Food That Got Me Through 2016 in LA.
If you are what you eat, then Los Angeles is complex, layered, and straight up delicious. I ate a lot this year. And although I’m hit with waves of regret towards my gluttonous consumption, I do have deeper reasons for exploring restaurants other than the need to satiate my hunger. LA is a world I love to live in. Namely for it’s complexity, and staggering diversity, and the endless number of deep rabbit holes it has to offer. Drive down any street: Beverly, Wilshire, or Santa Monica and you’ll be taken around the world through hundreds of different smells and textures. As someone who loves to travel and owns their own small business, I can’t think of a city that better reflects what I love about life. This is a place where a long drive can magically combine with loud music and juicy tacos; giving you a harmonious sense that everyone in this town is trying to figure out what it is to be American.
In Chinatown you have a surge of insanely eclectic and delicious restaurants mostly run by first generation Asian Americans. Along Echo Park, you have the great Taco Triangle formed by three different taco trucks that will melt your face. Head towards Hollywood and go through Thai Town, where noodles will literally change your entire understanding of taste. Further west and you get the polished, youthful spectrum of coffee shops and some of the best Shwarma in town. Towards the beach, Sawtelle reigns supreme with the relentless deliciousness of Little Osaka.
Being American, to me, is embracing the difference and contrast between cultures in a singular space. (We’re a nation of immigrants after all) It is understanding that broadening our experiences, empathy, and perception, make us grow in ways that are truly unique and spectacular. It‘s that feeling when you’re in an mom and pop Korean restaurant and your friend orders kimchi in Spanish. If small businesses are the ‘backbone’ of America, then a dingy family-owned restaurant serving dumplings in a strip mall might be the place to discover some truth.
This is not a list of the ‘best’ restaurants in Los Angeles, or the ‘nicest’. This is a list of hole-in-the-wall places that are responsible for my deep, warm affection for LA. These are places that got me through long days, late nights, rough seasons, and tough times. These are my everyday spots of 2016.
1. Crispy Rice Salad at Night + Market
I’ve got a deep, pain-inducing addiction to spicy Northern Thai food. Kris Yenbamroong is a force to be reckoned with, and I just can’t get enough. He’s arguably running new wave Thai in this town. (Silver Lake and West Hollywood)
2. Rice Bowl with Bacon at Sqirl
Maybe the most talked about brunch spot in Los Angeles right now, but well deserving of the hype. Jessica Koslow is redefining what American food is. Grab a turmeric tonic and a coffee, and people watch as the day begins. (Virgil Village)
3. Dry Fried Chicken at Lao Sze Chuan
If you don’t want to head all the way over to SGV for Chengdu taste, Lao Sze Chuan in Glendale will fuck you up with their dried fried chicken complete with ridiculous heaps of peppers that will make you break a sweat. (Glendale)
4. Lengua Tacos with Green Salsa at Tacos Arizas
The old standby. A staple in Echo Park. This truck single handedly made my dog tolerate homeless men and the noise of Sunset Blvd. Green salsa is a must on whatever you get. Proof that you should rarely trust expensive Tacos run by suits. (Echo Park)
5. Dan Dan Noodles at Pine and Crane
Steph and I always order the same thing: Three Cup Chicken, Dan Dan Noodles, and Dragon Fruit Ice Tea. Vivian Ku is schooling people us Taiwanese food, and has everyone on the East Side buzzing. Take a look in the kitchen, it’s all old Asian folk. That’s how you know it’s legit. (Silver Lake)
6. Kimchi Fried Rice at Republique
With a space as amazing as the food, Republique is a huge win for LA. A white dude and a Filipina girl (Walter and Margarita Manzke) cooking amazing, local food that captures that diversity and beauty of this town. (Mid Wilshire)
7. Pastor Tacos at El Flaming Taco
Get the Pastor. Theres locations everywhere. This place got me through a lot of late work nights and drunken bar hops. 420 friendly. (Echo Park, Koreatown, all over)
8. The Ira Glass at Wax Paper
Frogtown forever. My favorite sandwich shop run by the friendliest people. I get the Ira Glass, which is vegetarian. If you know me, it’s a big deal that I think this is the best. We need more businesses like this. (Frogtown)
9. Xaio Long Bao and Beef Noodle Soup at Emperor Noodle
Everyone who’s had XLB (Soup Dumplings) can only talk about Din Tai Fung, but there is so much more. Steph and I started our weekly dumpling adventures two years ago, and this has become our soupy little secret. I didn’t even want to put it on here. (Monterey Park)
10. Spicy Roast Duck Noodles at Hoy-Ka
Most people have had ramen and pho, but there are far less people who have truly experienced Thai noodle soups. I’m convinced this is what we’ll hit critical mass next. Hoy-ka is the tip of the iceberg, and this category deserves it’s own list. (Thai Town)
11. Pad Kee Mao or Gai Yang Chicken at Sticky Rice
I’ve tried all the places in grand central market, and this just might be my favorite. Split into two separate stalls, one serves strictly noodles, and the other regional Thai dishes. Go there for lunch and hit the knife store across the street. (Downtown)
12. Poached Egg & Waffle at Dinette
My Sunday. You’re paying for gentrified prices, but they make a damn good waffle. Good if you have a dog, since you can sit there for awhile and take a stroll around Echo Park lake. (Echo Park)
13. Gamjatang at Yangji Gamjatang
The first time I came here, I think the server thought I was lost because I was alone and not Korean. I was drawn in by the smell. Decadent Oxtail stew over rice. Open late. Hopefully people will realize Ktown is far more than AYCE BBQ. (Koreatown)
14. Roasted Duck at Lien Hoa Deli
Duck! It’s hanging in the window. It’s dingy and has a B grade. It’s dirt cheap (less than 10 bucks for a half duck) and seriously delicious. Eat here, but don’t blame me for the cholesterol. A great Chinatown secret. (Chinatown)
15. Tsukemen at Tsujita LA
This is still the best. The Tsukemen might be my final meal if I’m ever on death row. Put lime on half way through and taste the profile change. One of the few places that compares to the ramen I had in Tokyo. (Little Osaka)
16. Pho Dac Biet at Nongla
This might not be the most gritty authentic Pho place in town, but you simply can’t beat the quality of ingredients. I like the Dac Biet which includes the tendon, tripe, and liver. Some things shouldn’t be messed with. (Beverly Grove)
17. Crispy Pork or Crispy Noodle Rad Na at Watdongmoonlek
When I don’t want to drive to Thai Town, and I’m craving crispy pork, this is where I go. The vibes and people are great, and it’s a perfect spot to eat noodles before you head out for the night. Pro-tip: only trust a Thai restaurant that uses Chinese Broccoli. (Silver Lake)
18. Chicken Wings and Heat Ray at Pok Pok
Along with Night+Market, Andy Ricker is bringing Issan style Thai Food to the masses. It’s a little pricier than other spots, but the ambiance and cocktails make up for it. Get the wings, laarb, and papaya salad. (Chinatown)
19. Salt Ramen & Pork Rice Bowl at Santouka
Hidden inside the Mitsuwa Market place in Palms, you’ll find a magical ramen joint that serves traditional, no-fuss ramen amidst a food court of endless magic. I’ve been coming here for years and is still my stop whenever I’m around the west side. (Palms)
20. Laffa at Ta-eem Grill
I had a friend that got kicked out of this place for bringing non-kosher food in here. This place is the real deal, and they serve some very epic Kosher food. Get the Shwarma, or anything and then take a stroll around Melrose. (West Hollywood)
Josh Principe is a designer and co-founder of Onyx, a design studio based in sunny Los Angeles. Currently living in Echo Park.
