Mako
1820 N Vermont Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 660-1211

There comes a time in every single girl’s life when she realizes that if she eats one more goddamned meal in front of her computer, lounging against a couple pillows propped up on her bed, she’s going to go absolutely crazy. I’m sure you’ve been there. Luckily, last night I had a friend who was not only as hungry as I was, but as broke as I am, too.

Despite the plethora of taco stands and cheap Thai joints that pepper Los Angeles, I had a hard time coming up with a suitable option for our destination, one that fit with my “eating for under ten bucks” mission. I scoured the streets of Los Angeles in my mind as I applied my make-up and attempted to make myself somewhat presentable to the outside world. Just as my friend impatiently honked his horn out front for the second time, as I was slipping my feet into my favorite black flats, I remembered the little Japanese hole-in-the-wall that I had spotted on Vermont many times in the past, but had yet to try.
»continue reading Under $10: Mako

You may have spied it while stumbling drunkenly to your car after that last, unwise shot of Patron at La Cita. Peering over the roll-down bars, you’d spy a cavernous, basement-like structure, quiet in the late night hours that envelops Downtown Los Angeles. But visit during the day, and you’ll find a bustling market full of food stalls selling a wide variety of yummy ethnic fast-food, cheaper than the dirt they were grown in produce stands, and a variety of random vendors selling everything from mole by the pound to necklace charms depicting Jesus on a cross (with your sweetie’s name engraved underneath, natch).

Grand Central Market has been around since 1917. Across the street from the also historic, now out of commission Angel’s Flight, Angelenos would take a penny-ride to the open-air market which met the needs of newly immigrated families from all over the world. It’s been remodeled many times throughout the years, but it still has that old-world feel to it, which is a nice contrast to the high rise buildings and power-suited yuppies just a few blocks away in the Financial District.
»continue reading Under $10: Sarita’s Pupuseria

Picnic dinners and an arty film at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, rekindling friendships with people who live in apartment buildings with pools, dusting off your terrycloth onesie–and the subsequent horrific realization that playing dodgeball one night a week has not, in fact, diminished the damage inflicted by all those late night bacon wrapped hot dogs–these are all sure signs that summer is here (yay!)

Well if you haven’t in summers past, it’s high time you added Little Radio Summer Camp to that list of reasons why you love summer. I was lucky enough to attend last weekend’s very first Summer Camp of the year, and if the backyard BBQ’s, sunburned shoulders and longing glances out my office window hadn’t already indicated to me that summer is here, LRSC would have done the trick.
»continue reading Little Radio Summer Camp, Saturday June 14

While most people were making lists of what bands they couldn’t miss, texting friends in hopes of getting on the guest list for various invitation-only pool parties, and planning their skimpy wardrobes, I was thinking about how much festival food I could realistically consume in the three days I would be at Coachella.

Now, you’d think that a person who, with the help of an equally culianarily adventurous friend, invented and consumed something called a “McNuggitini” (no, seriously) would be able to eat all sorts of deep fried and heart-attack-be-damned treats and walk away with a spring in her step and a smile on her face, right? I pride myself on having no “food guilt” and not being one of those girls that obsesses about each and every calorie, and I promise you’ll never see me order a salad when what I really want is a burger…life’s too short not to enjoy it. But! Festival foods, you’re were a worthy adversary, and I hate to admit defeat, but I think I’ve been bested.

Sure, the weekend started off sugary. But in my defense, I needed a little energy boost for the drive, and I recently swore off coffee. Alright, fine…I’m also madly in love with Piña Colada Slurpies. After that, though, I was determined to show Festival Foods who was boss by opting for a somewhat healthier choice, a veggie burger:
»continue reading Coachella Festival 2008: The Weekend in Food

How would you respond to this question:

“There is a grilled cheese tournament this weekend. Any interest in covering/judging it?”

If your response would make you sound like something of a lunatic, I think we’d be good friends. It was in the name of journalism (and a deep love of butter, bread, and mostly, cheese) that I attended the “The 1st 6th Annual National Grilled Cheese Invitational” last Saturday, April 19th. It was located in Griffith Park, and after getting lost in the park for 20 minutes (the promised signs directing attendees to the exact spot were nonexistent), a run-in with what would be the first of many eccentric grilled cheese competitors, and almost getting into a brawl with another car-load of equally hungry attendees over a coveted parking spot (my switchblade comb scared them off, and we were victorious), we made it to the Crystal Springs Picnic Grove just as the sun was starting to show its pretty face.

Q. Why is this grilled cheese chef different from all other grilled cheese chefs?
A. Because he took two vans, cut them in half, and then welded them together to make one giant van…awesome
»continue reading Losanjealous Visits The 1st 6th Annual Grilled Cheese Invitational

Note: Please welcome Georgia into the fold. Georgia, our latest food guinea pig critic, embodies the precise elements we yearn for in a writer here at Losanjealous: namely, questionable gastronomic sensibilities and a longing for adventure. Enough chatter, on with the goods. -ed

You don’t plan on eating a bacon wrapped hot dog for dinner…you just don’t. Upon settling in to a quite night in front of the television, you don’t answer your honey’s question of “What do you feel like having for dinner?” with “Ohhh, I dunno…I’m kinda in the mood for greasy street food of questionable health code standards. What about you?”

In fact, I think it would be sacrilegious to eat a bacon wrapped hot dog (aka b-wrapped hot dog, hot dog wrapped in bacon, and “whatever is emitting that delicious smell outside [insert dive bar or music venue] after last-call”) anywhere but standing next to the cart that sold you your meat-wrapped-in-meat delicacy, or in your car.

I have found myself outside said dive bars and music venues after last call on many, many occasions. I’ve been hungry the majority of these instances, and have even uttered an audible “Mmmmm” when confronted with the smell of pig fat and onions frying in a puddle of grease. But, for reasons too numerous to list, I had never had a bacon wrapped hot dog. Not even a bite!!! Can you believe it?
»continue reading The First Bacon Wrapped Hot Dog