A few weeks ago Bibigo opened in Westwood Village to much fanfare, and while I mostly liked the food it didn’t make me as excited as it would have had it been… how to put this… dirtier. So when I saw Gushi (“the long standing beloved Korean shack on Gayley”) casually mentioned in this review of Bibigo I knew it had to be my next Westwood lunch.
As much as I love, and have done serious research on, all you can eat buffets across the country, there is one gaping hole in my canon of face stuffing experiences: all you can eat Korean BBQ. Every time I drive through K-Town I stare lovingly at all the signs touting meat feasts of epic proportions- and the best part is, a ton of them are under $10. And yet, for some reason, I’ve never been able to the pull trigger. Part of it is my allegiance to the true all you can eat buffet (like Hansong), where all the food is laid in one giant smorgasbord, ready to be defeated at the hands of my rather large gut. Admittedly a real all you can eat master wouldn’t let that technicality stand in his or her way, so I’m forced to admit that the real reason I haven’t been to one of these places is sheer intimidation. Not only are there too many places to choose from, but I wasn’t sure exactly what happens when one enters one of these places. Yes, many have $9.99 lunchtime options- but with upgrades avaialble (that allow you a better quality of meat) was the $10 ayce Korean BBQ deal really worth it?
So, when a Korean friend offered to accompany me to one of his favorite spots, Tahoe Galbi (on Wilton & Wilshire), I jumped at the chance. Not just to fill the gaping hole in my all you can eat buffet resume, but also the big gaping hole that pops up in my stomach every day around 11:45am.
Posted at 11:00 am, October 6th, 2010 under All You Can Eat Buffet, Korean, Koreatown, Tahoe Galbi.
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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 we’re excited to welcome Thrillist’s L.A. editor Jeff Miller who works in the Mid-Wilshire area but wishes he was in Japan…
Name: Jeff
Age: 31
Occupation: Editor
Where in L.A. do you Work?: Thrillist LA; Mid-Wilshire
Favorite Kind of Food: Sushi
Least Favorite Kind of Food: Dessert
Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch: I’m roaming around the city a lot for work — but by my home/office I find myself eating the chirashi from Sushi & Kushi Imai (8300 Wilshire Blvd) and salads from Doughboys (8136 W 3rd St) at least once a week, but I like it when I end up in the valley and find myself at Pita Kitchen (14500 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks) for their chicken kafta. I’ve also been doing TONS of lunches at Tinga (142 S. La Brea). MMM.
Clearly there is nothing I can’t write about Bay Cities that hasn’t been written before. If you want a sandwich, and you’re anywhere near Santa Monica, it’s pretty much the only spot that anybody and everybody will send you to. On my first visit I learned that waiting in line was for suckers. Ordering online saves a ton of time, but I get it. Sometimes you’re driving around, you didn’t plan for the visit, the craving comes all of a sudden- and boom. What are you going to do? I’ll tell you what you’re going to do… go for the hot foods! The bread at Bay Cities is unbelievably good. But the cold cuts they put in the Godmother? It’s just Boar’s Head. On my first visit the chicken parm sandwich blew away the Godmother, and last week I headed back for the meatloaf sandwich- a recommendation from Lunch’er “Jeff”.
Just a warning… it’s about to get super messy in here!
Posted at 11:30 am, October 4th, 2010 under Bay Cities Deli, Sandwiches, Santa Monica.
I’ve heard little bits and pieces about the new fried chicken truck run by Dante Gonzales, the NYC artist/chef/party thrower now based here in L.A. It was enough to get me interested, but the Dante Fried Chicken Truck hasn’t really hit the streets full time yet (just a few private events here and there.) I was particularly curious how such a new truck managed to squeeze their way into Thrillist’s Food Truck Rally– featuring the 5 “Best of the Best” Food Trucks in L.A., but the pick turned out to be inspired… because not only were they the talk of the event this past Saturday, they won the people’s choice voting (beating out Frysmith, Dim Sum Truck, Komodo, and Lardon.) And not just for their fried chicken… it was also their fried tofu (vegetarians should be seriously excited for this), mac and cheese, and their coconut biscuit topped with blueberry stout brisket & almond banana slaw.
I’m not sure exactly when the truck will pop up in public next, but it sounds like they may be on Miracle Mile for lunch very soon. My twitter stalking has officially started (and if you’re smart, you’ll follow them right along with me.)
Posted at 9:45 am, October 4th, 2010 under Dante's Fried Chicken Truck, Food Truck.
The Ciao Balla from Great Balls on Tires. Photo by Chow Balla.
This sign should have been a premonition. Not all falafel sandwiches require this kind of attention to spillage, but the ones at Hungry Pocket certainly do… a fact I discovered the hard way yesterday. Situated right across the street from Santa Monica College, HP was first brought to my attention by KCRW producer (and Profiled Midtown Lunch’er) Harriet Els, who listed it as one of her go-to lunches. Her endorsement was less than enthusiastic (she called the falafel “decent”), but when this week’s Profiled Lunch’er Steven called it the best falafel he’s found in L.A. I knew it was time for a visit to this college student hang out.
Posted at 10:45 am, September 30th, 2010 under Falafel, Hungry Pocket, Middle Eastern, Santa Monica.
