Santa Anita Park; where I first met the owners of the After School Special Truck

After my annual Spring Break vacation, the After School Special Truck was close enough for me to experience without the hassle of LA traffic.  I was delighted to see both owners, James Bailey and James Campbell, onboard again.  Since my initial visit, the menu hadn’t changed and so it was my opportunity to sample some of the offerings that I wanted to experience during my first visit.

Executive Chef James Bailey and co-owner James Campbell

Executive Chef James Bailey has impeccable credentials.  He is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, or as my wife likes to say, “The Other CIA”.   James has also had executive chef positions at Citron in Palm Springs as well as Perla in the Sheraton Delfina Hotel in Santa Monica.

James Campell is no slouch either.  He has had many successful years in the catering business and it was at the Sheraton Delfina where he met James Bailey and they immediately connected.

Unfortunately, James Campbell’s Mother, Elizabeth “Betty” Campbell suddenly passed away.  She was a beloved school teacher and taught thousands of children over a 36 year career.  After they collaborated a bit, they developed a business strategy and decided to execute it in the form of a Gourmet Food Truck.  To honor both of their Mothers, their recipes are from Mothers in their family, but with a Chef inspired twist.

The sandwiches are named after the Mother’s recipes and have been enhanced with a gourmet twist.  In fact, Betty’s Pot Roast Sandwich and Mary’s Fried Chicken Torpedo are named after their own Mothers.  While the names may seem rather plain, the sandwiches are not ordinary.  For example, the Fried Chicken Torpedo comes with a delicious jalapeno slaw inside.  The vegetables are marinated and then match sticked so that they are both easy to eat and don’t overpower the fried chicken.  It also has a slight bit of heat which makes for a very satisfying experience.

Mary's Fried Chicken Torpedo with a delicious jalapeno slaw

Tina's Braised Pork Melt with lemony argula

• A sandwich featuring braised bacon
• A twist on the American classic chili cheese dog
• A chef inspired version of the tuna melt

James Campbell mentioned that when they receive enough “likes” on their Facebook page, they will solicit their followers for a “Mom of the Week”. They would like to take a recipe from the “Mom of the Week” and give it a special chef’s twist and offer it as a special on their truck. In addition, the “Mom of the Week” will be featured on their website.

After School Special donates a portion of their proceeds to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. In addition, they have a separate collection for Make-A-Wish and donate the entire amount to that charity.

After School Special is an official sponsor of the Make A Wish Foundation

I look forward to my return visit.

Twitter: @afterschooltruk

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afterschoolspecialtruck

Website: http://afterschoolspecialtruck.com/

The double creamed brie w/chicken salad from The Grilled Cheese Truck.

The Westside Food Truck Central used to be a popular Food Truck lot in Culver City situated next to Sony Pictures. While I haven’t been following food trucks as long as some others, I believe that their line-ups were offered two times a week. Due to their growing popularity, it grew beyond that and eventually became a dinner-time destination.

I was tipped off by a tweet from the Santa Monica Food Truck Lot that the Westside Lot would have a line-up on Tuesday, 4/24. Because it is not that far away from where I work, I thought that it would be a great place to have lunch and maybe strike a conversation with someone. Further, I was impressed by the line-up: Grilled Cheese Truck, The Lime Truck, Maui Wowi and an up and comer, the Fry Girl.

My lunch partner was obviously excited by the line-up. She wore a bright lime green top and lime green socks that matched perfectly. I think she was ready to engage with the people lined up for The Lime Truck as well as the people working the truck. Unfortunately, that did not happen as The Lime Truck had mechanical difficulties. In addition, The Fry Girl wasn’t present.

I ordered the Brie Melt which consisted of cranberry walnut chicken salad with creamy brie cheese and shaved red onion on potato peppercorn bread from the Grilled Cheese Truck. I also experienced the Rainforest Falls which was a combination of black raspberry and pina colada from the Maui Waui Truck. They use fresh fruit and both my Rainforest Falls and my partner’s Hawaiian Dreamsicle were amazingly delicious.

Matt Geller, CEO of the Mobile Food Vendors Association, and his assistant were both there to oversee the re-opening of the lot. I had a chance to chat with him and learned that the lot would be open on Tuesdays and Thursday for lunch. In addition, they would be open for dinner on Wednesday evenings.

Matt Geller, CEO, Mobile Food Vendors Association

Westside Food Truck Central
http://www.westsidefoodtruckcentral.com/
10601 W. Washington Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90232
Corner of Washington Blvd. and Overland Blvd.
Twitter @foodtruckcntral

Near the entrance of The Row at South Bay 360

South Bay Foodies was invited to the Grand Opening of The Row at South Bay 360.  The event took place on Saturday, April 21 and I’d have to say that it went down extremely well.

While most of the folks were there to check out the new condos, many were there to sample cuisine from the five gourmet food trucks in attendance:

• All Gourmet Grill
• Grill ‘em All
• Ludo
• Nom Nom
• Sprinkles Mobile

After parking, I easily found the sign to pick up my truck buck — a coupon good for one entree and a beverage from one of the trucks — and walked towards an open area.  A DJ was set up playing some cool tunes and I was really happy to see tables, chairs and shade umbrellas as it was a clear and sunny day in Hawthorne.

A good turn-out for the Gourmet Food Trucks

I went to Grill ‘em All and ordered a cheer burger and fries tossed with truffle oil.  A drink was also included.  Grill ‘em All sure knows how to stretch a buck!

Grill Em All's Cheer Burger with cranberry gastrique, blue cheese and muchos (potato chips)

I purchased some cupcakes to go from Sprinkles Mobile. Sprinkles is the first cupcake bakery in the Los Angeles area and the truck is their mobile operation.

dark chocolate w/ sprinkles and dark chocolate with marshmellow - both were outstanding!

It was a beautiful day and the event was well attended.  Despite not having high pressure salespeople around, many people, including myself, walked through the different model homes.

I was quite impressed at the interior design, use of natural light and the overall color schemes.  Many units have windows that overlook beautiful shared areas.  Some units were one story flats and others were three story townhomes with a loft.

One of the bedrooms at The Row at South Bay 360

The Row has excellent shared areas:  huge stainless steel barbeques, an outdoor pool, an indoor fitness center, and outdoor basketball and paddle tennis courts.

The Row is a well organized community centrally located in the South Bay.  Prices start in the low $400,000′s.

The dining room inside Faidley’s at Baltimore’s Lexington Marketplace.

I recently vacationed with my family over Spring Break.  We decided to visit and stay with my wife’s cousins in Maryland.  Given a number of people were involved, I was not in total control of our eating destinations.  Fortunately, I was able to satisfy my inner foodie needs with two fine establishments.  One was an unplanned delight on the eastern shore of Maryland.  The other was a time-tested Baltimore tradition.

I got my opportunity at Faidley’s Award Winning Crab Cakes and Seafood in Baltimore.  Faidley’s is inside Baltimore’s Lexington Marketplace.  As we entered the marketplace, I quickly realized that we weren’t going to be seated and served.  Instead, it was set up cafeteria-style and diners stand up eating at waist-high tables.

Most of the action was at the raw bar and in fact, the person shucking oysters and clams was continually working to fill the orders.  Littleneck clams and oysters were the main fare of the day.  Once received, their customers tailored them to their liking using Faidley’s hot sauce or a dozen oysters with a cold beer.  Ahh.. maybe next time I’ll try that.

I ordered the soft shell crab platter.  If you’ve never had soft shell crab before, you eat the entire crab – legs, body and all.  This one was very nicely seasoned and was an absolute delight.  If you order the platter, you get a choice of two sides; I enjoyed the pickled beets and greens.

Soft shlled crab, pickled beets, and greens from Faidley's.

Since Faidley’s is best known for crab cakes, my wife ordered their huge baseball-sized sphere of goodness.  Unlike many crab cakes that are filled with things other than crab, Faidley’s prides itself on using Maryland lump crab meet with minimal filler.  For crab lovers, this is an amazing culinary experience because you get to taste actual Maryland blue crab meat versus filler such as chopped celery or bell pepper.

Faidley's is well known for their crab cakes.

Today, Faidley's is owned and operated by Bill (pictured here) and Nancy Devine, descendents of founder John W. Faidley, Sr.

Faidley's crab cakes, packed and ready to go.

My wife ordered a dozen crab cakes to-go and owner, Bill Devine, took her behind the counter so that she could see how they were packed.  Each crab cake is individually packed in a plastic casing with a tight seal.  Because of the design, they stack well and can be packed with a large ice pack in a box with a convenient handle.  It ended up being way more economical than having them shipped back to our house.

Faidley’s Award Winning Crab Cakes and Seafood
http://www.faidleyscrabcakes.com/
200 N Paca St.  Baltimore, MD 21201
(410) 727-4898

On Saturday, April 21, The Row at South Bay 360 is celebrating their grand opening with food trucks and live entertainment. Of course, the draw is to get a first look inside their furnished and decorated townhouses, but we’re interested in what’s cooking in the parking lot outside!

From Noon to 4 PM, five of LA’s most popular gourmet food trucks will be serving their chow at this grand opening event. Bryan, our resident street food expert, has shared these recommendations for folks that plan to stop by.

• Grill Em All – Burgers cooked with love and heavy metal music. Try the witte burger – 7oz beef w/cream cheese, sirarcha onions, deep fried bacon.
• Grilled Cheese Truck - Gourmet sandwiches made with cheese.  Known for their pulled pork w/mac & cheese. (No Longer Participating)

Chop it up with Ludo Truck and other popular gourmet food trucks this Saturday in Hawthorne.

• Ludo - Cutting-edge gastronomic cuisine. Their fried chicken has been described as “impossibly juicy” pieces of heaven.
• Nom Nom Truck - Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches & tacos.  You won’t go wrong with either the grilled pork or the lemongrass chicken.
• Sprinkles Mobile – Don’t forget desert from the mobile version of the popular Sprinkles cupcakery.
• Update: Grilled Cheese Truck has been replaced by All American Gourmet Grill, http://allamericangourmetgrill.com/, @allamericangg

Get Your Buzz Bucks Here!

To really make this opening grand, South Bay 360 is giving Buzz Bucks to hungry house hunters that register to attend the grand opening. One Buzz Buck will get you a menu item and a beverage from one of the participating trucks. To nab that deal, make sure you stop by their website to register.

Or, you can grab a pair of buzz bucks from us! We’re giving away two buzz bucks to two lucky South Bay Foodies. For your chance to win all you gotta do is leave a comment here or Tweet at us. Here’s how:

• Leave a comment – using the comment form below, let us know which two trucks you want to try. Do you want to head bang with a burger from Grill Em All or do you want to nom with the Nom Nom truck? Make sure to include your Name and email address (which won’t be shared) along with your truck choices.

• Tweet at us – Its so simple! Just follow one of the links below to start a tweet. Pick the one that has the truck you’d like to try! Your tweet will look like “Hey, @southbayfoodies! I want Buzz Bucks for @GrillEmAllTruck #360sb” and you’ll have a chance to edit it before it goes to your followers.
  • @GrillEmAllTruck
  • @grlldcheesetruk (No longer participating)
  • @LudoTruck
  • @nomnomtruck
  • @sprinklesmobile

We’ll take your comments and tweets until 8 PM PDT Thursday, April 19. Leave one comment per person but tweet at much as you want to. We’ll randomly pick one commenter and one tweeter to receive two buzz bucks for the trucks they selected. You can do both for more chances.  Winners will be contacted Friday morning for confirmation.

If you don’t want to comment or tweet, follow this link to The South Bay 360 website and register for a free buzz buck. See you this Saturday!

• Epicurian Row at The Row at 360 South Bay
  Saturday, April 21, Noon – 4 PM
  5428 Strand, Hawthorne, CA 90250

Disclosure: Representatives of South Bay Foodies were invited to attend this event as a part of this promotion. Buzz Bucks certificates provided courtesy of William Lyon Homes.

In a Facebook post dated April 12, Quality Seafood Redondo Beach announced that the 4^th Annual Clam Chowder Cookoff would be postponed.

Originally scheduled for Saturday, April 14, the cook off was pushed back with no specific reasons cited. In an additional Facebook comment, the reps for Quality Seafood stated “the event wouldn’t have been the same as years past, so we had to postpone it.”

Established in 1953, Quality Seafood is one of the largest retail seafood markets on the West coast. In 2008, Brian Dragich created Quality Seafood’s Clam Chowder Cook-off to showcase Southern California fresh seafood restaurants, and raise funds for the cancer support community.

I guess we’ll have to stand by for some clam chowder this fall!

Simmzy’s – Tuesday, April 10, 4-10 PM
http://www.simmzys.com/events/2012-04-01

On Tuesday, Simmzy’s will be donating a percentage of the nights’ sales to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Simmzy's signature burger, photo credit to Joshua Lurie foodgps.com.

Located just up the street from the bustling Manhattan Beach Pier, Simmzy’s serves food prepared from local, responsibly grown, seasonal ingredients. In plain English: everything is cooked with love and tastes great! Along with their burgers, salads, and sandwiches, Simmzy’s offers many different beers on tap.

• 229 Manhattan Beach Blvd
  Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
  (310) 546-1201?

Kincaid’s Shuck & Slurp Oyster Eating Contest benefiting LLS – Saturday, April 14, 11 AM – 6 PM
https://www.facebook.com/events/306011306135532

Put your bib on and get ready to do some shuckin’! Kincaid’s will be partnering with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as they put on a Shuck and Slurp Oyster Eating Contest. 100% of all proceeds from the contest will go to the LLS.

Doors open at 11 AM and the slurping starts at Noon. A suggested $10 donation includes a ticket for 2 craft brews, Happy Hour pricing until 6 PM, and a chance to win door prizes.

For more details on happy hour at Kincaid’s, check out this review from our archives. The cranberry mojito is highly recommended!

• 500 Fishermans Wharf
  Redondo Beach, CA 90277
  (310) 318-6080

Kincaid's on the Redondo Beach Pier.

]]> http://www.southbayfoodies.com/2012/04/09/eating-and-drinking-for-a-cause-simmzys-and-kincaids-to-host-leukemia-and-lymphoma-fundraisers/feed/ 1 http://www.southbayfoodies.com/2012/04/09/eating-and-drinking-for-a-cause-simmzys-and-kincaids-to-host-leukemia-and-lymphoma-fundraisers/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SouthBayFoodies/~3/Dbwwi6IUVFg/ http://www.southbayfoodies.com/2012/04/04/today-big-waves-lead-to-a-free-big-burger-at-islands/#comments Wed, 04 Apr 2012 16:26:21 +0000 Michael http://www.southbayfoodies.com/?p=7507 If you have what it takes to capture one of the biggest waves in the world -- the forty to fifty foot waves of Mavericks Surf in Half Moon Bay, CA --  you can score a free burger at Islands Restaurants.

If you have what it takes to capture one of the biggest waves in the world, you can score a free burger at Islands Restaurants.

Islands Restaurant in Redondo Beach.

On Wednesday, April 4, 2012, all Islands Restaurants are offering their signature Maverick Burger to guests that bring in a picture of a Mavericks Wave. Actually, a picture of any big wave can serve as your burger ticket.

The tasty deal is a shout out to the big wave riders at Mavericks Invitational Surf Contest. That wave riding contest pits man versus nature in a challenge to ride some of the biggest waves on the West Coast. Unfortunately, the contest didn’t place this year due to weather systems preventing the formation of the enormous waves the Maverick surf is known for.

Islands is a sponsor of the event and still wanted to celebrate the big waves by offering the namesake big burger for free to fans all over.

To get your free Mavericks burger, bring in a picture of a Mavericks wave (or any big wave) – printed out or even on your phone or camera – and you’re good. Here’s one to help you:

A Wave at Mavericks. Photo Credited to Rick Buchich on Flickr.

You can find another great picture (and more on this free deal) on the Islands Facebook page or over here on Wikipedia.

If video is your medium, or if you want to see how big the waves at Mavericks can get, check out this video of men and women sharing their stories of just how fierce these “liquid mountains” can be.

I’d rather be surfing?  With those waves, I’m not so sure.  Just gimme the free burger.

• Islands Restaurants
  http://www.islandsrestaurants.com

• Redondo Beach @ 1609 Hawthorne Blvd.
• South Torrance @ 2647 Pacific Coast Highway
• Manhattan Beach @ 3200 North Sepulveda Blvd.

Disclosure: This post was not sponsored by Islands Restaurants. Burger enthusiasts nabbing a free burger will be happy to know that no other purchase is necessary. In addition, a visit during happy hour (4-7 PM) will allow you to score discounts on drinks and appetizers too. Check with your server before you order or call ahead for complete details before you go!

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All kinds of cultures come together in this plate full of flavors: Southwest Poutine.

So what is poutine?  Candian comfort food that originated in Quebec Canada.  In the basic recipe for poutine, French fries are topped with fresh cheese curds, and covered with brown gravy or sauce. The French fries are of medium thickness, and fried so that the inside stays soft, while the outside is crunchy.

The Gravy Train Poutinerie Truck - Canadian Food on wheels.

I was a bit hesitant to try food from Gravy Train truck because I’ve had poutine before and I wasn’t that fond of it.  The fries and the cheese curds were just ok which made me wonder how this became comfort food for Canadians.

I had the opportunity to speak with one of their chefs, Liana French.  Fortunately, she had the night off and was at South Bay DinDinAGoGo to network.

Cooking for you in the Gravy Train kitchen is Chef Liana, A Cordon Bleu candidiate.

Liana is a delightful person and a perfect representative for the Gravy Train truck.  In chatting with her, I discovered that she’s a student at the Cordon Bleu and she expects to  graduate in May.  Her true passion is baking and she hopes to offer desserts on the truck in the near future.

Liana mentioned that they truck has been on the road for “two weeks and two days”.  After questioning her on what was so special about their poutine, she assured me that Gravy Train’s poutine was indeed authentic.  In fact, the owners, Tum Cohl and Evan Goldberg are from Vancouver and Toronto respectively.  They ended up connecting in Montreal and later moved to LA.

Tum and Even took time working with the recipes to ensure that it would be well received.  They tried out several potatoes and ended up with Idaho russets mostly for their excellent flavor.  While I didn’t find out their source for cheese, I can vouch that it is of a very high quality.  In fact, one of the chefs on-board was a student of the University of Wisconsin.

While I didn’t order the truffle fries, I was intrigued by Liana’s comment that they use black truffle salt which she said is absolutely delicious.  Next time, I’ll have to try it.

Like many other trucks, they use Hawaiian sweet buns for their sliders.  The meat is of very high quality and cooked with a nice charred finish.  They steam the cheese on the top so that it melts over the meat.  Finally, they add some fries beneath the meat and add their signature brown gravy on top of the melted cheese.

They don’t have a schedule posted but Liana mentioned that they are at Sheddy’s Public Parlor each Wednesday.  She added that Wednesday night at Sheddy’s is Canada Night because they feature all things Canadian.

Gravy Train Poutinerie

Web: http://www.gravytrainpoutinerie.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gravytrainpoutinerie

Twitter: @gravytrainla

The weekly South Bay Din Din A Go Go event manages to keep it fresh by inviting brand new trucks.  I’m fortunate that I don’t have to travel very far to satisfy my culinary obsession.

Firehouse Chefs Food Truck.

Recently, South Bay Din Din A Go Go debuted two new trucks: Firehouse Chefs Food Truck and Burgers Luchador.  I arrived just as the event opened and was fortunate enough to spend some time with owner/chef Eddie Sell of the Firehouse Chefs Food Truck.

Firehouse Chefs Owner-operator-chef Eddie Sell.

Eddie is very outgoing and personable.  In his “day job”, he’s the Chief of a Long Beach Firehouse and by evening, he is a gourmet food truck operator and chef.  I found out that he is more than qualified to run a truck as he has run a catering business for years.  In talking with him, I learned that everything served from his truck is homemade with quality ingredients.

Jicama pepper slaw.

Stinky Mike's garlic tater tots.

Glancing at the menu, I observed an ahi tuna salad, tater tots, and carne asada and couldn’t figure out the theme or vision.  Eddie explains that their menu is fusion because firemen now have diverse backgrounds.  He clarified this by saying that you can find Asian, Hispanic and women firefighters.  Because of the diversity, the food in firehouses has also changed.

Carne Asada sliders "El Jardin style".

Their current signature is a carne asada slider.  It is marinated for 12 hours in a citrus soy dressing.  You can have that in a slider, “El Jardin Style”, where it includes grilled onions, mushrooms, a fried quail egg, surrounded by an artisan onion bun.  Other meats available include chicken, ahi tuna or herb marinated portobello mushroom.

Finally, he expects to have desserts in the near future.  A firehouse in Seattle creates their own handmade chocolates and Eddie plans to use their chocolates as a base for their dessert creations.

You can find out where the Firehouse Chefs will be serving next by following them on their website, Facebook, and Twitter.

This Friday, March 27, they’ll be rolling into Lawndale DindinAGoGo from 6-9 PM at 15903 Prairie Ave., Lawndale CA.

Firehouse Chefs Food Truck

Web: http://www.firehousechefs.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/firehousechefs

Twitter: @FHCFoodtruck