Cheap Fast Eats: 5 new meals to try for around $10 that are worth the trip

In the over 70 restaurants I've visited for Cheap Fast Eats, my ongoing series exploring different neighborhoods around L.A. and Orange County for dishes around $10, I haven't always been able to cover every worthy spot in each area.

When scouting locations, some great places inevitably fall through the cracks, whether due to incompatible opening hours, having items that are just outside the $10 range or being slated for another story — which didn't get written.

I'm addressing these gaps with what I'm calling Cheap Fast Eats: Missed Connections, revisiting Long Beach, Glendale, West Hollywood, Pasadena and Boyle Heights for a closer look at five places that (apart from some with the slightly higher cost) fit perfectly into the CFE lexicon.

These spots — featuring start-ups and immigrant-run restaurants — beautifully represent the diverse food scene of Southern California, an area I've had the privilege of covering for over three years.

Honduras Kitchen (Long Beach)

Baleadas keep it simple — beans, cheese, eggs and a fresh tortilla — but each bite is big on soul and flavor.

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Gab Chabrán

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LAist

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Located on the far end of Retro Row on 4th Street in Long Beach, Honduras Kitchen has operated since the early 1990s, with a second location in Huntington Park.

I initially excluded it because of a time snafu: I turned up with the How To L.A. crew to record an episode of the podcast, only to discover they were closed Tuesdays. Ouch. However, since then, I've eaten there several times and have always been impressed.

Upon entering, you're greeted by a festive atmosphere that feels like it could double as a nightclub, with its bachata and merengue soundtrack, low lighting and a large, colorful mural showing a map of the Central American nation.

The menu offers a variety of dishes, including sopa de caracol — a soup made with sea snails — and tajadas con carne molida, thin strips of green plantains piled high with seasoned ground beef, avocado and cabbage.

But I’d come for the baleadas (starting at $1.99), a popular Honduran street food, whose name translates to "bullets." It features a flour tortilla with refried black beans, crumbled white cheese, and crema and, at Honduras Kitchen, a choice of 13 other fillings. The tortilla is then folded in half like a taco and laden with toppings and condiments.

Honduras Kitchen in Long Beach offers an extensive menu with items that are sure to fill you up.

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Gab Chabrán

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LAist

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I started with the Daddy’s Favorite ($8.49), which contains a fried egg, chunks of fried pork skin and pickled onions, along with beans cheese, and cream. It delivers a big, salty, fatty bite balanced by sharp acidity from the pickled onions.

I also tried the Caribbean way ($6.49), made with rice and beans cooked in coconut milk, which blends sweet and savory flavors with a creamy, velvet-like texture.

Sorry to have missed you the first time Honduras Kitchen — you're definitely worthy to be on the list.

Muffin Can Stop Us (Glendale)

Power up your day with Muffin Can Stop Us English muffin breakfast sandwiches.

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Gab Chabrán

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LAist

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I'm a sucker for a good pun, as well as a fast-food breakfast sandwich, so Muffin Can Stop Us has my number.

The quick-serve mini-chain, with locations in Glendale, downtown Los Angeles and Studio City, specializes in English muffin breakfast sandwiches. The Glendale location opened after I published my Cheap Fast Eats guide for the area two years ago — unsurprisingly, as the city continually introduces new fast-casual restaurants.

Inside the cozy cafe, you'll find several breakfast sandwich options. I ordered the Americano Muffin ($8.50), made with bacon, a perfectly shaped egg and melted American cheese, as well as the B.L.A.S.T. Off ($8.50), which features crispy bacon, avocado, spinach and tomato. You can add a hash brown for $2.50.

The Glendale location of Muffin Can Stop Us attracts everyone with its affordable English muffin breakfast sandwiches.

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Gab Chabrán

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LAist

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Both sandwiches delivered, with each ingredient cooked well — especially the crispy bacon and the proper egg-to-cheese ratio. Neither was overly large, so I recommend ordering two if you're very hungry.

Coffee is available, though I visited in the early afternoon and opted for lemonade instead. I plan to return soon, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, for a proper breakfast run.

Chamo Venezuelan Cuisine (Pasadena)

The arepa at Chamo in Pasadena features Pabellón Criollo, Venezuela's national dish, made with shredded beef, black beans, fried plantains and white cheese.

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Gab Chabrán

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LAist

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Pasadena is also filled with Cheap Fast Eats possibilities, with new ones appearing regularly.

One location that's caught my attention is a two-story shopping center on Colorado Boulevard near Lake Avenue, which features an array of options, including Chamo, a Venezuelan restaurant that offers empanadas, chicken and rice plates, and most importantly for this story — arepas.

The arepa is like a thick, savory pancake made with two cornmeal patties, filled with meats and vegetables and topped with grated cheese.

I ordered the Pabellón criollo arepa ($16.50), Venezuela's national dish (yes, this was a bit of a budget buster, but go with me). It combines elements from three cultures that intermingled during Spanish colonial times: Native American, Spanish and African. It's made with shredded beef, black beans, fried plantains and white cheese.

Hidden in a Pasadena strip mall, Chamo brings Venezuelan comfort — proof that some of the best meals start in the most unassuming spots.

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Gab Chabrán

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LAist

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Don't underestimate this substantial creation, bursting with nuance in texture and flavor. Each component works together: the sweetness of the plantains pairs with the savory, slightly smoky shredded beef and the earthiness of black beans, all of which is enhanced by the crispy arepas and slightly melted cheese for added creaminess.

Electric Owl (West Hollywood)

The Electric Owl in West Hollywood offers a smashburger and ranch fries — both $4.20 — during its happy hour.

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Gab Chabrán

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LAist

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Electric Owl has been on my radar since I interviewed Team Burger L.A., a group of locals who travel around Los Angeles trying different burgers during monthly meet-ups. They mentioned it as one of their favorites. The exterior resembles a train depot — fittingly, since the property was an actual stop on the Red Car Line.

The dining area is designed to resemble a train car interior, featuring numerous black-and-white photos of the Red Car from when it ran through the neighborhood. Cool history, but I was there for a particular burger.

The regular menu features two burgers: the L.A. Smashburger, which boasts two smashed patties and double cheese, and the Grill Daddy Burger, a thick patty topped with melted cheese and bacon. Both are served on a frico bun — a fluffy, seeded bun with butter and Parmesan griddled inside to create a crust.

Perched on Sunset with a vintage clock keeping time, Electric Owl glows like a modern-day railcar lounge — cocktails, neon and a dash of old Hollywood charm.

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Courtesy Electric Owl

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The price for those is around $13, a decent price for a bar burger, but I was there for the happy hour menu. Many happy hour menus could be considered a subset of Cheap Fast Eats, but Electric Owl stands out with an incredible deal: a $4.20 smashburger.

I eat smashburgers regularly for this column and the Tournament of Cheeseburgers, but I can say I've never encountered one at this price.

Available from 4 to 6 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday, the burger features a bacon-encrusted beef smashed patty that extends beyond the edges of the bun.

What's underneath is what makes it interesting: gochujang barbecue sauce and melted cheese. After a few bites, you'll realize that for $4.20, this might be one of the best-value burgers around. It's simple but full of rich flavor, and you could easily eat two.

I also ordered their ranch fries ($4.20) — thick-cut seasoned fries served with ranch and ketchup. My total was just under $9. I'll definitely return soon.

Milpa Kitchen (Boyle Heights)

The breakfast burrito with crispy pork belly from Macheen at Milpa Kitchen in Boyle Heights is just one of many options available.

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Gab Chabrán

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LAist

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Milpa Kitchen is a small coffee bar located on Cesar Chavez Boulevard in the heart of Boyle Heights. It is known for hosting the longstanding pop-up, Macheen, led by Chef Jonathan Perez and his sister, Ana. Together, they create their own elevated interpretations of Mexican American cuisine.

You can grab a seat at the outdoor patio or get an order to go. The breakfast burritos ($13) are perhaps their most well-known dish — and deservedly so, as I think it’s one of the best burritos in Los Angeles. The only reason I hadn’t featured it before is that there are so many great options for cheap eats in the neighborhood that I overlooked it — mea culpa.

It's made with pillowy-soft scrambled eggs, perfectly crispy tater tots, a mixture of Swiss and cotija cheese and your choice of protein: birria, crispy pork belly, brisket, longaniza, fried chicken, mushroom al pastor or machaca brussels sprouts.

Located in the heart of Boyle Heights at Milpa Kitchen, Mahceen is serving up some of the best elevated Mexican American cuisine the city has to offer.

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Gab Chabrán

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LAist

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With so many options, I opted for the pork belly. The crispiness paired well with the crunch of the tater tots, providing contrast to the fluffy scrambled eggs. Everything came together in a soft flour tortilla, drizzled with a fresh salsa verde that contained bits of cilantro for added brightness.

I washed it down with one of their passion fruit agua frescas, which added tangy freshness between bites.