My first visit back to Los Angeles in nearly eight years was proving to be just what the doctor ordered: sun, fun and friends, plus a convertible for added effect. I stayed first in my old ‘hood with friend Joanna, where mornings on the back terrace rival the best therapy.
Every day up and out, trying to see as many people as possible between here and there with the top down, blasting my East Coast hip-hop circa the ‘90s (y’all know how I gets down…) and passing out by 10 p.m. Joanna and I had moments in the mornings and hikes to catch up, but she is a busy, focused woman, so we made an adult evening plan in the neighborhood.
The recommendation for Joanna’s “food friend?” Mess Hall (@MessHallKitchen, 4500 Los Feliz Blvd. (www.messhallkitchen.com). Together with friend Andre, we were off for my first night out in LA in a hot, hot minute.
Walking into Mess Hall, I felt instantly at home. The place was busy with patrons, and plaid-shirt clad servers buzzed by with plates of varied regional American dishes. Low lights, reclaimed wood and cocktail shakers were on overtime, and the oyster shucker was making it rain with $1 fresh West Coast mollusks.
The menu was overwhelming! In the interim, a couple dozen oysters and cocktails were needed. Ordering the bourbon Brown Derby cocktail made me realize we were sitting in the building formerly of the same name, an LA institution. Indeed, lots had changed since my last visit.
The meal at Mess Hall was eclectic but familiar. Highlights were fried green tomato salad, “k-pops” Korean kalbi ribs, Tokyo style wings and a “ration” of crispy Brussels sprouts. It was a fun night and I still passed out by 10 p.m. Thank you, Joanna!
There are a couple favorite LA eats still around. Although I didn’t make it to Mandarette for orange prawns and 10-ingredient fried rice, I did get to a Baja Fresh. I know, I was in Cali and I get Mexican food from a chain restaurant? Blasphemy! But baby, if a real Burrito Ultimo with my favorite salsa is wrong … You don’t know what you’re missing. #Stillgotit!
For my final days, I made my way west to Malibu to visit with my childhood friend Tamar and catch a Pacific sunset—an essential moment. Again, not about the food on this trip but Tamar needed her “food friend” to experience brunch at the West Coast SoHo House. She was so right that it was so wrong photos weren’t allowed inside, lest your eyes would be dancing across this page as mine were over a decadent buffet of inventive salads, seafood, meats, cheeses, hot foods and desserts. What a mitzvah, Tamar!
A morning drive down PCH to LAX, top down, sun on my face and a smile in my heart. Thank you, Los Angeles family. See you again soon.
Happy eating and thanks for reading!
Kysha Harris is a food writer, culinary producer, consultant and owner of SCHOP!, a personalized food service offering weekly and in-home entertaining packages. Questions? Comments? Requests? Feedback? Invitations! email her at kysha@SCHOPnyc.com, follow her on Twitter and Instagram @SCHOPgirl or on Facebook www.facebook.com/SCHOPnyc. For even more recipes, tips and food musings subscribe to her blog at www.talkingSCHOP.wordpress.com. Follow AmNewsFOOD @NYAmNewsFOOD.
