CAFE 50S

Los Angeles, USA

Cafe 50s is a classic diner with three locations in LA. I had a craving for a typical American breakfast, and found this place online and headed over. We walked through the doors and were met by a welcome gust of cold, conditioned air; a nice break from the Los Angeles heat. We sat down in one of the booths, and a friendly waitress brought us the menu. I went for a short stack of Buttermilk Pancakes with bacon on the side, a lump of butter, and lots of maple syrup. The pancakes were as expected; tasty and much too filling. The bacon was perfectly cripsy; it's hard to come across this type of bacon back in London. My friend went for Huevos Rancheros with all the trimmings. To drink we split an Elvis Milkshake and sweet Ice Tea. They have a huge selection of Deluxe Milkshakes, and our chosen option contains vanilla ice cream, peanut butter and bananas. Everything was super tasty and exactly what I had in mind. The reason I'm not giving Cafe 50s top marks on the Hanger Meter is because it's a chain, and you can tell. Even though it only has three restaurants, it is clear that the decor is planned to look unplanned, and that the diner style is almost too obvious, the walls being plastered with vintage posters and flags. It is a family friendly restaurant, and the crowd is not 'cool'. It's missing some of the charm found in a place like The Apple Pan. The whole experience felt quite rehearsed, but to be fair they have got the American diner down pretty darn well. We walked out into the sunny parking lot full and happy after a calorie packed meal.

www.cafe50s.com

EL 7 MARES

Los Angeles, CA

El 7 Mares is a tiny Mexican open-air restaurant in the Silverlake area of LA. I first saw it from across the road when I was having breakfast at FoodLab. I was surprised by how many people were visiting this shabby, gas-station looking eatery. I thought it looked so bad, it had to be good. Later that day I was reading an old TimeOut about cheap eats in LA, and this place was recommended for their fish tacos and ceviche. We headed down at sunset, and there was still a steady flow of people. We parked outside the little, neon-lit building which is placed in the middle of a parking lot, and had a seat in one of the plastic booths. The crowd was a mixture of hipsters and casually dressed Mexicans, creating a very LA vibe. Since we also had two taco food trucks on the list of places to eat that night, we didn't order much. From the illustrated menu above the counter we picked out shrimp tacos and fish tacos. The small portions were served with fresh lime to squeeze over, and a chilli sauce on the side that I didn't need much of due to its spiciness  Both types of tacos were a perfect blend of tangy and salty, and although fried, it did not come off as greasy. Out of the two I preferred the shrimp tacos, but would still order a variety just to mix it up. Their shrimp cocktail is also renowned, so if I ever get to go again, that will be next on my list.   

CHURCH & STATE

Los Angeles, USA

Church & State is a French bistro in the hip arts district of downtown Los Angeles. It is on the ground floor of the huge, converted National Biscuit Company building. I made reservations for two on the day, after a recommendation from a friend. I was a little sceptical towards eating French in the States, but I had over dosed on tacos and burgers for a few days and wanted a change. We entered the exposed brick and column restaurant and were immediately put off by the poor acoustics of the room. The crowd was a mixture of hipsters and business men with girls to impress. Luckily, they had tables outside, so we sat in a peaceful area with perfect temperature. As a starter, we shared the Roasted Bone Marrow, one of their specialties. It is served with bread and chimichurri, but I quickly realised that the sauce just hid all the flavour of the marrow, and that it is best enjoyed just with a spoon on its own. And it was really good! We scraped the bone clean and I wish we had ordered more. My next dish was also wonderful though. I had the Bouillabaisse, a fish stew with shellfish. The bread that came with it was smothered in bright yellow aioli, which was amazing. My friend had the Steak Frites, which he said was ok, but nothing special. There was no point ordering the Salade d’Endives we had on the side, as it was quite flavourless. As none of the dishes were bad, and some of them very good, I’d say Church & State was worth the trip, and if I lived in LA I would definitely go back for the Roasted Bone Marrow.

1850 Industrial Street, LA, 90021

www.churchandstatebistro.com

FOODLAB

Los Angeles, USA

When I last visited LA I stayed in the Silverlake area. I went online for a quick browse of nearby brunch spots, and found FoodLab, an organic and environmentally minded restaurant. With two locations in LA, they serve continental food made with ingredients from local farms. I went to the counter to place our order, and saw a small black and white picture of a beautiful woman with a baby. Turns out these are the owners of FoodLab; Esther Linsmayer, a former model and student at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, and her son Nino. The blackboard was full of deliciousness, and I went for the Belgian Waffle with berries and maple syrup. My friend ordered the California Omelette filled with avocado. We sat outside in the shade, and had to wait for quite some time for the food to arrive. We tried a bit of each other’s dishes, so it became a perfect savoury/sweet brunch combination. The creamy avocado inside the eggs was a great blend, and the waffles with lots of syrup and cream were super sweet without being 'too much'. The freshly squeezed orange juice was perfect for the hot weather. The service was average, but the food was straight forward, filling and fresh. Next door to the restaurant is Hemingway and Pickett, a really cute shop selling all sorts of stuff you don’t need, and it’s definitely worth a visit.   

Silverlake, 3206 Sunset Bouldervard, Los Angeles, CA 90026, USA

www.foodlab-la.com

IN-N-OUT

The first stop I made after landing at LAX was at the nearest In-N-Out Burgers. This West Coast staple serves fast food burgers that seem to be appreciated by all sorts of different people. Even chefs like Gordon Ramsay and Julia Child have showed their love for it. The recognisable red parasols draw you in, but the interior itself is not great. The harsh lighting gave me a clinical feel. Nevertheless I was very excited to be there, and ran to the counter to place my order. I had a Cheeseburger and French Fries, and tried some of the free pickled chilies. The burger was a timeless classic; just what I have in mind when I picture a proper American burger.  The texture of the cheese is just right, the meat tastes fresh and the amount of vegetables is ideal. Their burger is a lot more aesthetically pleasing than that of Five Guys, although not as pristine as Shake Shack. The top of the bun kind of breaks apart though, so it doesn’t look as great after a few bites. The bread does its job well, in that it does not get soaked. The fries were not great, and could be crispier. The cheeseburger at In-N-Out is close to being the perfect fast food burger. As I am writing this I'm getting a serious craving for it, so I hope they will open a branch in London soon. 

Westchester, 9149 South Sepulveda Boulevard, Los Angeles 

THE APPLE PAN

Los Angeles, USA

The Apple Pan in Culver City, LA is an old-school diner established in 1947 with most of its original fittings intact. It’s a small, pitched roof house with counter seating only, arranged around the food preparation area. When we arrived there were about 10 people waiting to be seated, but it only took 5 min to get a spot. We came straight from a taco food truck, so I was already quite full. Therefore we shared a bit of everything, starting with the steak burger and fries. The burger is quite small, which I think is a plus, as there is more room for sides and desserts. The meat and vegetables were very tasty, but I thought the sauce was a bit distracting, and took away from the simple flavours of the rest of the burger. Coke was served in a little paper cone placed in a metal stand. Authentic details like these really make the Apple Pan a truly American experience. Disappointingly, they were out of their famous Apple Pie when I was there, so we opted for a slice of Pecan Pie and Banana Pie with cream. Both of these were an amazing ending to our meal, with rich and classic flavours. Even though I didn’t love the burger (due to the aforementioned sauce) I would certainly return to the Apple Pan because of its amazing and genuine diner feel. 

West Los Angeles, 10801 W Pico Boulevard, LA, CA 90064