Ep 5. L.A. Pop Up

Andrew Zimmern is back on the road in season 8 of Bizarre Foods, and this time he's exploring the culinary scene of Los Angeles. In episode 5, titled "L.A. Pop Up," Andrew sets his sights on the city's thriving pop-up food scene. From street tacos to cutting-edge cuisine, pop-ups are taking over the city like never before, and Andrew is eager to get a taste.

Andrew's first stop is a pop-up at Smorgasburg, the weekly food market in downtown L.A. He meets Chef Minh Phan, who runs a Vietnamese pop-up called Porridge + Puffs. Minh serves up bowls of hearty and flavorful porridge, each one made with locally-sourced ingredients and a unique blend of spices. Andrew digs in, savoring the flavors of beef tongue, parsnip, and chili oil. He's impressed by Minh's dedication to sustainability and locally-sourced ingredients, and says the dish has "something for everyone."

Next, Andrew heads to an underground pop-up dinner at a secret location in Los Angeles. Here, he meets Chef Craig Thornton, the founder of Wolvesmouth. Craig's meals are highly sought after, and he's established himself as one of the city's most innovative and talked-about chefs. Andrew sits down at a communal table and is served a series of dishes that push the boundaries of traditional cuisine. From pork belly with seaweed to a "deconstructed" chicken pot pie, Andrew describes the meal as "a feast for the senses."

But the pop-up scene isn't just about high-end cuisine. Andrew also explores a street in L.A.'s Boyle Heights neighborhood that's lined with food vendors, selling everything from elote to tamales. Here, he meets Raquel Tache, a member of the community who's turned her house into a pop-up restaurant. Raquel cooks up traditional dishes like mole and chiles rellenos, and Andrew is blown away by the flavors and the sense of community. He describes the experience as "like having dinner at your grandmother's house."

Finally, Andrew makes his way to the world-famous Venice Beach boardwalk, where he discovers the ultimate pop-up: food trucks. These mobile kitchens have become an essential part of L.A.'s food scene, serving up everything from Korean BBQ to vegan burgers. Andrew hops aboard the Kogi truck, run by Chef Roy Choi, and samples the Korean BBQ tacos that put Roy on the map. He's impressed by the quality of the food and the creativity of the dishes, and says that the food truck revolution has "changed the game" for dining in Los Angeles.

Throughout the episode, Andrew is struck by the variety and diversity of the pop-up scene in Los Angeles. From street food to high-end cuisine, these temporary restaurants are pushing the boundaries of traditional dining and creating a sense of community around food. Andrew is tasting some of the most innovative and exciting dishes in the city, and he can't wait to see where the pop-up scene goes next.