LA trip ideas, but would love other options!

[jefpen2]

After perusing the boards for a while I think I have come up with a pretty good list, but would love some extra options. 2-3 dinners and probably a few lunches. We have one teenage vegetarian, who will eat shellfish, one picky 12 year old who will eat anything as long as it's a hamburger, meatballs or sesame noodles, and two mostly adventurous parents. We need to keep it somewhat cheap. How cheap? Well, after looking over Parks BBQ and Gjelina's menu, those might be a stretch, but worth it. We live in VT but I am from NYC so please don't talk to me about pizza, although I will be trying Langers Pasrami because I can't imagine anything coming close to Katzs. We will be taking the kids to lunch on Olvera St just for the Mariachi and atmosphere unless there is mariachi some where else that might be worth it. Believe it or not, the worst Mexican I can get there beats the best here. Want to have some good sushi and my big thing is trying to find some cheap oysters. Happy hours are great except too many you have to be at the bar. (not ready to teach my kids how to pony up and order a draft!) Will travel for a good meal, but would rather not be in areas where we have to watch our back. Thank you guys in advance, your the best!

Langer's
mariscos chente
Gjelina.
Musha's
Loteria Grill
Parks BBQ
Daikokuya
Guelaguetza
Nickel Diner
Seafood Harbour,
Monte Alban Restaurant

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Daikokuya
327 E 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Monte Alban
11927 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA

Musha
1725 W Carson St, Torrance, CA 90501

Loteria Grill
6333 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Nickel Diner
524 S Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Gjelina
1429 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, CA 90291

[westsidegal]

when you go to mariscos chente be sure to go to the one located in inglewood on the south side of west imperial highway near the corner of yukon.
this is the location at which sergio cooks.

[wienermobile]

Good Burgers at Umami Burger (I like their Manly burger with beer-cheddar cheese, smoked-salt onion strings, bacon lardons) and they also have a very good veggie burger, it's a mushroom and edamame patty, white soy aioli, truffled ricotta cheese, cipollini onions, butter lettuce, slow-roasted tomato. 5 locations in LA.
http://umamiburger.com/

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Umami Burger
850 S La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Umami Burger
4655 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Umami Burger
12159 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604

[ipsedixit]

Some random thoughts that meet your criteria ...

Nha Trang for Vietnamese pho
Dean Sin World (aka Tastio) for Chinese dumplings
Beijing Pie House (aka Canton Gourmey Bakery) for Chinese meat pies
Tacos Baja Ensenada for fish tacos
Sushi Zo or Hiko for sushi
El Huarachito for Mexican
Wurstkuche for hot dogs
Bulgarini for gelato
Din Tai Fung for Xiao Long Bao
Mei Long Village for Shanghainese

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Din Tai Fung Restaurant
1108 S Baldwin Ave, Arcadia, CA 91007

Sushi Zo
9824 National Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90034

Mei Long Village
301 W Valley Blvd Ste 112, San Gabriel, CA 91776

Dean Sin World
306 N Garfield Ave # 2, Monterey Park, CA

Tacos Baja Ensenada
385 W Whittier Blvd, Montebello, CA 90640

El Huarachito
3010 1/2 N Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90031

Beijing Pie House
846 E Garvey Ave, Monterey Park, CA 91755

Nha Trang
311 E Valley Blvd, San Gabriel, CA 91776

[Porthos]

NYC is pretty strong in the Shanghainese department and Mei Long Village is no different or better than New Green Bo or Yeah Shanghai Deluxe.

If OP makes it to NYC a lot, I would also skip ramen with the likes of Japanese chains Ippudo and Setagaya in Manhattan. Actually, it would be nice if we could add these branches to our ramen scene here in LA.

I'll second your Din Tai Fung rec. Also, I'll add boat noodles at Sapp Coffee Shop in Thai Town. It might be a bit adventerous for the 12 year old but the boat noodles are pretty addictive and I don't remember being able to find that in NYC. Very cheap.

I would say Park's is a must. Maybe one of the all-you-can-eat korean BBQ places in K-town if price is an issue.

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Mei Long Village
301 W Valley Blvd Ste 112, San Gabriel, CA 91776

[Porthos]

Adding link

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Sapp Coffee Shop
5183 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

[New Trial]

A few additions to the list that should be good with the kids but still please the adults: Lemonade, Mendocino Farms and (perhaps pushing the kid's comfort zone) Starry Kitchen.

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Mendocino Farms
300 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA

Starry Kitchen
350 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90071

Lemonade
505 S Flower St, Los Angeles, CA 90071

Lemonade
1661 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90291

Mendocino Farms
4724 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey, CA 90292

[wienermobile]

I second Mendocino Farms for some of the best sandwiches in town. I love their Kurobuta Pork Belly Banh Mi with braised, caramelized kurobuta pork belly, housemade pickled daikon and carrots, cilantro, cucumbers, jalapenos, chili aioli on panini grilled ciabatta. Many vegetarian choices also.
One location in the Marina and two in downtown LA
http://mendocinofarms.com/

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Mendocino Farms
300 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA

Mendocino Farms
444 S Flower St, Los Angeles, CA 90071

[wienermobile]

For cheap oysters try Santa Monica's Ocean Ave Seafood's Oyster Hour from 4 pm-6 pm. Monday through Friday, featuring fresh oysters at $1.50 each.

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Ocean Avenue Seafood
1401 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90401

[bulavinaka]

I don't know where you folks are staying, but you should also consider Santouka for your ramen option. They're located in the Mitsuwa Japanese supermarket foodcourts in Mar Vista (west l.a. branch) as well as Torrance. Personally, I consider them superior to Daikokuya and might be easier to access in terms of parking.

You have Seafood Harbour listed - are you referring to Sea Harbour in Rosemead? If so, great choice, but also consider Elite in Monterey Park. For cart-style dim sum, I like 888 or Ocean Star.

Probably the biggest bang for you buck when it comes to conventional sushi would be Hide on Sawtelle in West LA. Cash-only so be prepared for that if going there.

Oysters can be tricky. You're on somewhat of a budget. Oysters can be had in quite a few places, but probably the most reasonable would be at some of the Farmers Markets. Fresh fish stands usually offer oysters on the half-shell for about a buck to buck-fifty per. Carlsbad Aqua Farms probably is the most reputable and present at the popular FMs. I'm not sure who is at each of the FMs, but I'm pretty sure you can grab oysters at the FM on Arizona and 3rd on wednesdays and saturdays in Santa Monica, the Sunday Hollywood FM on Ivar, and the Sunday Mar Vista FM on Grand View. I'm sure there are others and hoping others chime in.

As far as bars/pubs go, our kids really like A-Frame in Mar Vista/Culver City (we like it too!). The only restricted area is at the actual bar - kids can sit everywhere else. The food is pretty unique and good to great, the beer and wine selections are somewhat abbreviated but very good, and so are the drinks. Our favorite seats are the benches outside, particularly next to the fire pit. Summer evenings in the Westside of LA can be on the cooler side - high 50s-low 60s - so a light jacket or sweater/sweatshirt jacket might help - they will turn on the fire pit and heat lamps and bring you blankets if you wish. Daytime temps are in the 70s to low 80s - A-Frame is open during the day only on the weekends.

Hamburgers, meatballs and sesame noodles for the one kid? Far too many burger options in LA (Umami for exceptional burgers as wienermobile suggests but your kid might be too picky, or The Counter for build-your-own + good beer/wine selection), I love the meatball sandwich at Gjelina Take Away (next door to Gjelina) and for a real sesame noodle fix, I'd go to Lucky Noodle King on Valley in San Gabriel for their dan dan noodles.

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Ocean Star Seafood Restaurant
145 N Atlantic Blvd Ste 201, Monterey Park, CA 91754

Elite Restaurant
700 S Atlantic Blvd, Monterey Park, CA 91754

888 Seafood Restaurant
8450 E Valley Blvd, Rosemead, CA 91770

Santouka Ramen
21515 S Western Ave, Torrance, CA 90501

Santouka
3760 S Centinela Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90066

The Counter
4786 Admiralty Way, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292

The Counter
12117 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604

The Counter
700-A Allied Way, El Segundo, CA 90245

Lucky Noodle King
534 E Valley Blvd #10, San Gabriel, CA 91776

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

sea harbour
3939 Rosemead Blvd, Rosemead, CA 91770

[wienermobile]

My kids love LA's Original Farmers Market since 1934 on 3rd and Fairfax. Open everyday with food stalls from Brazilian BBQ to tacos to donuts to fresh fruit to gumbo and the best english toffee in town. Everyone can have something different and still all eat together. A taste of LA. Great for people watching. A free trolly brings you to the Grove Mall right next door.
http://www.farmersmarketla.com/

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Farmers Market
6333 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90036