FOODS
FOOD PLACES
LA FOOD HISTORY
FOODS INVENTED IN LA
100
__________________ are a fusion of Mexican street food with Korean cuisine made from corn tortillas and Korean toppings like bulgogi and kimchi. Los Angeles, home to both the largest population of Mexicans outside of Mexico and Koreans outside of Korea, was a naturally unsurprising birthplace.
What is Korean Tacos?
100
This pastry, a Napoleon, might
be found in what local bakeries in Sawtelle, or Westwood,
Where is a Persian (Iranian) bakery?
100
The area of Los Angeles where you might expect to find upwards of ten Armenian bakeries and pastry shops.
Where is Glendale?
Fun Fact: In fall 2022, an ancient bakery estimated to be roughly 3,000 years old was unearthed in Metsamor, Armenia.In 2014, Armenia’s lavash was recognized as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO.
100
Which of the following foods was NOT invented in LA?
A. Cheeseburger (1924)
B. Chiliburger (1920)
C. Hot fudge Sundae (1913)
D. Cobb Salad (1937)
E. Barbecue Chicken Pizza (CPK)
What is ALL OF THEM WERE INVENTED IN LA?
200
In 1908, Philippe The Original opened near Chinatown and claims to have invented what type of sandwich?
What is French Dip roast beef sandwich?
200
Name the street where you would find this food vendor.
Where is Olvera Street? (Near the birthplace of LA-- the Old Pueblo)
200
Beginning in the 1800s, Los Angeles-based Mexican restaurant owners found themselves stuck between an unforgiving, racist dining public and a need to make a living, so collectively, they improvised, calling their Mexican-born food — from enchiladas to handmade tortillas to chiles rellenos — ____________ food instead.
What is SPANISH?
(This also happened with Iranian food -- Persian food was the name used to address Aanti-Iranian sentiments in the 1980s).
200
Steve Henson and his wife opened a dude ranch outside Santa Barbara, California, in 1954. Guests loved the delicious tangy buttermilk dressing the Hensons served and many asked for jars to take home. Name the dressing.
What is ranch dressing?
300
The name of this type of Asian dumpling.
What is BAO? (bun)
300
Pastrami traces its roots to Turkey, where cow, lamb, or turkey flesh is prepared through brining, smoking, and steaming in a process known as pastırma. From there it made its way to Romania, where it’s known as pastramă. It was Jews from Romania who brought it to LA and served as a sandwich on rye bread, in the first historically Jewish neighborhood here in LA _________________.
Where is Boyle Heights?
300
The real-life tale of Ted Ngoy, is one of fate, love, survival, hard knocks, and redemption. It's the rags to riches story of a refugee escaping Cambodia, arriving in America in 1975 and building an unlikely multi-million-dollar empire baking what?
What is donuts?
He sponsored hundreds of visas for incoming refugees and helped them get on their feet teaching them the ways of the donut business.
300
In Los Angeles County alone, there are over two dozen regional (distinct) cuisines from the same country. Name the country.
Where is China?
From dim sum to Sichuan peppercorns, there’s just about any kind of Chinese food you could wish for. Some regional cuisines represented in Los Angeles include Guangdong, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Guangxi, Beijing, Taiwan, Wuhan, Shaanxi, Yunnan, Chongqing, Hong Kong, Sichuan, Tianjin, Hunan, Xinjiang, Shanxi, Zhejiang, Liaoning, and Shenyang.
400
In 1903, Fugetsu-Do opened in Little Tokyo. Now in its third generation of family ownership, the Japanese confectionary is the largest producer of traditional New Year’s ________ in the United States.
What is mochi?
400
In 1931, this deli moved from its original location to the Fairfax District in 1948 and has since welcomed everyone from Marilyn Monroe to President Obama. Name the deli.
What is Canter's?
400
The land in Downtown LA on which the Original Farmers Market rests was once __________________.
What is a dairy farm (and an oil field)?
400
The Orange Julius was invented by the son of two Germans. He moved from Montana to LA in 1926 and his real estate partner used a new machine called a blender (invented by a Polish chemist) to make the first fruit ______________.
(An orange julius is orange juice combined with ice, milk, sugar, egg white, and vanilla).
What is a smoothie? 
500
A salad created by Madame Sylvia Wu at her restaurant, Wu’s Garden in Santa Monica in the 1960s. Local celebrities loved the place as it was one of the few joints in town to offer quality Chinese food at the time. She included oranges and crunchy noodles in it.Name the salad!
What is Chinese Chicken Salad?
500
When it opened in 1917, Grand Central Market in DTLA was originally called:
A. Smorgasbord
B. Wonder Market
C. International Food Place
D. Global Food Emporium
What is B. Wonder Market?
500
The 1943 ________ Riots in LA were clashes between Mexican Americans and US servicemen home on leave. This led to more Mexicans moving outside DTLA and the proliferation of taco trucks. What were these riots called?
What is Zoot Suits?
500
Liverpool (ENGLAND)-born Jewish immigrant named Asher Michael “Al” Levy moved to Los Angeles from San Francisco around 1890 and invented a "cocktail" made from the soft flesh of _________. (It was mixed with hot sauce, tomato ketchup, and seasoning and sold initially on a food cart for 10 cents. (Twice the price of the popular spicy tamale!)
What are oysters? The California oyster almost went extinct within ten years as a result.