Heyo!
I’ve got 3 weeks left in Los Angeles and I. Am. BUSY. I don’t have much to say here for an intro, but I ate some reallll interesting things last week. Here they are!
*burp*
Meatloaf Sandwich & Fried Pickles at The New Deal
My good friend Jeff May has been recommending this sandwich for nearly three years now, and last week I finally said, “OK OK, please shut the fuck up, Jeff. I will eat the meatloaf sandwich.”
The meatloaf sandwich at The New Deal in Burbank costs $17, and it’s a hearty, peppery, thick slice of meated-loaf on fresh ciabatta bread with butter lettuce, pickled onions, tomato slices, and mayonnaise. It also comes with a side of chips, fries, or sweet potato fries. Those chips are cut and fried fresh, which is always a treat. More restaurants should serve fresh cut chips—they’re crispy, thick, and pack a wonderful potato flavor.
This meatloaf sandwich hit the spot because the ingredients were just so dang fresh. The ciabatta bread gets baked daily down the street, and it’s soft, slightly sweet, yeasty, and lovely. Really porous and light, too. The butter lettuce is crisp and dried properly (read: not wet), and the tomato adds a nice bit of sweetness, too. The meatloaf is really nice, and has a peppery taste to it. It’s just a refreshing, well-made meatloaf sandwich, man.
The fried pickles are $14, and they’re also a treat. While they’re not my absolute favorite fried pickles in the city (those would go to the pickles at Hermosillo in Highland Park), these stand out because they’re wet fried pickle chips. I don’t know that I’ve seen wet fried pickles before. They’re crispy, craggy, and surprisingly not greasy at all. They’re basically tempura fried pickles. What I love most about them is that the pickle is preserved perfectly inside—crunchy, fresh, and deliciously briny. They correctly come served with a sriracha mayo.
This is thoughtful, well-made diner food at a good price. $17 for a sandwich and a side? Pretty damn good! Respect the New Deal.
The New Deal
3501 Magnolia Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91505
Drunk Meal: Omsom Chili Sesame Noodles with Guanciale, Parm, and a Fried Egg
I got a little drunk on Saturday night, and when I came home I fired up this dope instant noodle brand called Omsom. They specialize in “proud, loud Asian flavors” and good lord they make good on that statement. The sauce packets are just intensely flavorful. My favorite is the Vietnamese garlic black pepper. What I love about these noodles is that they invite all kinds of fusion and fun add-ons. Clean out your fridge and build upon these noodles; there’s no wrong answers here. I drunkenly diced some guanciale (don’t do this drunk), rendered it, then tossed it to a big steel bowl of garlic black pepper noodles. I then made it rain Parmigiano Reggiano, and added a crispy fried egg for garnish. No, I didn’t take a picture. I was drunk. But damn it was so good. Omsom rocks.
Jade Noodles at Sapp Coffee Shop
Is there anything on Sapp’s menu that isn’t good? I recently caught this video of Poltergeist chef Diego Argoti eating their jade noodles and I said to myself, “Well, shit. I have just been influenced.”
The jade noodles feature spinach egg noodles topped with barbecue pork, roast duck, crab meat, ground peanuts, Thai chili powder, a small pile of sugar, cilantro, green onion, and I think maybe even some Chinese broccoli? Plus a lime wedge. Every bite is a new experience and a new flavor. As Diego put it, “The more you eat it, the more it dresses itself in a different way.” He’s totally right. One bite is spicy, the next is sugary and nutty, the one after that is earthy and meaty. There’s so many different combinations of flavors within this single bowl of jade noodles. This is a huge sleeper on Sapp’s menu, and it costs $15.
Sapp Coffee Shop
5183 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Shake Shack’s Veggie Shack
The veggie shack burger ($8.89) at Shake Shack is just incredible. An all-timer. Maybe the best out veggie burger out there, and it puts alternative meats to shame. To shame!!
The veggie shack is nothing short of phenomenal. It’s a veggie burger patty packed with sweet potatoes, mushrooms, carrots, farro, and quinoa. That veggie burger is topped with American cheese, crispy onions, pickles, and Shack Sauce. It’s so flavorful that it obliterates any other veggie burger. Suck it, portobello mushrooms. Kick rocks, Beyond Meat. This is as rich as a veggie burger can get, and it’ll satisfy your deepest fast food cravings without making you feel like shit. Shake Shack rules, man.
Oh, and the non-dairy chocolate shake is pretty damn good, too. They use NotMilk, which is this weird concoction of pea protein and other concentrates. It’s surprisingly milky and rich for an alternative milk. Shake Shake leads the way with tasty vegetarian options. God bless.
That’s it! Thanks for reading The Move! I’ll be back Thursday with some more hot tips for Los Angeles. If you haven’t subscribed yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR??? Get on it, pal.