This is a list of places I enjoy and have had shared to me and I have shared with others.
(in no particular order (maybe the order i remember them))
Shin-Sen-Gimi(SSG) (Ramen House all over L.A.)
There are several Shin-Sen Gimi in Los Angeles, and they are the same place but do not have the same items. The one I'm talking about is SSG Hakata Ramen. This is my ramen house of choice. Its not your dried noodle like Top Ramen. This is Japanese cuisine all the way. Ramen is big here in L.A. and you can find a Ramen house pretty much anywhere, but there are lots of poeple that still have yet to try it. Unfortunately the Gardina SSG is temporarily closed but there are SSG in West L.A. and Little Tokyo. Now that I've thought about it a bit I love soups and noddles so yeah I love this place. If its your first time stick with the basics and get a bowl how it is. I get my noodles hard, no sprouts, bamboo shoots and extra pork and extra egg.
The Kettle (Manhattan Beach)
The Kettle is a dinner two blocks from the ocean. It's open 24 hrs, so a late date or food run are a go. This is where I took my wife on our first date. Before anything if your young and $ is an issue....get a job. This please is a bit pricey. The food is good and you'll find a large selection of platters. Just check out the link. I usually get the same thing every time. Chicken Cobb salad, not tossed, Caesar dressing on the side and an orange muffin. Truest me, the sweet of the muffin works with the bitter of the blue cheese. The tortilla soup and french onion soup are very good. and if you want to keep it simple the chicken tenders are good with there sweet mustard sauce.
Original Tommy's (Los Angeles)
If you want a chili burger, chili cheese fries or a bowl of chili, then Tommy's is it. There are Original Tommy's all over Southern California, but not all of them are 24 hours. The one I'm talking about is the L.A. Tommy's. Just south of the 101 on Beverly Blvd. It's kind of between Hollywood and L.A. but closer to L.A. To say Tommy's is a burger place is just wrong. Tommy's is a chili place. They have burgers, fries, hot dogs, tamales and a chili boat. Of course you need to have chili on all of it. They also have a modest breakfast menu. I remember my first time at Tommy's. I was a kid in the scouting program and we had just gone to the Griffith Observatory. We then went to Tommy's were I had a chili cheese burger. It was so good. Quick warning, it can get messy.
Buca di Beppo (Redondo Beach, Santa Monica, Los Angeles)
First of all make reservations. Second, Save your pennies. This one will cost you. But the food is good and the atmosphere is great. If you want Italian then this is it. There isn't too much to say here. Its straight forward Italian. You order food to share with the table and the wait staff wear pocket protectors.
El Gallo Giro (Huntington Park, too far then Plaza Mexico)
This is the Mexican Place I take everyone. I mention to locations because the one I go to is twice as far as the one in Plaza Mexico. Yet the Huntington Park location has its own bakery and butcher and is open 24 hours. Though my luck, I have gone two times late night and they were closed for deep cleaning. This is no fancy, get waited on place. El Gallo Giro is a Mexican street food slash Mexican dinner slash bakery. Let me start with what I know/do/love. The Torta is a sandwich. You can get any kind of meat they have in a torta, but want to try their deluxe torta you order a Torta Cubana. This torta has 3 meats, onions, cheese, lettuce, tomato and avocado. Then there are tacos and burritos. There are 7 or 8 meats to choose from from porks, beefs and chicken. I love the chitterlings tacos. Then there are the fried foods. Golden sopes, gorditas, taquitos and tostadas. They have tamales and stews too. If you cant a platter you can order any of the meats with a side of Mexican rice and beans and fresh tortillas, Did I mention they make their own tortillas on side? They do. They also make fresh juices we call Aguas Frescas. Depending on the time you go they may have from 8 to 3 choices.
Finally like I said they have their own bakery and you can finish with a sweet bread, cake flan or what ever they may have that day depending on the holiday too.
I'm partial to El Gallo Giro of course. Go ahead and try them before you take a date. You'll Love them all.
The Kettle (Manhattan Beach)
The Kettle is a dinner two blocks from the ocean. It's open 24 hrs, so a late date or food run are a go. This is where I took my wife on our first date. Before anything if your young and $ is an issue....get a job. This please is a bit pricey. The food is good and you'll find a large selection of platters. Just check out the link. I usually get the same thing every time. Chicken Cobb salad, not tossed, Caesar dressing on the side and an orange muffin. Truest me, the sweet of the muffin works with the bitter of the blue cheese. The tortilla soup and french onion soup are very good. and if you want to keep it simple the chicken tenders are good with there sweet mustard sauce.
Original Tommy's (Los Angeles)
If you want a chili burger, chili cheese fries or a bowl of chili, then Tommy's is it. There are Original Tommy's all over Southern California, but not all of them are 24 hours. The one I'm talking about is the L.A. Tommy's. Just south of the 101 on Beverly Blvd. It's kind of between Hollywood and L.A. but closer to L.A. To say Tommy's is a burger place is just wrong. Tommy's is a chili place. They have burgers, fries, hot dogs, tamales and a chili boat. Of course you need to have chili on all of it. They also have a modest breakfast menu. I remember my first time at Tommy's. I was a kid in the scouting program and we had just gone to the Griffith Observatory. We then went to Tommy's were I had a chili cheese burger. It was so good. Quick warning, it can get messy.
Buca di Beppo (Redondo Beach, Santa Monica, Los Angeles)
First of all make reservations. Second, Save your pennies. This one will cost you. But the food is good and the atmosphere is great. If you want Italian then this is it. There isn't too much to say here. Its straight forward Italian. You order food to share with the table and the wait staff wear pocket protectors.
El Gallo Giro (Huntington Park, too far then Plaza Mexico)
This is the Mexican Place I take everyone. I mention to locations because the one I go to is twice as far as the one in Plaza Mexico. Yet the Huntington Park location has its own bakery and butcher and is open 24 hours. Though my luck, I have gone two times late night and they were closed for deep cleaning. This is no fancy, get waited on place. El Gallo Giro is a Mexican street food slash Mexican dinner slash bakery. Let me start with what I know/do/love. The Torta is a sandwich. You can get any kind of meat they have in a torta, but want to try their deluxe torta you order a Torta Cubana. This torta has 3 meats, onions, cheese, lettuce, tomato and avocado. Then there are tacos and burritos. There are 7 or 8 meats to choose from from porks, beefs and chicken. I love the chitterlings tacos. Then there are the fried foods. Golden sopes, gorditas, taquitos and tostadas. They have tamales and stews too. If you cant a platter you can order any of the meats with a side of Mexican rice and beans and fresh tortillas, Did I mention they make their own tortillas on side? They do. They also make fresh juices we call Aguas Frescas. Depending on the time you go they may have from 8 to 3 choices.
Finally like I said they have their own bakery and you can finish with a sweet bread, cake flan or what ever they may have that day depending on the holiday too.
I'm partial to El Gallo Giro of course. Go ahead and try them before you take a date. You'll Love them all.
