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Los Angeles has fabulous restaurants, so many that my goal
here is to give you just a couple so that until you get your
bearings you will have some choices. The all around favorite is:
Engine Co. No. 28:
The Engine Co. has a menu of what I would call American
grill. It has a wide choice of dishes at reasonable prices.
A good wine and beer selection as well as superior service
makes this my all round favorite.
Address: 644 South Figueroa Street, Los Angeles The all around favorite Chinese is Yang Chow: This unpretentious dining room has been the site for years of great food served by pleasant waiters. Often mentioned as one of the best, it is. While I would like to try others, when I want Chinese food, I can't give up the opportunity for Yang Chow in order to experiment. The place often looks closed because of dark windows but don't let that throw you. Inside it is light, clean and cheerful.
Address: 819 North Broadway Avenue, Los Angeles Traxx: Traxx is a kick and a half because of its location right smack dab in the midst of Union Station, itself a worthy destination if you want to see the beauty that abounds in Los Angeles architecture. The food is innovative, but not too cute. Traxx has interesting flavors and presentations that you don't run into every day.
Address: 800 North Alameda Street, Los Angeles 22nd St. Landing: This place has a unique charm. The food, which is good and fairly priced, together with the setting adds to a whole which is greater than the sum of its parts. It overlooks a modest little Marina in San Pedro which has a panache more intriguing than the Los Angeles County Marina south of Santa Monica. The energy here is more directed to boating and fishing than living the fast life. It is an absolute pleasure to sit at the windows--the length of one long wall -or the veranda and watch the small sailboats, kids in dinghies, and the day fishing boats return as the sun sets nearby. Add a great margarita, crab cakes and shrimp cocktail and life is good. Favorite dishes are the lobster bisque and the crab-Louie, almost as good as that of Frascati, gone decades ago. I have to mention the trip from The Inn which takes you through the working port of San Pedro and the refineries which at night are lit like a gigantic Christmas pageant. The huge cranes are thrilling, all in all, a great evening.
Address: 141 West 22nd Street, San Pedro La Barca: We love La Barca's food. It is a neighborhood place with a real feeling of Mexico. Everyone eats here--locals, LAPD, college students and faculty. The area looks shabby but it is perfectly OK.
Address: 2414 South Vermont Avenue The University Club at USC: The best restaurant on campus offers a full selection of wine and other beverages, and good food. To be completed next spring is an entirely new location even more convenient to The Inn.
Address: 645 West Exposition Boulevard Fast Food Heaven: South of The Inn on Figueroa is what I call fast food heaven. In spite of this characteristic, there are good, modestly priced places to eat when you don't have time, energy or money to "dine". Pasta Roma: Surprisingly good pasta in an abundance of styles; salads and pizza. I don't know of any better, except perhaps at far higher prices with $5.00 valet charges. The only drawback is kind of a big, noisy setting with not much charm. But then, you're not spending a whole evening there.
Address: 2827 South Figueroa Street, Los Angeles
Address: 735 South Figueroa Street, Los Angeles
Address: 3009 S. Figueroa St. |
