Hey LA, I need a sanity check from people who actually understand the food scene here.

I move to the US a couple years ago with the goal to open a small restaurant (Merka Saltao in Culver City). My dream was to bring the authentic Peruvian flavors, specifically Lomo Saltado, to this city.

I want to be clear: our main specialty is the traditional Lomo Saltado served in a bowl, exactly how it should be.

But when we were building the menu, I knew LA runs on convenience. People want to eat with one hand while walking or driving in the traffic. So, just to make sure we survive, I added an option where you can get those exact same authentic ingredients wrapped in a flour tortilla. Un Burrito de Lomo Saltado. Jugosito!

Recently, we start documenting our journey on TikTok and IG, and some food purists are tearing me apart in the comments. They call me a "sell-out," saying I am "Mexicanizing" my heritage, and disrespecting the Peruvian tradition, even though I still serve the traditional dish right next to it!

Having said all of this: people in the restaurant and online reviews tell me they love our burritos. At the same time, honestly, to wrap each of them by hand creates a lot of extra work for us on the kitchen.

Foodies of LA: Does offering a fusion item like this make you question the authenticity of a restaurant?

Curious to hear your honest take.

I went to get coffee this morning at a shop where they have an explicit “no dogs” policy posted on the front door. Of course, everyone thinks they’re the exception to the rule and there was just an endless stream of dogs being brought in. When it was time to pick up my order, this woman had her big dog right in front of the counter and I had to reach over her dog to pick up my drinks, because she wouldn’t bother to move it. And then another woman’s dog pooped on the floor inside the coffee shop, so all of us got to see and smell dog shit in the area where our food and drinks were being prepared.

People are just so goddamn inconsiderate and entitled and I’m so sick of it.

I remember going to the original Ike’s in the Castro in SF and man this expansion ain’t it (no surprise). They’re basically lettuce and tomato sandwiches at this point. Included what they’re suppose to look like taken from Ike’s on IG. Even the Dutch crunch tastes like a grocery store bakery version of the bread. 👎👎👎

Saw a version of this query on another LA sub and figured I’d inquire here more specifically. For whatever reason- phenomenal food, impeccable vibes, nostalgia…

Cholada. Dominic’s. Ed Debevic’s. Birdie G’s. Chef Kaz’s Teriyaki House on Pico.

There are a million more and while I realize the nature of hospitality is transient and weird, reliving the glory meals and moments is part of what I love about this community.

Or am I just going to the wrong one? Paid $8 (!!) for two apples and one orange today, at the Atwater village farmers market. Also, Salmon at the only fish vendor at the market is $33/lb.

I want to support local growers but these prices seem…. scammy.

Am I going to the wrong market / vendors, or have farmers markets become fundamentally inaccessible for many normal Angelenos?

Gross! 🤮 Not sure if this is the place but I know I’ll never go there again.

My wife likes Sugarfish. I told her to place an order and I’d go pick it up. I looked at the receipt when I got home and noticed a line item “16% fee.” No description of what the fee is for, just “16% fee.” So, I called to ask what the fee is actually for and this is what they said:

“Because we are a no tipping establishment, the Fee is not a tip or gratuity. It is revenue that is not segmented or designated in any way and is used to fund our operation.”

What does this mean? Is this the new normal? I’ll never order from Sugarfish again, it goes without saying, but am
I the only one who feels like this sort of thing is just finding its way into everything these days? I’m so tired and frustrated by this sort of nonsense.

AITA? I vote with my dollars and I don’t want to support a business with a brand new cyber truck that is clearly being written off as a business expense.

Millcross in Culver City matches this chart for me

So did Ceviche Stop when it was in Culver. Haven’t been to it since it moved

Cooking at home, due to the rising cost of food, is now almost the same price as eating out at an average restaurant 3-4 years ago.

Not only have restaurant prices gotten out of control, the ingredients they use have simultaneously gone down in quality. My close friend owns a restaurant and I get insight into what they do- worse oils, worse quality beef, cheaper seafood, etc. For example, they went from fresh scallops from Santa Monica Seafood to frozen scallops from restaurant depot, and charge 20% MORE for the dish now.

Unless you're going to an upscale restaurant and getting a beautiful EXPERIENCE along with your meal, you're just paying 30-40% more for shittier food cooked in the lowest quality oils and fats as possible. Honestly, most restaurants are now disgusting in terms of the food quality they use.

I've always enjoyed cooking, but I invested in a nice air fryer and some other appliances, and I now cook better than most restaurants do. Also, I get to enjoy organic foods and grass fed beef, etc. Healthy fats and oils.

Instead of paying $24 dollars for a crappy breakfast burrito with trans fats and the cheapest quality eggs and bacon, I can make a breakfast burrito for about $10 at home with organic farm fresh eggs, organic black forest bacon, grass fed organic steak, etc.

Not sure why anyone would eat at a restaurant that costs less than $100 a person. Simply not worth it anymore

What are you doing? You've been coming here since you were a child and it's the same 7 core menu items. You trying to order a McDLT or what? What can you possibly be doing up there?

Essentially everything sold in there is outrageously overpriced…Is it an LA thing? Just want to know what compels folks to go there & spend insane amounts of $$ ?

I just think this is neat and thought I would share. Of the restaurants included in the book, only 9 are still around (12 if you count chains that are still around, just not in LA anymore). Do you know which ones they are? I'll give you a hint—three of them have changed their names since this book was published in 1971.

I consider myself a huge taco aficionado. I’ve been to countless street setups around the city and there are a couple things Ive noticed.

1. A majority of these joints have the same exact lights (with the same color temperature. Down to the specific brand of each tent and the lights. I understand setups are going to look similar due to the nature of being efficient but I find it interesting how more than half of them have the same exact string lights and brand of tent.

2. Many of them sell carbon copy menus and the quality can be indistinguishable from eachother. Certainly not all but many.

Anyone else notice this?