This was taken a few weeks back on a really nice day, thems be pretty clouds. And there’s a liquor store right across the street, what else can you want?
Mr. Car Dealer, I would like to purchase a small economy vehicle with a decent petrol-to-mileage ratio, yet it must be able to haul as much cargo as a modern Sports Utility Vehicle, what do you have in stock?
‘Sir, there is no such thing!’
Well then, I will have to create it myself. Good Day to you!
Oh Pete’s Patio, how we miss you. When it got sold, the great and popular 2 dollar breakfast was gone, the quality of the food did not survive the transition, and I stopped going. Now it’s become DJ’s which I’ve yet to sample but I make it a personal code to never, ever, never (again) eat at a place that sells burritos AND teriyaki. Case closed. Done and done. It’s not a crowd pleaser like peanut butter and chocolate, nor is it intriguing like chinese food and donuts, and it’s a far cry from the perfection of fruit with chile y limon. If those two good-on-their-own foods get near each other, watch the fuck out! I once ordered a regular burrito (back in my non-veggie days a long time ago) and unbenownst to me, they ‘spiced’ it up with some teriyaki concoction. What was it like? It was a trainwreck in my mouth, injured taste buds gasping for life while the dead ones cluttered the senses and made rescue impossible. A side of dirt might have worked wonders but restaurants are slow to catch on. The fact that DJ’s has not one, not two, not three, but FOUR signs for Teriyaki has me quite convinced I’ll be avoiding this eatery for some time. Maybe I’ll even walk on the other side of the street.
With just a small plot of land, many of the Asian families in LH harvest some interesting vegetables, like these turnips (is that what they were?) i spotted drying on a lawn. Why waste all that water on grass when you can grow something you can eat? Mexicans used to do this as well and you still see the occasional milpa de maiz but those are getting rare. Nothing sez acculturation and the American Dream like a boring lawn. Three yawns for Progress!
I had to get to La Llamarada (2622 Pasadena Ave. 323.221.2259) early today to make sure I was able to sample their version of Tortas de Camaron, last week they ran out! That’s not surprising as this popular restaurant often runs out of Chiles Rellenos (which they also only make on Fridays) usually by 2pm. Better to be safe, I’ll have it for breakfast. Turns out other people had the same idea at 9am since i noticed at least 2 other people having the same meal. Maybe it was a bit too early as it turned out I didn’t even get close to finishing this hefty plate, though it wasn’t for lack of will.
As you can see from the picture, this dish was loaded with nopalitos, so much that you can barely make out the tortitas. But they’re in there, and they are something else. As for the nopales, they are decent but forgettable. You’ve tasted these before: it’s the familiar taste you get when you crack open that jar of nopales hiding in your cupboard on some lazy Sunday you just don’t feel like dealing with the prickly spines. Nothing exciting and they do in a pinch, so let’s move on. I was quite surprised by the tasty sauce that covered this platillo, it was interesting in as much that it was unexpected. Llamarada is known for doing some very basic dishes as their business is based on moving people in and out, therefore an interesting tomato/chile sauce on ANYTHING is going to get some points. No need to break down this culinary rarity, let’s just say it’s good. Entendido? The most worthwhile aspect of Llamarada’s tortas are the actual tortas, a nicely formed medallion with a spongy and thick consistency, a perfect vehicle to soak up all that good sauce.
At around 6 bucks, it’s pricier than I expected. It tastes just like a plate you would expect from Llamarada; basic but decent food at a (usually) cheap price. If you want to give it a go, get there early! EL CHAVO!
Just because you’re poor doesn’t mean you have to settle for less. The owner of this cart decided to get into the home renovation craze and added some interesting touches, namely all the cute little white and red bow ties. This creative contribution to a vibrant neighborhood was spotted on the same day KPCC reporter Adolfo Guzman Lopez bad mouthed this stretch of LH as a “rundown block.” Some people just have no eye for design.
My recent posts at LA Eastside.com
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