THE TASTE OF WEST O.C. AT KNOTT’S BERRY FARM HOTEL

I got invited to The Third Annual Taste of West OC, hosted by the West Orange County Regional Chamber of Commerce  that was held at the Knott’s Berry Farm Hotel in Buena Park. To say I got there with ease would be a cynical understatement. But, not through the fault of the organizers, I’m to blame for not leaving ahead of time and for not realizing how bad traffic gets in Buena Park during rush hour. Yes, it took me two hours to get from DTLA to Buena Park. Was it worth it? The simplest answer would be yes.

 

I went through almost knocking out while driving in traffic due to the heatwave  we recently had in SoCal to finally reaching my destination and getting a chance to unwind, satisfy the gastronome within, make great connections with businesses, and by the end, waddled back to the car leaving the convention full and with both mind and belly satisfied. Once inside the convention, it was easy to become lost within the hustle and bustle going on all around, from group performances for the kids, to a DJ playing sets in between, to various raffles happening throughout the whole duration of the event.

Below is a list of all the places I tried and what they were serving up for the masses:

•  A’Roma Ristorante: Penne Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce- It was decent, if not as self descript as the name suggests. The pasta was perfectly al dente, but the sauce was subtly flavored. I could taste the garlic in it, and a hint of basil, but not much more than that. I should have added Parmesan along with chili flake to balance it out. Which, I could tell that was the purpose of the nuanced flavor in the sauce, but I wanted to try it unadulterated by my own augmentation of the products’ flavor profile.

 

•  Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar: Turkey Meatballs- One of my FAVORITE dishes of the whole night! Spheres of super moist, tender deliciousness topped with a beautifully seasoned marinara, with just the right amount of heat and saltiness from the chili flake and grated parmesan. Was bound more with egg rather than with bread crumbs. It was also filled with finely diced mire poix (diced carrots, onions, and celery), toasted pine nuts, and believe it or not, golden raisins. Well done, Chef, well done…

 

•  Ghost Town Bakery: Burger Sliders- Were a bit on the bland/dry side. The meat appeared to have some sort of filler inside it. A patty with unseasoned caramelized onions and tasteless cheese on a somewhat dry bun, and not dry from being toasted, either. I couldn’t fully blame them too much for the food being slightly dry, it WAS in chafing dishes for who knows how long since they kept sending them out by the dozens, but some of the blame definitely lies in their hands.

 

•  Ventanas Restaurant at the Holiday Inn: Barbecue Beef Sandwiches- With the amount of sauce these little fatties had, it made them look and taste slightly similar to a Sloppy Joe, but needed a touch of salt and spice to counteract the sweetness within the sauce. Aside from that little hiccup in these sliders, the food tasted pretty good with fork-tender beef that was tossed in the sauce before being served.

 

•  Amber Waves Restaurant: Meaty Madness Pizza- My second favorite item. Pepperoni, sausage, bacon, ham, mushrooms, olives, onions, and peppers on top of a thin crust style pizza. Great balance in the portions of the toppings, was a mouthful of indulgence in every bite. Fully doused with flavor from the pork paraphernalia packed pie (try saying THAT five times fast), a hands down must-try, especially if you’re a meat-loving type of person like this Chonchudo is.

 

•  Sagan Restaurant: Various Salmon: Yellowtail, Spicy Tuna, and California Rolls- A family owned restaurant that was once a Korean BBQ spot for 10 years, but within the last four months has turned itself into an All-You-Can-Eat joint. Considering how great the rolls tasted and the freshness of the seafood, I would definitely come in to try the rest of their food the next time I’m in Buena Park.

 

•  85° C Bakery Cafe: Taiwanese style Premium Milk Sweet Bread- White chocolate custard and golden raisin filled sweet bread. My favorite pastry/dessert there! The white chocolate was not overbearing like your typical mother-in-law, but was subtly balanced with a slight sweet/tartness from the raisins and well-balanced within the bread itself.

•  Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant and Bakery: Boysenberry Mousse Chocolate cup- I’ve never been a big fan of many types of berries, including boysenberry. But not this time. This was a light, delicately flavored mousse inside a white/dark chocolate marbled cup with a bit of whipped cream and shaved dark chocolate on top as the garnish.

 

The next time this event is in town next year, I’m sure it is going to be even bigger and better than what I experienced this time. It is single handedly worth going to if you love trying new foods, want to entertain the kids, and/or want to see what local businesses have to offer the public. Until then, I shall keep myself busy eating throughout the various neighborhoods in Southern California until the next Taste of West OC sends another love letter that is the variety of food to my stomach next year.