Foodies converged at StubHub Center on Tuesday evening for the venue’s first annual “Taste of StubHub Center”.
The event featured over a dozen healthy food and drink items, as well as five different types of beer from local South Bay breweries. All of the items on display are currently available during LA Galaxy games at concession stands across StubHub Center.
For StubHub Center general manager Katie Pandolfo, revamping the venue’s meal options has been a top priority.
“All of our guests have been asking for a variety of different food options, and not just basic burgers and hot dogs, but to take it up a notch. Our chefs have given our guests what they really want to try, so this year, we opened up Stand 18 which has been an amazing success,” Pandolfo told the group. “We’ve also been really passionate about working with our local craft breweries to assure that we bring the best local craft beer to the LA Galaxy community.”
Here is a my review of all the options that the “Taste of StubHub Center” had to offer.
MAIN COURSES
My highlight of the tasting were the five main courses representing a variety of food items from across the globe.
In this soccer journalist turned amatuer food critic’s opinion, the top dish was the Hawaiian Tuna Poke served with avocado, cucumber and wonton chips. Some stadium food items can be over-seasoned or drowning in salt or sauce, but the ahi tuna in this dish was quite flavorful in its own right. This trendy dish is becoming more and more popular in Southern California and I can understand why as this blend of tuna, wonton chips and cucumber was my favorite item available at StubHub Center.
While my personal favorite was the poke, the most popular dishes among the rest of the group were the Korean barbeque short ribs and Jamaican jerk chicken. Unlike the poke, the two items were heavily seasoned to emphasize the flavor, but their fine cuts of meat were not loaded with fat like other stadium cuisine.
For those interested in more traditional fare, Rock and Brews provided their Backstage Burger with garlic fries that was certainly a step up from the typical hamburger that you’d receive at a ball game. The “Taste of StubHub Center” also offered a foodie spin on nachos with authentic street corn nachos. Using a similar recipe that you might see on an “elote” (Mexican corn) at the park on a summer’s day, the chipotle cheese sauce and chili lime salt give the nachos a mix of salty and sweet that is sure to be a hit.
Rounding out the entrees was the personal pan pizza from South Bay pizzeria Fresh Brothers Pizza. The pizza came in a variety of flavors (BBQ Chicken, Pepperoni and Cheese) which each brought something different and delicious to the table.
BEER
For many soccer fans, the only thing more important than the result on the pitch is the type of beer available in the concession stands. True to their commitment about increased food and drink choice in the stadium, StubHub Center reached out to some of the craft finest breweries in the South Bay to provide delicicious brews for LA Galaxy fans.
This Insider may not much of a beer drinker, but I immediately found a favorite in the Strand (Torrance, CA) Amber Ale. The Strand is a medium-bodied ale that is both malty and light but not too watery. All of the tastes come together to form a simple and smooth beer that is perfect for when you’re enjoying watching Steven Gerrard barrel down the midfield. For those interested in a more hoppy taste, the Smog City (Torrance, CA) Hoptonic is a perfect choice. Like the Amber Ale, the Hoptonic is a blend of hops and fruit flavors (orange, citrus peel, guava and honey) that is flavorful enough for true aficionados, but balanced enough for those who prefer brand-name brews to craft beers.
The Absolution (Torrance, CA) Hefeweizen provided your classic summer beer as it was a cloudy orange drink with a mixture of various fruity flavors that evened out the bitter aftertaste. Carson’s own Phantom Carriage offered two selections “the Dolores” (a malty drink, not unlike the Hoptonic) and the “Analee” a standard dry ale. Perhaps the most unique element to the three beers was that each was brewed in partnership with a Galaxy supporters group to establish a signature flavor. The Angel City Brigade partnered with Absolution on the Hefeweizen, while the LA Riot Squad worked in conjunction with Phantom Carriage for the Analee and Dolores brews.
The Golden Road Blonde Ale was not to my taste as it had a heavy grain flavor. Unlike the other available beers, the Blonde Ale’s bitterness and lemon aftertaste was not to my liking.
DRINKS AND SNACKS
For those not interested in beer, there was an assortment of three non-alcoholic drinks: Bulletproof Coffee, watermelon lemonade and a cantaloupe agua fresca.
The coffee was by far the most popular of the options, thanks to Bulletproof Coffee’s own blend of java infused with butter and coconut oil for a delicious taste. The iced coffee was perfect for the sweltering September day.
Snacks were included courtesy of Planet Popcorn who provided a variety of a savory and sweet flavors, which were far superior to anything you’d get at a movie theater or baseball game. Personally, the chocolate granola was perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth.
Adam Serrano is the LA Galaxy Insider. Read his blog at LAGalaxy.com/Insider and contact him at LAGalaxyInsider@Gmail.com
