2 weeks Ago
Every Friday, our editors compile a trusty list of recommendations to answer the most pressing of questions: “Where should I eat?“ Here now are four places to check out this weekend in Los Angeles. And if you need some ideas on where to drink, here’s our list of the hottest places to get cocktails in town. For an old-school taco stop: Tito’s Tacos For such an old-school spot, Tito’s and its signature crispy tacos continue to be pretty polarizing.
For those who love it, there’s nothing like it, and it satisfies a craving that nothing else does. Naysayers may disagree, but it’s a legend for a reason. The not-so-secret strategy for achieving the ideal Tito’s meal is to slather on the salsa, which just adds another level of flavor.
Don’t stick to just ordering tacos either, at least one burrito should be included in each trip. The food here is best enjoyed on-site to prevent the crispy shell from going soft. 11222 Washington Place, Culver City, CA 90230.
— Rebecca Roland, associate editor For a food-filled circus: Helms Bakery The rebooted Helms Bakery in Culver City is full of frenetic energy and so much eye candy that it can be hard to focus or make level-headed decisions. While the bouncer at the front door throttling the number of patrons entering keeps the crowd size fairly reasonable, there are still enough hungry bodies in the bakery to spur some evolutionary survival-of-the-fittest instincts. The move is to arrive early, take a deep breath, and stroll the perimeter a few times before queuing up to purchase any sweets, savories, beverages, or likely, impulse buys.
For breakfast, keep it simple with coffee and a Boston creme doughnut from the beverage kiosk, while a hot sandwich plus a slice of cake is ideal for lunch. Superb snacky bites include the soft pretzel and prepackaged gimbap. 8800 Venice Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90034.
— Cathy Chaplin, senior editor For the best bagels in the Southland: Townie Bagels The Los Angeles bagel scene has expanded exponentially and deliciously in recent years, so much that The New York Times even declared that the nation’s best bagels are in the Golden State. One can venture into any part of LA to find excellent round and chewy bagels, even in the Coachella Valley at Townie Bagels. This Palm Springs bagel spot is the only one worth going to, as evidenced by the long queues made up of weekend travelers from Southern California, snowbirds from Canada, and locals.
Opt for a schmear-topped bagel, the Sunny Dunes bagel sandwich with sausage, egg, and American cheese, or a dozen varied flavors like plain, salted, and blueberry to snack on at any moment. Owners Andy Wysocki and Bill Sanderson even serve vegan cream cheese and lox. For non-bagel options, try the baguettes, focaccia, as well as black and white cookies to go with a cappuccino or latte.
Be patient — the line moves fairly efficiently. Just pray that the heat isn’t too overbearing, which is why winter is always the best time to play in the desert. 650 E.
Sunny Dunes Road, Palm Springs, CA, 92264. — Mona Holmes, reporter For one of LA’s most affordable Chinese meals: Tigawok Consider me somewhat shocked when I finally stopped by Tigawok in Sawtelle Japantown for a quick lunch. The setup is a little confusing at first, as each item is sold individually instead of in Panda Express-style combo plates, but staffers are quick to explain how it works.
I picked up a bowl of steamed rice, chow mein, and three entrees: orange peel chicken, garlic eggplant and green beans, and wagyu-topped mapo tofu. The wok-fired items are cooked in automated machines, which reduces costs and maintains consistency. The orange peel chicken tasted different from the Panda version, with a more complex citrus flavor and crispier outside.
The mapo tofu was solid, enriched by ground wagyu. Everything was cooked to perfection, and the total bill with a drink came out to $21. I’ll be coming back to explore more of the menu.
I genuinely think Tigawok can be an expansion-worthy restaurant across Southern California. 2224 Sawtelle Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90064. — Matthew Kang, lead editor Related Sign up for our newsletter.
Check your inbox for a welcome email. Oops. Something went wrong.
Please enter a valid email and try again..
