3 days in LA

[matika]

Hi,

We are a New York City family going to LA for three days, looking at colleges: Occidental & Pitzer. My gourmet son wants to go to Spago one night, but everything else is wide open. I would like to keep the other evenings moderate to budget range and am interested in great mexican food - more difficult to find in NYC. Any other suggestions are much appreciated. We will be staying in Silver Lake and arriving about 7:30 on a Sunday night, so probaby should eat in the area that evening. Also, any suggestions for lunch near Occidental or Pitzer would be wonderful.

Thanks

[revets2]

silver lake & environs
CAFE STELLA - decent frenchy food, terrific atmostphere like being in parisian café, go across the street to PAZZO GELATO for great ice cream or to the moraccan joint on the corner for great thick coffee. too bad the cheese store will be closed for the evening.

EDENDALE GRILL - heard the food has gotten really good here, haven't been myself in a while

CLIFF'S EDGE - okay med food, great atmosphere on a warm summer night, closed for dinner sunday

FARFALLA - great pasta and pizzas in los feliz, open sunday

VINOTECA FARFALLA - wine bar, but great brazilian food from next door (we like the fish in coconut sauce and the risotto served out of a large parmigiano wheel)

near OCCI for lunch:
first choice AUNTIE EM'S KITCHEN on eagle rock blvd.
second choice DONER SPITZ on colorado opened by two recent OCCI grads

near PITZER:
VIVA MADRID, tapas, dinner only
agree with another poster to stop at BABITA right off the 10 for authentic and gourmet mexican, closed mondays, http://www.laweekly.com/eat+drink/cou...

[mcmal]

I would suggest Chichen Itza for Mexican. It's on 6th not far from Silverlake and it's one of the best Yucatecan restaurants in town.
http://www.laweekly.com/eat+drink/cou...

I would also suggest going to try out a good taco stand/truck and getting some Al Pastor tacos. A quick search through the boards should take you to some good places, but in Eagle Rock there is a truck quite popular with Occidental students (and everybody else) called Leo's tacos. They open at 8, except Mondays, and park at 4300 Eagle Rock Blvd, LA, CA 90041.

You might also be interested in trying the Chinese food in the San Gabriel Valley. It's very different from what you get in New York and is considered the best and most authentic selection outside of Taiwan and China.

[justanotherpenguin]

there is a lot of good mexican in the occidental vicinity: specifically highland park and eagle rock. would particularly recommend "la abeja" in highland park. here is a recent thread: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/392728

also, if you do not mind driving into east los angeles, there is a wonderful place called "el tepeyac" on evergreen. about a 15 minute drive from oxy.

[matika]

Thanks to everyone for the wonderful suggestions. I definitely want to get to the Getty one afternoon. It sounds like it will be great fun eating our way through college tours.

[Mando]

There's a 21 Choices Frozen Yogurt in Claremont since you'll be in that area for Ptizer. I love the one is pasadena. Just a simple frozen yogurt shop which has been doing mix-ins ( a la coldstone) before the whole cold stone trend too off. Go and as for the cookie parade.

Also if you're taking the 210 you can hit El Taco Nazo off the Asuza exit in Asuza. Great Fish Taco's there. Just exit Asuza and go north and it'll be on your left side. Best bets for dinner from Claremont are heading to Pasadena on the way home. Ton's of great places there.

There's a ton of places in Silverlake Area. If you guys like Thai then definitely hit Rambutan Thai.

[WHills]

Near Pitzer:
Go to Taco Factory for lunch.
Head to Some Crust Bakery for dessert.

The Village doesn't really have that great of food, and most of the decent stuff is pricey and not worth the price. So, go for the simple lunch. Taco Factory is pretty good.

[mc michael]

Speaking of Mexican, Yuca on Hillhurst has good burritos and tamales. It's just a stand but it's righteous.

[Local]

Lunch: Senor Fish, on Eagle Rock Blvd., near Occidental
http://www.senor-fish.com/ Great scallop burritos, fish tacos.

[Ciao Bob]

I always bring my home-peeps (NY) to Senor Fish...they love it. Especialy those scallop burrotos and the seafood quesidilla.

[ipsedixit]

Babita in San Gabriel for Mexican.
(Do a search on these boards and you'll see the virtues of Babita)

Also, if you have the time, I would suggest a trip to the Getty Center and either doing a picnic on the museum grounds or dining at the Cafe or Restaurant. The view of LA is spectacular and the museum is worth a visit on its own.

[bulavinaka]

I truly enjoy the Getty... hard to take it all in on one visit, but well worth the trip...

[ChinoWayne]

If they will be checking out Occidental and Pitzer, the Getty may be a little out of their way, and do you still need to make reservations to visit the Getty?

Claremont Village is a five or ten minute walk from the Pitzer campus, there will be a lot of places to check out there for lunch.

This link will take you to Claremont Village's web site with maps showing every store and dining establishment in the village: http://www.thevillageclaremont.com/

[bulavinaka]

We went last month and we were surprised that reservations weren't required when we called to do so... but I would still call first... the Getty fills up fast on the weekends...

[ozhead]

The Getty might be out of the way, but the Huntington Library won't be that much of a schlep. And if you go to the Huntington -- a very worthwhile endeavor, especially if you love old books (they have a Gutenberg bible and Shakespeare first folio right out there on display! Dang!) -- you're not far from good places to eat in Pasadena.

[Babette]

Definitely Babita.
1823 S. San Gabriel Blvd., San Gabriel, CA, [phone]

[bulavinaka]

You might want to try La Flor de Yucatan for breakfast or lunch... a bakery but not like any you'd probably be familiar with... Yucatecan cuisine with the highest ratings from one of our favorite and highly respected Chowhounds, Dommy!... And everyone concurs...

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/389704

[mc michael]

This map can be your friend: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?f=l&am...
Unfortunately, it doesn't show any Claremont pics but I recall there was a Claremont thread a day or 2 ago. Not too far from Silver Lake, I'd recommend Cha Cha Cha at Virgil & Melrose.

[mojoeater]

Silverlake is really close to Korea Town where you can find Guelaguetza, an authentic Oaxacan restaurant. Go with the moles. They are incredibly good and each one is unique. Much better than anything else on the menu.