Gastronomy Blog by Cathy Chaplin

03 Aug 2010

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Butterbeer, Pumpkin Juice, and Chicken Fingers

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The Astronomer and I traveled to Orlando earlier this summer for the National Down Syndrome Congress. While in town for the informative and inspiring conference, we made sure to pencil in a few extra days to dabble in some amusement park action. Whereas I was looking forward to visiting EPCOT at Walt Disney World, the thrill-seeking Astronomer was stoked about Universal’s Islands of Adventure. As luck would have it, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened a few weeks before our trip.

Truth be told, I have never read a Harry Potter book or seen a Harry Potter movie in my life. The Astronomer only remembers bits and pieces of the stories after sleeping through the audio books on a couple of family road trips. Still, we were both excited to ride the rides and eat the eats, even though we had no idea of their literary significance.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a unique experience because it stays true to the theme at every turn. All of the rides, shops, and foods available in this section of the park capture various elements from the novels. It was a balmy ninety or so degrees when we arrived, so a tall glass of Butterbeer was definitely in order. According to HarryPotter.Wikia.com, Butterbeer is a popular wizarding beverage with a very slight alcohol content and a taste “a little bit like less-sickly butterscotch.”

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02 Aug 2010

Flying Pig – Los Angeles

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After a round of deep-fried sushi, followed by Korean-flavored balls, The Astronomer and I made one last stop at the pretty in pink Flying Pig truck before calling it a night. Flying Pig hit the mean streets of Los Angeles last October, which in truck years seems like a lifetime ago. Even though it’s been around for a while and has been well received by diners, our paths and appetites never crossed until tonight.

The two dudes behind Flying Pig are Joe Kim and James Seitz, culinary school grads from the California School of Culinary Arts in Pasadena. Taking a cue from the truck that started it all, Flying Pig’s menu blends Asian and Pacific Rim flavors with French technique. Back when the truck first launched, owner Joe Kim informed the L.A. Weekly that Flying Pig was a testing ground for Butalanai, a restaurant that he planned to open in early 2010. While a brick and mortar joint has yet to come to fruition, the Flying Pig continues to do its porky fusion thing all around town.

Ripped straight out of the Momofuku playbook, the pork belly bao ($3.25) was braised to melt-in-my-mouth perfection. The red onion escabeche and pickled sesame cucumber provided enough tang to keep the pork’s fatty richness at bay. The truck’s signature “death sauce” wasn’t exactly deadly, just spicy with a touch of hoisin. The bao was one of the tastiest dishes I’ve eaten from a truck. The Flying Pig’s crunchy tofu bao ($2.75), which I tasted on a different occasion, is a great option for those with meatless leanings.

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29 Jul 2010

Great Balls on Tires – Los Angeles

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When I stopped by the Ahn Joo truck a little over a month ago, Debbie Lee tipped me off that a meatball truck would be hitting the streets shortly. Meatballs and I get along quite swimmingly, so this was one launch that I was a wee bit more excited for than the rest.

After polishing off two gut busting deep-fried sushi rolls from Yatta-! Truck at Art Walk, The Astronomer and I moseyed on over to Great Balls on Tires for our second course.

Great Balls on Tires was founded by Clint Peralta and Michael Brombart. According to the truck’s website, the duo chose to focus on meatballs because of their universal popularity and appeal. “They are found in nearly every culture with names like polpette, kofta and frikadel. They are found in dumplings and on top of spaghetti all covered with cheese.”

Inspired by travels abroad, the menu encompasses a wide range of flavors from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. By the time we arrived at the truck, they were sold out of the “IncrediBall” (Kobe Beef ball wrapped in bacon and gruyere) and the “Ballywood” (Garam Masala chicken ball cradled in a coconut curry and set atop saffron basmati rice), two of the most enticing menu items. After a bit of hemming and hawing, we finally settled on the “Ball Gogi” ($5.50).

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