Suffering from mealtime doldrums? LA Taco contributor and Los Angeles food aficionado Memo Torres is back with five suggestions for where we should eat right now.
Aunty Maile's Hawaiian Restaurant
"Some of the best Hawaiian food, probably in all of LA," Torres says. He recommends ordering a mixed plate with kalbi short ribs and furikake chicken. "They're sweet, they're sour, they're barbecuey," he says, noting that pretty much every meal comes with a small cup of macaroni salad. Don't skip the SPAM musubi.
19106 Normandie Ave., Unit 2, Torrance, CA 90502
Ozzy's Apizza
Located on the northern side of Glendale, this spot specializes in New Haven-style pizza with an ultra-thin crust, a sliver of chewy dough, and a "magnificent" tomato sauce. Ozzy's also has a great outdoor space.
357 Arden Ave., Glendale, CA 91203
Expect lots of dishes made with beets at Grandma's Deli, a Ukrainian/Russian deli in Valley Village. Photo by Memo Torres.
Grandma's Deli Babushka
Expect beets (lots and lots of beets) at this Ukrainian/Russian deli where most of the food is meant for takeout. They make a great beet salad and if you ask, they'll bring you a bowl of borscht (beet soup) from the back. Torres loves the deep-fried, cone-shaped chicken, which is stuffed with cheese and veggies and served on a stick.
4818 Laurel Canyon Blvd., Valley Village, CA 91607
Bub & Grandma's
Torres, who says he's addicted to "any place that has fresh bread and fluffy eggs," likes to stockpile the chorizo and egg or bacon and egg breakfast sammies.
3507 Eagle Rock Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90065
Tacos La Rueda
Praising LA's Sonoran renaissance, which he says started with Sonoratown, Torres notes that La Rueda's tacos, dressed with onion, diced cabbage, and a bit of tomato broth salsa, have more of a Sinaloan influence. He also praises their Sonoran hot dogs, which are served on pillowy bread.
16900 Lakewood Blvd., Bellflower, CA 90706