Lincoln Corridor Food Options Part I

I've nicknamed Lincoln street from the corner of Wilshire in Santa Monica to Marina Del Ray the Lincoln corridor. I've never said this to anyone, I just think it to myself in my head. Perhaps I should simply call it "Lincoln St.," but I feel as though it is more than just a street, that it has a distinct vibe to the commercial establishments along it.

Now first, let me be frank - most of the food options on the Lincoln corridor are disgusting. There tons of places I will never eat along this corridor. Nonetheless, there are also a lot of cheap spots and I like to eat cheap.

I will start at the corner on Lincoln and Wilshire and move South.

Baja Fresh - Most people know Baja Fresh. I think it's gotten worse in the past couple years to the point where I almost consider it fast food. That said, they have an incredible molejito (I am sure this is spelled wrong) salsa that you need to ask for from behind the counter. It's dark red and chunky and if it were served in a fancy Mexican restaurant I would say it's one of the best salsa's in the city. I like bean and cheese burritos with guacamole and when I go to Baja Fresh that's what I order. I get the burrito with chips and salsa and it costs with tax $5.35 and I'm totally and completely filled up for lunch. This is one of the only full lunch meals I know of anymore that costs only $5.

Lucy's - the original Lucy's is a small sandwich shack run by Korean ladies behind the copy store where I get copies. They have an incredibly large menu for a tiny sandwich place, full of salads, wraps, sandwiches, along with a nice breakfast menu - burrito, sandwiches, etc. They've opened another branch of Lucy's right nearby on Lincoln, serving basically the same stuff. It's a bit overpriced for very simple, home-made style food. But it's good and relatively healthy and the ingredients are always fresh. I usually get the tuna melt.

Arby's - I've eaten at Arby's two times in the five years I've lived in LA. I do not like it. But when I go, I get some sort of cheese-steak sandwich and a diet pepsi (yes, they serve pepsi, which is one of the reasons I went the first time). It's there, and I've eaten there, so I figure I need to mention it.

Bay Cities - basically my favorite sandwich shop in LA. I hear rumors about other good ones, and East Side Deli in Echo Park makes a mean meatball and sausage sandwich, but for overall quality and consistency and variety, nothing beats Bay Cities. The classic sandwich at Bay Cities is the Godmother, a mix of good Italian meats fixed with peppers, lettuce, tomatoes (the works, basically) fixed on Bay Cities near perfect Filone bread which they make in house. The cheap cousin of the Godmother is called the Poor Boy, which is basically the Godmother, but made with cheaper Italian meats - a lower quality salami, bologna instead of mortadella, ham rather than prosciutto, you get the picture. But you can get a Poor Boy sandwich for under $5 and it'll fill you up. So let me add that my under $5 lunch list - the Poor Boy is a very decent option. Moving on...the Meatball sandwich is amazing. Very simple - Meatball with shredded parmesan. The Chicken Parm is basically the same, except there is melted mozzarella on the chicken parm and they add parmesan and peppers as well. Another good meal is the Chicken Parm or Meatball "dinner," which is a small bed of pasta with a meatball or a piece of chicken parm and a dinner roll - basically half a piece of sandwich bread.

The menu is huge, so in the interest of time, I will leave with my current favorite Bay Cities sandwich - Roast Turkey with Havarti with the works. Hunh? You say? A turkey sandwich? That sounds like the most boring thing in the world. But no...if you are familiar with bay cities, you are familiar with the works, a spattering mess of spicy Italian peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, mustard, mayo all mixed with the sandwich meat and cheese to make the most lovely, messy combination. Now, my argument against the Godmother is that as a sandwich, it is too overwhelming to eat with the works. There are too many different spices on the sandwich and it ends up canceling each other out. You can't have so many different Italian meats on a single sandwich with peppers. That's like drinking a coke mixed with a pepsi. Why would anyone do that? Now, I'm stating my case too harshly, because I eat the Godmother occasionally, and it is a pretty awesome sandwich, don't get me wrong. However, on an everyday basis, the Godmother is a bit much - like a super hot, high maintenance girl. She is incredible the first time you see her and the first time you hang - tons of fun and full of confidence. But after hanging out some more, you realize, you can't ever be easy going and comfortable with her just sitting on the couch watching Seinfeld reruns. You see? The Turkey with the works is just spicy enough to keep it interesting, but comfortable enough to eat while watching Seinfeld reruns. It makes total sense to me.

Tommy's Burgers. I don't get Tommy's. I know it has a ton of LA fans, but don't count me one of them. The meat is weird. Fine...I like the idea of messy chili on everything and it's an affordable meal. But I feel sick after I eat Tommy's and don't think it can be honestly put in the same league as In and Out or Fat Burger, even.

The Sushi Place with 50% off. I went here once with Phil and it was a below average sushi place. I think we're all quite spoiled with Sushi, since it seems to me there are a lot of good sushi places out there. It doesn't seem right to eat "bad" sushi. And to be fair, it isn't bad sushi, just a little below average...but again, what's the point in going to a little below average Sushi?

Ameci's - Do not go here. It is gross and disgusting. It is cheap Italian food. A much better dish is boiling up some pasta tossing olive oil, salt, pepper, and a little parm cheese on it.

My House.

To be continued.