California Dreaming: One Fast Food Place at a Time

In my humble opinion, the best diet is no diet. I recently spent a week in Los Angeles, California for CUPSI (College Union Poetry Slam Invitational) which was awesome, but I also had to feed myself for the entire week on somewhat of a strict budget. Thank God for credit cards!

So, instead of hopping on the many famous Cali health crazes (which can get a little pricey — Jamba Juice will kill your wallet), I made it my mission to hit as many, infamous California, fast food places as humanly possible in one week. It was quite the experience, easy on my wallet, and absolutely delicious!

First on the list, in the heart of LA, was Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles.

That’s me, in the blue dress, and the rest of my team.

Now you might be thinking, “Chicken and waffles…Ew?” — But let me tell you, it was fabulous. For one thing, it was the best fried chicken I have ever had in my life:  perfectly crispy and not at all greasy. And the waffle was a great compliment…sweet but with a little kick of cayenne. If you ever find yourself in LA, make sure to stop by this place. President Obama has even given it his seal of approval; they have a picture of him with the kitchen crew hanging on the wall!

Next stop: In-N-Out Burger, a highly talked about burger joint. The burger was delicious, but the fries were lack luster. However, the milkshakes were MIND BLOWING! Again, put this one on your must-see list just so that you can say you ate there. I’d include Five Guys, Burgers and Fries also in this, though seeing as they’ve moved to the East Coast, you can probably skip it.

I don’t have any more big names for you, but I will say that you should eat at as many Chinese and Mexican places as you possibly can. Here in Massachusetts, I would never walk up to a window-only, fast food Mexican restaurant…for fear of food poisoning. But in Cali, go right ahead. It is all delicious, the portions are huge, and there’s a stunning variety of good beer to go with it.

Honestly, leaving California was really hard. The weather is fantastic, the landscape is stunning, and the social scene is unparalleled. I highly recommend it for your next vacation, and be sure to grab a margarita at the beach for me. These fast food go-to’s will make your stay rather affordable… It’s a twenty-something’s hot spot and I cannot wait to go back!

*J