L.A. Letter: F**k Silverlake
Oh, I jest -- some of my favorite things are located in Silverlake. But my favorite, deceased LA surf-punk-anarchist beach blog, Decadent West, thought that headline up, and I think it works. It has nothing to do with geography, but instead has to do with people who have learned to accept, albeit unwillingly, the inherent hypocrisies in their lives, and those who deny that such hypocrisies could ever exist (even though they obviously do). Bottom line, geography has little to do with it, as people in both of those schools of thought exist everywhere, not just in Silverlake.
But with the past two weeks seeing both PhotoLA and ArtLA happening in Dogtown (a section of Venice and Santa Monica made somewhat famous in books and movies by 1970s-era skateboard rebels), the geographical origin of that theory has unfortunately surfaced, once again; i.e., the predictable, provincial, central LA hipster snipping has come out, even from bloggers and journalists whose beats supposedly include all of LA, not just the 323.
More deep thoughts after the jump.
"I don't know where to eat lunch there." "It's so far." Blah. Blah. Blah. Let's just say that we beach residents hear this all this time, and it saddens us, because we enjoy your company. But try and get a 323er (yeah, I love Veronica Mars) to come to the western 310, and it's as if you were inviting somebody to Kabul (that's in Afghanistan, for those of you in Los Feliz).
So in the interest of repairing diplomatic relations between the western 310 and everybody east of here, we've prepared a list of somewhat off-the-beaten-path cool Dogtown places where you can eat lunch. If the winter rain is upon you, you are trapped in your 10-foot-square Hollywood flat, or you are bored stiff in your snazzy, expensive Santa Monica beachside hotel, we the common people of the beach are here for you. Just stay away from Santa Monica's rancid 3rd Street Promenade, and you'll feel right at home.
Cora's Coffee Shoppe: Get the orange pancakes. Across from the Viceroy Hotel (a hotel airlifted from the Sunset Strip). Quite crowded most of the time.
The Counter: Booze, sports, vintage beach photos, awesome fries and onion rings, plus bitchin' made-to-order burgers, in beef, chicken, turkey, veggie, or whatever. Incredibly cool space.
Dacapo at Fred Segal Santa Monica: Expensive clothes and aloof celebrities, but the healthy food is affordable and delicious.
Mani's Bakery Main Street: Yeah, same as on Fairfax. Oftentimes slow service and sometimes annoying, especially when the new-age recorder players kidnap the patio.
Newsroom Café Santa Monica: No, not the one Lindsay Lohan crashed into -- the calmer, beachside location.
Swingers Santa Monica: Same as on 3rd street, but faster service and less crowds. Sometimes has annoying hipster waitpeople, especially late at night. Bitchin' jukebox.
Brickhouse Kitchen Venice: Best damn breakfast in LA, but stoned-surfer atmosphere. Enjoy the slowness of it all. If you're in a hurry, do not eat here.
Stroh's Gourmet: Astounding sandwiches, for chomping on a personal promenade, along the coolest street in LA.
Holy Guacamole: Take-out tacos that will make you horny. And then some. Flies must remain zipped after eating.
Joe's Main Street Diner: Another great breakfast and lunch, with better service than Brickhouse Kitchen. Waitpeople have no time or temperament for indecision or macrobiotic substitutions.
Rick's Tavern on Main: Good, cheap place to eat a huge burger and get drunk on the central LA favorite, PBR, on a wet California afternoon, or otherwise.
The Library Alehouse: Fancier and pricier than Tavern On Main, but with better food and bigger beer selection. Smoky patio.
2911 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310) 314-4855
Tortilla Grill: Awesome, cheap take-out Mexican, with Venice-slumming celebrity sightings likely.
Mao's Kitchen: Great, healthy Chinese food on the beach -- go figure.
Ye Olde Kings Head British Pub: Gwyneth Paltrow would try and perform some feng shui on all these pissed Brits. But screw her -- you'll have a blast with these drinking pros.
Blueberry: Weird owner who wears everything blue, even shoes and socks, even when working out at the local gym, but great pancakes and food for breakfast and lunch.
P.S. Leave your f**king Treos in your cars. We don't like them.
Cora's Coffee Shoppe [Cityguide]
The Counter [Official site]
Dacapo at Fred Segal Santa Monica [LA.com]
Mani's Bakery Main Street [Official site]
Newsroom Café Santa Monica [LA.Foodblogging]
Swingers Santa Monica [Citysearch]
Brickhouse Kitchen [Trip Advisor]
Stroh's Gourmet [LA.com]
Holy Guacamole [Citysearch]
Joe's Main Street Diner [Yahoo!]
Tavern on Main [Citysearch]
The Library Alehouse [Official site]
Tortilla Grill [LA.com]
Mao's Kitchen [Official site]
Ye Olde Kings Head British Pub [Yahoo!]
Blueberry [Frommer's]
Previously: L.A. Letter: Beacon, Dining Star of SoPa Art Scene, L.A. Letter: Rose Bowl Link Orgy, L.A. Letter: Of Tequila, Tortillas, Football, & Fudgepoofers, L.A. Letter: Wilshire Turns Love Box into Love Circuit, Where to Eat on the Beach?
