Serving Larchmont Village, Hancock Park, and the Greater Wilshire neighborhoods of Los Angeles since 2011.

Cheap Eats for End of Summer Dining

Owner xxxx at Tatsu Ramen, from the shop's Facebook page.
Owner Ryu Isobe (l) at Tatsu Ramen, from the shop’s Facebook page.

During these dog days of summer, many of us find little time (or incentive) to cook at home, and look for those spots to grab a quick bite of food, either to take out or eat in, trying to cram every last bit of summertime into the last days before the routine of school,  football and fall days start up once again.

TATSU-ITE-BOLDTatsu Ramen opened on Melrose, just west of La Brea in July, offering fresh ramen true to Japan, where the steamy bowls of hot broth (cooked for some 12 hours) and noodles, topped by fresh meats, tofu and veggies finally comes to the La Brea corridor.  Created by former USC student Ryu Isobe, the Tatsu (dragon) Ramen eatery is a bright and clean place which has a ceiling that looks like origami. Dining is at bars and long communal tables, with a wide wall of glass doors opening to outdoor patio tables in warm weather. Truly a fast food experience in the best way, patrons order their meals via iPads enroute to the front counter, allowing them to pick ingredients.

Tatsu Ramen
7111 Melrose Ave Los Angeles, CA 90046
Soft opening hours: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch
7 p.m. to 10 p.m. for dinner

top-roundTop Round on the corner of La Brea and Olympic in the former home of Bee’s Donuts, has been open since mid-June serving up old school roast beef sandwiches. The menu’s ‘back to basics’  sandwiches from chef Steven Fretz use upscale quality ingredients, served from the bright orange and white outdoor hut that is reminiscent of Pink’s hot dog stand on North La Brea.

Dogs are welcome on the patio at
Dogs are welcome on the patio at Top Round.

 

 

The busy corner offers a bit of parking to grab and run, or take your pooch to the dog-friendly patio and watch the world whip by on La Brea.

 Top Round Roast Beef
1000 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, CA
(323) 549-9445
Daily, 11 am – 11 pm
 
Lots of outdoor and indoor spots to sit down at the Oinkster on Vine.
Lots of outdoor and indoor spots to sit down at the Oinkster on Vine.

The Oinkster Hollywood serves up craft beer in addition to a full line of “slow food” fast food sandwiches and fresh salads in their new location on Vine, across from the Pavilions. There is a great long patio facing Vine and another that allows dogs on the south side of the building, allowing lots of light into the interior dining area.

The Oinkster has an easy online ordering system if you want to cut a few minutes off wait time. We understand, though, you may still have to wait a bit in the shop while they actually cook up your order, guaranteeing you’ll have the freshest Oinkster experience possible.

 The Oinkster Hollywood
776 Vine Street, Los Angeles 90038
323-536-9248
Open 11am-10pm Sunday-Thursday
11am – 11pm Friday-Saturday
 
 

 Eater LA reports that Trejos Tacos will be refurbing the old Taco Bell stand on La Brea Ave, just below Olympic, as a modern taqueria in a simple 1000 square foot building with outdoor patio space attached. It’s a busy corner, but the new outdoor-oriented design by trendy Spacecraft will no doubt clean up the desolate corner and bring more life to the South La Brea corridor.

Tacos

No doubt the mid-city love for tacos is substantial: a number of taco trucks parked in gas stations along La Brea always have crowds all night. Trejos Tacos is expected to open this fall, 2014.

Trejos Tacos
1044 S La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA
Opening this fall.
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Julie Grist
Julie Grist
Julie co-founded the Larchmont Buzz with fellow buzzer Mary Hawley in 2011 and served as Editor, Publisher and writer for the hive for many years until the sale of the Buzz in August 2015. She is still circling the hive as an occasional writer.

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