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Gary
and Monk's Favorite Hangouts This list, in no particular order, is by no means exhaustive and is not, as any cursory glance reveals, for the diet-conscious. None of the establishments listed here have paid or offered any other form of remuneration to be on this list. Some might even want to be off this bad rascal. And if one or two of these places should happen to close due to circumstances of a health nature or say, a stabbing, then the reader ventures on this gastronomic adventure at their own risk -- to their stomachs. Oki’s Dog At the intersection of Pico and Sycamore, Southeast corner. Items include real cut potato French fries, the Oki Dog (pastrami,
hot dogs, chili and onions wrapped up as a burrito), tacos made with
ground beef and corn tortillas heated on the grill, and the best buy in
town in the chicken or beef teriyaki plate with meat, steamed rice,
home-made macaroni salad and a little green one too. One of Monk’s
favorite joints. There’s a scene there in Violent Spring. A
true guilty pleasure. Taylor’s Prime Steaks An old school steak joint on 8th at Ardmore in a neighborhood part Latino infused with Korean sensibilities. Step into its dark recesses and one might swear they’d just dropped in on an episode of Mannix. Have a vodka Gimlet or Jack on the rocks with a water back and order your New York cut medium-rare. And the steak sandwich with the onion rings on top, like manna, baby. Gadberry's Barbeque ALAS
NOW CLOSED Texas ‘Q’ at its goddamn best. On Broadway just south of Slauson between the Shell station and VFW Hall 9793. The meat – ribs, chicken, sliced beef and beef hot links --is prepared in ovens that the bricks have been soaked in fifty some odd years of savory smoke. The chicken literally, falls off the bone. Now there’s no place to sit so you have to get it to go, and stick to the mild sauce. The hot version will scald the skin of the roof of your mouth. El Tepayec A decades old place that is an institution. The Hollenbeck burrito, named for the nearby police division, can not be finished by one mere mortal. The name of the restaurant comes from the Mexican town the Virgin de Guadalupe is said to have first appeared in 1531. Lucky Boys -- hamburger stand Hands down one the best fast food joints in the Southland. The portions are more than adequate and you can’t go wrong ordering the fried zucchini ("One order of zuko,") and a double chili cheeseburger with extra onions. Of course you might want to fast afterward. Langer’s This is an old style deli that must have been here since Prohibition. The pastrami is to die for. The parking lot for Langer’s is a block away east of the joint on 7th Street. So walking to the restaurant, you’ll see a big mural for the murdered Tejano singer Selena, and get hustled to buy crack or a fake driver’s license. A lot of City Hall denizens take the Dash bus or metro over for lunch. Art’s in the Valley on Ventura (12224), and Junior’s on Westwood Boulevard just north of Olympic, -- both where "Industry" (Hollywood, baby) folks chow down -- are also cool delis. S & W Country Diner The diner is up the street from the famous and refurbished Culver Hotel where the actors who played the Munchkins in the Wizard of Oz stayed during filming. And where, more recently, PI Ivan Monk shares an office with the rehab-architect firm of Ross and Hendricks. This place serves the fluffiest, tasty pancakes this side of the Mississippi. 5 C’s Seafood Restaurant and Fish Market ALAS
NOW CLOSED This place is right out of a Fred Williamson movie, and is near an MTA bus yard and the Wave newspaper, so it gets a blue and white collar clientele. The fish market is up front and the restaurant is in the back. They serve a swinging seafood combo plate and the beer is nice and cold. Stubb’s Bar-B-Q Stubb’s is world renown. C.B. Stubbs’ sauce is sold in grocery chains. And not only does it serve up some very fine "Q," but offers live music on its nightclub side and ice cold brew. The links may not be on par with Gadberry’s, but settle in and blast down a couple of cold ones with your meal, and it’s all good. M & M Soul Food A chain of three are located in the urban core of the City. Friendly staff and moderately priced grub. Try the meatloaf, the smothered steak or catfish. And for the sides, make it the macaroni and cheese and the greens. Don’t forget to sprinkle some pepper vinegar on those greens too. Magee’s Donuts This donut shop is located in a strip mall at the northeast intersection of San Vicente and La Brea. It’s where that guy with the plaster faux-Grecco statues – in gold, white and matte black – sells them out of what used to be one of those quick photo drop-off kiosks. Anyway, Magee’s coffee ain’t that great (there is a Starbucks several paces north), but the donuts, they’re the bomb. Made with dough and sugar and not pumped full of air as a certain chain’s products are. Favs are the chocolate icing twists, these big butterfly wing-looking monstrosity of sweet bread, and of course old-fashioned glaze wonders. Uncle Darrow's Family owned and operated Cajun-Creole joint with some of the tastiest catfish, shrimp, and jambalaya west of New Orleans. Food is fresh with seafood shipped directly from the waters of Louisiana. Heck, they have gumbo on the weekends. If you're on some kind of health kick, or just want to try something special, order the catfish and shrimp grilled. Don't miss the turkey links or the sweet 'tator cookies--they make them themselves. The original joint is on Venice, and they've got a newer, but just as friendly, one on Lincoln Blvd. near Washington. |
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