It’s hard to believe, but it’s been 12 years since I’ve been to Los Angeles.
I was still in my 20s, I had just finished graduate school at Northwestern University, and hadn’t even completed my first year as a reporter at the now defunct Honolulu Advertiser.
What happened?
I’ll tell you.
At that time, I started getting the travel bug. I had just come home from living in Chicago — where visiting New York City on the weekend wasn’t crazy — and was earning a regular paycheck.
I went to LA that last time — it was my third trip to the City of Angeles by then — as part of the Cherry Blossom Festival. (We participated in the city’s annual Nisei Week festivities.) So most of what we had done — tour around J-Town, spend an entire day at Disneyland — were things I had already checked off my travel list.
It was time to do something else.
So I did. I started traveling elsewhere — to San Francisco, to Japan, to Paris, to Portland, to Taiwan, to Australia, to Costa Rica — and it never occurred to me to go back to LA.
Until now.
I had to use up a ticket on Delta Airlines that was expiring, and Los Angeles sounded like a reasonable option. I could visit some friends — and my older sister — I hadn’t seen for awhile. I could finally check out King’s Hawaiian Bakery in Torrence. And I could sit on the beach at Malibu and watch the surf I have only seen videos of.
Since I had a free weekend, I decided, “Why not?”
So I’m heading to LA tomorrow morning — my mom in tow — and aside from a few things we already have planned out, our schedule is wide open.
Suggestions? I’m taking ’em!
26 Comments
you might like the kosher delis in LA. langers, canter’s, greenblatt’s, etc. best deli’s this side of NYC.
also, some good burgers around town. tommy burgers are legendary. fatburger is another one. if you go a couple of hours after midnight you can be like ice cube (two in the mornin’ got a fat burger…)
Randy’s Donuts on W. Manchester off of the 405.
Jin Patisserie in Culver City
Urth Caffe (Multiple locations) Carrot cake!
Phillipe’s (Home of the French Dip) 1001 N. Alameda St. Downtown LA
Are you visiting the King’s Hawaiian Bakery Restaurant in Torrance, or the actual bakery/headquarters/warehouse which is also in Torrance?
You may also want to visit The Local Place (https://www.facebook.com/TheLocalPlace), which is also part of King’s Hawaiian and is near the headquarters/warehouse. It’s a little more casual than the restaurant.
If you happen to be in the Redondo Beach area, there’s a little Japanese place called Rice Things (https://ricethingsrb.com/) that is kind of popular with people in the area. It’s a small place, not a fancy restaurant, but good.
Hey Kat,
You are hitting my old stomping ground. The one place I always need to get a fix Is Kyochon – Korean Fried Chicken wings unlike anything you’ve had in Hawaii. Seriously, the last few times I flew to LA, went straight from LAX to K-town to get this fix. Bought 120 wings my last trip there.
Here’s the list I put together when I went in August. A lot of it is in the OC as that is where I used to live my last stint in Cali, but if you have a car……
Kyochon Chicken(Korean Town) – Korean Fried Chicken, soy garlic and hot&sweet flavors
Break of Dawn (Laguna Niguel) = chocolate creme brûlée french toast, corn beef & sweet potato hash, portuguese sausage with green papaya salad and rice pilaf, duck confit with butternut creamed corn,haricot vert omelete, goji berry gastrique
Fukada (Irvine) – Spicy Ahi bowl with brown rice – it’s like eating caviar to me.
Strickland’s (next to UC Irvine) – frozen custard and shakes.
Mochilatto (Irvine) – Japanese style shave ice and mochi ice cream.
Taco Mesa (Costa Mesa) – Watermelon aqua fresco, tacos!
Lawry’s (off La Cienga in LA) – Prime rib!
Stinkin Rose (Also off La Cienga in LA) – everything with garlic kicked up a notch, including ice cream.
Marmalade Cafe (There’s one at the Grove in Fairfax) – Go for breakfast – remember having a really good salmon eggs benedict.
Plum’s Cafe (Costa Mesa) – Plum’s famous Dutch Baby, Pan-fried cornmeal trout, smoke salmon hash,
85C Bakery (Irvine) – Always packed chinese bakery. Love their panna cotta’s and mochi egg tarts. There’s almost a line there
Taco Rosa – Mexican brunch with Huevos Rancheros & churros & chocolate sauce.
Cucina Enoteca (Irvine Spectrum) – Awesome italian food with its own wine shop
Din Tai Fung (Arcadia) – You already know about this one.
Earl of Sandwich (Downtown Disney) – Best sandwiches, include a roast beef sandwhich to die for.
Old Vine Cafe (Costa Mesa – Hands down, the best meal I had my last trip there. Total wine and dine joint.
Bruxies (various locations) – Waffle burgers and custard shakes and sundaes. Went there 3 times last trip. This is such a fun place with fun food.
Coolhaus ice cream sandwiches (I think it’s a food truck) – So good. Not sure where to find them, but they sell them at Whole Foods her for ~$5 a pop they even have ice cream sandwiches with bacon in them.
Donut Man (Glendora) – Tiger Tale donuts, home of the famous Strawberry-stuffed glazed donuts -out of season right now – but they do have pumpkin donuts in season when you go.
Huge Tree Pastry (Monterey Park) – The place to go to for authentic chinese breakfast
The Hat (various locations) – Pastrami sandwich done right. Not for the weak-hearted
Sabatino’s Lido Shipyard Sausage Company (Newport Beach) – steam clams, and Sausage!
Pinks Hot Dogs (Off La Brea in LA) – Double Hot Dog Pastrami Chili burrito dog
Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles (various locations – go to the Hollywood one of Gower – it’s a safer area)) – self explanatory
Ruby’s Diner (various locations) – All American Sliders on King’s Bakery sweet bread buns.
There are endless new joints to eat and explore that I haven’t checked out yet, but these are ones that have left a lasting impression in me. Nothing overly pricey either, being that I’m chinese (8
Please go to Kyochon so somebody else in Hawaii will know what I’m talking about. It is truly my ultimate craving.
Have a great trip!
My bad, I meant Cat (8 Also forgot to mention Porto’s Bakery in Burbank and Glendale. Their guava and cheese pastry is to die for! Huge selection of sweet and savory.
How fun((: looking forward to your photos.
Copenhagen Pastry in Culver City. Pizzeria Mozza, BLD, Blu Jam Cafe, Ricky’s Fish Tacos (check Twitter), Bouchon or just hit the bakery, KoreaTown, Bottega Louie, Porto’s.
Bit of a drive: The Donut Man in Glendora
If you get lost like Stephen Tsai and end up in Orange County, Bruxie.
Samy’s Camera on Fairfax. How about a photo at the “End of Route 66” sign since you lived in Chicago…
Aloha Cat!
My kid kine favorites are Sakuraya (on Western AV in Gardena), Fugetsu-Do (on First ST near Japanese Village Plaza & JANM.org), and Angel Maid Bakery (on S Centinela AV). Go Early for best selection. Check for Hours.
Different but familiar are King’s (in Torrance), Rutt’s (in Culver City), Tommy’s (Home of the triple chili cheese burger and chili cheese fries. originaltommys.com), Tito’s Tacos (in Culver City), Johnnie’s Pastrami (in Culver City), and Fat Burger (everywhere. like In and Out except not light.). Just a start…
Best recommendation. Check out… Lynn Chen’s theactorsdiet.com blog. Lynn Chen is to Southern California, what you are to Oahu. The best to look to for food talk with pictures. 🙂
Enjoy your journey in the City of the Angels!
omg, i slightly hate you.
DO NOT go to hollywood or the chinese man theatre – that is not a good resemblance of LA.
here are my suggestions from your LA girl truly:
lazy ox (j-town)
mo-chica (downtown la) <– ricardo zarate's restaurant
elevate – food is ok, but the view of dtla is amazing.
din thai fung
chipotle
bottega louie
yang san bak – korean bbq in k-town, BOMB. opened till 2am. 🙂
AH, some of my favorite bars:
bar 107
the golden gopher
casey's bar & grill
cole's french dip
the association
the edison
ah, i'm seriously so jells. i hope you see this comment in time!!! xoxo have FUN!!!!!!!!
oh i forgot –
cafe hiro in cypress
spoon house – MY ABSOLUTE FAV, tarako spagetti and #34!
Cat, have a great trip! Never been to L,A, and looking forward to your blog!
Kings Hawaiian? Meh….Gardena Bowl ‘mo bettah! Larger portions and the food more ono. Guy Fieri did a DD&D show there so must be good yeah?
Hello Cat!
Another trip? You just came back from a long trip. I would be bankrupt if I traveled that much.
Have a Great Time!
Fronuts! Trust me.
You don’t play golf so no suggestions there. Probably not a theme park nut. Maybe you could do what I did once. Go to Point Dume Beach park and work on your tan… ask somebody…
You have to try Banzai Bowls! Locations all around Orange County (Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, and Laguna Beach). They make HUGE acai bowls for decent prices. All of their bowls are named after Hawaii surf breaks. Bob’s Hawaiian Style Restaurant in Gardena also has some good local comfort food. Pinkberry, Sonic Drive In, and Red Robin. Yum! Hopefully there are waves at Malibu. You’ll probably need a rash guard – the water will be cold! Orange County also has tons of breaks to surf (Huntington Beach Pier, 54th Street in Newport Beach, and Trestles in San Clemente). Enjoy your time in SoCal 🙂
my house…i cook you some good fuud
I have very little experience with L.A., but I’m curious about the Kogi BBQ truck.
Agree with the first poster about the Kosher deli’s in LA. Definitely worth having a meal at one. The last poster’s suggestion about the Kogi BBQ truck is something I’d like to hear about.
The flea market at Dodger Stadium had some interesting food trucks. No Jodas? (cuban) & a french fry truck with the double fried fries & assorted dips.
J-town for the Mikawaya & other place mochi/manju shops. The Japanese-american museum used to be worth a look.
If you’re in a Anaheim, and have a Marukai card, you can go to the Marukai store there. Some different stuff than the oahu stores including Mexican Coke!
Bakeries: Porto’s (Cuban) – potato balls, guava strudel; Sasoun (Armenian-Middle Eastern) – lahmajune, borek; Stolichnaya (Russian?) – challah, babka; The Donut Man – pumpkin donuts
Hakata Shinsengumi – my fave tonkotsu ramen
Torrance and Santa Monica Farmer’s Market
JJ Bakery (Taiwanese) – if you’re going to King’s Hawaiian anyways
Ricky’s Fish Tacos
Leo’s Taco Truck – al pastor
The Oinkster – pastrami!
K-town and San Gabriel Valley – soooo many places I won’t try to list
Coffee: Intelligentsia, Stumptown, Funnel Mill, Portola Coffee Lab
Libations: Blue Palms Brewhouse, Beachwood BBQ, Seven Grand
A little more upscale: Hinoki and the Bird, Pizzeria Mozza, Animal
Sightseeing: Getty Center or Getty Villa, Griffith Observatory (I like night time the best), running near the ocean in Santa Monica or along The Strand
Enjoy LA! I miss it a lot!
Slawdogs (I think there are 3 locations)
Tacos Punta Cabras in Santa Monica
Oooh….I’m taking notes. But for a seriously good burger you gotta try Big Daddy’s Firegrill at two Pasadena locations(one right next to In&Out) Under $10 for the menu items!
Umami burger….awesome burgers. There are several locations, check their website. There will also be long waits, so be prepared.
For food?…..Baco Mercat….fantastic small plates….looks like your kind of place.
Must see attractions?….The Getty Museum and a live taping of the Leno Show.
Have fun. Send lots of pics and videos!
u should try fat cow at the grove. To many to eat at.
Fat Cow… It’s on my list for next time! The name, alone, sounds fetching!