Midtown Lunch

As is customary on Midtown Lunch, every Tuesday we’ll profile a random reader to get their recommendations for the best spots to lunch near their work. This week it’s Justin, a grad student from South Pasadena who loves BBQ and has been to Slaw Dogs 10 times.

Name: Justin

Age: 31

Occupation: Grad Student

Where in L.A. do you Work?: I am self-employed and work out of South Pasadena

Favorite Kind of Food: Barbecue

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Anything with avocado

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch: If I have more than an hour for lunch, and I can have a couple drinks, I head to Green Street Tavern (69 West Green Street). They have the best burger in Pasadena and I am addicted to their conquistador bisque. If it’s only an hour for lunch I usually go to Hutch’s BBQ (390 E. Walnut Street). I have been eating there my entire life. Green Street Tavern has the best burger in Pasadena but Hutch’s has my favorite burger in the entire world. If you understand this then you understand everything. If it’s gotta be a quick lunch I get a couple tacos at Rick’s Drive-In (680 E. Walnut Street). Their tacos are a guilty pleasure for me. People know Rick’s mostly for the spuderito (a burrito of french fries, cheese and hot sauce) but to be honest that’s the only thing I’ve ever eaten there that I thought was lousy.

“Go-To” Lunch Place You and Your Coworkers Eat at Too Often? I’m not sure how to answer this question. I have been to The Slaw Dogs (720 N. Lake Ave, #8) nine or ten times in the last month, which I concede some people might call “too often”… but I’m not one of them.

The farthest place you’ll drive for lunch on a normal day? I don’t think of it in terms of “far” but rather how much traffic I have to deal with. I would drive 100 miles for lunch if it’s clear sailing but I would not drive to West L.A. if it means I have to deal with sitting in traffic.

If you could work anywhere (just because of the lunch) where would it be and why? New Orleans. In half a dozen trips there I have yet to have a bad meal. Even the Lucky Dog (with my name spelled in mustard) was great.

Is there anything you’d like to ask the Midtown Lunch readers in L.A.? Is there anywhere in the Los Angeles area with truly great fish and chips? I have been looking for a few years and have not come close to finding it.

Got a fish and chips recommendation for Justin? Put it in the comments, and as always if you would like to be next week’s Profiled: L.A. Lunch’er (or know somebody you’d like to nominate), email me- zach@midtownlunch.com.