1. My first priority at the Foodie Festival was to find something quick and delicious without having to wait in line. At 3 p.m., my stomach was starting to get angry, but in a matter of minutes that would change. Red Dragon promotion’s chief “make it happen” officer, Ranier Galgana, recommended I try the butter poached lobster grilled cheese from the Devilicious truck, so I ran to get it. Twelve dollars later, I had an orange, melty, toasty mass in my hands waiting to be devoured. Tangy sourdough bread, colorful tomatoes and sweet caramelized onions took the grilled cheese (jack and cheddar) up a notch from the cheap lunch staple, but I was seriously disappointed in the lack of lobster. That’s what makes the thing $12, right?
2. My next stop, Vizzi Truck, intrigued me with its slogan: “Coastal infused cuisine.” I ordered confit crispy potatoes and a three-taco sampler called Three Amigos with garlic shrimp, kung pao chicken and orange scented pork. The potatoes, big and chunky, came smothered in a warm, mild horseradish sauce that tasted more like sour cream and was seasoned with bacon and chives. All three tacos came topped with cabbage, queso fresco and sour cream. The pork was tender from being slow-cooked and marinated in a barbecue-y adobe sauce, but my favorite was the kung pao chicken, slightly crispy but still moist.
3. Two words: White Castle. The so-gross-they’re-good sliders aren’t available out west, so I didn’t take issue waiting in line to get some. Besides, I’m a Midwestern girl at heart. Back in Indiana, I loved White Castle cheeseburgers, but I’d never tried their jalapeño cheese slider before. After a 25-minute wait I finally had my glorious mini-burger, found a spot at a table and ate it in record time. The jalapeño cheese gave a spicy kick and the warm, freshly steamed bun stuck to the thin meat patty, covered in tiny onions. It’s a weird nostalgic treat that I’m okay with having only once a year.
4. Maybe it’s because I sit in an office all day, but I forgot Las Vegas could still reach 80 degrees in October. I found myself huddling under food truck canopies or sitting at crowded tables to get out of the sun. I’ll willingly put myself through the torture of 100-plus temperatures to see my favorite bands at a music festival. For a food festival, I’d prefer to be a lot less sweaty.
5. Luckily, the Fluff Ice truck from LA saved the day. Barely able to force anything else down the hatch, I ordered a small Sa Wat Dee Thai tea fluff with egg pudding, lychee jelly and condensed milk. The first spoonful was bursting with a floral sweetness from the jelly, followed by the sugary, nutty snow ice. The egg custard added more texture—creamy, yet more firm and gelatinous. It was the cool-me-down treat I’d been looking for all day and an ideal way to end my afternoon at Foodie Fest.
