Food scene in L.A.

speeder · 10-02-2025, 09:18 PM

It's absolutely impossible to list or catalogue all of the diverse cuisines and fusions going on in what is the best restaurant town in the USA at the moment but I'll offer a sample. I love to eat good food and especially be introduced to new flavors or dishes from other parts of the world, hopefully this video will play without a paywall:

https://www.latimes.com/00000199-a6ec-de30-afbd-beef27ce0000-123

speeder · 10-02-2025, 09:25 PM

There are several of these food courts around town with several restaurants in them, another is called Mercado Paloma downtown and has Holbox, which is a fish place that was recently awarded a Michelin star. It's about 5 minutes from my shop space, so we are regulars:

https://www.holboxla.com/#/

look 171 · 10-02-2025, 11:35 PM

This is one of the reason why I like this place. Growing up here, having no money so most of the expensive, exciting places were out of reach. Not until I started working only to discovered that there's a ton of restaurants from all over the world be it authentic or with a twist for the American taste. Food halls are popping up all over the place. Once you get out into the fringes of LA, those exciting places starts to dwindle. We drive all over, sometimes an hour or two jsut to eat at different places. I really the 605 is really the cut off. Loosely speaking anyway.

Shaun @ Tru6 · 10-03-2025, 03:19 AM

I genuinely feel sorry for anyone that loves food and doesn't live in or driving distance to LA, NYC, Portland, New Orleans and 10+ other cities with amazing food culture. Boston has been a food culture desert for 100 years but is finally evolving.

id10t · 10-03-2025, 03:37 AM

My trips to LA to visit the grandparents always included Jerry's deli, wandering the farmers market, and either Lowrey's or the Stinking Rose....

vash · vash's Garage

I road tripped there for tacos once.

and I go annually to hit up what I think is the better Chinese food. blows away up north.

drive sucks, but dang it if I dont love the eats.

Shaun @ Tru6 · 10-03-2025, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vash

I road tripped there for tacos once.

and I go annually to hit up what I think is the better Chinese food. blows away up north.

drive sucks, but dang it if I dont love the eats.

I've driven 5.5 hours to Montreal for bagels, twice.

Zeke · 10-03-2025, 07:54 AM

We have a dedicated food court in LB near the airport but across the street and north of the actual airport on former Douglas/Boeing property called the Hanger. It is built with a barrel roof to mimic a hanger. The food blows. And it's terribly overpriced for what it is, mall food-court food. The place is packed. I don't understand that.

There are a lot of restaurants in LB but I read once that we have more donut shops per capita than anyone. Sounds about right to me.

Dixie · Dixie's Garage

The food in SWF isn't bad. It's just heavily influenced by what tourists want to eat. That's fried seafood, fried hush-puppies, and french-fries. It leaves me thinking this must be what they eat back home.

speeder · 10-03-2025, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeke

We have a dedicated food court in LB near the airport but across the street and north of the actual airport on former Douglas/Boeing property called the Hanger. It is built with a barrel roof to mimic a hanger. The food blows. And it's terribly overpriced for what it is, mall food-court food. The place is packed. I don't understand that.

There are a lot of restaurants in LB but I read once that we have more donut shops per capita than anyone. Sounds about right to me.

I'm thinking maybe Long Beach is not the place.

Ovdee · 10-03-2025, 09:57 AM

Been there twice before

Eric at Pelican Parts · 10-03-2025, 10:08 AM

There's one thai food joint i want to try in Long Beach. Thai food + pizza together has piqued my interest.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/y9v7Wo4e9QywEEuH6

Zeke · 10-03-2025, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric at Pelican Parts

There's one thai food joint i want to try in Long Beach. Thai food + pizza together has piqued my interest.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/y9v7Wo4e9QywEEuH6

The Mexican place there, Linda's, is pretty good. They do sort of home cooked from recipes brought from Mexico. I always wanted authentic chilaquiles but they missed on that if that's the way it's done across the border.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

When we go to LA, we often plan out several meals there. On the drive out there, we stop at a super authentic spicy Chinese place in Indio for lunch. Last time I was in Pasadena, my favorite sushi place, Gin, was gone. But Mrs. Lee always finds some awesome Chinese places off the beaten path. When I'm there alone, I'll always look for Mexican. And my favorite burger in the world at Big Dean's at the Santa Monica Pier.

Zeke · 10-03-2025, 12:07 PM

My understanding is that if you want really good Asian food you stick to the San Gabriel Valley.

3rd_gear_Ted · 3rd_gear_Ted's Garage

Its Oktoberfest, time for some German food, great Roulauden
https://www.thephoenixclub.com/

Taco Tuesday's are a standard. its SoCal, there everywhere

Shawarma on Wednesday after golf. Byblosgrill.com

Thursday or Friday is sometimes Danish open face sandwiches @ Copenhagen Corner .

rfuerst911sc · 10-03-2025, 02:07 PM

My mom used to make the best Roulauden she would shave the beef herself . She was a butcher girl in Germany �� . My mouth waters just thinking about it . Sadly she is gone ��

speeder · 10-03-2025, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeke

My understanding is that if you want really good Asian food you stick to the San Gabriel Valley.

That’s not true at all. In 2022, there were 6 new restaurants added to the Michelin guide in the state of California. Two of those were in LA County, both were Asian restaurants. Neither was anywhere near the San Gabriel Valley.

SGV is a lot of Chinese restaurants, I think. Some are good. You’re forgetting about two dozen other countries in Asia.

look 171 · 10-03-2025, 03:44 PM

Typically speaking, Gardena and Torrance for Japanese. Thai in Hollywood. A college friend married a Thai girl right out of college and they have taken us to some of the best hole in the walls around the Hollywood area. Vietnamese in Westminster / Fountain Valley or that general area. We have driven down there just for that. I have yet tried Cambodian food and there are many around Long Beach. I don't go down to Long beach too much.

Central American food is around West of Downtown between the 101 to about the 10fwy. Those are the typical places where there are lots of people from that parts of the world making what they know best. Indian food are pretty much hit and miss because there's not a place where there are a huge Indian population.

Of course, Glendale for Middle Eastern or Kabob.

Dang, getting hungry.

speeder · 10-03-2025, 07:44 PM

Japanese food is white hot the last few years in LA and the best restaurants are on Sawtelle in West LA or downtown in Little Tokyo. At least if you believe Michelin and follow the crowds…Sawtelle is 2-3 solid blocks of Asian restaurants, mostly Japanese and it’s become very famous and a destination. It’s an absolute zoo down there at night, in a good way, of course. Little Tokyo is also booming, there is at least one famous sushi chef who does not take reservations and opens when he feels like it, when he does there are people lined up at 6PM. Both of the new Michelin guide places I referenced before in LA county are Japanese restaurants.

In my neighborhood, Koreatown, there are dozens of packed restaurants and the amount of money that is spent in one night is mind-blowing…there are so many places doing a million dollars a month. Like I said, it’s booming.