1/8/06 | 9 On The Town Cheap Eats
[ Currently Eating: Cheetos - Finger Dirtyin' Good ]
One of my new year’s resolutions for the Cheap Eats site (besides some minor site redesigning and writing up a Manifesto) is to try and focus more on local restaurants and eateries. Being in Southern California has advantages in that there are billions of local joints and places with a myriad of cuisines to sample… all of them possible cheap eatery candidates.
I really haven’t written about them enough, though many times the problem is that I don’t have a camera handy and I’m too busy scarfing to think about writing up an entry. Plus, I don’t have the unlimited budget that Jonathan Gold has to try all these places…
Anyhow, maybe this is a good way to kick it off. Here is a list of the “Top 9 Cheap Eats” restaurants in Southern California by 9 On The Town which is a human interest segment broadcast on KCAL Channel 9 News. I found this while idly surfing around for cheap food sites.
Tropicalia - 1966 Hillhurst Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90027
Cha For Tea - 5720 E 7th Street Long Beach, CA 90803
Zankou Chicken - 1415 E. Colorado Blvd., #D, Glendale, CA 91205
Dona Rosa (Mexican) - 577 S Arroyo Parkway (@ California) Pasadena, CA 91105
Fassica Ethiopian Restaurant - 10401 Washington Boulevard (@ Motor Avenue) Culver City, CA 90232
Spring Street Smokehouse (BBQ) - 640 North Spring Street (just north of Sunset Boulevard) Los Angeles, CA 90012
El Nido Restaurant (Nicaraguan) - 2112 S LA Brea Avenue (@ 21st) Los Angeles, CA 90016
Ginja Lions (Caribbean/Asian) - 11320 Ventura Bouelvard (1 block east of Tujunga) Studio City, CA 91604
Indo Kitchen (Indonesian) - 5 N. Fourth Street (@ Main Street)
Alhambra, CA 91801
I have only actually been to two of these restaurants: Dona Rosa and the Pasadena branch of Zankou Chicken. Dona Rosa was pretty decent Mexican food, but you may remember my earlier disenchantment with Zankou Chicken. I’ve heard of Spring Street Smokehouse, Cha For Tea and Fassica… anyone try any of these places before? Leave a comment if so…
Interestingly, I was driving around Main Street in Alhambra a couple weeks ago and spotted a restaurant I had somehow missed before called Indo Kitchen but that was before I had seen this list. That’s piqued my curiosity and since that’s 10 minutes away from me I think I’ll be reviewing them soon!
Speaking of reviewing… I’ve been thinking of asking (begging) some “guest bloggers” if they’d like to write about a few Cheap Eats restaurants in their neck of the woods. This is because there’s no way I can do reviews of all of these out-of-state restaurants. If you’re interested, I’ll try get some more details up soon. But go ahead and contact me about what city you want to cover.
January 10th, 2006 at 1:31 pm
Here is a great resturaunt and you can get a free entrée.
It’s in Pittsburgh PA and it’s called SWEET BASIL.
Here is the link…
http://www.mysweetbasil.com/freeEntree.htm
Just fill out the form and they will send you an email to confirm.
YUM!
January 11th, 2006 at 2:08 pm
Don’t forget Versaille Restaurant on Venice Bl. near Motor in Culver City-I think they also have a location on La Cienega near Olympic and one in the SF Valley. Yummy Cuban food. Also, Gilbert’s Mexican Restaurant on Pico in Santa Monica. Also The Rose Cafe in Venice on Rose Ave. near Main St. Great “California cusine”… Can you tell I’m from the Westside? Oh, yeah, how about Nathalie Thai Restaurant on Venice Bl. in Culver City? Great Thai food.
January 11th, 2006 at 3:21 pm
tanya - thanks for the tip… er, if I’m ever in PA I’ll try it out!
alexis - oh yeah, I used to eat at that Versaille all of the time. Excellent cuban food. I wish they had one closer to me (San Gabriel valley). Also, that’s funny… I used to eat at the Nathalie Thai on Venice ALL the time. Pretty consistent and not too expensive. I think I have been to Gilbert’s as well, but can’t remember…
January 23rd, 2006 at 12:53 pm
If you find your self in Old Town Pasadena and need a place to rejuvenate, The sisters of Bubik at 34 Raymond Ave. (just south of Colorado) is a magical get away with THE BEST Chai blended EVER! yummy. They also make great bagel sandwiches (the chicken salad with cranberries is a winner) and have salads and mini pizza’s. Its an enchanting place. I highly recommend.
www.sistersofbubik.com for details
January 28th, 2006 at 1:50 pm
We down in Long Beach consider ourselves to be part of L.A. and O.C. too!
When down our way check out the fine snacks and meals at Bake & Broil on Atlantic Blvd. and 37th St. in the Bixby Knolls Historical neighborhood. (after your
meal take a short walk west across Atlantic on 37th street through one of So. Cal best neighborhoods of quaint and restored Spanish Revival and California
Bungalow Arts & Crafts era homes!)
Bake & Broil is a small sunny cafe that has been run by the same Swedish family for years and is full of the friendly folks and waitresses who all live around this under discovered area north of the 405 freeway. Great chatty locals discussing the daily news at the large counter that has lots of seats and nice booths fill the rest of this two room diner and cozy eatery!
Great breakfast of special omelets and quiche and “light as a feather” lemony/blueberry pancakes and stuffed fillings of fruit and cream chesse French toast! Super in house made pastries! Don’t miss not having a shared breakfast starter like the warm killer pecan rolls with lots of extra goo and melty butter or one of the many daily changing different kinds of coffee cakes …Important to note: great house coffee too!
For lunch or dinner they actually have pot roast or halibut/fish specials with the works and great burgers as well. I can’t seem to get away from ordering the pot roast sandwich that is to die for…but you won’t because with the served home made horse radish sauce you will know your kickin’ and it will clear your sinuses …you’ll cry smiling over it!!
Please leave room or take home for later something from their delicious homemade fruit pies and cakes! On the way out to pay for your meal also pick upa lemon bar or some cookies these will satisfy any urging for Mom’s cooking that you might be missing!
I say it’s world class food at city prices: I rate it 4 out of 4 stars! (Elder Dills gave it same kudos a while back in a review as well!)
February 12th, 2006 at 1:45 am
makes me long for my hometown again
Grew up in North Long Beach right near the Knolls
Haven’t got anything like that up here in Seattle
Katya
February 12th, 2006 at 9:31 am
aria - I’ll have to check that out…
timmerman - thanks for that review. I think my friend lives near that bungalow area in LB. Bake & Broil sounds pretty good!
kat - that is interesintg.. because for awhile I have been thinking, “boy it would be pretty nice to move up to the seattle area”. =) the grass is always greener, ey?
March 21st, 2006 at 6:56 am
Here are some East SF Valley cheap eats for you:
Thai: the Wat Thai, 8225 Coldwater Canyon, N. Hollywood, has food booths at the weekend. $3 for a quart of papaya salad. Skewered meat $1 a skewer. An entire mango and a pint of sticky rice with coconut milk, $3.
Bua Siam Thai, Coldwater Canyon and Sherman Way, has a $2.50 menu. It’s best if you can read Thai, because the English descriptions are weird (on purpose), and it’s, um, quite authentic, but it’s absolutely delicious. Actually there are several wonderful Thai places on Sherman Way from the 170 to about Woodman.
Pho So 1, Victory and Sepulveda, Van Nuys. A huge bowl of pho (beef noodle soup) is $5. Directly across the street is Pho 999, which is almost as good and has another branch at Coldwater Canyon and Sherman Way.
Skaf’s Lebanese Grill, 6008 Laurel Canyon Blvd, N. Hollywood. The prices don’t LOOK so cheap ($8-$11) but even for a large hungry guy like me it’s always at least two meals… you get hummus, salad, pita bread, lots of rice, and whatever main meal you order for one price.
Carnitas Michoacán, Coldwater Canyon and Victory, N. Hollywood. Taquerias are always cheap, and this is one of the best. Get the carne asada or carnitas in tacos — I believe it’s $1 or so apiece. You can help yourself to the radishes and pickled carrots.
Las Quenas Peruvian Cuisine, Sherman Way and Bellaire, N. Hollywood. Some of the dishes, especially on the specials board, are huge portions for not much money (typically $8 or so). The lomo saltado is terrific and the ceviche (marinated seafood) is out of this world. Also try El Hatuchay on the corner of Sherman Way and Coldwater Canyon — you get an appetizer with your $8 meal.
Albano’s Brooklyn Pizzeria, Ventura Blvd. between Vantage and Laurelgrove, Studio City, and Melrose Ave. between La Cienega and Fairfax, Mid-City. You can get pizza by the slice here, it’s the closest LA gets to New York pizza, and it’s about $2 a (very large) slice.
Super Pollo, Van Nuys Blvd. south of Victory Blvd., Van Nuys. A quarter roast chicken, rice, beans, salad and fried bananas will set you back a whopping $5.50… and it’s delicious to boot.
Tortas de Mexico, Ventura Blvd. one block west of Vineland Ave., Studio City. A torta is a Mexican sandwich, with the meat of your choice, beans, guacamole, cheese, mayo, and salsa — a real calorie bomb and tasty too. They’re typically about $4.
Finally, the ultimate in cheap eats in LA is not in the Valley but in Westminster and Rosemead — the Vietnamese sandwich, or banh mi. At Banh Mi Che Cali (8460 Valley Blvd., Rosemead and the corner of Magnolia and Bolsa adjacent to the supermarket in Westminster) you can get three sandwiches — yes, that’s three whole sandwiches on French rolls — for $3. Choose from a variety of Vietnamese meats, such as lemongrass pork, grilled beef, pork “meatloaf” (it’s tasty), vegetarian ham, or pate, on a crusty French roll with garlic mayonnaise, cilantro, chile peppers, and pickled carrots and radishes.
You should check out http://www.chowhound.com for more — there’s a whole board dedicated to Los Angeles eating and cheap eats are a frequent topic.
March 21st, 2006 at 7:07 am
das - thanks for that list of places. I must agree on Banh Mi… I am surrounded by Viet sandwich shops here in MP/Alhambra and often order from them. They range in price from $1 to $3 usually. There is also a huge range in quality, though. The orangish pork meatloaf is pretty tasty, and I’ll even eat the sardine or egg one. I think some folks would have pause with some of the “mystery meat” sandwiches though!
September 20th, 2006 at 4:45 pm
Ay, that 9-on-the-town is WEAKASS.
Here’s my cheap eats 1-on-the-west-sgv: 1.70 bean and cheese burrito, 1.10 taquitos, at J&S in montebello; 2.00 or so won ton noodles at abc in monterey park; 2.00 for banh mi at ba le in san gabriel; 1 item special for around 3.50 at shau may or kang kang; 99 c half pounder b+c at taco bell; 99 c side salad at mcdonalds; donuts anywhere if they’re good; the 6.00 nighttime special at mpv in alhambra; the cheap menu at quickie dog in bell gardens; the falafel at wahibs in alhambra (forgot the price); the footlong veggie with toasted cheeze and carrots. but my favorite lately is the 4.50 ginger and green onion lo mein at sam woo on valley, in alhambra, and only that one specific shop.
January 26th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
This is great! I’m going to add a link to it on my site, www.davescheapeats.com where I’ve been highlighting the best in cheap eats around the country.
June 8th, 2007 at 5:45 pm
Spring Street Smokehouse is an absolute must! if you like BBQ you have to try them. The sauce is like nothing I have ever tasted and the meat is smoked to perfection! Go, GO, GO!
July 21st, 2007 at 3:16 pm
I’ve been to Cha for Tea & El Nido…excellent, excellent, excellent!
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:36 pm
two words people: bossa nova
(on sunset in hollywood)
awesome brazilian food for dirt cheap. i went there on a date and left with a $20 paycheck. not bad for the ambiance, the location, and the food. oh and did i mention that they’re open until 4 am? great for late night eats or a cheap night on the town. i highly recommend it!
if you’re looking for something REALLY cheap and REALLY good, I would suggest Lee’s Sandwiches. This place is a godsend for broke college students, but a bit hard to find. i know they have a few in wesminster and irvine but i’m not sure where else. If you can find it though, it’s worth it. The sandwiches run for about $2.25 and consist of a baguette with meat and yummy vietnamese vegatable toppings. I recommend any of the pork sandwiches. also, you might want to check out the day old bread for 50 cents. all of their pastries and spring rolls are good too. doesn’t get much better eh?