Automobile Club of Southern California
The Auto Club of Southern California
We’re Always With You!
Vanessa Stump (3)
On the east side of Hollywood, Square One's high-end cuisine belies its affordable price tag. (Clockwise from left) Buttermilk pancakes are served with a bacon-enriched caramel sauce, and standards like eggs Benedict and fresh fruit are anything but.
Throughout Los Angeles County and the Southland, great restaurants offer meals at extremely affordable prices. In fact, at some places, two can eat for $25 or less. For the sixth straight year, we sent our reviewers out to find those places. Here's what they discovered.
Los Angeles and Environs–It's no revelation that breakfast is a gift for cheap eaters. The revelation comes when you find that rare breakfast café that takes its food as seriously as a white-tablecloth dinner restaurant and yet keeps prices modest. That's what you get at Square One (4854 Fountain Avenue; 323-661-1109), an airy indoor-outdoor café on the Los Feliz end of Hollywood. Everything is well under $15, and yet the ingredients are high-end, including the local and/or organic produce and hormone-free dairy products and meats. Best of all, the kitchen knows how to let those ingredients shine. Omelets are gently cooked and filled (but not overstuffed) with such things as Gruyère, Hungarian garlic sausage, grilled seasonal vegetables, and glistening cubes of lardon-style bacon good enough to make you weep. There are also lovely variations on eggs Benedict, buttermilk pancakes with bacon-enriched caramel sauce (yes, you read that right), stone-ground grits, chorizo, and fresh fruit. Lunchtime brings perfect salads and sandwiches, but it is breakfast that put Square One on the culinary map.
It's also no revelation that Farmers Market is heaven for the frugal, but not enough people have discovered one of its newer stands, Singapore's Banana Leaf (Farmers Market, 6333 W. Third Street, Los Angeles; 323-933-4627). As with a few other Farmers Market high achievers, Singapore's goes beyond the fast-food basics by using quality ingredients and presenting its colorful food elegantly, often on dark-green banana leaves. The Malaysian, Indonesian, and Indian flavors are robust but not fiery; coconut milk, ginger, cucumber, peanuts, and tamarind are much in evidence, but if you like curries with some oomph, they've got those, too. Generously served main courses are a steal at $7.95-$9.45 for lunch and dinner. Try the rendang, an Indonesian curry with chicken or beef and a wonderful coconut-chile-ginger sauce; any of the satay; the meal-size laksa curry soup with rice noodles, bean sprouts, tofu, and a savory house-made fish cake; or the stir-fry tuna sambal. To drink, try a cool fruit concoction, or wander to the nearby bar for a beer or a glass of wine.
L.A. abounds with inexpensive holes in the wall, but it can be intimidating to know which ones to try. I'd driven by Agra Indian Kitchen (2553 Lincoln Boulevard, Venice; 310-827-0050) many times, and I finally stopped, thanks to a Chowhound tip. And it is indeed a find. In a simple room with an unfortunately placed air-conditioning unit but comfortable seating and proper table linens, very kind people serve carefully prepared, delicious Indian food: savory-sweet onion kulcha, rich saag Paneer, incendiary vindaloos, tender tandoori chicken, a dreamy coconut curry, and huge but light slabs of naan. The only disappointments are the Birds Eye-like vegetables that come with some of the main courses. Most entrees are $8.95-$12.95, so you can afford such extras as garlic naan and mango chutney—maybe even an Indian beer. And if you're a local, delivery is free. —Colleen Dunn Bates
Vanessa Stump (3)
(Clockwise from top left) The Hummus Bar & Grill in Tarzana bakes Iraqi laffa bread on-site and serves more than a dozen kinds of salads to go with it. Hummus is served with garbanzo beans, pine nuts, or, in this case, mushrooms.
The Valleys–The Hummus Bar & Grill (18743 Ventura Boulevard, Tarzana; 818-344-6606), an Israeli restaurant that opened just over a year ago, is a lively spot, with conversations (many in Hebrew) and the slapping sound of hands shaping fresh laffa dough filling the air. For just a buck, every table gets a refillable basket of freshly baked, puffed-up laffa, an Iraqi pita-like bread, and that's the kickoff to an extensive menu of Middle Eastern specialties, many $12 or less. It's a great place to be a vegetarian, given the array of hummus dishes, hearty meatless selections such as falafel and portobello mushrooms, and more than a dozen terrific house-made salads. There are plenty of options for budget-conscious carnivores, too, including skewered chicken thigh or lamb dinners for $9.99 and $10.99, respectively.
The savviest way to approach Chang's Garden (627 W. Duarte Road, Arcadia; 626-445-0707), a popular Shanghainese eatery, is to go with a group of at least four (portions are generous) and bypass the usual suspects on the extensive menu. Instead, try Chang's specialties, such as the pork spare ribs steamed in a lotus leaf, the fork-tender rib meat and bones embedded in a mound of sticky, savory, chile pepper-spiked rice ($12.95 for four large packets o' pork), or the chicken with sesame oil and soy sauce ($12.95), an aromatic pot of gingery hacked chicken (watch for bones) in a spicy-hot, smoky sauce. Other dishes that deliver top-notch flavor for the money include five-spice beef rolled in a Chinese pancake ($8.95), Hunan bean curd with shredded pork ($7.95), Shanghai-style rice cake ($7.95), and thin crisp-fried slices of "green onion pie," aka scallion pancakes ($4.95).
El Criollo (6622 Van Nuys Boulevard, Van Nuys; 818-785-8625) moved to new digs closer to the Van Nuys Civic Center in 2008 after a quarter-century in a funky strip mall on Victory Boulevard. The new space has attractive exposed-brick walls hung with vintage travel posters and Cuban magazine covers, but it could use some help with curb appeal and harsh interior lighting at night. Fortunately, the owners, the Sera family, are as friendly as ever and have kept El Criollo's prices friendly, too. Most dinner entrées are under $12 and consist of enormous plates of food, with the meat, chicken, or seafood accompanied by fried plantains, rice, and black beans. Montuno Cubano ($12.50), fried chunks of superbly tender pork served with a creamy tamale, yucca, and Moro rice, is a good choice, as are the two roasted half-chicken entrées ($10.95) and the ropa vieja, shredded beef in a tomatoey sauce ($12.95). —Jean T. Barrett
Eric Van Eyke (3)
(Clockwise from right) Claremont's Village Grille diner serves up a healthy portion of nostalgia along with such classic dishes as a cheeseburger with crisp onion rings; pancakes, eggs, and coffee; and a decadent banana split.
Throughout the Southland, great restaurants offer meals at extremely affordable prices. In fact, at some places, two can eat for $25 or less. For the sixth straight year, we sent our reviewers out to find those places. Here's what they discovered.
Inland Empire and the Desert–Southern California is filled with self-consciously retro restaurants designed to look like they've been around since the '50s, but Village Grille (148 Yale Avenue, Claremont; 909-626-8813) really has, serving as a Claremont Village institution for 60 years as of this August. This classic American diner, clad in red leatherette and Formica, serves up food to match, including hamburgers and root beer floats. Breakfast at the Grille is a local ritual, and at lunch, chili-cheese fries or onion rings with a crunchy, not-too-greasy batter pair perfectly with reliable burgers. Among bargain-priced dinner plates are very respectable, generously portioned fried chicken and fish-and-chips. Top it off with pie or a banana split.
Comfort cuisine from another hemisphere is the story at Tango Baires Café‚ (870 E. Foothill Boulevard, Upland; 909-985-6800), a tiny Argentine eatery hidden in a shopping center. Paintings of tango dancers line a wall splashed in burnt-orange paint while soccer games play on television. The friendly owners serve copious amounts of beef, pizza, and pasta (much of Argentina's population is of Italian heritage). Start with terrific empanadas stuffed with beef, ham and cheese, or spinach before tucking in to a steak with garlicky chimichurri sauce. The parrillada is a mountain of meat—steak, chicken, ribs, sweetbreads, Italian sausage, and blood sausage—that arrives on a small grill and is enough to feed three people. Finish with flan or crepes with dulce de leche (caramel sauce).
Sometimes nothing sounds better than a bowl of matzo ball soup or an overstuffed pastrami sandwich, and Manhattan in the Desert (2665 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-322-3354) satisfies that craving. Its bold, contemporary decor doesn't exactly evoke memories of Big Apple delis. But the restaurant turns out the kind of kosher-style comfort food that homesick New Yorkers miss so much, and many have made it their desert hangout. All the deli staples are nicely executed, such as smoked fish plates, chopped liver salad, and sandwiches stacked like skyscrapers. Generously portioned breakfasts are a popular draw, and at night, regulars enjoy brisket, roasted turkey, or meat loaf. For dessert, try to make a dent in the immense chocolate éclair. —Roger Grody
Chuck Place Photography (4)
Danny's Deli & Grill in Ventura proves good delis can be found on the Central coast if you know where to look. (Clockwise from bottom left) Regulars plunk down in upholstered booths and feast on stacked pastrami-on-rye, fluffy omelets, and Belgian waffles.
Throughout Santa Barbara County and the Southland, great restaurants offer meals at extremely affordable prices. In fact, at some places, two can eat for $25 or less. For the sixth straight year, we sent our reviewers out to find those places. Here's what they discovered.
Points North–Many Angelenos view the Central Coast as a sad, pastrami-deprived, deli-free zone. Happily, this is not the case. Danny's Deli & Grill (3263 Telegraph Road, Ventura; 805- 289-9200) boasts loyal fans who have been flocking here for years to feast on corned beef, brisket, and pastrami sandwiches; bagels with lox; hearty omelets and waffles; and matzo ball and kreplach soups. And the ever-accommodating Danny's lets you order breakfast, lunch, or dinner all day long. The only caveats are that the waffle iron goes cold at 2 p.m., mashed potatoes start at 2 p.m., and potatoes aren't baked until around 4 p.m. So, if you have a hankering for blintzes, pancakes, or a sandwich for dinner, feel free. Or choose entrées such as marinated, charbroiled skirt steak or roasted herb chicken. They include soup or salad, baked or garlic-mashed potatoes or rice, vegetables, and a roll—all for less than $15.
For a good dinner out that doesn't bust the bank, ethnic restaurants usually fit the bill nicely. One of my favorites is Saigon In & Out, a Vietnamese restaurant with two locations in Santa Barbara (1230 State Street, Unit A; 805-966-0909; 318 N. Milpas Street; 805-966-0916). Don't miss the spring rolls with shrimp, fish curry, or charbroiled chicken with rice. And the tasty shrimp cakes alone are worth the stop. Vegetarians won't go hungry here either, with everything from veggie egg rolls to lemongrass tofu sautéed with steamed rice.
Choice is also the name of the game at Ming Dynasty (290 Storke Road, Suite G, Goleta; 805-968-1308). Here, you'll find Mandarin, Szechuan, and Hunan cuisine, including a delicious kung pao chicken and moo-shu pork. But for the thin of wallet, the way to go is the lunch or dinner buffet, which includes a selection of the most popular dishes, from beef and broccoli to orange chicken and fried rice, along with Mongolian barbecue. The Chinese buffet and Mongolian barbecue are just $8.95 at lunch and $12.95 at dinner for both. The barbecue is particularly enticing: You stroll along a buffet and choose from chicken, beef, lamb, pork, scallops, or tofu; add fresh vegetables; then create your own sauce with ladles of teriyaki, garlic, and Mongolian barbecue sauce and hand the bowl to a chef who stir-fries your creation to perfection. —Nancy Ransohoff
Lori Anderson (4)
At The Counter in Irvine, patrons customize their burgers with such toppings as Danish blue cheese (top right) using a fill-in menu (bottom center). Sides include onion strings (bottom right) and the Fifty-Fifty—half regular fries and half sweet-potato fries (far left).
Throughout Orange County and the Southland, great restaurants offer meals at extremely affordable prices. In fact, at some places, two can eat for $25 or less. For the sixth straight year, we sent our reviewers out to find those places. Here's what they discovered.
Orange County–The Counter (6416 Irvine Boulevard, Irvine; 949-336-7272), which opened in 2003, is a fast-casual burger chain with a twist: Build it yourself. The concept's certainly not new, but The Counter takes the idea to a whole new level. You pick the size of your beef, turkey, veggie, or grilled chicken patty, from one-third of a pound to a full-pound monster. From there you select your own cheese (yellow American to Greek feta), up to four toppings (four kinds of onions, pickles, chiles, even dried cranberries), sauces (from straight mayo to spicy sour cream to peanut sauce), and your choice of artisan-style bun. Sides such as onion strings and sweet potato fries bulk up the bill, but with some restraint, it's easy to walk away satisfied without emptying your wallet.
The Salisburys, the clan behind the original El Cholo Mexican restaurants and several other eateries, give us Café Maiz (27567 Puerta Real, Mission Viejo; 949-367-0777). Many of the recipes that have made the El Cholo name synonymous with awesome Southern California Mexican fare live on at this fast-casual taqueria, including the guacamole: fresh, ripe avocados, onions, tomatoes, and chiles mixed to order table-side. Watch corn tortillas being rolled and toasted on a giant cooking stone, then savor the wraps in burritos, tacos, and chimichangas alongside a luscious margarita. Even though the concept is fast-food, the ambience is decidedly more upscale than you'd expect. Café Maiz is going to give the competition a real run for its money.
Mike Christian, founder of Smokey's House of BBQ (32860 Pacific Coast Highway, Suite 4, Dana Point; 800-416-0949), is clearly passionate about smokehouse barbecue, and he offers an extensive selection. Not everything is cheap here, but there are plenty of budget choices, including a tasty menu of po'boy sandwiches with pulled pork, beef brisket, smoked tri-tip, or Cajun sausage, all served on a soft fresh roll and topped with creamy coleslaw. Portions are massive and most come with your choice of two sides, including smoky creamed corn, fiery cornbread, and zesty baked beans. So you can order a full rack of baby back ribs, smothered in Christian's barbecue rub and finished with his specialty sauce, and split it. You'll still have enough left over to take home. —Pete Johnson
Eric Van Eyke (4)
(Clockwise from top left) Brett Nicholson and Bruce Weisman, owners of Brett's BBQ in Encinitas, deal in such hearty Southern fare as barbecued pulled pork, bread pudding with whiskey sauce and whipped cream, and baby back ribs.
Throughout San Diego County and the Southland, great restaurants offer meals at extremely affordable prices. In fact, at some places, two can eat for $25 or less. For the sixth straight year, we sent our reviewers out to find those places. Here's what they discovered.
San Diego–Near the exit of Brett's BBQ (1505 Encinitas Boulevard, Encinitas; 760-436-7427), deep sinks invite guests to lather up before returning to a world largely unadorned with drips and drops of crimson sauce. Brett's chow calls for messy, two-fisted, interactive eating, and a party of four can seriously diminish the roll of paper towels that sits at the end of the table. It's a pleasant place, and if young families sometimes boost the noise level, you still can't beat the barbecued beef brisket. The restaurant's motto states, "If it's not smoked, it's not barbecue," and the Texas-style brisket spends from 12 to 16 hours in the smoker, gradually acquiring deep, satisfying flavors and a sublime succulence. Great as the star of a hefty platter, the brisket tastes just as wonderful piled on a toasted bun (at $7.50, Brett's sandwiches are a supremo good deal) and accompanied by sides like sweet-savory barbecue baked beans, coleslaw, or sweet potato fries.
One of the most magical restaurant settings in San Diego offers a budget-friendly breakfast (except for steak and eggs, breakfasts cost $6-$12) or an exceptionally handsome $12 burger for lunch or dinner. Floating four stories above Little Italy in the new Porto Vista Hotel & Suites, The Glass Door (1835 Columbia Street, San Diego; 619-564-3755) opens like a giant window on the world to a postcard view of Little Italy and the bay. In the morning, maple syrup sweetens fluffy buttermilk pancakes, and you can fancy up suave French toast with hot bananas Foster. At other hours, the finely dressed, half-pound Wagyu beef burger preens alongside a mound of smoking-hot, hand-cut french fries.
A lovely low-cost opportunity at another beautiful new spot, Candelas on the Bay (The Ferry Landing, 1201 First Street; 619-435-4900) in Coronado, is the Mexican-accented breakfast menu (served weekends only, 8 a.m.- 12 p.m.; items cost $7.50-$9.50). Guests can enjoy leisurely meals of French toast with strawberries and bananas or crunchy chilaquiles, lightly fried tortilla chips soaked in tomatillo sauce and topped with cheese and tart cream. For elegance, try ham and Manchego crepes dressed with béchamel sauce, and for earthiness, chicharrónes (pork rinds) in sultry salsa roja with potatoes, slivered onions, and charro beans. —David Nelson
You are reading the March/April 2009 issue of Westways. Some information contained in this publication is time-sensitive, and the terms of some offers (cruise or vacation packages, for example) or services (provisions for roadside assistance, for example) might have been superseded by subsequent information and might no longer apply.