What to Eat in LA During a 2-Day Layover Before Flying Back to China

Graduating and flying back home, I had a two-day layover in LAX and decided to explore LA—fulfilling my California dream (blame it all on Lana Del Rey and GTA5!). To avoid Chinese food, I chose restaurants where the food is hard to find back home or not very cost-effective. Here’s my food diary: 1️⃣ 📍 Meat On Ocean (Santa Monica) Bone-in Ribeye｜60days｜Medium-Rare $4.5 per pound. The meat is top-notch, but the final dish didn’t live up to my expectations. Smoked Kielbasa A unique Polish sausage—worth a try! : Margarita Verde Cucumber-flavored with black pepper on the rim. It’s rich in flavor and refreshing. I found Hummingbird to be a rather ordinary rum. 2️⃣ 📍 Water Grill (DTLA Branch, also in Santa Monica) Iced Shellfish Platters (The Grand, serves 1-2 people) Compared to New York, oysters are a bit pricier in California. This seafood platter has a wide variety of options—oysters are fresh and sweet, but the lobster isn’t very fresh. New England Lobster Roll This is absolutely amazing! The bread is grilled to a crispy texture, packed with a generous amount of lobster meat, and paired with a flavorful sauce. The three elements strike a perfect balance… Will I ever taste a more delicious lobster roll again in my life? Honeymoon Oyster (Oyster Sushi) Bartender’s Special: Abbey Road (Limited-edition cocktail) 3️⃣ 📍 Daikokuya Little Tokyo Little Tokyo is as its name suggests—filled with Japanese restaurants. This ramen shop has a very old-school Japanese decor, and the restroom is stocked with a wall of tissues (I smiled in relief when I saw it!). Overall, it’s quite authentic—like a painless trip to Osaka. Cold Soup Ramen (5/5 stars—highly recommended!) Signature Daikoku Ramen Tasted great with black garlic oil—rich, savory broth that’s not greasy at all. I also ordered a California roll (of course, had to get a taste of California!), which is substantial and very cost-effective in my opinion. #LAFoodie #LAEats #LayoverLA #FoodieTravel #LAFoodGuide #LAFoodDiary #GraduationTrip #CaliforniaDreaming #LanaDelRey