Walking around Los Feliz one day, waiting to see a movie at the beloved Vista Theatre, I stumbled upon the most glorious, hole-in-the-wall taco dive you can imagine. We’re talking about a place that is entirely family run, by people who might not speak a word of English, but who know how to make a juicy dream of a taco in their sleep. That’s right. I discovered The Best Fish Taco in Ensenada. (The name is not a hyberbole, I promise you.)

There is street parking only, but on the spacious streets of Little Armenia (a mini universe within Los Feliz), it won’t be hard to find a spot. Just make sure you bring cash, since they don’t believe in those fancy schmancy little magic cards here…

If you’re wondering what the most popular dish at this joint is…it’s, yup, you guessed it: FISH TACOS!!!!

Seriously, this place is amazing. As you can see, there are only two food items on the menu. Fish tacos and shrimp tacos. Both are excellent, but go for the fish. (After all, it’s not called The Best Shrimp Taco in Ensenada, now is it?) The fish is fresh and perfectly fried, crispy but not greasy, and nestled in a soft, doughy tortilla. Small enough you can eat four or five and not feel guilty, but large enough you know you got your money’s worth.

The add-as-much-as-you-want-for-free Sessy’s Sauces are really the icing on the cake. Unique and insanely flavorful, the sauce bar includes “radish relish”, “mad mango”, “la crema magica”, “mild mexican”, “hot guac”, and “pineapple kiss”. Mix and match to create some unbelievable flavor combinations. Live a little, why doncha?

The drink selection is pretty limited here, but all drinks are sold for a mere dolla apiece. Really, you should probably just order water so you can cram yourself with tacos, but there is also lemonade and Coca-Cola available to satisfy a sweet tooth in a pinch.

Scattered seating inside accommodates about 20, and outside, the breezy patio (decorated in cheesy Christmas tree lights and glowing fish signs) seats about 10 or 15 comfortably.

While stuffing my face, I eavesdropped on multiple conversations, and everyone who visits this place seems to be in high spirits, if only because they are astounded by how delicious (and CHEAP!) the tacos really are. The owner is a gregarious and amiable old fellow, as quick to crack a joke as he is to make sure every customer is a satisfied one. The decor is bright and garish, and adds to the lively atmosphere and the loud (but not deafening) music which makes this spot a fun favorite for locals in the know. (And now, gratefully, I am one of those locals.)

The Best Fish Taco in Ensenada

1650 Hillhurst Ave., Los Feliz 90027
(at Camero Ave.)

(323) 466-5552

www.bestfishtacoinensenada.com

Open Daily, 11 am-8 pm

P.S. Don’t tell, but they’ve also just opened a new location in Glendale at 604 W. Glenoaks, and if you mention that you read their yelp reviews before visiting (http://www.yelp.com/biz/best-fish-taco-in-ensenada-los-angeles), they’ll give you a free taco at the new location! But go to the one in Los Feliz first–everyone here will win your heart (even the old lady with the weird, hairy mole who rings you up at the register).

You know you’ve passed it before: that one block on your way to The Grove on Fairfax that is like a small country right in the middle of Los Angeles.  I’m talking about Little Ethiopia.  Rich in the essence and character of the distant African country, the Little Ethiopia block is home to several restaurants specializing in this mystical food.  After getting my KCRW Fringe Benefits card (discounts on over 1000 restaurants in LA!) , I just had to try something different.  After some research, Messob Ethiopian Restaurant was the answer.

Already starting to win me over with its complimentary valet parking on a Saturday night, Messob (on the intersection of Fairfax and Olympic) screams authenticity from the hand-woven basket tables to its traditional selection of Ethiopian honey wine, beer, and world-renown coffee (their website claims, “Coffee is our bread!”).   My girlfriend ordered the honey wine while I got the Ethiopian beer in order to taste the best of both worlds.  Neither disappointed as the beer was smooth and colorful while the wine was a great balance of sweet honey that wasn’t overwhelming and what I think was a hint of lemon, but hey, I’m no Ratatouille.

The Messob menu is incredibly extensive, and the details just made everything sound appetizing.  From Doro Wot to to Fit Fit to Alitcha to Tibs, we wanted it all!  And so we got it all by ordering the Super Messob Exclusive, which gave us large samples of everything that included Siga Wot (strips of beef braised in red pepper and other spices), Kittfo (finely chopped, lean beef with spiced butter and chiles), and the Yebeg Siga Alitcha (mild lamb stew spiced with garlic and ginger).  Of course, they gave us a hefty quantity of Injera, the excellent soft bread that acts as the perfect complement to the decadent meat and juices.

When you get there, don’t forget to eat it Gursha, the technique of hand feeding your dinner partner by placing chunks of food in their mouth.  Usually exchanged by close friends, married couples, and the adventurous, it is a traditional Ethiopian sign of affection.

If only I could have somehow hand fed the restaurant to show how much I loved the food . . .

Store Details:

Messob Ethiopian Restaurant

1041 South Fairfax Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90019

(323) 938-8827          www.messob.com

When people ask me to think of my favorite restaurant off the top of my head, for some reason I inevitably think of Gardens of Taxco first. I don’t go there very often, really only for special meals, but my memory just won’t let go of all the colors and flavors this amazing West Hollywood spot has to offer.

Unfortunately I’m not the only one that adores Gardens of Taxco, so parking can be a bit messy. There is a small lot in front of the restaurant that is almost always full and street parking can be tricky in this neighborhood. Your best bet is to go ahead and pay the $4 for valet parking. I promise, it’s worth it.

Gardens of Taxco serves up the most incredible and filling five-course traditional Mexican meal you’ll ever have. The flavors are so delicate and unusual, it’s nothing like the watered down greasy nonsense you find at popular and flavorless chains. Even before your main course, they bring out appetizers of spicy pickled veggies and fresh tortilla chips with homemade salsa, a quesadilla with Oaxacan cheese and homemade guac, an enticing enchilada, and a spicy soup. And the dessert (banana creme pudding with cherries and a complimentary glass of sherry) is so rich that, even though you’ll be stuffed, you’ll make room for it.

While every offering at Gardens of Taxco is marvelously seasoned and authentically flavored, what you shouldn’t miss out on is any dish with mole. The mole served at this fine restaurant is like nothing you’ve ever even dreamed of, and, as the human menu narrates, is “the best mole in town.”

Gardens of Taxco offers a variety of wines and beers to pair with a Mexican palette, and sangria daiquiris by the carafe to keep the party lively.

The atmosphere here is hard to define. Small tables and booths spread throughout the low-lit restaurant, seating both large parties and intimate dates.

You will feel transported to a strange, glowing land with a fusion of Spanish and Mexican decor. The ambiance is lively
without being too loud or rambunctious and the roaming mariachi singer who softly strums his guitar makes Gardens of Taxco a romantic place to bring a date. There are no menus, there is simply one man, who has been there since the opening day, who recites the menu as an epic poem and designs your evening’s dining delights around your personal tastes.

You won’t know what to expect when you walk through the door—the atmosphere is whimsical and yet somber, lively and yet refined. Just know that you will be treated like a VIP and savor every bite of the delicate and unique cuisine.

Gardens of Taxco

1113 North Harper Ave.

West Hollywood, Ca 90046

(323) 654-1746

Tues-Thurs, Sun: 4:30 pm-11 pm

Fri/Sat: 4:30 pm-Midnight (reservations are recommended on the weekends)

P.S. Since I’m always one for a discount, I feel no shame in promoting Garden’s version of  an “Early Bird” special. If you go Tues-Fri before 7 pm, you can have this amazing five course meal half off. Check out their website for details on the coupons they offer.

Downtown, Babycakes has become the new bakery hotspot for lovers of organic vegan cupcakes. The adorable décor and cute café style setting will make you feel right at home, and the sexy ladies who whip up your pastries will win your heart as well as your stomach. (I have heard Babycakes refered to as the “Hooters” of the bakery world, and I have to admit…these girls are all pretty easy on the eyes…)

All the ingredients Babycakes uses are organic, and the luscious cookies, pies, and cakes come in a variety of vegan and gluten-free options. They never use refined sugar and most of the desserts are even sweetened with agave nectar, a low-glycemic syrup or coconut oil. So dive right in to that red velvet cupcake—the sinfully sweet “sour cream” icing will make you smile, guilt-free guaranteed.

If red velvet isn’t your thing, they have a plethora of rich chocolate brownies, carrot cakes, chocolate chip cookie sandwiches with mouthwateringly gooey filling, soft macaroons, glorious apple pies…the list of options just keeps going. They even make loaves of bread and biscuits if you’re looking for something less-dessert-ish.

I must confess, I am not the healthiest foodie…I’m not vegan, I’m not a raw-ist, I eat gluten, sugar, eggs, nuts…all that stuff. Maybe it’s just because I could never belong to any club that would have me as a member. But even with my carnivorous, glutenivorous, occasionally non-organic status, I can honestly say that I don’t feel a bit out of the loop when I take a trip to Babycakes. You don’t have to read up on the latest diet craze to enjoy biting into one of these beauties. (The baked goods, not the girls. They don’t like to be bitten.)

You just have to love cupcakes that taste amazing.

Babycakes

130 E. 6th St. (between S. Main St. and S. Los Angeles St.)

213-623-5555

Email la@babycakesnyc.com

Monday is “Day-Old Day” (All stock 50%-off) Open from noon to 6pm, or until they sell out.
Tuesday and Wednesday: 10 am-10 pm
Thursday through Saturday: 10 am-12 am
Sunday: 10 am-6 pm

After a week spent wishing I was in festive New Orleans and not rainy LA, I was able to get my fix at the most unlikely of spots, just off Lake Ave. in Pasadena.

Coming out of Pasadena’s 2nd run movie house, the Academy, after an afternoon hiding from the rain, we were drawn around the corner to the scent of fresh baked pastries and found ourselves in the small storefront of The Gourmet Cobbler Factory. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked past this place in the evening and never noticed it.

Obviously, most everyone in the area knows about this place, because the cases were almost empty. But we scored a small peach cobbler that barely made it home and a blueberry cobbler for Super Bowl Sunday. And then I got of whiff of what I’d been craving: gumbo! Homemade gumbo, with that earthy, smoky, meaty essence that sets good authentic gumbo apart from the pretentious stuff others make. A sample was quickly devoured and we ordered a quart to go and they sent along a pint of rice. It was quite a feast.

The Gourmet Cobbler Factory

33 North Catalina Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91106-2301
(626) 795-1005

Ever drive by Pinks Hollywood, that corner diner on Melrose and La Brea? You know, the one that always seems to have a line around the block? Well get ready, because they’re setting up shop all over this delicious city of ours. After opening up to Las Vegas last year, Pinks is now available at Knott’s Barry farm, Planet Hollywood and various city fairs. Oh and did I mention, in the very near future, you can get Pinks hotdogs at LAX?

I can barely contain my excitement over the thought of being able to enjoy their one of a kind chili dogs without having to wait in a 45 minute line. Pinks is truly one of this city’s hidden gems, from the beginning, given that they’ve been around since 1939.

Bacon Chili Cheese Dog with Onion Rings and Strawberry Crush

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, get in your car and go check them out. They even have a vegan friendly section of their menu. What other hot dog spot do you know that’s vegan friendly? 

Pinks Hollywood

709 N. La Brea Blvd

Los Angeles, CA  90038

Perhaps it’s becoming trendy, but “going green” is all the rage, not to mention, actually good for you and the environment. Never to be excluded from any fashionable fad, Hollywood features the adorable Locali Conscious Convenience where you can indulge in all your favorite snacks and give a helping hand to Mother Earth (AND local businesses) at the same time.

This eco-friendly shop provides an extensive offering of organic, sustainably-farmed, and locally-produced munchies, teas, wines, beers, desserts, and juices, as well as eco-oriented household products like natural toothpaste, compostable diapers, and electricity/water saving devices. Also check out Locali’s deli—the creative sandwiches, hearty soups, fair trade chocolates, vegan cheeses, gluten-free pastries, agave-sweetened ginger fruit slushies will certainly hit the spot.

Order a freshly made sandwich like the Franklin Phenomenon and your tastebuds will never stop thanking you. A grilled panini with pepper turkey, baby spinach, red onions, fresh tomatoes, gooey Monterrey jack cheese, and chipotle vegan mayo, this hefty baby will fill you to the brim.

Also, Locali sells amazing coffee roasted by a local artisan and imported from South America, Africa, and Mexico. All coffee is certified fair trade, brewed fresh, and organic. And it packs a punch to keep you buzzing all day long!

The space is small but cozy. The bar (made from reclaimed Douglas Fir wood) seats about four and the benches outside seat about four as well.

Small but sleek, Locali is stocked with items as eclectic and comforting as the friendly and attentive staff. This more personalized version of a 7-11 is a relaxing place to meet up with friends, grab an organic yerba mate on your way to work, fill up at the free reverse-osmosis water tap, and learn about going green without feeling the pressure of holier-than-thou eco-snobs.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions here! The owners and staff are totally enthusiastic about the unique products
Locali has to offer and are always interested in making a new friend (not just a new customer).