Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Grand Central Market


Something smells fishy around here!

Grand Central Market
Los Angeles, CA

Open air markets like these are one of the best ways to explore what large cities have to offer.  Step inside and you’ll find raw ingredients like spices, produce and poultry as well as prepared meals from cultures around the globe.  Whether you’re looking for a quick snack, fresh-from-the-farm fruits and veggies, or a cup of steaming hot coffee, this is a premiere destination for food enthusiasts and blue collars folks alike who are looking for some cheap, delicious eats.

Because of the previous night’s doughnut run, I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted for breakfast.  As soon as I walked into the market, my senses were overloaded.  I watched as expertly hand-formed flour tortillas puffed instantly when thrown onto a grill.  Apples and oranges were being unloaded onto displays as quickly as handtrucks could deliver them.   Pounds of coffee beans were being ground while baristas hustled to fulfill espresso and cappuccino orders.  Italian greetings were offered to passersby as pizza crusts were being flailed into the air; all the while, sushi chefs in stark white chef coats quietly shaped rice with bamboo mats.

I wanted all of it…and then none of it when enormous piles of ceviche sold by the pound caught my eye behind a pristine glass case.  Eureka!  BREAKFAST!

Moments later, and only a few bucks lighter, I was seated at a nearby table where thousands of individuals have likely sat during the market’s nearly century-old run.   At an unladylike pace, I shoveled ceviche tostadas into my mouth as if it were my last meal on earth.  Seafood at 9:00 in the morning?   When it’s this fresh and inexpensive, absolutely.