Taste Of Downtown L.A. Serves Up Tasty Treats
Comments (0)
Students wait to be served by Viztango Café. (Elysia Rodriguez / Neon Tommy)
Held at the school’s McCarthy Quad, the event featured a number of local restaurants and food trucks from the neighborhood surrounding USC.
This is the fifth year that the Special Events Committee of USC’s Program Board has presented Taste of Downtown L.A. The committee invited the USC approved vendors to showcase their cuisine and expose their fare to a new clientele.
Students also welcomed the opportunity to expand their culinary horizons, trying out foods from restaurants they might not usually experience on their own.
The vendors scheduled for the event specialized in different types of food, including European style Turkish cuisine from Spitz, Mexican food from Mama’s Hot Tamales, authentic Italian cooking from Maria’s Italian Kitchen, and fresh lemonade from Del’s Lemonade.
The Popchips van was also present, giving out bags of their one-of-a-kind potato chips for students to snack on.
A clear highlight was the food served up by Viztango Café. Students waited through a long line to have a taste of their salad, garlic bread and Penne Artichini, a tasty pasta dish with chicken, mushroom and artichoke in a light white wine cream sauce.
Jarritos sodas were a cool treat in the hot sun. (Elysia Rodriguez / Neon Tommy)
After sampling the delicious food, guests were able to quench their thirst with some sweet and cool beverages as well. The chilled milk and thai teas from Ozero Tea and Deserts and the Mexican fruit flavored sodas from Jarritos were welcome treats in Tuesday’s hot sun.
Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf gave out coffee samples made from their new CBTL machines for those who preferred to drink something hot. While showcasing the new single serve machines, which can make tea, espresso and coffee, they gave out coupons so students could purchase their own CBTL. They also publicized Trade Up Your Cup, which is an event where the public can bring in their old coffee makers and receive a new CBTL machine for free on September 29.
There were more than just food and drink vendors present at the event. A representative from Voto Latino registered students to vote and gave free downloads of Latino musicians such as Pitbull, Los Lobos, and Los Tigres Del Norte.
Mike Varelo of Voto Latino registers new voters. (Elysia Rodriguez / Neon Tommy)
More information about all these restaurants and vendors can be found online and many offer catering services which are listed on Chewse.com, a website which promises to “bundle quality menus with the most affordable prices, so you can quickly find your perfect delivery.”
Although a number of the vendors who ran out of food had to close up and leave earlier than expected, the students in attendance seemed to enjoy their time at the event.
Many were excited to find new dining options close to school and look forward to trying out what other meals the restaurants have to offer.
The wide variety of foods also presented a welcome change from the lunchtime routine many students grow weary of. One thing is for certain, this Taste of Downtown L.A. event left students hungry for more.
Reach reporter Elysia Rodriguez here.
