Do It. Springfest and KXSC Fest at USC.

While its crosstown rival may have hosted Local Natives last week, USC is ready to up its game and give you a double whammy of music this weekend. The downtown campus will be holding not one, but two different music festivals, sure to entice all your musical taste buds.

First up is Springfest 2011 on Saturday, headlined by the ever-talented Mos Def. Other artists to perform include Kid Sister, Murs, Rooney, Steel Train and Hands, and Kogi BBQ and the Dim Sum Truck are expected to pop on by.

Then on Sunday comes the (local campus radio station) KXSC Fest 2011, leaning on the more indie rock spectrum. They've got local faves Abe Vigoda and Avi Buffalo lined up, as well as Puro Instinct, Julianna Barwick, and a very special secret guest. There'll also be DJ sets, and a visit from the Coolhaus truck.

It's all day, all free and all ages -- enjoy some music and get your Trojan love on.

USC is located 3551 Trousdale Pkwy. near downtown.

-- Chau Tu

Photo credit: USC

Eat Out. Alibi Room.

It's not always easy trying to chase all those food trucks trolling around L.A. Upon a recent craving for some Kogi BBQ, my friend and I discovered that none of the four graffiti-ed trucks were actually in L.A. proper, and we weren't interested in driving down to South Gate or Encino. Thankfully, the dudes behind the food truck craze got smart and covered their bases with a brick-and-mortar Kogi installation at the Alibi Room.

The Alibi Room, under normal circumstances, is your normal fancy neighborhood bar. Located on Washington Blvd. on the other side of the 405 from downtown Culver City, it's kind of in a random spot, but still attracts a nightlife-stylish crowd by 6pm on a Friday. It looked to be the place where you can get your night started, before heading off to more lively locales. Why anyone would want to get drinks there, though, puzzled me: the custom cocktails were tasty and creative enough, but definitely still way over-priced at $10. Draft beers are $7, and there are no happy hour options.

So in theory, it must be only the Kogi that's keeping the Alibi busy. But with unique specials like calamari tacos and the burger, the trip for the Kogi alone is worth it, mostly for those who have already waited out in the various truck lines and know all the specials by heart. The prices, at $5-$9, make sense, and the flavors and Kogi fun are all still there. Become a regular and you can keep up with Chef Roy Choi's weekly specials. Maybe not as fun as following the trucks, but you don't have to worry about the lines. Just remember to drink somewhere else.

The Alibi Room is located at 12236 Washington Blvd. in Culver City. Take note that Kogi BBQ is only available Mon.-Sat. from 6pm to midnight.

-- Chau Tu

Photo credit: Alibi Room

Eat Out. ESPN World Cup Match Truck.

Well surprise, surprise: L.A. has been hit with yet another food truck. This one, however, sure has some hype going with it--not only is it being sponsored by ESPN in honor of the World Cup, but it also happens to be backed by food truck godfather Roy Choi (of Kogi fame). Talk about an unbeatable matchup!

So what's the final score? Our special foodie correspondent was out on the field for a preview tasting, and tells us that overall, everything was pretty tasty, adding extra flair to 'worldly' fare. She tipped that the lamb gyros are the way to go--"easily the best of the three items sampled." She also liked the Kogi-popular sliders, which I've tasted before and absolutely loved (they use sweet Hawaiian rolls!). Check out more of her review here, and the rest of the menu on Grub Street.

And while you're picking up your worldly food, the truck will be conveniently screening all the World Cup matches live in HD. You'll practically have the world in your hands! (ha) See the full schedule here (it corresponds to the matches, so be ready to get up early!).

NB: For more food truck action today, hit up Americana at Brand tonight at 6pm for another edition of Street Feast, featuring the Grilled Cheese Truck, Coolhaus (who's giving out FREE ice cream sandwiches all week!) and more. Happy eating!

-- Chau Tu

Photo credit: Tovan Tran; clockwise from top: lamb gyro, sliders, and carne asada burrito

Eat Out. Chego.

I still remember standing in line for my first Kogi taco. It was windy, cold, and although I was more than 10 minutes early, there were already people milling about the sidewalk outside of the Golden Gopher. In just two minutes, the line was snaking around the corner. Now, with four trucks on hand and too many knockoffs to count, Kogi's lines aren't so insanely hyped anymore, but that doesn't mean the demand isn't there.

Enter Chego. Kogi's chef de cuisine Roy Choi has decided to jump off the truck route for a bit to helm a brick-and-mortar institute and get back to his roots, Korean- and kitchen-wise, and the foodies have come running. A lot has been riding on Chego, based off Kogi's reputation alone, but it's also running off the steam from Choi's recent Food & Wine Best New Chef nomination.

And Choi isn't backing down from the pressure. This time he's taking over rice bowls, and it isn't your simple chicken and rice. Think rice of the stickier variety (sticky but not sweet), completely engulfed in large chunks of meat and an explosion of strong, fragrant spices, usually topped off by a fried egg. It's fun, ambitious food, challenging you to really engage in the meal rather than boringly set it aside. It's obvious that Choi is obsessed with flavors, flavor combinations and seeing how food works, and it's an fascinating ride.