West Coast Vibin’ at The Crack Shack: Where Gov’t Taco Research meets Fried Chicken

by Aimee Tortorich

In January I had the pleasure of heading back to San Diego after over 4 years being away.  The reason? Taco research. With the upcoming opening of Gov’t Taco, I wanted to check out what the West Coast was up to in the food scene. Let me tell you, they still got it going on!

We tried everything from traditional Mexican to modern American tacos, but eating tacos for 16 straight meals gets a little monotonous, so we headed to a few different restaurants for inspiration.

One of the coolest places we went was The Crack Shack, Richard Blais’s new restaurant known for their chicken and eggs. Free-range and local fried chicken and eggs are served in a fast casual restaurant with a true Southern California laid-back vibe. Surrounded by bocce and frequented by any and all, including happy dogs, it was a nice start to a great research trip.

We arrived the morning around 9 am on a weekday, so we never had to wait in line. (Word of caution, if going on the weekend, be prepared to wait for this crack.)
After discussing the menu options, which are located on the wall next to the ordering counter, we decided to try an assortment of delectable offerings.

Chicken Lollipops

Togarashi and Lemon

Perfectly fried and whimsical to the eye, these beauties were laced with a little Japanese spice mixture known as tōgarashi, which added a nice heat and citrus flavor.  Definitely a winner on my list, I would go back for more all day, everyday.

Border Slaw

Papaya, Mango, Jicama, Coconut, Chili, Pineapple

The border slaw was a nice variation of traditional southern slaw. The freshness of the fruit mixed with the textual crunch of the elements didn’t disappoint. Good as a palate cleanser or an option for the health-conscious, this slaw would definitely go great on any seafood taco.

Mini Biscuits

Miso-Maple Butter

These little beauties were top of the line in the biscuit world. Delicate, buttery and served with miso maple butter, I had my fair share and “maybe” overindulged. Chicken and biscuit taco anyone????

Chicken Oysters

Pickle Brine, Meyer Lemon, Mustard Seed Tartar

Any chef will tell you that the best part of a chicken is the chicken oyster. These tiny dark meat jewels come right off the backbone at the thigh and are super tender and juicy.  It’s no surprise that Richard Blais would put these prized bits on the menu. Pickle brined, fried and served with fried kale and mustard seed tartar, these were a great appetizer and made for a great chicken biscuit!


The Condiments

From bottom left to right: Baja Hot Sauce, Cracksup, Kimchi BBQ, Vadouvan Mustard, Chimichurri and Ranch

These house-made sauces were definitely a huge inspiration for Gov’t Taco. Offering 6 different options, these sauces hit all the notes from sweet to spicy to tangy. My favorite was the mustard, which was sweet and had notes of curry. It was a great dipping sauce and would be an interesting component for tacos.

Jay D's Bites: Spicy & Sweet Cast Iron Bake

by Aimee Tortorich

We love Jay D’s Spicy & Sweet Rub, so naturally we use it as an all-purpose seasoning on anything from protein to vegetables. For this recipe, we used the rub not only on the pork, but also the Brussels sprouts and roasted them together to make a glorious marriage of flavor; super easy, quick and a weeknight winner.

Spicy & Sweet Cast Iron Bake

Serves 4

2 Tbs Smoked Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Red Stick Spice Company
2 Tbs Jay D’s Spicy & Sweet Rub
1 pork tenderloin, about 1 lb.
½ pound Brussels sprouts, halved
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Rub pork tenderloin with 1 Tbs of smoked olive oil and 1 Tbs of Jay D’s Spicy & Sweet Rub. Sear on all sides in a cast iron pan and set aside. 

Toss Brussels sprouts with 1 Tbs of smoked olive oil and 1 Tbs of Jay D’s Spicy & Sweet Rub and sear in the same pan on all sides. 

Add seared tenderloin on top of Brussels sprouts bake in cast iron pan for about 10 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145ºF.

Making it Reign: King Cake Takes around Baton Rouge

by Hannah Wilson, intern

When I moved to Louisiana, there was a certain degree of culture shock. There were all of these new celebrations and everything was something to toast to. Something I learned early on was one of the delicacies that Mardi Gras season is best known for is King Cake. King Cake can be eaten for any meal, at any time without judgment and for that, King Cake will always hold a special place in my heart.

If there’s one thing Louisianan’s know, it’s how to celebrate. Over the years, different restaurants and companies throughout Louisiana have found different ways to incorporate King Cake into their menu to celebrate Carnival in new and creative ways. Here are some of the most tasty ways I’ve seen to enjoy King Cake.

Fat Cow King Cake Milkshake

This is something people crave all year. Fat Cow’s milkshakes are already amazing, but the festive flavor pairs well with their Parmesan and Duck Fat Fries or any burger.

It's finally here. Ring in the New Year the Louisiana way with the King Cake shake! Available beginning January 1st. #Fatcow #kingcakeshake #mardigras #geauxbr #eatproper #eatlocal

A post shared by Fat Cow Burgers And Salads (@fatcowburgers) on Dec 31, 2015 at 1:07pm PST

Cupcake Allie King Cake Bites

This bite size way to enjoy King Cake is easy to pop in, grab, and savor on the go!

Happy Friday!! Come pick up a cupcake, kingcake, cakebite cake, or some chocolate dipped strawberries!!

A post shared by Cupcake Allie (@cupcake_allie) on Jan 20, 2017 at 6:49am PST

Rösch Bakehaus King Cake

These artisanal cakes are few and tasty. With flavors like Dark Chocolate & Lavender, Ginger & Walnut and Raspberry Frangipane, they’re a uniquely delicious, hand-crafted way to celebrate Carnival.

It's #kingcake season! @bloup3 grabbed this candied ginger and walnut creation from @rosch.bakehaus. Where do you find your favorite king cakes? #carnivalseason #mardigras #tastelouisiana #gobr #eatbr

A post shared by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Jan 24, 2017 at 9:58am PST

City Pork King Cake Brulee

A unique take on a classic, crowd favorite. This festive treat pairs well with any of their special cocktails, especially the Hummingbird.

Bistro Byronz King Cake Bread Pudding

These two very tasty things merged into one is what dreams are made of. Trust me.

Get it before it's Gone. Real Gone. #kingcakebreadpudding #midcity #willowgrove #shreveport

A post shared by Good. Real Good. (@bistrobyronz) on Feb 19, 2015 at 10:57am PST

Tiger Deaux-nuts Maple Bacon King Cake 

Salty and sweet, what more could you want? This King Cake gets decadent with crumbled bacon, making all of your tastebuds happy!

What are you waiting for? {reference: pictured is our SMALL size} #repost from our buddy @chuckp23: can't go wrong with a maple bacon king cake from @tigerdeauxnuts!

A post shared by Tiger Deaux-nuts (@tigerdeauxnuts) on Jan 11, 2017 at 5:57am PST

Everyone has their own traditions and different ways they celebrate Carnival and Mardi Gras. Over the years, I’ve realized that no matter how you celebrate it’s always a memorable experience. These are tasty, local ways to mix it up this season.

Jay D's Bites: Havarti and Pear Grilled Cheese

by Aimee Tortorich

I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t like a grilled cheese. Simple and delicious, grilled cheese in my eyes is the king of all sandwiches. There are so many varieties out there, so we wanted to mix things up a bit. We used Jay D’s Molasses Mustard as a way to add some sweetness and tang that makes this sandwich stand out!

Harvarti and Pear Grilled Cheese with Molasses Mustard

Serves 1

½ pear, sliced into thin strips
1 Tbs of Jay D’s Molasses Mustard
2 slices sourdough bread
4 oz. Harvarti cheese, sliced
1 Tbs unsalted butter, softened

Spread mustard on each slice of bread evenly. Next, layer with cheese on both sides and add pears to one side of bread. Heat a saute pan and add butter. Cook on each side of sandwich until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted.

Taking a Bite Out of Chicago

by Hannah Wilson, intern

Eating your way through any city can be an intimidating challenge, especially in one of the biggest cities in the United States. However, being a Chicago native, I’ve spent almost 22 years eating my way through this city. Although I don’t think I could ever eat everything the city has to offer, I can assure you that these culinary inventions of Chicago are worth tracking down.

Chicago Style Hot Dog

A true Chicago classic, an all-beef wiener on a poppy seed bun. You can find these bad boys topped with yellow mustard, chopped white onions, bright green sweet pickle relish, a dill pickle spear tomato wedges and a sprinkle of celery salt but never, ever ketchup.

Gene & Jude’s, in the Chicagoland area, is said to have the number one hot dog in America since 1945. They don’t even supply Ketchup in their store.

The Twinkie

In 1930, James Dewar invented this spongy, indestructible treat. In 1980, about a billion Twinkies were sold each year.

Italian Beef

Photo credit: followmefoodie.com

Thin slices of seasoned roast beef on a thick, Italian-style roll are the base of an Italian Beef. Chicago natives often order it juicy, which means it’s dipped into the juices that the beef is cooked in, and smother it in sweet and/or hot peppers. This is a Chicago dish that dates back to the 1930’s.

Chicago Mix Popcorn

Photo credit: blogspot.com

An unlikely pair of cheese and caramel flavored popcorn is literal heaven in your mouth. I don’t know where it came from, or who thought of it, but bless your soul. This Chicago staple can be found all throughout the city, almost on every block like Starbucks. You definitely shouldn’t leave without trying it!

Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza

Photo credit: unbirthdayparty

I can best describe this as a pie; it is baked in a deep, steel pan with large amounts of cheese and chunky tomato sauce. Toppings that would usually go on top of a pizza before being baked are actually baked within the pizza, in-between the cheese and sauce. A native knows that tackling this tasty tradition requires a fork and knife.

There can never be a unanimous “best deep dish” restaurant because everyone has their own opinions, there are different style of deep dish and each one holds special place in my heart. 

The possibilities are endless when deciding what to eat in Chicago, but leaving without trying what the city is known for, would just be a shame.