If he says “Cole’s” don’t listen to him!
Oh definitely go to Clifton’s Cafeteria. It’s endangered (the building went up for sale last week) and I’m afraid it won’t be with us in the next few years. It’s an old school cafeteria (trays and hot plates, 10 different kinds of jellos and pies, etc) that is decorated to look like a forest.
I wasn’t that impressed with Phillipe’s Dip… because… well you don’t dip it yourself. They dip it and put it on the bread. Hald the fun is dipping it yourself and soaking up the juice with the bread.
LOL! I did like the homey pub atmosphere of Cole’s better than the crowded lunch counter atmosphere of Phillippe’s. IIRC, the main difference, other than Phillippe’s pre-dipping, between the two actual sandwiches (I had the lamb at each, but also tasted the pork, which Mom ordered) was in the bread- one was chewier & the other was crunchier outside but softer inside. I generally prefer the later crunchy/soft bread, BUT I can’t for the life of me remember which had it.
Cole’s also had a fantastic chocolate pecan pie & good coffee to go with it.
Hell, try them both!
Here’s the Esotouric tours for the next two Saturdays-
Pasedena Confidential
http://esotouric.com/pasadena-8-8-09
Blood and Dumplings
http://esotouric.com/bnd-8-15-09
My brother has been on both. In fact, he may have been on every one by this time. Richard & Kim are fantastic tour guides!
No, please do NOT go to Disneyland! Its evil!
WOW! I live here and I had no idea this existed! :eek:
Now that I think of it, maybe some of you know the answer to this question. About 15 years ago my dad took me up to Mt. Baldy and we fished in a swimming pool for some trout. I’ve always thought fishing was interesting but hate the hours of waiting. I’m sure that place is probably gone by now, but are there any man-made pools or lakes that one can go fishing (and keep the fish) around LA?
I just had Philippe’s last night. Beef dip, double-dipped, and a slice of banana cream pie. So much heaven.
I really need to try Cole’s one of these days, though.
As for food, if you like Asian food, there’s a bunch of places you shouldn’t miss. The places in Koreatown serve the best Korean food you’ll find in the US. There are great izakayas and Japanese restaurants in Gardena/Torrance. A yummy ramen place is Daikokuya or Santouka. You’ll find a plethora of good Chinese restaurants in Monterey Park / San Gabriel / Arcadia - there’s Din Tai Fung, which is popular across Asia… and its only branch outside of Asia is here in southern California.
Also, I think the Grand Central Market in downtown LA serves great tacos and other Mexican food. Porto’s Cuban Bakery in Glendale has incredible meat pies, cheese pastries, guava cheese rolls, and Cuban sandwiches for great prices. The Griddle Cafe in the West Hollywood area has really good French toast and attracts a celebrity following. For an incredible panoramic view of Santa Monica at night, there’s The Penthouse on the top floor of the Huntley Hotel.
Long time lurker here. I couldn’t resist signing up to give some suggestions as well for one of my favorite topics, food in LA.
I’ll third or fourth the Getty, the Tar Pits, and the Natural History Museum as well. The Skirball Cultural Center is near the Getty and my boyfriend and I enjoyed the Noah’s Ark exhibit despite the fact that it’s mainly for kids. The rest of the museum goes through Jewish history and culture pretty thoroughly and is a good way to spend an afternoon.
As for ethnic food in LA, getting to good ethnic food might take quite a drive, but usually it’s worth it. Some planning might be necessary though, otherwise you’ll just end up in traffic for hours, getting hungrier all the while.
In general, the Torrance and Gardena area is great for Japanese food of all types. I’ve never tried Daikokuya or Santouka that lshaw mentioned but I’ve heard good things about them. I’d also recommend Otafuku for their noodles if you want a light broth style of ramen. Musha is also a good place for dinner. If you’re looking for izakayas (Japanese beer pubs) Shin Sen Gumi Izakaya has the best energy and good food. Honda-Ya, another izakaya, is in Little Tokyo (and another location in Tustin but that’s Orange County) and has better food but the atmosphere is more subdued. If you’re interested in checking out a Japanese food market, Mitsuwa is in the same plaza as Musha.
The Rowland Heights and Monterey Park region has great Chinese and Taiwanese food of all types. Din Tai Fung, in Arcadia, is good for dumplings (although the chains in Asia are better) and since opening a second room, the wait is no longer the monstrosity it once was. I’m fond of Uncle Chen’s in Monterey Park for Taiwanese. There’s also China Islamic in Rosemead for, what else, but Chinese-Islamic food.
Fairfax is good for Ethiopian, although I’ve only tried Messob (which was very good, but bring several friends). Parking is hard to find though, but it’s close to museum row.
Phillipe’s is very good (ask for the bread to be double dipped) although the cafeteria style is not to everybody’s liking. I’d also recommend Langer’s near MacArthur Park for their pastrami sandwich (#19, hand cut).
As for Korean food, I actually haven’t tried any of the places in Koreatown, but if you want a Korean taco (I know, I know, but it’s actually really good) and you’re willing to wait in line for up to an hour, there’s always Kogi. The trucks move around so you’ll have to check their website frequently to see where they’ll be heading. The crowd can be young and occasionally obnoxious, but the tacos are so worth it.
I could go on for pages about food in LA. However, in LA the main thing to realize is that everything is spread out and traffic can be horrible around rush hour so plan wisely.
Go to Seal Beach. Nice reasonably clean and uncrowded beach, and there’s always a place to park either on Main Street or in the little municipal lot off to the left as you approach the pier. It’s a nice walk up Main Street and out onto the pier and there are some good restaurants.
Places to eat: Lee’s Sandwiches (Vietnamese) - they are all over Orange County
Pina Pizza House on Paramount in Downey has the world’s best traditional pizza, hands down. And LA is not a pizza town, unless you think it’s OK to put barbecued chicken on pizza.
Versailles Cuban Restaurant. The one in Culver City was ‘around the corner’ from me.
I can recommend the Cuban Style Roast Pork (Lechon Asado). I tried the Garlic Chicken once, but didn’t like it as much as the pork. I also tried the Fried Whole Red Snapper. Good, but I prefer the Chinese version. So I got the Lechon Asado every time. Really good, and for eight bucks (at the time) I could make three meals out of it. 
Seconding Langer’s. Best pastrami on the planet. Yes, I have been to New York. Pink’s is another favorite. Philippe’s is good as well. I also love a place called Mariella’s Tacos. This is authentic Mexican people’s food. Located on Third Street, a few blocks west of Vermont. The Platos are wonderful, and they serve a mean vegetable soup. Not famous, not expensive, but a neighborhood institution. The Pantry has killer breakfasts, but the lunch/dinner offerings are kind of boring. Meat and potatoes, basically. The historic Farmer’s Market is fun and has some good food. Really good crepes at one place. Another great place is Zankou Chicken (various locations). They have a menu of middle eastern food like kabobs and shawerma, but the star is the roasted chicken, served with intense garlic sauce. Very good food and reasonably priced. Original Tommy’s and In-N-Out are here for your burger needs. A drive up to Malibu is scenic, and The Reel Inn has nice seafood in a very casual atmosphere. Reasonably priced as well.
Another poster suggested Universal Citywalk. I disagree. It is basically just a mall with overpriced parking, populated by unsavory gangbangers separated by very nervous looking security guards, mixed with tourists who didn’t know any better.
Universal Studios, on the other hand, is an interesting day if you are into movies. They have rides and attractions, as well as the tram tour, which you should definitely do if you go.
Hollywood Boulevard can be fun, if only for the parade of freaks and other tourists, and cheezy street performers in front of the Chinese theater. I don’t really get the appeal of the Walk of Fame, but people really seem to get off on it. You see these tourists (easy to spot by the Sears clothing) walking along: “Ooh, Tony Randall! Ooh Zasu Pitts!” They pose for pictures by the stars of their favorite celebs. To me, it is as exciting as reading a list of famous people, which is basically all it is. Scientology has a big presence there, so if you are into the freak show, there is that. They even have a museum dedicated to old Elron himself. And down on Sunset, “The Museum of Psychiatry”, if you want to know the history, like Tom Cruise. Just don’t join up! 
If you go to the Blvd, don’t eat there. Most of the places are terrible and cater to tourists who won’t be back. The pizza along there is particularly toxic. One exception, Musso and Frank’s, is a real institution. Very good martinis. Pricey, though. A better option is Pink’s. It is very close by, a mile or so down La Brea, so if you go to the Blvd, plan on Pink’s instead. Beware, there is often a long line. I recommend the chili dogs, and the Chicago Polish, which really doesn’t resemble a Chicago Polish, but is great nonetheless.
I would go to Venice Beach rather than Santa Monica. Lots more fun. Go in the daytime, it pretty much closes up after dusk. Santa Monica has the Third Street Promenade, another place to avoid the food. Just like the Blvd., they take advantage of tourists who won’t be back for repeat business and the restaurants are uniformly awful, and expensive.
The Griffith Observatory has just undergone a very extensive remodel and is a great place, and offers wonderful views of the city. A good place to catch a sunset. On a clear day you can see all the way to the ocean. The planetarium show is new and fairly good, but the new star projector thingy isn’t used very much. It is mainly a movie.
If you go to Olvera Street, be sure to drop in and visit Union Station. It is magnificent, and right across the street.
Disneyland is fun, but if you have been to Orlando, may be a bit of a disappointment. The park was becoming a little careworn a few years back, but they have spiffed it up a lot recently and it really looks beautiful these days.
One of the fun things to do is just drive around! LA has a reputation of being a very tacky city, but we do have some magnificent architecture. If you are a fan of Art Deco, we have the Wiltern Theater and the old Bullocks Wilshire, two of the finest examples anywhere. Check out the mansions in Beverly Hills as well.
Have a wonderful time!
Oh, man. Zankou Chicken! I miss that place.
Well, they aren’t going anywhere, so it will be here for you when you come back to visit.
And regarding the Chicago Polish at Pink’s, it comes in Mild and Spicy. And they aren’t kidding. I like spicy food, and have trouble eating the Spicy version. It is really on fire. Insist on Mild if you go. Stay away from some of the more “Creative” hot dogs, and skip any side dish. They are all terrible. Better to have a Polish and a couple of chili dogs.
I always liked the burgers and chili dogs at Carney’s (on Sunset).
Been meaning to try those. Did you know it was started by none other than Art Carney?
While I am here, any good Thai recommendations? My favorite place here in Burbank changed the menu and shot themselves in the foot, IMHO, and I am looking for a new place.
For Carney’s burgers, I liked them without chili. I think it’s from growing up with chili sizes. Should be open-faced and eaten with a fork.
For Thai food I tended to order delivery from Thai Beer on Washington. I just liked them. I’d get like $30 of Thai food and eat it for three or four days. Natalee Thai Cuisine was pretty good, but more of an eat-in place than a take-out. I tried a couple of other delivery places, but I kept going back to Thai Beer. In reality, it’s probably not the best Thai food out there; but it’s better than anything I’ve found so far up here. (There’s a place in Bellingham I’m told is quite good.)
Any love for Tito’s Tacos?
My Thai friend recommended Thai Nakorn in Stanton and also Renu Nakorn in Norwalk for their Issan cuisine. I’ve been to both and the “crying tiger” dish at Thai Nakorn was a definite standout.
Nope. Never got the appeal. And always very crowded. Mariella’s for the win!
The yelp link has the Sunset location, but I like the one on Third and Catalina better. And yes, there is weird religious stuff on the walls. Faded posters depicting the rapture in great detail, and bumper stickers about Jesus. It all just adds to the fun. God’s own taco stand!
The red sauce (rojo) is amazing, unlike any other. Addictive. Carne Asada Burrito with everything is amazing. I lived across the street from there, and for a while was on crutches with very limited mobility, so I pretty much lived off the stuff for months, and am still not tired of it, so that is about as high a recommendation as I can possibly give.
I also noticed in the Yelp thread a mention of Yuca’s on Hillhurst in Los Feliz. Very good also. Conchinita Pibil burrito isn’t huge, but is amazingly delectable. They make a mean chili burger too. They may be gone for the month, I think they take August off and head back to Yucatan.