Usually when Angelenos are in the vicinity of 3rd and Fairfax, the obvious stop is The Farmers Market. However, there is a hidden gem just across the street. Hidden in a little nook between buildings at the shopping center on 3rd, Andre's Italian has been pleasing customers since 1963. more ›

A Recession Obsession is, 1) a meal so great that it stays in your mind long after digestion's end, and, 2) plays nice with your sensitive wallet. Is there a better place than Los Angeles to eat a wide variety of amazing food that so happens to be inexpensive? Probably not. We're as lucky as we are well fed. In our last Recession Obsession we got into the tacos of El Taurino Suadero. more ›

El Taurino Tacos is located on a corner of a 3-way stop where Hoover, Olympic and South Park View Streets converge. Its bright lights beckon, promising good eats 24 hours a day. Painted above the door is the promise: A NICE PLACE TO EAT. This is drunk food at its finest. more ›

You may find more elegant surroundings than the plastic-laminated tables and walls plastered with posters from Bollywood movies, and you can definitely find better Indian food. But for a delicious and filling meal at only $1.99 you can't beat the fiery flavors of the samosa chana. more ›

Ben Mandelker loves reality television. His website, B Side Blog, is the home for his musings on this love affair (a few scripted shows get some love too.) It makes sense that the colorful writer was tapped by Anna David (LAist Interview) to write one of the essays in her new book, Reality Matters. more ›

We’ve obsessed over fish tacos before. We’re doing it again because the recession is still on and, fact, fish tacos are delicious. Let’s head to Sunset Junction (even when there's not an overcrowded music festival taking place) -- more ›

In this town, burgers are like agents: everybody’s got one. Wait, that’s not quite right. But at least you get the idea: there’s no shortage of burger opinions, as we’ve already seen plenty of on this site. But one thing we should all be able to get behind is simple, delicious, cheap food. more ›

LAist loves the pizza you can take home from Mozza2Go (see, see more.) Actually, we love their entire 2go menu. The take-out arm of Pizzeria Mozza and Osteria Mozza isn't a traditional pick, but it's this week's Recession Obsession. more ›

South Bay eats can be tricky. I once heard someone describe a Hermosa Beach restaurant as “like what you would find in LA.” That made me scratch my head and walk the other way -- right to Hermosa’s “The Chicken Shack,” which boasts claims “the best chicken around.” (They do have the best car around.) While they may not have the best chicken in LA, they do have some of the best around... the South Bay. This is a good thing. more ›

Yuca’s on Hillhurst is an institution. This shack-in-a-parking-lot serves award-winning Mexican fare praised by crowds of both the working class and upper crust. Their entire, wonderful menu is very cheap, making Yuca's a perfect Recession Obsession. more ›

A Recession Obsession is, 1) a meal so great that it sticks in your mind long after digestion's end, and, 2) plays nice with your sensitive wallet. Is there a better place than Los Angeles to eat a wide variety of amazing food that so happens to be inexpensive? Probably not. We're as lucky as we are well fed. We last obsessed over looking at Old School Pie, and Churro Bites. Today we obsess... more ›

LAist is a big fan of Philippe's The Original. The restaurant has been in Los Angeles for so long that you can French Dip Like It's 1909 (and don't forget their breakfast.) For $2-$3 a slice, you can have a generous piece of one of their many pies. They seem to have about a dozen different fruit and cream pies, each looking up at you longingly from below the glass. Need something more? Wash it down with a beverage. Most are under a buck. Philippe's is easily accessible on the Metro too. more ›

The Border Grill's Truck Churro Bites, or Churro Tots, are to be consumed to be believed. These warm, cinnamon sugar-covered, delicate spheres of dulce de leche-infused churro, are a holiday treat that can be enjoyed year round. The homemade whipped cream just ups the likelihood of having a mouthgasm. All for $3.50. The Border Grill Truck is a favorite of LAist, and, of course, they're on Twitter. more ›

Going Metro is cheap (a one way ticket is $1.50; a day pass $5.00.) But it's not just a lift to work, or a bulky designated driver. It's your way to some great food that doesn't happen to cost too much. We've Chowed The Red Line before (it was good,) and now, it's time do so the same on The Purple Line. more ›

“Oh, look at that place,” said a friend of a small coffee shop tucked away behind a Downtown Culver City parking structure. “We should totally go there sometime.” “Yeah riiight,” I replied snarkily. “Who would voluntarily grub at a coffee shop in an alley?” For a moment, I forgot who I was, because the answer clearly was: this Recession Obsessionst. more ›

I was recently a guest on The Pretty Good Podcast, and like many of my conversations, the topic turned to food, then, almost immediately, to food trucks. One host wondered, were all of 2009’s food trucks some sort of hip fusion of cultures? The answer is no, and the answer is The Gastrobus. more ›

A Recession Obsession is, 1) a meal so great that it sticks in your mind long after digestion's end, and, 2) plays nice with your sensitive wallet. Is there a better place than Los Angeles to eat a wide variety of amazing food that so happens to be inexpensive? Probably not. We're as lucky as we are well fed. We last obsessed over Mobile Japanese Burgers and an Indian Spot. Today we obsess... more ›

I’ve been following Marked5 (one of the children of the post-Kogi mobile foodscape boom) on Twitter for a few months. Doing so kept reminding me, in 140 character bursts, that their Japanese burgers were roaming the city, awaiting taste buds. more ›

Los Angeles gets a lot of crap for the cuisines in which we don’t specialize. (I label such shittalkers: enemies.) Do we have an amazing pizzeria on every corner? Ha. Good one. Can you find amazing Chinese food in Hollywood? Again, nope. You’ll have to venture east. Does our selection of Indian food rival that of Mumbai (don’t say Bombay?) Again, not exactly. (Stop all the whiny questions please!) more ›

On a stretch of Pico where you’re likely to find spicy Caribbean food, or the caloric effort that is Oki-Dog, one might not expect tacos. That's why Sky’s Gourmet Tacos is a great fit. They serve up what they call: "Mexican food with a splash of soul". more ›

When I moved to Los Angeles from Back East, I immediately heard of two magical destinations for which East Coasters darned not speak: Costa Rica and Hawaii. Apparently they’re too far from Back East, but not Out Here. more ›

Downtown LA’s Grand Central Market is a Recession Obsession institution. If you’ve never been, grab a crisp five dollar bill, and you’ll purchase a great meal. Grab a crisp ten dollar bill and you’ll find that nirvana known as Food Coma. more ›

It’s been raining cats and dogs in Los Angeles. Don’t believe me? Consult your nearest social network where you'll see such pathetic updates as:

“It’s raining. Who’s got a bunker?” “Rain rain go away, else I’ll slit my writs today.” more ›

Carnitas, Spanish for "little meats," are my favorite edible incarnation of pork. For me, they’re a dietary staple, best devoured when surrounded by the perfect tortilla. Oh yeah, these tiny meats are typically pig butt. more ›

TCBY, or The Country's Best Yogurt, was once huge. All of a sudden "frozen yogurt" and "phenomenon" were used in the same sentence. It was nationwide Pinkberry-like insanity which predated Pinkberry. Then, of course, Pinkberry found hip neighborhoods. Today, we're right in the middle of Frozen Yogurt 3.0, and this model's an upgrade. more ›

Today’s Recession Obsession is a gluttonous walk down memory lane, a walk to Campos Tacos in Venice, where a plate of hard-shelled chicken tacos, chips, and a drink is $7 after tax. While this Campos location might look like a dime-a-dozen Mexican hole-in-the-wall with a scary bathroom, to this author, it represents the birth of a love affair, and LAist’s latest Recession Obsession. more ›

Mobile food trucks, revealing their location on Twitter, who serve taco-fusion, is in. This is no longer news. It's getting competitive on the streets, and the novelty is decreasingly novel. more ›

A Recession Obsession is, 1) a meal so great that it stays in your mind long after digestion's end, and, 2) plays nice with your sensitive wallet. Is there a better place than Los Angeles to eat a wide variety of amazing food that so happens to be inexpensive? Probably not. We're as lucky as we are well fed. Today, we obsess over this nine month-old column's locations. Just in case you missed something. What's your favorite Recession Obsession? Comment Below! more ›

I hail from a land where the Breakfast Sandwich is King (and not the one that comes from the Burger's King.) In the Northeast there's a serious Breakfast Sandwich culture and its hub is a chain for which LA's East Coast transplants bemoan longing: Dunkin Donuts. Their morning formula is simple. Egg, cheese, and breakfast meat gets wedged in a croissant, bagel or an English muffin. It's a great way to start your day. more ›

The taco is as friendly a Recession Obsession dish as can be consumed. At best they're warm, flavor-dense, transcendent, and $0.50 to $3 each. At worst -- I don't need to tell you. We've all been sold a few ghastly tacos. FYI, you can throw them out before they taint your lips. more ›