where to eat in LA

(that time I woke up from a nap and saw on Instagram that a fried chicken truck was parked outside my sublet)

One of the nice things about always staying in the same neighborhood when I come to LA is that I have my places. I find in very overwhelming and annoying to realize that I am hungry and then remember that I most likely have to get into some kind of vehicle to find food. On previous trips in these circumstances, my solution would be to not eat and be grumpy rather than to decide what I want, figure out where that is, drive there, look for parking, etc. etc. Don't worry, I know that I sound like a brat - I'm working on it!

Since I'm pretty sure Chiara is the sole reader of this blog. And she often comes to LA for work too, I thought I would share some of my favorite places in case she (or anyone else) might find it helpful when trying to feed themselves on the East side of LA.

The strip of Rowena between Hyperion and Glendale is where my most frequented haunts reside - plus, if you are staying close enough, there are two handfuls of walkable food options - it's almost like not being in LA! For breakfast, I love the iced tea and strawberry scone from Broome Street General. For a fast lunch option, a soyrizo taco or kale ceaser from Mixto will always do the trick and if you are okay with spending a little more on a solo dinner I highly recommend ordering the Spaghetti Bolognese and a glass of rosé at the bar at Blair's (this place is also great for group dinners, but it's one of the few nice restaurants I've found here, where I feel totally comfortable eating alone.)

I've learned that if you want a papas chorizo burrito at Tacos Villa Corona (and you always do) weekdays are the only viable time to go, the weekend line is just too long. If weekends are your only option, you can always get a chocolate croissant at Proof while you wait. When meeting people for dinner, I usually suggest Speranza (make a res), Blossom (ask to sit downstairs), Bowery Bungalow (share a bunch of stuff) or Elf Cafe (date night). For quick take out, or casual low-key dinners, I go to Gingergrass. Their chicken pho is great after a stressful day or if you think you are getting sick. The Indian Market on Los Feliz blvd. in Atwater has a cafeteria where you can get really good, cheap and fast take away and The Griffin remains the apple of my eye for bar food - particularly chicken sandwiches and Moscow Mules.

If I can convince someone to meet me early enough to merit it, I like to go to Brite Spot to eat a single pancake (I feel weird about ordering pancakes alone, even if it's just one.) If you're in Echo Park, Sheila turned me on to Cookbook for take-away healthy sides and while they are inferior to the ones at villa Corona, I've had good (and fast) breakfast burritos from Chango Coffee.

Hope this is helpful! Writing this made me realize that I know more about where to eat in Silverlake/Echo Park/Los Feliz than I do in Bed Stuy/Clinton Hill/Fort Greene - the neighborhoods surrounding my home! I come back to NYC tomorrow, let me know if anyone has any good suggestions or wants to go exploring.