15 Aug Please The Palate Pick of the Week: Arena Cinelounge’s Signature Gourmet Popcorn

For some people, the best part of going to the movie theater is the popcorn. But now our homes are our movie theaters and microwaving popcorn is not as satisfying. But then I got my hands on Arena Cinelounge Gourmet Popcorn and watching movies at home has gotten even better! Tasty flavors and catchy creative names, Arena Cinelounge Gourmet Popcorn is the Please The Palate pick of the week. Arena Cinelounge is a movie theater in Los Angeles known as the premiere destination for all independent films, horror and genre cinema! It was founded by Christian Meoli in 2012. He founded the 99-seat theater located next to The Egyptian Theater in Hollywood and it became the premiere arthouse film destination for independent film. As a champion of independent films, Arena Cinelounge has given the genre a home. Gourmet popcorn was an offering to Arena Cinelounge patron. They began with the creation of Naked Sea Salt and began to brainstorm ideas for different flavors. And, each flavor was given a name referencing a movie, making a connection between the popcorn and movies. They officially launched popcorn to the public at Arthouse Convergence on National Popcorn Day and soon sold to Del Ray Theaters in Florida. The popcorn was served to festival attendees at Sundance and Entertainment Weekly featured the popcorn in their gift guide. Amazon included the popcorn in a special promotion for their film The Vast of Night. The popcorn is blossom popcorn and it is non-GMO, vegan, dairy and nut-free, with the highest quality ingredients possible. The 8 flavors include:

• Natural Corn Killers – Naked with Sea Salt
• Popcorn of the Living Dead – Cinnamon Churro with Crushed Pretzels
• Eternal Popcorn of the Spotless Mind – Rosemary Salted Caramel
• APOPalypse Now – Jalapeno
• Once Upon a Time in Popcorn – Mesquite Smoked Cheddar
• Truffaut Truffle – Truffle
• Crouching Tiger, Hidden Popcorn – Sweet Chili Lime
• Meoli’s Bliss – Bourbon Caramel with Espresso Pretzels

I have a hard time picking a favorite! If you want a simple popcorn, go with the Natural Corn Killers. But the other flavors are quite addictive as well. The flavors are very natural tasting rather than overpowering with an unnatural taste. Once Upon a Time in Popcorn is a deliciously cheesy popcorn but it does not leave your fingers orange like other cheese popcorn does. The cinnamon on the popcorn in Popcorn of the Living Dead tastes like it was freshly sprinkled on top. The Truffaut Truffle has a subtle taste of truffles as if the truffles were infused into the popcorn. The Eternal Popcorn of the Spotless Mind is one of my favorites as I loved salted caramel popcorn but the rosemary adds an herbal lift. I also loved the fresh espresso flavor of Meoli’s Bliss. And if you like spice, APOPalypse with jalapeno and the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Popcorn with sweet chili lime will hit the spot. They both have a real kick to them! When Covid-19 hit the world and businesses had to shut down, Christian Meoli had to be creative about how to survive. He quickly pivoted and began selling the gourmet popcorn directly to the consumer. The nine flavors can be purchased for home delivery via Grubhub and Postmates, as well as on the Arena Cinelounge website. The gourmet popcorn can also be found at a few Los Angeles markets, including Joan’s On Third, The Oaks Gourmet market and Element 129 in Culver City. Enhance the enjoyment of watching movies, or binging television shows, with a bag of Arena Cinelounge’s signature gourmet popcorn. Today the sales of the gourmet popcorn is saving the theater from closing down, which is in effect saving the home for independent cinema and filmmakers. So, purchasing the popcorn is a win-win for everyone. In normal times, Area Cinelounge brings us the joy of independent films and now we can support this small business while satisfying our palates. And, in addition to the popcorn being delicious, it is pre-packaged which makes it very safe to eat. Supporting a small business while eating something tasty is why Arena Cinelounge’s signature gourmet popcorn is the Please The Palate pick of the week.