Sorry; as someone asked me, “What the hell have you been eating all month?” Well, I’ll tell you: not much. Lots of work, lots of repeated business at places I’ve already reviewed, lots of forgetting to eat, lots of coffee dinners, and not a lot of time overall. Here’s a short one: the holy ramen house of Daikokuya.
I was in Echo Park a few days ago with a friend and had one of those moments where I’m grasping for straws as to where to eat. As someone who nerds out, and is a total snot, about food, I feel like such a disappointment whenever I can’t think of somewhere to go. My problem was that I had been to the Echo Park area at least once every week or so for the last few weeks, so I was really tired of all the nearby joints. My friend asked me what I would eat if I could have anything right then, a question that was a lot like the “What would you do with your life if you could do anything right now?” discussion we just had. Unlike that conversation, I did come up with an answer: pho. On cold days, that’s all I want. Neither one of us felt like driving out to the Valley, so what is a good alternative? And that is the story of how we ended up at Daikokuya.
Filed under: Downtown LA, Food | Tags: "Deals", "Downtown LA", "Steve Martin", Cole's, french dip
Everyone thinks I’m saying Kohl’s when I say Cole’s. Why? Probably because Cole’s downtown (allegedly, the “originator” of the French Dip sandwich, but the whole which-one-came-first-the Cole’s-or-the-Philippe’s argument is, as my ex-roommate’s softball coach would say, like shooting dead ducks in a pond) hasn’t been open in forever. Come late this month, it’s re-opening and come December 6, it’s having an official launch party. 100 cent (because this sounds better than “one dollar”, like “four score and seven years ago” sounds better than “87 years ago”) (hat tip to one of Steve Martin’s old Shouts & Murmurs columns in the New Yorker, of which I can’t find anywhere online, otherwise I would link to it. I remember the beginning of it — “Get their attention – make them add.” This is why I like Steve Martin, even after SNL.) sandwiches and sides from noon till 4.
Probably will be a huge line like the one at Philippe’s 100th anniversary celebration. Good luck.
Cole’s
118 East 6th Street (at Main)
Wed-Sat 11am – 2am (woohoo! Another late night option for Downtown!)
“Saloon Specials” 4pm – 7pm daily (woohoo! Another happy hour option for Downtown!)
Filed under: Downtown LA, Food | Tags: Black Kids, bleu cheese fries, burger, hellman, Mayan, Pete's, The Virgins
Dear lord, what is with all these shows I go to in which I find less than 21 year olds also waiting at the will-call window? For example, the Black Kids concert at the Mayan on Wednesday night. There were two separate entrances – one for people over 21, and another for people under 21. I haven’t seen separate entrances like this since the last time I went to a tranny bar/club in San Francisco, and the separate lines were for pre- and post-op. It was supposed to be a joke, but everyone lined up accordingly. It’s amazing, the power of lines.
Anyway, the show and the food.
The best part of the Black Kids show was The Virgins, my new almost-favorite band. Hey, they’re great!
The worst part of the show as the fact that it didn’t start till 9, and with 2 openers, the Black Kids didn’t come on till 11. There has to be a rule that 1) if you’re a small band – i.e., Not Madonna – and even Madonna comes out before 10:30 – you need to start your set earlier than 11. There really is no need for a 30-40 minute gap between bands; and 2) weekday shows should start earlier than 9. I guess I am old. I guess Madonna’s old. I guess that is why I have to go to through the over-21 entrance and kids the age of my youngest sister are still wide awake and hopping at midnight.
The worstest part of the show was the $7.00 cans of beers and no source of tap water except in the bathroom. Seven dollars. Cans. of Beer. Cans. Of Heineken, Corona. To be fair to the Mayan, there were bottles of Bud. To be fair to drinkers everywhere, Bud is something you don’t drink if you have the choice between not drinking and drinking. Really, Mayan? You could do better. That is insane. We did get a free cup of ice though. Whoop.
We actually skipped out of the Black Kids’ set about 2 songs in — I was tired and hungry, she didn’t like the band so much, at all. What to do next? What’s open at 11:30 downtown? Oh, I know – Pete’s.
A upside view from the bar:
Filed under: Downtown LA, Food | Tags: french dip, Huell Howser, Philippe's
Speaking of my BFF Huell Howser, he will be making a very Special Guest Appearance at Philippe’s 100th anniversery celebration today. Speaking of Philippe’s, they’re having their 100th anniversary celebration today. From 4 to 8, jostle with others turn-of-the-century-style for a Wal-Martian rollback of prices to 10 cent sandwiches (one per person apparently, though maybe you can do what I do on Free Ben and Jerry’s Day: get your sandwich, turn around, walk back to the end of the line, and eat it while you wait for another) and 5 cent coffee (50% off their regularly priced coffee! (as my economics friend points out, percentages put things in proper perspective)). Pick up some pineapple buns or a roast duck from NBC Seafood next door to munch on whilst you wait.
Also performing alongside Huell will be Roger the Peanut Man, Harpo the Clown, and mysteriously unidentified but tellingly named Caricuture Artist and Comedian.
Philippe’s the Original French Dip Please let’s not get into a fight over who is the original – it’s there, it’s good, just eat it.
1001 N. Alameda Street (near Union Station, Chinatown)
