I’m back East after escaping to California for all of July, wrestling with the idea that I choose to live somewhere simultaneously magical and impossible (New York) instead of somewhere easy, comfortable and the closest thing I have to home (LA).
While I keep that indulgent bi-coastal essay in the drafts for a bit, you can check out a roundup of my recent LA plugs over at The Angel, one of my favorite Substacks run by my friends Emily Wilson and David Gurzhiev. Emily has reliably great taste (besides her love of Dunsmoor, sorry dude), deep connections across the LA dining scene, a keen eye for trends & interesting story angles, and she’s also just a great writer. With food media in such a weird place. I’m grateful for writers like Emily and sites like The Angel.
Banger & Jam lists over here are typically paywalled, but since my plugs on The Angel are premium, I’m unlocking this compilation of (mostly California) recs. Go give Emily your money instead.
Bangers
The waffle fries & fromage blanc with honey, chili and chives at All Day Baby. There aren’t enough good riffs on fries and dip out there.
El Rey Court in Santa Fe, one of my favorite hotels in the country.
The sujebi dumpling at Yangban — with scallops, corn, brown butter and tomatoes — maybe my dish of the year.
Hannah Ziskin’s cakes: The next time you throw a party in LA, order as many of these as possible. For a poker night a few weeks ago, we got the classic princess cake, one with polenta, strawberry & vanilla bean, and another with dark chocolate, creme fraiche & hazelnut. 10/10.
I asked a waitress at State Bird Provisions in SF for a rec from the menu and she suggested one thing (a very good halibut crudo). That … never happens? I get the impetus to run through more dishes. I’m sure there are multiple favs. But getting a single rec in return was a relief, and cool as hell.
My dudes Throwing Fits making Substack a much more fun place.
This cachapa at Snail Bar in Oakland.
Jams
Baroo was my pick in this roundup of go-to LA dinner spots for Gabrielle Scelzo’s Perfect City. A few days later, I made it back to Queen St., kactus.jpg’s selection in that piece for a single meal in LA. It feels much more in its groove now than it did when it opened. (Co-sign Kate’s suggestion to get the tuna frites). I took Hamish McKenzie there followed by a night cap at Capri Club and he didn’t have a snarky thing to say about either one being too fancy. That’s a win for me.
While staying in Los Feliz, I did plenty of coffee at Maru, lunch at All Time double dips. Sometimes the popular, basic thing is just the good thing.
The Rolling Stones at SoFi: A bit of a debate-night-Biden energy from Mick, but still worth the trip.
I’ve been having fun hanging at The Social Club during the day, and they’ve been throwing some fun parties as part of their LA launch.
Stunned by this new album from Sturgill Simpson, who I wasn’t sure was ever going to make a comeback. Modern music’s best cover artist gets back to writing about real people and real heartbreak.
A whole lot of the Been Stellar record (probably informed by a desperation for a cool, young New York band), and this new single from Radio Free Alice.
Neither
Twisters: One too many twisters in this one if you ask me.
Bacetti: Perfectly fine. But it’s hard not to sit there and feel like someone said, “Hey, what if Via Carota and I Sodi were 20% worse?”
snail bar is truly the best!
I miss the cakes