To cope with a month of consistent 90-degree weather across Southern California, reporting teams sought out cool relief through a wide variety of sweet treats and regional eateries, according to staff round-ups detailing local food finds across Los Angeles, Orange counties, and the Inland Empire.
Cool Treats and Sweet Discoveries to Beat the Heat
Throughout August, reporters sampled numerous items to stay cool, ranging from gelato and shaved ice to milkshakes and water ice. At Disneyland’s Bengal Barbecue in Adventureland, local reporter Allyson Vergara highlighted the Iced Pandan Cooler as a sweet, cooling treat featuring warm boba balls and a sweet ube and pandan mixture. Meanwhile, Carolyn Burt visited Happy Ice’s outdoor booth at Downtown Disney in Anaheim to try the Rainbow Rocket water ice, a vegan and nut-free dessert inspired by Philadelphia-style water ice.
Darling tried the seasonal Peach Cobbler shaved snow, combining peach and vanilla flavors with whipped cream, crushed graham crackers, and peach chunks. In Laguna Hills, Brock Keeling awarded top honors to the majoon shake at Yummy Land, an Iranian dessert shop serving a dense blend of bananas, dates, milk, vanilla ice cream, and nuts topped with whipped cream.
Savory Eats and Regional Highlights Across Southern California
Beyond desserts, reporters highlighted savory meals from coastal islands to inland spots. On Catalina Island, Carolyn Burt visited The Naughty Fox in Avalon for Ahi Nachos, featuring fresh ahi, crispy wontons, avocado, green onions, mango, and a spicy sauce. At Steve’s Steakhouse, also in Avalon, she tried the house-favorite Scallops Avalon Style served over garlic sourdough French bread.
In Los Angeles, Benjamin Royer reported that Taqueria Frontera in Cypress Park serves Tijuana-style al pastor tacos featuring crispy edges off the trompo, fresh corn tortillas, pineapple, a crema-like cilantro sauce, and a red house salsa. In Los Feliz, Carolyn Burt picked up a Caprese sandwich on schiacciata bread at Pino’s Sandwiches, a location of the Florence shop that opened in Italy in 1965.
Other regional stops included Goat & Vine in Temecula, where Todd Harmonson praised the Summer In Italy pizza featuring prosciutto, mozzarella, garlic confit tomatoes, oregano, lemon zest, and honey balsamic reduction. In Costa Mesa, Brock Keeling reviewed chef Sang Yoon’s Tiny’s Burger, noting its dry-aged beef burger with gochujang- and ssamjang-spiked sauce, alongside a miso-infused mac and cheese and a 10-inch Tokyo Dog.
Did You Know? Pino’s Sandwiches in Los Feliz is a location of a popular Florence sandwich shop that originally opened in Italy in 1965, according to reporting by Carolyn Burt.
Fair Foods, Theme Park Eats, and Inland Empire Favorites
At the OC Fair in Costa Mesa, Charlie Vargas reviewed the Candied Watermelon, a slice of fruit wrapped in Fruit by the Foot with chamoy and Tajín.
Additional coverage of the state’s broader culinary landscape notes that guides by the Los Angeles Times emphasize California’s extensive network of taquerias, tasting menus, and diverse urban dining hubs, illustrating the state’s position as a major culinary influence over the last century.
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of treats did reporters try to stay cool in August?
Reporters sampled gelato, shaved ice, milkshakes, mango sticky rice, watermelon wrapped in Fruit by the Foot, water ice, shaved snow, and Iranian majoon shakes.
Where is Pino’s Sandwiches located?
The Los Angeles location is tucked away in Los Feliz near Skylight Books, according to Carolyn Burt.
What are the ingredients in the majoon shake at Yummy Land?
According to Brock Keeling, Yummy Land’s majoon shake blends bananas, dates, milk, and vanilla ice cream with cashews, pistachios, and walnuts, topped with a crown of whipped cream.
What local Southern California dish or sweet treat stands out as your personal favorite for beating the summer heat?