The Layover: Los Angeles

Restaurant

LudoTruck

Owned by Chef Ludo Lefebvre from LudoBites restaurant and "Top Chef." Locate the truck by checking Twitter, @ludotruck, or Facebook. LudoTruck only serves chicken. Tony samples chicken balls, biscuits baked with honey and lavender.

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Restaurant

Animal

Animal is a carnivore-centric restaurant specializing in all those good bits. Tony sits down with owners Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo. The men have marrow bone, chicken hearts, hamachi tostada, coconut sweetbreads, pig tails and crispy rabbit legs.

435 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036

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Restaurant

Tony Also Recommends: Kogi Truck

This food truck serves Mexican-style tacos with a Korean culinary twist.

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Restaurant

Tony Also Recommends: Kokekokko

Yakitori grilled over traditional white charcoal (flown in from Japan) -- chicken livers, heart, thigh, skin and, if you go early, ask about the off-the-menu stuff like the sublime “chicken butt.” It runs out fast. Regulars sit at the counter.

203 S Central Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012

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Restaurant

Tony Also Recommends: Senor Fish

Serves sea bass, mahi-mahi and yellowtail. People come for the fish tacos, lightly battered and deep-fried.

422 E 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

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Restaurant

Red Medicine

For late-night, non-traditional Vietnamese, people enjoy this modern take on French and Vietnamese food involving very creative uses of herbs and flowers. Open late until 2 a.m., and very popular with food-service industry types.

8400 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211

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Restaurant

Jumbo's Clown Room

Jumbo's is a last refuge for the ancient art of burlesque. This ain’t no strip club. Tony, Jon and Vinny (from Animal) sip on beer and tequila.

5153 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027-6113

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Restaurant

Tony Also Recommends: Varnish

This speakeasy is hidden in the back of Cole’s restaurant. Bartenders use ingredients such as fresh juices, purees and syrups. The bartender’s choice is often the way to go.

118 E 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90014-2006

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Restaurant

Ham Ji Park

Tony meets friend and owner of Kogi truck, Roy Choi. They start with side dishes. Ham Ji Park is famous for 3 dishes (pork belly, pork spare ribs marinated in spicy pepper paste, and pork stew).

3407 W 6th St, Ste 101-C, Los Angeles, CA 90020

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Restaurant

Tony Also Recommends: Yu Chun

Their house special is cold noodle soup.

3185 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90006

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Restaurant

Dan Sung Sa

At this old-school, traditional Korean restaurant, Tony drinks some makali (a fermented rice drink), and samples chicken gizzards and spicy octopus.

3317 W 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90020

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Restaurant

Tony Also Recommends: The Prince

This laid-back lounge offers one of the best preserved interiors in LA, and serves beer and Korean-style fried chicken.

3198 1/2 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90005

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Restaurant

Tony Also Recommends: Philippe the Original

Set up like an old-school cafeteria/diner, Philippe is best known for its "French-dipped" sandwich. The breakfast of choice: cake donuts, along with 10-cent coffee.

1001 N Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

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Restaurant

Tony Also Recommends: King Eddy Saloon

This bar starts pouring at 6 a.m. Recommended for beer and whiskey.

131 E 5th St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

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Restaurant

In-N-Out Burger

Anthony Bourdain gets a double-double "animal style" cheeseburger and chocolate shake.

9149 S Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045

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Restaurant

Tacos Villa Corona

Tony has 1 chicken and 1 steak taco. Tacos Villa Corona is a family- run, hole-in-the-wall restaurant, serving tacos and burritos from a closet-sized kitchen. Tony goes back for a second round and gets papas burrito (breakfast burrito).

3185 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039-1805

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Activity

Tony Also Recommends: La Luz de Jesus Gallery

This gallery features narrative paintings and sculptures by SoCal artists. Themes range from sex to death. Admission is free.

4633 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

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Activity

Tony Also Recommends: Wacko

Premier emporium of pop culture in LA since 1974. Best-kept LA secret with wind-up toys and tiki collectibles, it's a 1- stop shop for hipster accessories and brick-a-brack.

4633 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

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Activity

Dearly Departed -- The Tragical History Tour

Tony joins a tour that specializes in grizzly tragedy and deaths in LA, from the notorious to the obscure.

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Activity

Tony Also Recommends: Necromance

This "wonderland of taxidermy" hobby shop has skulls, bones and antique medical supplies.

7220 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046-7620

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Accommodation

Tony Also Recommends: Custom Hotel

This hotel is right by the (LAX) airport and fulfills a traveler's basic needs.

8639 Lincoln Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045

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Accommodation

Chateau Marmont

This classic mix of luxury bungalows and suites is Tony’s favorite hotel. Tony stays in a bungalow, the perfect place to hide out with high hedges, trees and walls.

8221 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046

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