LA & the FOH Community

[MoeFOH]

My first two nights in the US are done, under the belt... LA, again, for me, turned out to be a wonderful experience. 

I think there's a kind of a love it or hate it thing with LA. I'm not sure many sit in the middle of that spectrum. I've had people tell me to avoid it like the plague, others who rave about it, but no one just go, 'meh', and sit on the fence. I have to say, I kinda love the place. Each experience I've had in LA has been a memorable one, with nothing to persuade me otherwise. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I'd like to live in LA, as I definitely have an aversion to such chaotic cities as far as residency goes, but the place has a loose element to it--one that provides a raw intrigue and some very unique experiences. And I'm not saying I've spent enough time there (a few weeks all told) to know the really low lights... But I have, thus far, found the opposite to most criticisms of the place.  

Anyhow, as travel goes, it is always, always, about the people. And here's where the wonderful component of the FOH community truly shines. 

Rob posted a thread about my trip, a few weeks back, and he threw out the invite for members to get in touch if they wanted to meet up for a cigar and drink, whatnot. Jason @Wailbait, someone I'd never met, contacted me and invited me to join him for a cigar and a drink... But the day ended up to be so much more! Jason owns a few restaurants in LA, one of which is a breakfast burrito and coffee place called Cofax (Good lord, if you are of such gastronomic persuasion and in the area, get there and get a burrito into your facehole--magic stuff!). Once the words 'breakfast burrito' were in the mix, I was in! So I meet up with Jason at Cofax on Saturday morning. We start chatting, click immediately, and to cut a long story short I end up at his place that night, meeting his wife and young son, being cooked this amazing dinner by his mate, Deelip Rao (Inception fans will know him as the sedative guru/van driver in that film), smoking cigars and drinking cocktails... 

An incredibly wonderful night was had! 

The congeniality of the situation, our interests, points of view, etc., aside, what's truly amazing and brilliant about the whole thing was the open, unadulterated hospitality and generosity I experienced. Here I am, a solo traveller, meeting someone for the first time via only the shared interest of a link on the FOH forum, and I become instantly welcomed into this person's private world. The experience was simply sublime, and I could not have asked for anything better for my LA stay. Amazing!

And so, moving on, I've hit San Diego now. And my Airbnb host is an ex-pat Aussie muso who greeted me warmly, armed with a tall JD & Coke... We've been saying 'mate' a lot and talking about opening a meat pie place in San Diego... Well... I'll be in touch again in a few days...

(as a footnote, I should add that Hiran @sikfrayme got in touch with me as well for the LA leg, but, most likely due to my inept texting, our communications went awry and we missed the chance to connect. Apologies, Hiran. Next time is a definite! I will sort my shit out.) 

Cheers,

Moe.

 

[Fuzz]

Fantastic to hear! Last time I was in LA I had a chance to sample several breakfast burritos. Why it has not caught on here amazes me.

Pity you couldn't meet up with Hiran. He's a great bloke!

[madandana]

That's what it's all about. Sounds like good times. Wish you were coming through MN but to be honest, I wouldn't advise it right now.

[alloy]

Just Awesome! What FOH is all about. I just wish you would come through Texas and savor some great BBQ! 

[Wailbait]

Oh man.  I had such a great day.  It’s really what this whole endeavor (and probably life) is all about.  A serendipitous meeting.  Great walking and talking.  Some great meals, beers and of course cigars.  Such a memorable day.  Hope the rest of your trip is fantastic!

[leepers]

So great to meet you and we had a good time hanging here. LA is an awesome town; I'm biased because I'm from here, but I adore it. It's all about the people and making connections and in this case, a terrific one from the antipodes. Hope your trip is terrific and come see us again. And we will smoke some fine ones.

 

Dileep

[MoeFOH]

18 hours ago, Fuzz said:

Fantastic to hear! Last time I was in LA I had a chance to sample several breakfast burritos. Why it has not caught on here amazes me.

Pity you couldn't meet up with Hiran. He's a great bloke!

Agree 100%. Mexican is my favourite food, and the breakfast burrito just ticks all the boxes! Particularly the one experienced at Cofax--just amazing!

[MoeFOH]

4 hours ago, Wailbait said:

Oh man.  I had such a great day.  It’s really what this whole endeavor (and probably life) is all about.  A serendipitous meeting.  Great walking and talking.  Some great meals, beers and of course cigars.  Such a memorable day.  Hope the rest of your trip is fantastic!

 

2 hours ago, leepers said:

So great to meet you and we had a good time hanging here. LA is an awesome town; I'm biased because I'm from here, but I adore it. It's all about the people and making connections and in this case, a terrific one from the antipodes. Hope your trip is terrific and come see us again. And we will smoke some fine ones.

 

Dileep

Thanks again, lads... Just a brilliant day! 

[BuzzArd]

Sounds like fun.  

 

Didn't see Phoenix on ykur schedule.  You headed there at all?

[mdinius]

Spot on write up about the love it or hate it wrap LA gets. I've been living here since August (moved from Houston) and I'm more on the love it side then the hate it side, although I love the hustle and bustle of city life. There's just so much going on in the city, so much to see, so many different cultures...it's all just fascinating to me. 

 

I'll definitely check out Cofax! The pictures on Yelp look amazing!

[MoeFOH]

On 3/28/2018 at 5:03 PM, BuzzArd said:

Sounds like fun.  

 

Didn't see Phoenix on ykur schedule.  You headed there at all?

Hey man, sorry for the slow reply. Unfortunately, no, not heading to Phoenix this time. So much on offer in the States--impossible to pack everything in!

[MoeFOH]

On 4/1/2018 at 12:05 PM, mdinius said:

Spot on write up about the love it or hate it wrap LA gets. I've been living here since August (moved from Houston) and I'm more on the love it side then the hate it side, although I love the hustle and bustle of city life. There's just so much going on in the city, so much to see, so many different cultures...it's all just fascinating to me. 

 

I'll definitely check out Cofax! The pictures on Yelp look amazing!

Yep. Concur 100%. And definitely check out Cofax. If you love a good breakfast burrito & coffee you won't go wrong!

[JohnS]

Great read @MoeFOH! And @leepers, I got out my Inception Blu-ray on the weekend and enjoyed it twice as much. I'm looking forward to Avatar 2 and 3 even more now, mate!

[leepers]

You, sir, are too kind! Looking forward to hanging with you again. 

[luckme10]

San Diego hmm let me see. Ah here we go.  Not sure how much of it is still relevant, given that was over 10 years ago, but this was my college survival food guide back when I could eat a cheese burger and it wouldn't go straight to my gut. 

 

10) Crab Hut

4646 Convoy St
Ste 106A
(between Dagget St & Opportunity Rd) 
San Diego, CA 92111

 

It's pretty much like Boiling Crab in San Jose. Go across the street and get Super Sergios when done, seriously.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/crab-hut-san-diego

 

 

9) Super Sergio's

4125 Convoy St
(between Othello Ave & Armour St) 
San Diego, CA 92111
Neighborhood: Kearny Mesa

 

It's 1 am, and like any glutton, you're hungry. Luckily for you at every corner there is a 21 hr Mexican hole in the wall restaurant! The carne asada is good, the chicken...stay away. I go here for one thing and one thing only, the California Burrito, a staple for every college student's diet. 

http://www.yelp.com/biz/super-sergios-san-diego

 

 

8) Extraordinary Desserts

1430 Union St
(between Ash St & Beech St) 
San Diego, CA 92101
Neighborhoods: Little Italy, Downtown

 

 Dulce De Leche Cake. That is all.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/extraordinary-desserts-san-diego-2

 

 

7)K Sandwiches

7604 Linda Vista Rd
(at Mesa College Dr) 
San Diego, CA 92111

 

Banh mi Sandwiches... really cheap... 

http://www.yelp.com/biz/k-sandwiches-san-diego

 

 

6)Hodadies

5010 Newport Ave
(between Abbott St & Bacon St) 
San Diego, CA 92107

Neighborhoods: Ocean Beach, Point Loma

 

 So, you wanna hang ten on the beach, surfer style... but you really don't want to surf? The Ocean Beach provides a nice Santa Cruz-esq feel with great burgers and shakes.  What a great way to spend the afternoon!

http://www.yelp.com/biz/hodads-san-diego

 

 

5) Rigoberto's Taco Shop

7094 Miramar Rd
(at Carroll Rd) 
San Diego, CA 92121

 

It's about 3 am, and you're still hungry. Super Sergio's is only open 21 hrs a day... and is closed =(. And you want another San Diego speciality: Carne Asada fries or Pollo Asada fries. This place is only a few miles away from UCSD, so you can bike there and not feel like a fatty. For 6 bucks you can get a platter that can feed you for 2 days. Two disgustingly gross days.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/rigobertos-taco-shop-san-diego-2#query:carne%20asada%20fries

 

 

4)Pizza Port

135 N. Highway 101
Solana Beach, CA 92075

http://www.yelp.com/biz/pizza-port-san-diego-2

 

Spend some time on walking on the beach can build up an appetite. Well here's quality pizza and a Micro Brewery in one! Even better, the hot wings are 35 cents each after 5 pm on Wednesdays.

 

 

3) El Pescador Fish Market

627 Pearl St
(between Cuvier St & Draper Ave) 
La Jolla, CA 92037

 

So you're out shopping the glamourous La Jolla. Visiting the Lamborghini Car Lot and checking out the beautiful ocean. Well if you have the chance, stop by here! Ah man, this place has the freshest most delicious fish sandwiches you can buy. They're light and refreshing...seriously just try them all.

 

 

2) The Original Pancake House

3906 Convoy St
(between Kearny Mesa Rd & Ostrow St) 
San Diego, CA 92111

 

This is a chain. They came from new jersery. But this one gives the most bang for your buck. This place offers the richest largest omelet I've ever see, which of course, come with a side of their famous moist delicious pancakes. My advice take a few people, split a few omelets and athe German Pancake, and bring a camera. You won't believe the size of this thing. What a monster!

http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-original-pancake-house-san-diego-2

 

 

 

1) Phil's BBQ

3750 Sports Arena Boulevard
San Diego, CA 92110
(619) 226-6333

 

This tasty and succulent sauce offers a perfect balance between the sweet and tangy, lavished on their wonderful   beef brisket sandwich and  full stack ribs. Heck I often went there for just the tickler, which comes with a side of fries, onion rings, coslow and baby back ribs. 

http://www.yelp.com/biz/phils-bbq-san-diego-2

 

 

Best Horchata and red sauce goes to:
Cotixan (aka Co-Texans)
-4370 Genesee Ave
(between Mount Etna Dr & Derrick Dr) 
San Diego, CA 92117
Neighborhood: Clairemont
http://www.yelp.com/biz/cotixan-mexican-and-seafood-san-diego

- It's across the street from Henry's on balboa. (Henry's is like sprouts in san diego)
-Workers are pretty gangster. They keep an eye on the squeeze bottles so don't try to steal the sauce. 
-the cotixan fries are pretty good, not as large in quantity as rigabertos. fish burritos are also half decent. Burritos are dry so use a lot of sauce.
-Horchata dispenser used to have two sides; One is really concentrated and thick, and one really watery. Get the thick one and mix and match until you're heart's content. 



Runner Up California Burrito:

Santanas:
2303 Garnet Ave
(between Pendleton St & Balboa Ave) 
San Diego, CA 92109
Neighborhood: Pacific Beach
http://www.yelp.com/biz/santanas-mexican-grill-san-diego-2
If you're out clubbing in Pacific Beach, stop by here on your way back. Good california burrito. Fresh ingredients. Tortilla isn't as good as super sergios.