Los Angeles Times Food Bowl Night Market
Photo: Devin Berko
Los Angeles is a foodie playground, a metropolis of options sure to please even the most discerning palate. From Wednesday, May 8 to Sunday, May 12, The Los Angeles Times Food Bowl celebrated their highly anticipated Night Market. Night Market is an outdoor celebration of L.A’s diverse dining scene held over five nights at Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles. Each night features dozens of restaurants, with art installations throughout the park and DJ’s playing music. Admission to the Night Market was free, while guests could also purchase tickets to 5 special events located within Night Market.
The first night of Night Market was Collaboration Lab which celebrated and featured collaborations from L.A’s top restaurants and international guests. Collaborations in the special VIP ticketed area included: Bavel x Taco Maria, Kismet x Ciya, Shibumi x Spago, Scratch Bar and Kitchen x Ari Taymor, Fiona x Cicatriz, Chengdu Taste x Jitalda, Openaire x Arlo Grey, The Bazaar x Otono, Otium x Salazar. The Los Angeles Times Food Team announced Bavel as this year’s recipient of Restaurant of the Year, and Cassia L.A. received The Gold Award.
Photo: Devin Berko
The second night of Night Market was Taco Tribute that brought together the cities best taqueros such as Guerrilla Tacos, Sonoratown, Carnitas el Momo, Chichen Itza, Broken Spanish, Tacos 1986, Teddy’s Red Tacos.
The third night of Night Market was the delicious Fried Chicken Party that incorporated a variety of different and unique styles of fried chicken with restaurants that included Honey’s Kettle, Lucky Bird, Night + Market, Chef Kang Food Rehab, Hotville Chicken, Phat Birds and The Crack Shack.
Photo: Devin Berko
The fourth night of Night Market was a dual celebration. The afternoon focused on finding L.A’s Best Burger while the evening focused on Noodles, Dumplings and Rice.
The L.A’s Best Burger Event included vendors such as HiHo Cheeseburger, Banh Oui, Everson Royce Bar, Hank’s, Bowery, Love Hour, Otium, Mel’s Drive In, NoMad, and Belcampo Meat Co. Two awards were given that afternoon, the first was the Judges pick of L.A’s Best Burgers which Banh Oui won. The second was People’s pick of L.A’s Best Burger which was awarded to HiHo Cheeseburger. Celebrity judges included Phil Rosenthal, Jaleel White, Benny Blanco, Claudia Alende, and Elsie.
Photo: Devin Berko
Noodles, Dumplings and Rice brought together the following vendors for a jam-packed night of pan-Asian cuisine: Porridge + Puffs, Baroo Canteen, Hui Tou Xiang, Chongqing Special Noodles, Lukshon, Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant, Noodle Harmony and Little Sister. This night was sold out.
The fifth night and final day of Night Market was a celebration of BBQ from across the states, the All Star BBQ. Many well renowned pitmasters made way to Los Angeles to showcase was true BBQ is all about. Pitmasters and vendors included Burt Bakman, Mutsky Bilivarn, Bill Durney, Aaron Franklin, Matt Horn, Sam Jones, Adam Perry Lang, Dave Marin, Andrew and Michelle Munoz, and Valerie Gordon.
Photo: Devin Berko
Food trucks lined Broadway with a variety of different food vendors in the general area such as Wanderlust Creamery, Cheezus LA, Secret Lasagna, Tacos 1986, The Crack Shack, and Gwen. Guests were also able to enjoy interactive sponsorship activations by Door Dash, High West, Proud Source Water, Jose Cuervo, Sapporo, and House of Suntory. Guests enjoyed the DoorDash Lounge partnered with multiple popular Los Angeles restaurants to offer a premium menu to lounge guests featuring: Bling Bling Dumpling, Tacos 1986, Bludso's, Gwen, and Crack Shack. Guests could receive these bites delivered right to their seat! DoorDash attendees also were provided complimentary Topo Chico and a special mochi dessert from My/Mo Ice Cream.
Photo: Devin Berko
Collaborations meals:
· Bavel x Taco Maria: Octopus Tostada – sunflower tahini, burnt harissa, preserved meyer lemon, heirloom blue corn tostada
· Kismet x Ciya: Midye Dolmasi - Marinated mussels & stuffed mussels
· Shibumi x Spago: Teriyaki Burger with Spring Pickles
· Scratch Bar and Kitchen x Ari Taymor: Olive wagyu
· Fiona x Cicatriz: Fried Chicken Sandwich
· Chengdu Taste x Jitalda: Jazz Spicy Fried Rice
· Openaire x Arlo Grey: Fried Bun with whipped almond and gochujang braised duck
· Otium x Salazar: Cielo, Mar Y Tierra – BBQ Pork Tacos, Duck Liver Mousse, XO Sauce
Photo: Devin Berko
Fried Chicken Party meals:
· Honey’s Kettle: Drummette, Chicken Oyster, Leek Fries
· Night + Market: World Famous Fried Chicken Sando
· Chef Kang: Fried Wings with Spicy Soy Garlic and Honey Butter
· Hotville: Nashville Hot Chicken Bites
· Lucky Bird: Chicken Sammie with Seasonal Pickled Veggies
· Phat Birds: Honey Dipped Tenders with Spicy Slaw and Housemade Pickles
· The Crack Shack: The Coop Deville - Tender Fried Breast with a Brioche Bun
Photo: Devin Berko
L.A’s Best Burger meals:
· NoMad: Chuck/Dry Aged Beef, Bone Marrow, Pickled Relish, Cheddar Chive Bun/ Chicken Burger with Truffle Mayo, Frisee Salad, Pickled Shallot, Chicken Skin
· Hanks: Butter Burger with Bone Marrow and Red Wine Butter
· Banh Oui: Oui Burger
· Belcampo: Organic Grass Fed Belcampo Burger - Organic Beef Patty with White Cheddar, Caramelized Onions and House Sauce with a Brioche Bun
· HiHo Cheeseburger: HiHo Double Cheeseburger - ⅓ lb of beef, cheese, ketchup, lettuce, house-made onion jam and pickles with mustard grilled.
Otium: BBQ Eel Burger with Pickled Onions and Sweet & Sour Tomato
Love Hour: Classic Single - Angus Chuck, American Cheese, Martin’s Potato Roll
Mels: World Famous Patty Melt - 100% Grass Fed Beef, Caramelized Onions, Aged Swiss, House Sauce, Marbled Rye
