The Taste: Food and fun on Day 2

Lounge Attire premium cocktail cranberries await their boozy fate during Cocktail Confidential.  (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

Brickyard tri-tip sliced fresh (and rare) from Sysco.  (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

The Brickyard tri-tip sandwich with Brickyard steak sauce on a warm roll.  (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

At dusk, people take pictures and wait in line for food samples inside the “B-tank” at Paramount Pictures Studios.  (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

Jicama tacos from the Corner Door at the 2013 event, made with a jicama tortilla, pickled mayo, black garlic, candied lime, pink peppercorns, feta and cilantro.  (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

Tuna tartare with avocado, harissa and cilantro served with pita chips from the Supper Club Los Angeles at the 2013 event.  (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

Seafood sausage sliders with smoked tomato paste and mussel reduction sauce on a profiterole bun at the Taste 2013.  (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

Spicy BBQ pork noodles from Jitlada Thai.  (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

A woman writes on the chalkboards at the gate for The Taste.  (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

Feed showcased two dishes at the 2013 event. “Ocean” is made with scallop and sea bean ...   (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

... and Feed’s second dish, titled “Land,” is made with watermelon, tomato, celery, and chlorophyll.  (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

Shrimp ceviche with black hot sauce topped with mango from Coni’Seafood.  (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

Craving a slider? The Counter put together these mini beef burgers at the 2013 event, topped with applewood smoked bacon and kettle-cooked salt-and-vinegar chips.  (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

Don’t want beef? Here are the Counter’s mini veggie burgers with carrot shreds, avocado spread and sweet sriracha.  (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

Mexikosher Chef Katsuji Tanabe, winner of Chopped, and his staff at the Times wine and food event The Taste in 2013.  (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

... “pambazos,” pan-fried chorizo tortas.  (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

Cupcakes from The Cake Mamas sit in neat rows for the crowds at the 2013 Cocktail Confidential.  (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

A diner grabs a plate of barbecue from one of the food tents at the 2013 event.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Steve Lopez, center, hosts the Firehouse Cookoff with Los Angeles Fire Capt. Mark Curry, left, and firefighter Cruz Macias Jr., right, at the 2013 event.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

The firehouse cookoff’s winning dish.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Benicio, 3, and Anabella Ramirez, 5, show off their balloon art at the 2013 event.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

A diner shows off an oyster plate with Tabasco sauce and lemons.   (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

The Times’ Noelle Carter receives a surprise birthday cake and balloons at the barbecue panel she moderated in the afternoon.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Golden balloons spelling out “The Taste” greet visitors as they enter the Paramount Pictures lot at the 2013 event.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

A couple poses on the “red carpet” area, which is full of drawings and messages from the day.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Have a bite, son: a mom gives her child a sample from the food tents at The Taste.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Diego del Pino discusses choosing a Champagne and Prosecco for every occasion during a wine tasting demonstration at The Taste.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Champagne or Prosecco? An attendee tries one of the samplings. at the 2013 Los Angeles Times The Taste event.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

The backlot of Paramount Studios stretches into the background as festival-goers stop at each food tent at the 2013 event.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Chef Evan Kleiman, host of KCRW-FM’s “Good Food,” has a rapt audience during her cooking demo at the 2013 event.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Confused by the process? Don’t be. A tilted mirror sits over Evan Kleiman’s head and keeps the audience informed during her cooking demonstration.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

The food lines start to build.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

A festival-goer shows off her food: a mozzarella (or is that burrata?) tomato basil open-faced sandwich at the 2013 event.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Attendees enjoy a beer or two near the Cadillac stage. The shaded picnic benches were an inviting way to beat the heat.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Chef Nancy Silverton of Osteria Mozza discusses what types of food to bring to a picnic at the 2013 event.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

...red wine, of course.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

A closeup of some of Nancy Silverton’s picnic dishes.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)