The Hottest Taste of South Park Yet

By midafternoon, the heat and humidity had settled over 11th and Grand. So had more than 1,000 friends and neighbors. The Idellix played two sets on the Belasco Stage, people danced, and the conversations continued long after guests had finished their tastings. It was the hottest Taste of South Park we can remember, and one of the most enjoyable.

This year brought three new food and beverage partners to the event: Mafia Sushi, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse, and California Wine Exchange. Returning favorites gave guests plenty to talk about, too. El Cholo’s chimichangas were a hit, and Good Clean Fun lived up to its name.

Good Clean Fun nearly took home Battle of the Bites. More than 250 attendees voted, but Cara Cara at Downtown LA Proper won again by a margin of just three votes. Mafia Sushi came in third place for their inaugural appearance.

Two raffles kept the excitement going, with nearly 30 prizes from our sponsors, including a stay and breakfast credit at Downtown LA Proper Hotel and an Emsculpt session from Moov LA. LA28 also joined us to introduce its food and beverage program to local restaurants.

The tastings are fun, but they serve a larger purpose. A Taste of South Park gives residents a chance to discover the restaurants around them, meet the people behind those businesses, and remember to return throughout the year. Our support helps keep their doors open, their lights on, and our storefronts active. That matters to the vitality and safety of the neighborhood we share.

We also make a deliberate choice about the event’s hours. Holding it from 1 to 5 pm allows smaller restaurants to participate between lunch and dinner, then get back to serving their Saturday evening customers. Although the afternoon heat was especially tough this year, that schedule helps make the event workable for the businesses we want to support.

Guests had another chance to shape South Park at our dot voting board which is an informal poll of what attendees would like to see in the neighborhood. The results gave us plenty to discuss. Deli and grab-and-go received the most dots (61), followed by grocery stores (53). Indoor sport courts and book or record shops tied (48 each). We plan to share these results with Justin Weiss of sponsor Kennedy Wilson to help inform outreach to operators who may be interested in leasing space in the neighborhood.

We also used the event to introduce a project that will make an immediate difference on the street: planting native species in the 11th Street planters between Flower and Olive. The South Park/Social District BID has agreed to fund the project. The next step is to identify neighbors willing to help plant. If you are interested, or would like more info, sign up at: https://tinyurl.com/native11thstreet.

A Taste of South Park is SPNA’s largest fundraiser and producing it is a major investment. The participating restaurants effectively cater an event for more than 1,000 people; their food and service are a substantial part of the budget. Thousands of volunteer hours go into the planning and the day itself. Every ticket helps make that work possible and supports SPNA’s efforts throughout the year.

We heard from guests all afternoon about how much they enjoyed themselves, often followed by a thank you for putting the event together. We want to pass that thanks along. Pacific Productions helped the day run seamlessly. Matt Stasi of Stasi Photo once again volunteered his photography skills. Our current and new Board members, including Debra Shrout, Marty Goldberg, Mike Foley, Jeremy Masys, Mike Fullerton, Michelle Morehead, Rosemary Herrera, and Jennifer Henson, put in a tremendous amount of work. And to every volunteer who keeps showing up for this neighborhood: we could not do an event of this scale without you. We love you for it.

With thanks to our sponsors and partners

We are grateful to Belasco Theater, South Park/Social District BID, Eldabe Ritter Trial Lawyers, Lagree 213, Metropolis, Pine & Crane, Moov LA, Downtown LA Proper Hotel / Cara Cara, Kennedy Wilson, Dignity Health ER/Hospital, The Showroom, and MR Compass.

Thank you to the Elleven, EVO, Luma, and TEN50 HOAs and their sponsoring partners: Action Property Management, GSI Security, Beaumont Tashijian Attorney, Customized Guard, Kirk Miller Insurance / Gemini, Liberty (New Front) Insurance, Whitney Petchul Attorney, Epic Charging, R&R Plumbing, GPI Security, Revmark, NASA, and PTC.