Cheap Fast Eats #1: Pasadena

How to LA

How to Eat, Fast n’ Cheap: Pasadena

Episode 6

Brian De Los Santos

So we just rolled up to this cute little spot in Pasadena. Where are we at?

Gab Chabrán

We are along Washington Boulevard and Sierra Bonita, and we're here to have a bean and cheese burrito.

Brian De Los Santos

Okay, y'all let's back up a bit. After a few years working remotely, I'm back in the office in Pasadena, and of course, that means office lunch. But y'all know, I'm not trying to spend all my life savings on a trendy lunch spot, at least not every day. So today, I'm hanging out with LAist new food editor Gab Chabrán.

Gab Chabrán

Hey, Brian, how's it going?

Brian De Los Santos

I'm good, muchacho. What are we doing today?

Gab Chabrán

So LA has gotten a bad rap for being super expensive these days. Housing costs a lot. Gas costs a lot.

Brian De Los Santos

Dude, tell me about it.

Brian De Los Santos

I'm doing a new series called Cheap Fast Eats, and we're checking out some great things to try nearby.

Brian De Los Santos

This time. We're in Pasadena, but we're gonna be covering a bunch of La neighborhoods. Right, Gab?

Gab Chabrán

That's right, Brian.

Brian De Los Santos

From LAist studios. This is How to Eat Fast N' Cheap in LA. Entry number one: Burrito Express.

Gab Chabrán

It's a cute little corner building built in 1978, brick red sort of faux adobe. The decor is very much frozen in time-in a good way.

Brian De Los Santos

Inside, there's like only four booths-red seats, vinyl tables, this fake wood print. There's a t-shirt hanging on the wall with a big photo of the restaurant on it. It's fine. It's aight.

Gab Chabrán

I think we're going to do a bean and cheese burrito today.

Burrito Express Employee

Do you want mild or hot sauce today?

Gab Chabrán

Mild. Okay, let's do my mild today.

Brian De Los Santos

Gab is in charge of my stomach today. But they've got a few other options besides the bean and cheese-

Will, Burrito Express Employee

You know who Ross Perot is?

Gab Chabrán

Yeah, Ross Perot. He ran for president.

Will, Burrito Express Employee

Correct-

Gab Chabrán

In the 90s.

Will, Burrito Express Employee

Yes, so the Ross Perot burrito-beef, pork and chicken inside. And we say it's a it's full of it because, I didn't really remember him too well, but I guess they say he was full of it. And then the Ito Burrito, the Judge Ito Burrito.

Gab Chabrán

Right.

Will, Burrito Express Employee

Back in the OJ trial days.

Gab Chabrán

Yeah.

Will, Burrito Express Employee

Judge Ito was a customer of ours.

Gab Chabrán

Does he still come by?

Will, Burrito Express Employee

Once or twice a year.

Gab Chabrán

Okay. That's good, he honors his namesake.

Will, Burrito Express Employee

Yes. Yeah. My name is Will and you guys were in Burrito Express in Pasadena.

Gab Chabrán

Here in my hands, I have a bean and cheese burrito. Fairly rotundone size, I would say, maybe about five, six inches-packed to the gills with delicious bean and cheese. We have two different red salsas and a green salsa. I'm Team Green for life, personally. It might all come spilling out.

Brian De Los Santos

There we go. There we go. Yeah, that's all good. Yeah.

Gab Chabrán

Sort of tangy and sweet. The beans are salty.

Brian De Los Santos

The tortilla is not bad either. Yeah. So I knew I made it sound like we're just doing this series cus I'm hungry at work, I mean, yeah, that's facts. But we're also going to talk about the different food cultures across LA. Why do you think they set up a burrito shop or Mexican-American shop here in the middle of Pasadena?

Gab Chabrán

You've seen a lot of people that are here on their lunch break. A lot of construction workers or contractors. I mean, this is a substantial amount of food. You know?

Brian De Los Santos

How much was it in total?

Gab Chabrán

I think it was a little over six bucks.

Brian De Los Santos

We're going to be honest, real quick. Burritos are not the healthiest option, but they're pretty fast and it's cheap.

Gab Chabrán

If you're looking for a nice economical way to feed yourself, it's perfect.

Brian De Los Santos

All right Gab. Tell me what's next?

Gab Chabrán

Have you ever had a "Grinder" before?

Brian De Los Santos

(Giggling.) Not that grinder, right?

Gab Chabrán

Sandwiches by Connal.

Brian De Los Santos

Okay, I'm glad you added the sandwiches, because there's other "grinders" out there. (Laughter.) What the heck is a grinder though?

Gab Chabrán

That's a good question.

Sandwiches by Connal Employee

Turkey grinder, guys.

Gab Chabrán

What makes it a grinder?

Sandwiches by Connal Employee

Our oil and vinegar blends with our salt-our seasoning salt, the provolone cheese, the lettuce.

Brian De Los Santos

We're here at Sandwiches by Connal.

Gab Chabrán

There's lettuce falling out everywhere, but I don't care. I think it's part of the appeal of it.

Brian De Los Santos

You have to have some fun with your food somehow, right?

Gab Chabrán

It's kind of like confetti. You're having a little sandwich party to yourself, you know?

Brian De Los Santos

So you might have noticed a trend so far. We're not out here going to McDonald's.

Gab Chabrán

Yeah, it's true. Mom and pop shops are the bread and butter in this part of Pasadena. And I'm a sucker for these old types of establishments. The sign at the sandwich place is one of my favorites of all time.

Brian De Los Santos

What's so cool about the sign?

Gab Chabrán

Oh man, it's the lettering. There's these cool sort of mid century design at the bottom. And then right underneath is this beautiful bougainvillea that's growing, so it's this beautiful contrast of colors that I think makes it so uniquely SoCal.

Gab Chabrán

Okay, Brian, next spot is Roma Market.

Brian De Los Santos

Okay.

Gab Chabrán

You haven't been to this part of Pasadena before. Is that correct?

Brian De Los Santos

Yeah.

Gab Chabrán

We are currently at a small shopping center on the corner-of the intersection rather of Lake and Mountain, slightly rubbing against Altadena. Historically, the 210 kind of served as a racial divide between Old Town Pasadena, which was primarily white, and the Altadena area which has been primarily African American. Smack dab in the middle of all this is going to be a traditional Italian grocer. And that's what we're here today to try the sandwich.

Brian De Los Santos

Wow, they still got Christmas lights in here.

Gab Chabrán

We're inside Roma Market. It's a grocer, it's a deli. An institution, as far as I'm concerned, if there ever was one.

Brian De Los Santos

If you're gonna make an Italian meal or some pasta or something, you come here.

Gab Chabrán

Yeah, this would be the place. We got to pretty much I would say industrial size can of San Marzano tomatoes, Italian sodas, some bits of octopus, beautiful fresh ricotta cheese, burrata too if you need that. Some of this stuff I'm not even sure what it is. But maybe you want to go on a food adventure and you just want to grab something and try it for the first time.

Brian De Los Santos

I love all this stuff in this market. It's pretty cool, but we're here on a mission, Gab.

Gab Chabrán

Okay, okay, okay, come on.

Gab Chabrán

Hello. We're gonna do one of the sandwich.