Labor Day Weekend Events!

Labor Day weekend is just a few days away, and if you don't have any plans there's quite a few foodie events to keep you busy in and around OC...

Nood on the Beach!

So if you've been to the Noods Noods Noods Festival in downtown Santa Ana then you may have an idea of what's in store for you at Nood Beach! Basically, the infamous FoodBeast has partnered with the Sealegs at the Beach in Huntington Beach to put on a huge noodle festival on Sunday, September 1st featuring many of OC's best restaurants, and then to top it off they've brought in a pretty great line-up of DJs, musicians and food contests to entertain you while you get your noodles on at the beach! 

Current Food Vendors Include:

LSXO: Lemongrass Beef & Curried Prawn Vermicelli
Slapfish: Brown Butter Lobster Bucatini
Mess Hall Canteen: Kalbi Brisket Garlic Noodles + Hamachi Crudo Soba Noodles
Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine: Candied Pork Belly Ramen Bucket
Ellie's long beach: Cavatelli Carbonara
Sgt. Pepperoni's Pizza Store: Sheet Pan Ramen Pizza
SeaLegs at the Beach: Coconut Curry Noodles w/ Giant Prawn
Miss Mini Donuts: Ice Cream Noodle Topped Mini Donuts
Shomi Noods: Ramen Bar: Boba Cup Style 'Jiggling Ramen' + 16 lb Ramen Challenge.
Nitrolado: Savory Noodle Donuts - Balinese, Gangnam, Tokyo & Hawaiian Style.
Lia’s Lumpia Popup: Pork Belly Ramen Lumpia
THE GOLDEN MARROW®: Truffle, Garlic & Dessert Marrows w/ Noodles.
The Coconut Truck: Black Garlic Noodles, w/ braised oxtail, crispy shallots, and black garlic confit.
The Sandwich Society - Santa Ana: Ramen Grilled Cheese
Laomazing Eats: Bird Nest Noodles w/ Lao Gravy
Mussels and Pearls: Grilled Oysters, toped with garlic, shoyu and crispy noodles
Lettuce Feast: Vegan Fried Chikn Mac n Cheese Po Boy
Ten Asian Bistro
Stay tuned for more vendor updates!

Headlining live music performances include DJ Snoopadelic (AKA Snoop Dogg), Jeffrey Sutorius AKA Dash Berlin, E-40, SEGA Genecide, Yachty by Nature, Coast Club and also favorite personalities from TV, YouTube and Instagram will headline whle professional eaters from around the country will compete in the FOODBEAST Challenger League Noodle Invitational!

Early Bird GA: $40 includes stage and vendor access, with food available for purchase at each vendor.

Get your tickets here:  http://nood-beach.com/

Orange International Street Fair                 

Unless you're a new resident of OC, you've inevitably been to (or at least heard of!) the Orange Street Fair.  Each arm of the circle is basically transformed into a few different countries with local non-profits selling corresponding food and beverages. There's also beer sales and this is pretty much the only time you can walk around the streets of Orange with an open container of alcohol!  To some of us natives, it's basically an annual Labor Day tradition to walk around the transformed circle in old town orange for a few hours with an abelskiver or a teriyaki skewer in one hand and a cold beer in another, all while listening to great local bands. The best part? FREE admission - just be sure to bring cash for the food, beer and parking! 

Hours: 

• Friday, August 30th, 2019
  5pm to 10pm
  Alcohol Sales: 5pm-9pm
• Saturday, August 31st 2019
  10am to 10pm
  Alcohol Sales: 10am-9pm
• Sunday, September 1st 2019
  10am to 10pm
  Alcohol Sales: 10am-9pm

 For more info or to peruse the band schedule, check the website: http://www.orangestreetfair.org

LA Times The Taste   

The LA Times has been putting on The Taste over Labor Day weekend for years, and let's just say they have it down pat! If you don't mind a drive into LA you'll be rewarded by a great festival featuring the best of LA not only handing out samples of their best food, but also doing cooking demos, etc. You'll also see many a celebrity Chef walking around if you're into that sort of thing - I am! ;) 

It's a great festival that I've been to many years and can highly recommend. Well worth the drive to LA.  However, if you're not in the mood for the drive this weekend, The Taste is actually coming to Costa Mesa in October!  

Read more and get your tix to either the LA or OC version here: https://events.latimes.com/taste/

LA Fleet Week - featuring Chef Robert Irvine

It's Fleet Week! Yes, LA has a Fleet Week and it's filled with all kinds of fun events and one of the biggest is Galley Wars on Sunday, September 1st, which is being judged this year by Chef Robert Irvine of Food Network fame. Galley Wars consists of members on competing teams  who will vie for top-chef bragging rights at the competitive, yet friendly gastronomic event. Each team will be tasked with making their best version of a “surf & turf” meat and seafood entrée, two sides and a dessert. No tickets needed but get there early as it's sure to be quite popular! 

LA Fleet Week is located on the LA Waterfront at the Port of Los Angeles in the community of San Pedro, CA. The main event footprint is located next to the Battleship IOWA Museum with all public activities at this location. For specific directions, use 100 Swinford Street, San Pedro, CA or 250 S. Harbor Blvd, San Pedro, CA.

For more info see the Fleet Week website: https://www.lafleetweek.com/

Little Saigon Night Market - Friday, Saturday and Sunday

This is the LAST weekend of the Little Saigon Night Market so if you haven't had a chance to visit this summer this is your LAST chance!

Friday through Sunday night starting at 7pm, the parking lot in front of Westminster’s Asian Garden Mall transforms into a busy street market, with authentic street food, shopping and Vietnamese music. This popular weekend event draws crowds of people looking to enjoy Vietnamese street food, live music and shopping. The market gives an authentic taste of what it would be like at a real asian market. Unlike some of the trendier night markets, it's also FREE and there's even free parking in the back of the mall, and valet parking in front. Go figure. 

Little Saigon Night Market 2019

9200 Bolsa Ave.
Westminster, CA 92683

Fri, Sat. & Sun 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Last day is Sept 1, 2019

More info here: https://www.littlesaigonnow.com/blog/little-saigon-night-market-2019-the-vietnamese-summer-festival-46.html

Holiday Brunch

Additionally a lot of restaurants in OC expand brunch service into Monday on holiday weekends. Tortilla Republic in Laguna Beach, Solita in HB, Old Vine Cafe in CM - just to name a few! 

Have a fabulous food-filled Labor Day weekend and enjoy your extra day off!