A Melange of Los Angeles Watering Holes

     First of all, stay tuned for an upcoming photo chronicle on the Grotto of the celestial wedding of Alana Henry and Matt Kagan, now commonly referred to as The Kagans!  This historic event in Big Sur and Carmel, California was a beautiful and joyous occasion, and I look forward to posting some great photos in the next few days.

     In the meantime, I will focus on more minor matters.  When traveling, it is vital to know the good eating spots to frequent.  Now, I'm not talking here about opening up a Zagat's Guide, finding out what the fanciest or most expensive restaurants are, and then getting your hotel concierge to set you up with a table.  No, I'm talking about the holes-in-the-wall, the reliable old standbys, those establishments that form the backbone of the city!  Here are a few to check out next time you're in L.A.:

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First we have The Apple Pan, one of the great burger joints on this planet, which I mentioned in an earlier post.  It's been around since the early decades of the twentieth century, and it's located on Pico Blvd. in West L.A., across from some cheesy mall.  The building, burgers, pie, and employees have not changed in many, many, many years!

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Next, we have Nate 'n Al's, located on Beverly Drive right in the heart of Beverly Hills.  This Jewish deli has been around forever also, and so have the waitresses.  My buddy Marty Marcus and I eat there all the time, and we always insist on sitting in the section run by Vicky Allen, our favorite waitress.  You can nibble the pickles and sauerkraut as you await your gigantic sandwich or Matzah Brei.  I always order the following:  a bowl of Matzah Ball/Kreplach Soup (with noodles), a half Beverly sandwich (roast beef with cole slaw and Russian dressing), and two chocolate milkshakes, one as an appetizer and one as dessert.  Here's a photo of Marty and Vicky, and then a photo of the facade of this excellent place, where nice families with high-chairs and little kids are crammed next to mega-moguls shaping the future of Hollywood :

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Next, there's Jan's Diner, located at Beverly Blvd. and Orlando, a few blocks from my old pad.  Alana Henry (now Kagan) and I used to meet there for breakfast.  It is the closest thing to a real NYC-style greasy-spoon breakfast diner.  By the way, Alana always liked to pronounce it "Yon's", as if it were some fancy foreign restaurant.  Typical Alana humor.  I got so hooked for a stretch of time on their Belgian waffles and bacon that I puffed out like a Christmas goose and had to buy a new set of pants that weren't skin-tight!  Here it is:

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One of the things I miss most about Los Angeles is the surplus of excellent little Mexican taco stands serving super-fresh ingredients that all serve as vehicles for hot sauce!  Marty and I would fight the traffic along Sunset Blvd. regularly to pick up rations at Poquito Mas (translation: A Little Bit More).  Marty likes to mix up his orders, but I generally go for the Tortilla Soup followed by the Steak Dinner Plate, which is a mix of steak, rice, tomatoes, guac, sour cream, lettuce, etc. that can all be rolled up into soft flour tortillas (you could order corn tortillas, but I prefer flour).  Okay, and Marty and I usually split a massive burrito on top of everything.  Poquito Mas also provides a great bonus to their customers-in-the-know:  when it rains, they serve free soup.  Not too risky, as that happens about four days a year.

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Finally, I was lucky enough to schedule a lunch with pal and reality-TV impresario Josh Bingham at one of my favorite spots, the Versailles Restaurant.  There's one on La Cienega Blvd., and one on Venice Blvd. in Culver City.  We met for lunch at the latter, and to say it didn't disappoint is a laughable understatement.  This is real Cuban food, folks, and they serve lots of it!  Plantains, rice and beans, slow-roasted pork, blah blah blah.  It's a downright party for your tastebuds! 

 

Comments

[Zagat Survey]

Hi Charles,

Just a quick head's up...Every restaurant you listed above is featured in the Zagat Survey's 2007 Los Angeles/So. California Restaurants guide.

Though we do include the fanciest and most expensive restaurants in our guides, we strive to include the ones that the people of Los Angeles, like yourself, truly enjoy.

Thanks,

Zagat Survey