Trend Alert: When Popcorn Isn't Popcorn

Popcorn bacon, anyone?

By Lesley Balla

First popcorn made a comeback, popped in olive oil with rosemary (free at the bar at Hatfield's), and caramelized with bacon (Tar & Roses), coconut and curry (STREET) or beer (Next Door by Josie). Now LA chefs are popcorn-ing everything, from chicken livers to bacon. We understand that it all started with popcorn shrimp, and those golden fried little nuggets are indeed delicious. But does everything breaded and fried in nugget form, which we truly love, have to be called "popcorn?"

The first time we saw "chicken liver popcorn" on a menu, an unappetizing image of popcorn smeared with chicken liver popped (sorry) into our mind. Messy. Of course, popcorn chicken liver is a different thing entirely, fried chunks of rich fattiness served with a yogurt dipping sauce at newcomers like Towne. And Black Hogg's popcorn bacon is the most popular dish there (don't try to eat that by yourself - it's a LOT of bacon-fried bacon). What's next - popcorn burgers or popcorn pizza? Wait, that doesn't sound half bad, actually.

Photo: Darin Dines/Flickr