SLAPFISH GOES BRICK & MORTAR IN HUNTINGTON BEACH | MENU PREVIEW

Yes, I admit it - I am a Gourmet Food Truck-aholic. I am in awe of these guys & gals who manage to serve high-end restaurant-quality food out of a teeny-tiny kitchen-on-wheels outta' the side of a truck.  I have a hard enough time making toast in the morning and not burning it - so, these chefs' abilities never cease to amaze me.  

I am also a seafood-aholic.  So, naturally, one of my all-time favorite Gourmet Food Trucks is the SlapFish Truck.  (Some of you may recall a previous blog post I dedicated to them back in November: http://annewatsonphotoblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/farm-to-food-truck-challenge-ii-meet_14.html.)  Needless to say, when rumors started flying several months ago that these guys might be 'Going Brick & Mortar' (aka, opening up their own non-mobile restaurant) in OC, I was thrilled.  This week, the dream is a reality - SlapFish is opening their first location, a fast, casual, sustainable seafood restaurant, in Huntington Beach this Friday, April 20th. Yahoo!

Left: SlapFish Chef / Owner, Andrew Gruel; Right: Serving-up Mouth-Watering Creamy Clam Chowder

On Monday night, I had the special opportunity to attend a 'VIP Menu Tasting' at the new location - all I can say is, "WOW."  This is some seriously amazing cuisine.  I attended the event with my English husband, author Tim Watson, who grew up on the coast of England... he is a SERIOUS seafood connoisseur. If it's been swimming &/or attached to a rock in saltwater, my husband will be able to tell you what it is & whether it tastes good or not.  So, when even his mind was blown by how delicious everything coming out of the SlapFish kitchen was, I took that as an excellent sign.

Delicious, fresh local Carlsbad Oysters with SlapFish's amazing, uber-hot Red Habanero Hot Sauce - My husband, Tim Watson, went nuts for these & said they were some of the best oysters he's ever tasted in his life.

And, even if you're not a seafood fanatic, there are still plenty of items to keep you comin' back for more -- They have two non-seafood dishes on the menu: A Taylor Ham, Egg and Cheese Sandwich AND a Double-Smoked Bacon and Brie Melt with Mango Mustard. (Mmmm... bacon.)  And, their desserts are fantastic -- provided by the always-amazing Brooke of Simply Sweet Cakery, her cakes & cookies are to-die-for.

Delicious desserts at SlapFish provided by Brooke of Simply Sweet Cakery.

So, below you can feast your eyes on a small sneak-peek through photos of the SlapFish restaurant menu - prepare to salivate. And, then prepare to attend the SlapFish Grand Opening when they open their doors to the public this Friday, April 20th (19696 Beach Blvd. in the Newland Center).

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Tower of Wasabi Tuna with Marinated Cabbage & Cucumber

Fresh, seasonal salads at SlapFish: Currently featuring a SoCo Farmers' Market Salad

Left: Michael Harris' 'Gambas a la Plancha'; Right: Lobster Lettuce Cups

Wild Pacific Albacore Tuna Melt with spinach, cucumber, tomato & creamy chipotle

Fresh, grilled-to-perfection Sea Bream

Chef/Owner Andrew Gruel at work in the Kitchen with his team

SlapFish Shrimp Cakes = Perfection.

Fish 'n' Chips, SlapFish Style

MASTERING THE ART OF BBQ | RANCHO A GO-GO + DA-LE RANCH COOKING DEMO AT SoCo FARMERS' MARKET

Anybody can grill. But, it takes talent and years of practice to truly master the art of Barbeque.  And if there's one thing that Owner & Pitmaster Chris of the Rancho A Go-Go Barbeque gourmet food truck knows, it's how to do real, authentic, "Low & Slow" Bb-Q.  Combine Chris' knowledge of the grill with the beautiful, farm-fresh, all-natural meats from local farmer Dave of Da-Le Ranch in Lake Elsinore, California, and you have a match made in heaven. These two paired up for a first-ever Bb-Q Cooking Demo at SoCo Farmers' Market this past Saturday, and crowds gathered to watch the magic unfold before their eyes, noses & tastebuds.

Chris of the Rancho a Go-Go Barbeque Truck (left) and Dave of Da-Le Ranch Meats (right) wow the audience with their amazing Tri-Tip Cooking Demo at SoCo Farmers' Market this past Saturday 1.28.12.

The smell of smokey Tri-Tip filled the air as Chris slowly barbequed throughout the morning hours leading up to the demo.  By the time the meat was taken off the grill, a crowd had gathered who were hungry for both some Tri-Tip sandwhiches & some Bb-Q knowledge. And they weren't disappointed!

After tasting how amazing the Tri-Tip was and what a difference it makes to source local, fresh, farm-raised meats, many were like me and immediately flocked over to the Da-Le Ranch booth to pick up a lil' something to try on the barbeque at home.  My husband is a certified Bb-Q fiend, so I knew he wouldn't pass up the opportunity to smoke some of Da-Le Ranch's babyback pork ribs (one of my personal favorites!).  And, oh dear God. They were some of the best ribs I've ever tasted - tender, juicy, fall-off-the-bone amazingness.

Time to try it at home: Passin' the time with a beer as the Da-Le Ranch babyback pork ribs smoke to perfection.

After tasting these ribs, I know I'm going to be a regular customer of Dave's. The ribs are just the tip of the iceberg of what's available... pretty much every cut of meat - including organ meat, marrow bones, fats, sausages, you name it - Dave has on-hand. You can catch both the Rancho a Go-Go Barbeque Truck and Da-Le Ranch Meats almost every Saturday at SoCo Farmers' Market in the parking lot of the SoCo Collection / OC MartMix in Costa Mesa from 9am - 2pm.

Also - a quick side-note - Dave is looking for help with developing his Da-Le Ranch web site. Any web-savvy folks out there who would like to help out a local farmer in exchange for meat (What better form of payment can you think of?! Yum!), please contact him at dave@da-le-ranch.com.  Thanks, and happy Barbequing!

Follow Anne Watson Photography on the Web, Facebook and Twitter | Learn more about SoCo Farmers' Market on the Web, Facebook and Twitter

FARM TO FOOD TRUCK CHALLENGE II - MEET THE COMPETITORS: TRUCK #5 of 6 - PIAGGIO GOURMET ON WHEELS

We're just two days away from the Farm to Food Truck Challenge II and the excitement is building! Be sure to mark your calendars and join us at SoCo Farmers' Market this Saturday, November 19th from 9am - 2pm to watch the action unfold as six gourmet food trucks compete for the title of 'Top Chop Truck' by creating delicious dishes using ingredients from the market. And as we get closer to the big event, I'm giving you a behind-the-scenes sneak peek inside the competing trucks to give you a flavor of what their specialties are.

Today we're visiting the amazing Argentine kitchen of the Piaggio Gourmet on Wheels Truck - one of the first gourmet food trucks on the scene that's been up & running since November 2009. And two years later, they're still going strong - serving up gallons of authentic, fresh Chimichurri daily in signature dishes such as their Pulled Pork Sliders, Gaucha Quesadillas, Skirt Steak Tacos and the Porker Sandwich (just to name a few!).  Affordability, convenience and gourmet Argentine flavors - who could ask for more?!

At the helm of this wonderful truck is the incredibly talented, warm & inviting Chef Coli Piaggio. Born in Esperanza, Argentina, Coli grew up with a father and grandfather who worked in the meat processing industry - and had an uncle who owned a restaurant in Santa Fe, Argentina, which was a regular hangout for him.  Needless to say, Coli knows good beef.  And, he knows good service.  He loves what he does - in his words, he "loves taking care of people."  He's a hospitality service-oriented person, as his regular customers can attest.  And, together with his lovely wife of 12 years, Rosane Deitos, and his loyal cook of 6 years, Edgar Morales, they have brought authentic Argentine street food to the people of Southern California.

Chef Coli Piaggio  (Top Left: Chef Piaggio with wife Rosane Deitos; Top Right: Chef Piaggio with cook Edgar Morales)

At age 23, Coli moved to the beautiful Brazilian beach community of Praia do Forte where he operated a B&B for 11 years before making his way to the U.S.  It was in Brazil that he began serving what he calls his 'Bread and Butter' - his amazing Chicken Empanadas.  Made from scratch daily, these are a signature Piaggio item that are not to be missed!

Piaggio's signature 'Bread & Butter' dish, the amazing Chicken Empanada

Below, feast your eyes on the specialties of the amazing Piaggio Gourmet on Wheels Truck.  And then be sure to bring your appetite this Saturday, November 19th to SoCo Farmers' Market as Piaggio Gourmet on Wheels goes head-to-head with the other five trucks in the Farm to Food Truck Challenge II!  Hope to see you all there this Saturday!!

Follow Anne Watson Photography on the Web, Facebook and Twitter | Learn more about Piaggio Gourmet on Wheels on the Web, Facebook and Twitter | Learn more about SoCo Farmers' Market on the Web, Facebook and Twitter

One of Piaggio's most popular dishes: Chimichurri Pulled Pork Sliders



Vampires beware - it's garlic galore!



Fresh parsley & minced garlic for the daily made-from-scratch Chimichurri sauce



Piaggio only uses Choice or better beef and the Outside Skirt Steak - so tender & flavorful, it is seasoned only with kosher salt and will melt in your mouth like butter - mmm...

The most amazing Skirt Steak Chimichurri I've ever tasted

Argentine Sausage Sandwich (Choripan)



100% Argentine pork sausage (with wine, nutmeg & garlic) in French bread with chimichurri



Chicken Milanesa Sandwich

Breaded chicken breast seasoned with garlic & parsley, in French bread with lettuce, tomatoes, mayo and chimichurri

The ultra-delicious Porker Sandwich - Marinated loin of pork, grilled, served on French bread with roasted red peppers, bleu cheese and chimichurri

Skirt Steak Quesadillas Gauchas, made with Cheddar & Jack cheeses, pico de gallo & chimichurri sauce. Served with fresh salsa.

Churros con Dulce de Leche

FARM TO FOOD TRUCK CHALLENGE II - MEET THE COMPETITORS: TRUCK #4 of 6 - SLAPFISH TRUCK

We're less than a week away from the Farm to Food Truck Challenge II - the exciting event hosted by SoCo Farmers' Market where six gourmet food trucks will compete for the title of 'Top Chop Truck' by creating delicious dishes using ingredients from the market.  And as promised, in these days leading up to the big event on Saturday 11/19, I'm giving you a behind-the-scenes look at each of the trucks to give you a flavor of what their specialties are.

Today we're going inside the kitchen-on-wheels of the 'Masters of Sustainable Seafood' - the SlapFish Truck.  Open for just about five months now, SlapFish has exploded onto the gourmet food truck scene with their fresh take on mobile seafood, combining convenience with five-star quality. Fish-lovers, beware -- you are about to visit paradise.

Now, I must admit -- I'm the wife of an Englishman and up 'til now when I thought of 'fish-on-the-go', my mind immediately churned up images of heavily battered & fried, rolled-in-grease-stained-newspaper Fish 'n' Chips that never seem to really digest, but just sit in your stomach for days... if not months. That image is happily shattered now. (Thank you, SlapFish!)

Founded by owners Chef Andrew Gruel and Jethro Naude, the SlapFish philosophy is simple: "No more greasy, frightful and uninspired versions of convenient seafood. Instead get ready for fish so fresh you can slap it....and fast." And, not only is the the SlapFish menu fresh & delicious, but it's environmentally responsible too. Well, slap me silly - that sounds good to me!

I was lucky enough to spend an afternoon on board the SlapFish truck with Sous Chef, Jesse Runkle, and All-Around-Renaissance-Man (the title I've officially given him), Ruben Jaimes. These super-cool guys not only have two of the greatest smiles I've seen in a long time (I mean, who wouldn't feel welcomed by these friendly, grinning faces?!), but they seriously know their stuff when it comes to preparing & serving-up delicious seafood to a hungry lunch crowd.  From perfectly-grilled fish tacos, to the ingenious crab & brie melt sandwich (yum!), to their signature 'Lobsticle' - they'll make ya' think you've died and gone to seafood heaven.

Jesse Runkle and Ruben Jaimes of the SlapFish Truck

Who can resist these inviting smiles?! Top photo: Jesse Runkle; Bottom photo: Ruben Jaimes

So check out this feast-through-photos showcasing the dishes that can be found these days in the kitchen of the SlapFish truck.  And then be sure to bring your appetite this Saturday, November 19th to SoCo Farmers' Market as SlapFish goes head-to-head with the other five trucks in the Farm to Food Truck Challenge II!

 

Stay tuned for more details on the other competing trucks this week - next up, the Piaggio Gourmet on Wheels truck!...

Follow Anne Watson Photography on the Web, Facebook and Twitter | Learn more about SlapFish on the Web, Facebook and Twitter | Learn more about SoCo Farmers' Market on the Web, Facebook and Twitter

The SlapFish taco: fresh Hake wrapped in a flour tortilla with sweet tomato salsa. shaved cabbage, fresh cilantro and SlapFish 'Awesome Sauce'.

The ingenious 'Major Crunchy' Sandwich: Pan-seared sea bream with pickles, lettuce and tomato - topped with crunchy potato chips and jalapeno sauce.

The Major Crunchy's little brother - a slider-version called... what else?! The 'Minor Crunchy'.

Sous Chef Jesse Runkle doin' his thing - creating these drool-worthy Clam Chowder Fries. Yep. That's right. Crispy fries smothered in delicious clam chowder. Try it before you judge it, trust me.

A perfect sandwich for these chilly Autumn days - the crab & Brie melt with mascarpone cheese, mango chutney, fresh cucumbers and tomatoes. Yes, please!

No skimpin' on this seafood grinder.

Lobster-on-the-go! The amazing SlapFish Lobsticle.