Hot dog on a stick, cheesecake on a stick, spaghetti on a stick…you’ve gotta admit that state fairs and carnivals got one thing right with their on-a-skinny-piece-of-wood cuisine: it’s easy to eat (and just more fun.)
But if once a year just isn’t going to cut it for you, get yourself to a Japanese market and try dango, precious Japanese rice flour dumpling balls (mochi-like) smothered in a teriyaki-like syrup of soy sauce and sugar, then speared with a stick.
While dango is best fresh (see: from a food cart or market stall), you can find the next best thing in L.A. at Nijiya Market on Sawtelle Blvd.
P.S. Fun fact: the main character of Sailor Moon, Serena (or Usagi) is affectionately called odango-atama (“dumpling head”) after this tasty food, because of her hairdo.
