New To L.A.

[Chavarriany]

I'm really jonesing for a lamb sharwarma, not a Gyro... (even thou one of this would hit the spot too)but a sliced pita stuffed with lamb from a vertical rotisserie, and hummus and all that jazz. like Mamoun's back home in the west village NYC...how i miss my city. Im in need of some direction all advise would be appreciated.

[latindancer]

Don't know how long you've been in LA but transplanting can be a little difficult for those moving from the East Coast....
My advice is to just start exploring on your own.
A great restaurant/food is subjective....places that have been recommended to me have turned out to be mediocre compared to what I was used to in the city I'd moved from.
The great news is....the Los Angeles area is huge and spread out and exciting and surprising. You could, literally, spend years exploring and still not cover it all.
I do recommend Papa Cristo's in Los Angeles. It's authentic and the food is good and the people are helpful and love what they do.
For the most part the pizza you find is, most likely, not going to be what you're used to in the city you're missing. The water's different here and the environment is not the same.
I love this area and there are times I'd love to have what I miss from my prior 'life elsewhere'. But once you surrender and get into this incredible place and enjoy the hunt for the food you love you'll never look back!
Good luck and have fun.

[Chavarriany]

You are right, this isn't NYC, but I know I will enjoy myself with all that LA has to offer. But lets take THAI for instinct, i don't know THAI "language" so i past all these great places everyday, with out even knowing that the maybe the best bowl of noodles I ever had are right down the street. So for right now at least i need as much advice as possible.

[latindancer]

I agree. I come from a city (years ago now) where there really wasn't the Mexican food they have here in LA.
I needed to be educated in this area and without this board I don't think I could have done it on my own.
I now find some of the best Mexican food in the strangest places....gas stations in downtown Los Angeles of all places and, of course, on select trucks.

[Chavarriany]

please elaborate on select trucks... because its Russian roulette for me.

[latindancer]

Well, in Los Angeles, there are what is described as 'taco trucks'...they're trucks that are driven/operated by the owner who literally drives his/her food that she/he makes around areas in Los Angeles.
You'll find those Chowhounds who have their favorites and they'll drive for miles to find their perfect Mexican food. The food is incredible if you find the right one....there are lots of them and in all areas of S Cal it's customary, when homes are being renovated or built, that the contractor will call in a truck and alert the owner they're about to begin renovating. Each day the driver will pull up at a given time, sometimes twice a day, and the workers will crowd around and buy their lunch from the truck....the truck is equipped with tacos, enchiladas, etc. and drinks and coffee and everything the owner chooses to stock his/her truck with. It's a quite something. You can smell these trucks coming for blocks and the food, if you find the right one, can be extraordinary.

[latindancer]

To elaborate...there have been threads on this subject and they're quite educational for the person who's looking for some good trucks.
You may think about beginning a new thread if you're interested. There are Chowhounds who're really serious on this subject and they'd be a great help to you. I've found a few downtown LA where I spend time during the week and one in my neighborhood where there's work being done on a home.

[Das Ubergeek]

That's what we're here for! And I'll just start with you should just turn off the computer right now and go to Jitlada, because, well, just order ANYTHING that's on the specials menu and it will be good.

If you like noodle bowls, get the boat noodles at Sapp Coffee House.

[Mr Taster]

By the way, you're in Los Angeles now. The pizza, bagels, Russian food, etc. will never be as good as it was back east. But the Korean, Thai, authentic, regional Chinese and Mexican/central American blows away New York. So try and forget what you've lost and embrace what we have here and you won't be disappointed.

Mr Taster

[Briggs]

"will never be as good as it was back east". Perhaps the more tactful and accurate phrase would have been that these items "will never be the same...". There is great L.A. pizza, bagels, etc., and lousy L.A. pizza etc. As Mr Taster says, as long as you know it's all gonna be different here, you'll be able to enjoy what you'll find without going too crazy. Just a little.

[schrutefarms]

Hey!!! I resent that!!! The Bagel Broker, and also LaBrea Bagels have been better than any so far in NY. (Of course, being a visiter, I don't know the really great places to go to.)

[Chavarriany]

thnks for the reality check ... im sure i will find my nitch here in LA..

[maxzook]

More suggestions: Hummus Bar in Tarzana (fresh laffas), and Shawarma Kitchen at the Grand Central Market downtown

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Grand Central Market
317 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Hummus Bar and Grill
18743 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana, CA 91356

[cant talk...eating]

I like the shawarma at Zankou Chicken (several locs), and also Falafel Arax (e. Hollywood), Beverly Falafel in a pinch (w. Hollywood/Bev. Hills), and though it's sort of gyro-like but might hit the spot, the version at Sofra in Culver City.

Oh yeah - they don't usually put hummus on it, but generally tahini and some kind of chopped salad with tomato.

C'mon - it's coooold in New York!!

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Falafel Arax
5101 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90029

Beverly Falafel
8508 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90048

Sofra Kabob Express
10821 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90034

[Chavarriany]

Thanks for the help. Will definitely be hitting up Skaf's Grill, and the others.

[BearCity]

Pita Kitchen in Sherman Oaks has the top shawarma/hummus duo.

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Pita Kitchen
14500 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403

[katydid13]

If you're anywhere near Hollywood, try Marouch on Santa Monica Boulevard & Edgemont.

[Das Ubergeek]

You don't say where in LA you are; I'll start with Skaf's if you're in the Valley or Northeast LA.

Shawarma is easy to find but Skaf's hummus is special and the cabbage salad is a winner.

Interestingly, good gyros is actually hard to find in LA.

Skaf's is closed Sundays in NoHo; not sure about Glendale.

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Skaf's Grill
6008 Laurel Canyon Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91606

Skaf's Grill
367 N Chevy Chase Dr, Glendale, CA 91206

[Mr Taster]

LA doesn't have the Greek population that NY does, but I'd suggest that you head down to the Byzantine/Latino Quarter and get a gyro at Papa Cristos. Their tzatsiki is wonderful too.

Mr Taster

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Papa Cristos
2771 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90006

[Chavarriany]

ill be sure to try it out... I am going to try them all and then decide which on is my fav...and in new york the best gyro or shawarma places are usually middle eastern, but there's a few good Greek places.