BARBECUE….Every few months I get a craving for my favorite barbecue, so I hop in the car and drive up to the Farmers Market in Los Angeles and order a pork sandwich at Bryan’s Pit Barbecue. I’ve been going there for as long as I can remember, and my parents and grandparents have been going there since before I was born.
The Farmers Market is at Third & Fairfax, and at the IRS-approved rate for mileage I figure the total cost of a Bryan’s lunch at about $45, not to mention the three hours of time driving up and back in unpredictable traffic.
But it’s worth it. Although the Farmers Market has been around since the 30s, the owners recently added on a big, open-air mall at one end with a Nordstroms, a big movie theater, a Barne & Noble, etc. etc. To their credit, they haven’t touched the original Farmers Market itself, and they claim it will “always be around,” but I’m not so sure. I always drive up there in fear that Bryan’s, at least, will have finally bitten the dust and last month’s pork sandwich will have been my last.
But not this time. It’s still there and going strong. Pay them a visit the next time you’re in LA. And if you’re still around at dinnertime, head over to Beverly and Rampart and have a chili burger at Tommy’s. By the end of the day, you’ll be about ready to convert to vegetarianism.
