One of the reasons why I would never move away from Los Angeles is Tommy's double cheeseburger with extra chili.  It is quite simply the best burger known to man.  It's not so much that the burger is so great, but that it's topped with an incredible chili, that Tommy Koulax created over sixty years ago.  The chili is so good that it could even make broccoli taste good.  Now that's something, though I haven't tried it.  So, with this great chili on top of it, a regular burger turns into a work of gastric art.  Tommy Koulax started his burger and hot dog stand on the corner of Beverly and Rampart Boulevards, which still stands to this day.  Your bound to find a line of people at all hours of the day, but the wait is never that long.  There are now 23 locations throughout Los Angeles and Orange counties, so your never too far away from Tommy's.  One of the greatest things about Tommy's is how democratic it is.  At the Beverly and Rampart location you can find yourself standing in line with a night watchman, a movie star and a homeless guy.  You never know who is going to be there.  But, best of all, the burgers are the best in town.

The best pastrami sandwiches in town are served up at Johnny's Pastrami near the corner of Sepulveda blvd. and Washington place in Culver City.  Piled really high on a roll, the pastrami seems to never stop.  Top it with a slice of cheese, and mustard and there isn't anything better.  A side of fries, and a shake and the perfect lunch is complete.  Some people who love pickles will love the side of pickles that come with the sandwich.  I don't like them, but I always save them for someone who does.  Johnny's has some great food other than their pastrami sandwiches, like burgers and such, but the first time you go you must eat the pastrami sandwich.  You'll love it.

In the middle of the valley there is the community of Tarzana, said to have been name for Tarzan.  There are varying opinions as to whether that is true.  However, one thing is clear, Tarzana is home to a great little sub shop called Mick's Subs.  Mick's has a great variety of cold and hot sandwiches.  Try the Italian cold cut sandwich, pilled up with three kinds of meat, and cheese.  Or, if your in the mood for a Cheese Steak sandwich, there are many varieties of Cheese Steaks served up at Mick's.  There's your traditional steak with onions and cheese, or the pizza steak with tomato sauce.  Add a few peppers and your in heaven.  Don't want a sandwich, there is also pizza, and spaghetti and meatball dinners.

Clifton's Cafeteria is a Los Angeles institution that has been around for more than 70 years.  As a kid I used to dine at Clifton's at least once a week.  I loved going to Clifton's not only for the food but because of the ambiance.  I thought of it as the Disneyland of restaurants.  Why wouldn't I?  It has a waterfall!  Modeled after the redwood forests of upper California, the interior of Clifton's is unlike any other restaurant your apt to visit.  My favorite sitting location was right next to the waterfall because it not only felt like I was in the middle of a forest, but also because it has the best view of the whole restaurant.  Ambiance is not the only reason to visit Clifton's.  The real reason to visit Clifton's is the food.  Clifton's food is served in a buffet style, allowing everyone to custom make a great meal.  A variety of salads abound at Clifton's.  Fruit salads, garden salads, or if your in the mood for a little bit of everything, the salad sampler.  There's a large variety of soups, like Navy Bean, Split Pea, Clam Chowder; Cream of Broccoli, and Turkey Rice.  Choose from a myriad of entrees like: roast turkey and beef, ham and brisket, all carved by hand to order.  There's fish, like baked halibut and grilled cod, along with chicken dishes like chicken teriyaki or cacciatore, pork spare ribs, lamb shanks, pastas, and enchiladas.  Most entrees include an accompaniment like scalloped potatoes, lemon rice.  Don't fill up too much, because Clifton's has a huge variety of desserts like: pies, cakes, custards and puddings.  But that's not all, there's also apple pie with vanilla sauce, pecan pie, carrot cake, and great tapioca.  In short, at Clifton's you'll never get bored of the food.

The Bob's Big Boy in Burbank is the oldest remaining restaurant of the chain in the U.S..   Marked by the clean lines of googie, coffee shop, architecture, Bob's is a nice place to have a cup of coffee, or dinner, or breakfast in the middle of the night.  Two of my favorites are the Big Boy hamburger, which is a lot like a big mac, but it tastes way better.  Second favorite thing is the hot fudge cake, which is a great dessert after having a Big Boy hamburger.  But don't think that you can't get something else to eat.  The Belgian waffles are super good too, any time of the day.  I've had them in the morning, and in the middle of the night... they're good.  Not only is the food good, but the environment is cool.  Being one of the last googie style coffee shops around, Bob's exudes nostalgia towards a bygone era.  It's a great place to go.

In my continued search for a great pastrami sandwich a friend of mine took me to The Hat, and I was not disappointed.  The Hat is famous for the great pastrami dip sandwiches, which are pilled high with loads of great tasting pastrami.  Order a side of chili fries, and a cherry Coke, and you're in heaven.  I make special trips to get out to The Hat, from time to time, because it's just such a great sandwich.

Found right in the middle of Hollywood, it's no wonder that the walls at Pink's has dozens of pictures of movie stars.  However, possibly running into a movie star isn't the only reason to visit this hot dog stand.  The real reason is the food.  Famous for their chili dogs, Pink's has become a Los Angeles tradition since it opened in 1939 on the corner of La Brea and Melrose.  Like Tommy's you are sure to find every kind of person waiting in line for a great chili dog.

The first thing you notice when you walk into Domingo's is the great smell, because you've entered an authentic Italian market and deli.  Domingo's carries some hard to find Italian groceries, but the real pleasure at Domingo's is the food.  Everything from submarine sandwiches, eggplant and meat lasagnas, to fresh baked Italian breads can be found at Domingo's.  The freezer section has a great variety of lasagnas, pizzas and other Italian dinners, already for your oven.  Don't want to wait for your meal to defrost, buy a fresh lasagna, or a great submarine sandwich.  I guarantee you can't go into Domingo's and not eat something after getting a whiff of all the goodies.

Named one of the best burgers in Los Angeles for good reason.  Pie 'N Burger is a small dark lunch counter that is short on decor.  But Pie 'N Burger isn't about decor, it's about great hamburgers.  I've been back over and over again for the great burgers and fries.  The buns are toasted just right, the meat is juicy, the lettuce is crisp, and the homemade 1000 island dressing is super tangy.  Get the half order of fries if you're alone because a full order is huge.  If that isn't enough there are handmade shakes and pies.

Pann's is quite simply a throwback to a bygone era.  Fifty's style diners have been emulated by such franchises as Johnny Rocket's.  But what these places forget is that a restaurant is more than decor, it's good food.  Pann's is not just a pretty bulding in the Googie style, but it is that style of food.  It's authentic comfort food, great tasting and fulfilling.  Try the patty melt, it might be the best in the city.  My personal favorite dessert is the Apple-peach cobbler.  It is nothing short of great.  So if you're into Googie style restaurants, or just want a really great meal, head to Pann's.

The Counter in Santa Monica was voted one of the best burgers in Los Angeles, so it's no wonder you're likely to find the place packed on any given day.  It's not hype though, The Counter does have one of the best burgers in town.  The hip vibe of the place is not in lieu of a good burger.  The customizable burgers are as unique as the person who orders them.  I've yet to have the exact same burger every time I go there.  The other surprise are the fries, which is a compliment to any burger.  Some places have good burgers but lousy fries.  The Counter has some really good fries and onion rings, as well as shakes.  The chili fries are ultra good, and so are the sweet potato fries.  The food is updated and the place is hip, but the owners thankfully kept the burger classic.  It all starts with the burger patty, and the ones at the Counter are juicy, tasty, and big.  Try the stackers too, they're small but are quite filling and super tasty.

There are a couple of other fine pastrami sandwiches featured here, but arguably Langer's pastrami sandwich is the best in the city.  Unfortunately Langer's is in what used to be one of the nicest parts of town, but is now nothing short of sad, MacArthur Park.  But the pastrami is worth the trek.  Hours are limited, since the deli usually closes at 4 p.m..  So go early.

Situated in a quaint street in Studio City, the Aroma Cafe (as it's commonly known) is a hidden pleasure of food and desserts.  Patio dining is the norm here, which makes it a perfect place to sit and hang out with a friend or special someone.  The menu features salads and paninis.  But don't fill up on the main course because the real pleasure here is the huge assortment of cakes, pies, and other baked goods that will keep you saying, "It all looks so good, I don't know what to pick."  You can't go wrong with the devil's food cake though (a personal favorite). 

If you could go back in time to a place that never really existed you would probably find an old ice cream parlor just like Fosselman's in Alhambra.  Ice cream is not hard to find in this town, just go to your local market.  The ice cream you'll find at your local store is passible, nothing special in any way.  Fosselman's is the complete opposite, crafted not just made.  It's worth it to go out of your way for this ice cream.  The ice cream is flavorful and smooth.  I wanted to go for years, but it was only when I got a job nearby that I was able to become a regular.  Like I said at the beginning, this place comes right out of a past that may have never really existed.  The decor is simple, but the quintessential decor that makes an ice cream parlor special.