FOOD LAB CATERING

"I know every argument against this place. It’s overpriced. It’s got more types of kombucha than other kinds of drinks combined. It’s basically a spin class where someone forgot to bring the bikes that day. And absolutely all of that is true. But guess what? They have gummy bears. Why does that matter? It matters in the same way that Tom Cruise’s role in Tropic Thunder mattered. In the middle of him being vilified in the press, cast as the archetypal serious, crazy, Hollywood actor, he took a role that was both a direct mockery of that world, and seriously funny. The greatest thing a serious actor can do is to remind us that Hollywood is not all that serious (especially when the public is turning on them). And that’s what those gummy bears accomplish. This place has good food that you pay a lot for. The sandwich menu is great, with portions that are on the small side because of course they are. And while it manages to get its fair share of eye rolls from people when suggested as a lunch spot, by the counter you will find the following types of gummies – worms, bears, sours, letters, melons, and peaches. And to us, that makes the place entirely bear-able. That’s a gummy bear pun. Food Rundown Cuban Style Sandwich If this thing was 50% bigger, it would be heaven. A mix of pork loin and ham, along with a VERY generous amount of Gruyere, topped with mustard and pickles. Portions aside, this is my go-to. Prosciutto and Fig Sandwich The word for this one is creamy. A fig spread and a big portion of ricotta cheese make this sandwich melt in your mouth. Add in the crunchiness of the walnut raisin bread and the chunks of fig, and you get a nicely balanced sandwich. Gummy Bears I can’t talk about the gummy bears for the whole review without doing a deep dive here. These are great gummies. You can definitely tell they are not just some repackaged Haribos. The biggest surprise was the greens, which I loved in this case. I don’t usually like the greens. I hope this was informative." - Michael Burke

"As pocho gastronomy enters the mainstream with restaurants like Dia de Los Puercos and its food hall branch at Food Lab in Riverside, which opened on October 4, the real flavors of home cooking in Los Angeles’s barrios are creating a new narrative." - Bill Esparza