Archive for October 2010

30% Off Tinga: If you haven't had a chance to try the very excellent Tinga (on La Brea just North of 3rd) here's some great motivation. Today's Blackboard Eats deal gets you 30% off lunch or dinner. The deal costs you absolutely nothing to score, but you've got to do it before the end of today. Do it. Do it.

Tacos Por Favor is a Loveable West Side Institution

Tacos Por Favor

Buying this month’s issue of Los Angeles Magazine just shot to the top of my to-do list! It features The Ultimate Guide to Mexican Food in L.A., and from the sound of things it’s not a completely whitewashed list either.  They enlisted Mexican food hype man Bill Esparza (from the website Street Gourmet L.A.) for a number of the features, ensuring that it will be immune to criticism from hyper critical bloggers and food writers.  Only bits and pieces of the guide are online (LAMag still believes they can get people to buy magazines!) but I think it’s pretty safe to say that Tacos Por Favor, the popular Santa Monica lunch spot on Olympic, probably didn’t make the list.

But after four different profiled Lunchers mentioned it, I thought it might be time to check the place out.

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PROFILE: L.A. Lunch’er “Lynn”

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 Lynn, an actress who hates small portions and is saddled with a vegetarian husband.

Name: Lynn

Age: 30

Occupation: Actress and blogger

Where in L.A. do you Work?: Everywhere! With my acting career I’m all over town auditioning, having meetings, filming on location, etc. and with the food blog I like to travel around to discover new restaurants. That said, I find that I eat mostly in the Larchmont Village/Hollywood area.

Favorite Kind of Food: Hmm….that’s a tricky question for an actor. My age range is 25-35.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Teeny tiny expensive portions. So I don’t eat at “fancy” places very often.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch: In Culver City, I like the cheap and fresh salad bar at Govinda’s (3764 Watseka Avenue); Bella Vista (10826 Venice Blvd.) for all-you-can-eat Brazilian pizza with crazy toppings like corn and tuna. Downtown, I’m over the moon about Starry Kitchen (350 S. Grand) – there’s nothing I’ve eaten there that isn’t spectacular; I was once lucky enough to film a movie there (the upcoming “Surrogate Valentine”) – best prop food ever. In the Valley, I like Sunpower Natural in Studio City (3711 Cahuenga Blvd) for the portabello sandwich and raw cookie dough pie. Capriotti’s in Beverly Hills (9683 Wilshire Blvd) is fun for take-out sandwiches – try “The Bobbie” (a.k.a. Thanksgiving on a bun) or their “Veggie Cole Turkey” (the most unbelievable “fake meat”). Greenleaf Gourmet Chopshop, also in 90210 (9671 Wilshire Blvd), is great for quick, organic salads and sandwiches (their veggie Panini is one of the best I’ve ever eaten). Other yummy to-go sandwiches include the Burata Cheese and the Pastrami at All About the Bread in West Hollywood (7111 Melrose Ave), the award-winning “DaVinCheese” at Locali in Hollywood (5825 Franklin Ave.), and every single thing at Larchmont Village Wine & Cheese (223 N. Larchmont Blvd.)

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Schnitzel Wagon Finds Permanent Home Downtown

Schnitzel Wagon

When Grub Street reported a few months ago that the Schnitzel Wagon would be hitting the streets of our city, my interest was probably piqued more than than the average Angeleno.  After all schnitzel is not really as hype inducing as, say, Filipino food.  Or red velvet pancakes.  Or dim sum and hipster fried chicken.  Part of it was because I miss New York’s ultra popular Schnitzel & Things Truck, and part of it was because I was super curious to find out why they completely ripped off the Street Sweets’ truck design! (Also a popular New York truck.)

But mostly I was just using these reasons as an excuse to go eat deep fried cutlets of meat and fish off a truck in Downtown L.A.  (As if I needed an excuse!)

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Lunch Links (The “Venice is About to Get Porked” Edition)


Photo courtesy of An Immovable Feast

  • DTLA Wurstküche’s green chilies + cilantro brat is awesome… [An Immovable Feast]
  • VENICE … and it will soon be available on the west side [Squid Ink]
  • HOLLYWOOD Umami makes a good turkey burger [Squid Ink]
  • KTOWN Pal Cabron is taking over the Guelaguetza on 8th [Squid Ink]
  • WEHO Here’s another fan of Robata Jinya [Mattatouille]
  • WEHO Food + Lab’s meatloaf sandwich looks pretty goooood [Squid Ink]
  • WEHO These sandwiches from All About the Bread look tasty [Actor’s Diet]
  • DTLA A new ramen spot has opened in Little Tokyo [Blog Downtown]
  • MOBILE SPE beats out Lee’s in cheesesteak battle [Savory Hunter]

Rutt’s Cafe is a Little Taste of Hawaii on the Westside

Rutt's Cafe

3 weeks ago I put the call out for the best plate lunch spot in Los Angeles, and got more than a few great recommendations. Based on your comments, the South Bay is clearly the place to be for Hawaiian food. But for a weekday lunch, that’s not realistic (for me anyway). The consensus seemed to center around Aloha Cafe Downtown and Rutt’s Cafe on the Westside, so when I found myself looking for lunch in Culver City this week Rutt’s seemed like the perfect option.

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Half Off Sky’s Gourmet Tacos:: It looks like Yelp has gotten into the daily deals game and one of their first L.A. offerings is a good one... score $20 worth of food from Sky's Gourmet Tacos for just $10. You have to purchase the deal by tonight at Midnight, and it's not only good at their location on Pico, but you can also use it at their truck!