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By Kristie Hang
Baseball food isn’t just limited to peanuts and Cracker Jack anymore. The new baseball season has brought $100 million dollars worth of upgrades to Dodger Stadium. Thankfully for food lovers, many of those upgrades have gone to turning Dodgers Stadium into a food haven.
One of the latest foodie draws has been the brand new Tommy Lasorda’s Italian Trattoria Restaurant. The legendary Hall of Famer was there himself to talk to crowd and get feedback from patrons. Tommy Lasorda and Dodger Stadium Executive Chef Jason Tingley worked together on all of the dishes. Lasorda made it clear that the food had his stamp of approval. "I would never ever in my life put my name on something that wasn't properly done," he said. "If you don't like these meatballs you don't like Christmas or Easter."
Here is a video of Lasorada talking about his new dish additions to Dodgers stadium:
And we bring to you our favorite dishes from Tommy Lasorda’s Trattoria:
Jumbo Italian Pizza (Photo by Kristie Hang/LAist)
Jumbo Italian Pizza by the slice: The pizza was very tasty. The crust was a bit on the doughy side, but the proportion of marinara sauce to toppings was very good. The slice of pizza could barely fit on the plate. Be prepared, it gets a little messy.
Spicy Italian Sausage (Photo by Kristie Hang/LAist)
The spicy Italian sausage sandwich topped with peppers and onions: The spicy Italian sausage along with the peppers and onions were truly a stand out, however I wasn’t too crazy about the hot dog bun bread.
Penne pasta with meatballs (Photo by Kristie Hang/LAist)
The penne pasta with heaps of meatballs: Tommy was right—this was my favorite dish from Trattoria. The pasta felt like I was in a true Italian eatery and not eating stadium food. The meatballs were soft, moist, and juicy. I would go back just for the meatballs.
Chicken parmesan sandwich (Photo by Kristie Hang/LAist)
Chicken Parmesan sub covered in marinara sauce: The chicken was delectably marinated. I also loved the marinara sauce. For me, I felt that there was a bit too much bread in this dish. If you want to get full, this would be a great option. If you’re a food snob, I say get the penne meatball pasta.
Traditional Italian cannolis and gelatos are also available for dessert. Prices are reasonable ranging from $5-10.
Other new food additions include the hot-off-the-grill stand Think Blue BBQ, which serves succulent house-smoked creations.
BBQ Brisket Sandwich (Photo by Kristie Hang/LAist)
BBQ Brisket Sandwich: The BBQ Brisket, along with the penne meatball pasta, were my favorite dishes I sampled at Dodger Stadium. The brisket is smoked for a minimum of 12 hours (most are smoked about 17 hours). Chef Jason’s secret, tangy cider BBQ sauce is then added on top along with Bermuda onion and sour pickle slices on a potato roll. This is a must-try!
Philly Cheesesteak (Photo by Kristie Hang/LAist)
Philly Cheesesteak with heaping amounts of beef, grilled peppers, and onions and slices of Provolone cheese on a roll: Think Blue BBQ did not skimp out on ingredients when they created their Philly Cheesesteak. A good cheesesteak must have a solid roll. The bread was soft, chewy, and fluffy. The beef was diced thinly and incredibly well marinated with fried onions and sweet peppers.
Mexican corn on the cob (Photo by Kristie Hang/LAist)
Mexican Corn on the Cob: Also known as Elote, this is a deliciously grilled on a stick and covered in cheese and a mix of seasonings. The corn had a rich, nutty flavor, but the mayonnaise, garlic, and powdered chili put it over the top. I could have eaten these all day.
Other dishes worth trying:
Doyer Dog (Photo by Kristie Hang/LAist)
Doyer Dog: For those who want to spice up their iconic Dodger Dog, the Doyer Dog is essentially a Dodger Dog reinvented and topped with nacho cheese, chili, jalapeños, chopped tomatoes and pico de gallo. Named for the Spanish-language pronunciation of the Dodgers ("Los Doyers"), the Doyer Dog weighs twice as much as the iconic Dodger Dog. If you want a hot dog with a spicy, flavorful kick in it, it may be time to bid your plain Dodger Dog adieu.
Major League Nachos Helmet (Photo by Kristie Hang/LAist)
The Major League Nachos Helmet: This was the most picture-worthy, Instagramable dish I had all day. It’s a toy and a food all in one! This souvenir 64-ounce helmet filled to the brim with crispy tortilla chips and topped with creamy refried beans, nacho cheese, carne asada, sour cream, and pico de gallo had to be split among 3-4 people. Good luck finishing this baby.
Other New Food Offerings:
Chicken and Shrimp Skewers, Grilled Turkey Leg, Home Stand Hot Dogs, LA Extreme Bacon Wrapped Dog, Sunset Sandwich with Tavern ham on Hawaiian roll, Southwest Tostada Salad, and more. Other additions include full bars that serve new cocktail beverages inspired by Dodgers history and healthier choices like homemade sushi and salads.
Foodies and sports fans can finally unite with these upgraded food options. The best part of all these new foods and cuisines is that they are partnering up with the local producers and purveyors in the community. What do you think of the new food additions?
