Lunch is an unpretentious meal. I've heard of people spending $500 at a sitting to eat dinner at a fancy restaurant in LA. How many times have you ever heard of someone blowing this much cash at lunch,though? Nada. Zip. Never. Even at the pretentious Haute Cuisine restaurants in LA, there are often less pricey lunch menus that allow you to try an otherwise financially unapproachable menu.Also, unlike dinner, which can go on for hours, lunch usually falls within a one hour time slot.
A good lunch spot will have good food. This goes without saying, right? Well, I've gone to some expensive restaurants for lunch in which the ambiance was right, the service was great, but the food was mediocre. I didn't return. Above all else, a good lunch spot should have the food that makes you daydream of your next lunchtime there.
A good lunch spot will be crowded. If it's noon and the restaurant that you're checking out has an empty parking lot, then there's a high probability that there is a good reason for that. This is especially true for Fridays, working days before holidays, and similar occasions where workers will "splurge" for lunch instead of brown bagging it. Good lunch joints will be well-attended during peak hours.
A good lunch spot will be packed full of locals. It never ceases to amaze me that no matter which corner of the LA sprawl I venture to, there is always a "hot ticket" for lunch, invariably well known by the locals. Most of the time, interfacing with a person familiar with a specific geographical area is the bet way to find these hot spots. What makes a local lunch hot spot hot? It might offer a lot of good food for the price. It might have a regional specialty that you cant find anywhere else. It might be a place that has been around for decades, and therefore exudes mega ambiance. It may be the only place around that is not a chain. In any case, locals usually know where the good lunch spots are, no matter where you are in the city.
A good lunch spot helps you to get through a work day by allowing some escapism and some continuity to the day at the same time. Lunch helps take one's mind off work if only momentarily. This is an essential part of the creative process, as it allows the mind to wander and ideas to bloom.
In conclusion, a good lunch spot is a small highlight and perfect complement to one's day. While I may in time point out a few less than perfect lunch experiences, I will concentrate on highlighting good lunch spots.
Ed Milich