LA Recommendations

[VivreManger]

In mid-December I am off to LA for a quick three-day long-weekend trip. One day is completely taken with a bat-mitzvah celebration. Sunday and Friday have some free time.

I will be driving over a good chunk of real estate from LAX to Pasadena to the Getty area (is that in Brentwood?) and environs more or less.

I am looking for a number of specific recommendations.

On the drive from LAX to Pasadena are there any places worth stopping for a bite around 9 in the evening? I will need some supper after fasting on the flight, with little more than the fresh fruit plate. Specifically, any interesting Mexican/Korean and other Asian spots to hop off the freeway to explore on the surface roads?

On Friday I plan to visit the Getty on Friday morning. Between Pasadena and the Getty are there any similarly interesting spots for a breakfast bite and food market shopping? I realize that there are a number of alternative routes and if some have better food paths than others that might determine my precise itinerary.

Food at the Getty by most reports appears to be okay, but a bit overpriced. It might be worth picking up some tid-bits on the way there for eating later that day in the picnic area.

Unfortunately I saw the Houdon exhibit in DC this past summer and the ancient themes in medieval renderings which I would have liked to see will be closing before I get there. Obviously the permanent exhibits, museum grounds and site are more than worth the price of getting there, but I may not spend as much time once I have scoped the place out.

Any other interesting shows in LA in mid-December?

Your responses in part will determine my next destination. I will probably then wend my way back towards Pasadena. That evening I plan to take my hosts out to dinner. Is there any place worth trying in or near Pasadena? I have eaten around there in the past and don't remember anything exciting. She is Mexican. He is from SF. She knows Mexican food better than I can imagine and is very active in the community so I can't see finding some "authentic" Latino place for dinner, but interesting Korean or Thai might be fun. A number of places have been mentioned, notably Jitlada, but I have no idea how convenient it might be. I have not had really good Korean in a long time so that might be fun.

Her office is in the 91104 area code and he works around Claremont so I don't know if there would be some central node that would be convenient for all of us to meet at for dinner. For this dinner I would be comfortable spending up to $40-$50 per person, but I imagien that the kind of food I have in mind would be much less.

While I can't see Mexican with them, I may have a chance earlier in the day or perhaps on Sunday, when I gradually wend my way back to LAX to catch the red-eye back to the East Coast.

One thought that I had was to check out enough Mexican to get a sense of the regional differences of origin and destination between Chicago and LA Mexican cooking, since I will be in Chicago in the intervening weeks. However I doubt I will have the time to do anything systematic in either place.

Thanks for your suggestions

[Chris Cognac]

The latest cirqe de soliel (sp) is at the Staples center and you can get some great food at the Palm right next door.

[robyn]

I don't know where you are from - or what you're looking for. I am from nowhere and am always looking for everything :). We had excellent dim sum at a strip shopping center place right near the Getty when we were there a couple of years ago. Perfect pre-museum stop in my opinion. Robyn

[hollywood]

This is going to take some thought and some more details from you on what you want and how much you want to spend and how casual or formal you want things. That said, the view from the Getty should be terrific in December unless some plague or pestilence has descended upon us. I disagree that the food at the Getty is overpriced. I think it's reasonable compared for example to the stuff Splichal serves up at the other museums around town. The restaurant is good. And the quite reasonable cafeteria is better than you would expect from a cafeteria. As for Pasadena, it's been several years since I've lived there and it's come into it's own in terms of restaurants and trends. There is a Korean barbecue place there that I've not been to; think it's called Airrang or something like that on the edge of the Old Town area. Personally, I'd probably go for either something recommended by the hosts or the fried catfish at Shiro in South Pasadena. In terms of shows, here again it's not obvious what you seek. If you like classical music, it would appear that you are required to somehow obtain some tickets (eBay, perhaps?) to a concert at the Disney/Gehry Concert Hall downtown. This leads to any number of decisions about where to eat.

[VivreManger]

This is going to take some thought and some more details from you on what you want and how much you want to spend and how casual or formal you want things. 

When I take my hosts out, $40- $50 per person is the range I am looking at. For myself less than that. As for formality or informality, I don't care as much. I am more interested in the food than in the ambience. I am willing to put up with ambience, only if the food is worth it.

As for what I want, basically what I can't find easily in the Boston area or in Chicago where I am going in two weeks.

Thus - Guelaguetza might make sense, but I have no idea where it is in relation to where I will be.

Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles might be good for breakfast, but an authentic Mexican or Asian place that does the meal and is located near the Pasadena to Getty route would also make sense.

How ubiquitous is In & Out and are the competition, le Pan, Jay's Jay Burger, Pie n Burger, Cassell's worth a special trip to their locations, wherever they may be?

Another chain is El Pollo Inka/Pollo ala Brasa, that might be fun for a quick snack.

I have very fond memories of Du Pars, Campanile, and Matuhisa, but given my schedule, the first two are more likely to get revisited. Is Du Pars and the Farmer's Market on 3rd & Fairfax open on Sunday? I might want to take one of the pies home with me. Any special recommendations there?

Tung Lai Shun for Northern Chinese might be worth it, but where is it located?

Unfortunately two much food, too few days, so I will have to triage this list. That is why I am trying to establish some kind of geo-gastronomy, carto-culinary guide to put all of this intoi a mental map and see where it leads me.

As for Pasadena, it's been several years since I've lived there and it's come into it's own in terms of restaurants and trends.  There is a Korean barbecue place there that I've not been to; think it's called Airrang or something like that on the edge of the Old Town area.  Personally, I'd probably go for either something recommended by the hosts or the fried catfish at Shiro in South Pasadena. 

The last time I depended on the recommendations of these hosts, the results were mixed, an excellent simple Mexican restaurant where I ate a sweet & sour rib-warming soup for breakfast, someplace in Pasadena, and a non-descript semi-high end Italian with a name like Al Forno, but it wasn't. With reluctance I had eaten at their branch in Palo Alto a day or two earlier, but felt it impolite to mention that repetition. This time I am taking them out so I will be more assertive.

In terms of shows, here again it's not obvious what you seek.  If you like classical music, it would appear that you are required to somehow obtain some tickets (eBay, perhaps?) to a concert at the Disney/Gehry Concert Hall downtown.  This leads to any number of decisions about where to eat.

Sorry for the confusion about shows, I meant exhibitions, museum shows. I don't have enough free evenings to book tickets for anything.

Hope that helps gave some guidelines.

Edited November 15, 2003 by VivreManger (log)

[hollywood]

I'm gonna give this a shot. First, ignore the suggestion on Chowhound about Bizou, it's just inexpensive French with $2 corkage. Second, the recommendation for Saladang Song is probably a good one for Pasadena Thai (I've only eaten at the older sister restaurant Saladang and enjoyed it tho it's not as good as the Thai Town favorites).

You want to talk shows of art. Ok, in Pasadena, the Norton Simon Museum has a permanent collection that is the best gathering of art assembled by one person on the West Coast. They really don't have shows but just publicize or feature various segments of the collection. Say what you will about Hunt-Wesson foods, the guy had great taste. Interestingly, the museum was reconstructed a few years ago by Frank Gehry (a recurring theme). The Korean resto in Old Town (close to NSM) is Arirang, 114 W. Union. The Italian you mentioned is probably Il Fornaio which has damn good coffee and pretty good pizza but being in the busiest part of Old Town the service only has to be so-so. An excellent Chinese fusion place in Old Town is Yujean Kang at 67 Raymond Ave. Good food and an excellent cellar. Next door at 69 Raymond is Xiomara, a Nueva Cubana place run by the energetic Ms. X. Ardolina. Said to have the best mojitos in town. There is one of the several Roscoe's (for those chicken and waffles) at 830 N. Lake Ave. A very good taco stand mentioned somewhere in another thread is Las Ruinas at Chester and Green (near Cal-Tech). Just get a selection of tacos al pastor. Don't mess with the other stuff. If you want to trot around some lovely gardens and think about railroad barons there's a William Morris exhibit at the Huntington Library in San Marino (adjacent to Pas).

You mentioned In N Out and yes it is ever present. Just order the Double-Double Animal Style (not on the published menu) and the fries Well Done. Another good chain is Fatburger. Get the burger "on the char" as opposed to fried and well done fries.

In LA, upscale burgers can be found at Campanile (at lunch only) at 624 S. La Brea in LA (in an old Chaplin house) and (out of your way) there are foie gras burgers with truffle fries at Josie in Santa Monica at 2424 Pico. Similarly, for dinner only, there are allegedly excellent burgers and fries at Father's Office in Santa Monica (said to be a scene).

Also somewhat out of your way are what J. Gold says are the town's best burritos at Lupes #2, 4642 E. 3rd St, East LA. Pretty good Yucatanean tamales (made in banana leaves) are found at Yuca's on Hillhurst in Los Feliz. Personally, I prefer their carne asada burritos with great beans in em and their carne asada tacos.

As for the Getty, notwithstanding the incredible setting and the mother of all endowments, its collection is not that spectacular. There is, however, one room that has Van Gogh's Irises and a Monet Sunrise (a la the one at Marmottan) and assorted other impressionists. There's generally a good photography exhibit or two. I thought there was a Diane Arbus thing there but I can't find a reference to it now. There is a Julia Margaret Cameron exhibit of photos for sure. As for Brentwood restaurants I'm pretty clueless although there is an interesting Indian place, The Clay Pit at 145 S. Barrington.

In the Koreatown and Mid Wilshire area, you find the LA County Museum which currently is featuring a number of Buddhist art treasures. LACMA is on Wilshire between Fairfax and La Brea. The food there is not up to the Getty. In nearby Koreatown, Gold says you can find Korean tacos at Kobawoo House, 698 S. Vermont. There's also the Korean Mall at 3250 W. Olympic Blvd. where you can find bibimbap and barbecue, etc. Worth a look.

Just a little East of there are 2 branches of Guelaguetza at 3337 1/2 W. 8th and 3014 W. Olympic Blvd (a very big location not far from downtown). I've eaten at the 8th Street location and it's nice (they even have Mexican cokes made with sugar). (There's also a lesser branch owned by relatives in West LA at 11127 Palms Blvd.) Also in the Koreatown area at 704 S. Alvarado is the best pastrami sandwich in the West at Langer's, which given the neighborhood closes at 4 p.m. Still, the basic pastrami on rye with mustard and a Dr. Brown's Black Cherry is hard to beat.

Ultimately, you cannot avoid downtown (although the Westside tries hard). For a brief fun visit, you can check what's on at the Museum of Neon Art (MONA) at 501 W. Olympic. Over at Third and Broadway is the Grand Cental Market where there are all kinds of stalls of food including a number of places with good tacos, burritos, and sopes are sold. I favor the carnitas sopes, tacos, etc. at Roast To Go there. Across the street is the architecturally interesting Bradbury Building (worth checking out).

Northwest of there is the new Disney/Gehry Concert Hall at First & Grand. Pretty damned impressive. Catty corner on Grand is MOCA, the contemporary art museum which is having a big Gehry exhibit. Also, they've got some stuff from the permanent collection on view and some works of Johns, Rauschenberg and Friedlander. In reality though, the great bulk of the best collection of post 1950s art in the country is at their other branch, The Geffen Contemporary which is located nearby in Little Tokyo. Oddly enough, a number of years ago, Mr. Gehry was asked to transform this large warehouse space into the first museum of its kind in the country. Here you'll find tons of modern stuff. And not far away is lots of good Mexican food. For example, in easy walking distance at 418 E. First St is Senor Fish where pretty good fish tacos are to be found (stick to the tacos). Lots of cops eat here.

Meanwhile, slightly East of this and the freeway (a little closer to Pasadena) is Olvera Street, the cradle of LA and where La Luz Del Dia can be found serving very good carnitas platters and homemade tortillas.

So, think Gehry, check out the museums, and eat lots of tacos, etc.

[VivreManger]

Great recommendations. Many thanks for your efforts. Much appreciated and valued.

Have no fear about Bizou. It was never on my radar screen, though I am considering 2117 for French-Japan cuisine.

2117 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles 90025 • 310-477-1617. Between Mississippi Ave. & W. Olympic Blvd. Just West and South of 405. About ten blocks before Santa Monica Freeway, I-10

The problem is that sometimes such places are little more than bad versions of each repsective cuisine. The much ballyhooed French Cambodian in Boston, Elephant Walk, has always struck me as guilty of that sin.

The Gehry ideas sound great.

One other suggestion close to Pasadena is Tung Lai Shun, 140 W

Valley Blvd San Gabriel, CA (626) 288-6588.

It is decribed as a Muslim Chinese restaurant. While surely better than a Kosher Chinese restaurant, based on what I have learned so far, it seems simply Beijing style Chinese without the Pork.

I wonder if they have any Uighur influence in their cooking, the Uighurs being the largest Muslim minority in China. They are of Turkic origin.

I have seen lots of Julia Cameron Mitchel over the years and while interesting Victorian photography, I have not seen it worth a special exhibition.

[mixmaster b]

What great rec's from hollywood! I will second the Norton-Simon with enthusiasm. Very good modern art and a lovely garden. The Huntington is nice, too, if you are into more traditional stuff (William Morris right now), and the botanical gardens are also very nice. If you go to Moca, also go the Geffen center, which is nearby, as Hollywood mentions. I know nothing about the current show, GREGOR SCHNEIDER, DEAD HOUSE UR, but they often have cutting edge stuff.

The UCLA Hammer Museam in Brentwood is surprisingly good for contemporary. The current show is Lee Bontecou.

For more art, I like Bergamot Station. Lots of small galleries in a converted Santa Monica industrial park. Some crap, but some good stuff, too.

Another fun thing is Chung King Road. This is a small alley in China Town that has been taken over by hipsters, artists (maybe!), wannabees, and DJ's. There are a few shops and galleries on the street, and they have a collective "open-house" one Saturday a month. (Sorry I have no idea which one. You can contact this gallery if you are interested.) The scene is kind of silly, but it is also fun and full of energy. Go for dinner in Chinatown afterward. (I like Yang Chow, though I have the feeling it would be spurned by more in-the-know e-Gulleters.)

Speaking of Chinese food, you MUST go to Tai Hung Lao, where we had the e-gullet dumpling lunch. I can't even tell you how good it was. The place is in Arcadia, just east of Pasadena. Here is the thread, complete with pictures and the address.

I haven't eaten out much in Pasadena, so I'm not much help there, but I'll regail you with my uninformed opinions, nonetheless. I would avoid Saladang (too westernized and flavorless) and Mi Piace (popular Italian place, not bad, but not so great either.)

I really liked the Yujean Kang's on Melrose--I miss it since it closed. I've not been to the Pasadena branch, but by all accounts it is very good. It is sophisticated Chinese. I would guess that the room is very nice, based on the Melrose branch.

You should go to Zankou chicken, too!!! Get the roasted chicken with garlic sauce (house specialty). Terrible atmosphere, but SOOO yummy. 1296 E. Colorado Blvd. (Hill Ave.) Pasadena (626) 405-1502

Akbar, a hole-in-the-wall type Indian place, has a branch in Pasadena (44 N. Fair Oaks Ave. (Union St.) (626) 577-9916. The Venice and SM places are both top-notch.

I have heard that there are some very good Armenian places in Glendale, but I don't have specifics. Glendale borders Pasadena to the west.

For Thai, my fave is Jitlada. (It is in Hollywood. Not super far fom Pasadena.) Or better yet, go to the Wat Thai Temple in North Hollywood. It is between Pasadena and the Getty. The address is 8225 Coldwater Canyon. It is a big food fair held every weekend. Thai home-cooks and restaurant cooks alike set up booths and make some great stuff. Some is fabulous (especially sticky rice with mango, though don't know if it is in season) and some stuff is a little funky, but it is an amazing experience. I think is is all Saturdays and Sundays, but you might double check. # is 818-780-4200.

On 2117, I think it is pretty good. We had an e-gullet dinner there last year. While some of the dishes were excellent, some were not so memorable. However, it is a very good value for the high/haute level of the food. Chinoise on Main, Matsuhisa, and Sona are all places that do an excellent job of Asian/Euro crossover. I have heard Bistro 21 on La Cienega and Cafe Blanc in Beverly hills are both excellent Japanese/Euro fusion places, but I have tried neither.

What about sushi??? There are some good places on Ventura (easy access between Pasadena and the Getty). Also outstanding is Sushi Mori in West LA, near 2117.

Edit: added some urls.

Edited November 17, 2003 by mixmaster b (log)

[hollywood]

I got so carried away talking about Gehry I forgot about the Farmers Market at Fairfax & Beverly where there are a great many tasty stalls. There is still a DuPars there and they do have good pie. The type may vary depending on what fruit is in season. Not to be missed if you're there is Loteria Grill which makes all sorts of tasty tacos, frescas, etc. The Farmers Market is open on Saunday.

The Pasadena Zankou mentioned above by mixmaster b is just a stone's throw from Las Ruinas (mentioned in earlier posting).

Edited November 17, 2003 by hollywood (log)

[FoodZealot]

A few scattered thoughts, FWTW:

We had excellent dim sum at a strip shopping center place right near the Getty when we were there a couple of years ago.  Perfect pre-museum stop in my opinion.  Robyn

I'm going to guess that robyn may be referring to VIP Harbor Seafood, at Barrington & Wilshire, upstairs, about a mile and a half from the Getty entrance. I've only been there once, but it was very enjoyable and I think they recently started serving dim sum for dinner. Coincidentally, there's an El Pollo Inka in that mini-mall also, it's good, but IMHO I would not place it high on the list since you only have a few meals in town.

hollywood mentioned Father's Office for a contemporary burger. I've had it many times, and IMHO it's damn good for a frou-frou, yuppie burger - aged beef, carmelized onions, blue cheese, and I think arugula. Matchstick frites or sweet potato fries (extra) with aioli. They also offer a few small tapas. The after work scene makes it hard to get a table and eat, the room is small and noisy, etc. But they have a great beer selection, and decent selection of wines by the glass. For a more normal type burger, Fatburger is my personal favorite. (Kingburger, chargrilled - 8 oz - everything except relish - onion rings on the side). In-&-Out and Apple Pan are nice for a bit of LA atmosphere.

Just to clarify, I think mixmaster b linked to the right thread but the restaurant is named Din Tai Fung. Soup dumplings! Pasadena is pretty close to Arcadia/SGV/Monterey Park, etc. so if you want Chinese food, there are several good, regional restaurants in those areas, some are arguably of the best in the US. Also, I've not been yet, but I've been wanting to try Nonya in Pasadena - Malaysian "grandmother" cuisine. Perhaps your hosts may have more info on it.

I know you have a tight schedule, but if you happen to be in town and available, we're currently discussing an eGullet Korean BBQ meal around that time.

If you end up on Olvera Street, Mr. Churro is a tiny shop that has sticks of deep fried simplicity, rolled in cinnamon sugar and I also recommend getting them filled with cajeta (milk caramel).

For a cheap hit of Matsuhisa food in a casual setting, Ubon on the ground level of the Beverly Center is a worthwhile stop, IMHO.

~Tad

[robyn]

A few scattered thoughts, FWTW:

We had excellent dim sum at a strip shopping center place right near the Getty when we were there a couple of years ago.  Perfect pre-museum stop in my opinion.  Robyn

I'm going to guess that robyn may be referring to VIP Harbor Seafood, at Barrington & Wilshire, upstairs, about a mile and a half from the Getty entrance. I've only been there once, but it was very enjoyable and I think they recently started serving dim sum for dinner. Coincidentally, there's an El Pollo Inka in that mini-mall also, it's good, but IMHO I would not place it high on the list since you only have a few meals in town.

hollywood mentioned Father's Office for a contemporary burger. I've had it many times, and IMHO it's damn good for a frou-frou, yuppie burger - aged beef, carmelized onions, blue cheese, and I think arugula. Matchstick frites or sweet potato fries (extra) with aioli. They also offer a few small tapas. The after work scene makes it hard to get a table and eat, the room is small and noisy, etc. But they have a great beer selection, and decent selection of wines by the glass. For a more normal type burger, Fatburger is my personal favorite. (Kingburger, chargrilled - 8 oz - everything except relish - onion rings on the side). In-&-Out and Apple Pan are nice for a bit of LA atmosphere.

Just to clarify, I think mixmaster b linked to the right thread but the restaurant is named Din Tai Fung. Soup dumplings! Pasadena is pretty close to Arcadia/SGV/Monterey Park, etc. so if you want Chinese food, there are several good, regional restaurants in those areas, some are arguably of the best in the US. Also, I've not been yet, but I've been wanting to try Nonya in Pasadena - Malaysian "grandmother" cuisine. Perhaps your hosts may have more info on it.

I know you have a tight schedule, but if you happen to be in town and available, we're currently discussing an eGullet Korean BBQ meal around that time.

If you end up on Olvera Street, Mr. Churro is a tiny shop that has sticks of deep fried simplicity, rolled in cinnamon sugar and I also recommend getting them filled with cajeta (milk caramel).

For a cheap hit of Matsuhisa food in a casual setting, Ubon on the ground level of the Beverly Center is a worthwhile stop, IMHO.

~Tad

Yes - that sounds like the place. And it is certainly better than similar places in Boston or Chicago in my opinion (if that is one of the crtieria).

As for the Getty - agreed about the collection in general. But I would spend an afternoon there even if the museum were empty. Because the complex and grounds are simply spectacular. I can only imagine how Richard Meier felt building this place on a basically unlimited budget - an architect's dream job. There are amazing touches everywhere - the finishes in the bathrooms - the louvers which work electronically to control the light in the galleries - etc. I'm not sure anyone mentioned it - but although admission to the Getty is free - you *must* have a reservation to go there in terms of parking unless you have a student ID.

I don't think anyone has mentioned sushi. Don't know if the person who started this thread likes it - but - if the answer is "yes" - Los Angeles is one of the cities in the US where you absolutely must have it. On our last visit we went to Sushi Katsu-Ya in Studio City. It was terrific. Worth a trip from Florida - not to mention Pasadena :). Robyn

[hollywood]

As for the Getty - agreed about the collection in general. But I would spend an afternoon there even if the museum were empty. Because the complex and grounds are simply spectacular. I can only imagine how Richard Meier felt building this place on a basically unlimited budget - an architect's dream job. There are amazing touches everywhere - the finishes in the bathrooms - the louvers which work electronically to control the light in the galleries - etc. I'm not sure anyone mentioned it - but although admission to the Getty is free - you *must* have a reservation to go there in terms of parking unless you have a student ID.

Unlimited? Aw, c'mon. It was only a billion dollars--and that includes the land!

As for parking, unless there's a very new show that just opened, locals no longer need reservations. And if you are from out of state (with ID), you don't need reservations at all (except at the restaurant).

[JFLinLA]

Just to add:

If you go to the Geffen Contemporary, you're right next door to the Japanese-American Cultural Museum (don't know what's there now but I like both the old and new buildings) and right in Little Tokyo which offers a variety of food options.

Also, since you're going to be in Pasadena, it might be fun to watch them getting the Rose Parade floats together. They'll look better a week or two later when they actually start putting the perishable things on them but it could be fun anyway. And, don't miss the Huntington Gardens.