Archive for December 2013

My 10 Favorite All You Can Eat Deals In Los Angeles


The AYCE thali at Rajdhani in Artesia

DineLA asked me to round up the 10 best all you can eat deals in L.A. because… well… you know why they asked me. I’m a fat man who spends a lot of time thinking about all you can eat buffets.  The chinese food one is kind of a cop-out, so if you’ve got any other suggestions please put them in the comments. (Seriously. Please.  I’m desperately looking to find a good all you can eat Chinese buffet. Key word: desperately.)  The full list is over on the DineLA website>> 

Murakami Sushi Reopens on Melrose, Mostly the Same

When news broke last week that Murakami Sushi had reopened in their new location on Melrose, I rushed over to see if the menu was still the same.  You know… for you- the Midtown Lunch reader.  I can assure you this was not a case of me using the news as an excuse to go eat the best cheap sushi Chirashi bowl in the city. It was strictly for you- the reader.   And you’ll be happy to know that the menu at Murakami has made the transition from Hollywood to Melrose almost entirely intact.  The only difference? Everything is now $1 more expensive (understandable considering that the rent is probably more.)

Well, as long as I was there I might as try one of the bowls right?  You know, for you.

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Lunch Links (The “Welcome Back Murakami Sushi!” Edition)

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This Murakami chirashi bowl cost $11 at their old location

  • FAIRFAX Your first look at the new Plan Check [LAMag]
  • KTOWN Insadong Galbi Noodle is now open and looks pretty good [Squid Ink]
  • KTOWN Bori Chon is a good homestyle lunch place [Squid Ink]
  • MELROSE Murakami Sushi has found a new location! [@dearclarissa]
  • MID CITY Hollywood Pies is back open but not for lunch [Squid Ink]
  • PICO Nick’s Coffee Shop & Deli is the best diner in town [Squid Ink]
  • SHERMAN OAKS Ramen by Omae looks worth traveling to the Valley for [Squid Ink]
  • VENICE Komodo’s new location opening Dec 16th [Eater]
  • WESTWOOD Shophouse’s 3rd branch is now open on Broxton [Eater]
  • LISTS The guide to the best BBQ in L.A. [Eater]

Short Rib Stew and Beef Head Make Sun Nong Dan one of K-Town’s Best Newcomers

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It know it’s hard to believe, but a lot of people are starting to come around to the idea that Los Angeles’ Koreatown might have better food than Korea itself.  All you can eat barbecue places, which Koreans will tell you are as Korean as sushi is Japanese, act as a magnet for meat lovers all over the city, but it’s the spaces in between that make K-Town truly special. Combine the highest population density in the city with a culture that likes going out to eat its own food, and the result is a seemingly endless wishlist of quality lunches waiting to be explored.

The most recent development in K-Town’s ongoing evolution is that it’s not even enough to just have a speciality anymore. You’ve got to do your specialty well enough (or some sort of gimmick) to attract people away from the other 5 places that specialize in the same thing. Take seolleongtang, the cloudy ox bone noodle soup that comes to the table bland, and requires the diner to add salt and scallions to taste. Hat Bat has long been considered the go to place of choice, but Young Dong has carved out their own fan base from those looking for a cleaner, less murky broth.  Technically they serve the same dish, but it be impossible to say which is better. Both are great in their own way, both are extremely popular.

So how does a new place like Sun Nong Dan make headway against these two established soup specialists?  Funny enough, with head, actually. And feet. And a surprisingly spectacular version of braised Korean short ribs.

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