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Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,544 posts, read 56,037,872 times
Reputation: 11862
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Quote:
Originally Posted by annie_himself
Do you realize that's like me going to a single restaurant in LA and writing off everything as imitation cultured food if I happened to not like the only thing I ate?
I'm not writing it off, I'm just saying, judging by the three dishes I had (two at this well-known place in New Orleans and one in Disneyland) it's not my style.
LA has a massive food scene. Of course! Its the second largest city in the US, in the state that produces the most and best fruits/veggies of all kinds, has great livestock, seafood, and tons of ethnic diversity. New Orleans is a regional food treasure, but LA just dwarfs it in terms of variety.....
Clearly you've never had mango in India. Or bananas in Ghana. Or coconut in Barbados. The produce in California is far from being the best "best fruit/veggies of all kinds."
I don't understand why just because New Orleans is known for a certain kind of food nobody can also see that we have a very diverse mix of restaurants for a city of our size. We have loads of Vietnemese restaurants and people. There is a pseudo-vietnemese village in New Orleans East. We used to have a "Little Italy" in the Lower French Quarter and have many many people of Italian descent who own restaurants in the city. The list goes on and on for historical immigration in this city, hence the "cultural gumbo". One of my favorite places to eat in New Orleans is a Lebanese restaurant Mona's. Believe it or not, I've hardly ever eaten at creole places in NOLA and I go out to eat a lot. Most of us have better recipes for creole food at our homes.
We have Irish restaurants, Indian, Japanese, Vietnemese, Chinese, Italian, Greek, Lebanese, Thai, Mexican, Spanish, French, Korean, Soul-food, delis, fusion restaurants, American, French bakeries, dozens of independent coffee shops, po-boy shops.
Basically, we are a city that LOVES food. All kinds. We have so many different options on top of Creole food. Like I said, I've lived in this city my entire life and I've barely ever eaten creole food at a restaurant. We are not one dimensional just because we do have a certain cuisine that we are known for. That would be like me saying that Philly food is horrible because I dont really care for philly cheese steak (which I don't btw). But that would be ridiculous.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,544 posts, read 56,037,872 times
Reputation: 11862
Quote:
Originally Posted by rcp11889
I don't understand why just because New Orleans is known for a certain kind of food nobody can also see that we have a very diverse mix of restaurants for a city of our size. We have loads of Vietnemese restaurants and people. There is a pseudo-vietnemese village in New Orleans East. We used to have a "Little Italy" in the Lower French Quarter and have many many people of Italian descent who own restaurants in the city. The list goes on and on for historical immigration in this city, hence the "cultural gumbo". One of my favorite places to eat in New Orleans is a Lebanese restaurant Mona's. Believe it or not, I've hardly ever eaten at creole places in NOLA and I go out to eat a lot. Most of us have better recipes for creole food at our homes.
We have Irish restaurants, Indian, Japanese, Vietnemese, Chinese, Italian, Greek, Lebanese, Thai, Mexican, Spanish, French, Korean, Soul-food, delis, fusion restaurants, American, French bakeries, dozens of independent coffee shops, po-boy shops.
Basically, we are a city that LOVES food. All kinds. We have so many different options on top of Creole food. Like I said, I've lived in this city my entire life and I've barely ever eaten creole food at a restaurant. We are not one dimensional just because we do have a certain cuisine that we are known for. That would be like me saying that Philly food is horrible because I dont really care for philly cheese steak (which I don't btw). But that would be ridiculous.
NOLA seems to be leading the poll...primarily because everyone seems to have a love affair with Creole/Louisiana food, as if that's enough to make it better than a big city like LA with such a diverse array of good food?
You can find more of the cuisines you mention in LA. Is the Indian, Italian.etc in NOLA really better than what you'd find in LA? If so you'd have a good case, but I think LA is probably just as good or better. LA has a more diverse range. In terms of Asian food I'm pretty sure LA comes out on top. Mexican is a no-brainer. Again, I fail to see how New Orleans can beat Los Angeles overall as a better 'foodie' city.
NOLA seems to be leading the poll...primarily because everyone seems to have a love affair with Creole/Louisiana food, as if that's enough to make it better than a big city like LA with such a diverse array of good food?
You can find more of the cuisines you mention in LA. Is the Indian, Italian.etc in NOLA really better than what you'd find in LA? If so you'd have a good case, but I think LA is probably just as good or better. LA has a more diverse range. In terms of Asian food I'm pretty sure LA comes out on top. Mexican is a no-brainer. Again, I fail to see how New Orleans can beat Los Angeles overall as a better 'foodie' city.
I'm from Los Angeles, and recognize why LA isn't winning here. It's not because I hate LA, but for a city of its size, NOLA has contributed DISPROPORTIONATELY to the culinary world in a way that LA hasn't, at least yet.
Keep in mind that NOLA has been a major city way longer than LA has, so the 'originality' coming from LA isn't as known just yet.
A lot of what we create nowadays is fusion foods, such as Korean Taco Trucks, "California _______", etc. but it hasn't had that much time to develop just yet.
I will say that LA's lower to middle price restaurants are awesome. It's at the higher end that LA is severely lacking, which is why most magazines and a huge chunk of food critics don't mention LA yet in conjunction with "NYC, SF, Chicago" when it comes to food.
Going ethnic food hopping here is fun though, even if it can be done in other cities, simply because the food is more geared toward the immigrants themselves and is bound to be cheaper than some high-end ethnic restaurant. Hell, I went from eating Persian to Korean to Ethiopian in one day, giving my stomach a cacophony I will never forget. But really, this can be done in almost any city. The volume and proximity is what makes LA great for ethnic food hopping (the Persian, Korean, and Ethiopian were 3 blocks from each other)
I will say: Los Angeles WILL probably be the 'fusion' capital of the United States.
Personally, I hate fusion food. But yeah, it is what it is. If some Angelenos can direct me to some good ones that aren't worth an arm and a leg to eat at, I will try it. Otherwise, $15 for a Korean Veggie Burrito sounds like the hugest rip-off since Enron was in business....
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,544 posts, read 56,037,872 times
Reputation: 11862
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lifeshadower
I'm from Los Angeles, and recognize why LA isn't winning here. It's not because I hate LA, but for a city of its size, NOLA has contributed DISPROPORTIONATELY to the culinary world in a way that LA hasn't, at least yet.
Keep in mind that NOLA has been a major city way longer than LA has, so the 'originality' coming from LA isn't as known just yet.
A lot of what we create nowadays is fusion foods, such as Korean Taco Trucks, "California _______", etc. but it hasn't had that much time to develop just yet.
I will say that LA's lower to middle price restaurants are awesome. It's at the higher end that LA is severely lacking, which is why most magazines and a huge chunk of food critics don't mention LA yet in conjunction with "NYC, SF, Chicago" when it comes to food.
Going ethnic food hopping here is fun though, even if it can be done in other cities, simply because the food is more geared toward the immigrants themselves and is bound to be cheaper than some high-end ethnic restaurant. Hell, I went from eating Persian to Korean to Ethiopian in one day, giving my stomach a cacophony I will never forget. But really, this can be done in almost any city. The volume and proximity is what makes LA great for ethnic food hopping (the Persian, Korean, and Ethiopian were 3 blocks from each other)
I will say: Los Angeles WILL probably be the 'fusion' capital of the United States.
Personally, I hate fusion food. But yeah, it is what it is. If some Angelenos can direct me to some good ones that aren't worth an arm and a leg to eat at, I will try it. Otherwise, $15 for a Korean Veggie Burrito sounds like the hugest rip-off since Enron was in business....
You have a point...I will say New Orleans has a better range of street-food outlets. Aside from Creole food there is Cajun, stuff like po-boys and other French/Spanish/African influenced cuisine. I suppose it also has more of the barbeque/soul food thing as well. Maybe it's not as one-sided as I imagined, but I'm still surprised NOLA is so far ahead.
Apparently LA county has a large population of creoles.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rcp11889
I don't understand why just because New Orleans is known for a certain kind of food nobody can also see that we have a very diverse mix of restaurants for a city of our size. We have loads of Vietnemese restaurants and people. There is a pseudo-vietnemese village in New Orleans East. We used to have a "Little Italy" in the Lower French Quarter and have many many people of Italian descent who own restaurants in the city. The list goes on and on for historical immigration in this city, hence the "cultural gumbo". One of my favorite places to eat in New Orleans is a Lebanese restaurant Mona's. Believe it or not, I've hardly ever eaten at creole places in NOLA and I go out to eat a lot. Most of us have better recipes for creole food at our homes.
We have Irish restaurants, Indian, Japanese, Vietnemese, Chinese, Italian, Greek, Lebanese, Thai, Mexican, Spanish, French, Korean, Soul-food, delis, fusion restaurants, American, French bakeries, dozens of independent coffee shops, po-boy shops.
Basically, we are a city that LOVES food. All kinds. We have so many different options on top of Creole food. Like I said, I've lived in this city my entire life and I've barely ever eaten creole food at a restaurant. We are not one dimensional just because we do have a certain cuisine that we are known for. That would be like me saying that Philly food is horrible because I dont really care for philly cheese steak (which I don't btw). But that would be ridiculous.
New Orleans has the best food in the USA, sorry LA but the fact is just the facts. How many LA style restaurants you see in other cities compared to NOLA
New Orleans has the best food in the USA, sorry LA but the fact is just the facts. How many LA style restaurants you see in other cities compared to NOLA
OK, now we are stretching it.
Anyway ...
pound for pound New Orleans kills LA
raw numbers, LA kills New Orleans
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