One of the things I love most about my job is getting to go to different events across the city and meet new people. LA is a total melting pot, filled with some of the most fascinating people. Sometimes it can feel a little overwhelming though, because there are days it seems like a city of strangers. There’s a special bond between southerners though, so any time I meet someone from the south there’s an instant connection. Last night I met someone from North Carolina, and of course we had to talk about all the things we missed most about the south. Without a doubt, high on the list was the food and we spent the next half hour talking about our favorite places in LA to get our comfort food fix. LA has really embraced the southern trend, so I figured I’d give a quick round up of some of my favorite southern inspired dishes and restaurants that manage to make me feel, just for a minute, like I’m not a plane ride away from home.
Hart + The Hunter 7950 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046 http://thehartandthehunter.com/ I am obsessed with everything about this place. The restaurant is small and cozy and everything on the menu is delicious. I would probably eat breakfast, lunch and dinner here if it was socially acceptable. The biscuits are small, but mighty and the pimento cheese is some kind of wonderful thanks to their special ingredient: aioli. I’m not sure of many places you can get a cracklin sandwich in this city, but they make a pretty mean one here. Oh and order grits with everything, because they’re hands down the best I’ve had in LA.
Superba Snack bar
533 Rose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90291
http://superbasnackbar.com/ Now I wouldn’t call Superba Snack Bar a southern restaurant, but they sure make fried chicken like they are one. They focus on “honest food with a true Southern California approach” and their house made pastas are worth a commute to the west side. A standout and surprise for sure is the fried chicken though, which comes with a red wine vinegar glaze, pickled chilies and is covered in parmesan. It’s what dreams are made of.
This has to be one of the most unique and beautiful restaurants in LA. As one might guess, the menu is based in french fare, but has a wide variety of dishes. Most importantly, their brunch menu features a biscuit and gravy that may be the best I’ve had out here so far. The biscuit is perfectly sweet and savory and beautifully plated to boot.
Messhall has an incredible menu, and dare I say, even better cocktails. I also feel it’s important to note that the wait staff is incredibly nice and knowledgeable about the menu, which is always a huge plus in my book. Now, I’m very particular about my shrimp and grits, as I feel any southerner should be, and Messhall does a pretty fantastic brunch dish. The grits are cooked perfectly and there’s a perfect ratio of grit to broth. Plus, it’s topped with a perfectly poached egg, as any good dish should be.
Can’t wait to try out those restaurants on my next trip to LA.
Oh, wow! These spots sound amazing and the pictures are making my mouth water. More to add to the restaurant bucket list 🙂