LOVELIKEBEER’s “Les Bon Temps”

Last night, I had the pleasure of attending LOVELIKEBEER’s 6th craft beer & vegan food pairing dinner at Local Habit. Coined, Les Bon Temps this was the 6th Vegan Beer Night since the concept launched in 2011, & one of the more ambitious events yet, showcasing an eclectic & adventurous mix of creole vegan creations from Local Habit’s executive chef, Nick Brune, a Louisiana native & rising star in the San Diego culinary scene. The tap list is impressive as well, showcasing a tap-takeover by The Bruery, an award-winning brewery known for elegant, Belgian & other style ales incorporating unique ingredients with incredibly robust flavors.

As always, LOVELIKEBEER, pulled off another highly successful event, pairing artful cuisine with thoughtfully curated craft beer, & raising funds to support a local charitable organization.

As with many of their events, the doors opened to a waiting crowd, the restaurant quickly filled, & the momentum never stopped. Enticed by the unique selection of entrees, we decided to order all 5 pairings to share, & a pizza. I think I ate & drank my weight in vegan food & beer!

First up, Beer Battered Avocado with Tomato Reduction & Corn Glaze. I mean, fried avocado? Need I say more?

Next was a Grilled Watermelon & Tomato Salad w/ Hazelnut Oil & Thyme. Nothing says summer to me than watermelon. Throwing it on the grill & giving it a light char really elevates the flavor profile by caramelizing its sweetness of watermelon & giving it a gentle smoky flavor.

While we enjoyed every bite of the first courses, we certainly all agreed that the Roasted Artichoke & Almond Ravioli with Oyster Mushrooms was our favorite. While not necessarily a true “Creole-style” dish, Local Habit is known for their vegan ravioli (& rightfully so), so it just made sense for them to offer it here. The dish was extremely rich & earthy, almost to the point of decadence. It’s one of those dishes that’s meant to be shared, & every bite was delightful, with the almond ricotta imparting a sweet, nutty flavor & wonderful texture.

As I am a lover of all things spicy, it’s no wonder I especially enjoyed the Chilled Shelling Beans with Orange Supreme, Shaved Fennel & Endive & Serrano Vinaigrette. This was Chef Nick’s homage to the end of summer (even though it feels like it’s just begun!) with a 4-hour marinated array of three types of beans. The Serrano vinaigrette gave the beans a hot & spicy kick, & while the shaved fennel helped to cool & refresh the palate.

The most unique pairing was most certainly the Farmers Market Étouffée with Huitlacoche. Huiltla-huh-wha???? Trust me, you might not want to know, but if you do check this out. As for the inspiration behind the dish, according to Chef Nick, étouffée originates from New Orleans, & is made 1000 ways. This version includes onion, garlic, peppers, cremini mushrooms, & huitlacoche. The huitlacoche adds an earthy component to the dish & makes it as black as the swamp. Dark & earthy it certainly was. Huitlacoche aka corn smut is touted in the foodie world as a delicacy & considered the truffle of Mexico. The description to me was off-putting at best, but I bravely dug in. To my surprise, it was full of rich, bold & smoky flavors, & was surreptitiously “meaty.” The closest thing I could relate it to was the PPK's okra gumbo I had recently made. For me, the texture took a bit of getting used to, & it was definitely one of the most unusual dishes I’ve tried, but all in all, very well done.

My favorite beers of the night were The Bruery's Hottenroth & Tradewinds. The Hottenroth, a tart German-style Berliner Weisse, is described as crisp, tart, & effervescent, & it most certainly was. This is a very low-content brew, which makes it perfect for sipping on a warm summer evening. The Tradewinds is a Belgian style, Golden Ale, with a Southeast Asian twist - rice is added to the mash to lighten the body & increase the alcohol & Thai basil is added for spice. I found it to be sweet, spicy & herbaceous, & agreed it made a lovely partner to the watermelon salad, with which it was paired.

Again, I have to tip my hat to LOVELIKEBEER for single-handedly driving the vegan dining scene here in San Diego with their event & also for helping me to discover craft beer, which I am becoming quite fond of these days. Well done my friends & thank you. I’m already looking forward to your next event.