Los Angeles Eats
By Cecilia Hae-Jin Lee
From seeing the stars on Hollywood Boulevard to viewing celestial stars in the sky, there is a vast array of activities here that is unique to the
City of Angels. Those looking for new experiences can enjoy dirt cheap cuisine, free art museums, and cultural happenings without breaking their piggy bank. We've culled out the best of the best places to stretch that ever shrinking dollar.
Best Investment of $1 (Tacos): Monday nights are usually nothing to look forward to, except for the $1 tacos at
Barragan's (1538 Sunset Blvd; tel.
213/250-4256), a family-run L.A. institution. It won't be on the menu, but those in the know just have to order the "crispy" tacos. Choose between their beef and chicken, topped with shredded lettuce. Those wanting to splurge pay the extra quarter for the guacamole and leave the servers a generous tip.
Best Investment of $1.25 (Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches): Cruising through Westwood, the long lines at
Diddy Riese (926 Broxton Ave; tel.
310/208-0448) may look like an entrance to a club, but revelers are waiting to indulge their sweet teth. The late-night hours make the place convenient, but its popularity is due to their homemade ice cream sandwiches. Pick any flavor of ice cream and they'll sandwich it between any two of their soft and chewy cookies. Freedom of choice never tasted so good!
Best Investment of $2.40 (Salvadorean Pupusas): Lunching office workers and downtown secretaries, head over to the Grand Central Market to grab a bite at
Sarita's Pupuseria (317 S. Broadway, E-5; tel.
213/626-6320). Their pupusas are stuffed with pretty much any combination of cheese and pork, beans, potato, jalapeño, spinach, chicken and more. The sawdust floors and neon lights add to the charm.
Best Investment of $2.75 (Bahn Mi Sandwiches): The only good thing that came out of the French colonization of Vietnam was the marriage of the two cuisines.
Mr. Baguette (8702 Valley Blvd., Rosemead; tel.
626/288-8733;
www.mrbaguettesandwiches.com) specializes in these sandwiches stuffed with your choice of meat and their "house special salad," pickled vegetables and spicy sliced green peppers stuffed in a crispy, chewy French baguette. They have two other locations in the San Gabriel Valley.
Best Sit-down Lunch: A tiny, but cozy restaurant tucked in a small corner of Glendale offers one of the best lunch deals in town. Don't be put off by the name,
Kozy Korner (213 W. Wilson Ave, Glendale; tel
818/242-6608;
www.kozykornerthai.com), but arrive early for one of only 16 seats. The hardest part is choosing from over a dozen lunch specials. This is some of the most affordable and authentic Thai cuisine, this side of Bangkok.
