The South Bay has seen an increase in the frequency of food trucks coming this way to feed hungry truck chasers. Just about every day of the week there’s a truck stop going on somewhere on our side of town. The Automobile Driving Museum, located in El Segundo, is contributing to the South Bay food truck buzz with its biweekly Eat Fleet.

The Ludo Truck makes an appearance for ADM Eat Fleet.

At 11 AM every Wednesday and Friday, three to four trucks pull up at the Automobile Driving Museum – also known as the ADM – located at 610 Lairport Street. Their rotation of food trucks is deep so every day there is something different to choose from.

The Rebel Bite Truck draws crowds with each visit to the ADM.

One of the neat things about the ADM Eat Fleet gatherings is the layout. The ADM is nice enough to set out picnic tables so folks can get their grub and then eat al fresco. Along with the tables, they also put out one or two cars from their extensive collection of antique and classic cars.

There's plenty of room to enjoy food truck fare and fair weather at the ADM.

One of the many classic cars from the ADM's extensive collection of automobiles.

10-4 Good Buddy!

To help you track which trucks will be rolling into the Eat Fleet each week, we put together a calendar listing who will be heating up their grills. You can find it at the top of this page or in the sidebar to the left on Wednesdays and Fridays. You can also find the list of trucks for each day on the ADM website under events.

Happy food trucking!

I was fortunate enough to get an invitation to experience Rock & Brews at the height of Rocktoberfest, their version of the beer swilling, oompah caroling, German holiday season. Since their main dining room is actually a huge beer garden, I couldn’t think of a better place to have a few beers and do the chicken dance.

The beer garden inside Rock & Brews El Segundo.

Since the focus of the theme was Oktoberfest, there was plenty of authentic German food on hand including plates of sausages and wienerschnitzel, huge pretzels, and even bigger steins of beer. Another treat was the chicken schnitzel served with German potato salad and stewed red cabbage.

A feast of Oktoberfest goodies: pretzel, sausages, and of course - beer.

Chicken schnitzel served with German potato salad and stewed red cabbage

Along with their extensive list of beers, Their regular menu was also available, which meant that gourmet pizzas and ½ lb ground chuck burgers were on deck. The Ultimate Burger – their name for it, not mine – was a winner. Served on a fresh baked sesame seed roll and topped with caramelized onions and all the typical burger veggies, the Ultimate Burger lived up to its name.

BBQ Chicken Pizza.

The aptly named Ultimate Burger and garlic-parmesan fries.

Rounding out the meal was an authentic German pastry for dessert: fresh apple strudel from Chef Hannes, an El Segundo restaurant right up the street.

Apple Strudel.

Credit for the rest of the chow goes to Chef Greg Hozinsky, executive chef at Shade Hotel in Manhattan Beach. He was on hand to help out with the Rocktoberfest menu. Kudos go to the staff at Rock & Brews as well for getting into the Oktoberfest spirit and making sure everyone had a great time.

Chef Greg Hozinsky poses with some of the Rock & Brews staff.

Speaking of a great time, the party wasn’t limited to just food and drinks. There was plenty of oompah music mixed in with the classic rock; the chicken dance was played at least once while I was there; and there was the requisite stein holding contest, with the winner taking home a bottle of wine as their trophy.

Doing the chicken dance!

With Halloween upon us, the holiday season has begun and Oktoberfest has come to an end. We might have to wait for Rocktoberfest to come around again, but fortunately the delicious food, craft beverages, and beer garden atmosphere of Rock & Brews is available all year long.

• Rock & Brews
  http://rockandbrews.com
  139 Main Street, El Segundo, CA (Map)

That’s exactly what Flemings Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar restaurants did in September 2011. On each Friday of the month, 20 of the “Flemings 100″ – 100 award-winning wines available by the glass – were made available during special wine tasting events at each Fleming’s location.

The front door of Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar in El Segundo.

Here in the South Bay, the “Opening Nights” events were held on the patio at the El Segundo Fleming’s location. Each event was limited to a specific number of guests which allowed plenty of time to sample the wines and space to enjoy each taste. Thanks to an invitation from the folks at Fleming’s, two of The South Bay Foodies (myself and Margaret) were there to take it all in.

A host pours a taste of one of Fleming's new wines available by the glass.

100 Bottles of Wine on the Wall…

When I first heard about the event, I imagined a staggering 100 different wines to be sampled during the 1 and a half hour event. Not that I wasn’t up to the task, but I was relieved to learn that each Friday would only feature a fifth of the wines from the list. At the same time, I was disappointed that I’d be missing out on the wines that weren’t featured the night I visited. I guess that’s all the more reason to go back to Fleming’s for another glass or two.

Follow this link for the complete list of The New Fleming’s 100.

A few of my favorites:

• CAMBRIA, Santa Maria Valley Julia’s Vineyard, 2008/2009 – a light but flavorful Pinot Noir
• PETER LEHMANN, Clancy’s Barossa Australia, 2008/2009 – A smooth Syrah
• YALUMBA, Coonawarra Menzies The Cigar Australia, 2009/2010 – A slightly smoky Cabernet Sauvignon

The Cambria label, a 2009 pinot noir from Julia's Vineyard.

Small Plates on Big Plates

Along with the wine debut, the chefs at Fleming’s were treating the Opening Nights guests to some of the small plates recently added to their menu. Chef Partner Mark Ogren was there personally serving a few of the small plates himself. He mentioned that the idea behind the small plate was to fill the spot on the menu between appetizers and light entrees.

Chef Partner Mark Ogren was on hand serving items from Fleming's new small plates menu.

Known for their “you’ll be needing a doggy bag” portions, Fleming’s was keen to offer something a little bit less daunting than the sirloins and porterhouse’s that one might expect. (Yes, there is even a website dedicated to turning Fleming’s left-overs into new meals!) That’s where the small plates come in.

There are seven small plates on the menu:

• Filet Mignon Skewers
• Jumbo Shrimp Scampi Skewers
• New Zealand Petite Lamb Chops
• Ahi Tuna Skewers
• Sliced Filet Mignon
• New Bedford Scallops
• Fleming’s Lobster Tempura

For a bit of surf and turf, the wine tasting guests were treated to the skewers of shrimp scampi and filet mignon.

The shrimp, drizzled with a zesty chimichurri sauce, and the filet mignon, topped with a gorgonzola-bacon fondue, we both served as tray passed appetizers. That’s an FYI to let you know that if you visit and order either of these dishes, the plates are NOT going to look like the ones pictures below!

The visually appealing and equally delicious Jumbo Shrimp Scampi Skewers.

The filet mignon skewers were perfectly cooked and seasoned.

The guests gave their approval of the new dishes in silence mainly because they were too busy enjoying them. Each platter was emptied just a quickly as they came out.

Unfortunately, not everyone got a chance to taste the rest of the small plates; but the South Bay Foodies did! We’ll be posting a review of those dishes and some other items from Flemings next week. Stay tuned!

The Counter is offering fans of Monday Night Football unlimited mini burgers and fries for just $15 per person. To sweeten the deal they’re even throwing in one beer.

Find more details on the pages of Finer Things LA – Unlimited Mini Burgers and Fries.

• The Counter
  http://www.thecounterburger.com/elsegundo
  700-A Allied Way, El Segundo, CA 90245 (Map)

16th Annual Redondo Beach Lobster Festival

Last year’s Lobster Festival was a hoot and this year’s is likely to be even better! More than just a “crack up”, this event features plenty of music and family friendly entertainment.

Get your claws off my lobster! Go to the Redondo Beach Lobster Festival and get your own.

Adult Admission (13 & over) is $12 at the gate on Saturday and Sunday. But you can save some cash with Half-price admission on Friday 9/23 and $2 off if you purchase tickets online for Satuday and Sunday. For our men and women in uniform, you get Free admission with military I.D. all weekend.

(On a side note, Friday night is a great night to go and enjoy the entire event in a relaxed setting. Saturday and Sunday get packed and busy!)

There are almost too many options for lobster and steak plates to mention; follow this link to buy tickets for entry and meals. If you’re not eating lobster, other food vendors will be there as well.

If you’re looking for a deal, go for the Surf ‘N Turf Couple’s Package. For $68 you get: two 8 oz. Angus Beef center-cut NY Strip Steaks, & two 4–5 oz. Maine Lobster Tails, two limited edition Lobster Festival t-shirts, and two general admission tickets. Sweet!

• Redondo Beach Lobster Festival at Seaside Lagoon
  September 23-25: Friday 5 – 11 PM, Satuday Noon – 11 PM, Sunday Noon – 8 PM
  http://www.lobsterfestival.com/
  200 Portofino Way, Redondo Beach, CA 90277 (Map)

Oktoberfest at Alpine Village, Torrance

It will be hard to miss this 44^th consecutive celebration of “Oktoberfest at Alpine Village, which claims to be the largest and oldest Oktoberfest in Southern California.” The 32,000 square foot tent houses up to 3,000 party people, a Bavarian oompah band, traditional dancers, plenty of German food and gallons upon gallons of beer. Friday and Saturday nights are louder and geared for adults; Sundays are family days with kiddie jumpers, sweet treats and games.  “EVERY day is full of Oom-pah-pah music, contests, sing-a-long, bier prosting and of course the chicken dance.” Admission is $10 per person.

• Oktoberfest at Alpine Village
  Fridays and Saturdays, 6 PM – Midnight, Sundays 1 – 6 PM; Now until October 23^rd
  http://www.alpinevillagecenter.com/oktoberfest
  833 West Torrance Blvd, Torrance, CA 90502 (Map)

Oktoberfest at Rock & Brews, El Segundo

Not to be outdone by Torrance, El Segundo is bringing Oktoberfest to the North Side of the South Bay.

Getting into the German Festival spirit at Rock & Brews in El Segundo. (Photo Courtesy of Rock & Brews)

Running Thursday through Sunday from now until October 30, Rock & Brews will be ground zero for a rockin’ Oktoberfest party. Their outdoor beer garden will feature “special-item menus, Munich beers, fun games and a mix of festive oom-pah music and classic rock hits.”

“German-inspired items featured on the menu will include schnitzel, three types of bratwursts and a flakey apple strudel.  The first 50 customers on every Saturday and Sunday (starting at 12noon) will receive $1 liters of Hofbrau beer.  An emcee will be in charge of the entertainment (including the chicken dance!) and will organize beer games such as a stein-holding contest and beer pong tournaments.”

The biggest reason to check out their party? Free admission!

• Oktoberfest at Rock & Brews
  Thursday through Sunday, now until October 30^th
  http://rockandbrews.com/special-events/rocktoberfest-kickoff
  143 Main Street, El Segundo, CA 90245 (Map)

Richmond Street Festival, El Segundo

This is one of my favorite neighborhood festivals in all of the South Bay! Downtown El Segundo is such a quaint place and historic Richmond Street is even more reminiscent of the “good old days” than even Main Street just a couple blocks away.

The Fair will take place in the 100, 200, and 300 blocks of Richmond Street and the West 100 and 200 blocks of Grand and Franklin Avenues. There you’ll find booths with arts and crafts, live entertainment, food vendors, a beer garden, and rides for the kiddies.

Follow this link for the flyer and check out their website for more details!

• Richmond Street Festival
  Saturday, September 24^th, 9 AM – 5 PM
  http://richmondstreetfair.com/
  Richmond Street and Grand Ave, El Segundo CA, 90245 (Map)

Free Tickets to South Bay Food Fest

There’s still time to try to get free tickets to South Bay Food Fest, coming up on October 15.  Follow this link to find out what you need to do to win!

The first El Segundo Din Din a Go Go is Wednesday, August 31 at 6 PM.

At least 8 trucks are scheduled to be present for the lineup including Barbies Q (appropriate with Mattel right up the street) and the ever popular Grill ‘Em All. Here’s the complete list of trucks planned to appear:

@CheeseballWagon

@lomoarigato — Follow this link to read our review

@EggSlutLA

@GrillEmAllTruck

@COOLHAUS

@VCHOSTRUCK

@BarbiesQ

@gcheesepatrol

For real time up dates and more details, follow @ElSegundoDDaGG on Twitter.

• El Segundo Din Din A Go Go
  Wednesday, August 31, 2011, 6 – 9:30 PM
  200 Nevada St, El Segundo CA 90245 (Map)

Lunch Time Rush

Nom Nom Truck was busy serving banh mi sandwiches at the corner of Maple and L’Airport.

Doors up and Nom Nom Truck.

Just a block away, three trucks were in the pop-up lot at the Automobile Driving Museum at the corner of Mariposa and L’Airport.

Temaki was there with California Rolls and other freshly made sushi selections.

Fresh Sushi and Rolls at the Temaki Truck.

Bool BBQ had all flames burning with folks lining up for Asian fusion tacos.

Bool BBQ Truck Serving Asian Fusian Tacos and More.

Rounding out the trio was No Jodas Cuban Kitchen with authentic Cuban sandwiches.

Authentic Cuban Sandwiches from No Jodas.

And finally, just a bit down the street on Continental, the Ragin Cajun truck – AKA “Cajun on Wheels” — was present with Po Boys and gumbo.

Ragin Cajun (on wheels) In El Segundo.

Keep On Truckin’ After Work

The trucks keep rolling through lunch time right into dinner with the Keep On Truckin’ event in downtown El Segundo.

Keep on Truckin', El Segundo!

This regularly scheduled event is taking place on the second and fourth Fridays of the month.  Scheduled to appear tonight are:

• All American Gourmet Grill (links to their Twitter page)
• Baby’s Badass Burgers (links to review on South Bay Foodies)
• Cajun On Wheels (links to review on South Bay Foodies)
• Calbi BBQ
• Macho Nacho
• Mambo Juice Truck (links to their Twitter page)
• No Reservations

If you’ve been waiting for more gourmet food trucks to come to the South Bay on a Friday night, here’s your chance!

Keep on Truckin’ El Segundo
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Keep-On-Truckin/137570956322763

Friday, August 12, 4 – 8 PM
Library Park, 600 Main St, El Segundo CA, 90245 (Map)

That doesn’t mean we have to like it though!

The proof can be found in the grinding halt that comes over the hustle and bustle of SoCal life with even the mention of a sprinkle or a few showers.

Next time it rains, don’t sulk at home, withering away from starvation or going without your daily staples.  Here are some places to get what you need without getting wet!

Groceries: Cooke’s Market, El Segundo
Grocery shopping in the rain is no fun!  But if you dont’t fill your pantry in advance of torrential downpours, you and your box of Captain Crunch are bound to get wet.  Unless you go to Cooke’s Market!  Nestled in the heart of Downtown El Segundo, Cooke’s market sports a covered parking lot that will let keep you and your cereal dry without ever having to open an umbrella. Its certainly worth the trip to check out their meat department, hot food counter, and their well stocked wine department.

• 300 Richmond Street, El Segundo, CA 90245, (310) 615-1990

The warm, dry entrance of Target in Redondo Beach.

Household Goods and Groceries: Target, Redondo Beach
This two-story Target is one of the newer ones in the South Bay.  The benefit of its double-decker design is the covered parking under the store!  Slide into the spacious covered parking lot, glide up the escalator, and shop til you drop, all without getting hit by a drop of rain.  With the addition of a mini grocery store, they have just about everything you’ll need to stock up.

• 1601 Kingsdale Avenue, Redondo Beach, CA 90278-3928, (310) 750-0003

Movies, Shopping, and Dining: South Bay Galleria, Redondo Beach
Covered parking is king at South Bay Galleria, also in Redondo Beach.  Yes, Del Amo Mall in Torrance has a parking structure, a movie theater, and dozens of shops and restaurants.  But unlike South Bay Galleria, not all of the Del Amo amenities are available under cover from precipitation.  At the Galleria, you can park, watch a movie, stroll the mall, and even catch happy hour at Red Robin and stay dry the entire time.

• 1815 Hawthorne Boulevard, Redondo Beach, CA 90278-3436, (310) 371-7546

Don’t let a few drops of water from the sky shut you in.  The next time it rains, refer to this list and get out there!

The Ragin Cajun Facebook page announced the impending move.  “Sunday January 30, 2011 will be our last night at the Ragin Cajun Cafe in Hermosa Beach. We will be moving to Plaza El Segundo in Spring 2011…We cannot wait to move!!”

The self-proclaimed “home of authentic Cajun dining in Southern California” will be occupying a vacated space next door to Starbucks where construction is already underway.

The last time Ragin Cajun faced a move was in June of 2010 when the lease to their current location was nearing its end.

Allowed to remain in the space through the summer of 2010, Ragin Cajun owner Stephen Domingue pursued other ventures including a bid on the Food Network’s reality TV show The Great Food Truck Race.  The truck and its crew placed 6th.

Related Article: Food Truck Friday: Cajun Food “2 Geaux” with Ragin Cajun

Reflecting on Ragin Cajun’s exodus from Hermosa Beach, their Facebook status proclaimed, “Thanks everyone for coming out & supporting us for our last night. We had the best time & have lots of memories. We will never forget Y’all! Take care & see you in the Spring at Plaza El Segundo. Can’t wait!”

Ragin Cajun Cafe
http://www.ragincajun.com

The spacious outdoor patio at Rock & Brews in downtown El Segundo.

The IPA Festival – which started earlier this week with a tapping of Strand Brewing Co.’s Atticus – continues this weekend with deals for beer lovers on Friday and Sunday.

Facebook friends and Twitter followers will be festival insiders tonight according to the R&B website.  Details for tonight’s featured ales are only available on their Facebook pages and Twitter feeds.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RockAndBrews

Twitter: http://twitter.com/RockAndBrews

Advertised specials for Sunday include $1 off IPAs all day and $2 off after 6 PM.

Rock & Brews

A couple checks out the deals lined up for the Rock & HOps IPA Festival.

* India Pale Ale