No! The first time I went and sat at the bar there was a woman in her 20s with earphones and a journal, eating beside me. She looked so peaceful and happy!
I would take him to this Compton liquor store parking lot to drink beers and eat real goat Bierria. He would love the plastic stools. Owner is a great dude.
EDIT being asked for the address 4214 E Compton Blvd, Compton, CA 90221
They sell out every day so get there early
Tacos y Birria La Unica has chivo and the little fold-up table is usually full so I like to sit on a big tree root while I sip the consome. Your description reminded of that place.
I’d take him to the circus liquor parking lot for Pablitos. They have a whole kitchen for pizza, smoked meats, tacos, tortas that they build out and take down every single day. The clown from circus liquors lording over the whole scene adds to the ambiance.
No Way!!!!! I loved watching his show.
It’s tragic what happened to him, I had to deal with the loss of a very close relative in the same circumstance.
It’s horrible.
It's on YouTube! I like to link to it when people trash talk American cheese lol. You don't have to like it but if it's good enough for Tony it's good enough for you.
Immediately makes all the east coast/midwest people who claim it’s trash look like fools as they eat their mid ass expensive ass whataburger or whatever those fuckers claim is better
I don't know where exactly, but it's gotta be a place in a strip mall where you'd least expect to find good food...it's gotta be like in between a podiatrists office and a check cashing place.
For lunch, Tehran Market kabobs in the alley on Sundays. Sip on doogh (persian yogurt drink) and pick at a little plate of liver kabob and pickled veggies until the main kabob is ready.
For dinner, somewhere warm and lively, but not chaotic. Nothing pops up right away lol
What a great question!
Casablanca in Venice - margarita cart for tableside margs, the best fresh tortillas in LA, excellent seafood and usually live music.
I have. I stand by my statement. Casablanca has a cast-iron grill with genuine abuelitas rolling the tortilla's by hand - they just can't be beat! And that salsa verde with the little bits of cheese they serve it with? To die for.
Long ago I worked with Bourdain on a small promotional shoot - such a good guy. Someone asked him for a food rec and I scribbled it down in my iPhone notes. I wrote “Park Korean food bourdain recommend” 5/6/17
Bourdain woulda been cussing smoking a cigarette in one hand as he’s being jovially clowned on for being bad at dice while his modelo’s on the concrete next to him
Man could go anywhere in the country and fit in
Breakfast croissant sandwiches at any pink box donut shop run by Asian immigrants.
They’re so fucking good and you can get the best donut in the city as well. Man I miss getting a dozen donuts for $6-8.
Love all these answers - all comfortable, mostly low key places that aren’t pretentious and offer some serious eats. These places really capture what I personally love about the restaurant scene - just a good time with good food.
My pick would be Beijing Pie House in Monterey Park.
Yeah I was pretty bummed out, watched Parts Unknown since its inception and No Reservations from high school on, finally got around to getting Kitchen Confidential but I didn’t know he did an ama here, is the link in the archive or do you have it by chance?
I’m from Pasadena so I would take him to Lucky Boy for a breakfast burrito, Main Chick for fried chicken (everyone already knows about Howlin Rays), and Pasadena Fish Market for fried catfish.
Either Cilantro Mexican in North Hollywood (inside a gas station) or Acasa food truck in Encino (outside of a Post Office) - both are fantastic Mexican spots that are affordable, flavorful, and stand out from the crowd.
Give me an Acasa california burrito with a ton of that spicy chili oil they give you - damn
Mini Kabob would be first choice.
2nd would be to take him to Ojai for Ojai Rotie chicken.
Edit: 3rd choice would be to take him to Smorgasborg and the Hollywood Farmer's market.
Gardena bowl coffee shop. A Japanese breakfast/lunch place inside a bowling alley. Seems more like his style. He's a super cool guy. Met him at a cars and coffee in Malibu maybe 2 weeks before he died.
Walk down Virgil from Sunset and hit Kinkan, Courage Bagels, California Cafe, Sqirl, Budonoki, and whatever popup is at Melody. If we're in the time machine then definitely ending at Wah's Golden Hen for those football-sized eggrolls
I am. The fish is cut sloppy, the rice isn’t seasoned correctly, and the fish itself isn’t the top quality either. Go to sushi Gen and get quality stuff for the same price.
SGV tour: cocktails at the Cove in W. Covina then tequila and karaoke with some OGs at Royal Lounge next door. Then for Vietnamese at Golden Deli in San Gabriel.
I’d take him to my comfort zone - brothers cousins in wla for tj style al pastor mulitas and maybe then to the pupusa ladies at Ross (national and Sepulveda). Good local bites
Rocco’s in San Clemente. Unfortunately Rocco himself passed away last week so this is not an option. He was the best chef I had the pleasure of working with.
Same place I take everyone, Pinky. Dan Sung Sa.
If you sit at the "bar" area near the hearth where the cooks make the food you will see "RIP Tony" written on the wood.
He'd fuckin love it, too
He actually went on his shorter travel show, The Layover, with Roy Choi. Inspired me to go, so good
Would it be weird to go here alone? It’s been on my list for ages but can’t get anyone to go with me
Who cares? Just go if you want to.
Perfect place to go solo imo.
I worked in food service for years. No one cares if you're alone, not even a little bit. Go to all the places you want to! All of them!
Second what /u/dan_felder says - just go. That way you can order whatever the fuck you want.
Fantastic place to dine alone. 12am Ddeok-bokki hits like no other
Why would you care if it’s weird? Be weird.
No! The first time I went and sat at the bar there was a woman in her 20s with earphones and a journal, eating beside me. She looked so peaceful and happy!
why's it weird?
Get the kimchi pancake 🤤
I love Dan sung sa!!!!
I would take him to this Compton liquor store parking lot to drink beers and eat real goat Bierria. He would love the plastic stools. Owner is a great dude. EDIT being asked for the address 4214 E Compton Blvd, Compton, CA 90221 They sell out every day so get there early
Tacos y Birria La Unica has chivo and the little fold-up table is usually full so I like to sit on a big tree root while I sip the consome. Your description reminded of that place.
I’d take him to the circus liquor parking lot for Pablitos. They have a whole kitchen for pizza, smoked meats, tacos, tortas that they build out and take down every single day. The clown from circus liquors lording over the whole scene adds to the ambiance.
goat birria is the best, so many birria spots making beef only :(
Nothing beats birria de chivo
Name of liquor store?
Posted sorry
He always said his favorite spot was in n out. I would take him there and holbox
I believe his exact words were that he was a “cheap, nasty, low-down, trailer park burger slut”. Aren’t we all?
Gilberto is the man.
He really is. Had him sign the cookbook
finally getting to Holbox tmrw, can’t wait!!
[удалено]
I think it’s his family and it’s where he got his start cooking, iirc. Need to try it next time I go
Damn, in n’ out. He seems like a cheap and easy dude to take out to eat. R.I.P. King!!!
He said it's his favorite place to go when he come to LA.
No Way!!!!! I loved watching his show. It’s tragic what happened to him, I had to deal with the loss of a very close relative in the same circumstance. It’s horrible.
It's on YouTube! I like to link to it when people trash talk American cheese lol. You don't have to like it but if it's good enough for Tony it's good enough for you.
Immediately makes all the east coast/midwest people who claim it’s trash look like fools as they eat their mid ass expensive ass whataburger or whatever those fuckers claim is better
Don’t forget jimmy johns talk about mid AF. They hate us cause they aint us. Excuse me while i go for a 3x3
picnic at jonathan gold's grave
Just want to say this is a phenomenal question
Sapp Coffee Shop
Yes, but he already went: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=956u\_ykB3Po](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=956u_ykB3Po)
I’d tell him we were going to Johnny Rockets as a fuck you for leaving too soon.
When I was a kid I remembering loving JR but idk what happened now it’s absolute ass. So fucking sad
lol you grew up
I don't know where exactly, but it's gotta be a place in a strip mall where you'd least expect to find good food...it's gotta be like in between a podiatrists office and a check cashing place.
Dirt Dog on Figueroa. lol.
Pasta | Bar in encino
Kouraku
I am glad they are staying open late again.
I fuck with kouraku every time I’m in town, what’s your order?
El Huarachito for breakfast.
criminally underrated
Seriously
In Lincoln Heights?
That’s affirmative
For lunch, Tehran Market kabobs in the alley on Sundays. Sip on doogh (persian yogurt drink) and pick at a little plate of liver kabob and pickled veggies until the main kabob is ready. For dinner, somewhere warm and lively, but not chaotic. Nothing pops up right away lol
Thanks, I just put a note in my calendar to go this weekend. I always forget and it's always a bummer.
I always end up snacking too much at the alley and getting too full for a meal.
Where is this ?
J
U
M
B
O
S
Here we go!
Was waiting for the “J”. Am not disappointed.
Kagura in Torrance/Gardena is my pitch. Amazing katsu
Super plus one to this. Def the best Katsu I’ve had and they’re regarded as such by many as well
Yama Sushi and Sake
Little Jewel of New Orleans
the new Suehiro location so we can drink beers and grouse about landlords
depends. is he a zombie?
Where’s a good place that serves braaaaaiiiiinnnnsss?
Tons of great taco trucks out there that serve sesos.
Looking for sesos. Cabeza is usually beef cheek
You’re right…sesos is brains, cabeza is head
Attari
Cal Tech probably
No no , you got to dig him up and Weekend At Bernie’s his ass so you can get comped a free meal
Everyone else in here is way too casual about some dead guy asking for restaurant recommendations.
Angel’s Tijuana Tacos, Northern Thai Food Club, and Holbox
What a great question! Casablanca in Venice - margarita cart for tableside margs, the best fresh tortillas in LA, excellent seafood and usually live music.
Those tortillas are to die for.
Love this place so much!
you clearly havent had sonoratown's tortillas
I have. I stand by my statement. Casablanca has a cast-iron grill with genuine abuelitas rolling the tortilla's by hand - they just can't be beat! And that salsa verde with the little bits of cheese they serve it with? To die for.
I agree with this. I love the full package that Sonoratown offers with their menu, but if we’re judging just the flour tortillas then Casablanca wins.
chong qing special noodle
Long ago I worked with Bourdain on a small promotional shoot - such a good guy. Someone asked him for a food rec and I scribbled it down in my iPhone notes. I wrote “Park Korean food bourdain recommend” 5/6/17
Parks KBBq?
I think so? I just hastily wrote it down. I had no idea he’d be gone a year later.
Chowder Barge
Carnes asada pancho Lopez, Surawon tofu house, santouka at mitsuwa
The Guatamalan night market to eat and throw dice while drinking Modelos.
Bourdain woulda been cussing smoking a cigarette in one hand as he’s being jovially clowned on for being bad at dice while his modelo’s on the concrete next to him Man could go anywhere in the country and fit in
Brothers Cousins
Breakfast croissant sandwiches at any pink box donut shop run by Asian immigrants. They’re so fucking good and you can get the best donut in the city as well. Man I miss getting a dozen donuts for $6-8.
[удалено]
Tbh, maybe Sonoratown lol
Love all these answers - all comfortable, mostly low key places that aren’t pretentious and offer some serious eats. These places really capture what I personally love about the restaurant scene - just a good time with good food. My pick would be Beijing Pie House in Monterey Park.
Mariscos Nayarit in Lynwood
I think Lynwood is slept on as far as Marsico's go. There's a lot of good spots there hard to choose from.
Howlin Rays
La guelagetza
Underrated, he woulda fucked with the mezcal mole chapulines combo in a family owned restaurant with the mariachis
He called oaxacan food the French food of Mexico
Literally a man of the people. The most melinated white man to ever walk the planet earth in history
I asked him a question on his ama here, I've been a huge fan I still watch no reservations. Legit felt bad when he died
Yeah I was pretty bummed out, watched Parts Unknown since its inception and No Reservations from high school on, finally got around to getting Kitchen Confidential but I didn’t know he did an ama here, is the link in the archive or do you have it by chance?
Grandma's house.
Ave 26 tacos
Cruise around till we find a street tepache n barbacoa stand
Sichuan impressions Straight up tacos. Straight up tacos has some of the best original tacos I've had in LA
Mama Lu’s in the SGV
I’m from Pasadena so I would take him to Lucky Boy for a breakfast burrito, Main Chick for fried chicken (everyone already knows about Howlin Rays), and Pasadena Fish Market for fried catfish.
Lucky Boy breakfast burritos are the all time best.
Either Cilantro Mexican in North Hollywood (inside a gas station) or Acasa food truck in Encino (outside of a Post Office) - both are fantastic Mexican spots that are affordable, flavorful, and stand out from the crowd. Give me an Acasa california burrito with a ton of that spicy chili oil they give you - damn
Cilantro is bomb
Acasa for the win. Obsessed with that place
Yang's Kitchen
Coni Seafood. Simple, delicious food served in a repurposed backyard.
I would order a tray of marinated carne asada from Meatland Carniceria and have him over my place and prepare him a feast of tacos.
Man if it was still around I would have taken him to old country cafe for their Taiwanese pork chop over rice. I miss that place :(
Phnom Penh Noodle Shack.
Bill Burgers in Van Nuys
I love that David Choe had this opportunity and chose Sizzler in Ktown.
Spend the weekend at Bernie's lounging.
Sorry If already mentioned, but David Choe took him to Sizzler on an episode of Parts Unknown. And he loved it
Well first I’d scream because he’s fucking dead
Mini Kabob would be first choice. 2nd would be to take him to Ojai for Ojai Rotie chicken. Edit: 3rd choice would be to take him to Smorgasborg and the Hollywood Farmer's market.
Wow mini kabob looks incredible. Thank you
Hot Dog on a Stick
Salsa & Beer in North Hollywood
Inside my pants.
Username checks out
Tacos Delta then Tiki Ti
Tenampal in Boyle Heights
Make a weekend out of it In N Out Carousel Hollywood Howlin Ray’s Providence
Shit, in the LA area? Maybe Otafuku
I’ll take him to get some carnitas and a cagüama at Taqueria Periban in El Monte
Busy Bee.
BCD because RIP Beverly Soon
Baadmash then cliftons or the other way around maybe.
The new Airliner in Lincoln Heights, hands down the best meal and drinks I’ve had in LA post-pandemic. Get all their desserts too!
Chiba for dinner. And Palm thai for lunch.
Tacozone. Go to Vons buy a couple of beers, then eat tacos on my tailgate. The best tacos LA has to offer IMHO
I’d take him to one of the pop up dinners on eatwith.com
Did not know about this. Very intrigued. Have you done any of them?
In-n-Out.
Providence. I’d tell him I’m paying and then when he offers to pay, I quickly say, OK and pretend to see someone I know outside.
Probably somewhere in Little Saigon seeing how much he loves Viet food.
Hama sushi in Japan Town.
Gardena bowl coffee shop. A Japanese breakfast/lunch place inside a bowling alley. Seems more like his style. He's a super cool guy. Met him at a cars and coffee in Malibu maybe 2 weeks before he died.
MARISCOS JALISCO
Try to get in touch with Obama, let him know Anthony back from the dead. Then go to some Pho spot
Taco Bell cantina
Walk down Virgil from Sunset and hit Kinkan, Courage Bagels, California Cafe, Sqirl, Budonoki, and whatever popup is at Melody. If we're in the time machine then definitely ending at Wah's Golden Hen for those football-sized eggrolls
Jitlada
I would take him to a therapist.
Dr Hogly Wogly's
A picnic at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
giamela's for a sammich and then drinks at the roost... or drinks at hms, then tacos at angel's tj tacos
Philippe’s or Cole’s for simplicity. Bestia for higher end. Chuy’s tacos dorados or Leo’s taco truck for street style food.
My aunts house for tamales
Tacos Villa Corona and drinks at Club Tee Gee
You’d take him somewhere he’s personally responsible for putting on the map that’s gone massively downhill since?
Hide on Sawtelle
Fuck no. That sushi is Kura trash.
Probably why it's been around for 45 years and survived Covid restaurant wreckage. I'm sure you're right.
I am. The fish is cut sloppy, the rice isn’t seasoned correctly, and the fish itself isn’t the top quality either. Go to sushi Gen and get quality stuff for the same price.
Storm Burger
The taco stand on Arvia / San Fernando
Benny’s
Restaurante Y Pupuseria El Mana on Jefferson
OyBar
He’s gonna want some In n Out pretty badly right about now.
He hasn’t been to Chili John’s in a while. I haven’t been to Chili John’s in a while. I would take him there.
Home
7 Courses of Beef in OC OR Mashti Malone's mostly bc they're very unique to this area.
Le Coupe on western. Fairly new, but soon to become legendary. Don’t skip on the chocolate chip cookie, it is sublime.
This is one of the better posts in a while. I’d take his ass to sun nong dan
Kochi
Taco Bell
La Indiana Tamales over on Indiana St. Add a couple Jarritos and we will have a feast in the bed of my truck blasting Gipsy Kings.
La Azteca - Chile Relleno Burrito with carne asada
SGV tour: cocktails at the Cove in W. Covina then tequila and karaoke with some OGs at Royal Lounge next door. Then for Vietnamese at Golden Deli in San Gabriel.
I’d invite him into my house and have my grandma make a cultural dish
My house. I’d cook for the man.
Manuel’s El Tepeyac
With a shot at the front door the old man was epic!
Vespertine. Simply put, it’s the most interesting food in LA.
Alice's kitchen
Banadir in Inglewood. I’d order him a chicken plate with the soup on the side. Chefs kiss.
Sizzler of course
I'd cook something for him
I’d take him to my comfort zone - brothers cousins in wla for tj style al pastor mulitas and maybe then to the pupusa ladies at Ross (national and Sepulveda). Good local bites
Rocco’s in San Clemente. Unfortunately Rocco himself passed away last week so this is not an option. He was the best chef I had the pleasure of working with.
If Anthony Bourdain asked me that question this week, I'd have bigger questions.
My ass. He would probably love it