A foodie’s heaven is not only cultivating a diverse palate but also getting to share it with the rest of the world. Throughout my time at Her Campus at UCLA, I’ve received the rare opportunity to bridge together my passion for food and storytelling in a way I’ve never done before in my UCLA college career. Experiencing the mouthwatering catering from Tocaya Organica at our end-of-the-year banquet seemed only fitting for a year of writing about my cultural identity, women supporting women and of course, my love for food.
Honestly, everything about the catering experience from Tocaya was just perfect from the beginning to the end. As she waited for the food, our Director of Event Marketing and Campus Coordinator, Bella, ordered a spectacularly refreshing Strawberry Virgin Margarita to beat the afternoon heat. She also appreciated how Tocaya’s interior is really reminiscent of those trendy Pinterest boards you use for decor inspo, an ambiance that’ll take you out of Westwood and transport you to beachside Santa Monica.
Now let’s talk about the most important part of our event: the food! And boy, oh boy, did Tocaya deliver! Displayed in full taco buffet-style, they included their absolutely delectable Beef Chorizo, Spicy Chicken Tinga and their Adobo Tofu along with enough rice, beans and salsa literally for days. I especially loved that they included some delicious vegan options, so all of our member could partake!
I’d say my absolute favorite really was their Vegan Chipotle Crema, an absolutely show-stopping mix of sour cream and a hint of chipotle and vinegar. I had half a mind to layer everything I got with huge dollops of this sauce; I just couldn’t get enough!
Out of respect for public decency, I decided to just get seconds and thirds of all the food and was totally stuffed for the night. Our plates looked and tasted so good that we attracted quite a crowd around our event, complete with longing looks at the food from the people sitting around us. I think it’s fair to call Tocaya the official go-to place for all the Her Campus members that came that day!
Our end of the year really wouldn’t have been the same without Tocaya Organica, and I’ll forever remember the memories of watching the sun go down over our beloved Kuruvungva Steps, my mouth exploding with flavor as I talked to my fellow writers about how far we’ve come this year. I got to complete a chapter in my college career in such a spectacular way, and for that, I’ll always be grateful. Thanks to the Tocaya team and our amazing club leaders and club mates for such an eventful year!