Midtown Lunch

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 Nguyen, who despite being the owner of one of the better lunch spots Downtown (Starry Kitchen) does a lot of amazing eating in Downtown and beyond.

Name: Nguyen

Age: 32

Occupation: Pan-Asian Comfort Food Presenter/Poser + Level 3 – Janitorial Engineer

Where in L.A. do you Work?: The deep dark depths of the dingy dungeon called Starry Kitchen / DTLA – Financial District/California Plaza

Favorite Kind of Food: Most Pan-Asian / Asian

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Off the top of my head, Tibetan (which does fall into the Asian category), but I haven’t had anything I crave yet.. I’m always ready to be convinced otherwise

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch: Fisherman’s Outlet (529 South Central Ave., Downtown) is one my FAVORITE blue collar paradises, and forget the fried stuff- get the grilled (to perfection) Sea bass drenched in their garlic butter seasoning. Chin-Ma-Ya (Weller Court, 123 Astronaut Ellison, Downtown): Tan-Tan-Men w/ Chicken Karaage (I swear, best karaage I’ve had… so damn crunchy.) Langers: not exactly DTLA, but close enough. #19 – Pastrami & Cole Slaw w/ Russian Style dressing sandwiched in a beautifully crispy & yet brittle bread… so good. Mendocino Farms (what, we can’t like a competitor? ^_^): DUDE, that secret PB&J sammie w/ the carmelized bananas… off the f’ing CHAIN. (Editor’s Note: Too bad they stopped serving it at the end of April!) Daikokuya: shredded pork w/ ramen combo (kotteri / extra fatty style)… actually my favorite things are the things leading up to the ramen – the cabbage salad/slaw w/ this AWESOME ginger sauce + the shredded pork bowl w/ a TON o’ ginger. Curry House (123 S Onizuka St, Downtown): Curry Pan + Extra-spicy Ginger Curry Rice… yuuuuum. Grand Central Market (317 South Broadway, Downtown): can’t remember the place, but there’s one on the side that serves a delicious heart attack of a Torta Cubano “uh huuuh.. pork, cheese, fried pork, tapatio and more meat = heart attack… yuuum” Pitfire Pizza: haven’t been to the one in DTLA, but assuming it’s the same… the freakin’ Burrata Pizza is NICE! And did I mention Fisherman’s Outlet??? :)

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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 it’s Michael, program specialist who wishes he worked Downtown, across the street from an all you can eat yellow curry buffet.

Name: Michael

Age: 28

Occupation: Program Specialist at Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of LA

Where in L.A. do you Work?: Mid-Wilshire (near San Vincente) or Glendale

Favorite Kind of Food: Thai Food, hands down. I visit a new Thai restaurant every week. I order the meal every time: Yellow Curry with Tufo over white rice. The same thing everywhere is my way to compare who is the best. I rarely will visit the same Thai restaurant twice. A close second is french fries. Village Idiot (7383 Melrose Avenue) has the best fries in town. My mouth is just watery thinking about them.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Anything with pork. Can’t do it.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch: Sushi & Kushi IMAI (8300 Wilshire Boulevard). Their lunch specials happen to be one of the best in town. I always get the Spicy Tuna Bowl. So much food for $7.95. Its impossible to go back to work on an empty stomach. The newest place I have visited is Mixt Greens (5757 Wilshire Boulevard). Full of taste and options. Choose from their pre-determined salads or create your own. They have at least 30 different ingredients you can have in your salad. The salad dressings are full of flavor and great for dipping your bread into. Can’t go wrong. It’s great place for a vegetarian option.

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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 it’s Thomas, a cook who seems to know a ton of spots in Koreatown.

Name: Thomas

Age: 31!?

Occupation: Cook

Where in L.A. do you Work?: Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Pasadena

Favorite Kind of Food: Comfort food, done simple and done right.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Anything that’s a “trend” just for trends’ sake. Offals (not that I don’t enjoy a crispy pig’s ear, buche or chicken gizzards now and again). Trendy burgers that cost 15 dollars. Portions that I can fit inside a matchbook.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch: Koreatown – Um Ma Jeep (that’s about as phonetic as I can get) 3126 W. 8th in a small strip. They have killer soups, particularly Sul Lung Tang which is many a Koreans’ remedy after a hard night of looking at the bottom of bottles. The soup is a restorative, made from a rich broth made from long simmered beef and bones, buckwheat noodles, slices of beef and tripe with a fistful of green onions. When I first started coming here back 10+ years ago the price for a bowl was $1.99! With the economy being what it is, the price is now $3.99 but still a great deal. Not to mention you can show up anytime since they don’t seem to have locks on the door. 24-7 real deal. Another spot is Mandarin House (3074 W. 8th), a Korean version of Chinese food. Noodles in Black Bean Sauce (jah – jang meun) is cheap and good. I walked out of there with a large order of Jah Jang Meun and Orange Chicken with all the accoutrement (rice, kimchi, soup, etc.) for a steal at $10 bucks and change. Chin Go Gae (3063 W. 8th St.) was a little hole in the wall for Koreans looking to score some Black Goat. It’s becoming more open to eaters looking to be more adventurous. Their black goat stew is another soup that does a body well after waking up a bit hangin’. The stew comes with all of the extra dishes normal of Korean joints. Kimchi and such. The stew is chock full of chile, garlic and perilla seeds. Strong flavored and filling. Although its 15 dollars a pop its enough for 2, so spilt the bowl and the bill and you can walk out of there less $7 bucks and change.

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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 it’s Justin, a freelancer who used to lunch Downtown, but is now in the Valley.

Name: Justin

Age: 23

Occupation: Unemployed recent college graduate/Freelance editor/assistant

Where in L.A. do you Work?: Used to work mostly downtown/USC area, now the valley

Favorite Kind of Food: Japanese and truck fare

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Chain food

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch: Where I used to work… the two plate combo at A Taste of India in the University Village Food Court (3333 South Hoover Street). Steak nachos at Chanos Drive In (3000 S Figueroa St) was an entire meal unto itself. Fibbs with a side of Vegan Mac & Cheese (that is 10x better the next day) at Vegisoul (1436 W Jefferson Blvd). Or a cheese slice from the Slice Truck. Now: Tandori Lunch at Anarbagh in Woodland Hills (22721 Ventura Blvd), or a plain slice or a special slice at Mulberry Street Pizza in Encino (17040 Ventura Blvd) .

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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 it’s Sarika, a writer who likes to eat lunch at a place called Vegan World, but is looking for good Korean BBQ in the Valley (only in L.A.!)

Name: Sarika

Age: 33

Occupation: Writer/Managing Editor

Where in L.A. do you Work?: Peter Greenberg Worldwide, Studio City

Favorite Kind of Food: Thai, Korean barbecue, brunch, cookies

Least Favorite Kind of Food: The sea slug I ate in China

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch: Stir-fried vegetables with tofu at Vegan World (11044 Ventura Blvd.),mango salmon sushi from Sushi Dan (11056 Ventura Boulevard), “grilled” chicken sub with green peppers, spinach and honey mustard from Subway, matsu box (five pieces of sushi, spicy tuna hand roll, inari, salad and miso soup) from Sushi 101 (11331 Moorpark Street), wild veggie burrito from Aroma Cafe (4360 Tujunga Ave.), ploughman’s platter from The Fox and the Hounds (11100 Ventura Blvd), aloo chat and a mango lassi from Bollywood Cafe (11101 Ventura Blvd), grilled chicken with rice and red pepper hummus from Shish Mediterranean (11052 Ventura Blvd), and vegetable soup from Vivian’s Cafe (10968 Ventura Blvd).

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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 it’s Lilly, a writer who would prefer to be lunching in Paris.

Name: Lilly

Age: I don’t know. I’m not a numbers person.

Occupation: Writer

Where in L.A. do you Work?: I live and work in Venice.

Favorite Kind of Food: Deep fried

Least Favorite Kind of Food: It’s a tie between chicken and green salad.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch:

Abbot’s Habit (1401 Abbot Kinney Blvd.) is a great neighborhood spot for dine in or takeout. Service is quick and friendly. Their sandwiches are enormous and they change their soup list daily. I’m in love with their BLT. And their zucchini rosemary soup is tops. If I want a sandwich fast, I order an everything bagel toasted with lox, cream cheese and capers. They prepackage all the toppings, which means it takes no more than 2 minutes to get my lunch. It also means I have to assemble the sandwich once the bagel is ready (the cream cheese and capers come in plastic ramekins, and the lox is also on the side), but I don’t mind. Abbot’s Habit wins the prize for fastest service.

The deli counter at Rose Café and Market (220 Rose Ave.) has several lunch combos that allow you to mix and match a soup with a half sandwich, or a half sandwich with 2 salads, or a soup with 1 salad, or . . . you get the picture. The room is airy and bright, with plenty of seating. The food tastes so fresh that I feel as though I’m eating gourmet California cuisine, not a $9.95 special. Even better: the servings are generous, so if I order the 3-item lunch combo, I’ll have enough food for lunch today and tomorrow. Favorite items: the lentil salad with fresh basil and the beet salad with oranges and macadamia nuts.

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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 it’s Justin, a grad student from South Pasadena who loves BBQ and has been to Slaw Dogs 10 times.

Name: Justin

Age: 31

Occupation: Grad Student

Where in L.A. do you Work?: I am self-employed and work out of South Pasadena

Favorite Kind of Food: Barbecue

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Anything with avocado

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch: If I have more than an hour for lunch, and I can have a couple drinks, I head to Green Street Tavern (69 West Green Street). They have the best burger in Pasadena and I am addicted to their conquistador bisque. If it’s only an hour for lunch I usually go to Hutch’s BBQ (390 E. Walnut Street). I have been eating there my entire life. Green Street Tavern has the best burger in Pasadena but Hutch’s has my favorite burger in the entire world. If you understand this then you understand everything. If it’s gotta be a quick lunch I get a couple tacos at Rick’s Drive-In (680 E. Walnut Street). Their tacos are a guilty pleasure for me. People know Rick’s mostly for the spuderito (a burrito of french fries, cheese and hot sauce) but to be honest that’s the only thing I’ve ever eaten there that I thought was lousy.

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