Steak 'n Shake Opens in Santa Monica Officially Making It Every LA Transplant's Dream: To Be Bi-Coastal

Edible Skinny was lucky enough to be invited to attend the Grand Opening of Steak ‘n Shake in Los Angeles (the restaurant’s first west coast location) on Monday night!  

Both us Thomas Gal’s (Kat & Kelly) have a long history with this now bicoastal chain as it was one of our mother’s favorites when we finally made it “south enough” during our annual Thomas Family road trip from New Jersey to Florida.  
 
For those West Coaster unaware of this 80 year old chain’s origins Steak ‘n Shake was founded in Normal, Illinois in 1934.  The “Steak” in Steak ‘n Shake comes from the word “Steakburger.”  To prove to his customers that the burgers were prime, founder Gus Belt would wheel in a barrel of round, sirloin, and T-bone steaks and would grind the meat burgers right in front of the guests.  And there was born the origin of their famous slogan, “In Sight It Must Be Right.”

And for the Veggie Potato Lover (read moi), Steak ‘n Shake had a bevy of hand cut French Fry choices.  You can select from an array including: Parmesan Cheese 'n Herbs, Salt 'n Vinegar or Sea Salt 'n Cracked Pepper (my personal favorite).
So here’s to life being French Fry delicious (without a 20 hour drive)!

Viva the Rooster Sauce: the 2nd Annual LA Sriracha Festival

If I was a Sriracha bottle...

Disarrono Sweet and Sour

Last week, hordes of Rooster Sauce Lovers danced, drank, and dined in the historic Chinatown plaza while consuming copious amount of Sriracha at LA 2nd Annual Sriracha Festival and Edible Skinny was lucky to be among the attendees! 

Hosted by Sriracha guru Randy Clemens of the Sriracha Cookbook and Joshua Lurie of Food GPS, these two created an event where guests could enjoy a variety of Sriracha-themed dishes, including desserts, at their own pace.  All the while enjoying all-inclusive local craft beer, Sriracha based cocktails, and sodas. 

Our first stop was my favorite alcoholic beverage of the event: Disarrono Sweet and Sour by Jason Bran with Disarrono Amaretto, Mango, Lemon, & Sriracha LA Sriracha Fest.  This drink

Crawfish Mac ‘n Cheese with Spicy House Andouille Sausage

walked perfectly the tightrope of refreshing and sweet on a hot October day!

Deviled Eggs, Chicken Skin Crumble and Sriracha Caramel

My guest’s favorite dish was the Sriracha Crawfish Mac ‘n Cheese with Spicy House Andouille Sausage by Marcus Christiana-Beniger of TheLittle Jewel of New Orleans.  The next day she told me her mouth still watered thinking about it! 

Crispy Yucca

Other notable dishes included the Sriracha Deviled Eggs, Chicken Skin Crumble and Sriracha Caramel by Chef Mei Lin and the Salad of Sriracha Braised Pumpkin with Yogurt Sauce and Green Sriracha by Mud Hen Tavern.

Joshua and Randy

Since I’m a Veggie, my choices are usually limited, but luckily since one of the creators is also a Veg there were lots of fun options! My favorite was the Crispy Yucca by Philip Frankland Lee of The Garadene Swine.   This dish was perfect (and was the only nibble I grabbed multiples of)!

The Garadene Swine's Crispy Yucca paired fabulously with Phoracha Soda comprised of Lime, Basil, Anise, Cinnamon, Plus, and Sriracha inspired Vietnam’s Famous Pho Noodle Soup created by  Los Angeles Ale Works.  Right now they’re only creating this soda for festival events, but hear’s to hoping it will make to a fountain near you soon!

On the sweeter side, the Holy Petit S’mores was pretty amazing.  Crafted by Kristine de la Cruz of Creme Caramel L.A, this dish consisted of a Sriracha marshmallow layered on a fudgy dark chocolate brownie, dipped in white chocolate, rolled in graham cracker and topped with Sriracha honeycomb dust.  Whoa-ly decadence!

Holy Petit S’mores

Another standout were the Sriracha Apple Crumble Pie and Whole Wheat Sriracha Black Bottom Meyer Lemon Custard Pie by Rose Lawrence of Red Bread (when do they ever make a bad dish?).  

So there you have it Sriracha from start to finish!  

Viva the Rooster Sauce!

John Oliver is a Freaking Sugar Genius!

"Sugar. It's in everything!
Is it good for us? Well, the sugar industry thinks so."

 

I don't know if it's because he's British but John Oliver is able to tell the truth about holes in the American system like no other!!!  Watch this piece and never think about sugar the same way again!!!

Vegan Pumpkin Pie Latte with YouTube's York & Spoon

Date Carmel Apples, Gingery Carrot Tomato Soup, Cheesy Vegan Pumpkin Fondue.... Yummm!  And now imagine all of these delicious autumnal recipes are also Vegan.  Well now they are thanks to York & Spoon.   

While I was in Seattle I came across this awesome Vegan Pinup YouTube Channel that is the brainchild of Jenelle York, a Vegan Punk Pinup.  Registered Dietitian by day, pinup by night & health food promoter 24/7.  Via the interwebs you can watch how to make a delicious plant based dishes every other Monday via York & Spoon.

So in lieu of getting that not so healthy Starbucks Pumpkin Latte, take a gander and learn to craft the perfect Pumpkin coffee via your stovetop (because, again, as John Oliver notes Americans are bat shit crazy for pumpkin...) 

A Tale of Two Agendas @VeganOktFest: Beer and Vegan Bratwurst

Edible Skinny was lucky enough to check out the first ever Vegan Oktoberfest a few weeks ago!  Held just steps away from the Pacific Ocean the event featured traditional (Vegan) German food, live Oompah bands, and delicious craft beer poured to perfection by a bevy of great breweries.  

It was a sweltering hot day with shade (not beer) being the hardest thing to procure.  But regardless of the heat, bedecked Bavarian maidens strolled the landscape much to the pleasure of the ironic t-shirt wearing clientele (our favorite: Eat Pussy, Not Animals).

The Thomas Gals had a double threat agenda: Kelly came for the beer, I came for the Vegan food (it’s not very often I get to experience a traditional Oktoberfest with a clear conscience…).  But regardless of schemes each of us got to enjoy our taste of Germany!  

Kelly’s favorite beer choice was the Karl Strauss Brewing Company with its Carmel undertones.  Karl Strauss pioneered the San Diego beer scene since 1989 with innovative beer releases like Big Barrel IIPA, Wreck Alley Imperial Stout and Mosaic Session Ale. The brewery has won 64 medals over the past four years and its Red Trolley Ale is one of the most award winning beers in the world. The company is currently ranked #41 on the list of the country’s top craft breweries (which is super impressive because it only distributes in the state of California).

 

Another beer favorite for Kelly was the irreverent

Lagunitas Brewing Company (which we had the pleasure of visitingin April).  The brewery (which you might be familiar with through the Beer Wars documentary) was started in 1993 in the form of a Christmas homebrew kit that founder Tony Magee received while living in Lagunitas, California.  The company now produces 2.4 million barrels, making Lagunitas as the second-largest “craft” brewery behind The Boston Beer Company in terms of brewing capacity.  They are known for iconoclastic interpretations of traditional beer styles, and irreverent descriptive text, and hysterical stories on their packaging

I ended up mostly drinking Ace Cider as it was the perfect choice for those who didn’t love the world of hoppy aftertaste (which full disclosure is yours truly!).  ACE ciders has been brewed in the beautiful Sebastopol area of Sonoma County in California.  At Vegan Oktoberfest they were offering the cider flavors Pear, Pineapple, and… wait for it, wait for it…Pumpkin.  Ace first made their Pumpkin cider in the fall of 2010 and has returned every year since then (because as John Oliver notes Americans are bat shit crazy for pumpkin).  And it’s true, ACE added cinnamon, cloves, and allspice to fermented apple juice to produce a 5% ABV cider which tastes just like pumpkin pie!  Delicious and absolutely perfect for Vegan Oktoberfest!

Participating food vendors included many of LA’s most acclaimed vegan restaurants such as Sage Organic Bistro who prepared potato pancakes, cauliflower hot wings, and German style soft pretzels, Southern Fried Vegan offered Fried Chickun and Mac N’ Cheeze, while Urban Pie delighted with sausage and potato pizzas.  We ended up sampling from Pop ‘n Mamas Kettle Corn and Funnel Cake (growing up on the Jersey Shore, Kelly and I have a soft spot for Funnel Cakes). 

 

This sold out event was super crowded.  As the person standing next to us noted: “there are people in line to get food with food because the wait is so long.” (Definitely the land of First World problems…)  But it was worth the wait as I was delighted by their Vegan Bratwurst and noted how I could have never enjoyed this Oktoberfest moment at your standard carnivore based Oktoberfest event!  

Prost!

Sriracha Food Fight and LA Sriracha Food Festival!!!

With L.A. Sriracha Festival on Sunday it's fitting that a Sriracha short would come out!!!  

(Full disclosure it is directed by yours truly)!  

Sriracha Food Fight stars Rob Smith & Michael Cornacchia as two mild manner office workers who battle it out with Huy Fong Food's mighty hot sauce. Who wins? The Rooster Sauce!!!

Watch it and then check out the 2nd annual L.A. Sriracha Festival created by Randy Clemens author of The Sriracha Cookbook and the Veggie-Lovers Sriracha Cookbook (and friend of Edible Skinny).

Happening Sunday October 19^th at Chinatown’s historic Central Plaza, this chef-driven, all-inclusive, 21+ event from The Sriracha Cookbook and Food GPS spotlights the world's most iconic hot sauce at a unique, historical venue. 

Multiple stations allow guests to enjoy a variety of Sriracha-themed dishes, including desserts, at their own pace. Local craft beer, cocktails, sodas, iced coffee and iced tea help tame the heat while a live DJ set helps create a fun and unforgettable food and drink experience.  

Who wins? The Rooster Sauce!!!

The New York Times Food Issue Asks Can Second Graders Appreciate a Seven Course $200 Tasting Menu

For the New York Times Fall Food Issue the newspaper treated six second graders from PS 295 in Brooklyn to a dinner at Daniel, where their seven-coarse tasting menu is considered one of the best in the city (and valued at $220 per person) and then they videotaped it.  

The result is pure genius!  

John Oliver, Last Week Tonight, & Pumpkin Spic Lattes

John Oliver & Last Week Tonight know all when it comes to Pumpkin Spice Lattes!!!

End of Summer Tomato Salad in Seattle

Edible Skinny is in Seattle and we were able to grab an end of summer tomato salad from the garden!!!  

We're in town to cover BurlyCon for Workin' The Tease, but will also be grabbing some travel and food coverage in the next few days!  

Here's to life being delicious in the Emerald City!!!

Thanks For Being So Awesome Edible Skinny Readers!!!

 

So many fun things to come with a great trip to Seattle next week, Vegas next month, and loads of upcoming events in LA!  We loves you buckets and buckets!

 Here's to life being delicious!!!