Midtown Lunch

As is customary on Midtown Lunch, every Tuesday we profile a random reader to get their recommendations for the best spots to lunch near their work. This week its Sade, a photographer and food enthusiast with some great lunch recs.

Name: Sade

Age: 25

Occupation: Photographer, Director, Food Enthusiast & Blogger

Where in L.A. do you Work?: SW Editorial & Strictly Foodie (Los Angeles & San Diego)

Favorite Kind of Food: Currently, a tie between Korean & Himalayan

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Fast Food chains (EXCEPT In-N-Out :)

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch: Jitlada (5233 W Sunset Blvd, Hollywood) – Thai Food, with a separate, extensive menu of AUTHENTIC Thai dishes. Spiciness for serious pain junkies. I adore their curries! Little Next Door (8142 W 3rd St, Mid City West) – Delicious, impeccable, AFFORDABLE French cuisine. Je t’aime! I live for their breakfast, and their Mini Pot de Creme. Hot Wings Cafe (7011 Melrose Ave) – Truly spicy wings, and a fun, casual atmosphere. I get the half-spicy BBQ-half-extra hot 8-piece. PERFECT for late night wing cravings as well. Genwa (5115 Wilshire Blvd, Mid Wilshire) – Awesome Korean dishes as well as Korean BBQ. Their 20+ different kinds of banchan make it worth the visit before the real food even arrives! Taste of Belize (1271 S La Brea Ave) – Growing up in a Belizean family, eating out means going over to someone’s house for an excellent meal. Taste of Belize is as close to Belizean home-cooking as it gets; stewed chicken and black soup(!) are childhood favorites. Daikokuya (327 E 1st St, Downtown) – Easily the BEST ramen I’ve had in my life so far (and the longest line I’ve had to wait in for it).

“Go-To” Lunch Place You and Your Coworkers Eat at Too Often? Susina (7122 Beverly Blvd, Mid City) – Not only is it the perfect place to hang for work & leisure, but their pastries are irresistible, their salads are addicting, and they have a different homemade soup every day. Their chicken chili is my absolute favorite!

Place you discovered thanks to Midtown Lunch? Tinga (142 S. La Brea). Good food, but a little pricey for the portions.

The farthest place you’ll drive for lunch on a normal day? Across state lines, and across the sea. I can’t say I’ve had the best sushi of my life until I travel to Japan!

If you could work anywhere (just because of the lunch) where would it be and why? Seoul, South Korea. Food you can only dream about (or watch if you’re a fan of No Reservations).

Is there anything you’d like to ask the Midtown Lunch readers in L.A.? What’s your favorite new food discovery (Korean, Salvadorian, Hungarian, German, Russian, Ethiopian?) and where is it?

Got an answer for Sade? Put it in the comments. And as always if you want to be next week’s Profiled: L.A. Lunch’er (or know somebody you’d want to nominate), email me- zach@midtownlunch.com.