Gastronomy Blog by Cathy Chaplin

07 Sep 2011

L.A. County Fair 2011: Deep-Fried Kool Aid, Indian Fry Bread, Monster Corn Dogs, and More

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It has become an annual tradition for The Astronomer and me to spend a glorious summer day at the L.A. County Fair. In addition to indulging in carnival cuisine, we love taking part in hillbilly fun and soaking in Pomona’s intense rays.

We had a hell of a time last year sampling deep-fried Oreos and chicken sandwiches made with jelly-filled Krispy Kremes. Not to mention, admiring homemade cakes paying homage to Vincent Van Gough and whooping it up at the pig races. This year, we vowed to outdo ourselves in all manner of food and fun.

The Astronomer and I arrived on opening day primed and ready to stuff our gullets. As “The Official Fair Foodie,” it was my duty to explore the edible terrain and leave no vendor unturned.

Our first stop was at Terri’s Berries, one of a handful of spots at the Fairplex serving legitimately healthy stuff.

The Astronomer and I shared a paper boat filled with fresh fresh fruit ($7), as well as a large and fuzzy peach ($1). These would be the only unadulterated nutrients that we would feed our bodies all day.

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{swoon}

04 Sep 2011

{swoon} Bacon Maple Doughnut at the L.A. County Fair

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The search for Los Angeles’ best doughnuts has taken me west to Stan’s Donuts, east to The Donut Man, and somewhere in between to Nickel Diner. While I’ve sampled some very memorable doughnuts at these local institutions, they all paled in comparision to the maple bacon “Big D” I tasted this past weekend at the L.A. County Fair. It was easily the most amazing doughnut I’ve ever had in Los Angeles.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I forked over $8.50 for a single doughnut, but I had a feeling that it was going to be real good. The doughnuts here are fried to order, which means every ring served throughout the day is fresh and warm. Best of all, the doughnuts are Texas-sized for maximum gluttony.

The maple bacon “Big D” spanned eight inches in diameter and fit snugly onto a dinner-sized paper plate. The heat from the doughnut seeped through the plate and tingled my fingers as The Astronomer and I made our way to a picnicking area to indulge. I loved how the doughnut was glazed and garnished just moments before, leaving the maple cream delightfully runny, while the bacon was crisp and caramelized.

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Restaurant Review

02 Sep 2011

Jeon Ju Restaurant – Los Angeles (Koreatown)

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The Astronomer and I have a long history with The Wiltern, Ben Folds, and Koreatown. Well, maybe “a long history” is pushing it a bit. Back in 2008, we attended a Ben Folds show at The Wiltern and enjoyed dinner beforehand at Tofu Village. The convenience couldn’t be beat, and the flavors left our mouths pleasantly afire.

Ben Folds and company recently returned to Los Angeles to play another gig at The Wiltern. We once again scoped out a K-Town dinner prior to filing into the venue. The Wiltern’s proximity to great Korean eats means that The Astronomer and I are always well fueled to stand still for the duration of the show.

Jeon Ju was written up in the Los Angeles Times sometime back in 1998 by the lovely Barbara Hansen, but I learned about this place from my friend Matt. He promised me that the house special sizzling rice bowls were worth checking out the next time I found myself hungry for carbohydrates in Koreatown.

After settling into our seats and placing our order, two complimentary bowls of cold noodles came our way. The soup was mostly thin and not too spicy, while the noodles were tightly bundled in the center of the bowl. Even though it wasn’t a particularly warm evening, both The Astronomer and I slurped up the broth, noodles, and all.

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