and we’re very happy to pass it on to my daughter Sophia. The name Big Grandma’s, it’s her grandma.”

Big Grandma's Kitchen - Pupusas and ensalada drink (Foodzooka) — Big Grandma’s Kitchen – Pupusas and ensalada drink (Foodzooka)

Though Chef Lima has added some of his own twists, his mother Sylvia still gives the food her stamp of approval, having once managed a pupuseria with her sister in El Salvador where they made everything from scratch.

For Big Grandma’s Kitchen, making pupusas from scratch involves a lot of time and multitasking to prepare each element, from the masa dough to the variety of fillings: cheese, asada, chorizo, beans, spinach, or jalapeno. Popular specialty pupusas include the “loroco,” which combines cheese with an edible green flower bud from Central America, and the “revueltas,” stuffed with pork, beans, and cheese.

“It’s a whole 8 to 10-hour process that I do with just the beans. I soak them, I cook them, boil them, grind them down. The masa, we let sit for a couple of hours,” Chef Lima described. “They’re so hard to make. And it takes a lot of practice to make them round, to stuff them.”

Big Grandma's Kitchen - Pupusa ingredients (Foodzooka) — Big Grandma’s Kitchen – Pupusa ingredients (Foodzooka)

While pupusas can often look uniformly the same with fillings well hidden in a thick blanket of masa, Big Grandma’s Kitchen doesn’t shy away from showing off what’s inside. Chef Lima intentionally uses less masa, so that each pupusa reveals the light and dark shades of its contents, some of which peek out through the edges after being flipped over and over on a flat iron griddle.

“When I ball them up, I take off the excess masa. That way when you bite it, all you get is flavor,” he explained. “That’s my view of my pupusas. That’s what I like. That’s why I’m very picky of how I do my pupusas.”

Big Grandma's Kitchen - Pupusas Revueltas, Spinach and Cheese (Foodzooka) — Big Grandma’s Kitchen – Pupusas Revueltas, Spinach and Cheese (Foodzooka)

Inside his tented makeshift kitchen at the farmers market, Chef Lima applies the skills he learned both from his mother and from his years working on food trucks and in restaurants. He deftly assembles and shapes each pupusa to order, watching over the grill and flipping the pupusas with precise timing to prevent the masa from cracking. His dexterity and focus while cooking has fittingly earned him the nickname Pupusa Ninja.

As his sister, Syl Lima, manages the orders that come in, she marvels at how he hustles behind the scenes. “He’s got magic hands. He’s really good at what he does, and he loves it. And it shows in the food,” she said.

Big Grandma's Kitchen - Chef Lima grilling pupusas (Foodzooka) — Big Grandma’s Kitchen – Chef Lima grilling pupusas (Foodzooka)

Making the pupusas to order ensures that you experience them at their best, straight off the grill—hot and crispy on the outside, steamy and gooey on the inside. The final dish is finished with a tangy topping of curtido, a pickled slaw which Chef Lima makes with purple cabbage instead of the traditional white cabbage for a vibrant visual contrast. A mild, red tomato salsa made from scratch adds another splash of flavor. “Traditionally, Salvadorian food is not spicy at all. That way the kids can enjoy it, and everybody can eat it,” he said.

Chef Lima’s flair for Salvadoran cuisine doesn’t stop at the pupusas. An order of Yuca Con Chicharron is a surprisingly substantial plate loaded with plump wedges of fried yuca and meaty chunks of fried pork. He boils the tropical tubers beforehand and fries them to order, giving the yuca a much fluffier inner texture than french fries, with an extra crispy outer layer.

Big Grandma's Kitchen - Yuca con Chicharron (Foodzooka) — Big Grandma’s Kitchen – Yuca con Chicharron (Foodzooka)

Between savory bites of pupusa or yuca, you can enjoy refreshing sips from a cup of ensalada, a Salvadoran fruit juice made from chopped pineapple, mango, and apples. The diced fruits floating in your cup hint at the freshness and natural sweetness of the housemade beverage.

For a desserty course, the Platanos Fritos is an addictive dish of plantains, slowly caramelized to bring out the mild flavor of bananas with starchy, crisped edges. Big Grandma’s Kitchen offers two dipping sauces, a savory cream and a cinnamon drizzle, which Chef Lima specifically made to cater to the tastes of picky kids, “Because if the kids are going to eat it, the parents are going to eat it.”

Big Grandma's Kitchen - Platanos with cinnamon drizzle (Foodzooka) — Big Grandma’s Kitchen – Platanos with cinnamon drizzle (Foodzooka)

Though Big Grandma’s Kitchen started vending regularly at public venues this past summer, the business first began in 2017 out of Chef Lima’s home kitchen. Initially, friends and family would come to his house for pupusa lunches every other Sunday afternoon. As word spread about the home cooked meals, nearby foodies started joining the weekend gatherings, which soon turned the Lima’s house into weekly a pop-up eatery. Now that they’ve successfully moved the business out of their house, Chef Lima aims to book larger events like the LA Food Fest, which they attended this year at Santa Anita Park.

“It’s been a great journey since we started. People have been showing us amazing love, a lot of support, a lot of good vibes,” Chef Lima said. “This is not a job for me. It’s a passion. It’s a great feeling, and that’s what keeps me going.”

Big Grandma's Kitchen - Altadena Farmers Market (Foodzooka) — Big Grandma’s Kitchen – Altadena Farmers Market (Foodzooka)

You can find Big Grandma’s Kitchen in an extra wide booth at the Altadena Farmers Market on Wednesdays, where a towering sail waving the word “pupusas” will guide you to their spot. They also regularly attend the monthly Latino market event Molcajete Dominguero in downtown Los Angeles. For updates on upcoming special engagements and menu items, click their Foodzooka profile below and follow Big Grandma’s Kitchen on social media.

Posted on Nov 16, 2018 by Drew Rivetty

Milpa Grille Revives An Ancient Mesoamerican Medley

At Milpa Grille, a serving of corn, squash, and beans is more than a trio of colorful vegetables. It’s a mix of core crops with a shared legacy of cultivation that goes back millennia, now taking root in Boyle Heights as core ingredients for the retrospective eatery.

“We’re bringing back Mesoamerican, pre-Columbian staple crops,” said Deysi Serrano, who runs Milpa Grille alongside Dan Morales and Dan Torres. From their combined backgrounds working with restaurants, the co-owners envisioned creating a healthy, affordable option for their neighborhood while honoring a history and heritage that predates Mexican cuisine.

Milpa Grille - Milpa Bowl (Foodzooka) — Milpa Grille – Milpa Bowl (Foodzooka)

The menu at Milpa Grille is inspired by the foods on which ancient civilizations thrived in Mexico and Central America long before rice and wheat were introduced. While the name “milpa” often refers to corn fields, it comes from a farming practice of planting a mix of mutually beneficial crops together on the same field. Maize, beans, and squash have long been collectively revered and symbolized as “the three sisters” because they grow together in harmony as milpa crops and offer a balanced source of nutrition when combined.

You’ll find this combination featured in the Milpa Bowl, a signature dish that includes a grilled mix of corn, three squashes (yellow squash, zucchini, and Mexican calabaza), black beans, carrots, and bell peppers. On its own, the medley is a nutritional powerhouse of vitamins, antioxidants, and protein, but you can add shredded pork or grilled chicken for a meatier meal. A garnishing of pickled onions and nachos plus splashes of salsa add a spike of flavor and texture.

“You eat, it’s good enough, you’re going to feel satisfied. It’s fresh, and you won’t be sluggish afterwards,” said Deysi. “It could be because we don’t have rice, but I also think it’s because it’s very light and nutritious.”

Milpa Grille - Milpa Salad (Foodzooka) — Milpa Grille – Milpa Salad (Foodzooka)

For a leafy veggie variety, the Milpa Salad loads grilled corn and black beans on a bed of mixed greens, along with nopales (cactus), pico de gallo, avocado, cotija cheese, and the option to add chicken or pork. The Milpa Soup is another comforting variation with chunks of grilled corn, squash, and cabbage immersed in a hearty red base made from grilled tomatoes.

“We’re vegan friendly, vegetarian friendly, and if you want meat, then great, we have that too,” said Deysi.

True to Milpa Grille’s name, nearly all the fixings on the menu meet the grill—from the corn to the squash, from the tomatoes to the tomatillos, and certainly the chicken. Each one earns sear marks with caramelized and charred colors, releasing smoky flavors that permeate the dishes, even the housemade salsas.

Milpa Grille - Grilled corn and vegetables (Foodzooka) — Milpa Grille – Grilled corn and vegetables (Foodzooka)

If you’re craving more familiar Mexican fare, you can get your milpa ingredients and other options wrapped in corn tortillas in the form of taquitos, street tacos, and enchiladas. The top-selling taquito choice is generously filled with soft and savory seasoned potatoes, which contrasts the crunch of the fried tortilla and fresh shredded cabbage on top. The enchiladas with grilled squash and bell peppers are another flavorful standout, which is often customized to add corn for a burst of sweetness.

“They’re really catered to what you want to put in them,” Deysi noted. Each meal comes with your choice of two sides, including grilled corn or veggies, black beans, or salad to ensure you can get the full milpa experience.

“We have a small menu. We want to make sure it’s straight to the point, yet really good, whatever you choose,” said Deysi.

Milpa Grille - Potato Taquitos (Foodzooka) — Milpa Grille – Potato Taquitos (Foodzooka)

If you weren’t acquainted with milpa agriculture before visiting Milpa Grille, it quickly becomes clear that maize plays a central role. Corn commands the menu not only mixed into the milpa dishes, but also as the main feature of many selections: grilled corn on the cob (Elote), grilled corn salad (Esquite), corn soup (Creme de Elote), cornbread (Pan de Elote), and even a drink made with fresh corn (Atole de Elote). Milpa Grille also makes their own “Maya Mix” version of elote mayonnaise with secret spices to enhance almost any dish.

The Creme de Elote soup is a particular favorite as a side dish or a snack. Grilled corn and carrots help thicken the soup while chile pasilla, cilantro, and celery lend it a vibrant green color, accented with a white zigzag of sour cream drizzled on top. Its soothing creaminess and fresh corn flavor make it unique and memorable enough that it sees constant customer demand even through the summer.

Milpa Grille - Crema de Elote (Foodzooka) — Milpa Grille – Crema de Elote (Foodzooka)

“We’re always listening to our customers,” Deysi said. “This menu really caters to them and the community to see what they want us to change.”

On the sweeter side, Coconut Flan is on the dessert list in addition to the Pan de Elote. The housemade beverages complete the menu, including pineapple-ginger-spinach and watermelon-strawberry agua frescas. To perk you up, the Cafe de Olla is a lightly sweetened coffee with cinnamon, served hot or iced. And you can enjoy your cold drink with a modern, eco-friendly pasta straw, perhaps the only wheat-based item you’ll find in the restaurant.

Milpa Grille - Pineapple ginger spinach agua fresca (Foodzooka) — Milpa Grille – Pineapple ginger spinach agua fresca (Foodzooka)

The atmosphere inside Milpa Grille feels modern and homey, surrounded in wood patterns of varying shades, with ample references to its milpa theme. The image of corn is not only in the restaurant logo, but also in the figures of Mayan or Aztec maize gods gracing the counter, and pictured on the walls along with other milpa crops. As you enter, the large Milpa Grille logo on the door greets you with the brazenly amusing claim, “Est. 5000 BC,” an estimation of when the earliest crops were domesticated.

“It’s really about a reminder. When you step into the restaurant you know that this is what our ancestors ate,” said Deysi. “You taste history.”

Milpa Grille - Boyle Heights (Foodzooka) — Milpa Grille – Boyle Heights (Foodzooka)

For restaurant hours and info, click the Foodzooka profile below to find the Milpa Grille website and follow them on social media.

Posted on Nov 5, 2018 by Drew Rivetty

Pascal Patisserie & Cafe Holds A Trove Of Hidden Gems

Pascal Patisserie & Cafe - Foodzooka Splat Feature

At Pascal Patisserie & Cafe, the menu is a palette of artistic variety crafted to please every part of your palate. Between the scrumptious pastries, divine desserts, exquisite chocolates, puffy breads, and hearty dishes, one visit to this multifaceted bakery-confectionery-eatery wouldn’t be enough.

Commanding the corner of a Woodland Hills strip mall since 2016, Pascal Patisserie & Cafe is a partnership of culinary artistry between Sara Geller and Bruno Marcy, incorporating cultural influences from Bruno’s French upbringing, Sara’s Israeli heritage, and their combined food-crafting experiences. “It’s like French, European, Mediterranean—all of this together,” said Sara.

Pascal Patisserie & Cafe - Freshly baked pastries (Foodzooka) — Pascal Patisserie & Cafe – Freshly baked pastries (Foodzooka)

Starting at 7am nearly every day (8am on Sundays), the patisserie is an entry to a wonderland of overflowing pastry baskets, featuring flaky croissants and rolls, fruity danishes, miscellaneous muffins, and perhaps some swirly meringues, strudels, or other rotating options you might not catch on every visit. But what you will always find is an assortment of choices made almost entirely from scratch.

Bruno illustrates this point in describing the way he makes the filling for the almond croissants. “It’s an almond cream made with almonds, not marzipan. It’s not an almond paste,” he said. “To have the flavor, you have to start from the beginning, from scratch.” You’ll notice the distinctive nutty flavors of housemade almond, pistachio, and hazelnut cream tucked into several pastries and desserts.

Pascal Patisserie & Cafe - Pistachio croissants (Foodzooka) — Pascal Patisserie & Cafe – Pistachio croissants (Foodzooka)

It’s this attention to detail that recently placed Pascal Patisserie among the Frenchly.us list of finalists for best croissant in Los Angeles, driven by open nominations from LA readers and French expats. When comparing Pascal’s pastries to those in France, Sara often hears from customers, “It’s very, very close. And some people tell us it’s better than Paris.”

A peek beyond the piles of pastries reveals a stretch of more European-style treats around the corner, including colorful cakes, tarts, eclairs, and macarons. Several tarts fill crisp shells with housemade custards or creams—some with the almond cream—each paired with baked or fresh fruits. The eclairs are elongated cream puffs of flaky pastry filled with chocolate or coffee custard, covered with a light layer of fondant icing and a decorative strip of chocolate. Next to the other desserts, the macarons look comparatively simple with modest colors that match their core ingredients, such as pale almond, dark chocolate, and pink raspberry.

Pascal Patisserie & Cafe - Coffee eclairs (Foodzooka) — Pascal Patisserie & Cafe – Coffee eclairs (Foodzooka)

The cake slices are cut in uniformly long rectangles that are big enough to satisfy your sweet tooth, yet small enough to let you try different flavors. Thin coats of freshly made mousses or jams are spread between three layers of spongy cake, often topped with a shiny mirror glaze and adorned with chocolate, fruit, or nuts. “We put more fruits. We do different things. We change things around to make our cakes better,” said Sara, who has made many cakes in her career and as the previous owner of Sara J Pastries & Cakes, where she first worked with Bruno. She particularly appreciates the creativity of introducing less common cake flavors.

Hazelnut, pistachio, and banana cream cakes are among the most popular choices at Pascal Patisserie. The coconut cakes also draw attention with bright shades of pink raspberry icing or orange mango jam. The full-sized round cakes on display are also decked out with arrangements of fresh fruits, nuts, and chocolate sails, adding several inches of eye-catching height. Custom cakes can be far more elaborate, artistically designed in tall tiers or sculpted into surprising shapes or thematic scenes.

Pascal Patisserie & Cafe - Pistachio raspberry cake (Foodzooka) — Pascal Patisserie & Cafe – Pistachio raspberry cake (Foodzooka)

Despite the eye-candy quality of their appearance, the natural flavors of Pascal desserts shine through without being overpowered by sugary frostings and fillings. “The sugar can kill the taste,” Bruno explained as Sara added, “We try to do it not as sweet. We reduce sugar in things that we can.” The bakery also offers several sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free selections to accommodate dietary needs.

At the far end of the dessert display is the true meaning of eye candy. Organized in rows of stunning shapes and colors are chocolates that resemble a museum quality collection of polished gemstones. The shiny surfaces are tempered with cocoa butter to make each piece sparkle like jewels, with whirling colors of supernovas. They’re molded into ovals, spheres, hearts, cylinders, pyramids, and a few polygons gone mad. And some of the fillings are equally exotic: calamansi, mango chipotle, jasmine, and champagne. True to Pascal’s artisanal approach, the fillings are all handmade by Bruno.

Pascal Patisserie & Cafe - Housemade chocolates (Foodzooka) — Pascal Patisserie & Cafe – Housemade chocolates (Foodzooka)

As part of Bruno’s studies in France, he trained not only in the art of pastries but also chocolates. Before opening Pascal Patisserie & Cafe with Sara, Bruno owned a business called C is for Chocolate, where he made custom chocolates and sculpted chocolate centerpieces by hand. Still pursuing this craft at Pascal, his chocolate creations are often in demand for high profile customers and award show after-parties for the Oscars, Emmys, and Grammys.

Bruno has built an array of edible pieces, from abstract structures to detailed dragons, butterflies, movie projectors, sports trophies, and more, all entirely out of chocolate. Some stand three to four feet high, featuring lifelike textures and colors and thin, protruding parts.

Pascal Patisserie & Cafe - Chocolate scuplture by Bruno Marcy (Foodzooka) — Pascal Patisserie & Cafe – Chocolate scuplture by Bruno Marcy (Foodzooka)

The Halloween witch on display in the cafe this year was a captivating example of Bruno’s architectural prowess with chocolate. It was shaped to detail a crooked pointy hat and shoes, a warty face with an extended nose, a shaggy fringe cape, bony outstretched fingers, and a woodgrain staff. Such projects can take several days to make, including late nights, followed by a few delicate operations to reattach sections that may break off.

“Some pieces take two or three days. So, you have a lot of pressure. But I like it,” he said.

While Bruno has his chocolates, Sara has her cookies. Stacks and stacks of cookie containers in dozens of flavors fill shelves at both ends of the bakery. Some are chock full of nuts (hazelnut shortbread, pistachio cookies), some are culturally inspired (Mexican wedding cookies, halva cookies), some are prettily shaped (raspberry linzers, palmiers, and apricot delights), and some are just for fun (cornflake cookies). Most are light enough to tempt you to eat them by the handfuls. And then there are the seemingly out-of-place boxes that each contain a single, oversized slice of a giant chocolate chip cookie.

Pascal Patisserie & Cafe - Assorted cookies (Foodzooka) — Pascal Patisserie & Cafe – Assorted cookies (Foodzooka)

Also freshly packaged to take home are a variety of loaf cakes and breads scattered on top of the dessert case. Among these, Sara includes huge pillowy Jerusalem bagels, whole loaves of babka, and challah bread on Fridays.

Despite all the bakery goods and chocolates on display, you won’t want to overlook the “cafe” part of Pascal Patisserie & Cafe, furnished with seating indoors and outside. The menu offers many made-from-scratch breakfast and lunch entrees that are light but ample and flavorful.

Pascal Patisserie & Cafe - Shakshuka (Foodzooka) — Pascal Patisserie & Cafe – Shakshuka (Foodzooka)

The breakfast menu is served all day, including omelettes, a breakfast burrito, avocado toast, french toast made with freshly baked brioche, and more. But Sara’s signature shakshuka is a bestselling standout, coming from a secret family recipe infused with heart and soul. This Israeli classic is a homemade sauce that delivers the concentrated flavor of slow-cooked tomatoes, served with poached eggs and a crusty French baguette made on site.

Among the sandwiches, the schnitzel is a favorite with a flattened, sesame-breaded fried chicken breast on your choice of baguette or spelt bread, and a zip of flavor from housemade pickled lemon mayo. The carne asada and tuna sandwiches are also popular choices. Several salads, paninis, and burgers fill out the menu, along with specialty quiches.

Pascal Patisserie & Cafe - Chicken schnitzel and tuna sandwiches (Foodzooka) — Pascal Patisserie & Cafe – Chicken schnitzel and tuna sandwiches (Foodzooka)

For Pascal Patisserie & Cafe to offer so much variety from scratch is a feat that Sara and Bruno achieve with the help of chefs taught in-house and a friendly, energetic staff. With this level of versatility, you can expect their selections to continuously change, while their approach to making everything remains the same.

“We want the flavors and different textures. The flavors are the most important thing,” Bruno stated. “Whatever we do, we want to do it the best,” Sara added.

Pascal Patisserie & Cafe - Woodland Hills (Foodzooka) — Pascal Patisserie & Cafe – Woodland Hills (Foodzooka)

For restaurant hours and more info, click the Foodzooka profiles below for Pascal Patisserie & Cafe in Woodland Hills and their second location in Beverly Hills.

Posted on Oct 26, 2018 by Drew Rivetty

Los Tamaleros Truck Overhauls Street Tamale Traditions

Making tamales is a long, multi-step process that Latino families traditionally tackle together for special occasions. For Los Tamaleros truck, tamale-making is a family undertaking that’s out to make every stop feel like a special event.

Though street tamales have been sold from carts across Los Angeles since the 1800s, Joe Vargas noticed that they hadn’t been a main feature on the latest trendy food trucks. So, in 2015, he started Los Tamaleros as a modern masa-bundling business, driven by generational family recipes learned from his mother, Lidia. Joe helms Los Tamaleros with his son Alejandro and daughter Vanessa managing the business, while his wife Julie oversees food preparation. Altogether, the Vargas family fuels Los Tamaleros with their affection for making fresh Mexican specialties by hand.

“My dad’s always had a big interest in creating something to give back, and making tamales was something that was passed down in my family,” said Alejandro. “So, that’s what we try to put out there is food that we enjoy ourselves and that we hope other people will enjoy.”

Los Tamaleros - Pork tamale (Foodzooka) — Los Tamaleros – Pork tamale (Foodzooka)

Of course, tamales headline the truck’s menu, filled with familiar favorites including chicken, pork, cheese, and sweet corn. Given the hours it takes to prepare them, the crew takes on the arduous task of making each component and assembling the tamales in a kitchen beforehand. The meats must be cooked, the salsas blended, the masa formed and stuffed, the corn husks soaked, and the tamales wrapped—all in preparation to be loaded onto the truck where the end product gets freshly cooked in a hot steam bath as the final step.

Once you unwrap the pouch, bubbles quickly evaporate as mingling aromas of freshly cut corn and spices are exhaled in steam. Los Tamaleros makes sure the fillings maximize the entire length of the masa tunnel, peeking out from each end and giving you a mouthful of flavor from the first to the last bite. “That’s the fun part,” Alejandro said, “opening the tamales, and being surprised by the taste and the presentation and what’s inside.”

Los Tamaleros - Tamale varieties (Foodzooka) — Los Tamaleros – Tamale varieties (Foodzooka)

Filling the tamales can be a tricky task in itself, which can elude even the most patient of home cooks. “If it’s too masa heavy, it’s not going to be a good tamale,” Alejandro advised. “If it’s too little or too thin, it’s going to break it apart. So, it’s definitely all about consistency.”

The meat tamales exude the distinctive tastes of housemade salsas from recipes that go back several generations in the Vargas family. Chicken is mixed with salsa verde, and pork is usually spiced with red salsa, creating signature flavors for the food truck. “That’s probably the most important. That’s what makes our tamales different. They have a kick to it,” Alejandro explained. “If you open it up and eat it, you definitely feel the spice. To me, that’s authentic.”

Los Tamaleros - Unwrapped tamales (Foodzooka) — Los Tamaleros – Unwrapped tamales (Foodzooka)

Los Tamaleros sources many of their ingredients from independently owned carnicerias and local shops. According to Alejandro, some of them don’t even have names, but what they lack in signage and branding, they make up for in authentic Mexican produce. Many work directly with farmers and ranchers in California and Mexico.

“Walking into these little mom-and-pop shops when we need to get basic ingredients is something we’ve known to be essential to what we do and the idea of tradition that we try to carry,” Alejandro said.

Though the tamales tend to seize the spotlight, Los Tamaleros also makes other authentic Mexican dishes on the truck, including tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and tortas. “It tastes different for you to try them when they’re made fresh in front of you,” said Alejandro. “It gives you an idea of the work that goes into creating food.”

Los Tamaleros - Carne asada tacos (Foodzooka) — Los Tamaleros – Carne asada tacos (Foodzooka)

For the tacos, balls of masa dough are flattened into tortillas, then immediately thrown onto the grill, forming a warm platter to fold around a selection of contents such as fish, chicken, or boldly seasoned traditional meats, including carnitas, al pastor, asada, birria, and chorizo. And for the adventurous, there’s lengua (tongue), cabeza (head), and buche (pork stomach). “Those are delicacies. If you know it, then you’re going to try it,” Alejandro said. “It’s also fun seeing people try something they haven’t tried before.”

To satisfy your crunchier cravings, taquitos are the latest addition to the menu. Los Tamaleros also makes these by hand, rolling freshly pressed tortillas around seasoned chicken and frying them until crispy. These bronzed tubes of masa and meat are then topped with crumbled cheese, salsa verde, sour cream, and shredded lettuce.

Los Tamaleros - Taquitos (Foodzooka) — Los Tamaleros – Taquitos (Foodzooka)

The sopes are also subject to the masa-manipulating skills of the Los Tamaleros crew, shaping out thicker, compact tortillas on which to balance the meats and toppings. “With Mexican food, you can definitely create one thing from another. And they’re all so interlinked with masa,” Alejandro said.

Masa is even incorporated among the beverage options, in Los Tamaleros’ seasonal champurrado. This traditional Mexican hot chocolate drink is thickened with corn flour and flavored with cinnamon and other ingredients from a family recipe. It’s only available from late October through the fall and winter when it can be kept warm and fresh on the truck. But for hot days or anytime you need to quench your thirst, the truck regularly offers cold jamaica and horchata.

Los Tamaleros - SWAT Jamz and Los Tamaleros Trucks (Foodzooka) — Los Tamaleros – SWAT Jamz and Los Tamaleros Trucks (Foodzooka)

In the spirit of forming gatherings around traditional foods, you may often find Los Tamaleros surrounded by lingering groups of bobbing heads energized by beats from the S.W.A.T. Jamz truck, which is deejayed by former police officer Manny Ortiz. This mobile DJ booth was also a former police truck that Joe converted to start another Vargas family enterprise.

“Our peak times happen around 7-8pm, and then we get people dancing and doing dance moves here,” Joe said with a smile.

You can find Los Tamaleros each week at Truckies Tuesdays in Sylmar and the Granada Hills Grubfest on Fridays. For other engagements, click their profile below to find their website and follow them on social media. There, you can also keep up with announcements for placing tamale orders by the dozen for the holidays.

Posted on Oct 18, 2018 by Drew Rivetty

Gourmet Romano And The Rise Of Light, Crunchy Pizza Crusts

Gourmet Romano - Foodzooka Splat Feature

They’re lighter than pizzas and puffier than flatbreads, yet aren’t quite either. So at Gourmet Romano, these atypical entrees are simply described as gourmet crusts. The dough-first approach at this newly opened Burbank eatery uses an artisanal Roman recipe that gets gently hand-pressed and baked into crunchy, airy crusts and panini breads, all adorned in authentic Italian flavors.

“This particular crust is different, because it’s mixed with different flours, and we use a different technique when making the dough,” said Karen Galstyan, who opened Gourmet Romano in July with his wife Serina. “That’s why we didn’t call it pizza. We say it’s gourmet food on the crust.”

Gourmet Romano - Cacio e Pepe pinsa (Foodzooka) — Gourmet Romano – Cacio e Pepe pinsa (Foodzooka)

Listed first on the menu, the Foccacia makes a bold statement as a crust-only option. Unfettered by toppings, you can taste the true essence of the crust, lightly seasoned with salt, rosemary, and olive oil. The otherwise undressed Foccacia looks like a golden, bubbly cloud with a surprising outer crunch that’s delicately soft on the inside. “With our Focaccia, you are enjoying the crust in itself. It’s hard to find a pizza that you can eat without the toppings,” said Karen.

This new Roman-style crust is also known as pinsa, which is gaining popularity in the US, not only for its texture but also for its healthier profile. Made with a flour blend of rice, soy, and wheat, it has less sodium, fewer calories, and less gluten than regular pizza dough. For the toppings, Gourmet Romano selects authentic Italian ingredients and fresh organic produce to create a balance of flavors without overwhelming the crust.

“For me, it has to be healthy and delicious; that makes it complete,” said Karen. “We want to make sure we find the best quality, the healthiest ingredients we can put on the crust.”

Gourmet Romano - Gourmet crust (Foodzooka) — Gourmet Romano – Gourmet crust (Foodzooka)

On a weekly basis, the core components are flown in from Italy, including the flour, organic extra virgin olive oil, tomato sauce, cheeses, and cured meats. The fresh organic vegetables and herbs are bought locally—including the basil, tomatoes, zucchini, and arugula—so the special menu at Gourmet Romano changes monthly with the seasons.

You may recognize a few familiar pizza flavors and Italian dishes in the names of some crust entrees. The Margherita (tomato sauce, mozzarella, basil, and olive oil) and 4 Formaggi (mozzarella, pecorino, parmigiano, and gorgonzola cheeses) are classic choices. The Cacio e Pepe is modeled after Rome’s most beloved pasta dish, speckled with enticingly potent pecorino (sheep milk cheese) and ground pepper, along with parmigiano and mozzarella, and a garnish of organic zucchini. The Carbonara crust is also based on a pasta dish, featuring its well-known key ingredients: egg yolk and fragrant guanciale.

Among the meatier entrees, the San Daniele is a popular pick, named after the acclaimed Italian prosciutto which is aged for 24 months. On the spicy side is Welcome to Hell, which aptly describes the fiery sensations induced by the peppery nduja and Calabrese salami. Also earning a cheeky name is the Super Mario, which puts mushrooms in the game along with organic sausage.

Gourmet Romano - Super Mario pinsa (Foodzooka) — Gourmet Romano – Super Mario pinsa (Foodzooka)

The Salmone Cream Cheese is vibrantly layered with wild caught smoked salmon, sliced avocado, arugula, and dashes of pink ground pepper. The Alice, topped with anchovies and tomatoes, has appeared on the specials menu, and Karen aims to offer more seafood toppings soon, such as wild-caught shrimp and sea bass.

Among the meatless options, the Vegone has healthy helpings of zucchini and eggplant, plus swirls of three different vegetable creams: bell pepper, sundried tomato, and carrot. And the Freshness is a simple crust with cheese, fresh tomatoes, and arugula.

The San Daniele and Freshness crusts are two that showcase white lumps of buffalo mozzarella, a cheese prized for its soft, smooth texture and rich, creamy flavor. It’s also added to the Italiana salad, one of the three salads on the menu. “For Italians, real, real mozzarella is the buffalo mozzarella,” Karen said. “It’s a totally different taste.”

Gourmet Romano - San Daniele pinsa (Foodzooka) — Gourmet Romano – San Daniele pinsa (Foodzooka)

Just as the gourmet crusts may defy your usual idea of pizza, the paninis at Gourmet Romano are not the grill-pressed ones that might come to mind. These use the same specialty pinsa dough that’s baked and simply folded in half over the ingredients to form a sandwich. Each panini contains a different type of pork—mortadella, prosciutto cotto, or porchetta—plus cheese and a few other ingredients.

Ultimately, all the gourmet crusts and paninis are the same size, which are large enough yet light enough to fill you up without weighing you down. They’re also easy to share, particularly if you’d like to try their specialty side items or leave room for dessert.

Gourmet Romano (courtesy) - Porchetta panini — Gourmet Romano (courtesy) – Porchetta panini

It may be hard to pass up the selection of handmade suppli, a popular Italian side dish and snack. These Roman-style stuffed rice balls are filled with a combination of cheese, meat, and sauce, then breaded and deep fried for a crunchy outer surface. “If you like something fried, this is a different experience. It’s very delicious,” Karen said.

Gourmet Romano makes 3 kinds of suppli from scratch: Pomodoro & Basilico (tomato sauce, basil, and parmigiano cheese), Cacio e Pepe (pecorino and black pepper), and Amatriciano (tomato sauce, guanciale, and pecorino). And just for fun, they also offer housemade organic potato chips.

Gourmet Romano - Supplì Pomodoro Basilico (Foodzooka) — Gourmet Romano – Supplì Pomodoro Basilico (Foodzooka)

For dessert, head back to the list of gourmet crusts and look for the Nutellina. This dessert crust is smeared with a premium chocolate hazelnut spread and sprinkled with organic coconut and pecans. Karen chose to use Nocciolata spread, which is similar to Nutella but contains all organic ingredients. It offers a sense of chocolatey indulgence without tasting sugary, allowing Gourmet Romano to flaunt the versatility of their crust.

The secret to Gourmet Romano’s crust is the Italian chefs, Francesco Esposito and Matteo Di Nicola, who brought their training, skills, and passion to California to make a mark with this innovative version of pizza. Their secret to making the crust is actually out in the open, literally written on the wall behind the counter display.

Gourmet Romano - Pinsa dough (Foodzooka) — Gourmet Romano – Pinsa dough (Foodzooka)

One core distinction explained in this chalk statement is the amount of water in the dough, which retains 80% versus the usual 50-60% water in regular pizza dough. Another difference is the length of the fermentation process. Instead of giving the dough a quick 2 to 4 hours to ferment, Gourmet Romano goes way, way beyond that for a rising time of at least 48 hours, up to 72. The method is similar to making sourdough bread and brings the same benefits—the extended fermentation time allows the dough to build flavor, character, and healthy bacteria, plus it breaks down the yeast and gluten.

“We do that to make it more digestible and lighter,” said Karen, adding a common sense rationale: “It’s important how you feel two hours after your meal. If you feel good, then you will come back.”

Gourmet Romano also presents a welcoming atmosphere to keep you coming back. The staff greets you with a friendly “ciao” when you enter and another “ciao” when you leave, with Italian pop music playing in the background all along. The wall of shelves and refrigerated drinks are stocked with jars and bottles of imported Italian foods and beverages to pique your culinary curiosity.

Gourmet Romano (courtesy) - Counter display — Gourmet Romano (courtesy) – Counter display

Adding to the atmosphere is the rustic industrial interior, designed by Italian firm Tiberi Arredamenti. The modern trendiness inside contrasts the distressed look outside, painted to resemble the ancient walls of Rome.

Currently, the restaurant is only furnished with a long bar table and stools against one wall for dine-in seating, but Karen is working to add tables and chairs inside and outside the restaurant in the near future. He also plans to continuously expand the menu and envisions offering wine as well.

“When you enter this place, we want you to feel like you entered Rome,” Karen said. “We want it to be like a slice of Rome in Burbank.”

Gourmet Romano - Burbank (Foodzooka) — Gourmet Romano – Burbank (Foodzooka)

For restaurant hours and more info, click the Foodzooka profile below to find the Gourmet Romano website and follow them on social media.

Posted on Oct 11, 2018 by Drew Rivetty

The Roast Truck Takes A New Route To Reach Coffeelovers

The Roast Truck - Foodzooka Splat Feature

If you crave a cup of joe that’s better than the break room and closer than the crowded coffeehouse, The Roast Truck may bring a stroke of luck. Stocked with single origin coffees, signature lattes, and authentic French croissants, this cafe on wheels offers a mobile solution to your finicky caffeine fix.

Before rolling out The Roast Truck, owner Justin Fishman had learned many aspects of coffee making as a sales representative for a coffee service company, supplying office break rooms with quality blends. So he can relate to office workers who go out of their way for a good cup of coffee.

“Just to get out of the office and get a nice treat—or even on the way in or after lunch—it really impacts their morning or their afternoon. So, that’s a big part of this truck,” said Justin.

The Roast Truck - Coffee and pastries (Foodzooka) — The Roast Truck – Coffee and pastries (Foodzooka)

All the coffee drinks on The Roast Truck are brewed with beans from Los Angeles roaster Caffe Luxxe, known for their handcrafted coffees and handpicked fair trade sources. “They really stood out because it’s the best espresso I’ve ever had in my life. And they’re an all around good company to work with and learn from,” he said.

The drip coffees on The Roast Truck use Caffe Luxxe’s single origin beans, which each come from a specific grower without getting mixed together with beans from other places. This gives each coffee a pure taste, with a flavor profile that’s unique to its particular farm source. Justin brews batches based on what’s in season and changes the lineup every three months, referring to these selections as their “rotating tap.” The summer featured Guatemalan and Ethiopian coffees, and current brews are made with beans from Costa Rica and Sulawesi.

The Roast Truck - Caffe Luxxe drip coffee (Foodzooka) — The Roast Truck – Caffe Luxxe drip coffee (Foodzooka)

Espresso blends from Caffe Luxxe also make their way into several drinks on The Roast Truck menu. The cappuccino, confidently named “That Cappuccino,” is an 8-ounce drink of doubleshot espresso and frothed milk. Rather than burying the espresso under a thick cap of stiff foam, The Roast Truck baristas craft a “wet” version of cappuccino, which mixes some of the foam into the espresso with plenty left to create an artsy flourish on top.

It may seem impractical to swirl a heart, swan, or rosetta atop each frothy cup given the truck’s brisk pace of service, but Justin thinks it reflects the effort the barista puts into crafting the drink. “I see it as kind of like a stamp, a signature of care for that specific cup,” Justin said.

The Roast Truck - Latte art (Foodzooka) — The Roast Truck – Latte art (Foodzooka)

Among The Roast Truck’s selection of foam-designed drinks, the most popular is Primo’s Spanish Latte. It’s made with an ounce of sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, double espresso, and steamed milk, finished with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top. “If you’re in the mood for something a little bit different, a little bit sweeter, then the Primo is a good one. People really enjoy it a lot. When they start to get it, it’s the only drink they get afterwards,” he said.

On the spicer side, the Turmeric Latte will wake up your taste buds and widen your eyes with its yellow hue. This drink adds a light mix of turmeric, ginger, and black pepper to the steamed milk along with a double espresso shot. “Our espresso has a lot of chocolatey taste to it. So, it gives the Turmeric Latte an almost gingerbread taste,” Justin described. “People are always pretty impressed with, not only the look of it with the yellow latte art, but the taste of it as well.”

Though a handful of cafes offer beverages with turmeric for its health benefits, the characteristic bitterness of the spice makes it an acquired taste for some. Justin overcomes this by using a liquid concentrate made from fresh turmeric by local spice maker Hector Luna. This liquid turmeric blends in smoothly with the milk, unlike the powdered spice. The Roast Truck also offers a version of the turmeric latte without the espresso shots, called Liquid Gold. This caffeine-free option is more vibrantly yellow and served with contrasting red petals of saffron floating on top.

The Roast Truck - Liquid Gold Latte (Foodzooka) — The Roast Truck – Liquid Gold Latte (Foodzooka)

The Chai Latte and The Dirty Chai with espresso benefit from a similar alchemy. Instead of a chai powder, The Roast Truck uses a liquid chai concentrate also made by Hector. This customized spice blend allowed Justin to control the balance of sweet and spicy with tongue-tingling notes of cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves.

“It’s more like an authentic Indian chai,” said Justin. “It has a little bit more of that spice to it, instead of being an over-the-top sweet chai.”

The Roast Truck - Dirty Chai (Foodzooka) — The Roast Truck – Dirty Chai (Foodzooka)

All lattes can be served on ice as well, making The Roast Truck a welcome arrival year-round. If you prefer a classic cold brew, the truck makes their Epic Cold Brew with espresso beans steeped for 24 hours, infusing a bit more caffeine than regular coffee. Because Caffe Luxxe roasts their beans on the light to medium side, its smoky flavor is naturally bold and smooth without tasting burnt or acidic.

Another lively cold coffee option is The Bubbly Roast. A doubleshot of espresso is poured into iced sparkling water, creating a fun coffee-flavored fizz of carbonated bubbles rushing toward the rim.

The Roast Truck - Bubbly Roast (Foodzooka) — The Roast Truck – Bubbly Roast (Foodzooka)

To complete your cafe experience, The Roast Truck offers a selection of delectable pastries from Pascal Patisserie & Cafe in Woodland Hills. This European-style bakery was recently recognized for having among the best croissants in Los Angeles by the online magazine, Frenchly.

“Their almond croissant is the best croissant I’ve ever had. And I’m not saying that just because I sell it. It’s truly amazing,” Justin raved. On his way to the truck’s spots in West LA, he picks up an assortment of plain, almond, and chocolate croissants, along with some Nutella and cinnamon rolls, all of which tend to sell out quickly.

The Roast Truck - Pascal Patisserie pastries (Foodzooka) — The Roast Truck – Pascal Patisserie pastries (Foodzooka)

You can find The Roast Truck in the mornings, usually parked at UCLA near Westwood Blvd and Le Conte Ave on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. On Tuesdays and Fridays, they’re near Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (Robertson Blvd and Alden Dr).

“There’s something special about street vending, bringing that quality product to the public,” Justin said. “That’s a lot of fun.”

The Roast Truck - Owner Justin Fishman (Foodzooka) — The Roast Truck – Owner Justin Fishman (Foodzooka)

To track down The Roast Truck on evenings and weekends, click their Foodzooka profile below and follow them on social media. You can also submit a request to book the truck on their website.

Posted on Oct 4, 2018 by Drew Rivetty

Cobblermania Is Just Getting Warmed Up

When you’re compelled to forage through farmers markets for freshly made cobblers, you know you’ve got Cobblermania. Shae Seward, creator and owner of Cobblermania, has been fueling cobbler fanaticism at Los Angeles farmers markets and food festivals for over 10 years.

If you add up all the seasonal variations and multi-fruit combinations, Shae cobbles together over 70 different cobbler flavors throughout the year. Some popular options include Peach, Mango-Blueberry-Peach, Strawberry-Rhubarb, Sweet Potato, White Nectarine-Blackberry-Apple, Fig-Pear, Pumpkin, and Sweet Potato-Pumpkin with Candied Pecans. Even if the top picks are sold out by the time you get to a Cobblermania stand, the mere freshness of any random choice could win you over to flavors you hadn’t considered before.

“People have told me, ‘I can’t believe I like your cobblers, because I normally don’t like cooked fruit.’ But that’s because we don’t overcook our fruit,” Shae said. “I do it all by hand. The fruit is hand-peeled, the sweet potato is hand-peeled, cooked, then strained and baked.”

Cobblermania - Freshly baked cobblers (Foodzooka) — Cobblermania – Freshly baked cobblers (Foodzooka)

Shae shops for fresh produce daily, buying some items at the farmers markets she attends, such as green and black figs, plums, and apriums from Arnett Farms and mango flavored nectarines from Ken’s Top Notch Produce. But the secret to Cobblermania comes from a family recipe Shae learned directly from her great aunt, whose peach cobbler was always her favorite. “Auntie Roi baked with fresh fruit when she made cobblers and apricot turnovers, so I was used to fresh. I’m a stickler for fresh,” she said.

Because of her sensitivities to sweets, Shae’s goal with Cobblermania is to take a more healthful approach to creating nostalgic desserts. Since she’s allergic to eggs and never liked milk, she makes cobblers without eggs, milk, or butter, so they’re all dairy-free and entirely vegan friendly. And since sugar makes her feel sluggish, Shae instead uses a light organic agave, which is flavor neutral, adding a mild sweetness without overriding the natural flavors of the fruits. ”I want everything to taste like what it is, not like a molasses flavored agave. I want you to taste the actual fruits—like white nectarines, guavas, pluots, blackberries, and apples,” she explained.

Cobblermania - Blackberry cobbler (Foodzooka) — Cobblermania – Blackberry cobbler (Foodzooka)

For Cobblermania’s signature crust, a layer of pastry covers the filling and lines the bottom of the pan. It has a tender, flaky quality that’s neither too crumbly nor too doughy. Shae also offers a gluten-free crust made with rice flour instead of white flour. Loaded with chunky ripe fruits, the cobblers come out of the oven looking truly homemade with lumpy golden tops and syrupy juices seeping through the edges. To Shae, this is what distinguishes her cobblers from neatly preened pies, but it’s okay if you want to call them pies.

The heart-shaped opening on each cobbler allows steam to escape during baking, with the offset pastry cutout adding a decorative and biscuity bonus layer to the top crust. This particular embellishment caught on several years ago when Shae switched from cutting a circular hole to a heart for Valentine’s Day and sold out of the entire batch of themed cobblers. “The following week, I was back to doing a circle,” she said, “and people returned asking ‘Where are the ones with the hearts?’” Since then, Shae has always put her heart into the crusts, though she may surprise you with other fun cutouts for special occasions, such as bunnies for Easter, or bats over the moon for Halloween.

Cobblermania - Peach Strawberry cobbler (Foodzooka) — Cobblermania – Peach Strawberry cobbler (Foodzooka)

You can feel all the hands-on work and thought Shae puts into making her fresh cobblers when you pick one up at a Cobblermania stand and find that it’s still warm. She bakes the batches of cobblers hours before each farmers market appearance, even the ones that open at 8am. For those markets, she starts work at 2am. “I tried baking the day before, but I didn’t like the texture,” Shae said. “When you buy from me, it has to be fresh-fresh.”

The 7-inch width of each cobbler looks larger than a single serving and may technically be big enough to share. But to avoid the regret of giving up a piece, Shae recommends, “If you plan on sharing it, taste it first.” Experienced customers have been known to buy two—one to share, and one for themselves, often finishing a whole cobbler in one sitting. This may be why the Cobblermania banner warns that they’re “So good you’ll (want to) slap somebody!”

Cobblermania - Farmers market banner (Foodzoka) — Cobblermania – Farmers market banner (Foodzoka)

Cobblermania turned out to be not just a fun name for Shae’s bakery, but a reflection of its loyal customer base. Shae came up with the name when a friend told her she had turned her into a cobbler fiend. As the business has grown, Shae’s cobblers—along with her exuberant and welcoming personality—have earned a devoted following of self-proclaimed Cobblermaniacs. You may even spot a few celebrity Cobblermaniacs at her booth, such as Congresswoman Maxine Waters, actress Marla Gibbs, Los Angeles Laker John Salley, “Weird Al” Yankovic, legendary model Lauren Hutton, “Byrd” the bailiff from Judge Judy, Tony Todd from the cult classic horror film Candyman, and more.

Shae has gotten to know many of her repeat customers, forming friendships that have lasted for years. Regulars have invited her to parties and family events not just for catering, but as a personal guest. For instance, Chef Tanya Petrovna, the founder of Native Foods, approached Shae to take part in vegan pop-ups at her place in Palm Springs. And at the recent wedding between Jasmine White and Tilmon Keaton, Shae even received surprise recognition when she heard them state in their vows, “I promise never to eat Cobblermania without you.”

“To me, Cobblermaniacs are as important as the cobblers. I focus on both of them. They are both growing my business,” said Shae.

Cobblermania (courtesy) - Cobblermaniac customers — Cobblermania (courtesy) – Cobblermaniac customers

Back when Shae asked her Auntie Roi to teach her how to make peach cobbler, she had no designs on starting a cobbler business. Shae still fondly recalls the first cobbler she made for her great aunt: “She ate it in silence. She was standing up and eating it, and she didn’t say a word. So I thought, oh my God, I messed it up. But then she sat down and she started scraping the bowl, and she said, ‘You have outdone me.’ And she never made it again, ever.”

From then on, Shae made the cobblers for family dinners, holidays, and potlucks, soon receiving requests to make them for friends and parties. As orders grew more frequent, cobblers became enough of a business for Shae to leave her career as a medical transcriptionist and become a regular vendor at local farmers markets. Cobblermania now covers four corners of Los Angeles at the Hollywood (Sundays), Culver City (Tuesdays), MLK Hospital (Wednesdays), and Torrance (Saturdays) farmers markets. You’ll also find Cobblermania cobblers at the annual vegan food gathering VegFest LA held in Van Nuys, as well as other local annual events and festivals.

Cobblermania - VegFest LA booth (Foodzooka) — Cobblermania – VegFest LA booth (Foodzooka)

Now, with Cobblermaniacs coming from all over, Shae has her sights set on expanding to a handful of Cobblermania storefronts. She envisions the shops as distribution spots that would recreate the look and feel of her farmers market booths. To ensure consistent quality and taste, the cobblers will be baked at a centralized commercial kitchen. Having run Cobblermania on her own since the beginning, she also now sees potential in strategic partnering with other complementary businesses as an opportunity to pool resources and grow together.

“Cobblermania is very popular and I work very hard. There’s so much more to it than just the baking,” Shae said. “I love my company, but it’s not that I just love baking. I like my customers, and they’re happy to see me. This is a happy business, and I love what I do.”

Cobblermania - Shae Seward and Kisha Boyd (Foodzooka) — Cobblermania – Shae Seward and Kisha Boyd (Foodzooka)

For more information and updates, click the Foodzooka profile below to view Shae’s farmers market schedule and follow Cobblermania on social media.

Posted on Sep 27, 2018 by Drew Rivetty

Bayleaf, Calavera Burrito Co. Make Fresh Fare As A Pair

Calavera Burrito - Foodzooka Splat Feature

Wrap or burrito? Potato chips or tortilla chips? Ahi tuna salad or fajitas? Bayleaf and Calavera Burrito Company are two conjoined restaurants where you can mix and match contemporary American and traditional Mexican cuisines without skipping a beat.

Inside the revitalized Spring Arcade Building in Downtown Los Angeles, the attached eateries look decidedly unrelated, each with its own signage and open doorway. Step inside either one, and the only obvious connection is the pathway in front of a staircase that divides each side and leads to an upper-level seating area. To your left, Calavera Burrito Co. is decorated with colorful sugar skulls from which the restaurant borrows its name, celebrating Mexican heritage and traditional foods. To your right, Bayleaf is a garden of green plants and open preparation space for assembling fresh salads and sandwiches.

Bayleaf & Calavera Burrito Co. - Spring Arcade Building (Foodzooka) — Bayleaf & Calavera Burrito Co. – Spring Arcade Building (Foodzooka)

“You can come here seven days a week and try different food. Today you can try Bayleaf, and tomorrow you can come back and try Calavera,” said Andres Temores, general manager of both restaurants. And since the two fall under the same ownership, you can also conveniently add dishes from each place to the same order tab.

Though the menus are distinctly different, the restaurants share similar approaches to food preparation as both chefs collaborate and share the same kitchen. To achieve fine dining quality at a fast food pace, the chefs drive the menus and draw from experience to nimbly make nearly everything from scratch. Executive Chef Catherine Wooten was a top graduate of Le Cordon Bleu who combines inspirations from the many cultures of American cuisine to balance tastes and textures at Bayleaf. For Calavera, Chef Ruben Ruiz uses family recipes from Michoacán, Mexico for the succulent meats and sauces that occupy the burritos and plates.

“You put them together and they’re the A-team,” Andres said. “There’s a lot of freedom for them to express themselves.”

Bayleaf

On the Bayleaf menu, a selection of entrees can be served as a salad, sandwich, or wrap with your choice of ahi tuna, turkey, steak, or veggies. You then choose a flavor style, which may appeal to you based on key ingredients, such as the barbecue and bacon jam in the Modern Cowboy, or the candied walnuts and grapes in the Tarragon Waldorf. Other styles incorporate regional flavors like Mediterranean, Latin, or Asian.

The mix of styles may vary seasonally, but for each one, Chef Catherine aims for balance. “There has to be sweet, salty, savory, and even sour so that it’s well rounded,” she explained. “I like texture to be in it. I like for there to be different temperatures and different variations on heat.”

The flavors of the Spicy Sumo style exemplify this balancing act. It’s one of Bayleaf’s most popular mixes, particularly with the seared ahi tuna, which gets coated in a fiery housemade sauce and paired with a slaw of shredded cabbage and creamy garlic soy ginger sauce. Charred jalapeno slices add heat, contrasted by the cool crunch of a Japanese cucumber salad mix and spiral-cut carrots, cushioned with mixed greens.

Bayleaf - Spicy Sumo Salad (Foodzooka) — Bayleaf – Spicy Sumo Salad (Foodzooka)

“I’m actually a quarter Japanese. So Japanese food really speaks to me because it reminds me of my grandmother and my mom,” said Catherine, who is also part Cherokee Indian, English, Guatemalan, and Spanish. Inspirations from her multi-ethnic heritage, world travels, and culinary training all culminate in her menu selections for Bayleaf. Her creative skills with salads have been honed through extensive experience, having started her career making appetizers and salads as an intern at Saddle Peak Lodge in Calabasas.

Seasonal ingredients also factor into the ever-evolving creations on the Bayleaf menu. This summer featured stone fruits and berries, and this fall will mix in root vegetables, squashes, and pumpkins. Fruits and vegetables are bought whole and chopped on site, along with fresh herbs. The restaurant’s name is well-suited to its chef since Catherine uses bay leaves in many of the dishes, including her sauces and soups, such as the clam chowder and chicken tortilla soup.

Bayleaf - Chicken tortilla soup (Foodzooka) — Bayleaf – Chicken tortilla soup (Foodzooka)

“It adds a soul to the dish. It’s unlike any other herb,” she said. “A lot of the dishes here have that background flavor.”

For the sandwiches, Catherine chose pretzel buns, not just for their distinctive taste and look, but also because the soft and tender bread inside cradles the ingredients so they’re less prone to getting squished out. The risk is real, considering that each sandwich is loaded to a precarious height that often requires the aid of a wooden pick to stay upright.

Any entree choice comes with crispy housemade chips—a mix of both regular and sweet potatoes, each cooked separately and then blended together for that interplay of salty and sweet flavors. “It was not easy to accomplish them because at first they were soggy. And then they weren’t all uniformly fried, and then they were burned,” Catherine said. “So, you really have to find the perfect way to do them.”

Bayleaf (courtesy) - Housemade potato chips — Bayleaf (courtesy) – Housemade potato chips

At Bayleaf, desserts vary daily. On any given day you’ll find ice cream cookie sandwiches, whoopie pies, carrot cake, and maybe bread pudding a la mode. Among the housemade beverages, Bayleaf offers lemonades enhanced with cucumbers, berries, melons, pineapple, and other juicy fruits.

Calavera Burrito Company

The handcrafted quality at Calavera is immediately apparent when you pick up one of their signature burritos. A trace of flour dust on your fingertips offers evidence of tortillas made from scratch. Chef Ruben’s approach to building the perfect burrito starts with making flour tortillas with just the right amount of flexibility, flattening them to about 2 millimeters. “It has to be thick, but not that thick, and not too thin,” he estimates. The same care goes into making the crunchy corn tortilla chips that are fried in-house and served on the side.

Calavera Burrito Co. - Carnitas Burrito (Foodzooka) — Calavera Burrito Co. – Carnitas Burrito (Foodzooka)

Folding the burrito is part science and part art. Ruben starts with a layer of rice to absorb the juices from the meats. Then the trick is to evenly spread out the ingredients so that in every bite you taste the rice, meats, beans, vegetables, guacamole, and sauces. “I’m making it as if I’m making the burrito for me, and as if I was going to eat it. I’m a big believer in that,” he said.

Your choice of beef, pork, chicken, or vegetables fills the burritos as well as the platos, nachos, and mulitas. The fajitas are one of the most popular picks, with beef fillets marinated in a well-tested recipe. But since Ruben comes from Michoacán, which is known for carnitas and birria, these meats undergo a more complex, slower preparation to achieve their distinctive flavors and textures. The beef for the birria is marinated in a mole sauce made with a multitude of spices, including four different peppers, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, and chocolate.

Calavera Burrito Co. (courtesy) - Birria Plato — Calavera Burrito Co. (courtesy) – Birria Plato

Ruben starts preparing the birria and carnitas at 6am, allowing the meats to cook through the morning until they’re tender enough to fall apart, just in time for the lunch crowds. The pork for the carnitas gets seared, braised, and seasoned section by section over the course of 4-6 hours. Likewise, the chicken thighs roast slowly in the oven for three hours until they, too, shred with ease. The extra effort Ruben puts into the slow cooking process reminds him of his uncle, who handled food with reverence, telling him, “It all depends on the love that you put in the food. That’s what you’re going to get back.”

With just one dessert option at Calavera, the choice is easy: churro fried ice cream with guava sauce. Drinks get the same freshly-made-in-house treatment as Bayleaf, with Calavera serving jamaica and tamarindo aguas, plus a strawberry flavored horchata.

Calavera Burrito Co. (courtesy) - Churro Fried Ice Cream — Calavera Burrito Co. (courtesy) – Churro Fried Ice Cream

Both restaurants plan to expand their menus and hours to include breakfast and dinner this fall, giving Catherine and Ruben more opportunities to express their passions for food and create fresh gourmet dishes for the bustling urbanites and visitors of Downtown LA.

“We offer a little bit everything for everyone. It works out very well,” said Andres. “You can try a little bit of both and leave happy.”

For restaurant hours and info, click the respective Foodzooka profiles below and follow Bayleaf and Calavera Burrito Co. on social media.