Le Blog.

As I’ve mentioned, I’ve made it my personal little goal to do a bit more exploring in the downtown area of Los Angeles. I even went as far as to ride the subway on this particular adventure, which to be honest wasn’t my cup of tea. It really wasn’t any faster than driving, which I still had to do to get to the subway from my house. But I digress. What I’m really here to divulge is the exquisite treasure I discovered in Little Tokyo in the form of Ramen. Oooooh how I love ramen! Although unbeknownst to me I had never experienced REAL ramen. There are many, many restaurants in and around LA that claim to be authentic ramen, they are not. I would venture to guess if it’s not located in Little Tokyo, it’s faux ramen or fa-men as I like to call it. Shin-Sen-Gumi Hakata Ramen however, may as well be in the heart of Tokyo. Once inside I was instantly transported into the hustle and bustle of what I imagine this restaurant would be like on the streets of Japan. There was a flurry of activity, a whirlwind of waiters shouting orders and greetings, it was hot, crowded, and aromatic and everything happened in fast-forward. Luckily we were seated at the bar, which was really fun because we got to watch the chefs prepare the broth and noodles in vats the size of my apartment. It was awesome. Here’s what I ordered: Hakata Ramen 1/2 bowl Pork Cutlet Bean Sprouts Curry Bomb Sides: Seaweed Wonton Spring rolls This was the final result and what an explosion of flavor it was! They top the ramen with a plethora of sesame seeds and green onions. But my favorite part was the combination of the snappy bean sprouts and soft noodles. It was delightful. Their spring rolls were made out of the thinnest, crispiest rice paper I’ve ever had. I dunked mine in a mixture of soy sauce and chili pepper oil. Is your mouth watering yet. I’m a total sucker for anything curry but next time I might hold off on the curry bomb but only because the broth can easily stand on it’s own. I could have chugged it but I didn’t want to embarrass my dining companion. You’re welcome, Jacqueline. Post ramen invasion we walked across the street to the courtyard where children were running through the crowded path, their tiny hands full of red bean donuts a very in-demand dessert in Little Tokyo. Brightly colored paper lanterns are strung between the shops and in the balconies above old men smoke their pipes and peer down on the courtyard below like watchmen. It’s beautiful. We continued the tour and walked just a couple blocks to the arts district to check out some of the cool graffiti before taking the metro back to Union Station. I walked through the depot in the late afternoon when the sunlight was pouring through the windows. If you’ve never been, go. There’s another ramen spot right down the street that apparently always has a line out the door and around the corner. If I can wait, next time I might try it. Maybe.

I’m embarrassed to admit that after living in this city for 11+ years I’ve barely set foot in the concrete enigma that is Downtown LA. Why you ask? Mostly because of her tricky one-ways, the wafting smell of urine and the dark alleys where obviously there lurks a monster of one kind or another. For me, DTLA was the shadowy place the light didn’t touch and so I heeded Mustafa’s advice and steered clear whenever possible. But honestly 10 years ago she was unattractive. After decades of abuse and neglect the beautiful art deco facades of downtown began to crumble and slowly she became a shell of her former glamorous self when the well to do and celebrities flocked to her theaters, restaurants and hotels in the 1920’s and 30’s. I have wistfully poured over pictures and articles of that magical time in the city’s history. She was so spectacular! The reality however, the morose state of her disrepair always just bummed me out when I walked around the city. And so I would trek back up the 101 like the good little Valley Girl I am, leaving behind my dismal mood and an untold amount of unfulfilled adventures. But over the last few years I’ve witnessed a visible difference, a major revolution. Every time I visit there’s new construction being done or renovations completed or a grand opening for whatever new bar or restaurant has moved in. The change is incredible! This city is dusting off her flapper dress and rising again, albeit slowly, into the dazzling metropolis she once was. Think less of the 20’s glitz & glamour, though, and more urban vitality. There’s a new, contagious energy in DTLA that was missing before but that you can’t deny has taken over the city. I suppose I should give credit where credit is due. I have my fabulous friend Jacqueline to thank for my new adventurous relationship with Downtown. She, like me, is from Minnesota. When she told me she was moving out here and that she wanted to live downtown I was mortified! I thought, oh god, she’s going to hate it and move back immediately! But my words of hazard luckily did not pay off and she and her boyfriend Emmanuel moved there two summers ago. Because of Jax Downtown Los Angeles is not as much a concrete enigma to me anymore as she is an artsy, culinary jungle ripe with an unlimited amount of fun! I’m very much looking forward to getting to know her better…and soon. Rules for Visiting Downtown LA: #1. Go in off-traffic times or you’ll regret ever getting in the car at all. #2. Know where you’re going and where to park ahead of time. #3. On that note, bring cash for parking, as most of the lots don’t accept debit cards. #4. Go hungry. The food options down there are plentiful and worth the drive alone. #5. Finally, and this one is really important, those aren’t homeless people, they’re hipsters. Apparently there’s a difference. SaveSave