6 weeks to try all the best food in LA

[alanamichelle]

It's my first time in LA - I'm here for six weeks and staying in Sherman Oaks, but am happy to travel to different areas around the city for great food! All cuisines welcome. On a student budget, so less expensive restaurants preferred, but I'm happy to splurge for really great food (or celebrity sightings!)

Thanks!!.

[Emme]

as said, you have time to hit a LOT of places... just scour the boards. my recs would be (in no particular order):

-Peruvian: Puro Sabor, Los Balcones de Peru, Mario's Peruvian
-Thai: Jitlada, Renu Nakorn
-Japanese/Izakaya: Musha, Izakaya Bincho, Mako (fusion), Kiyokawa
-Persian: Shamshiri, Javan
-Lebanese: Sunnin
-Breakfast: Griddle Cafe, Square One, Jar, Gilbert's El Indio (for Mexican), 26 Beach
-Oaxacan: Monte Alban
-Sinoloan (seafood): Mariscos Chente
-Tacos: Tacos por Favor, Lares on Pico
-Nicer places: Gjelina, Providence, Wilshire, Animal,, Spago, Lucques (go for Sunday suppers), - no idea what you want to spend
-Small Plates: AOC, Tasca, Bazaar
-Burgers: FO, Golden State, In'n'Out (depending where you're from)
-Casual: Angeli Cafe, Hugo's (if you're craving something healthy), Cafe Verona, Oliva (in Sherman Oaks), Aroma, Caioti
-Sweets: Nata's, Primo's Buttermilk donuts, Susiecakes, Amandine (almond croissants), Cynthia's cobbler (somewhat contested I know), Diddy Riese (only if you want a cheap fix in Westwood - not drive-worthy), Donut Man (middle of the night adventure)
Celebs: Blue Plate (for Patrick Dempsey), Newsroom cafe (seen a few here, plus watch them go in and out of The Ivy across the street), The Farm in Beverly Hills, Le Pain Quotidien (on Santa Monica Blvd in Beverly Hills, Katana, Koi, Caffe Luxxe in Santa Monica (reese witherspoon and jake gyllenhaal) -- these are all celeb sighting recs

...to start...

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AOC
8022 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90048

26 Beach
3100 Washington Blvd., Venice, CA 90292

Jitlada
5233 1/2 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Spago
176 North Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Monte Alban
11927 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA

Tasca Restaurant
8108 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90048

Musha
424 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401

Donut Man
915 E Rte 66, Glendora, CA 91740

Mario's Peruvian
15720 Imperial Hwy, La Mirada, CA 90638

Shamshiri Restaurant
19249 Roscoe Blvd, Northridge, CA 91324

Katana
8439 W. Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Renu Nakorn Restaurant
13019 Rosecrans Ave, Norwalk, CA 90650

Gilbert's El Indio
2526 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405

Caffe Luxxe
925 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90403

Lucques
8474 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90069

Puro Sabor
6366 Van Nuys Blvd, Van Nuys, CA 91401

Mariscos Chente
4532 S Centinela Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90066

Izakaya Bincho
112 N International Boardwalk, Redondo Beach, CA 90277

The Golden State
426 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90036

Blue Plate
1415 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90403

Gjelina
1429 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, CA 90291, USA

Koi Restaurant
730 N La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90069

Cafe Verona
1138 S Diamond Bar Blvd, Diamond Bar, CA 91765

[estone888]

One question that could help narrow down the rather enormous number of possibilities: where do you live? It might be good to start with a list of types of cuisine that are difficult to find at home. For instance, if you live in NYC or Boston, Italian might be further down your list as it generally isn't as good here in L.A. as you can find at home.

[Servorg]

Not too far east on Ventura Blvd. in Studio City you'll find some great chili cheese dogs (with snap) at Carney's (and excellent fries and chili cheese burgers too).

How about some vegan Vietnamese food? Sounds odd but it's a great place. A bit to the north west of Sherman Oaks, but not a bad drive to Vinh Loi Tofu on Sherman Way.

Breakfast at Nat's Early Bite in Van Nuys. Cemitas Poblanas (try the breaded pork) at Don Adrian's also in Van Nuys.

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Carney's
12601 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604

Nat's Early Bite
14115 Burbank Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91401

Taqueria Don Adrian
14902 Victory Blvd, Van Nuys, CA 91411

Vinh Loi Tofu
18625 Sherman Way Ste 101, Reseda, CA 91335

[ipsedixit]

You might use this list as a blueprint of where to start. http://www.laweekly.com/content/print...

LA is a big place and 6 weeks is a long time. Hard to provide any specific recs with such amorphous parameters.

Enjoy your stay.

[mdpilam]

Spend some time searching (well, not a big fan of CH's search, but look through the boards, esp. look for the "Ultimate Los Angeles Restaurant Lists" - they list the Top 25 restaurants, as rated by fellow CHs, both <$25 and>$25).

Here are some of my faves (in order of preference, where applicable):

Tacos: Leo's Tacos Truck (Venice/La Brea), El Chato Truck (Olympic/La Brea) and Chema's (Whittier/Painter)

Burgers: Umami, Father's Office

BBQ: Big Mista, Phillip's and Bludso's

Thai: Jitlada

Korean BBQ: Park's BBQ

Deli: Langer's

Sandwiches: Cook's Tortas, Bay Cities, Clementine

Korean rice bowls: Chego (great fit for a budget)

Meat-centric, quasi- mid+ range: Animal (one of my fav. meals was here)

That's all I have for now...

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Park's BBQ
955 S. Vermont Ave, Suite G, Los Angeles, CA 90006

Jitlada
5233 1/2 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Father's Office
3229 Helms Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90034

Cook's Tortas
1944 S Atlantic Blvd, Monterey Park, CA 91754

Chego
3300 Overland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90034

[groover808]

Link to the ulimate LA list:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/6736...

[bulavinaka]

Welcome to LA - six weeks is a lot of potential eating highlights. Since you're in the valley for six weeks, you might want to use the "Search" function by typing in something as simple as, "San Fernando Valley", "Sherman Oaks," or any other valley area and sort by relevance. You will get a ton of hits that will give you ideas. Also, if you have anything you particularly want to try or wish to avoid, that will help us offer you more pertinent ideas.

The SF Valley itself is no slouch for good food. Although I live in the West portion of LA (known as "the Westside"), we find ourselves in the valley semi-regularly and really enjoy eating out there. For us, its strengths tend to be in the many ethnic eats. My short list includes Hayat's Kitchen and Skaf's Grill are Lebanese gems in North Hollywood. Puro Sabor serves up classic Peruvian cuisine. Hummus Bar and Grill is the way Israeli eaters enjoy tons of salads, hummus, grilled meats and fresh laffa bread in Tarzana. And right in Sherman Oaks is a wonderful Portuguese bakery and cafe called Natas Pastries.

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

Natas Pastries
13317 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA

Puro Sabor
6366 Van Nuys Blvd, Van Nuys, CA 91401

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

[wienermobile]

Two of my favorites are Langer's deli for the best pastrami in the world, near downtown and worth the trip (they close at 4pm and all day Sundays) and Park's BBQ, Korean BBQ at it's best. If you love meat this is the place.
Enjoy all that LA has to offer.

http://www.langersdeli.com/
http://www.parksbbq.com/

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Park's BBQ
955 S. Vermont Ave, Suite G, Los Angeles, CA 90006

Langer's Delicatessen
704 S Alvarado St, Los Angeles, CA 90057

[FoodLizzard]

Two faves that meet your criteria are LuLu's -- just west of LaBrea on north side of Beverly Blvd. Great portions, good prices. Ditto for King's Road Cafe on north side of Beverly Blvd. a few blocks east of LaCienega. Fabulous coffee too! Hope these help, and enjoy your stay.Just remembered that King's Road has a place on Ventura Blvd. too, but I really love the traditional feeling at the one on Beverly.

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Kings Road Cafe
8361 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048

[FoodLizzard]

I'm baaaack ... make a day of it in Santa Monica: Ye Olde King's Head on Santa Monica Blvd. -- english pub -- fabulous fish & chips. Then walk on over to Santa Monica Seafood on Wilshire Blvd. -- great oyster bar and a wonderful fish market as well.

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Ye Olde King's Head
116 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401