Bacon Popcorn - Consuming LA

As explained in the opening and closing scenes of the film Pretty Woman, Hollywood is the land of dreams and everyone here has one. In the case of Josh Chaney, his dream was to invent and sell the world’s first gourmet caramel corn that you eat frozen. Chaney, who is the great, great grand-nephew of legendary silent film star Lon Chaney and the great grandson of a caramel-maker, has turned his dream into a reality with California Mad Poppers. Located in the nether regions of the San Fernando Valley in the same Canoga Park strip mall as sushi bar extraordinaire Go’s Mart, California Mad Poppers is a dangerously good place to sample and purchase a unique and incredibly delicious frozen treat.

Chaney and his girlfriend/partner Sulmaz Rahimpour have created over 200 flavors of gourmet popcorn and offer around 40 such varieties to their customers at any given time. Some of my favorites are masterful concoctions of salty and sweet, such as “Bacon on the Brain” (Maple/Bacon/Caramel) and “Elvis” (Peanut Butter/Banana/Bacon/Caramel), but I also love their savory cheese flavors which are made with real melted cheese (not powder) and can include chili/lime, jalapeños, habaneros or ghost peppers.

California Mad Poppers invites you to sample as many flavors as you like and I have shamelessly abused this offer and tried dozens of varieties on a single visit. When you’re ready to purchase, they can layer multiple flavors in a single bag. Many flavors are vegan and/or gluten free with no preservatives and all are made with air-popped non-GMO popcorn, so you’re pretty much improving your health by consuming, right?

California Mad Poppers is located at 7138 Shoup Ave in Canoga Park near West Hills.

More than 200 varieties

Who froze my popcorn?

I’m not sharing!

If dining out was a sport, then eating at Black Hogg would be referred to as “Extreme Gastropubbing.” Debuting a few months ago in Silverlake, but awaiting its liquor license, Black Hogg is not for timid (or healthy) eaters. Their signature dish is “Popcorn Bacon” (pictured above), small chunks of bacon which have been battered and deep fried just like Popcorn Shrimp. It’s good (how could it not be?), but undeniably hardcore.

Other small plates include Fried Olives with Honey Goat Cheese, Roasted Marrow Bones with Breakfast Radishes, Longaniza Sausage Hash with Fried Egg, Ale-Battered Cod with Ruffle Chips, and Spicy Chicken Liver on Toast with Chicken Cracklin’. On a recent visit, my favorite dish was the Pork Belly Tacos with Fuji Apple Slaw and Jalapeno Relish. It’s very spicy and insanely good. I also really liked the Brussels Sprouts with Anchovy Citronette and Gremolata, although maybe I just felt good about eating a vegetable dish among all the rich indulgences.

The deep fried fun continues with dessert, where you can order Chai Spiced Churros with Warm Walnut Oil Ganache. Crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside, these are possibly the best churros I have ever tasted. The other dessert on the menu combines three of my favorite things (tres leches, rhubarb and bread pudding), but it was disappointing. The restaurant space itself is surprising. With this kind of fare and the Silverlake location, I was expecting dark and ornate, but the room is actually light with mostly modern decor.

Final verdict on Black Hogg: it’s quite good and very fun, but you might want to get your cholesterol checked first. Black Hogg is located at 2852 W. Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles (in Silverlake).

Spicy Chicken Liver on Toast with Chicken Cracklin'

Pork Belly Tacos with Fuji Apple Slaw and Jalapeno Relish

Mary's Brick Chicken, Brussels Sprouts, Anchovy Citronette

Chai Spiced Churros with Warm Walnut Oil Ganache

Three Milks & Rhubarb Bread Pudding with Fresh Cream and Hazelnuts

Surprisingly bright and modern interior

Tag Archives: Bacon Popcorn

Popping and (freezer bag) Locking

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