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The 2023 home schedule begins Friday at Angel Stadium and with it comes a new assortment of food to try as the Angels aim to build on their 4-2 start to the season.
Along with the typical ballpark foods, three new veggie-minded options have been added to the list of offerings, though they are not easily accessible at the concessions stands.
Kung pao cauliflower (available at Brewery X), a curry roasted cauliflower (available in the stadium’s Diamond Club) and a Mediterranean tomato salad (available in the suites) were items showcased at a food and merchandise preview at Angel Stadium before the start of the season last month.
Also on display at that showcase was a vegan buffalo cauliflower mac and cheese bowl, a returning item at the Crafty Mac concessions stand this year.
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In particular, the kung pao cauliflower, which has a mild spice, but a satisfying crispiness to it, was a flavor that Dennis Radcliffe — who’s worked with the Angels since 2013, but this year is his first as executive chef — said he had used before.
That was in 2019, during MLB’s FoodFest in Los Angeles, in which Radcliffe submitted kung pao chicken drumsticks (not listed as a food option in 2023) on behalf of the Angels. Los Angeles Times’ food columnist Lucas Kwan Peterson and retired former Times’ columnist Chris Erskine voted the dish the best among all 30 teams’ food items.
“So what we did was just turn that into a vegetarian option,” Radcliffe said. “It’s the same recipe. The first ones I did actually were super spicy and I was like, ‘OK, time to start scaling that back.’”
Though the actual plant-based options are limited, it’s important to note that the options are at least creative and carefully thought out. And matching flavors — like getting the kung pao cauliflower to match a kung pao flavor profile from a former chicken dish — is what Radcliffe and his team have aimed to do while hoping those who do not have plant-based dietary restrictions can also enjoy those foods.
“It’s kind of staying a little ahead of the trends,” Radcliffe said. “Maybe we create a trend that’s here? It’s taking something simple and making it extraordinary.
“We know our vegetarian options aren’t going to sell out, but we want it to at least be available. Cater to everybody’s needs.”
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All of the additions this year, not just the new veggie options, Radcliffe and Eric Ursua, the Angels director of fan hospitality, said were based on feedback they’ve received.
“We’d like the fans to know that they’ve been heard,” Ursua said.
As for the future of plant-based options at the ballpark, Radcliffe said that they’ll continue to create as they continue to get feedback, like in their specialty seating/dining areas or even from the players.
“When the plate comes back, if the plate is empty we’re like ‘OK, we found a winner here,’” Radcliffe said. “If it comes back and there’s a lot of food still on it, it’s ‘OK, we need to work on that. Let me go taste it again.’
“We do feed the players, we have food for the vegetarians and vegans, and if it’s something they really like, we’re like ‘OK, how can we make this everybody?’”
Here’s a list of all the new and returning fan favorites food and desserts available at Angel Stadium in 2023:
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Beef birria nachos
Beef birria nachos
(Sarah Valenzuela)
Ingredients: Tortilla chips, house made cheese sauce, pinto beans, pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream
Where to buy it: Diamond Club
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Barbacoa burrito
Barbacoa burrito
(Sarah Valenzuela / Los Angeles Times)
Ingredients: Flour tortilla, rice, refried beans, cilantro onion salad, salsa roja
Where to buy it: In-seat service (sections 114-122 and 309-343)
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Southwest BBQ burger
Southwest BBQ burger
(Sarah Valenzuela / Los Angeles Times)
Ingredients: Beef patty, American cheese, onion rings, BBQ sauce, potato bun
Where to buy it: In-seat service (sections 114-122 and 309-343)
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California steak board (new)
California steak board
(Sarah Valenzuela / Los Angeles Times)
Ingredients: Smoked tri-tip, twice baked Dutch red and yellow potatoes, Melissa’s roasted tomatoes on the vine and seasonal veggies, garlic bread, cowboy butter, salsa
Where to buy it: Suites
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Mediterranean tomato salad (new)
Mediterranean tomato salad
(Sarah Valenzuela / Los Angeles Times)
Ingredients: Heirloom tomatoes, feta cheese, marinated red onion, shaved cucumber, herbs, arugula, farro, honey lemon vinaigrette
Where to buy it: Suites
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Al pastor ribs (new)
Al pastor ribs
(Sarah Valenzuela / Los Angeles Times)
Ingredients: Grilled al pastor ribs, pineapple slaw, elote
Where to buy it: Suites
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Curry roasted cauliflower and 4HR braised short rib (new)
Curry roasted cauliflower, left, and 4HR braised short rib
(Sarah Valenzuela / Los Angeles Times)
Ingredients for curry roasted cauliflower: Roasted garlic hummus, chermoula
Ingredients for 4HR braised short rib: Creamy white cheddar polenta, charred herb carrots, shiitake mushroom demi-glace, petite watercress
Where to buy it: Diamond Club
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Bourbon maple BBQ fried sandwich (new)
(Sarah Valenzuela / Los Angeles Times)
Ingredients: Semolina bun, roasted garlic mustard aioli, coleslaw, house made pickle chips, fries
Where to buy it: Diamond Club
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Lemon pepper wings (new)
Lemon pepper wings
(Sarah Valenzuela / Los Angeles Times)
Ingredients: Lemon pepper sauce, grated Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, chef’s choice pickled vegetables
Where to buy it: Diamond Club
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Chopped BBQ brisket mac & cheese bowl
Chopped BBQ brisket mac & cheese bowl
(Sarah Valenzuela / Los Angeles Times)
Ingredients: Mac and cheese, BBQ sauce, green onion
Where to buy it: Crafty Mac concessions stand (sections 114 and 238)
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Single or double cheeseburger
(Sarah Valenzuela / Los Angeles Times)
Ingredients: Beef patty, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, secret sauce, potato bun
Where to buy it: Big A Burger concessions stand (sections 106, 226, 428)
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Cathy’s cookies
Cathy’s cookies
(Sarah Valenzuela / Los Angeles Times)
Ingredients: Chocolate chips, cookie dough
Where to buy it: Gates 1, 4 and Cathy’s Cookies concessions stand (section 432)
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Nashville tenders
(Sarah Valenzuela / Los Angeles Times)
Ingredients: Drench fried chicken tenders, spice rub, secret sauce, served with fries
Where to buy it: Strike Zone Chicken concessions stands (sections 103, 130, 207, 223, 244, 317, 334, 412 and 425)
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Nashville chicken sandwich
Nashville chicken sandwich
(Sarah Valenzuela / Los Angeles Times)
Ingredients: Drench fried chicken, spice rub, potato bun, jalapeño coleslaw, secret sauce, house made pickles
Where to buy it: Strike Zone concessions stand (section 223)
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Turkey club sandwich
(Sarah Valenzuela / Los Angeles Times)
Ingredients: Sliced turkey, tomato bacon jam, arugula, baguette
Where to buy it: La Rotisserie concessions stand (section 114)
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Buffalo cauliflower mac & cheese bowl
Buffalo cauliflower mac & cheese bowl
(Sarah Valenzuela / Los Angeles Times)
Ingredients: Vegan mac and cheese, buffalo cauliflower, vegan ranch, green onion
Where to buy it: Crafty Mac concessions stand (sections 114 and 238)
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Carne asada nachos
(Sarah Valenzuela / Los Angeles Times)
Ingredients: Tortilla chips, carne asada, cheese sauce, pinto beans, pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream
Where to buy it: Nacho concessions stand (section 127)
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Out of the park dog
(Sarah Valenzuela / Los Angeles Times)
Ingredients: Brioche bun, 9-inch bacon wrapped beef dog, sauerkraut, caramelized onions, yellow mustard, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos
Where to buy it: Crafty Dog concessions stand (1st base food court)
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House made jumbo pretzel
(Sarah Valenzuela / Los Angeles Times)
Ingredients: Jalapeño cheese dip, beer mustard
Where to buy it: Brewery X
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BX burger (new)
BX burger
(Sarah Valenzuela / Los Angeles Times)
Ingredients: Brioche bun, bacon jam, tomato, white cheddar, shaved onion rings, roasted garlic aioli, house fries
Where to buy it: Brewery X
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Kung pao cauliflower (new)
Kung pao cauliflower
(Sarah Valenzuela / Los Angeles Times)
Ingredients: House made kung pao sauce, Fresno chiles, green onion
Where to buy it: Brewery X
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Mocha mousse (new)
Mocha mousse
(Sarah Valenzuela / Los Angeles Times)
Ingredients: Dark chocolate coffee mousse, vanilla cremieux
Where to buy it: Suites and concessions stand (section 334)
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Huckleberry crostata (new)
(Sarah Valenzuela / Los Angeles Times)
Ingredients: Flaky pie crust, huckleberry seltzer filling, strawberry sauce, chantilly
Where to buy it: Brewery X
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Jumbo brownie (new)
(Sarah Valenzuela / Los Angeles Times)
Ingredients: Brownie, mint chocolate chips
Where to buy it: Suites and concessions stand (section 334)
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Banana cream pie and Rice Krispie treats (new)
Banana cream pie, left, and Rice Krispie treats.
(Sarah Valenzuela / Los Angeles Times)
Ingredients for banana cream pie: Sugar pie dough, bananas, pastry cream, chantilly
Ingredients for Rice Krispie treats: Assorted cereal treats
Where to buy it: Suites and concessions stands (section 334)
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Chocolate peanut butter pie (new)
(Sarah Valenzuela / Los Angeles Times)
Ingredients: Graham cracker crust, creamy peanut butter mousse, crushed peanut butter cups, chocolate drizzled chantilly
Where to buy it: In-seat service (sections 114-122 and 309-343)
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Lemon meringue tart
(Sarah Valenzuela / Los Angeles Times)
Ingredients: Lemon curd, toasted meringue
Where to buy it: Concessions stand (section 334)
