Food in Southern California, Part Three

Look, sometimes you just want to smell like garlic.

Food In Southern California, Part Two

The toughest adjustment for me since moving back to Los Angeles, foodwise, has been accepting that there's great food in minimalls.

I grew up as LA turned into a sea of minimalls, and I'm inherently opposed to them. I associate them with uncomfortable chairs, eating while staring at the parking lot and a busy street, and bored employees waiting at a cash register.

All those things are present at My Vegan in Pasadena. The food is so good, however, that it's worth it.

No ambiance. We sat within ten feet of our car, and our view was terrible. The sate with peanut sauce, however, was fantastic. My recommendation: try the "Supreme Fried Rice" as a sort of sampler of their treats, and add a Thai Arnold Palmer.

Food In Southern California, Part One

New York was a great city for food. Anything, anytime. Southern California requires a little more inside knowledge to do well. My best baked-goods snacking tip: go to a panaderia. Grab anything that looks like a jelly roll, and anything shaped like a shell. Inexpensive, fresh, tasty.