Midtown Lunch

I like the cheap “authentic” dives you find in {Insert any Asian country here} Town just as much as the next guy (actually, probably way more than the next guy.)  But I also love when young chefs take Asian food out of the dive dive and into the hipster dive, giving the food a punk rock edge without muting the flavors that made you love the cuisine in the first place. I’m talking your Momofukus, your A-Frames, your Mission Chineses.  So naturally I was a bit excited when Night + Market started getting good reviews. The Thai street food restaurant from Chef Kris Yenbamroong is “hidden” inside Talesai, a West Hollywood Thai dinosaur owned by his parents.  Night + Market is only open at night (naturally), but when I heard that Yenbamroong also runs the kitchen of Talesai I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of lunch you could get at the parent restaurant.

Finding out that they offer a $10 lunch special sealed the deal.

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The fries from the Patty Wagon look great. Photo courtesy of Squid Ink

• FRIES The ten best french fries in Los Angeles [Squid Ink]
• DTLA Next week Langer’s will be giving out free sandwiches [LAT]
• HWOOD The boat noodles from Pa Ord are a witch’s brea [Squid Ink]
• PLAYA VISTA Steak N Shake is on its way [Eater]
• VENICE The Mr. Beef on the boardwalk was unsanctioned, and has closed [Eater]
• WEST LA Ramen Jinya is now open on Sawtelle [Eater]
• WEST LA The chicken pho is better than the beef pho at Nongla [Eat Drink Be Merry]
• WEST LA Habayit makes good specials, in addition to their great falafel [FTM]

Pulitzer Prize winning food writer Jonathan Gold at Bronson Island

If you are reading this site I’m guessing you know exactly who Jonathan Gold is, and likely follow his recommendations religiously.  But did you know that Jonathan Gold started off his career as a music writer?  And not just any old music writer, but one who extensively covered the L.A. hip hop scene around the time of its inception.  What does that mean in laymen’s terms?  The dude went to BBQ’s at NWA’s house, hung out with Snoop Dogg while Doggystyle was being recorded, got a nickname from Dr. Dre, and stinkeye from Suge Knight (which may or may not have caused him to switch careers).  Stories you can hear on the first episode of the Food is the New Rock podcast, recorded live at Bronson Island by me and Chuck P (from KCRW).   Every week the podcast will feature a food person talking about music or a musician talking about food, and can be downloaded via Soundcloud or iTunes for free.  Enjoy!

If you were one of those people (read: cheap bastards like me) who found the menu at Short Order, the Nancy Silverton backed burger concept in The Original Farmer’s Market, to be way too expensive for a casual lunch- a reprieve has finally arrived.  Short Order has announced the launch of lunch specials.  Now $14 will get you a grass fed cheeseburger with a side order of house fries or their signature spuds, plus a soda.  For $3 more you can get a beer instead, $7 more will get you a cocktail (the special is also offered during happy hour.)   It still doesn’t exactly feel cheap, but at that price it’s a lot easier to swallow than it was when the same lunch would cost you $18+.   And, I’m down with any deal that forces me to order those spuds.

Short Order, 6333 W 3rd St. 323-761-7970

When I heard about Tatsu Ramen opening on Sawtelle, three things immediately came to mind:

1. Ordering on iPads is a stupid gimmick…
2. … there’s no way this place is going to be good.
3. What the hell is “naked ramen” and why the hell would I want to eat it?

What I learned after actually eating at Tatsu?

1. Ordering ramen on iPads attached to the wall is kind of fun!
2. This place is no freakin’ joke.
3. And naked ramen is my new favorite bowl of noodles for the summer

Check it out after the jump…

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Photo courtesy of Elina Shatkin/Squid Ink

• BEV HILLS Momed’s duck shawarma really is worth the splurge [Squid Ink]
• DTLA A Langer’s shirt at Umamicatessen will get you a better sandwich [Beef Aficionado]
• HWOOD Rodded’s duck noodle soup looks real good [Feed the Monster]
• WEHO Mendo Farms is now open on Fairfax, and their cuban looks great [Gourmet Pigs]
• WEST LA Hannusuke Tempura is set to open on June 11th [Squid Ink]
• WESTWOOD Fundamental is serving a great fried chx sandwich [Squid Ink]

Poor Taeem.  Back in January I was so excited to discover you. Plodding along in the wasteland of Melrose Ave. Quietly serving up a falafel sandwich on that deliciously elusive pita bread of all pita breads: the laffa.  Yours wasn’t baked fresh in house, but I didn’t care. When a dehydrated traveler stumbling through the desert happens upon an oasis, they don’t question how the water was filtered. But sadly, our love affair has come to and end. Because fresh baked laffa does exist in Los Angeles, at a place called Joe’s.  I don’t normally venture to North Hollywood to lunch, but when giant discs of freshly baked pita bread are involved my boundaries tend to become a bit less rigid.

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