Los Angeles, CA

The web designer at my office is obsessed with Big Jo’s.  It’s basically a large, converted garage at Broadway Ave. and 20th in Santa Monica, a hop and skip from business row on Colorado.  I was curious what the hooplah was about so I went with him and ordered exactly what he ordered (except I got the diet version of his Pepsi).  It was the best chili cheese burger and fries I have ever had. 

The thick, wavy cut fries come in their own bag so you can take the special Big Jo’s seasoning salt and shake it up with the fries.  It was so delicious it instantly transported me to the days at Wild Waves Water Park in Federal Way, Washington where my grandmother would take me during the summers.   Between water slides and the wave pool I’d nosh on seasoned fries and caramel apples and listen to the weird sounds my jaw would make when I’d chew with my ears clogged with water.

The chili cheese burgers at Big Jo’s were exactly what I imagine a chili cheese burger should be: big flavor and a whole lot of mess!  I had basically wolfed down the last bite before I even realized I was done, but not before I had gone through about six napkins from the chili getting all over my hands and face.  

After lunch I stumbled back to the office in a chili cheesy food daze.  It’ll be hard to spend my lunch hour at Quiznos now that I’ve discovered Big Jo’s.   

My favorite place to get brownies:

Corner of Vermont Ave. and Franklin, Los Feliz. 

I’m the first to admit that life sometimes gets away from me. Hormones, heat indexes and plain ol’ crazy folks can come out of the woodwork, testing my faith and patience. Aside from a well-placed, pin-cushioned doll, soothing teas are a more sensible approach. Zen Zoo Teahouse, founded by J. Alfred Ritter and Linda Yu, offers Asian cuisine and tea beverages with a serene ambience to de-stress all things chaotic.

Their popular Zodiac Zenfusions are made with tapioca (a chewy Chinese gummy bear consistency) called “Black Pearls”. Reason alone to escape into the tranquil walls of one of their three locations.

Last week I wrote about The Old Spaghetti Factory soon being closed down in LA.

Now there’s an event being held by the Southern California Restaurant Historical Society in which they will celebrate restaurants both past and present. By commemorating restaurants still open, they also keep the memory alive of former places that no longer exist. At 10:00A.M. on May 26th, the event is going to be held at Clifton’s Brookdale Cafeteria. The cost is completely free to attend, with the motto of “Pay What you Wish, Dine Free Unless Delighted”.

Special guests to be present at the event are D.J. Waldie, Charlie Perry, Chris Nichols, and Robert Clifton, all of whom have a strong connection to culinary arts in the L.A. basin.

For more information on how to attend, and details of the event, visit LottaLiving.com and Clifton’s Cafeteria.

[From blogging.la]

On June 19th, one of the best spaghetti places in LA is going to be closing it’s doors and will eventually become part of a local project which will result in 38,000 sq. feet of office space, 125 condos, and 10,000 sq. feet of retail locations.

This marks just another Hollywood landmark being torn down, along with the Tiki Bar, and Trader Vic’s which met their end not too long ago.

The Old Spaghetti Factory has many locations around the United States. The original restaurant opened it’s doors in Portland Oregon on January 10th of 1969. Sales for the first night were considered a “complete bust” at $171.80, but the Old Spaghetti Factory only got better from there on. Within the week, the store was making $900 a night, and by the end of the year, had reached $400,000. By 1970, owner Guss Dussin started two more restaurants with the same name, and today, The Old Spaghetti Factory has become an international restaurant that serves over 10 million customers a year.

When the Hollywood location closes down on June 19th, there will still be 5 more So. Cal locations, including Duarte, Riverside, and Fullerton, but the Hollywood location will be sorely missed by many.

I highly recommend checking this place out if you already haven’t, and going at least one last time before it’s too late.

The Old Spaghetti Factory is located at 5939 Sunset Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028.

You can view the restaurant menu and hours on the Old Spaghetti Factory website here.