Eating Outside Your Comfort Zone
If you grew up like I did with very vanilla, Mid-West parents, you probably also grew up on a whole heap of meat and potatoes dinners. And there is nothing wrong with that fact. However, here in L.A., mom’s meatloaf doesn’t really fit the foodie bill. So, embrace the new, venture outside your comfort zone, and let’s look at the foods you should try here in this L.A. melting pot.
In my hometown, there weren’t a lot of sushi joints. The reason for this eludes me
Go outside your comfort zone, and try one of the multitude of sushi restaurants in L.A.
to this day. Perhaps it was the fact that there apparently needs to be a Chili’s every three miles or how nothing but chains or franchises saw much success. But, raw fish and rice just didn’t seem to be the popular food of choice. I might be able to get a California (ironic) roll every here and there, but never could experience the sushi options like you can in this town. Being near the ocean is hugely beneficial as we get the some tasty selections of fresh fish. Often times too, sushi owners will focus on quality ingredients, and use only organic products where they can. There are so many sushi spots in L.A., it seems you could eat it everyday for a year and never visit the same restaurant twice. They range from the super cheap to very, very not cheap. When you do go out for sushi, if you are at a place somewhere in the middle of price range and up, ask your server for suggestions. Often times they will know which fish is the freshest or can recommend the most popular rolls. Even if it looks scary, it could be delicious, so be bold and live a little. Try the sea urchin.
Another non-vanilla food to venture into is Indian. The warm, spicy dishes are such a treat for vegetarians and non-veggies alike. Indian food does usually consist of many types of vegetables that are stewed in curry or spices. Meat is typically chicken or pork and most dishes are served with leavened flat bread called naan. There are also several items cooked in the tandoori oven. This cylindrical clay oven roasts incredible delights. Like sushi, Indian restaurants range widely in their pricing. At times, they will even have all-you-can-eat buffets. Doesn’t matter if you get the best or get some to get by, make sure to get tons of naan or try the flavored naan with garlic or cheese.
Continuing the food adventure, definitely head over to Fairfax Avenue and try one of many Ethiopian restaurants located there. Like Indian, Ethiopian food is usually very vegetarian friendly with various types of stewed and seasoned veggies. The meats are usually chicken or beef, usually no pork is found on these menus. Both meats and veggies are served on injera, which is a sponge-like sourdough bread. Not only is it delish, it also serves as your utensils.
Now, pretty sure even in my hometown Mexican food wasn’t considered an adventure, but here in L.A. you can find many Oaxaca restaurants. Oaxaca food usually consists of various types of moles (pronounced mol-A). Moles are a sauce that can range in color from black to yellow to green. This sauce is made with chilies, peppers, onions and various other seasonings then slow simmered over a low heat. The mole is commonly served over chicken with corn tortillas. Like the more common Mexican fare, Oaxaca sides are beans and rice. Don’t forget to wash it down with some tasty tequila.
25 Degrees offers a burger that is considered one of the best in L.A.
After all this, if you can’t break away from the traditional, and still want to play it safe, you can’t get much safer than a burger and fries. L.A. is known for their on-going burger wars. Restaurants are constantly competing for the title of “Best Burger in L.A.” Many names consistently appear in this list such as Father’s Office, Umami, 8 Oz. Burger, Apple Pan, 25 Degrees, The Counter, but in my experience, they are all pretty tasty in their own way. Plus, we have the best fast food burgs around with In N Out. So even when you play it safe, the options are numerous.
L.A. is a foodie town. We like to eat, drink, consume. So you are here, join the ranks and go get a full belly of something new. – Lori Bartlett
Pingback by Surfing the Sites at Huntington Beach | Survive the City — August 9, 2010 @ 10:14 pm
[...] that shopping is bound to work up an appetite. If you read our article on “Eating Outside Your Comfort Zone,” you will remember we mentioned the fantastic burger joint, 25 Degrees. This H.B. location right [...]
Comment by Florentina Fellin — April 14, 2011 @ 1:07 am
I simply want to mention I’m new to blogging and honestly enjoyed your web blog. Most likely I’m likely to bookmark your site . You actually come with great articles. Thanks for revealing your web-site.