LAGuide
The LA (Quarantine) TV & Takeout Guide
If shelter-in-place has taught us anything, it’s that we definitely used to take streaming services for granted (and also that we should be nicer to our parents, since we use their Netflix account). But after six (hundred?) weeks of this, it’s understandable if you’re starting to feel like there’s nothing left to watch. That’s where we come in - below, you’ll find our picks for great shows you can stream right now, and some delivery and takeout options to pair with them. We’ll be updating this list regularly, but for now, here are 16 combinations to keep your quarantine viewing feeling fun, fresh, and hopefully, just a bit more normal.
The Spots
TV Pairing:Normal People (Hulu)
“Sushi is one of the food chain’s most recognizable aphrodisiacs, so do yourself a favor and make sure you have Sushi Note’s Half Note omakase in front of you when you start watching Normal People. For $45, you get eight pieces of premium sushi (including their legendary gravlax), two appetizers, and a roll. It’s a tremendous deal - call (818) 802-3443 to order - particularly when paired with one of the sexiest shows you’ll ever see on TV. Abundant nudity aside, Normal People is also an absolutely brilliant, devastating show, with performances from Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones that you frankly have to see to believe. Let me put it this way - it’s been almost a full week since I finished the show and I still have to remind myself every morning that Connell and Marianne are fictional characters and I’m not actually in a love triangle with them.” - BC
TV Pairing:I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson (Netflix)
“I Think You Should Leave isn’t new (it debuted on Netflix in April 2019), but I don’t think I’ve watched anything else over the past year. Former SNL bit player Tim Robinson’s sketch show is stream-of-consciousness comedy at its finest, featuring an impressive list of guest stars and an even better cast of characters - Bart Harley Jarvis, the bottle-flipping focus-group guy, Chunky, etc. There’s also a sketch about a porn-obsessed dude in a hot dog suit, so pair your first (or 50th) viewing with an order from Wurstküche. Both their Venice and DTLA locations are open for takeout and delivery, so you could keep it simple with a couple bratwursts, or go gourmet and order a rattlesnake and rabbit sausage. Whatever your encased meats needs, add in some of their Belgian fries, too. You might even be able to pay with bones.” - JM
TV Pairing:Wormwood (Netflix)
“Wormwood is a remarkable documentary/drama miniseries about a scientist in the CIA who mysteriously fell out of a window and died in 1953. Directed by Errol Morris, it bounces back and forth between present-day documentary footage and a dramatization set in the ’50s (starring Peter Sarsgaard). And, much like Parm Boyz, the Italian-American pop-up that operates out of Ronan every Sunday, I keep waiting for people to start talking about it. Their four-course meal features Caesar salad, chicken and eggplant parm, and some excellent tiramisu. So these two under-the-radar stars go together perfectly - both are addictive and deeply satisfying. Only one of them involves an acid trip gone wrong (that we know of), but Parm Boyz is a journey in its own right.” - BK
TV Pairing:Avatar: The Last Airbender (Netflix)
“First off, whether you’ve seen the show or not, you need to watch this clip. Second off - if you haven’t seen Avatar: The Last Airbender, what the hell are you doing? Not only is this the best show in television history, but it’s also a perfect binge-watch during quarantine. While it’s technically “made for children” (with the goofy animation and action-filled escapades to match), the writers also deftly sneak in themes like socioeconomic division, class war, and genocide. They also, as my one friend put it, “Include a surprising amount of horniess.” Like I said, the perfect show. But to return to the egg custard tarts we began this blurb with, one of the best places to find them is at Jim’s Bakery in Monterey Park. Flaky puff pastry is filled with a bright yellow, silky cream custard - and is definitely fit for both the Avatar, master of all four elements, and you, the master of getting crumbs all over your bed. Jim’s Bakery is available for takeout, call (626) 573-5757 or pick-up in-store.” - KH
TV Pairing:Outer Banks (Netflix)
“If you ever wondered what would happen if they combined Dawson’s Creek and The Goonies, your answer is Outer Banks. Honestly, this show is completely ridiculous, but at the end of the day, I’ll watch anything that involves a treasure hunt. Facts are facts. It’s also cinematically appealing, and makes living in the marshes of coastal North Carolina (and being chased by corrupt city officials) somehow… romantic? Either way, lean-in to the fantasy and order delivery from Rappahannock. The Downtown oyster bar has roots in the Chesapeake Bay, and flies most of their seafood in daily from the Mid-Atlantic. Everything from their crab cakes and grilled octopus to the shrimp and grits is worth ordering.” - BC
TV Pairing:Party Down (Hulu)
“While we all wait for the next Tiger King to seize the streaming zeitgeist/give us something to talk to our parents about, might I suggest revisiting Party Down, the cringe-comedy classic about an LA catering company staffed with struggling actors? Not only is the ensemble cast - including Adam Scott, Lizzy Caplan, Ken Marino, Jane Lynch, and Martin Starr - fantastic and funny, but the series particularly excels at capturing the unique blend of desperation, elation, and rejection that fills an actor’s life in Los Angeles. In the times before shelter-in-place, you could witness all of those things on a random night at Birds, the chicken joint located next to UCB in Franklin Village. Now, you can get their signature rotisserie chicken or chicken pot pies delivered to your house; replicating the desperation is up to you.” - JM
TV Pairing:Survivor (CBS)
“Survivor is the greatest show in the history of television. I’ve watched every episode of all 40 seasons, and I’m not alone in that. I would guess, though, that I’m alone in one aspect: I’m a bit jealous of the food they’re eating - a constant stream of fresh fish, octopus, clams, and oysters. The solution? Eat incredible raw fish while I watch, like the tremendous poke from Ali’i Fish Company. This El Segundo spot sources their selection from the Hawaiian fish market daily, and it’s the ideal accompaniment to watching a bunch of people stranded somewhere in Fiji, (figuratively) stabbing each other in the back while also (literally) trying to avoid falling coconuts and poisonous urchins. Order online, and get the salmon ponzu and onion limu ahi. And as far as the show - If you’ve never watched before, start with seasons 13 and 28.” - BK
TV Pairing:Barry (HBO)
“As the presiding member of the Bill Hader Is Hot Club, of course I’m watching Barry. What’s not to like about this show? Dark, wry humor, compelling performances, parodies of Hollywood cliches, Henry Winkler doing his very best Henry Winkler, and, you know, Bill Hader. And not that I’ve thought about this at all, but, for the sake of this assignment, if we were to hypothetically go out on a date, it would probably be at Jitlada. Maybe he’d laugh when I admit that their legendary jungle curry is a little too spicy for my delicate palate, perhaps we’d split an order or two of the crispy catfish salad while I ask him about Laser Cats. Who knows? Like I said, I haven’t given this any thought at all. Jitlada is available for takeout and delivery, call (323) 667-9809 or order through various delivery platforms.” -KH
This spot is Permanently Closed.
TV Pairing:KBO Baseball (ESPN)
“What were you doing at 1am on Tuesday? Watching Opening Day of the Korea Baseball Organization live on ESPN? No? Guess you don’t miss sports/have as big a gambling problem as I do. Sure, there were no fans in the stadium, and yes, there was only one bat flip, but damn, did it feel good to have a ballgame on in the background. And, until Major League Baseball comes back, I’m all-in on the KBO League. So I’ll be staying up late (ESPN live broadcasts start at around 2:30am PT) and reheating plenty of fried chicken - the most popular ballpark food in Korea - from Michin Dak, the Koreatown strip-mall shack that turns out my favorite spicy wings, sandwiches, and - above all else - gang jung, popcorn chicken coated in an orange-honey sauce. Is there anything better at 2am? Wait, don’t answer that.” - JM
TV Pairing:Gossip Girl (Netflix)
“Here’s the thing - I didn’t watch a single episode of Gossip Girl when it originally aired on TV. However, the entire series is currently streaming on Netflix, and at some point in quarantine, I accidentally watched the whole thing. Is it a great show? Not really, but everyone’s hot, rich, and primarily uses BlackBerries to communicate, so obviously I loved it. If you decide to binge it too, make sure you order food from Jones Hollywood. The classic Italian spot on Santa Monica Blvd. has a sultry, Upper East Side energy and a menu that feels like a love letter to New York. Think thin-crust pizza, spaghetti and meatballs, and some of the best martinis in town.” - BC
TV Pairing:PEN15 (Hulu)
“I almost can’t believe this show exists. It combines all of my favorite things - girls being stupid and gross, Maya Erskine’s perfect face, and apparently, yelling at my television, begging for a 30-year-old woman with braces to hurry up and kiss a preteen boy. Let’s just say I’ve had to wrestle with a lot of complex emotions while getting through PEN15. And whenever I want to return to my own awkward, embarrassing, thong-obsessed youth (and trust me, that’s not very often) or just want some of the best Hawaiian food in the state (much more often), I order from Gardena Bowl Coffee Shop. This tiny diner attached to a bowling alley in the South Bay does Hawaiian food the way I grew up eating it - which means massive portions, a liberal Spam policy, and something called the Royal, a gigantic platter that comes with eggs, rice, chashu, and Portuguese sausage that’s an all-out-brawl of flavor in your mouth. Call (310) 532-0820 to order, or find them on delivery platforms.” -KH
TV Pairing:We’re Here (HBO)
“HBO’s only aired a few episodes of We’re Here so far, and it’s already one of my favorite new shows of 2020. It follows three very famous drag queens as they travel to small-town America and put on drag shows with members of the local community. It’s hilarious, uplifting, and will briefly restore your faith in humanity. Briefly. Pairing it with a delivery order from John O’Groats will only heighten that effect. The classic West LA diner reminds me of the family restaurants I grew up eating in as a kid in the Midwest, where everybody’s reading the same newspaper and half the waitstaff was your babysitter at one point. There isn’t really a bad order here, but if you don’t get at least a few biscuits on the side, you’ve done yourself a disservice. Call (310) 204-0692, or visit their website to order.” - BC
TV Pairing:The Sopranos (HBO)
“This is not a hot take, but The Sopranos is the best show I’ve ever seen. Without it, so many of the other best shows ever wouldn’t exist - Breaking Bad, Mad Men, The Wire, etc. And, although the family drama, incredibly timed comedy, and occasional spurts of brutality stand out, there’s something else that I always think about whenever I talk about this show: The food. Especially, Carmela’s legendary baked ziti, which seems to put every man in her life directly under her finger. And, from the moment I tasted it, the Calabrese pork ragu torchetti at Union had the same effect on me. Whenever it comes up, it’s like a song I can’t get out of my head, and I inevitably find myself placing an order and driving to Pasadena.” - BK
TV Pairing:The Last Dance (ESPN)
“When I was a kid growing up in Orlando, I haaaated Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, mostly because they denied the Shaq and Penny-led Orlando Magic a second-straight trip to the NBA Finals in 1995-96 season. But my feelings on MJ and Co. have softened over the years (in part because I’ve been dating a Chicago girl), and we’ve been loving The Last Dance, ESPN’s ultra in-depth series about the Bulls’ final championship run in ’97-98. It’s great, especially if you want to hear Michael Jordan swear, and even better with an order from Portillo’s. The Chicagoland staple only has two West Coast outposts, and the one in Buena Park is closest, but honestly, I’d probably drive to Arizona for a couple of their hot dogs, a large Italian Beef - dipped, obvs - and a slice of their incredible chocolate cake. (Yes, it has mayonnaise in it. No, that doesn’t matter). Also Jordan is better than LeBron. Don’t @ me.” - JM
TV Pairing:The Outsider (HBO)
“We’re in the midst of another Stephen King-aissance, and I personally couldn’t be happier about it. The Outsider, the recent HBO series (based on a book with the same name), is an exciting, scary, and beautifully shot show that takes place in Georgia. Culver City’s Hatchet Hall is a restaurant that’s Southern to its core, just like The Outsider. And just like on the show, whenever I order from Hatchet Hall, there’s a lot of (OK, probably too much) whiskey involved. There’s also plenty of country ham, scalloped potatoes, and brown butter chocolate chip cookies.” - BK
photo credit: Jon Anthony
TV Pairing:Man Seeking Woman (Hulu)
“Based on a book of short stories by Simon Rich, this is one of the weirdest, most absurd, randomly heartwarming shows to ever grace FXX. I mean, the very first episode opens with a date between the main character and a literal wart-covered troll - which does hit a little too close to home, re: my own dating life (although usually, I am not the main character). But that scene - and plenty more like it - totally encapsulate what it’s like to be a twentysomething in a major city. And although you can no longer cram yourself into Tilda’s tiny, glass-encased hallway (no small part of the experience), whenever I want to feel like the young, naive, and very broke (a.k.a., like a twentysomething in a major city) I head to this natural wine shop in Echo Park. It’s tres chic - maybe you’ve seen their “Call for a good time” pick-up window? - and has all of the skin-contact bottles, specialty grocery items, and, most importantly, delicious, oily tins of canned sardines one could ever want in quarantine. Pick-up in-store, or find them on the delivery platforms.” -KH
