A Culinary Road Trip: California
I grew up in Los Angeles, California, one of the most multicultural cities in the United States. In conjunction with the ethnic and cultural diversity there, California — and Southern California in particular — is known to have it’s own “vibe”, a defining characteristic that is just “Californian” in nature. This can be exemplified by the palm trees, surfing culture, colorful outfits and even laid back attitude of the people that live there. One of the most special parts of this “Californian vibe”, however, is the food. The vibrant cultures that coexist in the city combined with the stereotypically health conscious attitudes of Angelinos has produced a cuisine that I don’t think can be found anywhere else. Let me show you just a few of my favorite foods to eat in L.A to get a taste of the Californian vibe.
Salad
You may have not expected a dish like salad to make this list, and that’s understandable. In most other places, salad is thought of as a boring food. But one of the things that contributes to the Californian vibe is innovation in food, and I think that the way Californian cuisine reinvented the salad is a prime example of that. There are countless shops and restaurants that make delicious variations of salad with innovative sauces and ingredients. With the amount of options there are, it’s nearly impossible to not find something you like.
Poke
Although I’m not a huge fan of the beaches in Los Angeles (controversial opinion, I know), I am a huge fan of the fish that comes out of the ocean nearby. Sushi is super popular in California, but my favorite form of it has to be a dish called Poke. Poke consists of usually a bed of rice or salad topped with raw fish and vegetables. It’s quite a refreshing dish. Although it originated in Hawaii, I feel as though the freshness of the fish and vegetables gives it a California feel. Check out this vlog about eating poke in California.
Tacos
This may just be the most important food on this list — you can’t talk about California without talking about Mexican food. Walking down any given street in L.A you’re highly likely to run into a taco stand. While some of these places may not look the part, there are some taco stands that are incredibly famous among Angelinos, and have probably served their neighborhoods for generations. If you’re ever in Los Angeles, making a stop at one of these is a must (especially after a night out). Check out this video to get a better sense of street tacos in LA.
All of these foods you can get anywhere in the U.S. However, California gives them a special twist that has an unexplainable flavor of its own. You can really taste the fact that there are so many people from all corners of the world, from many different generations. The relaxed atmosphere and focus on fresh, healthy ingredients really does translate into a delicious cuisine. If you’re ever in California, make sure you check out these dishes!
In the meantime, here are a few recipes I like to make at home: poke, this salad or another one, and tacos.
Vocabulary list:
In conjunction with (phrase) - together with
Laid back (adj) - relaxed, easygoing
Health conscious (adj) - concerned about one’s health and diet
Angelinos (n) - slang for people that live in Los Angeles
Bed of rice (phrase) - a phrase describing the bottom layer of rice in a bowl
Look the part (idiom) - to have the appearance necessary of the situation
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Maya Sobchuk is a third-year at Macalester College in Minnesota studying international law and international relations theory. She is from Kyiv, but grew up in Los Angeles, California. She has previously worked for the Kyiv Post, is the Web Editor for her college newspaper, and is involved with Ukrainian-American causes in Minnesota. Maya is particularly interested in the post-colonial space, multilateral diplomacy, and disinformation.