2015's The Taste "Field to Fork" and "Sunday Brunch & BBQ": Best Bites, Y'all.

As I am wont to do for the un-laborious holiday, I once again spent a vast majority of my Labor Day Weekend pounding the Paramount lot pavement, stuffing myself silly with ridiculously delicious LA food and drinks via the food festiviest of food festivals, The Taste. Despite a pretty solid performance across the board, like years' past, there were a few sterling bites. No participation trophies here. I'm only sharing the winners.

Since I'm a man of my word, here are pictures of said sterling bites...
Photos by Lindsay Flinn.

Saturday's "Field to Fork"

Kimchi Latke from LEONA - I thoroughly enjoyed dinner at Venice's new Leona and if this dish is any indication, I would thoroughly enjoy brunch there too. Simple, yet well-executed, this tastes exactly how it sounds: a Korean latke. I could have eaten a dozen of these.

Duck Beignet from Cafe Del Rey - Certainly one of the more unorthodox offerings of a rather risk averse The Taste, but like Leona's unlikely combo of fried perfection, CDR's beignet stuffed with tasty duck confit and mushrooms just worked.

 Miso Matcha Doughnut from Hinoki & the Bird - The best sweet donut of the weekend: definitely Hinoki's Miso Matcha offering. The matcha coating, coupled with the apple filling, really shined amongst a very sweet donut-heavy field.

Corn Blini from Le Comptoir - Le Comptoir, a prix fixe menu, limited seatings restaurant located in Koreatown's newly renovated Hotel Normandie, did not feature the most laid back presentation at the food festival. In fact, everything was MADE TO ORDER - which, honestly, I've never seen at a fest of this size. I'm glad they did though because you could taste the freshness in the delectable blini.

Sunday's "Sunday Brunch & BBQ"

S'More Tarte from Proof Bakery: I mean look at those things. 

Chicken & Waffles from Toca Madera - Maybe my favorite bite of the weekend and it came via a restaurant/bar I've never heard of. Definitely impressed with Toca Madera's Chicken & Waffles, but also with their Saturday offering. Will need to visit the WeHo location soon.

Fried Chicken Sandwich from Free Range - Unlike Toca Madera, I knew exactly what to expect from this sandwich. It was as delicious as ever.