O.C. Foodie Fest

O.C. Foodie Fest was the first gourment food truck event in Orange County. This was a one-day event that was held on August 28th, 2010 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. Not only did all the best mobile eats came together for this event, this event also supported the local charities such as Pretend City: Children Museum, Child S.H.A.R.E., and Cart For A Cause.

The Honda Center - which used to be called "The Arrowhead Pond" - is the home of the NHL ("National Hockey League") Mighty Ducks (hockey team) and when they are not playing, sometimes there will be other events happening at this venue such as concerts, other sports (like gymnastics championships and badminton championships), many ice skating shows, and many more other events.

This was the first year that O.C. Foodie Fest had started, so it was a new event to all the people who lived in the area or were willing to commute. There were 50 food vendors (who sold food in trucks and other large vehicles) at this event and several thousand guests who attended to try as many foods as they could from these vendors. This was also a sold out event through online presale ticket purchases and guests weren't able to purchase tickets/admissions at the event. Purchasing tickets at the event was an option if it didn't sell out through online purchasing, but it wasn't an option today.

Bolsa BBQ Pork from Dos Chinos

 
Seviche from The Lime Truck

 
On left, roasted pear with nutmeg wrapped in edible paper; on right, balsamic fig with candied bacon wrapped in edible paper; both from Cool Haus

 
Slider (forgot which truck this came from)

 
Pita Sandwhich from My Kabob Express

I forgot what this was called and which truck it came from

Curry Up

Curry Up is an Indian fast food place located in Pomona, CA across the street from the Cal Poly Pomona (state college). There is a junior college (Mt. San Antonio College) about one mile from this place, so you can imagine how busy this place gets during the regular school year. There is nothing attractive or stunning about the exterior or interior, but this is a fast food place after all, so don't let that stop you from trying this place out. The food tastes great and is very inexpensive. The customer service is very good and the store employees are always friendly and very prompt at greeting customers with a smile. There is no air conditioning in the place, so plan to visit during the cooler time of the day/year or sit farther away from the window. The spicy level is very mild, but there is enough of it that will make you sweat.

Both one item combos and two item combos come with rice, plain naan and salad. The salad comes on a separate plate for the two-item combo and naan is basically a flat bread, but you can add garlic to the naan for an additional .45 cents at Curry Up. Both versions are very good. Curry Up also servers a variety of drinks including Boba Milk Tea which is not a typical Indian beverage. Boba teas are are actually Taiwanese beverages.

Indian cuisine is typically very spicy because that is how Indian people enjoy their food. The spiciness in the food at Curry Up is more on the mild side, but if you'd like more spice, you can ask.

Two item combo: Chicken Korma and Chicken Tikki Masala with rice

One Item Combo: Spicy Coconut Chicken Curry with rice and salad

Garlic Naan (bread)

Green Apple Boba Milk Tea

Dumpling House

Dumpling House in Arcadia, CA is a relatively clean Chinese restaurant. There is no outdoor dinining, but the indoor dining is somewhat small so there is a wait when it gets busy. The interior decor is also quite nice. Most of the dishes are of various dumplings, but the restaurant also serves other dishes. The food was very delicious. The prices are reasonable for all the dishes, however, it is best to go in a group so that everyone can share and taste each plate. It is even more inexpensive as a group. This restaurant is highly recommended for the food and it is great to go with a group of friends and family.

I went here with a group of friends for dinner. There were six of us and we ordered quite a few dishes to which seemed like about the majority of the menu. We all ate very well and we still paid very cheaply for the amount of food we ordered. Unfortunately, I can't remember the names to all these dishes because we ordered so much.

Coffee Break

While the outside doesn't look appealing, attractive or interesting and the business name seems odd, don't let the outside fool you. Coffee Break in Walnut, CA is a quaint, comfy cafe with a hint of homeliness to it and it serves more than just coffee and tea. The interior is very chic and modern. This is a mom and pop resturant that has been in business for over 15 years although it has changed ownership many times during its many years in business.

While the place is very small, it is more than just a break for coffee. It serves a variety of tea, coffee, and hot dishes. They have dine in and take out orders. The prices are very reasonable and you get a lot for your money. There are also always specials going on, so if you are a student at one of the nearby colleges, keep an eye out for them. It is right across the street from Mt. San Antonio College (junior college) and about one mile away from Cal Poly, Pomona (state college), so you can imagine that this place gets very busy for their weekday lunch and dinner during the regular school year.

I have been here many times before, though it has been awhile. I usually like to order green tea and some kind of rice dish. I've decided to venture off and ordered the iced Almond Coffee and the Satay Beef with Fried Noodles and Pumpkin. To my surprise, both were very tasty. I like my coffee to taste like coffee with a sweet taste.

 

Satay Beef with Fried Noodles and Pumpkin

Iced Almond Coffee

Nisei Week 2010

From August 13 to August 21, it is Nisei Week (Japanese Festival) in Little Tokyo-Downtown Los Angeles. There are several activities, festivities, food vendors and other merchants there.


I went there today, but unfortunately, I didn't get there early enough to see all that was happening. I found a food vendor serving Dogzilla (Japanese style hotdog) which was something that I had been wanting to try after seeing it on tv and hearing my cousin in Vancouver, British Columbia Canada try it. I got it just in time before the parade started, but I think I should have checked out more of the food vendors and other merchants rather than watch the parade. Most of them started to close almost an hour after I got there.

Dogzilla consisted of: All Beef Frank, avacado, bacon bits, grilled onions, furikake, Japanese mayo, and teriyaki sauce.

Yokisoba consisted of: Spicy hot link with Yakisoba noodle, Okinami sauce, red ginger, topped with aonori

Furikake consisted of: spicy hot link topped with grilled onion, house teriyaki sauce, spicy mayo, furikake and aonori.

I got the Dogzilla version and it was good. I will try the other two versions when I find it at fairs/festivals or if I find the Dogzilla hot dog truck as it doesn't have its own restaurant.

PK Burgers

PK Burgers is a mom and pop fast food restaurant with a small private parking lot located in Brea, CA. It accommodates take out orders as well as indoor and outdoor dining. It is a Korean owned venue that serves American food such as burgers, pastrami sandwiches, steak sandwiches, and fries. There are also Mexican food items being served. The burgers, pastrami sandwiches and breakfast burritos seem like the popular items at this location. Except for the unusual business hours, the customer service is wonderful. The owner is a sweet and genuine man who makes an effort to remember most customers’ faces and names and his wife, who works beside him, is funny and will put a smile on customers' faces. They certainly know how to make you feel welcomed. While the restaurant is small in size, it seems like a lively place with a constant flow of customers. Even the customers appear friendly and happy to be there. Once the food and beverages are paid, customers are allowed to get drinks and refills by going behind the counter to the fountain drinks station which may or may not be strange to new customers. Don't be shy, you can help yourself!

You may also notice photographs of local school sports teams on the interior walls, so it seems like many local schools support this location as well.

The steak sandwich looked interesting, so I ordered it with a side of fries and soda. It wasn't the greatest sandwich, but it wasn't bad either.

Welcome

Hello and welcome to The SoCal Foodie blog. Not sure where to take your out-of-town guests? Are you looking for a new place to eat? Whether you are visiting from out of town or just looking for a new place to eat, this blog will give you insight and reviews with photos on various eateries and their foods.