Tapas, Seafood Platters and More: Delicious Ways to Complement the ‘Gustavo and Friends’ Performances from ‘In Concert at the Hollywood Bowl’
Ever since Gustavo Dudamel took the reins of the Los Angeles Philharmonic as its music and artistic director over a decade ago, Hollywood Bowl shows haven’t been the same since. The 39-year-old Venezuelan conductor has garnered a staunch following for giving classical music rock-star power through his dazzling and passionate performances — and his signature locks.
In the August 26 episode of KCET’s “In Concert at the Hollywood Bowl” series, viewers will get to see Dudamel in action on television as he leads the LA Phil with some of the amphitheater’s best performances from the past decade. He’ll bring with him a roster of young and impressive artists, like acclaimed American ballet dancer Misty Copeland in “Swan Lake” and Spanish cellist Pablo Ferrández.
Since any show at the Bowl (even while watching from home for the first time in 98 years) is best accompanied by food and drink, we’ve handpicked some culinary experiences that are connected to these artists. From a tapas recipe, to takeout from a historic seafood mainstay and L.A. institution, here are some delicious ways to round out your musical evening.
The ‘Gustavo Dudamel Hot Dog’ from Pink’s Hot Dogs
The Bowl and Pink’s are both L.A. landmarks that got their start in the first half of the 20th century. They also are linked, literally and figuratively, by Dudamel.
The Pink family behind the La Brea Avenue hot dog stand, which has been in business since 1939 and known for its celebrity-themed wieners, has been slinging a “Gustavo Dudamel Hot Dog” for years. The conductor’s namesake frankfurter is an all-beef stretch link that’s topped with guacamole, American and Swiss cheese, a fajita mix of grilled vegetables, slices of jalapeños and whole tortilla chips. If you’re curious about how one of these gargantuan dogs are made, YouTube content creator Billy Vasquez (aka The 99 Cent Chef) filmed a behind-the-scenes look at it here.
Dudamel made a prominent return to Pink’s last November, when the restaurant was celebrating its 80th anniversary by having celebrities serve customers hot dogs for charity. The conductor, flanked by L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, filled orders behind the counter in a Pink’s uniform. "I'm a big fan of these hot dogs and I eat all the time, so what a great way to have fun and do this thing for charity," Dudamel told ABC 7 at the event.
Pink’s is currently open for patio dining and pickup.
Seafood Platters from San Pedro Fish Market
Before Copeland, 37, became the first Black woman to land the prized role of principal dancer at the prestigious American Ballet Theatre, she got her humble start in the South Bay. Copeland, who was raised in San Pedro, started dancing when she was 13 at the San Pedro City Ballet.
While Copeland is a healthy eater — as she conveyed in her 2017 book “Ballerina Body: Dancing and Eating Your Way to a Leaner, Stronger, and More Graceful You”— she divulged in an Elle interview that she is a big fan of Red Lobster. Her typical order? Crab legs and salad.
As an homage to Copeland’s roots in the South Bay and her love for seafood, we suggest pairing her performance with coastal dishes from San Pedro Fish Market, a three-generation family business that’s been in operation since 1956. With locations in San Pedro and Long Beach, the old-school joint is one of those places where you can pick out your own seafood and ask the cook behind the counter to prepare it any way you’d like. For folks who want an effortless meal, the market and restaurant also offers shrimp and seafood trays tossed with seasonings and soybean butter for two to six people. All locations are currently open for al fresco dining, pickup and delivery.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by San Pedro Fish Market (@sanpedrofish) on Aug 16, 2020 at 10:01am PDT
Women-Made Wines from Vinovore
In addition to seafood, one of Copeland’s splurges is a glass of wine every now and then. In another tribute to the inspiring ballet dancer, we suggest getting bottles from Vinovore. The Silver Lake wine shop, founded by Coly Den Haan, is home to a wide collection made by female winemakers.
Den Haan recently outfitted a wine window in her shop, a nod to the medieval wine windows that have been opening up in Italy, where customers can pick up their online and phone orders. Visitors can “window shop” the bottles on display, and the store offers delivery too.
If you’re not sure which wines would pair best with your food, the Vinovore team is always open to recommending bottles. They also offer virtual WINEsplaining tastings on Zoom, a recurring event that usually takes place on Sundays, in which folks can learn about and taste new wines.
Pan con Tomate Recipe from Otoño
When Ferrández joined the LA Phil on stage last summer at the Bowl to perform Dvořák’s “Cello Concerto,” it blew everyone away. The Los Angeles Times’ classical music critic Mark Swed described the 29-year-old wunderkind as one “whose pop-idol magnetism, superb technique and exhilarating musicality reveal a sure star in the making.”
With Ferrández hailing from Madrid, we’d like to point you to Otoño chef-owner Teresa Montaño’s recipe for one of her most popular tapas at her Highland Park restaurant: pan con tomate. The recipe, which was recently featured in Westways magazine, is a simple yet intoxicating tomato- and garlic-topped toast.
While Otoño is currently closed, it will be reopening in September as a specialty market. Customers will be able to get to-go tapas such as jamon croquetas, pan con tomate and pulpo a la brasa, and can also grab Spanish cured meats and cheese, house-made squid ink sourdough bread, cocktails and Spanish wines.
Top Image: Otoño's Pan Con Tomate and other bites | Courtesy of Otoño
