L.A.'s New Weekly, Outdoor, Semi-Permananent(?), Organized Food Festival - Smorgasburg [Thoughts + Pics]

It’s the specialty of a place called BAR. Man that brings back memories… I used to live right around the corner!’

PS: I wonder if that’s the inspiration for these guys more than the apizza places like Sally’s, Pepe’s, and Modern.

1 Like

Pizza Day this Sunday:

Come celebrate the start of National Pizza Month with us and LA Pizza Society this Sunday at Smorgasburg. In addition to our 60+ regular weekly food and shopping vendors, you’ll be able to enjoy some of the best new pizza that LA has to offer. Our brand new weekly pizza vendor Urbn Pizza will be there, serving up their New Haven style pizza, alongside Two Doughs Pizza Co., who do thick crust grandma style and thin crust neapolitan.

We’re also incredibly excited to welcome Chef Evan Funke (Felix) and Noel Brohner (Slow Rise Pizza Co.), for a one time only pop up featuring Funke’s famous porchetta "a libretto,” aka sandwiched between two pieces of pizza bianca.

Pizzanista! will also be on site with gluten free and vegan options, and there will also be pizza themed specials from a number of our regular vendors

5 Likes

HI @JRSD,

Nice! This sounds like it could be crazy good. :slight_smile:

First stop porchetta!

1 Like

Yeezus

Update 3:

Thanks to @JRSD for the tip, looks like Chef Evan Funke (formerly of Rustic Canyon and Bucato) has made a one day appearance at Smorgasburg today, before disappearing again, preparing to open his new restaurant.

Verde

The weather was thankfully not very hot today, but still warm enough to warrant us trying to get some refreshments to beat the heat. :slight_smile:

Agua Fresca: Amorcito (Strawberry, Rose, Chia, Maple Syrup):

We’ve never been to Verde before (I saw them last time at Smorgasburg as well), but I’m so glad we stopped by! This tasted of fresh, ripe Strawberries, the fragrance of Rose (just on the backend), and the Chia Seeds gave it a fun texture (like healthy “mini Tapioca balls” in a way :smile:). It was only lightly sweetened (thankfully) and so refreshing! :slight_smile: We’ll be back.

Chef Evan Funke at Slow Rise Pizza:

It was nice seeing Chef Funke back, and he mentioned his new restaurant might be opening early next year, after the holidays. For today only (10/2) he was serving a special Porchetta Sandwich.

Porchetta Sandwich “Al Libretto” (Served on Roman-style Pizza Bianca Hearth-Style Bread):

Chef Funke makes this Roman-style Bread himself, and the result is this airy, soft, yet nice outer crust of great-tasting Bread, which holds glorious, luscious, fatty Porchetta! :smile:

To make it even more ridiculous, Chef Funke adds a nice, crunchy layer of Chicharron (Fried Pork Rinds) which gives the sandwich this awesome crunch. :slight_smile: The Pesto Sauce just helps bathe the luscious thin layers of Pork, lean and fatty layers. It’s a great Sandwich! :slight_smile:

Gjusta’s Porchetta Sandwich is more value and is amazing (the portion is much larger, but then again I couldn’t finish one of those anyways ;)).

I can’t wait to see what Chef Funke does at his new restaurant.

URBN Pizza (Revisit)

Had to go back and revisit URBN to try other flavors, and because @Bigmouth said one of them was a specialty and a real flavor option in New Haven. :slight_smile:

Mashed Potato & Bacon Pizza:

Underside:

This was quite good! :slight_smile: Thanks @Bigmouth for the encouragement, I can see the appeal of this New Haven-style Pizza flavor. The Potato didn’t overwhelm (I was thinking carb on carb worries), and the Bacon was crispy and so delicious! :slight_smile:

I love this thin crust style and hope they find a home in L.A.

URBN Pizza
Sundays at Smorgasburg L.A.

Every Sunday:
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Smorgasburg L.A.
(at the Alameda Produce Market)
S. Alameda Street & Bay Street
Los Angeles, CA 90021

11 Likes

Great time at Smorgasburg today! More than comfortable in the shade and plenty of seats at 11.

Aforementioned Porchetta. Each part tasted great on its own but was better all together.

Mac and cheese pizza was appreciated by my son but was not blown away. Fairly decent street type pie. Sauce was not overly sweet but crust was a bit bland.

Ube Malt Crunch and Sticky Rice with mango ice cream was hailed by my 7 year old as the best ever. The colors were very appealing and tasted even better than it looked.

Rucker Huckleberry and apple pie to be consumed once kids are in bed.

10 Likes

Porchetta - good stuff but not blown away. The bread was great and the olive/parsley/chili mixture gave it some pop.

URBN clam and bacon pizza - really enjoyed this pizza although I wish they put more clams on the pizza. The crust is really nice though, slight char taste, crunchy yet chewy dough.

Guerilla tacos crab tacos - packed with crab and the sauces/salsas were fiery and flavorful. Because they packed the tacos with crab, the flavor came through with every bite.

Eric Greenspan waiting for Guerilla tacos

Rucker Pie huckleberry and apple crumb pie - tart, sweet, rich, crunchy, delicious.

7 Likes

Nice report @JRSD. Thanks again for the tip. :slight_smile:

1 Like

Hi @A5KOBE,

I knew we should’ve ordered some of Nicole Rucker’s Apple-Huckleberry Pie. It looks delicious! :slight_smile:

Re: Funke’s Porchetta - Yah we liked Gjusta’s Porchetta more, but glad we were able to try this version. I miss Chef Funke’s pastas.

Question: What do you and @A5KOBE think was missing and kept it from being great?

That is actually me and a friend in the photo. (Neither of us is Eric Greenspan).

We shared an order of the crab tacos but I wolfed them down too fast to take a photo.

Hi @TheCookie,

Hm… First off, we enjoyed it for sure (it wasn’t a bad sandwich); it was quite good. But I think a few things: (1) It felt a little thin compared to Gjusta’s Porchetta (which gave larger portions). (2) Flavors were fine (tasty!), but it wasn’t as luscious or crave-worthy as other Porchettas. (3) Gjusta’s bread is something we enjoy more (crunch & soft / airy inside). But again, it’s very good, and I’m glad I tried it.

I wish it had more pork flavor = fat. Also thought it needed more fennel flavor, whether fennel seed or fennel pollen. Certainly serviceable, and no doubt good, but not OMG I need this again good.

Oops, my bad.

I am at the point where I can’t not get a slice of pie. Same when in the Fairfax area, can’t not get a donut at Cofax. I heard Glendale Shake Shack has Rucker Pie in their concretes.

1 Like

Thanks for responding @Chowseeker1999. I haven’t had a lot of porchetta and have never had it in a sandwich. We had it twice: Table side at Angelini Osteria and the melt in your mouth porchetta at Factory Kitchen. These were both stuffed. Is the meat in the sandwiches stuffed like the whole roast?

It does look a little lean. The thin, crispy fat ring is a must :yum:.

1 Like

Hi @TheCookie,

It wasn’t stuffed, or at least the thin slices we got weren’t. I’ll have to try the one at Factory Kitchen you’re recommending it. :slight_smile: Thanks!

1 Like

Here’s an internet picture of Factory Kitchen’s porchetta. You can see rolled into it a thin line of the herb mixture and fennel, onions, carrots. Sooo good!

1 Like