Top 5 Hamburgers

My girlfriend just turned me onto The Hat 2 years ago and I'm kinda hooked when I get my car serviced at the Ford dealership a few yards away.

Another old-style pastrami sandwich/hot dog/burger joint is Johnny's Pastrami in Culver City at Sepulveda & Washington Blvd right off the 405 Fwy. That joints been around since 50+ yrs and still going strong. It's not your good Jewish deli type of pastrami sandwich, but more of a street corner(which it is) joint french dip sandy. Not to mention Tito's Tacos is also right next door(if you don't mind a 30+ deep line 24/7).

There's also another Johnny's Pastrami on Adams at Crenshaw & Adams Blvd just a few yards south of the 10 fwy. This one's been around since '56. Depending on how cosmopolitan you are, the area might be a little too dodgy for the more suburban eater.

We also need to start talking LA barbecue soon, I've got a few good places on my regular rotation list.

Darkmoebius

"Tito's Tacos is also right next door.."

Yum.

When I had work in the area I'd either go to Tito's or an Indian cafeteria/store (20 pound bag of Basmati rice and fresh cardamon anyone?) kinda place further away (name escapes me) with tasty lentil and grain dishes, exotic fruit lassies, pistachio sprinkled desserts, and Bollywood posters on the walls. Loved the smell of spices walking in the door of some of those ethnic grocers. Ditto in NYC as well. Tito's chips fried in lard sure tasted good. Food pyramid be damned.

West on Washington Blvd. The Samosa House, on Venice Blvd. India Sweets And Spices.

India Sweets and Spices - that's it! The one along Fairfax in West LA. My recollections are a little bent. To bad I'm in AZ these days, because AZ sucks big time for food and all I have are memories of much, much better.

J & J Burger Shack (barbecue)
5754 West Adams Boulevard, Los Angeles
just East of Farifax & Adams Blvd.

Good location for barbecue. Burgers are good and huge, but their beef ribs great. Pork's good, too. I also like their side dishes. Wood-smoked.

Phillips Barbecue
4307 Leimert Boulevard, Los Angeles
Vernon & Crenshaw Blvd west of 110 fwy.

They have three locations - Leimert Park, Crenshaw, and Inglewood. I've only been to the original in Leimert Park. I usually get the $50 or $100 mix platter for office parties. The drive in on Vernon might scare some that aren't used to that part of town, and it is kinda 'hood. But, everyone is nice once you get there and the food is damn good.

Across the parking lot is a great Jamaican cafe - Ackee Bamboo. Terrific meat patties and the Jerk, Curries, and brown stews are as authentic as you are going to get in LA. They get the complex mix of spices just right so that the heat does not obscure all the individual flavors. I don't break a sweat until the meal is 80% finished. Be prepared for Island Time or CPT(colored people's time), as my grandmother and parents used to say, in getting your food. Some days it's quick, others can take a few minutes. but it is always worth he wait.

Honey's Kettle Fried Chicken
2600 E Alondra Blvd
Compton, CA 90221

also a brand new location in re-vitalized Culver City
9537 Culver Boulevard
Culver City, CA 90232

I prefer the Compton location - cheaper, more bare-bones, and closer to my house. The new Culver City shop is bright, clean, and very professional looking. Chicken is fresh, juicy, and a great crust. Their biscuits are out of this world.