Fullerton: (Bootlegger's Brewery) Oh For Sweets Sake

My parents came over for dinner, and afterwards we went to get dessert at Oh For Sweets Sake.

Chocoate chocolate chip cupcake

Arcadia: (at REI) Komodo

It has been a few days since I've been to a gourmet food truck. A few days seems like a week!

While having breakfast with Martin, he noticed Komodo was in Arcadia at the REI parking lot.

I saw a tweet from Happy Ramen Cup, saying he was going to be in Torrance, but it was just too hot for ramen.  Then, Oh For Sweets Sake was going to be in Laguna for a Boys n Girls fundraiser, but she was also going to be in Fullerton later tonight. 

I actually wanted to go to Marina Del Rey for the "Heal The Bay" foodiefest, but the heat and crowd was a big turn off.  It was slim pickings for lunch, but we picked...

Komodo foods, the official LA Entourage

Asian marinaded chicken taco
Grilled Orange Marinated Chicken with Stir-Fried Rice

Fish n Grapes taco
Deep-fried Alaskan Cod tossed with Fresh Grape Salad

OC Foodies: New hot lunch spot on Thursdays!

If you work or live in Costa Mesa/ Newport/ or near the Orange County Fair Grounds, there is a new food gathering on Thursdays. 

Piaggio on wheels, Bakery Truck, Calbi and Louk's to go are there serving up some good grub!

The Fast Food Maven mentioned it in the article I posted earlier, but I thought I'd post the flyer. 

I didn't get a chance to chase a truck today, so I'll share something very ironic, and humorous...

Tonight, the winner of the Great Food Truck Race, Grill em all, was at the Bootlegger Brewery in Fullerton.  As a food truck chaser, that should have been a no brainer for me to go try them.  Instead my long time girlfriend (or my "bff" as girls call it) wanted to to go Island Burgers for dinner. 

How ironic that I give up a chance to eat a "bohemeth" burger from @Grillemalltruck for an ordinary brick n mortar restaurant burger.  Sigh.... she must be a good friend, eh?!

Then again, after checking twitter, maybe it was good I didn't go. Look at the line!!!

Photo of @bootleggersbrew and @grillemalltruck. Insanely crowded.
photo taken by @threefrenchs

OMG, Food Trucks have gone mainstream!

Wow, food trucks have indeed gone main stream!! I received a tweet from the Auto Club of So cal who wanted to share a write up on LA food trucks being featured in this month's Auto Club News. 

Click this link to read the article on the "newer" trucks you can find in the greater LA area.  Too bad they didn't interview Orange County Foodies to represent the OC!

Auto club also interviewed the one who started it all

The @KogiBBQ owner, Roy Choi.

Click here for the interview with Papa!

Irvine: (OCDinDinaGo-Go) Ahn-joo, Nana Queens

Yesterday was the weekly food truck gathering at K1 Irvine's OC DinDin a Go-Go.

LA trucks Ahn-joo and Nana Queens (as featured in the Food network tv show: The Great Food Truck Race) were going to be there.  Normally I would not hesistate and make my way to Irvine in a heartbeat... except I also had a Ducks hockey game... and I NEVER miss a Ducks game. 

What to do.. what to do... ???

Lucky for me, it was only a preseason game, and those games do not count. Also, hockey is not popular here in The OC, so there was no reason to worry about a crowd... especially on a preseason game.

We decided to take a chance, fight the rush hour traffic, take the food to go, and gorge out at the Honda Center parking lot!  I went home, got Martin, and made our way to Irvine, arriving a little before 5:30 (fortunately before the crowd arrived!).

I was 2nd in line at Ahn-joo, and Martin was 4th in line at Nana Queens. After I placed my order, I ran to Nana Queens to take Martin's place, and he went to Piaggio's to order his food.  By the time I got his pudding, his order was done!

We avoided the 55 freeway traffic by taking Main Street to the 5 freeway, and made it to the Pond at 6:20.... and was able to be in our seats before the puck dropped at 7 pm! Wow, that was teamwork!

Korean pork potstickers (dumplings) from Anh-Joo

Korean garlic fried potato wedges from Ahn-joo

Korean Fried Chicken over egg fried rice from Ahn-joo

The "CarNana": a banana pudding and vanilla wafers
 topped with caramel from Nana Queens

ha ha ha... my 15 seconds of fame by the Fast Food Maven!

Like many foodies in Orange County, I follow Nancy Luna, dubbed the "Fast Food Maven" from the Orange County Register newspaper.  She blogs and tweets about the food industry in the OC, and the trends such as gourmet trucks. 

I first met her in May 2010, when Oh For Sweets Sakes first launched at the REI in Santa Ana, and Brooklyn Boys decided to call it quits.  She interviewed me while ordering food at Piaggio's, and featured me (again) today! She had me give my two cents on food trucks in Orange County, and how I felt that trucks were learning to work as a team, not flying solo.

I hope you'll get a chuckle out of the write up... it totally made my day!
You can also click here to read the article.

This weekend: The Beach Gives Back: Heal the Bay!

Click here for more information

Over 20 food trucks will be in Venice to support "Heal the Bay".

Admission is based on voluntary donation, and all proceeds will go to HTB.

Irvine: Piaggio on Wheels

I always thought I had a weakness for beef.  Now, I think I have a special spot for pork.  First, the Lime Truck made an amazing pork flat iron over mashed potatoes. Now, Piaggio on Wheels made a cuban inspired pork served over black beans & rice and plantains, and topped with his special pink sauce.  O.. M.. G... it was good!

Piaggio's cuban inspired pork and plantains

Anaheim: Gourmet truck serving dinner before Ducks games!

I am an Anaheim Ducks season ticket holder and park at the lot off Douglass, which is directly across from the Honda Center.  Its the lot right next to the "OC Foodie Fest" location..  a very prime location for pedestrians.  With the start of hockey season, my time chasing trucks would be limited.  So I decided, if I can't get to a truck.. I might as well have trucks come to me!

I called the owner of the parking lot, and he said he would be willing to give a truck a try for the 2 preseason games in October.  If successful, he'll consider having trucks at all the games.

So pass the word... hockey fans, come eat before the game!
Click here for directions


Here is the line up...

Friday, October 1 (vs Vancouver Canucks)
PIAGGIO ON WHEELS

Sunday, October 3 (vs. the LA Kings- boo!)
BARCELONA ON THE GO

Irvine: Barcelona on the Go

Summer is definitely over!  Despite the weatherman's forcast of a 70-something day, it has been dreary and gloomy.  Barcelona on the go tweeted his lunch special today was Spanish Grilled Cheese and Lentil Soup.  Mmmmm, would that hit the spot!?

I made my way down to Jamboree & MacArthur and picked up some goodies... unfortunately not the Grilled Cheese, because I was not sure how the dairy product would affect my tummy (curse me, lactose intolerant!)

Barcelona Onthego on the corner of Jamboree & MacArthur
Note the gloomy backdrop

A cup of lentil soup...hits the spot!

Barcelona's Schweaty Balls
Paella croquettes

Fresh Figs for dessert!

Gardena: Happy Cup Ramen

Driving back from Venice, we decided to stop at Gardena and see if the Happy Cup Ramen was still there.  We knew they were in front of the South Bay Toyota at 12:30, and took a chance. What we did not know was they close at 2:30, and reopen at 4:00.  We pulled up at 3:25 and found them parked... but not open for business.

The van which pulls the trailer

The back of the Happy Cup Ramen trailer

Venice: DimSumTruck, CiaoBella, and KO Taco

Today the Anaheim Ducks had their 2nd day of training camp at the Anaheim Ice. After the first scrimmage, Karen joined us for breakfast. During breakfast, I looked at twitter and asked her if she wanted to chase some new trucks.  We took off from Fullerton and headed toward Venice in search for new trucks...

We took freeways 57, 91, 605, 105, 405, and 90 to get to "The Brig".  We went to get food from the Dim Sum Truck, but new truck Ciao Bella was also there, and it was their second day in business. While walking back to our car, we saw KO Taco Truck across the street.

Dim Sum Truck parked at "The Brig" in Venice

Clockwise (from top left): Peking Duck Taco,
Siu Mai (pork), Ha Gow (shrimp), & Sticky Rice wrapped in lotus leaf

New truck "Ciao Bella". Second day on the street
(person in front of truck: unknown)

Ciao Bella!

An order of the meat lasagna from Ciao Bella

KO Taco Truck hiding down the street

The Pollo (chicken) taco from KO Taco Truck