Original Pantry
Living across from the Original Pantry the long lines that the restaurant commands, even at the latest hours of the evening. Located on 9th and Fig The Original Pantry has been a staple in LA since the 1920's serving up huge portions of American comfort food, something which Los Angeles isn't known for. The restaurant itself isn't much to look at; no glamour, no glitz, no Hollywood faux fabulousness. Outside the red and white strip awnings give way to a dining room that hasn't been updated since the 50's.
Trying to figure out why this place was so busy, twenty-four hours a day, a group of my friends headed over to the Pantry to see what the fuss was about. The line moved pretty fast (we avoided peaks hours and went around 11pm) and we were quickly seated. The waiter pointed out the menu on the wall and warned us the portions were big. My friends and I starred at the menu, not quit sure what to order; there were to many options. I settled on the Pantry Burger ($10.95).
As I sat and waited for my food I took a good look around. The building was showing the wear and tear of all the years that it had stood there, but it sort of had a homey feel; some place that my grandfather would go to. Thanks when it really hit me, the place was full of older men eating hardy meals. I took a bit out of the sourdough bread and coleslaw that came free with my meal. My food was full of calories, grease, and everything that LA is against. This was a place where someone could get a manly meal.
The food wasn't great. It was okay. The waiter was right the portions where huge, so big that I had to take some of it home. The meal was so greasy that it sat in my stomach all night and made me a little sick throughout the night. The coleslaw that Original Pantry has become famous for I found a little to be wanted. Yes it was creamy, but it was also very bland.
The Original Pantry is defiantly one of a kind in LA offering hardy food the would be impossible to find almost anywhere else, and the quality of the wait staff is not replicated anywhere else. However the food wasn't good enough to keep me coming back, regardless of the convince of the location.