2010 In A Meal - Food Trends

L.A.'s year of pop-ups, charcuterie, beer and more

A year in dining at Tasting Table is about more than simple sustenance or aimless gluttony. Looking back at every plate we've had set in front of us in 2010, these are the trends that have defined 2010 in the L.A. food world.

One-Night Stands The food truck revolution may still be spreading to the rest of the country, but L.A. surpassed the saturation point in 2010. Still, the itinerant chef reigns, as the success of the short-lived Test Kitchen and another few iterations of LudoBites have shown.

Something Brewing L.A. is becoming increasingly sudsy, with local breweries and craft-beer-centric bars popping up across the Southland. We've visited Eagle Rock Brewery for growlers, and drank Brouwerij West's blonde at the beer-centric Surly Goat. Even in Long Beach there's Congregation Ale House, which is home to an enviable lineup of taps.

Beyond Bacon 2010 was the year that charcuterie became a menu requisite. We've seen headcheese, French pâtés gone British, and even a coffee shop with its own cured-meat program. There are plenty of potted meats, too: Mason jars packed with shredded, spreadable pork, smoked fish or goat.

Pasadena Booming We've spun the odometer driving back and forth on the 134 this year. Pas's food scene has give us perfectly ripe cheeses, bottles of Burgundy wine, wood-fired pizza, and cocktails stirred up with a bit of local history.

Restaurant Shopping Our restaurants are becoming grocery stores. Chefs have taken on the mantle of butchers, selling restaurant-quality cuts, followed by Salt's Cure selling meat right in the dining room. Both L'Epicerie and FarmShop offer retail goods alongside breakfast, lunch and dinner.