2025 Concern Foundation Fundraiser

Success is something the Concern Foundation has achieved with its popular food festival. Dubbed an Annual Block Party, the amount of money the Concern Foundation Fundraiser brings in each year is truly astounding. The event always sells out and has raised many millions of dollars to help fight cancer. I can personally attest, that the vibe of the fundraiser is so joyful. The 2025 theme was GAME ON! Together Let’s Beat Cancer. It was great to take a break from eating and play a game. Plus, the Tom Nolan Band was fabulous as usual. There was a DJ and jazz band as well to help us dance off some of that exquisite cuisine.

2025 Concern Foundation Fundraiser

I have attended many of the Concern Foundation Annual Block Parties and they seem to get better each year. The 2025 fundraiser was truly extraordinary. The best purveyors of spirits and upscale restaurants tempted us all with out-of-this-world specialty items. I had to carefully pick and choose what to eat. My returning favorites included Emporium Thai, 1212 Santa Monica, STK Los Angeles, Nobu Malibu, Dulan’s Soul Foo d Kitchen, and Factor’s Famous Deli. However, there were so many newbies. You can find review links of the first three restaurants mentioned above at the bottom of this article. It was a phenomenal night. These are my top picks!

Lawry’s The Prime Rib

This year, my husband and I had a plan. We would walk around first and explore the layout. That way we would not fill up too soon. Unfortunately, just as we entered Lawry’s The Prime Rib called to us with a scrumptious prime rib sandwich. Of course, we stopped. The meat was so succulent. I didn’t eat the bread, because I knew what was just around the corner.

Wife and the Somm

As we explored the layout, a new addition to the Block Party, Wife and the Somm caught my attention. Owners Chris Lucchese and Christy Lindgren Lucchese served Ahi Tartare (braised & crispy salsify, green goddess, espuma, onion ash with summer flowers). This was such a distinctive dish. Like a breath of fresh air, the tuna was so delicate. Moreover, the assortment of unique ingredients created a light yet briny flavor with a slight crunch. It was heavenly. The restaurant opened in 2021 and is now well known for its tantalizing cuisine and exceptional wines.

The Red Fish

The Red Fish was new to the event. Word had gotten out, and they had a huge line, but it went quickly. They offered an impressive array of sushi rolls displayed like edible art. This newly opened modern restaurant (April 2025) is making big waves in West Hollywood. I can see why. The food was simply fantastic. The fish was so fresh and mouth watering. I can’t wait to dine at this restaurant (see photo above).

Poppy & Rose

I spotted the owners of Poppy & Rose, Chef Michael Reed and Kwini Reed. I’ve written about them before, and these two are the cutest couple. They brought a sensational offering…a potato brick hash, bbq pulled pork, with a quail egg on top. This was another crowd favorite. It had a beautiful crunch, saucy bbq tang draped by a sexy, perfectly cooked egg yolk drizzle – so good.

Taisho

The restaurant Taisho really wowed us with a subtle and exquisite dish. The team at Taisho served up Sea Bream Sashimi with Kumquat Marmalade and Yuzu Vinaigrette. The sweet, yet tart kumquat marmalade was a surprising, unique and flawless pairing. Plus, the Yuzu vinaigrette took it across the finish line. My tastebuds were popping with excitement.

More stand-out tastes included a delectable lamb chop from Vibrato Grill Jazz, a truffle infused taco from City Club Los Angeles, excellent sushi from Leona’s, and the most delicious tantalizing chicken on a stick from Box Chicken.

Moreover there were tons of fabulous desserts from Jenni’s Ice cream, Bertha’s Mae’s Brownie Co., Porto’s Bakery, Just Jan’s, Deluscious Cookies and more. I posted many reels on ETG’s Instagram on the day of the event – July 19, 2025.

As I mentioned earlier, Concern Foundation truly outdid itself with the 2025 Block Party Fundraiser. Be sure to mark your calendars, as this is one of the best and biggest foodie feasts in Los Angeles. Plus, each year it raises more and more money for cancer research. So, it is a win win for everyone all around. I hope to see you there next year! https://www.concernfoundation.org

Visit the ETG Food & Wine Reviews Page to see more restaurant reviews. As per above, here are reviews for 1212 Santa Monica, Emporium Thai as well as STK Los Angeles.