Food Supply in LA

hannahcooks · July 16, 2003

I've been searching through the archives and haven't found much on this, so-- I'm curious to know where everyone shops for food. Where do you get your meat, seafood, produce, bread, etc.? Any bargains beyond Trader Joe's? What about hard to find fancy items?

hollywood · July 16, 2003

Where are you and how far are you willing to drive? Did you see the LA Provisions threads?

JFLinLA · July 16, 2003

What about hard to find fancy items?

Surfas in Culver City -- National Boulevard between Venice & Washington.

hannahcooks · July 16, 2003

I'm in Hollywood and am willing to drive probably no more than 30 minutes. I'm pretty happy with Huntington Meats in the 3rd and Fairfax farmer's market, and the kosher chicken from Trader Joe's, but what I'd really like to find is a decent seafood supplier.

chezcherie · July 16, 2003

have you tried santa monica seafood? haven't been there in some time, as i'm now east of there, here "fish king" in glendale RULES, but they used to be super.

(i second the surfas suggestion, and they have "fancier" and hard to find items, at great prices.)

monkeymay · July 16, 2003

Whole Foods has great seafood but their prices tend to be rather outrageous ($14.95 per lb for hailbut tho it was really good). Fish King in Glendale is a wonderful market, and they do have a wider selection including a number of whole fish that they will clean for you, but their prices are not that much less than WF. Have you tried any of the Asian markets? I'm rather partial to the 99 ranch on Sepulveda in Van Nuys. Live lobsters @ $7.99 per lb, they will also cook whatever fish you buy if you like. Other option is the fish guy at the farmer's mrkt in Hollywood on Sunday. He sells out of a lunch truck, with a pretty good selection of super fresh fish (he's located in San Pedro), but you need to get there somewhat early as he tends to sell out pretty fast. He also sells at the West Hollywood farmer's mrkt on Monday at Plummer Park, in case you can't get it together on Sunday morning (like me), to do your shopping. Hope this helps.

JFLinLA · July 16, 2003

Other option is the fish guy at the farmer's mrkt in Hollywood on Sunday. He sells out of a lunch truck, with a pretty good selection of super fresh fish (he's located in San Pedro), but you need to get there somewhat early as he tends to sell out pretty fast. He also sells at the West Hollywood farmer's mrkt on Monday at Plummer Park, in case you can't get it together on Sunday morning (like me), to do your shopping. Hope this helps.

I think he's also in Westwood on Thursday afternoon.

hannahcooks · July 16, 2003

I've seen the fish guy at the H'wood market, but was scared to buy fish from a truck- I'll check him out this weekend, though.

monkeymay · July 16, 2003

Naw man, he's good. Stuff I've gotten from him was super fresh and he's charming as well, especially if you're a regular. Sure beats the holier than thou attitude at WF.

russ parsons · July 17, 2003

my man pete siracusa. he and his dad run the trucks. i've been buying fish from him for years. when he has them, killer white sea bass; great sand dabs; tuna, ahi, shark, sword, etc. he's also at the friday and sunday long beach markets.

monkeymay · July 17, 2003

Russ, thanks so much, Pete's name momentarily escaped me - I've bought fantastic tuna and swordfish from him. BTW I enjoy reading your stuff in the Times - have you ever done an article on Pete and his dad?

They have a very cool scene with that truck.

SWoodyWhite · July 17, 2003

For the more high-end meats, my partner and I usually head over to Bristol Farms. Good fresh produce, on the other hand, can be found at any of the farmer's markets.

carpet bagger · July 17, 2003

Just a few thoughts. Beverly Hills Cheese store for cheese. Must ask for Tony. Taste your way through your selections. For meats I go to different places depending on the cut I want. Ventura Kosher for veal shoulder which I have them trim a particular way. I also get the same part in grown beef. For lamb I go to Cost co. For regular steaks I go to Bristol Farms. For fish I go to Gelsons. For the small tomatoes Bristol Farms. For mushrooms Plaza Market on Western ( Korean). For the rest of the green grocery Gelsons or Tiera Rejada farms or the markets in Santa Monica or?

LAtoNYtoLA · July 18, 2003

i moved back to la from ny a year ago and have come to the conclusion: the la food supply sucks*. the * being maybe for fish and definitely for produce, which is about as good as it gets anywhere. i see no reason to go to over-priced, usually subpar grocery stores (e.g., bristol, whole foods, gelsons) for produce when every day of the week you can find plenty of farmer's markets around the city (santa monica wed/sat and hwood sun being 2 of the best). as for fish, i live too far from santa monica to make it a regular stop. fish king in glendale, however, is top notch. as for meat, let's just say a real butcher does not exist in la. someone please prove me wrong. i'd love nothing more than to find one, but so far nothing. the place in the old farmer's market is weak at best. and as for specialty items, well i've given up just about. foie gras is difficult to find, but there is a french wholesaler in the valley (made in france) that sells flash frozen from france. they even sell pre-sliced in packs of 2 slices if the full lobe is too much. quality olive oil is another problem area for me. even when i find good stuff, which is very rare, it's usually been sitting on the shelf for too long (i.e., 2001 harvest at best being sold now at extremely high prices). surfas is decent for supplies (but prices nowhere near what broadway panhandler used to do for me) and the food is just fair, but overpriced in my opinion.

just my 2 cents. i'd be glad for people to tell me i'm nuts and suggest places to go, specifically for meat, olive oil, poultry.

hollywood · July 18, 2003

as for meat, let's just say a real butcher does not exist in la. someone please prove me wrong

Here you go: Harvey's Guss Meat Co 949 S Ogden Dr Los Angeles CA (323) 937-4622. Too late to call now until Monday.

LAtoNYtoLA · July 18, 2003

hollywood,

thnx. is guss kosher?

btw, i did get some very good veal loin at bel air meat market (which oddly sported a "b" rating in the window at the time) a few months ago, but at close to $30/lb. it's hard to justify on a regular basis.

hollywood · July 18, 2003

hollywood,
thnx. is guss kosher?

That's my understanding.

LAtoNYtoLA · July 18, 2003

hollywood,

thx again, but i doubt the salting process to "kosher" the meat will get me where i want to be

hollywood · July 18, 2003

hollywood,
thx again, but i doubt the salting process to "kosher" the meat will get me where i want to be

Harvey's cool Don't write him off. His meat is really good. And maybe I'm wrong. He just doesn't cut meat on Saturday, that's all.

hannahcooks · July 21, 2003

Thanks for the tip- I got some snapper from the fish guy at the H'wood Farmer's Market yesterday, and it was both excellent and inexpensive.

hollywood · July 21, 2003

hollywood,
thx again, but i doubt the salting process to "kosher" the meat will get me where i want to be

FWIW, Josie Le Balch gets her meat from him.

hannahcooks · August 4, 2003

Any idea where I can find duck legs? I wanted to try the recipe from last week's LA Times, but have not been able to find any.

JFLinLA · August 4, 2003

Come get a whole duck in Chinatown.

hannahcooks · August 4, 2003

I'm not averse to that... but where, exactly (asks the woman who's never been to Chinatown since moving to LA)?

chezcherie · August 5, 2003

Just held a "cofit confab" last night to teach some friends the technique--got 15 lbs of great duck legs/thighs for $1.29 lb at 99 Ranch Market (the one I go to is at Valley and Del Mar (in San Gabriel). MMMMMMMmmmmmm, duck legs!

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