Our picks of L.A.’s coolest spots for comfort and health food

by Stephan Horbelt

COMFORT FOOD

For years now, ‘comfort food’ has remained a popular trend in cuisine of all genres and price ranges. Perhaps partly as a result of our recent economic situation, even the glitziest of L.A.’s eateries are capitalizing on the draw of the home-cooked meal, plating up unconventional versions of meatloaf, mashed potatoes and the perennial favorite, macaroni and cheese. Here are some of our favorite places in L.A. to find mouthwatering comfort food worthy of Mom’s seal of approval.

Torung Restaurant

5657 Hollywood Blvd.
(323) 464-2750
$
Thai Town/Hollywood

This OG Thai eatery—found on the outskirts of Thai Town—is a favorite among those in the know. Its price and consistency can’t be beat, and it offers the perfect mix of local Thai dishes and the Americanized menu items that make smug foodies cringe. Open until 4 a.m. seven days a week, it’s the perfect post-partying meal when you’ve already spent most of your cash on Pabst Blue Ribbon. The menu is lengthy, the portions huge and the presentation nothing special—but that’s because the food speaks for itself.

What to Order: Start with the shrimp cakes and Tom Kha soup (the city’s best), with the chili garlic fish fillet and Pad See Ew with fried tofu as entrees. The entire meal should come to less than $40, and you’ll go home with leftovers.

25º

7000 Hollywood Blvd.
(323) 785-7244
$$
Hollywood

L.A. has many restaurants that fall into the ‘modernized diner’ category, but this one sits comfortably at the top. It’s actually not a diner at all, but an old-fashioned burger bar that’s been revamped to ooze the sex and playfulness of its host hotel, The Hollywood Roosevelt. While the decor may border on gaudy—black and chrome mirrored tile, fuschia wallpaper and leather booths—the food is nothing short of inspiring. For those unfamiliar with the restaurant’s concept, the bulk of the menu is comprised of burger toppings—everything from foreign cheeses and delicious sauces to avocado, arugula and portobello—making your burger a one-of-a-kind creation. Once paired with onion rings, sweet potato fries or an orange cream float, you’ll officially have found Cloud 9.

What to Order: The ‘number two’ (roasted tomato, crispy prosciutto, burrata, pesto), half & half fries and onion rings and a classic chocolate malt.

Blu L.A. Café

126 E. 6th St.
(213) 488-2088
$
Downtown

This cafe has a reputation for its mouthwatering burgers (voted the best in Downtown L.A.), but themenu has plenty of delectable choices for the hungry customer. Blu L.A. Café is the perfect size—not too big but not cramped—and its décor is downright adorable. Come in for breakfast, lunch or dinner, or find a seat at the small bar for happy hour drinks (beer/wine). Many breakfast items are served all day, because sometimes you’re in the mood for eggs late at night. A jaw-dropping glass dessert counter looms against the wall, so don’t think you’re leaving before inhaling a slice of one of the many cakes and pies on display.

What to Order: The perfectly flaky fish and chips (served with some of the best fries you’ve ever had) and the downright divine fried mushroom ravioli, garnished with homemade chili oil.

Rockwell

1714 N. Vermont Ave.
(323) 669-1550
$$
Los Feliz

Wayne Elias and Chris Diamond—the two men who made Mark’s Restaurant in WeHo the place to go—have done it yet again. Not long after purchasing the popular Los Feliz venue Vermont, the guys have created yet another space perfect for lounging, dinner and drinks. Tucked behind Vermont with an entrance off the alley, Rockwell is a multiple-level, open-air courtyard with something for everyone—pub tables, comfortable booths, a large bar with ample seating and an upstairs lounge area with a gorgeous 360-degree view of the city.

The focal point of Rockwell is a gorgeous, lantern-filled coral tree. Patrons can enjoy a meal on the courtyard level under its branches or upstairs among its leaves.

The menu at Rockwell presents California versions of home-cooked classics, including carne asada and spicy ahi tacos, buttermilk fried chicken and the comfort food staple—macaroni and cheese. In addition, the kitchen has created some amazing flatbread pizzas, topped with some of the most amazing flavor combinations imaginable.

The menu includes both signature cocktails and a decent-sized wine list, and sticking with the winning recipe over at Mark’s, the waitstaff is made up of adorable twenty-somethings.

What to Order: Dive into the flatbread with pancetta, crème fraiche, carmelized onion, fig jam and gorgonzola. Alongside your entree, try the rosemary-creamed white corn and macaroni and cheese. For dessert, scarf down the chocolate chip cookie skillet.

ORGANIC / RAW / VEGAN

Organic, raw and vegan eateries—at one time perhaps a ‘trend’—have become a way of life for many in Los Angeles. Today, restaurants looking to put its patrons on the right track nutritionally are more popular than ever—and the stereotype of organic eateries as serving up dreary entrees of tofu and sprouts has been offically shattered. Here are our top choices for restaurants that will not only fill you up, but keep your engine running clean.

Elf Café

2135 W Sunset Blvd.
(213) 484-6829
$$
Echo Park

This Echo Park restaurant specializes in organic vegan, vegetarian and raw Mediterranean-leaning cuisine, and with less than ten tables, it’s one of the coziest spots in the city. Started up by L.A. indie rock band Viva K, the cafe has more to offer than its obvious hipster credentials, with many of the menu items speaking (loudly) for themselves. This is a place meant for those who eat vegetarian, but just as enjoyable for anyone who craves a delicious meal.

What to Order: The tahini-avocado puree with garlic pita, the elf salad (greens with dill, avocado, potatoes and olives), and the roasted tomato and feta baked tart, served on a bed of mixed greens. Wash it down with organic limeade, or bring in your own bottle of wine and pay a $5 corkage fee.

Asanebo

11941 Ventura Blvd.
(818) 760-3348
$$$
Studio City

It’s pretty easy to find good sushi in L.A., but not so easy to find a completely sublime sushi experience. Look no further than Asanebo, one of L.A.’s few eateries awarded with a Michelin Star. In lieu of California Rolls and Spider Rolls, you’ll find some of the freshest and most creative, appetizing sushi and sashimi in the city. Over and over again, Asanebo is recognized for its stellar food presentation and excellent service—the supreme dining experience. While the pricing can be steep, most patrons would tell you it’s worth every penny. If you have the coins to spend, go with the omakase (‘entrust’ in Japanese) and let the chef present you with his favorite, most innovative dishes in double-digit courses.

What to Order: The homemade Agedashi tofu with soy dipping sauce is a must, along with the seared tuna sashimi and the shrimp and white fish spring roll.

Flourish

5406 Wilshire Blvd.
(323) 939-3932
$
Miracle Mile

As Cafe Flourish puts it, “your choice to eat here is a contribution toward the planet, your community and your health.” The vegan cafe is committed to using organic whenever possible, doesn’t use animal products and composts for low waste. You’ll find a menu rife with tasty flavor combinations, in the form of salads, sandwiches and even cornmeal-crusted pizzas—and something on the menu originating from every ethnic cuisine imaginable.

What to Order: The BBQ pizza, gluten-free mac ‘n cheese and the flourish roll (carrots, cucumber, cilantro, sunflower seeds, green onion, mint, peanuts and rice noodles in a leaf of red lettuce with coconut tamarind sauce).

Tender Greens

8759 Santa Monica Blvd.
(310) 842-8300
$
West Hollywood

One of Santa Monica Boulevard’s newest eateries, you’ve no doubt driven or walked past a bustling Tender Greens. The restaurant has worked hard to provide not just healthy eats, but an all-around healthful dining experience.
Designed as a small beachside cottage, the restaurant makes responsible use of recycled materials and environmentally friendly products. It has a lovely patio, but also enough floor-to-ceiling windows to make the indoor dining experience just as relaxing. Its streamlined, stainless steel kitchen is a work of art.

The menu at Tender Greens is particuarly health-conscious, a result of gathering the freshest ingredients possible. Most produce is picked fresh daily from Scarborough Farms in Oxnard, with other items originating from small local farms. The beef and chicken are grain-fed and hormone-free; the restaurant’s tuna is line-caught from the Pacific. Breads are made fresh daily by artisanal bakeries and desserts are baked inside every day. Even beverages receive the same commitment—the restaurant looks for boutique wineries, cool microbreweries and organic tea blenders.

What to Order: The chipotle barbecue chicken salad is nice and cool on a warm day out, but the herb-brushed albacore tuna with mashed potatoes and salad makes a healthy, filling dinner.