Flashback: Food Truck Crawl on the Miracle Mile in LA! (originally published 5/25/11)

I'm visiting friends in SoCal right now.  I didn't get the chance to visit Los Angeles like I normally do; it's mostly California's "Inland Empire" that I'm spending time in.  But last year I spent some food trucking time along LA's Miracle Mile.  As much as our food truck scene is flourishing, LA's is still something to revel in.

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Food Truck Crawl on the Miracle Mile in LA! (originally published May 25, 2011)

En route to an hour of eating. I'm following that guy. Okay, I'm going the same direction as that guy, not really following him so to speak.

Tuesday was my day to venture into the wilds of Downtown Los Angeles. I had chosen Tuesday because I was going to a Web Soup taping that evening - fun as always, and the nice people there helped me find my lost keys and even gave me a bottle of water to make me feel better. Awww... (plus, Web Soup Chris Hardwick is coming back to the Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse in June).

But I started my day in LA by seeking out food trucks. It all started out the night before when I read on my new phone about the Dim Sum Truck (Twitter: @dimsumtruck - NB: since so many of these food trucks get their word out through Twitter, I will post links to their Twitter feeds. This will be helpful if you visit LA, or if you actually are visiting my Bawlmer-based blog from the City of Angels). It's one of those Android phones (Hey, these things really are useful!!!) and I downloaded one of those free "apps" to tell me where food trucks are. The Dim Sum Truck was at the Miracle Mile yesterday, right across from the LA County Museum of Art (or LACMA). I had even set my GPS to its location (5850 Wilshire Blvd, LA, CA) to just go right there. What I found, however, was more than just the Dim Sum Truck. Oh yes, much, much more.

If you see this across the street, you are in the right place.

In retrospect, there were about sixteen trucks along three blocks of the Miracle Mile, including the Cool Haus ice cream truck (Twitter: @COOLHAUS) on the other side of the street. When I first saw the trucks I almost short circuited: I literally wanted to go to each one, but I knew this was not going to happen. So I had to peruse them all. A few of the many standouts:

* The Wien (Twitter: @thewientruck), one of two wiener trucks there, with regular, all beef, Polish, spicy Polish and (if I remember correctly) veggie dogs all priced around $5, before toppings and stuff. A dog is still going to run you not much more than $6 or $7 if you get a few toppings. And yes there is a bacon dog.
* Bool BBQ (Twitter: @BoolBBQ), which I ate from last year, with its revolutionary Korean BBQ tacos
* La Rue de Paris (Twitter: @laruedeparis), which sells pastries and especially crepes from between $4 and $8.
* No less than two Indian and two Mediterranean trucks, selling everything from tikka masala (New Delhi Express, Twitter: @newdelhiexpress) to pitas (Pita Pusher, Twitter: @pitapusher) to Mediterranean-Mexican fusion (Kabob Express, Twitter: @mykabobexpress).
* And of course, several taco trucks, including one of at least three Korean food trucks (the aforementioned Bool BBQ).

The Dim Sum Truck

After much hemming and hawing, I finally settled on three. The first one was the whole reason I went to the Miracle Mile in the first place: the Dim Sum Truck, which was the very last food truck I stumbled upon. For just $6, I got three pieces each of pork shu mai ($3) and shrimp har gow dumplings ($3), along with a garlicky soy dipping sauce. And I got my food almost instantly, too - warm as is usually the case from dim sum carts, and flavorful. This was as good as I've had dim sum lately, certainly better than your standard "Asian buffet" or "frozen" variety, and as good as the stuff you'll usually find in most restaurants.

dim sum and samosas

The next one I stopped by was the Bollywood Bites food truck (Twitter: @BOLLYWOOD_BITES). I stepped up to it before the enthusiastic guy came out to draw in customers, and went for the cheaper $2 order of potato and pea samosas. Theirs came with two dipping sauces, and were incredibly fragrant, flaky and tender. The filling also was better than many samosas I have eaten, even at many restaurants.

The Bollywood Bites food truck

My last stop was a taco truck. This time I stopped at the Komodo Food Truck (Twitter: @komodofood). Though I almost went with the Bool BBQ truck again, what drew me to Komodo was not its intriguing pan-international fusion tacos, but the Baltimore Ravens flag hanging from above the window.

There it is, hons.

Yes, I am a sucker for a Bawlmer ex-pat. I bought one of the Java tacos - Indonesian spices with pork, scallion and cucumber for $3.


While not nearly as spicy as they advertised (it didn't make my mouth hurt anyway), it was still a juicy, slightly sweet and savory, and tasty soft taco. I had some flashbacks to a cochinita pibil that I had made a while back, not so much for the flavor as for the look. Ooooh, I wonder if anyone is planning a Yucatecan food truck? (Note: some of the trucks take Visa or Mastercard. Komodo does, but you must spend at least $10. They make this easy for you, since they offer whole meals that cost $10).

I drove away from the Miracle Mile thinking that this was, by far, the best $15 I had ever spent on lunch in Los Angeles, and I have had more than a few of those over the last several years.

Finally, a helpful list of food trucks that showed up at the Miracle Mile on Tuesday. I have posted Twitter links wherever I could.

All-American Gourmet Grill (American food - Twitter: @AllAmericanGG)

Bollywood Bites (Indian - Twitter: @BOLLYWOOD_BITES)

Bool BBQ (Korean fusion, including their legendary Korean BBQ tacos - Twitter: @BoolBBQ)

Chili Dancer (pan-international dishes, focusing specifically on Thai and Southeast Asian food, that showcase chilis - Facebook: The Chili Dancer, though nothing is posted; Twitter account has been so inactive that I'm not sure it's even theirs)

Cool Haus (gourmet ice cream sandwiches - Twitter: @COOLHAUS)

The Greasy Wiener (hot dogs, including New Jersey-style "rippers" - Twitter: @TheGreasyWiener)

Happy Cup Ramen Truck (ramen noodles, duh - Twitter: @HappyCupRamen)

Kabob Express (Mediterranean-Latino fusion - Twitter: @mykabobexpress)

KoManna (Korean - Twitter: @KoManna)

Komodo Food Truck (pan-Asian and pan-international tacos - Twitter: @komodofood)

La Rue de Paris (pastries and crepes - Twitter: @laruedeparis)

New Delhi Express (Indian - Twitter: @newdelhiexpress)

New York Galbi (Korean - Phone: (213) 985-8219 - I cannot find a Twitter or Facebook account for them)

Pita Pusher (Mediterranean - Twitter: @pitapusher

Vchos (pupusas and "Central American-inspred tapas" - Twitter: @vchostruck)

The Wien (hot dogs - Twitter: @thewientruck)
Other photos:

The view towards the Mediterranean food trucks
Got pupusas indeed!
All those food trucks

Guido-Approved for the Left Coast. Orange people welcome.
And from New Jersey to New York, all in a small section of the Miracle Mile.

Whole Foods Parking Lot

It's gettin' real by the quinoa...

by Fog and Smog Films

Food Truck Crawl on the Miracle Mile in LA!

En route to an hour of eating. I'm following that guy. Okay, I'm going the same direction as that guy, not really following him so to speak.

Tuesday was my day to venture into the wilds of Downtown Los Angeles. I had chosen Tuesday because I was going to a Web Soup taping that evening - fun as always, and the nice people there helped me find my lost keys and even gave me a bottle of water to make me feel better. Awww... (plus, Web Soup Chris Hardwick is coming back to the Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse in June).

But I started my day in LA by seeking out food trucks. It all started out the night before when I read on my new phone about the Dim Sum Truck (Twitter: @dimsumtruck - NB: since so many of these food trucks get their word out through Twitter, I will post links to their Twitter feeds. This will be helpful if you visit LA, or if you actually are visiting my Bawlmer-based blog from the City of Angels). It's one of those Android phones (Hey, these things really are useful!!!) and I downloaded one of those free "apps" to tell me where food trucks are. The Dim Sum Truck was at the Miracle Mile yesterday, right across from the LA County Museum of Art (or LACMA). I had even set my GPS to its location (5850 Wilshire Blvd, LA, CA) to just go right there. What I found, however, was more than just the Dim Sum Truck. Oh yes, much, much more.

If you see this across the street, you are in the right place.

In retrospect, there were about sixteen trucks along three blocks of the Miracle Mile, including the Cool Haus ice cream truck (Twitter: @COOLHAUS) on the other side of the street. When I first saw the trucks I almost short circuited: I literally wanted to go to each one, but I knew this was not going to happen. So I had to peruse them all. A few of the many standouts:

* The Wien (Twitter: @thewientruck), one of two wiener trucks there, with regular, all beef, Polish, spicy Polish and (if I remember correctly) veggie dogs all priced around $5, before toppings and stuff. A dog is still going to run you not much more than $6 or $7 if you get a few toppings. And yes there is a bacon dog.
* Bool BBQ (Twitter: @BoolBBQ), which I ate from last year, with its revolutionary Korean BBQ tacos
* La Rue de Paris (Twitter: @laruedeparis), which sells pastries and especially crepes from between $4 and $8.
* No less than two Indian and two Mediterranean trucks, selling everything from tikka masala (New Delhi Express, Twitter: @newdelhiexpress) to pitas (Pita Pusher, Twitter: @pitapusher) to Mediterranean-Mexican fusion (Kabob Express, Twitter: @mykabobexpress).
* And of course, several taco trucks, including one of at least three Korean food trucks (the aforementioned Bool BBQ).

The Dim Sum Truck

After much hemming and hawing, I finally settled on three. The first one was the whole reason I went to the Miracle Mile in the first place: the Dim Sum Truck, which was the very last food truck I stumbled upon. For just $6, I got three pieces each of pork shu mai ($3) and shrimp har gow dumplings ($3), along with a garlicky soy dipping sauce. And I got my food almost instantly, too - warm as is usually the case from dim sum carts, and flavorful. This was as good as I've had dim sum lately, certainly better than your standard "Asian buffet" or "frozen" variety, and as good as the stuff you'll usually find in most restaurants.

dim sum and samosas

The next one I stopped by was the Bollywood Bites food truck (Twitter: @BOLLYWOOD_BITES). I stepped up to it before the enthusiastic guy came out to draw in customers, and went for the cheaper $2 order of potato and pea samosas. Theirs came with two dipping sauces, and were incredibly fragrant, flaky and tender. The filling also was better than many samosas I have eaten, even at many restaurants.

The Bollywood Bites food truck

My last stop was a taco truck. This time I stopped at the Komodo Food Truck (Twitter: @komodofood). Though I almost went with the Bool BBQ truck again, what drew me to Komodo was not its intriguing pan-international fusion tacos, but the Baltimore Ravens flag hanging from above the window.

There it is, hons.

Yes, I am a sucker for a Bawlmer ex-pat. I bought one of the Java tacos - Indonesian spices with pork, scallion and cucumber for $3.


While not nearly as spicy as they advertised (it didn't make my mouth hurt anyway), it was still a juicy, slightly sweet and savory, and tasty soft taco. I had some flashbacks to a cochinita pibil that I had made a while back, not so much for the flavor as for the look. Ooooh, I wonder if anyone is planning a Yucatecan food truck? (Note: some of the trucks take Visa or Mastercard. Komodo does, but you must spend at least $10. They make this easy for you, since they offer whole meals that cost $10).

I drove away from the Miracle Mile thinking that this was, by far, the best $15 I had ever spent on lunch in Los Angeles, and I have had more than a few of those over the last several years.

Finally, a helpful list of food trucks that showed up at the Miracle Mile on Tuesday. I have posted Twitter links wherever I could.

All-American Gourmet Grill (American food - Twitter: @AllAmericanGG)

Bollywood Bites (Indian - Twitter: @BOLLYWOOD_BITES)

Bool BBQ (Korean fusion, including their legendary Korean BBQ tacos - Twitter: @BoolBBQ)

Chili Dancer (pan-international dishes, focusing specifically on Thai and Southeast Asian food, that showcase chilis - Facebook: The Chili Dancer, though nothing is posted; Twitter account has been so inactive that I'm not sure it's even theirs)

Cool Haus (gourmet ice cream sandwiches - Twitter: @COOLHAUS)

The Greasy Wiener (hot dogs, including New Jersey-style "rippers" - Twitter: @TheGreasyWiener)

Happy Cup Ramen Truck (ramen noodles, duh - Twitter: @HappyCupRamen)

Kabob Express (Mediterranean-Latino fusion - Twitter: @mykabobexpress)

KoManna (Korean - Twitter: @KoManna)

Komodo Food Truck (pan-Asian and pan-international tacos - Twitter: @komodofood)

La Rue de Paris (pastries and crepes - Twitter: @laruedeparis)

New Delhi Express (Indian - Twitter: @newdelhiexpress)

New York Galbi (Korean - Phone: (213) 985-8219 - I cannot find a Twitter or Facebook account for them)

Pita Pusher (Mediterranean - Twitter: @pitapusher

Vchos (pupusas and "Central American-inspred tapas" - Twitter: @vchostruck)

The Wien (hot dogs - Twitter: @thewientruck)
Other photos:

The view towards the Mediterranean food trucks

Got pupusas indeed!

All those food trucks

Guido-Approved for the Left Coast. Orange people welcome.

And from New Jersey to New York, all in a small section of the Miracle Mile.

Come fly with me, come fly come fly away...

I am back in California for the week, visiting friends from various facets of my 6 1/2 years in the Golden State. The plane ride was not terribly appetizing: just a breakfast burrito at California Kitchen (at BWI, no less), a Nathan's hot dog at Phoenix Sky Harbor between connections, and two soft tacos from Del Taco en route to my friends' house. Okay, those weren't horrible things to eat at all. I could have imagined worse (like those vanilla Oreos I got on the Southwest flight to Phoenix).

A few more food-related things to do whilst I am in the Southland:

* Tomorrow I hit LA (another taping of G4TV's Web Soup with the awesomely funny Nerdian-American comic Chris Hardwick). While here I want to try to make as much of my meals out of food truck eating as I can (I recently did this in DC. I will write about that when I get home). If not, well LA is definitely a food city.
* Vietnamese, Thai and Mexican abound in the Inland Empire. Imma eat it all.
* Not sure what to indulge in, food wise, in Palm Springs yet. We shall see.
* Some of my closest friends are doing an all-Southern meal for me (living with his wife and daughter in Redlands now, my buddy Kurt is originally from the other end of the Chesapeake Bay - Richmond - so we both have a crab-related culinary reference point)
* Two friends of mine, Gil and Jim, have fallen in love with this new sushi place. They will take me there or I will hurt them.
* And more shopping at Fresh and Easy, Tesco's US-tailored supermarket chain.

Ah, California here I've come!

NOTE: The state-spotlight posts about Illinois will still be going up this week. I actually wrote those a few weeks ago in anticipation of the trip. Pre-scheduled auto-publishing is a beautiful thing.

Photos from WeHo

I took a trip into West Hollywood today. I was pleasantly surprised by some things, unpleasantly surprised by a few others. Among the unpleasant shocks was the closing of A Different Light, a longtime LGBT bookstore that had news, books, movies and bumper stickers. The key word is "had" - right now there's nothing but a "For Lease" sign in the window. There's still one in San Fran and, perhaps, New York. Another unpleasant surprise - okay, it was not a surprise, as I should have seen this coming - was the traffic on Santa Monica Blvd. It seems almost like the most congested street in Los Angeles County. But you do get a good cross section of the variety of cultures in WeHo, including Guatemalan, Mexican and Armenian.

There was a lot of good (and okay) stuff I found. The best was in the food category. First I came across the small Champagne French Bakery & Café, which had lots of pastries and sandwiches. I got a large meringue "cookie" ($1.29). I ate this one as I walked searching for lunch, noticing all the No on Prop 8 and Defend Marriage Equality signs in the windows of businesses everywhere.

The cookie

Oddly enough for someone who likes exploring the eating options around town, I usually stick very close to the familiar in West Hollywood. I vowed to explore a bit more today. I almost hit one Japanese place that had a very promising-sounding appetizer of jalapeño pepper stuffed with spicy tuna. But the big green "B" from the LA County Board of Health (as in A, B, C, D or F) deterred me.

After considering a big, juicy burger in the heart of Gym Bunny Country, I eventually came upon Bossa Nova, a Brazilian restaurant near the intersection of Robertson and Santa Monica Blvd (there are four total in the LA area). In this charming little restaurant I had one of my first tastes of Brazilian cuisine. There were a lot of things on the menu that didn't strike me as particularly Brazilian, such as the many pasta dishes and the Cuban sandwich, though I suppose it's not difficult to find these dishes in Brazil at all. but I went for the more authentically Brazilian food. Along with the iced tea, I started with a coxinha ($4) as an appetizer.

The coxinha - outside...

The coxinha is a croquette of chicken and Brazilian cheese, fried and shaped to look like a chicken leg (though it really just looks like a big tear drop). The inside was creamy, and not what I usually go for, but I guess I don't eat a lot of croquettes.

...and inside

It was pretty flavorful, despite the weird creaminess of the croquette (again, a failing of all croquettes).

I enjoyed the main course much better, the traditional chicken dish ($8): flattened, coated in Brazilian spices and grilled, and served with rice, beans, fresh salsa and fried plantains.

The chicken

The sides were tasty, though the chicken did steal the meal. It was juicy in most places (only dry in one or two), and very flavorful in its tangy mix of spices. I wish I could place the spices that were on the chicken, but I can't. The final price was about $13. I don't know if they forgot to charge me for the iced tea or if it was just complementary with the lunch special.

Before leaving, I took a nice, long walk around WeHo, stopping to look around in the French Market, really just a big restaurant with some store fronts on the side. I also stopped at a new storefront near the Bossa Nova called Millions of Milkshakes. They are to milkshakes what The Fractured Prune is to donuts or Cold Stone Creamery is to ice cream. It features unique milkshake concoctions, many named after celebrities (Miley Cyrus, for example). I got a plain and very average small chocolate milkshake ($4). True, it wasn't the fanciest shake, but if they only do so-so on such a typical milkshake, what will their fancier ones come out like? It wasn't bad, though I just hope the other 999,999 milkshakes are better.

Other photos -

I have no idea what this sign says. I just know it's an Armenian market on Santa Monica Blvd, in Little Armenia outside of WeHo.

A big chair needs a big ass.

Just another day opening up another yogurt shop

Boy, Suzanne Somers must get bored behind that glass all day.

One of many options I considered for lunch was Rage. Jim and I ate here a few years ago. I got a very good tomato-basil soup. There was nobody there, so I left.

All I can say is: it looks, um, cocky...

I also drove up into the Hills. No - the real Hills. Why the hell anyone would want to live in this labyrinthine tangle of difficult-to-manage uphill-downhill streets is beyond me (apart from the obvious status it gains you).

This is a monument at the corner of Crescent Heights and Santa Monica. It commemorates a two week long peaceful demonstration in September 1991 in protest of then-guv Pete Wilson's veto of a bill that would guarantee that people would be protected in the workplace regardless of their sexual orientation. The protest culminated in a march on Sacramento, which is on the other end of the state. And now we're fighting for marriage rights in the state. We've come a long way, indeed.

One of many massive billboards advertising TV shows and movies along Sunset Blvd. This one touts True Blood, which my friends have introduced me to on this trip. It's very good from what little I've seen of it. I could say that the show sucks, but it's about vampires so that would be gratuitous.

Using Twitter to Find Food...

I'm visiting SoCal again in about a week and a half (a little graduation gift to myself). Such divine providence it is that I found this news tidbit on Yahoo. Apparently, foodies in LA are using Twitter to keep track of where their favorite roving food trucks are. As the article says, one of the leaders in this movement, Kogi (they sell Mexican/Korean fusion food), uses Twitter to tell people not only where they are but also what secret items are on today's menu. To wit:

Since Kogi's launch in November, hungry herds of have been following the pair of white trucks that rove the city selling tacos, burritos and other gourmet tidbits steeped in traditional Korean flavors.

In short order, the Kogi name has become recognizable to foodies around the country. No small accomplishment for a pair of taco trucks, says Kate Krader, restaurant editor for Food & Wine magazine. "That's 90 percent thanks to Twitter."

And she thinks the success of food truck Tweets likely will inspire a broader use of Twitter across the food world.

"Chefs will be Tweeting from the farmers market about the mushrooms they just picked up and will be part of their mushroom pasta that evening," she says.

For diners, there are benefits to the Tweets beyond just knowing where to find the eats.

Kogi is using the service to maintain the Californian tradition of restaurants having secret menus one must be in-the-know to order from (such as the hamburger joint In-N-Out). On the side of the truck, Kogi's menu lists a few items, including tacos and burritos stuffed with Korean short ribs, spicy pork, chicken and tofu. But keep up with Kogi's Twitter feed and the options multiply.

"We do that because it's fun to have something different and experimental available every day," says [Kogi brand manager Mike] Prasad, adding that the truck wouldn't have as many followers if it didn't provide new options.

I will have to start following them now so I can find out where they are when i wind up in LA at last. Mmmm, kimchi and bulgogi tacos.

Why I'm writing about California's Prop 8

We have our own controversial propositions on the ballot here in Maryland - there's that little "yes on slots" initiative. I'm not saying how I voted on that (absentee, remember), and there's that "early voting" initiative. Okay, that's not terribly controversial, but I'm not saying how I voted on that either. That is in addition to that little matter of the presidential election. I'm also not sharing that!

As you know, I have tried to refrain from political commentary on this blog. But there is one thing I have to mention, and it affects me both directly and indirectly. It's California's Proposition 8, which would officially change the California State Constitution to define marriage as only between one woman and one man.

You probably aren't surprised that an unassuming gay man such as myself would be against this latest proposition from the prop-happy Eureka State. But why am I, a lowly food blogger based not in California but in the Mid-Atlantic, bothering to mention it here at all? I mean, it's not like Maryland is going to allow me to get married anytime soon.

I mention it for a few reasons: 1) I lived for several years in California; it's where I came out; 2) many of my friends on the West Coast are also gay men and women who love their partners; 3) I may find myself back in Cali someday. But even if I don't, there's 4) I am not a second-class citizen in my own country, and I will be damned if I am going to sit idly by and not do anything to help my friends - who are also not second-class citizens in their own country - realize that right. To be frank, I'm pretty sure same-sex marriage won't be coming to Maryland for a good while, if I ever see it as long as I live here. But I'm praying, literally, that my California queer compatriots do. And yes, I donated money. If powerful interests can donate millions from out of state to get Prop 8 passed, I can certainly donate a few bucks to get it defeated.

**SIGH** That was good to get out there.

Sean and D Paul at San Fran's Hedonia are lovers of all good food and wine in the Bay Area (no, not the Chesapeake Bay - the San Francisco Bay). They have a very nice post about the blog effort to show support for the No on 8 movement. It was on their blog that I found out about this effort on the Mombian blog (Sustenance for Lesbian Moms) - a blogger event in opposition to Prop 8, with over 400 bloggers around the country posting! The problem: it was yesterday. I am always late for every galdarned thing!!! Well, I'm still submitting this post. If it isn't up there yet, it soon will be!

One more thing: it's nice to know that some restaurants are donating some of their proceeds to fight Prop 8. Take West Hollywood restaurant Taste, for example. On October 20, it donated 25% of all its profits to No on Prop 8. Next time I'm out there, I'm stopping in (courtesy Eater LA).

Oops, now one final thing I just noticed after hitting "Publish Post": According to 538.com (I LOVE that site), the Field Poll is about to release a poll showing that Prop 8 is trailing 49-44 (that means the "No" side is ahead).  They're pretty good with predicting referenda (94% success rate), but it's still pretty close.  So here's hoping.

City of Angels, City of Lunch

I sit in the United Terminal of LAX feeling as if I am about to pop. In my quest to see what I could of Los Angeles before I fly away from it for who knows how long, I overate. It all started back in Redlands when I met Jim and Gil for lunch at Hello Sushi (I picture Hello Kitty behind a sushi bar every time I think of it). The place has some good tempura and rolls. One roll that stood out big time was their albacore garlic roll. I've never had garlic in a roll, and I wish I would see more of it. Also good was my combo lunch of tempura and Japanese-style broiled mackerel.

After a long drive and a little sightseeing in LA, I headed through West Hollywood (WeHo) to locate a quick bite. My plan was to get a snack, do some more sightseeing, and then get some dinner before my flight. First stop: Pink's Hot Dogs, an LA/WeHo/Hollywood institution for 69 years now. Currently up for one of the eight things that are best about Los Angeles, according to Los Angeles Magazine, Pink's has satisfied everyone from folks who just step off the bus to television and movie stars and producers down the street at the Paramount Pictures lot. The many autographed photos on the walls betray the hot dog lovin' proclivities of everyone from Simon Cowell to Ellen DeGeneres, Celine Dion to Richard Simmons* to, well, Pink. They even have hot dogs named after celebrities, including Rosie O'Donnell, Martha Stewart and the incoming director of the LA Philharmonic. His hot dog sounds like a freaking mess. It's like they threw everything onto it. They have dozens of different varieties which will take too long to describe. Just check their website to see them all. They also serve burgers, but who the hell is going to order a burger at this place?

You wait in a very long line to order, but it is sooooooo worth it. After fifteen minutes smelling hot dogs in the beautiful weather (It clears up just as I'm leaving. That figures.) I go ahead and order a New York Dog – their 10” dog smothered in red onion relish – and a side of onion rings, with a Diet Coke (they also offer everything from Orange Crush to Yoo-Hoo). The total cost: $7.25. And it was a well-spent $7.25. The hot dog pops with every bite, and has the best flavor of any dog I've had in a long time. The onion relish is alright, but my mind is still on the hot dog. The onion rings were crisp – not at all soggy – and only a bit greasy. Plus, they weren't too big to not fit into the little Styrofoam tub of ketchup I got before I sat down.

The hot dog feast, in the golden Southern California sun!

I parked a little further up and walked the rest of the way into WeHo, stopping at the popular LGBT news and book store A Different Light. No, it's not that kind of “bookstore”. I headed back to my car with a copy of Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss, featuring a pre-Will and Grace Sean Hayes, stopping en route at the little bakery Cake and Art. I had never seen this place, but it obviously does fancy cakes. It also sells a small but fancy assortment of cupcakes. I bought their black and white cupcake for $2.75 and saved it for the flight. I still haven't eaten it as of this writing.**

Behold: the black and white cupcake

Last stop before I hit LAX was one of my favorite LA restaurants. Nyala is on Fairfax Avenue, the heart of Little Ethiopia, and years ago when I lived in Redlands I occasionally would drive 75 miles just to eat there. Granted, there wasn't any Ethiopian food in the Inland Empire so I kinda had to drive that far to get some. Nyala is decorated in paintings of scenes from daily Ethiopian life, with mesob baskets sitting in various places around the earth tone dining room. It was around 6:30 when I got there, and I was the only one there at the time, so the service was pretty fast. I started off with a Hakim Stout beer ($4), made in Harar, Ethiopia. It's hard to describe – a little rich, not very chocolaty, and somewhat mellow. It was the perfect accompaniment to my yebeg wot (somewhat spicy lamb chunks "marinated in red wine and sautéed in seasoned butter, fresh onion, garlic and ginger", $10). It was a little gristly in places but still good, in a complex spicy, buttery red sauce. It came out flanked by a lentil stew and a green salad in a nice dressing, all on an oval plate, sitting on top of the only oval piece of injera bread I have ever seen. And this was after the customary appetizer, a hummus-like dip surrounded by super-skinny pita wedges. The best way I could describe it is a cross between hummus and tahini, mixed with pepper, cayenne and olive oil. I had to force myself not to eat the whole thing.

First, the beer...

...then the tahini-like dip...

...and at last, the yebeg wot. Mmmm, wot.

And so that is why I am sitting on the floor of the United Terminal (you find a closer place to sit next to a working electrical outlet), feeling like I can hardly move. And with about an hour until I board. I hope I can just get some sleep once I'm in the air.

* Am I alone in thinking it odd that Richard Simmons of all people is eating hot dogs? It's not a low-cal sort of place.

** I eventually ate the cupcake, of course. It was rich and fudgy.

Other photos:

Oh my! Now for the president with pink hair.

Until the sun goes down over Santa Monica Boulevard.

The electronic billboard in the back had a changing ad for the new Get Smart flick. I was paying more attention to the dozens of dining options.

WeHo: LGBT mecca of Southern California. Outside of Palm Springs at least.

And lastly: no, I didn't stop in. But I'm sure it would've been a gas, no?