Where: Northern Cafe (Beverly Grove and Westwood).
Why: Like you and your mom, I eat lunch every day. I often -- since I work freelance -- take this opportunity to explore the wondrous luncheon options LA provides. Driving stupid lengths to sample the new-new. Some times though, I go to a place and I just really freaking like it. Then I go back. Again. And again. It becomes a regular.
Right now the "regular" in which I am becoming a regular because I regular the place: Northern Cafe's new location on Beverly Blvd (by the Bev Center). In a city surrounded on its fringes by celestial Chinese, yet often bereft in its actual city center, LA could always use new options. What makes Northern stick out, aside from tasty food, is the affordability. You can eat a large plate of flavor-packed, spicy noodles (which although not made in house, taste as if they were) for like ten bucks. Since it's walk up and order, no serving fee either. Their dumplings, which ARE made in house, also go at an extremely affordable price point. My go-to order usually consists of the Lao Gan Ma Fried Noodles (pictured above) and the Sauteed String Beans. The blistered beans come with a side of white rice, but my move: throw the veggies right in the noods. I usually eat about half. Then the lefties for a satisfying dinner.
If you're like me, you constantly crave Chinese food - but many times that involves either, a) slow, unnecessary table service or b) shitty food. Northern Cafe is the sort of Chinese joint that should be on every damn corner in LA. I'm serious. There should be one in Culver City. Santa Monica. On Larchmont. Downtown.
If you want to read about Northern Cafe's history, I direct you to Joshua Lurie's solid piece for Eater on the local mini-chain over.
