Canadian Travelling to LA - Recommendations and feedback?

#21

I live in Echo Park and worked downtown for several years (commuting by bus), and depending on your willingness to take the bus, the 2/4/704 and 92 bus lines will take you pretty much anywhere from the main hubs of Silver Lake and Echo Park into downtown.

I would not recommend using Google Maps’ transit feature to find bus arrival times as I have found it to be buggy and it goes off of Metro’s published schedules, not real-time arrival (even though it’s supposed to!). Use nextbus.com or the nextbus app instead.

#22

Pro tip: Take the city shuttle DASH to the Griffith Observatory for $.50 at Sunset x Vermont.

#23

I agree, Google Maps does not have accurate arrival times. NextBus usually does.

The next train arrival times on the Metro TV screens are also often wildly wrong. In the middle of the day it might say the next train’s coming in 50 minutes when in reality it’s rare to have to wait more than 10 minutes.

#24

I only mentioned Jitlada as a place where I got genuinely Thai-spicy food. It wouldn’t be high on my list of Thai recommendations in LA. Where their menus overlap, I think Luv2Eat is better, and it’s certainly a nicer space with better service.

#25

Yes to Holbox!

Their uni tostada gets favs but I confess - I’ve never had it. I want to go back for their shrimp sandwich - the bread, shrimp and spicy sauce? Perfect! But may be too heavy for you if you are eating at both restaurants…

#26

i just hope that you understand that mexican food goes way beyond tacos. mexican cuisine is regionally diverse in a way similar to chinese cuisine shanxi/shaanxi/hunan/sichuan/cantonese/chiuchow/uighur/what have you, and LA might be the second largest hub of that diversity outside of mexico city.

you might look at: https://firstwefeast.com/eat/2015/09/the-essential-guide-to-regional-mexican-food-in-los-angeles and consider some of the recommendations listed there.

#27

The menu at Broken Spanish has dishes from various regions. Good introduction to the diversity of Mexican cuisine. Some of the dishes are more fancily plated than you’d usually find in their places of origin, but the flavors are true to tradition.

#28

The list is ever expanding and i’m very grateful for it even though I won’t be able to hit a fraction of the places listed.

Regarding this In’ and out debate. I like the analogy and for what it’s worth I would never take a visitor to TImmies :wink: (They’re American owned, barely reminiscent of what they once were, and balked at the idea of paying their workers the new minimum wage, so no thanks!)

Good to know about Gjusta, i was mainly eyeing their sandwiches in case I wanted a bite while in the area. I also did note the friday special at Attari, though i’ve had dizi before so i don’t know if i would get that over the osh which would be new to me.

Yes, i’m aware mexican food goes beyond tacos :stuck_out_tongue: My list was from a very cursory search that involved eliminating options that just weren’t feasible due to location, and intended to be added on based on the crowd sourcing exercise going on right now. I will definitely check out the article linked.

#29

I’m glad you pointed this out! Try to get some ceviche, auguachile, and grilled fish. Look for Mexican trucks and taquerias with “Mariscos” on the sign.

I’m sure people here can recommend some great places in the areas you plan to visit. (And not Connie’s. OP only has three days, and that’s off the beaten track via public transportation.)

Edit: Then again, I could pick you up at Jefferson station, take you to Coni’s AND Destroyer, then have you back at the station to send you on your way to Santa Monica in no time. :slight_smile:

#30

Best pro tip so far

#31

Guide to Gjusta:

(1) Walk in and grab a number right away, it is to the right near the cold case.

(2) While waiting, browse the counters, specifically the fish case and veggie case

(3) Items to order: loaded bialy with smoked salmon belly, prime rib butcher (extra horseradish), fish plate, falafel sandwich, carrot cake, romesco antipasto (if available), porchetta butcher, house made sodas

(4) ask @Chowseeker1999 @bulavinaka @PorkyBelly @Haeldaur @Bigmouth et al, for more recommendations

#32

(5) if ordering smoked fish, come to Gjusta with phone fully charged because it will take you 20-30 minutes to get said fish

#33

Will put that on the list - thank you!

#34

Tons of great recs in this thread and I agree with almost all of them, so I’ll just toss in a handful more that could be convenient at some point:

Mariscos Jalisco for shrimp tacos and ceviche, either the one in downtown or the one not far away in Boyle Heights.

El Flamin’ Taco in Echo Park for al pastor if you go at night. They have one of the better trompos (rotating spit like shawarma) in the area and they make their own tortillas.

Triniti is a coffee shop in Echo Park with really interesting avant-garde salads and small dishes from a chef who cooked at Noma, among other places.

Cookbook in Echo Park for a perfect (overpriced) baguette (baked elsewhere but delivered fresh) and a perfect (overpriced) avocado to spread on your perfect baguette. Makes a pretty killer meal, if maybe a little silly.

I’d also recommend walking around Echo Park lake and getting elote (street corn) from the vendor with the live grill and the longer line, and a bag of churros from whichever vendor looks good.

#35

I’m trying to connect the dots between a fully charged phone and getting your fish. ???

#36

And on Fri, Sat, and Monday the quesadilla cart!

Get the corn fungus. Squash flowers, and chicharone are good too. Don’t forget the cactus and salsa!

#37

“Mariscos Jalisco for shrimp tacos and ceviche, either the one in downtown or the one not far away in Boyle Heights.”

I have say, I’ve had tons of shrimp tacos, paid heaps - or not - and the one I keep dreaming of is the deep fried one at Mariscos Jalisco. I think we were in Boyle Heights, not far from the first location of Guisados. http://www.guisados.co

Different and better then just about any shrimp taco I’ve ever had.

#38

The Posideon Tostada at Mariscos Jalisco is a must get imo

#39

You need something to do while waiting. Because you will be waiting for a while.

#40

Ah, gotcha. I chat with strangers…every single day :slight_smile: