|
So I took a look around and didn't notice any kind of local food thread for Los Angeles. I'll be going to a wedding in LA in mid-December and wanted to see if I could get some food recommendations for the 5 days we would be there. I lived in LA for a year in 2005-6 and am pretty familiar with driving the area, from Ventura to Long Beach to San Bernardino, so I welcome recommendations that are further afield. I lived there before food carts and umami burgers and tart frozen yogurt were a thing apparently, so I get the feeling that food in LA has sort of changed since 2005. We've already been to all the touristy junk long ago (Pink's, Cantor's, Langer's, In & Out, etc) and aren't really interested in that kind of food. For what it's worth, I'd especially like some new recommendations in the following categories: -Thai (other than Palms...) -Japanese (doesn't necessarily need to be sushi, I'd like to try Tsujita Artisan Noodle on Sawtelle for one, but a second solid Japanese rec would be welcome. This could be in Torrance or Gardena or any of those areas as well. This can be overwhelmingly authentic/inaccessible for non-Japanese speakers and I would still be okay with it. Any solid Izakaya-style restaurants nowadays?) -Korean, BBQ or otherwise (Other than BCD Tofu House) -For that matter, any dim sum or unusually good Chinese recs in Alhambra area? Anything other than Sichuan would be welcome as I'm on Sichuan burnout right now. -Mexican (would prefer a place to sit but in a pinch food trucks are okay too, despite my heritage I know very little about Mexican food so somewhere authentic yet not entirely overwhelmingly difficult to navigate for someone clueless would be great) -Someone once long ago recommended Pacific Dining Car to me for "the Lynchian atmosphere," but is the food there even decent enough to excuse going for the kitsch factor? -Any beer bars/pubs with particularly long and outstanding craft beer selections. Other than that any other worthwhile recommendations of places not exorbitantly expensive would be appreciated. I feel as though a lot has really changed and don't know where to start with looking for places this time around. Thanks in advance for any help! hallo spacedog fucked around with this message at 02:40 on Nov 12, 2012 |
#
?
Nov 12, 2012 02:17
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 26, 2024 01:58 |
|
|
If you're around West LA and want a great sushi spot definitely try: http://www.yelp.com/biz/sakura-japanese-restaurant-los-angeles I've been going there for almost 20 years now. And although its not exactly as it was a few years ago with the prices going up, it's still one of the best Japanese restaurants I've been to. For Mexican food I go right across the street to: http://www.yelp.com/biz/pacos-tacos-los-angeles Lot's of different options, but I always find myself ordering the al pastor tacos because they are so dam good. If you can ever find the Grill 'Em All food truck: http://www.yelp.com/biz/grill-em-all-los-angeles Get in line and order the Dee Snider.
|
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2012 02:45
|
|
|
Oh wow, I can actually make a recommendation for once There's a mexican place in North Hollywood (might be a little out of your way) called Salsa and Beer, went there a few times with an ex and some friends. The food is cheap and plentiful, but super good. It's usually fairly busy so expect about a 20 minute wait, and parking is kinda poo poo. Still gets a strong recommendation.
|
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2012 06:20
|
|
|
hallo spacedog posted:-Korean, BBQ or otherwise (Other than BCD Tofu House) - If you want to spend under $20 and get AYCE, Road To Seoul quote:-For that matter, any dim sum or unusually good Chinese recs in Alhambra area? Anything other than Sichuan would be welcome as I'm on Sichuan burnout right now. - If you're in the mood for shanghai soup dumplings: Mama's Lu. There are two locations, one newer and one older (forgot which is which), both superior to DinTaiFung, which is the one everyone talks about. Mama's Lu is a little inconsistent in quality though. - Another great shanghai dumpling place is J&J Cafe - For all around dim sum, I like Golden China, a bit out of the way in Rowland Heights - Also in Rowland Heights is a nice asian bakery called 85 Degrees - Might as well make it a whole excursion to Rowland heights and get shaved snow at Class 302. It differs from shaved ice in that it's shaved ice cream flakes instead of shaved ice chips. hallo spacedog posted:
- You can try the Holy Trinity of ramen: Santouka in the Mitsuwa market food court in West LA, Daikokuya in Little Tokyo or ShinSenGumi Ramen in Gardena - Not a whole lot of izakaya that I recall... Honda Ya in the top floor of the mall in Little Tokyo was pretty good Steve Yun fucked around with this message at 08:46 on Nov 12, 2012 |
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2012 07:45
|
|
|
hallo spacedog posted:
We stopped by Ginger Thai in Canoga Park with a group of friends a little while back and we were all blown away by their quality and deliciousness. Even their jasmine rice was the best I've ever had and I could just order plates of it on its own if the other stuff wasn't so yummy. The owner is a the coolest lady you'll ever meet and she was happy that she could make our food the "right way" with curries and spices as intended because most of their clientele ask them to make things mild. hallo spacedog posted:-Japanese (doesn't necessarily need to be sushi, I'd like to try Tsujita Artisan Noodle on Sawtelle for one, but a second solid Japanese rec would be welcome. This could be in Torrance or Gardena or any of those areas as well. This can be overwhelmingly authentic/inaccessible for non-Japanese speakers and I would still be okay with it. Any solid Izakaya-style restaurants nowadays?) In addition to Nobu, Shibuya in Calabasas has amazing, super-fresh sushi at a slightly lower price and it's practically off the 101 so it's not that hard to get to. The atmosphere sucks and waits can be long, but the food (especially the daily specials) is definitely worth it. hallo spacedog posted:-Someone once long ago recommended Pacific Dining Car to me for "the Lynchian atmosphere," but is the food there even decent enough to excuse going for the kitsch factor? Went there once. The food was okay. The prices were obscene. If you want to eat on a train car, just grab a weiner at Carney's for a fraction of the price. hallo spacedog posted:-Any beer bars/pubs with particularly long and outstanding craft beer selections. Wurstküche. Great sausages. Great beer. Great times. Prices and wait times can be a little much at times, though.
|
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2012 20:38
|
|
|
Steve Yun posted:- If you want to spend $30, Park's BBQ in Koreatown (a la carte) To add to this, for AYCE Korean BBQ, there's also http://www.haejangchon.com/new/ but it has an insane weight. Right next door is this place - http://www.yelp.com/biz/byul-gobchang-los-angeles - which serves intenstines, stomach, etc. but is absolutely delicious. If you want cheap sushi (nothing fancy at all), check out Sushi Stop on Sawtelle: http://sushistopusa.com/
|
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2012 23:31
|
|
|
I haven't eaten a lot in LA but when I visit family out there we go to a few places so my experience is limited, but I will share what I know. Dim Sum: Empress Pavilion It's the only one I have been too but it was pretty good. The line is usually fairly long so it can't be that bad. Italian: Italys little kitchen A nice small place that serves pretty good food. Thai: Thai Talay Recently remodeled. Haven't been there recently but it was fairly cheap the last time I was there. Mexican: Viva Fresh Mexican Grill Cheap and tasty. Seafood/American: Tony P's Dockside Grill Right on the marina, good view and good food.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2012 14:55
|
|
|
BTW I think Santouka closes by 7:30
|
|
#
?
Nov 18, 2012 04:10
|
|
|
I can't really recommend GOOD places since it's been over ten years since I lived there, but my favorite dive is: Tito's Tacos. Hard, Tex-Mex style tacos, but everything is made fresh, and they don't spare the lard. Good guac and enchiladas, perfect drunk/stoner food. Right off of 405/Sepulveda just south of Venice Blvd, there is also a decent pastrami joint around the corner. https://www.yelp.com/biz/titos-tacos-culver-city AS for GOOD sit down Mexican, there was a place over in Santa Monica, just over the border from Venice that we used to eat at... can't think of the name. Squashy Nipples fucked around with this message at 16:44 on Nov 18, 2012 |
|
#
?
Nov 18, 2012 16:30
|
|
|
If you want a great burger and beer, I can't recommend Father's Office highly enough. Also, while they aren't the best Mexican food in town, I think very highly of both Mexicali and Sol Y Luna. Note, both of these require trips into the Valley. The Glumslinger fucked around with this message at 06:16 on Nov 19, 2012 |
|
#
?
Nov 19, 2012 06:09
|
|
|
I'll second Empress Pavilion for dim sum. I love it. Unfortunately I don't live in LA so I can't really give many good recommendations there, but if you did mention Ventura. If you happen to be there, try Gotetsu: http://www.yelp.com/biz/gotetsu-ventura Choadmaster fucked around with this message at 08:02 on Nov 19, 2012 |
|
#
?
Nov 19, 2012 07:42
|
|
|
The Glumslinger posted:If you want a great burger and beer, I can't recommend Father's Office highly enough. Seconding this place. Probably the best restaurant burger I've ever had, and sweet potato fries 
|
|
#
?
Nov 19, 2012 07:44
|
|
|
It's very fast foody, but King Taco can be found pretty much everywhere in Los Angeles and they have the most amazing burritos ever.
|
|
#
?
Nov 19, 2012 07:49
|
|
|
Thai: jitlada. Incredible menu, family run, great recommendations if you ask. Crying tiger is their "specialty" dish that gets brought up a lot but the mussles are good as is almost everything. Soft shell crab is great. I make it a point to ask for a recommendation an get something new each time. Never been disappointed. Japanese: Shabu Shabu house downtown. Worth the wait (get there early!!!) and their homemade ponzu is amazing. Lunch is a better deal than dinner but both are fairly priced. I've heard it was the first Shabu Shabu in the US but I can't confirm. Mexican: Yxta downtown. Gotta drive past some depressing areas and the building is very unassuming but it is well appointed and the Mexican food is authentic and delicious. Everything is made from scratch down to their margarita mix. Other places: Baco Mercat downtown. Maccarons at Bouttega Louie are great. The Bazaar at the SLS is a pretty unique experience to Los Angeles and their laughably expensive cocktails are certainly delicious. Can be a bit of a meat market at the bar on most nights. I actually think Umami Burger is better than Fathers Office in both execution and variety, and their tater tots that are off the menu at some locations are great. Sweet potato fries are everywhere but Both places do a drat good job. Italian I like Angelini Osteria or Terroni. The somewhat obvious Osteria Mozza / Pizzeria Mozza are great too, but pricy as expected. Quick sandwiches: Mendocino Farms has several locations and was just sold for 15 million dollars so its popularity is highly valued. It's my favorite sandwich place in town but Soda Pops near the Beverly Center is good too. Lots of great places to eat in town, you're sure to eat well!
|
|
#
?
Nov 19, 2012 08:58
|
|
|
I no longer live in LA, but the really stand out places for me are: The Grilled Cheese Truck is really good if you find out where it happens to be. I went there once when it was in the parking lot by the Eagle Rock brewery, and it was a pretty fun night. If you want good beer I really like Good in Silver Lake. They have a really big beer menu and pretty good food. And if you're willing to make the trip to Burbank, Tony's is my favorite bar in the world. They have about 30 rotating beers on tap, with 1 page entirely dedicated to California IPAs and all the bartenders are really knowledgeable and able to give good recommendations based on what you like. Tony himself is a vegan, so there's good vegan food if you're into that (or if you're not, they make killer sausages with a lot of options). I can't recommend this place enough.
|
|
#
?
Nov 19, 2012 10:19
|
|
|
Have you ever had Japanese curry? You have to have some Japanese curry. If I were condemned to death, this would be my last meal. It's a little outside LA proper but you said you don't mind branching out. There are very likely other places inside LA to get Japanese curry, but I reallllly like this place. http://www.ichibanyausa.com/index.html The variety and quality of food is excellent, and if you like heat to your food, they can deliver. I am a mutant that can eat retardedly hot food, and the 10x heat curry makes me sweat every time.
|
|
#
?
Nov 19, 2012 20:40
|
|
|
I'm surprised no one has mentioned Chego!. If you have ever heard of the Kogi food truck, they call the restaurant their little brother. They primarily sell rice bowls, but rice bowls you have never experienced. Every entree is very different. They also let you bring in your own alcohol. I would look for the Kogi Truck also. It's Korean Mexican fusion. Actually, I would use Food Truck Maps LA to look up where the food trucks are currently located and try to hit up the interesting ones.
|
|
#
?
Nov 19, 2012 23:23
|
|
|
^^Chego! is loving amazing, love their beefy T. The Mid-Wilshire area around Miracle Mile is filled with good eats. Many of the better LA food trucks also gather across the street from LACMA during midday (I've also seen a lobster roll truck and Sprinkles Cupcake truck at night).
|
|
#
?
Nov 20, 2012 00:38
|
|
|
THE RED MENACE posted:^^Chego! is loving amazing, love their beefy T. I've heard that from friends about that area. The greatest irony is that when I lived in LA I worked right across from LACMA and there wasn't a drat thing to eat nearby before food trucks. I'll have to check it out for old times sake. Thank you for all the awesome recommendations so far everyone.
|
|
#
?
Nov 20, 2012 01:12
|
|
|
THE RED MENACE posted:^^Chego! is loving amazing, love their beefy T. I live about 5 minutes from this and I disagree actually. Kogi is rarely there, Nom Nom (bahn mi) is rarely there -- most are second / cut rate trucks and pretty uninspired. The major trucks avoided the area initially because local businesses were parking junker cars taking up spots and they didn't want to risk not having a spot or having to get there at 9am to beat the restaurants. Also because they (the bigger trucks) were good they could stake out their own place and draw a crowd instead of depending on the E! / AEG business & LACMA / La Brea Tar Pits foot traffic. Also because they got corporate gigs sponsoring their lunch time location. I would avoid food trucks as a whole on a short trip to LA because no matter how great they are it's a huge YMMV. There are simply too many great places to eat here. I've had amazing things at Grilled Cheese truck and I've been woefully disapointed. Not sure what changes day to day to cause this. And the Lobster roll truck is horribly overpriced and has never been good to me. And Sprinkles, while an ok cupcake, is regularly outdone by a big handful of bakeries in the area. It's a tourist trap because of their silly ATM. Avoid and head to Frosted or Yummy to get your cupcake fix if you need it. And if you really want Kogi truck food, go to Alibi room. Great beers and the food is from Kogi's kitchen. And it's better than chasing around a truck that may or may not be anywhere near you or have a massive line. http://www.alibiroomla.com/menu.php
|
|
#
?
Nov 20, 2012 01:56
|
|
|
For Thai I recommend Sanamluang Cafe and Sapp Coffee shop and I second Jitlada. If you want to try out some Peruvian food I recommend Mo Chica and Mario's Peruvian food. Can anyone recommend a good sub sandwich shop near mid Wilshire area?
|
|
#
?
Nov 20, 2012 08:40
|
|
|
Korean -- I hear a lot of good things about Palsaik Samgyupsal in Koreatown. Their signature is a sampler with 8 flavors of pork. Chinese -- I've become a big fan of Tasty Garden, has several locations in San Gabriel Valley. Solid Cantonese food that opens until really late (like 1 to 2 AM some nights). Newport Seafood in San Gabriel is also a constant favorite. Dim Sum most people say Sea Harbour in Rosemead is the best SnowWolf fucked around with this message at 08:51 on Nov 20, 2012 |
|
#
?
Nov 20, 2012 08:48
|
|
|
panda85 posted:Peruvian food I recommend Mo Chica and Mario's Peruvian food. Can anyone recommend a good sub sandwich shop near mid Wilshire area? Mo Chica is great, too. Left that off if my list because I had only been there once but yes. One of LA's best. Mendocino Farms, 3rd and Fairfax. Soda Pops, La cienega north of Beverly (not really mid Wilshire but close!) All About The Bread is at La Brea and melrose. A Bay Cities rip off but it's good
|
|
#
?
Nov 20, 2012 17:30
|
|
|
Oh hey and LA thread! This one looks to be off to a much better start than the one I started a long time ago. Mozza - both the pizzeria and the osteria are amazing. people say the pizza is the best in the country. I don't care for making such claims, but I do know it's one of the best, and definitely the best of its style. Daikokuya Little Tokyo - Great ramen, don't bother with the other locations, the little tokyo one is far and away better. Santouka - Mentioned already, awesome ramen, my favorite one in the country. ...and yes, I've had momofuku and ippudo. thirding Father's Office. Probably counter to a lot of people, I will say avoid the food truck scene. Its trendiness has completely overblown both the prices and the quality, it is sheer novelty now. (Except for the ludo fried chicken truck, get that) Bouchon - Thomas Keller's bistro. They have one location in Beverly Hills. Great food. The first time I went the service was pretty bad and it was the day after I proposed to my wife. Wrote the GM an email, not flaming or yelling, but telling him all the details of why it sucked. To my surprise he called me the next day, apologized profusely, and offered without me even asking to refund the total of the bill and to handle our next reservation and all further reservations personally. So yeah, the next time we went, the experience was awesome, and he came by our table to apologize more and comp'd us their chicken liver mousse app because they ran out of the foie terrine when I inquired about it(the day we went was the last weekend of the foiecalypse). Bazaar at SLS - Jose Andres joint. Fantastic food. Both the three course standard dining option Tres and the full blown tasting menu place Saam, service and food are amazing. Incredible cocktails, too. Probably the weirdest/most interesting decor for a restaurant that I've been in, but I dig it. Fogo de chao - Churrascaria, if you want to eat a lot of meat, go here. Phillipe the Original - great dipped sandwiches. The standard is the beef, I think the lamb dip is the best. Santa Monica Seafood has a great selection of seafood, I go there for oysters. Waterloo and City has great charcuterie. I hear great things about Urasawa but have not been. The place is usually recommended to me when I toot on about Matsuhisa, so, yeah. Skip Pink's Hot Dogs, boring dogs, way too long of a line, just don't bother. I do most of my chinese food eating in Rowland Heights, that's probably far for some, but I can throw some recs out if anyone's interested. And I live in Riverside, I can throw some recs for the IE, too, if people are ok with including that in this thread. GrAviTy84 fucked around with this message at 19:45 on Nov 20, 2012 |
|
#
?
Nov 20, 2012 19:42
|
|
|
We used to have a vendor who would take us to lunches at Fogo de Chao, and it was amazing to eat there when I wasn't paying for it. Bouchon and Urasawa sound awesome but sadly kind of out of my price range at the moment.
|
|
#
?
Nov 20, 2012 20:11
|
|
|
GrAviTy84 posted:Phillipe the Original - great dipped sandwiches. The standard is the beef, I think the lamb dip is the best. How did I forget this place  I really can't recommend this place highly enough for cheap, but excellent meal. Both the lamb and beef are great, but you have to try the potato salad.
|
|
#
?
Nov 20, 2012 20:16
|
|
|
The Glumslinger posted:How did I forget this place I liked the lamb the best and the coffee there is super cheap too. If you like pastrami I recommend going to Langer's and getting their number 19.
|
|
#
?
Nov 21, 2012 06:07
|
|
|
Thanks for the suggestions - I'm in LA visiting at the moment and visited several of these places!
|
|
#
?
Nov 21, 2012 06:15
|
|
|
hallo spacedog posted:Bouchon and Urasawa sound awesome but sadly kind of out of my price range at the moment. Go to Bouchon for brunch, order the quiche and split a pastry sampler with whoever goes with you. That will run about $20 a person and is goddamn amazing. (Seriously their quiche is one of the best things I have ever eaten).
|
|
#
?
Nov 21, 2012 16:58
|
|
|
Cormack posted:Go to Bouchon for brunch, order the quiche and split a pastry sampler with whoever goes with you. That will run about $20 a person and is goddamn amazing. Awesome, thanks for the tip. That does sound doable and worth it.
|
|
#
?
Nov 21, 2012 18:20
|
|
|
GrAviTy84 posted:And I live in Riverside, I can throw some recs for the IE, too, if people are ok with including that in this thread. I would like to know what places you recommend in the I.E. I live in Moreno Valley and always looking for new places to try
|
|
#
?
Nov 22, 2012 19:15
|
|
|
Dak02 posted:I would like to know what places you recommend in the I.E. I live in Moreno Valley and always looking for new places to try Augie's Coffee in Redlands, best coffee in the IE. The Salted Pig in Downtown Riverside. One of my favorite places. Seasonal rotating menu, fantastic selection of craft beers both on tap and in the bottle that also rotates frequently, weekly selection of unique ice creams. Probably the best burgers in the I.E. Get the pig board, the brussels sprouts, the bone marrow, the pork belly sandwich. I've not had a bad thing here. And they just started doing a weekly suckling pig roast on wednesdays. http://www.saltedpigriverside.com/ Weekly specials posted here http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Salted-Pig/145527572145922?fref=ts Farm Artisan Foods in Redlands. Love this place. When we asked if they would cater our wedding and they said they only cater to one location so we visited the location they mentioned, loved it, and changed our minds to have it there. So I guess you can say we chose our venue based on where the caterer could go. Seasonal, roatating, local, yada yada. They host craft beer dinners and guest chef tasting menus. http://www.farmartisanfoods.com/ Cafe Sevilla. They have a few locations, Long Beach and out in Riverside. A bit pricy, but I think the food is good. http://www.cafesevilla.com/riverside/index.php Best Thai. I hear they have a MoVal location, but I've not been there to see if it's good. The one on Spruce in Riverside is great though. Portillo's is like 5 min from my house and I eat there way more often than I'd like to admit. Chicago chain, transplanted here. Get the Italian beef, dipped, with hot peppers. Burger Boss is pretty good, too. Like a gussied up five guys. Just discovered Mamayita's Salvadoran in MoVal. Went once. Really enjoyed it. Great prices. Sushi Shiro in Upland is the best sushi in the IE that I've had. I like the pho at Pho Vinam at University Village in Riverside. They can be kinda rude though, and with its proximity to UCR, they get slammed at lunch and dinner. Get banh mi up the street at Pho Saigon. Life Cafe nearby used to be quite good, but they've been slipping. Regardless it is the only place in the area that I know of to get ramen and shabu shabu. There's an African (looks Nigerian) restaurant in MoVal I want to try, haven't made it there yet though. Also just discovered a soul food place. Any way I could go on forever, the IE has a lot of hidden hole in the wall jewels, erm, jewels in the wall. Edit: :shh: I suppose I technically live in MoVal, too 
GrAviTy84 fucked around with this message at 20:24 on Nov 22, 2012 |
|
#
?
Nov 22, 2012 20:19
|
|
|
Any place worth going to in Westwood?
|
|
#
?
Nov 23, 2012 11:46
|
|
|
The Glumslinger posted:
Sol y Luna has the best guacamole I have ever had in my life. They do it table side and adjust it to your tastes. But again, the valley...
|
|
#
?
Nov 23, 2012 13:02
|
|
|
Adrastus posted:Any place worth going to in Westwood? 800 degrees if the line isn't too bad. Chego is kinda close.
|
|
#
?
Nov 23, 2012 17:57
|
|
|
Adrastus posted:Any place worth going to in Westwood? 800 degrees, Bella Pita, Angelino's, Gushi, and Soleil are all pretty good. There's an Umami opening up on Westwood as well.
|
|
#
?
Nov 23, 2012 21:32
|
|
|
Umami burger in Santa Monica is great. Is that too touristy? I haven't lived in LA for very long. My favorite thing to do is still just to go down to Redondo beach pier and eat animals right out of the ocean at Quality Seafood. I'd like to get more into Thai and Indian food now that I live in LA - can anyone recommend a good place to start?
|
|
#
?
Nov 24, 2012 06:22
|
|
|
Jitlada for Thai. There are several suggestions in previous posts.
|
|
#
?
Nov 24, 2012 07:41
|
|
|
A lot of my favorite Thai places closed down in the Rowland Heights area. But there's still a good Shabu place out that way (too bad the arcade is gone.) Tokyo Shabu Shabu is good and cheap, if not a little out of the way. Gaja in Torrance is pretty amazing okonomiyaki, but they only let you cook on the tables yourself during dinner. There are also a lot of good little hole in the wall Japanese and Korean places dotted around Rolling Hills Plaza and Marukai market in Torrance/Gardena. If you want really good sushi, I highly recommend Kanpachi and go for the omakase. As far as just good food, you can't go wrong with Canter's and they're open 24 hours.  I also kind of like Lazy Dog Cafe last few times I've been there. They've changed their menu a few times, but they do serve local brews and their cinnamon pizza is pretty boss for dessert.
|
|
#
?
Nov 24, 2012 22:02
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 26, 2024 01:58 |
|
|
Invader Mat posted:If you're around West LA and want a great sushi spot definitely try: Holy crap, my Ex actually took me there when I was in LA. This place is awesome, and I recommend it to anybody and everybody.
|
|
#
?
Nov 25, 2012 03:37
|
|