L.A. Food & Wine 2014 (Los Angeles, CA) #4

*Update* See all L.A. Food & Wine 2014 coverage here, here, and here.

After three amazing food events, I was sad (and yet happy for my belt’s sake) for the L.A. Food & Wine Festival to come to a close.  The last event was the Lexus Grand Tasting on Sunday, which was yet again held in the gorgeous space from the previous day’s event.

I must have had a food coma because I made a couple of foodie mistakes this time.  For one thing, I forgot to charge my battery, so a few of the photos below are thanks to my handy phone.  Also, a couple of the dish descriptions below are missing, but you can still enjoy them in all their gorgeous glory.

Some of my highlights from this event were from Acabar, Top Round, Lola, Morimoto Napa, and Craftsman & Wolves.  For the last time this year… let’s get to the food!

Bucato – Evan Funke
Squid ink chitarrina, sea urchin, fermented chilis, mint, bread crumbs

L.A. Food and Wine 2014 (Los Angeles, CA) #4 on The Episodic Eater

Rivabella – Luigi Fineo
Corn agnolotti, black truffle, parmesan & butter (on left)
Caprese terrine, heirloom tomato, truffled mozzarella, salsa verde (on right)

Michael’s Santa Monica – Michael Stern
pork loin with chili and onion

L.A. Food and Wine 2014 (Los Angeles, CA) #4 on The Episodic Eater
Michael’s Santa Monica – Michael Stern
Chocolate & caramel pudding

L.A. Food and Wine 2014 (Los Angeles, CA) #4 on The Episodic Eater

Acabar – Kevin Luzande
Crispy lamb buns, stonefruit relish, sriracha aioli, wild herbs

L.A. Food and Wine 2014 (Los Angeles, CA) #4 on The Episodic Eater

Rivera – John Sedlar
Kennebec Potato Crisps with broccamole

L.A. Food and Wine 2014 (Los Angeles, CA) #4 on The Episodic Eater

Willy B.’s – Christian Page
Smoked turkey, lacto-fermented Willy B’s hot sauce, giardiniera aioli, mizuna

L.A. Food and Wine 2014 (Los Angeles, CA) #4 on The Episodic Eater
L.A. Food and Wine 2014 (Los Angeles, CA) #4 on The Episodic Eater

Top Round Roast Beef – Anthony Carron
Top Round Roast Beef & Cheese Sliders

L.A. Food and Wine 2014 (Los Angeles, CA) #4 on The Episodic Eater

Girasol – Chris “C.J.” Jacobson
Tomato charred cactus & California bay leaf, salted & smoked fish

L.A. Food and Wine 2014 (Los Angeles, CA) #4 on The Episodic Eater

Lola – Michael Ginor
Hudson Valley duck confit, onion marmalade & gruyere panini

L.A. Food and Wine 2014 (Los Angeles, CA) #4 on The Episodic Eater

Morimoto Napa – Masaharu Morimoto
Spicy cold noodles

L.A. Food and Wine 2014 (Los Angeles, CA) #4 on The Episodic Eater

fundamental LA – Philip Pretty
Slow cooked kurobuta pork belly, red cabbage puree, whit polenta, smoked nuts & tiger fig

L.A. Food and Wine 2014 (Los Angeles, CA) #4 on The Episodic Eater

Craftsman & Wolves – William Werner
Chocolate passion fruit black sesame coupe
Blonde chocolate coconut & caramel palet
Black fig tart, olive oil & creme new crop walnut
Pâté de fruit – blackberry – violet – strawberry – elderflower apricot – lime & raspberry

L.A. Food and Wine 2014 (Los Angeles, CA) #4 on The Episodic Eater

Lamb meatballs, eggplant caponata, Calabrian chili, burrata

Patina Restaurant Group – Fernando Darin
Smoked pork belly, banana yuzu crème, toasted manioc

L.A. Food and Wine 2014 (Los Angeles, CA) #4 on The Episodic Eater

Joe’s Stone Crab – André Bienvenu
Lobster roll cone with sweet whip corn
Mimosa champagne infused grapes with orange water
Beef & bacon press with smoked carrot puree & peas

L.A. Food and Wine 2014 (Los Angeles, CA) #4 on The Episodic Eater

Upper West – Nick Shipp
BBQ’d shrimp, citrus-curry BBQ glaze, ginger & fresh peach escabeche, ahi amarillo espuma, mint, mint fennel

Westside Tavern – Ben Cohn
Wagyu Beef French Dip : Smoked Onion Vinaigrette | Horseradish Cream | Thyme Jus | French Roll

L.A. Food and Wine 2014 (Los Angeles, CA) #4 on The Episodic Eater
L.A. Food and Wine 2014 (Los Angeles, CA) #4 on The Episodic Eater

Eggslut – Alvin Cailan
Thee Opulent Slut : coddled quail egg & potato purée topped with caviar, chives and salt

L.A. Food and Wine 2014 (Los Angeles, CA) #4 on The Episodic Eater

L.A. Food and Wine 2014 (Los Angeles, CA) #4 on The Episodic Eater

This was clearly the largest, most spectacular food event I have attended since starting The Episodic Eater, and not only did I try so many amazing dishes, I learned much more about the food scene in L.A. and beyond.  Everything was gorgeous and I highly recommend attending next year with a friend to either split the lines or keep you company in the longer ones… or you can be like me and make friends along the way and run into old ones as well!

Until next year, L.A. Food & Wine!

Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival
Lexus Grand Tasting – Saturday
8/23/14, 12:00p – 3:00p


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