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Hours:
Mon-Sat 10:30am-7pm
Sun 8am-5pm
On countless drives to Los Angeles/Orange County visiting family and friends, my husband and I attempt to hit a good meal to lessen the tedium of the six hour drive to and from San Francisco. Famously, LA/OC is a land where fast food and chain restaurants abound (many started here) and Angelenos often subscribe to the ease and convenience of these abundant options. I am a purist at heart, or as some in my family call me, ‘a food snob’, so I avoid what is traditionally classified as fast food (In-N-Out, the one exception) and most chain restaurants, like ‘the plague’, which to me, they are.
Anthony Bourdain wrote an essay on the subject entitled, “The Evildoers” (you can see how he feels about fast food chains!), in his crass (as always), engaging book of essays, “The Nasty Bits”. “The Evildoers” captures some of my views on fast food: instead of succumbing to mass corporatization, there can be such a thing as food ‘on the go’ (small bites, cheap) that is also local, fresh, supporting resident communities. Its antithesis is food frozen, pre-packaged, shipped from around the world, decided by national or worldwide corporations who dictate not only universal eating habits and tastes, but our very health.
Cultures the world ‘round have their versions of ‘fast food’, where taste and diversity are not compromised for value and speed. As an example, my months spent in both Thailand and Italy, two divergent countries, revealed endless street vendors and noodle houses (Thailand), or dozens of cafes (Italy) with appealing snacks, paninis, or the like, available for pocket change yet rife with flavor and sustained by locals.
So with my usual mission for the ‘real thing’ on our recent drive back from LA, I decided to find sandwiches for the road - truly “fast” food. We picked up food from the Artisan Cheese Gallery in Studio City, a few blocks off the 101 Freeway.
These sandwiches were a revelation! Though such raves about a sandwich may sound unwarranted (deli/sandwich lovers know otherwise), let me describe to you some of the goods from this charming storefront/café, tucked in the usual non-descript, dime-a-dozen LA strip mall:
The Louisiana Muffaletta is served on ciabatta with Molinari fennel salami (wonderful SF local, Molinari), Niman Ranch ham, Mortadella (a salami) with pistachios, 22-month provolone and olive relish.
My favorite was the Duck Confit sandwich on ciabatta with perfectly shredded, savory duck confit, a lush fig spread to sweeten it up and Le Marechal cheese. A pleasing blend of sweet and savory.
The delights continue: a Bacon & Cheddar sandwich with fresh sage and grilled apples or the “Mr. Fred” with Niman Ranch Ham, Gouda, spicy brown mustard, tomato and romaine.
In addition to sandwiches, they serve a superb array of cheeses (obviously) and a finely selected collection of artisan spreads, jams, mustards and peanut butters (like P.B. Loco, www.pbloco.com, which you can taste there). The selection is similar to many a shop or farmer’s market in the Bay Area: somewhat pricey (though often worth the extra dollar or two for a unique, quality product) but gourmet, from ‘local’ artisans. If you live in LA, don’t miss their Chocolate or Cheese tasting events, listed on their website.
This, my friends, is “fast food” as it was meant to be.
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