Annual Artichoke Festival at Market City Caffe, Burbank

Did you know that the artichoke was considered an aphrodisiac by the Ancient Greeks? Well, I decided to put it to the test with this next foodecall. And what better way to do that, than to visit the Annual Artichoke Festival at Market City Café right here in Burbank California.

MCC Hospitality Group has partnered with Ocean Mist Farms to showcase their premium California grown artichokes. Each restaurant of MCC Hospitality Group, including Market City Caffé, will feature the hearty vegetable in different dishes, determined by the chef's creative interpretation and driven by local seasonal ingredients.

Now, to me cooking and eating artichokes seems like a lot of work for very little reward,  so I have to say that I will gladly let someone else put in the work by taking out all the edible parts and putting it into a dish for me.

Artichoke dish #1: Artichoke Pizzata

I loved this dish. Instead of tomato sauce, they used a black olive tapenade, artichoke hearts, caramelized onion, fresh arugula, burrata chese, and drizzled it with truffle oil. I could smell the truffle even before eating it. Delicious and great for sharing.

Artichoke dish #2: Artichoke & Bacon Arancinis

Braised artichoke heart, apple-wood smoked bacon, mascarpone cheese, parmesean cheese, and parsley in a risotto ball, light panko breading served with a lemon artichoke aioli. This could easily feed 4 if you split them in half. Very different from anything I've eaten. I recommend this.

Artichoke Dish #3: Baby Artichoke Hearts Crispy Fried

This is basically what the title says it is. Lightly breaded artichoke hearts, flash fried and served with housemade lemon aioli. I've never had fried artichoke like this, so it was totally new for me. Another great dish for sharing.

Artichoke Dish #4: Free Range Chicken Zpesattino

Fresh artichoke, calamata olive, wild mushroom white wine cream sauce served with baby wile arugula. I devoured this dish because it had the protein and fresh vegetables I needed.

Artichoke Dish #5: Spinache Artichoke Ravioli

I call this one The Show Stopper. Served in a shrimp scampi sauce, baby heirloom tomatoes, and crispy fried artichokes. This was to die for!!

Pair it with one of their specialty drinks like a peach bellinitini, or a beer from their sister company Verdugo West Brewing Co.

I was extremely impressed with the food. Each dish had fresh ingredients, in the right amount, and were all so tasty and unique. That’s all for now! Arti-Choke you next time!

The Poké Shack, Los Angeles

The Poké Shack

7257 Melrose Ave

Los Angeles, CA 90046

www.thepokeshack.com | @thepokeshack

Last night I attended the red carpet event for the grand opening of The Poké Shack on Melrose, one of two locations.  I love the area its in. Its right in center of all the clothing stores, so you can easily pop in in between shopping. Tons of nightlife activity as well.  Clean environment. Hip ambiance. Great Hospitality. Delicious food. So, about that….

Of course I went with the big daddy bowl with raw Tuna, only because I’m not a big salmon person, but they do have that option, as well as shrimp and tofu. Tuna cut into perfect cubes.  Then you get to choose what to mix into it. I love the toppings. I went with the watermelon radish, duhh. That makes everything better. Also did the seaweed, edamame, kale, green onions, sesame seeds, all mixed with their garlic sauce, atop brown rice.  I loved it. Its so fresh and light, and you feel really good about eating clean and raw.  It comes in a nifty little container that’s great for when you’re on-the-go.

Big Daddy Bowls, alongside Juice Served Here and Waiakea alkaline Water. For dessert: Mike’s Cupcakes

My shirt really matches my angel wings

Guess what! To promote their poké bowls, They’re giving out $1 poke bowls all day long, this Sunday June 12th from 11 am to 11 pm. Don’t miss this opportunity! Wherever you’re driving from, I think its definitely worth it.  Don’t forget to try their smoothies and acai bowls.

What can I say, I like my Foodecall Raw

Their second location is right on the Venice Blvd. Another awesome spot to just chill, have some poké and people watch. Because of their location, it won’t be hard at all to pay a visit to either of these locations because its perfectly centered in all the hubbub of that area.

Big Daddy’s Poké in Venice

Uhhhhhmazing!

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Taste of Chicago

Taste of Chicago!

What a way to start my personal food quest in Chicago by going to the 35th Annual Taste of Chicago, a food festival where popular restaurants from all over Chicago come together to showcase their goods.  Its a free festival, but you have to purchase tickets in order to get food.  It cost $8.50 for 12 tickets, and each sample of food required anywhere from 4 to 5 tickets.

I traveled from one end to the other in search of the best food and I honestly am so happy with my choices.

Homemade Popsicles

Fried Catfish

Pierogi’s at Kasia’s

But the BEST food in the entire festival has to go to La Bomba, a Puerto Rican Restaurant for their Pork Shish Kabobs.  I meannnnn…..Hello! This was hands down the tastiest thing in the entire festival. It was so good we ordered 3 of them. OH, and their secret ingredient is such an odd one, (I saw them add it to the boiling pot), but it makes all the sense in the world. Sorry, can’t divulge that. You’ll just have to try them out whenever you get a chance. This is somewhere I would definitely seek out the next time I’m ever in Chicago.

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