Hello... nice place you have here, sure, I'll have a PBR

[dna]

Amen

[FishBreaksWater]

For awhile there -- back when I first started fly fishing (2005) -- I was actually able to fish before work. I'd get up at 4AM and be pulling streamers by 5AM, leave the stream at 7AM, and be at work by 8:30AM (even though my hands smelled like fish). There are two different streams within pre-work driving range -- what more could a city boy ask for?

I haven't done that in awhile...the obsession with fly fishing gradually faded into something resembling reality, thank god.

Here's a link to a story about one such pre-work fishing trip (apologies to those who've seen this report before):

http://fishbreakswaterarchives.blogspot ... aming.html

F.B.W.

[flygirl]

Yeah, I'm not sure if you guys are natives, but I am and I know the people I grew up with never bash LA. I think that's reserved for folks who come here from somewhere else and are homesick or in the entertainment industry

I am an import into LA via South Dakota 12 years ago and I have always loved it! I love that you are almost limitless on the things you can do and see all in the same area. I say almost limitless because it seems these days you can't even time the traffic right....there is just always traffic. Craig and I have been in Bakersfield for almost two years and despite our initial reservations about the place, we really do enjoy it! But I still love LA. There is just an atmosphere that all are welcome and you can be yourself and still fit in. We love the Staples Center and now LA Live just makes that area more fun. We also love Chevy's Mexican Restaurant - we go there every single time we are down south. We generally hit the one in Burbank, but the one in Ontario is awesome too!

I've been to San Francisco and NYC and despite loving their subway systems, nothing tops LA! Maybe its the sun....

[FlyinFish]

Yeah, I'm not sure if you guys are natives, but I am and I know the people I grew up with never bash LA. I think that's reserved for folks who come here from somewhere else and are homesick or in the entertainment industry

I am an import into LA via South Dakota 12 years ago and I have always loved it! I love that you are almost limitless on the things you can do and see all in the same area. I say almost limitless because it seems these days you can't even time the traffic right....there is just always traffic. Craig and I have been in Bakersfield for almost two years and despite our initial reservations about the place, we really do enjoy it! But I still love LA. There is just an atmosphere that all are welcome and you can be yourself and still fit in. We love the Staples Center and now LA Live just makes that area more fun. We also love Chevy's Mexican Restaurant - we go there every single time we are down south. We generally hit the one in Burbank, but the one in Ontario is awesome too!

I've been to San Francisco and NYC and despite loving their subway systems, nothing tops LA! Maybe its the sun....

Gawd! I can't tell you how good it makes me feel to hear things like that. After a year and a half of living in Seattle and just getting bashed left and right anytime someone found out I was from CA, its just nice to know there's people out there who can see the goodness here.

It really is true, we don't hate on anybody here. Everyone is welcome and we love meeting new and different people - more ingredients for the melting pot just makes the soup that much better!

Traffic is easy to figure out... rush hour is from 3:45am to 3:15am. The rest of the time, the freeways are wide open!

Next time you're in the east end of the Valley, try Shiraz Restaurant in Glendale. Its a terrific Persian/Armenian kabob place. Order the sultani if you like beef, or choose any of the chickens. Or try Zankou Chicken in Burbank or Glendale or Toluca Lake. Get the chicken tarna plate. http://www.zankouchicken.com/ . Trust me, you'll love them!

For me, the saltwater fishing is what is absolutely binding. No one in the world fishes saltwater like we do and no one has a fishery like we do. I literally cannot find this style and type of fishing anywhere else in the world.

California love baby!!

[DSFlyman]

Here's my one pet peeve about LA (remember, I'm a native) - the mexican food. I went to College in San Diego and just about every quarter mile was a 24 hour Robertos (or some similarly named knockoff, i.e. Ramiros, Albertos, etc.). Seriously, if you aren't familiar they are more prolific than McDonalds down there. Although I haven't done it in awhile, I've driven the 2 hours just for a Carne Asada with Guac. I just can't find anything like it here, which is so surprising. Baja Fresh is sorta, kinda... but it's baja Fresh. Poquito Mas in the Valley is not bad too, but...

On that topic, I went to Titos Tacos (I think that's Washington and Sepulveda) - this place is Famous... and it totally sucks - OMG! Anyone ever been there? Not only could I not find tacos on the menu, but I felt like a dumb *ss asking for my choice of meat. Apparently you get one choice with your burrito, Cheese or no Cheese. The Meat is kind of like this Chilli Con Carne Gravy, Stew Thing - Ugh. Three people went into cardiac arrest while I was waiting to order.

[stanbery]

Check out this site http://tacohunt.blogspot.com/
Maybe you can find something you like.

Jon

[dna]

Here's my one pet peeve about LA (remember, I'm a native) - the mexican food. I went to College in San Diego and just about every quarter mile was a 24 hour Robertos (or some similarly named knockoff, i.e. Ramiros, Albertos, etc.). Seriously, if you aren't familiar they are more prolific than McDonalds down there. Although I haven't done it in awhile, I've driven the 2 hours just for a Carne Asada with Guac. I just can't find anything like it here, which is so surprising. Baja Fresh is sorta, kinda... but it's baja Fresh. Poquito Mas in the Valley is not bad too, but...

On that topic, I went to Titos Tacos (I think that's Washington and Sepulveda) - this place is Famous... and it totally sucks - OMG! Anyone ever been there? Not only could I not find tacos on the menu, but I felt like a dumb *ss asking for my choice of meat. Apparently you get one choice with your burrito, Cheese or no Cheese. The Meat is kind of like this Chilli Con Carne Gravy, Stew Thing - Ugh. Three people went into cardiac arrest while I was waiting to order.

Tito's is famous for its Mexican-American food!! It is not authentic Mexican food, although, Tacos Dorados (Crispy Tacos) are a truly treasured comfort food among Mexicans and in certain parts of Mexico. The ones at Tito's aren't truly authentic, but tasty nonetheless. The rest of the food there is not all that.

As far as Mexican food--real mexican food--you won't find it on the Westside ! But there are some exquisite spots further inland, e.g. ELA, SC. If you are truly inpspired to find the best LA mexican food...I can show you a few gems!

As far as Westide joints: Tacomiendo, La Talpa, Frida...those are a few of my favs.

[FishBreaksWater]

Tito's is "famous for being famous". Really, their food is average at best, but they've been there forever and they're an LA institution like Pink's. Tito's is kinda like In-n-Out Burger in the sense that, to me, they are utterly overrated (everyone knows -- even Ice Cube -- that Fatburger is the best fast food burger in town).

Next time you're at Tito's, walk 50 yards east and have a meal at Cinco de Mayo (it's a restaurant, silly). Blows Tito's completely out of the water.

La Talpa

Oh, * YA! Awesome place...I love the place next door, too, forget the name, Mexican-American style greasy enchilada/taco combo place....sit in the "cave room" and down a few tequilas...good times on the westside.

My pet peeve? Not enough good Mexican food places in the Valley anymore. Although this one place -- Don Adrain's Cemitas Poblanas in Van Nuys -- makes a Mexican-style sandwich like you wouldn't believe. Fuggin' awesome.

F.B.W.

[FlyinFish]

You guys are on crack! There is so much great Mexican food here! First of all, its not as great as SD, but, count your blessings, it is so much better than in Seattle!!! I was dieing up there! You just don't even know how blessed we are...

Cinco De Mayo on Sepulveda - Culver City - You can smell the tortillas 2 blocks away.
Frijoles - El Segundo - pretty good place, get the wet burrito, preferably the chile verde pork wet burrito. I really just go there cause its close to work
Mariscos - Hawthorne - great! great salsa verde, great tacos (the real style, corn tortilla, meat, onions, cilantro, salsa verde)
La Taquiza - LA by USC - fantastic meats, salsas a bit watered down, but not much, the al pastor roasts right in front of you
EL Tapatio #2 - Glendale (I know there's like 50 different places named that...) - best salsa verde and chipotle salsa ever. the verde is thick and oily and they make batches of it in a *' cauldron. the meat is a bit low quality, but the salsa!

I think you just need to venture slightly east and south of SM. I would have more, but I don't need to cause these cover my areas and they're all great! Don't waste your time at franchised places like Baja Fresh. Support the local economy, not some rich greedy CEO. We need to get over our distrust for small local businesses. The big name franchises are the ones really trying to * you and extracting money from the local economy. The little guy just wants to make you a burrito!

Also, El Pollo Inka has some pretty awesome food. Kind of a Mexican meat and veggie stir fry with french fries mixed in (just like California Burritos from Santana's in SD!) and a side of rice.

The burgers at Fosters are better than at Fatburger. Venture over to Glendale or Burbank and pick one up. Get The Boss Burger. Top it off with a deep fried burrito and an ice cream drink.

OK, I'm done, sorry to derail!

[FlyinFish]

Almost forgot! La Taquiza has mulitas!!!! soooo tastey! If you don't know what they are, you have to go try one! Corn toritlla, cheese, meat, onions & cilantro, guac, more cheese, another corn tortilla - think of it as a tortilla sandwhich.

Rewrite the Eagles line in Hotel CA as "warm smell of mulitas, rising up through the air."

[DSFlyman]

OK - now I am a fan of Gilbert's in Santa Monica. I actually have the Menudo on weekends if I've tied one on the night before (#8 woolly bugger that is). As an Anglo, I get so much slack and the waiters always think I'm joking, but I can't get enough. Cinco De Mayo - a little scary.

ALSO... I went to the liquid Kitty for Saint Paddy's Day - they had the Irish lowlife, a shot of Jameson and a Guiness - how cool is that?

[sakana]

Here's my one pet peeve about LA (remember, I'm a native) - the mexican food. I went to College in San Diego and just about every quarter mile was a 24 hour Robertos (or some similarly named knockoff, i.e. Ramiros, Albertos, etc.). Seriously, if you aren't familiar they are more prolific than McDonalds down there. Although I haven't done it in awhile, I've driven the 2 hours just for a Carne Asada with Guac. I just can't find anything like it here, which is so surprising. Baja Fresh is sorta, kinda... but it's baja Fresh. Poquito Mas in the Valley is not bad too, but...

On that topic, I went to Titos Tacos (I think that's Washington and Sepulveda) - this place is Famous... and it totally sucks - OMG! Anyone ever been there? Not only could I not find tacos on the menu, but I felt like a dumb *ss asking for my choice of meat. Apparently you get one choice with your burrito, Cheese or no Cheese. The Meat is kind of like this Chilli Con Carne Gravy, Stew Thing - Ugh. Three people went into cardiac arrest while I was waiting to order.

Ha this is funny, SD certainly has tons of Bertos, Rob or other similar ones. Actually the Roberto empire was split between the two sons. One took the Roberto name and the other just started opening up new ones and started coming up with any combo of Berto naming he could think of. I have to eat one too every time I'm down there.

For LA it will be a little harder to get the SD style of carne asada burrito but not impossible. That is simply, carne asada meat, onions, cilantro and guac. Truth is it's not even carne asada but carne guisada because most carne asada meat from the berto chains never sees a charcoal grill. I know what you mean though when you say you want a good old fashioned SD style carne asada burrito. Most of the Carne asada burritos up here will come with rice and beans inside but after a while when you find the good ones you'll fall in love all over again.

Here's the good news, It's like your beginner fly fisher and your standing above a stream but you don't know where the fish are even though there are tons of fish in front of you.

LA abounds with Mexican food from the American style like Titos and Henrys in the valley to the real deal like getting Flor de Calabaza Huraches in a Bank of American parking lot on a Friday night in East LA. I can go to tons of street vendors and taco trucks that use hand made tortillas to scratch the surface what LA has to offer.

You've got a whole world of good Mexican eating in front of you in this city. You just need to seek it out. Another good place for Menudo is Pepys galley on Sat and Sun at the Venice bowling alley. They make their's red style with hominy and patas are optional. The only bummer there, no hand made tortillas.

Happy eating

PS once you get the hang of finding a few good carne asada places we can get into recommending you some good places for Birria de Chivo. Shoot you still need to plow your way through all the basic meats like lengua, cabeza, carnitas, al pastor, buche, tripas, chicharonnes and barbecoa de borrego yup you have some eating to do.