A tasty sausage at Wurstkuche. Photo by robjtak, via Flickr.
It’s 5 p.m. and the streets and freeways are crowded. Maybe it’s time for a snack crawl to stave off afternoon rush hour traffic and lift the spirits with a strong Diet Coke. Anyone know any good spots near Metro?
In downtown L.A. a bunch of places offer happy hour snacks, happy hour being sort of the U.S. version of afternoon tea. Lucky for us though, many of the snacks are a world apart from white bread with cucumber. They’re deep fried and relatively unhealthy and that, of course, is the point.
At Wurstkuche in the Arts District, order double dipped fries with several toppings and find a seat while you wait for your food. (They also sell grilled sauces of many flavors. ) Wurstkurche is about three blocks from the Gold Line Little Tokyo/Arts District Station, although it’s a little bit tricky to find at 800 E. 3rd St. so set your gps. It can be crowded at prime times … but afternoon tea time is not prime time.
At the Lazy Ox Canteen in Little Tokyo the menu changes daily but if it’s available, try out the crispy surf clams with caper and pickle. Also crunchy, but with a creamy interior, are the deep-fried pig’s ears “chicharon.” And at 5 p.m. Lazy Ox sells small plates for $5 (recently almonds and feta, mixed marinated olives, cheesy polenta taco) but I’d still think seriously about the clams. Lazy Ox is at 241 S. San Pedro St., about a 10-minute walk from the Gold Line Little Tokyo/Arts District Station.
Weiland Brewery Restaurant, 400 E. 1st St., (also near the Gold Line Little Tokyo/Arts District Station), has good garlic fries that taste even better if consumed at the end of a stressful day of dieting. It’s a five-minute walk from the Gold Line Little Tokyo/Arts District Station.
One more Little Tokyo spot comes to mind: Spitz at 371 E. Second St, about a 5-minute walk from the Little Tokyo/Arts District station, sells pita strips with garlicky hummus, proving that not every good snack is deep friend. Almost everything.
Categories: Metro Lifestyle
I’ve yet to do this after work but izakaya are another good option. These are Japanese pubs that serve small plates of food (think Japanese tapas…and, of course, imbibements).
Izakaya Haru Ulala and Honda Ya Izakaya are just a couple.
And for goodness’ sake, don’t just get teriyaki chicken. Try something exciting like okonomiyaki–a Japanese savory crepe–or beef tongue. Don’t knock it until you try it.
Anytime the Red Line is running, Sitton’s North Hollywood Diner is open. (It’s open 24 hours.) Typical diner type food, but slightly above average in quality. Hamburgers, salads, omlettes, that type of thing. Prices are reasonable. And it’s about a three block walk from the North Hollywood Red Line/Orange Line station.
(I did just check the internet to make sure the place is still a going concern and it seems to be.)