What restaurants is Los Angeles lacking? L.A. not a food city (San Francisco: standard of living, cost)

[s0nginmyheart]

Originally Posted by 909er

We all know Los Angeles lacks in the food department. Sure, there are some good Mexican, Korean, and Thai spots. And In n Out. But that only goes so far. Here is my list of what is missing in Los Angeles, and there are some pretty heavy hitters on here. What say you?

Waffle House
Whataburger
Bojangles Chicken
Schlotzsky's
Culvers Butterburgers
Steak n Shake
Freddys
Happy Joes Pizza Taco Pizza! Why doesn't L.A. have taco pizza???
Pancheros
Lou Malnatis Pizza Good pizza in L.A. is impossible to find
White Castle
Perkins

Honorable mention - someone did open a Portillos in Moreno Valley, and Al's Italian Beef in Chino Hills and I believe Alhambra. But neither have the flavor of the ones in Illinois.

LOLing at the fact that your "heavy hitters" restaurant list is all chains.

You seem to boast about Chicago's food. With 7,000+ restaurants here, do you honestly think we say, "gosh, I really wish we had Jack in the Box or Macaroni Grill here!"

[jm1982]

Originally Posted by nslander

Well sure, if you can afford fancy store-bought possum. Considering OP regards Waffle House as fine dining, I'm sure he'd content himself with whatever sticks to his tires.

I remember driving from Pittsburgh through Ohio a couple years back.. There was plenty of roadkill on the streets.
Wild Caught and Organic too!....Thems Good Eatin'

Might be a good area for OP to relocate.

[Mr.Bungle]

Originally Posted by 909er

We all know Los Angeles lacks in the food department. Sure, there are some good Mexican, Korean, and Thai spots. And In n Out. But that only goes so far. Here is my list of what is missing in Los Angeles, and there are some pretty heavy hitters on here. What say you?

Waffle House - meh. Plenty of great greasy spoon diners around.
Whataburger - I lived in TX 3 years and while Whataburger isn't too bad, I'm not missing it here. Until I'm drunk and want breakfast taquitos.
Steak n Shake - pass
Freddys - There is one in Westlake Village


Honorable mention - someone did open a Portillos in Moreno Valley, and Al's Italian Beef in Chino Hills and I believe Alhambra. But neither have the flavor of the ones in Illinois.

I found myself longing for various things I could find in L.A. but not in Dallas for those long 3 years. I personally feel like L.A. doesn't lack too bad in the food department and while Dallas has 1000's of restaurants, the menus doesn't have as much variety as out here and they're just carbon copies of each other.

[hyuk17]

LA is missing the deli's that New York has.

[RaymondChandlerLives]

Originally Posted by hyuk17

LA is missing the deli's that New York has.

Don't you mean had? The deli is an endangered species in NYC and LA.

Either way, Los Angeles still has some great ones. One author even proclaimed it the deli capital:

Save the Deli: In Search of Perfect Pastrami, Crusty Rye, and the Heart of Jewish Delicatessen

One of David’s most startling discoveries, after he carefully likens New York to the Jerusalem of Deli, is that the best city for deli is Los Angeles. Saying in print that Los Angeles has the best pastrami sandwich? Isn’t that an invitation to a war? “But it’s the truth,” he says, “they have many great delis there, supported by the Hollywood culture. And you have to taste the pastrami at Langer’s. A different stratosphere

[jm1982]

Originally Posted by RaymondChandlerLives

Don't you mean had? The deli is an endangered species in NYC and LA.

Either way, Los Angeles still has some great ones. One author even proclaimed it the deli capital:

Save the Deli: In Search of Perfect Pastrami, Crusty Rye, and the Heart of Jewish Delicatessen

There is a documentary about the deli business, it was pretty interesting.
DeliMan - The Official Movie Site

Lot's of the old school delis in New York closed up because of the high rents ...also just changing tastes across the country has meant a lot less delis than there used to be .

[Podo944]

Originally Posted by BRinSM

stop feeding the troll!

But isn't that the point? The troll wants to be fed!

I'm not familiar with most of the places the OP listed, but we did experience... and I do mean EXPERIENCE a Lou Malnati's pizza! OMG! If anyone could point me to something similar in LA I'll make the drive up from Orange County!

On a pondering note however...

When my husband and I visited New Orleans, aside from all the crazy delicious fare, we grabbed a quick lunch at a place called Voodoo BBQ. It was simple and amazing! We happened to be sitting next to the owner and a few business people and overheard them talking about expanding.

I piped up and told them we were from California and their BBQ place was sure to be a hit! Well, they just started chuckling and shaking their heads and stated they would never want to "deal" with California!

Oh maaaaaan!

[909er]

Yes I'm tellin you! Why is it that people in CA don't get it that they are not liked outside of CA?

[Mr_Geek]

Originally Posted by 909er

Yes I'm tellin you! Why is it that people in CA don't get it that they are not liked outside of CA?

And this should worry me because??

[jamills21]

Originally Posted by 909er

Yes I'm tellin you! Why is it that people in CA don't get it that they are not liked outside of CA?

Any native californian who has been outside of CA knows how unliked CA is. Even more so if they are from LA. I don't even like telling people where I'm from anymore because I have to hear for 15 min all the reasons they don't like LA, even if they asked me first where I'm from first.