What if your neighbor was running a successful pop-up in LA?

While it is truly amazing to read about chefs finding ways of cooking for the public without restaurants/trucks, like this Simi Valley BBQ, or like Sergio’s setup in Inglewood, I often wonder what the neighborhood costs are (noise, vermin, garbage, parking). Not to mention the risks to public health from possibly-inadequate - and certainly uninspected - kitchen (or garage) hygienic practices.

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I imagine it’d be a PITA to be a neighbor (I think a constant stream of traffic would be super annoying to me), but I’d love to have BBQ smells surrounding me all day… ::sigh::

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If your neighbor is a good neighbor in the first place, and you yourself are also a good neighbor, you speak about your situations and make compromises especially in light of their success. I’m sure the neighbors that are inconvenienced nearby (in a neighborly situation of course) are compensated by the neighbor inconveniencing them.

Bad neighbors call the cops and inspectors.

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A couple of my neighbors have pop ups, one does sushi, one does cookies, one has more of a food stand/coffee shop one has a large scale fruit stand! One was selling Agua Frescas and they were SO good… but she is no longer… I’m guessing she just got too busy or the max profit for that is kind small…

It’s not an odd thing on this side of town and it’s was not just a Pandemic nor Latino thing either, especially now. That being said, more than anything, Neighbors just like being awares, so they aren’t going WTF with a bit more traffic in the neighborhood. the large who is running her cafe, it’s similar to Sergio, it’s not in anyone’s sight of view. She’s doing just take out and so the noise hasn’t been too much of a problem. It’s also running during mostly day hours. So that also helps with folks being a bit more accepting. No strangers trolling around too too late.

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Invite your neighbors. The world has forever changed. Make them feel welcome. Give them your number if it seems problematic.

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I’d be down to try if any of my neighbors tried this. It’s already incredibly hard for many who have lost their primary source of income, and it’s hard to fault them for trying anything to survive. I’d be happy for them…but it would be nice if they gave me a head’s up so I don’t wonder about strange traffic…though to be honest, I am so busy with work that I rarely have time to go outside at any point of the day.

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As I mentioned in a post above… one of my neighbors was a Sushi Chef at Catch at Casa del Mar and other restaurants around town. We know how much Covid has disrupted the restaurant and hospitality business. But for Sushi in particular where you where the best experience was at the bar. For those on romantic dates, there was a nearly equally talented string of Sushi Chefs working setting up rolls and platters. So there was so much shake out among those doing strong and honest Sushi work. For this chef… he also did sushi bars bars at parties, so has all the set up at home… but not much in the way of bookings…

It began with a couple of posts on our neighborhood page on facebook. Good for him! Good Neighbors are hard to come by and there isn’t much in the way to Sushi in West Adams… so slowy the neighbors started ordering from him and the raves started. I admit… I ordered this yesterday for lunch and waited until tonight to post! Happy to say that I survived Covid AND neighbor sourced, porch pick up Sushi!

I ordered on Friday for Saturday Noontime pick up via Text. It was requested I text them when we arrived and they would place it in our car for contactless. One little snafu… we are neighbors so P. took his bike. I don’t they realized BIKE BIKE and so they replated things to work for us and were so thrilled it all arrived in excellent shape…

The order…

We got a TON for $60 (That included the tip) Of what I could eat… I loved it all. The Eel roll was especially excellent and the tempura shrimp roll had not one but two shrimps in it! The scallops were fresh and creamy, the special was a Halibut Crudo which had lovely microgreens and little pieces of juicy orange with a twinge of Tajin! So brillant… went so well with the melt in your mouth fish.

I have a severe aversion to Salmon. I actually wasn’t going to order it but in my initial order I asked the Chef if he had any Sushi that was seared because I really enjoy it. And he said he could prepare seared Scallop or Salmon. So added the Salmon as a treat for P and he really enjoyed it. So ask the Chef… He may be able to accommodate for something your don’t see in the menu.

The rice of course, could be better as could the nori (But it travel a bit). We haven’t had Sushi in a long time that wasn’t the wrap your own rolls from Tokyo Central (which will do in a pinch!) so it really was a treat… Here’s the chef’s instagram page… if it maybe be something you would consider…

https://www.instagram.com/p/CLhJmt7DRYT/

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