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On my way to an LA Conservancy Walking Tour of Highland Park, a bright, colorful yellow building caught my eye and considering it was on a street running parallel to the one I was driving on, I probably shouldn't have been taking a peek. I did make a mental note; however, that it was a Mexican restaurant and that maybe, I'd check it out after the tour. Lo and behold, our tour ended right across the street and I knew it was fate.
Before I walked across joined by others from the tour, I did notice the remnants of an old sign with the words "Cafe" on it, attached to
the same pole as Chico's Restaurant sign. It seemed so somber in color and out of place sitting over a building that looked as if a rainbow exploded over it; yet, keeping that old sign seemed almost as an homage to what was past was actually pretty cool.
Entering the restaurant, with a blue sombrero touting "Respect Your Hood" painted above the door, I went into a dining area with red and green striped booths and with walls showcasing 
painted murals of Mexican life. It's not a very big space, but I really liked the vibe and soon a very friendly waitress came our way with menus. Even the menus were a little different than what I've seen before. These weren't pages filled with computer fonts neatly typed. Instead, the menu pages contained illustrated images and even the text, except for one section, looked like they were drawn with a feeling of liveliness. From the outside to the inside to the menu, Chico's was definitely a visual experience.
Before even placing our orders, we were served the proverbial chips and salsa, but that salsa was really good. The flavors were as fresh as the ingredients were vibrantly colorful. When it came to
ordering a drink, I skipped over the soft drinks and opted for a strawberry agua fresca. I have to say that while I like ague frescas, I've had them in the past where they were too sweet, too sugary, but the one I had a Chico's was just right and very refreshing.
While others in the group went for the tacos and burritos on the menu, my taste buds had a hankering for the pork chile verde and that's exactly what I got. My taste buds 
picked a winner. The tomatillos in the chili verde sauce added a nice tangy-grassiness while the chilies added a little kick to the fork-tender pork, which made not only for happy taste buds, but also for a happy me.
Overall, I really enjoyed my meal at Chico's, but more than just good food, Chico's is definitely a visual feast. Coming from a graphic design background, I can't help but appreciate the fun colors and the quirkiness of this restaurant space. I bet even in the gloomiest of days with pouring rain, Chico's bright yellow facade would still be a beacon that hungry customers can find their way to and with the good food waiting inside, who could blame them?
To see pics, go to:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/la_addict/sets/72157603917076684/
Chico's
100 N Ave 50 Los Angeles, CA 90042
(323) 254-2445
Last week, I went on a morning job interview in Santa Monica. Unfortunately, it didn't quite go the way I would have liked, but that's how it goes sometimes. Feeling in a contemplative mood, I decided to forgo the usual freeway rush home and decided to take a more leisure drive along Pico Boulevard, heading East. Having not had breakfast and lunch time near approaching, I decided that if I saw any interesting hole in the wall restaurant along the way, I'd stop for food.It seemed like I was driving for a long time and with my stomach grumbling, nothing was catching my eye until I saw the sign simply stating "World Famous Oki-Dog." The neighborhood was a little dilapidated and this fast food joint looked a little run down, but there was something about the 
words "Oki-Dog" that was pulling me in.In my head, I was trying to flip through thousands of Chowhound posts I've read and past TV shows that I've seen that focused on unusual hot dogs in the US to try and remember what made up a Oki-Dog, but drew a complete blank. Finally, I decided to park and give it a try. After all, I had no idea of when I'd be back in this part of town again.Coming from an interview, I'd say I was dressed pretty nicely, so I definitely stuck out and got my share of stares as I walked up to the counter, both from customers and the counter staff. However, undeterred and with confidence, I ordered the Oki's Dog with Cheese and sat down to wait for my order.Soon, my order was ready and as I picked up the paper plate and brought it to my table, I saw that my Oki-Dog was kind of flat and wrapped in a yellow paper. Looking at it, a memory started forming and it hit me that an Oki Dog was a burrito dog. Of course, taking it out of its wrapper confirmed it, but then I also remembered there was more to this Oki Dog that met the eye. 
I took hold of the Oki-Dog and ate my way along the edge of the burrito, sat it down back on the plate and took a look. Ah-ha! Now it all came flooding back. Yes, there were hot dogs, but included were also pastrami, chili and cheese, all wrapped in a fairly good sized tortilla. I think my arteries were scared, very scared! But in this case, a hungry tummy and taste buds that were ready for action prevailed and I ended up finishing my entire Oki-Dog to the last bite.
So did I enjoy my Oki-Dog? You bet I did. The chili was actually a stand-out for me. It had lots of flavor and also had a little bit of heat. If I ever went that way again, I could see myself ordering chili cheese fries and being quite a happy camper indeed. I also liked the slight chewiness of the pastrami and the juiciness of the hot dogs. In general, I'm glad I made a stop at the World Famous Oki-Dog. While I wouldn't drive all the way from the Eastside just for an Oki-Dog, that doesn't mean I wouldn't consider making a stop if I just happened to be in the neighborhood. If you happen to the blue and white sign, you might want to check it yourself as well. Just don't tell your arteries that I encouraged you.To see pics, go to:http://www.flickr.com/photos/la_addict/sets/72157603681938079/World-Famous Oki Dog5056 W Pico BlvdLos Angeles, CA 90019(323) 938-4369
On my way to an LA Conservancy Walking Tour of Highland Park, a bright, colorful yellow building caught my eye and considering it was on a street running parallel to the one I was driving on, I probably shouldn't have been taking a peek. I did make a mental note; however, that it was a Mexican restaurant and that maybe, I'd check it out after the tour. Lo and behold, our tour ended right across the street and I knew it was fate.
the same pole as Chico's Restaurant sign. It seemed so somber in color and out of place sitting over a building that looked as if a rainbow exploded over it; yet, keeping that old sign seemed almost as an homage to what was past was actually pretty cool.
painted murals of Mexican life. It's not a very big space, but I really liked the vibe and soon a very friendly waitress came our way with menus. Even the menus were a little different than what I've seen before. These weren't pages filled with computer fonts neatly typed. Instead, the menu pages contained illustrated images and even the text, except for one section, looked like they were drawn with a feeling of liveliness. From the outside to the inside to the menu, Chico's was definitely a visual experience.
ordering a drink, I skipped over the soft drinks and opted for a strawberry agua fresca. I have to say that while I like ague frescas, I've had them in the past where they were too sweet, too sugary, but the one I had a Chico's was just right and very refreshing.
picked a winner. The tomatillos in the chili verde sauce added a nice tangy-grassiness while the chilies added a little kick to the fork-tender pork, which made not only for happy taste buds, but also for a happy me.
