LA/OC - What not to miss in three days?

[EmmaKnightley]

OK, before I start, I wanted to apologize for the broad scope of this post and for the fact that I'm sure similar questions have been asked hundreds of times. I tried searching in the boards, but the "best of" threads were usually about specific locations, specific cuisines, or specific food items/dishes, and I'm really looking to give my friend a wide range of places and foods to pick from.

This is her first time in LA and California, so what would you say are the "can't miss" places? No restrictions on price, location, cuisine, or type of establishment (we're interested in delis, cafés, food trucks, restaurants, taco stands, whathaveyou), except she is from Chicago so she's probably had her share of excellent steaks and sausages there.

If a post like this already exists, I would appreciate it if someone could point me in the right direction.

If you feel like weighing in anyway, here's what I have so far:

Phillippe's
Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles
Mashti Malone's
Asanebo
Urasawa
Musha
Orochon
Shinsengumi
Indian (the restaurant in San Gabriel)
Class 302 (for shaved ice)
A.O.C.
JiRaffe
Library Alehouse
Providence
Lilly's
Il Pastaio (BH)
Real Food Daily
Le Saint Amour
Café Blanc
In & Out
Apple Pan
Umami Burger
Europane

[dudilous]

Mexicali - good grub. Random corner that you have to drive to but the guys running the cart are friendly and you get a nice night time view of LA's err skyline.

Other trucks to try: Tamix for al pastor. Hermanas Torres for deep fried quesidillas.

These are all LA sports but Das Ubergeek is very true about that stretch of Main in Santa Ana if you're going to be in that area.

[OCAnn]

Because LA/OC are so spread out and you only have a couple days, it'd almost be easier to give you recs based on your location....

[EmmaKnightley]

I'm actually in Riverside, so I'm far from everything! But what I've been doing so far is roughly grouping the places she is interested in by geographical area (one for each day).

[OCAnn]

Good idea! A couple closer options off the 91 (in Anaheim Hills/Yorba Linda closer to Riverside) is Rosine's Mediterrenean (91 off Weir), Yosuke for a good neighbourhood sushi, Slater's 50/50 (if you like burgers, they make their patties with half beef, half bacon) and Original Pancake House if you're okay with a solid (albeit a chain) breakfast.

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Slater's 50/50
6362 E Santa Ana Canyon Rd, Anaheim, CA 92807

[EmmaKnightley]

Thanks for the recs! I'll have to check those out, even if it's by myself. Although I have been to Rosine's once and wasn't really impressed (it was a while ago though).

[Das Ubergeek]

I'd suggest Canyon as well. And Señor Baja in the same plaza as Rosine's.

That said, you really do have to have a taco acorazado from the pink truck on Cubbon half a block west of Main in Santa Ana, outside the Northgate market.

[EmmaKnightley]

Wow, that's quite a specific recommendation. Is that truck always there? At what times?

[Das Ubergeek]

I believe they usually park at 11 or 11:30 or so in the morning and I think they leave around 8 p.m., every day. They'll be missing this Wednesday evening because they're driving up to Fullerton to a clustertruck being put on by Gustavo Arellano. You really can't miss it—from southbound Main Street, turn right on Cubbon (one block north of McFadden) and it's this big pink truck.

Once you get there, though—that taco is amazing. A big, thick, fluffy, corn-y homemade tortilla with rice, then topped with breaded-and-fried-to-order milanesa de res, nopales, tomato, onion, avocado, pickled jalapeño and grated cotija cheese. You can also get griddled jalapeño if you like, and there are three sauces sheathed in ice in a reach-in (from the outside of the truck, toward the front). I like the green-brown one (it's the spiciest) but most people go for the red.

It's a huge amount of food. Eat one and 16 hours later you'll just be hungry again... and it costs $4. You won't get anything like it elsewhere, though if you want dessert, Hans' Homemade Ice Cream is just down the street and a few blocks over.

[EmmaKnightley]

Thanks for the details. That taco sounds amazing!

ETA: A "clustertruck" sounds like the most awesome thing ever, heh.

[Das Ubergeek]

There are tons of them—the scene has sort of morphed into a series of small-to-midsize clustertrucks that go to different (and willing) places on private property. A lot of them are called "Din Din à Go-Go", so you'll see OCDDAGG (Orange County) and LosAlDDAGG (Los Alamitos) and HPDDAGG (Highland Park), etc.

The local axis of loncheras—the old-school, primarily Mexican food trucks, which are just as good if not better—is Main Street between 1st and about McFadden in Santa Ana, half a block down the side streets on either side. Seafood cocktails, roast elotes, tacos, tortas ahogadas, al pastor, etc. etc.

[radcliffe8]

Yosuke Sushi is horrible for sushi and way overrated. Decent decor, but fish and service was horrible. Ordered their sashimi plate, took literally a hour to come. Seriously, sashimi! You just cut up the fish, don't even have to cook it.

And when it arrived, the sashimi was horrible. Tuna was pale with freezer burn. Salmon tasted like flavorless blocks of protein. The sushi at all you can eat buffets is honestly better.

Most patrons seemed to order their cooked dishes, and while they looked ok, I can't say how good they were. But beware, stay away from their sashimi and sushi if you really want good sushi! Don't trust the reviews on yelp!

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Yosuke Sushi
136 S Fairmont Blvd, Anaheim, CA 92808

[Phurstluv]

Based on your post:

+1 on Phillippe's, more nostalgia than can't miss
never got the chix & waffles thing
Urasawa will run you >$300 p.p.
Providence has the best fish/seafood tasting menu in town

Yes, try In & Out and Umami b/c they are so LA.

My picks:

Lazy Ox Canteen
Animal
Gjelina
Primitivo (next to Lilly's)
Catch or One Pico
Parks BBQ
WP 24
Rivera

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Urasawa Restaurant
218 N Rodeo Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

One Pico
1 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405

Primitivo
1025 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, CA 90291

Lazy Ox Canteen
241 S San Pedro St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Gjelina
1429 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, CA 90291

[EmmaKnightley]

Thank you!!!!

[wienermobile]

My list in no order:
Gjelina
Park's BBQ
Pizzeria Mozza
Osteria Mozza
Langers Deii
Spago
Sea Harbour
Santouka Ramen
Sweet Rose Creamery
Saddle Peak Lodge
Kogi
Animal
A Frame
Umami
Son of A Gun
In n Out
Neptune's Net
Mariscos Chente

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

Spago
176 North Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

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

Saddle Peak Lodge
419 Cold Canyon Rd., Calabasas, CA 91302

Neptune's Net Seafood
42505 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265

Santouka Ramen
21515 S Western Ave, Torrance, CA 90501

Santouka
3760 S Centinela Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90066

Animal
435 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Mariscos Chente
10020 Inglewood Ave, Lennox, CA 90304

Pizzeria Mozza
641 N. Highland Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Osteria Mozza
6602 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036

A-Frame
12565 W Washington Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066

Gjelina
1429 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, CA 90291

[A5 KOBE]

Definitely Park's BBQ

Philippe's is more of nostalgia than substance, I would pass. Same goes for Apple Pan.

Definitely In n Out and Umami for burgers.

[EmmaKnightley]

Man, I love Apple Pan though! But if what people are saying is true, perhaps my love for it will be replaced by Umami when I finally try it...

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Apple Pan
10801 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064

[EmmaKnightley]

Thank you for your feedback :)