What’s your name, and which food tour do you lead?

My name is Jennifer Shuang, and I’m one of the tour guides for the Arcadia/Delicious Dumpling Tour and the San Gabriel Valley/New Chinatown Tour.

Of the five tastes, which are you?

I’m like a Sour-Patch Kid!! (I don’t think this really answers the question, though.)

Let’s say you’re on death row…what would be your last meal?

OK, so, I’m lactose-intolerant, bound by a gluten-free diet, and preferably vegetarian (with a soft spot for mystery meats). The obvious last meal for me would be an In-N-Out Neapolitan milkshake, paired with Popeye’s buttermilk biscuits, half of a Langer’s #19 pastrami sandwich (honestly — has anyone ever finished that thing? Props.), a few bites of anything on the El Taurino menu with their special red hot sauce, Spam, a heaping plate of stinky tofu, and a side of chili cheese fries. Oh, and let’s round that out with a shot of Tequila. Of course.

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?

I’ve eaten a lot of really cool, mind-blowing (and delicious) things. I mean, what’s “weird”? One person’s weird is another person’s soondae (Korean blood sausage — which is so ridiculously awesome, by the way). “Oh, come on. There is no such thing as a guilty pleasure!! I eat flamin’ hot cheetos when I want to. I’m a rebel like that.

What’s a food that you will never eat again?

This answer is easily chicken. I had some foul fowl (hehe) at an all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ joint in Ktown and spent the next day, my anniversary with my boyfriend, regretting it all over the bathroom and in an uncomfortable seat in the ER waiting room. Chicken is way too unfriendly for me.

What’s your favorite LA restaurant?

I have so many favorites…and it really depends on what the weather’s like that day, but I rarely say no to El Taurino or King Taco.

Outside of doing food tours, what do you do?

In nutshell form: I’m pursuing my M.L.I.S. in Library & Information Science at UCLA, volunteering at local libraries and APIA organizations, knitting scarves, re-reading Sense and Sensibility, riding my cool new Citizen fold-up bicycle (thank you, boyfriend!), drinking bubble-tea, eating gluten-free cupcakes, sporting Hello Kitty life accessories, hangin’ out and you know, straight west coastin’ !!

What’s the best thing about being a Six Taste tour guide?

Eating food. Talking about food. Talking about food to people who love eating food. It’s all good.

When I have visitors in town, I always have the urge to make sure my guests leave Los Angeles with an understanding that this city can be a foodie’s paradise. Los Angeles’ culinary scene is endlessly diverse and it would be difficult to showcase everything this city has to offer in just one visit.

This got me thinking: if time and distance were no issue, what would be the perfect Los Angeles food tour that would best showcase LA as a food Mecca? I put together the following list for a culinary adventure that I would love to be able to set up some day; the ultimate Los Angeles foodie excursion, the perfect food tour.

<Continued from Part 1>

Stop 5: Din Tai Fung – Juicy Pork Dumplings

For the next stop, we’d need to venture east into Greater Los Angeles towards some of LA’s great ethnic neighborhoods. Our next stop would be at Din Tai Fung in Arcadia. Din Tai Fung quite possibly has the best steamed dumplings in the world. Each delicious dumpling has a perfect 18 folds, which seals in the flavor and optimizes the steaming process. Dipped in ginger and vinegar, the juicy pork dumplings burst with a flavorful broth with each bite.

Not Juicy Pork, but still amazing.

Stop 6: The Grilled Cheese Truck – Cheesy Mac and Rib

As we round out our savory tastings, we would be remiss not to include LA’s largest food trend: food trucks. While the iconic Kogi might seem like the obvious choice, I would instead take my guests to a personal favorite of mine, The Grilled Cheese Truck. With the success of the grilled cheese invitational, partners Dave and Michele created this delectable truck to serve the masses. At this stop, each guest would be able to sample their Cheesy Mac and Rib with BBQ Pork and Caramelized Onions. The sharpness of the cheddar pairs with the sweetness of the pork. Of course, the sandwich wouldn’t be complete without a side of tater tops.

Stop 7: Silom Market - Kanom Krok

To end our tour, we’d finish on a sweet note. For dessert, we would travel to Thai Town, which contains the largest population of Thais outside of Thailand. Here, we would head to Silom Market, where fresh kanom krok are made on a makeshift stand in the parking lot behind the market. These creamy coconut couplets are a mixture of flour and coconut cream cooked in a pan over a charcoal fire sprinkled with green onions. They have long been a favorite on our Thai Town food tour, and truly a hidden gem in the Los Angeles culinary scene.

I feel like each guest on this perfect Los Angeles food tour would better understand the amazing food this city has to offer. Although the distance between stops, and the sheer amount of food would make this tour difficult to pull off, perhaps someday I’ll be able to take some guests on this culinary adventure of EPICurean proportions.

Introduce yourself – What’s your name and what tour do you lead?

My name is Matthew, and I lead the Saturday Downtown Los Angeles food tours at 2:30.

Of the five tastes, which are you?

Umami. I strive to be savory

Let’s say you’re on death row…what would your last meal be?

For my last meal, it would have to be corned beef, cabbage, carrots, and potatoes. And a pint of the dark stuff…

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?

In high school, my Spanish teacher ordered me ‘dos tacos sesos’ on a field trip to a local taqueria and wouldn’t tell me what it was. I asked the guy behind the counter, who told me it was cow brains.

Yum. So what’s a food that you would never eat again?

Everyone deserves a second chance, but I won’t eat celery by choice. Ever.

What’s your food guilty pleasure?

I don’t associate food with guilt. There are so many other things to feel guilty about. However, a funnel cake at a theme park is the image that popped into my head.

What’s your favorite restaurant in LA?

Leo’s Mexican Food in Lawndale. My grandparents have been going there since it opened, and it has been a part of my life since I was born.

Outside of doing food tours, what do you do?

I am an actor. I am act-ive.

What’s the best thing about being a Six Taste Tour Guide?

Sharing a table and an afternoon with wonderful strangers.

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