LV LifeDining

Los Angeles County Fair showcases unique foods

La Mexicana provides an array of Mexican food like the recently popular quesabirria, a quesadilla filled with birria and served with a side of consommé, a rich flavored broth for dipping, at the Los Angeles County Fair food preview day on Wednesday at the Fairplex in Pomona. The city of Pomona is known for its multicultural cuisines that are reflected in the variety of dishes at the Fair. / photo by Sarah Van Buskirk
La Mexicana provides an array of Mexican food like the recently popular quesabirria, a quesadilla filled with birria and served with a side of consommé, a rich flavored broth for dipping, at the Los Angeles County Fair food preview day on Wednesday at the Fairplex in Pomona. The city of Pomona is known for its multicultural cuisines that are reflected in the variety of dishes at the Fair. / photo by Sarah Van Buskirk

April Cambero
Social Media Editor

Tasti Whip at the Los Angeles County Fair serves up flavored Dole Whip in flavors such as strawberry, lemon, mango and the classic pineapple at the Fair’s food preview day Wednesday at the Fairplex in Pomona. Other iconic fair desserts will be available at the Fair on Friday at 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. until May 27 with all the other days starting at 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. / photo by Sarah Van Buskirk

The Los Angeles County Fair held a private fair food preview Wednesday, showcasing some of the food that will be available at the fair, which opens Friday and runs through May 27.

The event also featured entertaining farm animal races. 

The different foods showcased at the event were a mix of traditional fair foods and some non-traditional foods as well. 

The farm animal races happened halfway through the event and attracted many of the guests there. The farm animal races included running pigs, waddling ducks and trotting goats. 

We cheered for each of the animal groups as they made their way around the track and back into their corrals for a treat. 

And we tried the food. Chicken Charlie’s had three different options to sample. They offered bacon wrapped pickles, hot honey chicken potstickers dusted in Hot Cheeto dust and hot honey funnel cake chicken sandwiches. The hot honey chicken potstickers dusted in Hot Cheeto dust was an interesting dish; it ended up being my favorite item on that menu.

Pizza Slicer offered favorite Italian-American dishes. Their menu items range from simple dishes like pizza by the slice and meatball subs to more exciting dishes like pizza fries. The pizza fries were traditional skinny, salty fries covered in mozzarella cheese and pepperoni. They were the perfect mix of my two favorite dishes from my childhood.

Draft Beer Depot provided alcoholic beverages that were perfect to pair with the dishes at the event. On the menu were espresso martinis with a whip shot topping, ice-cold margaritas and draft beers. The margaritas were the right mix of salty and sweet and kept me hydrated throughout the event.

La Mexicana offers samples of sopes, a traditional Mexican dish made up of a fried masa base along with savory toppings like beef, tomatoes, lettuces, sour cream and cotija cheese, for the Los Angeles County Fair food preview day Wednesday. The Fair opens on Friday at 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. and runs until May 27 with all the other days starting at 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. at the Fairplex in Pomona. / photo by Sarah Van Buskirk

La Mexicana had options including quesabirrias with consomé, sopes and bite size tortas. A quesabirria is a taco filled with melted Mexican cheese and slow-cooked beef. The quesabirria was filled with flavor and perfectly seasoned.

The Dough Spot specialized in pretzel bread buns filled with your choice of pulled pork, pulled chicken or carne asada. Buns had different flavors, such as teriyaki and traditional. The buns were not my favorite item of the day, however, the concept of the buns was a great idea.

Tasti Whip was one of the options available for a sweet treat at the event. Their interpretation of the classic Dole Whip was perfect for the hot day. Their menu items included soft serve, soft serve floats and Chimangos.

There were multiple flavors for the menu items such as strawberry, lemon, pineapple and mango. The pineapple soft serve was the perfect way to end the food filled event and I will definitely be going back for more on opening day.

Other foods offered included caramel apples, spam fries, taquitos and ramen tacos.

For more information on the Los Angeles County Fair, visit lacountyfair.com.

April Cambero can be reached at april.cambero@laverne.edu.

The Dough Spot offers pulled pork and chicken sandwiches on pretzel buns with pineapple and teriyaki flavors at the Los Angeles County Fair food preview day on Wednesday at the Fairplex in Pomona. The sandwiches were marketed as ‘bombs’ because the pretzel rolls were stuffed with meat options. / photo by Sarah Van Buskirk
Four goats race at the Los Angeles County Fair food preview day on Wednesday at the Fairplex in Pomona. Pigs and ducks also raced to preview the activities and what animals can be expected at the Big Red Barn located next to the Farm at Fairplex area at the Fair. / photo by Sarah Van Buskirk
Other Stories Bio

April Cambero is a senior communications major with a concentration in public relations. She is the Fall 2024 editor-in-chief for the Campus Times and has also served as social media editor and staff writer.

Other Stories Bio

Sarah Van Buskirk is a senior journalism major with a concentration in print and online journalism. She is the Spring 2024 editorial director for the Campus Times and has recently served as editor-in-chief, sports editor and staff writer. She is also currently a staff photographer for the Campus Times and La Verne Magazine, and a staff writer for La Verne Magazine.

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