With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Recession Obsession: @theGastrobus
Have Gastrobus, Will Travel | Sunset & Cole in Hollywood
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 overEl Pollo "Loco," and Mobile Japanese Burgers. Today we obsess...
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.
As its name suggests, The Gastrobus is like a mobile gastropub (minus the booze,) or, as its Twitter bio suggests, a “Roadside Bistro.” They’re serving up smart food that’s not so far out in Hipsterville that Los Angeles’ cooler population will soon tire of, and bash it. The Gastrobus makes good, wholesome, clean food, that tastes wonderful. We've seen some of it before on LAist.
This tasty grub, like many of the day’s nu-food trucks, doesn’t cost that much. You can thank low overhead and gas prices which are no longer setting records. That’s why The Gastrobus is LAist’s latest Recession Obsession.
Pulled Pork
The Skinny
If they don’t have some kind of curious fusion, what must they serve, you wonder. The popular option is the sandwich. The pulled pork is delightful, as is the smoked bacon sandwich. There's typically also a skirt steak sandwich and a veggie sandwich (featuring hummus, tapenade, veggies.) Those are about $6 each. Sometimes big bowls of soup are available for your main course (potato and leek was seen on a recent menu.)
Smaller dishes run $2-4 each. The smallest being both the sweet potato fries and the rosemary fries. My favorite is the corn flapjacks. They're weet, savory, and uniquely addicting. Desert can be found on the menu too: root beer floats and chocolate bread pudding. Their menu rotates frequently, making for fun return trips.
Have a sandwich, and split a side with a friend, and you’ll have a nice $8 meal. Join the husband and wife team behind the Gastrobus every Sunday, from 9 a.m. To 2 p.m., where they’ll be serving up breakfast and lunch. That’s also where they buy all of their produce.
Photos by Caleb Bacon (Twitter)
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.

-
What do stairs have to do with California’s housing crisis? More than you might think, says this Culver City councilmember.
-
Yes, it's controversial, but let me explain.
-
Doctors say administrator directives allow immigration agents to interfere in medical decisions and compromise medical care.
-
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings.
-
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past.
-
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases.