Right Fru - I didn't mention the roof top parking for 2 reasons- 1. Food622 mentioned they were going today (Sat) and street parking close by on the weekend is pretty easy to find . 2. Parking on the roof can be a hassle. I don't think the driveway up to the roof is wide enough for 2 vehicles to pass each other. Also, I once drove up there to find no parking space available and a huge SUV behind me ( I think it was a Canyonero) getting back down under those circumstance is a frustrating time wasting experience and one best avoided, even if the odds are low it will happen.

Inside is fairly small hole-in-the-wall type place and on a weekend gets crowded. A stroller might be tight fit. But they do have tables outside where a stroller wouldn't be a problem, if you can snag one of them. Street parking within 1/2 block shouldn't be a problem.

Karl -I heard recently on a cooking show that cans of tomatoes labeled San Marzano may contain other tomatoes all the way up to 100% non San Marzano. Is this what you're referring to in #2 ? Evidently calling both 1 & 2 San Marzano is accurate but #2 is deceptive. Also, evidently, there are canned tomatoes labeled San Marzano style.*

Also, America's Test Kitchen did 2 taste tests of canned tomatoes (a year apart) including 4 San Marzano, 2 *San Marzano style. However from the photos of the cans on results by brand page, all the Italian brands appear to be plum tomatoes (#2?) and they did not discuss DOP
The winner both times was Progresso packed in tomato juice (not their's packed in tomato paste).

Also America's

ciaobella- The "rare birds" pun was referring to "places in LA". Please re-read the sentence.

Thanks for the info. Who wouldn't prefer a turkey sandwich made from whole roasted turkey?

ciaobella - By "freshly carved turkey" do you mean roasted whole turkey (aka Thanksgiving turkey). That's a pretty big expectation considering if there are such places in LA that make their turkey sandwiches from whole turkeys, they're pretty rare birds. Do you know of any ? I do agree that pressed turkey can be bland and often pretty much turkey tasteless.

OP- The other posters here have pretty much covered what to expect from Wheatberry's. The comments about chain-feel/aesthetic are meaningless considering it does have a pretty nice interior for a casual eatery/bakery. Much better than Europane, which is a small whole in the wall, but has excellent croissants, very good scones.

I'd also recommend Green Street, eat out on the patio. Maybe try the croissants at Europane for a starter.
You might also check out Cafe Verde before deciding. Check out their website that ozzzygee posted, and read their Sunday brunch menu. Reservations are recommended at GS & CV.
I don't know if price is a consideration but GS and CV are moderately priced ($15-$20 pp-) but not cheap eats like Wheatberry.

If Wheatberry's within walking distance, they are too.

I tried Chili John's chili a couple of times and can't stand the stuff. 50% because it doesn't come close to what I think of as chili and 200% because it's awful.
If I at all cared , I'd start a thread "Someone explain why so many people like John's chili?"

Since I'm here, I'll add my 2 cents. I have a chili dog at Pink's on the rare occasions I'm in Hollywood, hungry for a tasty fairly quick snack, in the middle of the afternoon when the line is relatively short. I also get a chili dog at Tommy's occasionally. No nostalgia involved for me, I just think they're tasty snack's that hit the junk food spot.
I always order chili dogs easy on the chili. If you order them regular you have choice of either eating them w/ a knife and fork or end up looking like a 1 yr old after eating a chili dog. Eating a chili dog, burger or sandwich w/ a knife and fork takes away a lot of the psychological pleasure, turning what should be a satisfying experience into an unpleasant experience. Ditto for the 2nd choice.
Was that more than 2 cents ?

After reading the recipes, I gotta ask: Are you sure they're not called Mormon more funerals potatoes?

That's just ridiculous for the sake of being ridiculous.

"has anyone actually eatten one?" Since the ONLY way to eat it is to deconstruct it, turning into a horrible mess, I would think anybody would throw up before they could even start to eat it.

I gotta join in the Lucky Devils' fan club. All of the following are Excellent: juicy tasty beef prepd to your preferred donenes, Brioche bun, gourmet cheeses, grilled onions & homemade unique relish. Damn good fries too.

6613 Hollywood Blvd

eatemup, With Parkway Grill as a reference point. I'd recommend you check out Maison Akira, Celestino's, or Derek's Bistro. DB"s is more upscale foodwise and pricier, but Hey- It's your father's 82nd b-day. Follow The Oracle's advice : "call to see what they have planned for that's night's menu (if possible). "

www.maisonakira.com

www.dickensonwest.com

I wouldn't call the decor at Cameron's drab, just casual. The food and prices are in line with a casual place. Their fish is usually just OK.
I go there when I'm in the mood for an inexpensive decent dinner of sourdough bread, cole slaw, potatoes au gratin, and fish.

Gotta add my 2 cents in about Servorg's recommending Gerlach's Grill for father's B-day dinner. That's a good 1 ! IT'S STRICTLY TAKEOUT from an open air window with a bench to sit on while you're waiting. Servorg, you gotta admit you deserve sum good natured chiding, if not downright chastisement.

Gerlach's does have a variety of fresh well prepared, good size portions of fish. Very inexpensive. Tasty tarter sauce but the sides except for the salad are pretty much blah. If you get there b4 5:30 their lunch fish plates are only about $6.00. That's a heckofa deal for a nice piece of fish.

Gerlach's Grill, corner of Fair Oaks and Glenarm, attached to liquor store.

My idea of a hole in the wall restaurant: it’s in a storefront/strip mall building, smaller than larger, is inexpensively maybe tackily/badly decorated with older tables and seats. No guarantee, but it probably has been there a long time, meaning it has pretty good food at good prices. Think El Toreo in Old Town Pasadena. In Paris, I think of a creperie that cooked and prepared in the front window, was long and narrow with rustic rugged dark wood tables, booths, and chairs, filled with cigarette smoke, but good food and inexpensive.
Haven’t been to all the restos mentioned on this topic (thanks for the input), let alone all the French restos in LA. Of those I have tried:
La Vie in Rosemead gets my vote.
La Petite Restaurant, Le Petit Bistro definitively don’t qualify. They have good food at a good price but not the ambience. La Petite Café is a just little to nice to qualify. Also, the one time I ate at La Petite Café the food was prepared more American than French and not that good.

According to an article in the Pasadena Weekly, Rick's has received a reprieve from the wrecking ball for up to 2 years. They're still looking for a permanent location nearby. This is good news for all those looking for a Rick's fix in the future.

To me, crispies are the pieces of seasoned crisped exterior fat on the prime rib (& other meats*) , sometimes w/ a small piece of seasoned meat attached. I'm somebody who usually trims all fat from a piece of meat but not the crispies- great excuse to eat more cholesterol.

* My grandmother's ham had the best pork cracklins on the exterior. Pork rinds are a dehydrated far inferior tasting version.

monku is correct- the "prime" in prime rib refers to it being one of the 8 primal cuts of beef not the USDA grade.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standing...

wojpol- You state that Oinkster's pastrami is "very over peppered" and the Hat's pastrami is 100 times better than Oinksters. To me, that's weird because what I most remember about The Hat's pastrami (last time I tried was years ago) was how way overly peppered it was-that was the dominant taste sensation.

Chowhounders experienced w/ The Hat's pastrami- Is that still the case?

teenage glutster - Absolutely, Positively agree w/ you. Julienne's lamb sandwich is 1 damn fine sandwich. I've only tried the pre-prepared ones on a kaiser roll- as good as that is, rosemary bread sounds even better.
I hope other Chounders in the area are paying attention.

Dona Rosa's Torta Cubano may qualify in the "best sandwich description category"-
carnitas, Milanese steak, ham in handmade bread w/ guacamole, jalepenos,onions, panela cheese, refried beans, lettuce, tomatoes and chipotle mayo- but the sandwich itself IMO is surprisingly very bland. What's in between the roll can be described as a glutinous mass- all the meat seems boiled including the Milansa steak which is supposed to be a breaded fried steak. The only flavor is slightly pork.
I just ate what will probably be my last one yesterday.

I have to think that being able to get the results of a topic search sorted by date has got to be one of the most requested options. Other Chowhounders agree?. Moderators- When can we expect to see that feature?

If It's just me-I don't know how- please educate me.

Any sandwich that's stacked so high you can't eat it as a sandwich is not sandwich let alone the best.
Obviously there's no "best SANDWICH in LA period" but most variations of Langer's pastrami on rye qualify as a damn good sandwich.

IMO, the best ham sandwich is fr: Honey Baked. On squaw bread w/ mayo, their mustard, lettuce, tomato, red onion. I wish I could say theirs is the best ham & cheese sandwich, but the Swiss just adds cheese texture and flavor, (a good thing) but w/o any Swiss flavor.

The one time I tried Billy's Deli I was ignored by the servers standing together chatting, ordered at the counter to eat there, was chastised by a waitress for not ordering from from her at the table. Then watched as the waitresses fawned over a teenager (flagrant ass kissing) who came in with some friends. He might well as have been wearing a sign :"OWNER'S SON"

Maybe some sort of pizza.

In Pasadena on Sierra Madre , east corner of San Pasquale just north of California.

I like Bizou in Pasadena. Very nice restaurant, consistent, good food at very reasonable prices, especially considering how high the odds are that you're going to get a mediocre to worse meal at plenty of restaurants in the price range to more expensive. They also have a good good combination of happy hour/bar menu with discounted apps & lighter proportions.

OP- How many bottles of unrequested water did they charge you for?

They just received the prestigious "James Beard Pasadena Restaurant Named Central Park Award"

Did you complain? If your server asked “How is/was everything?” or something similar, what was your response? If you didn’t complain, don’t you think you should’ve, especially if you’re going to relay your bad experience (1 visit) on Chowhound. If you saw the Manager schmoozing other tables why didn’t you get his attention and tell him rather than just feel jilted?

Based on my experience and the majority of Chounders reviewing Central Park Café, your experience is an exception to the rule as I’m sure you realize (“after reading all the great reviews”). I trust other Chounders will try Central Park for themselves. I’m confident most will agree it’s a nice neighborhood bistro with good food and very reasonable prices.

OK, thanks for the explanation, but considering the demographics of the area have been unfavorable to Langer's for a looong time, I wonder if the # of those units are really any more nails in Langer's coffin.
I don't know how much effect it has on Langer's business but it's great to see MacArthur Park cleaned up. 16 years ago when 1st there I couldn't believe the drug activity, dealing, discarded vials, syringes, etc.

Woolsey- Since you live in the neighborhood I would normally defer to you on which way it's going, except for 2 things.....1. "There have been some building remodels, and, to pay for them, they take in low-income residents and evict higher-income ones" totally defies logic and common sense. 2. My own eyes tell me the neighborhood hasn't changed THAT much in 16 yrs.
Langer's may not be there in 10 yrs, but it's had a pretty remarkable (esp considering the neighborhood for a good portion of that time) & justified run for 60, and we can all hope and trust the Langer's pastrami sandwich will live on somewhere.
As for the cost, it's actually less than many other Jewish deli pastrami sandwiches. Some others have good meat and more of it, others just have more meat, but I'll gladly pay for the great taste and quality of a Langer's pastrami sandwich.
As for the #19 vs. #1 - I realize cheese on a pastrami sandwich is.. well -sacreligious, but I'm not Jewish, fortunately for my taste buds and I think cheese just about always makes a sandwich better ( I lean more towards Dagwood than minimalism). But I definately agree, any sandwich with at least the Langer's pastrami, that rye bread and sum good mustard is a great sandwich.