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Categories: Grocery, Restaurants, Fashion
Neighborhood: DowntownMon-Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
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Cheap produce and ethnic food
I picked up a Downtown guide and found this market. I took my brother to explore it. It was a lot smaller than expected, but still a good range of stalls.
I took a quick tour around to see what they had. There are more Ethnic restaurant stalls than produce. They have Mexican, Salvadorian, Chinese, Japanese, and mediterranean food.
I saw a fresh seafood and meat stall. I got 4 pieces of pork chop for $5 and 4 lemons for $0.97. The prices in each produce stall were similar, but there were some that were cheaper, so look around and compare. There are also candy and spice stalls.
There's a discount store and bathrooms downstairs.
Parking is free for the first hour with validation. You need to spend at least $10 to get validation. You have to get a 2nd validation at the information desk.
Just came back from lunch in Grand Central Market. As it was my first time, I read the yelp reviews carefully and decided on China Café. If you have never been to this café, take note that there is no line to order. Simply catch the attention of the waitress and give your order to her above/over people who are seated and are eating at the counter. Seems rude but hey, whatever works.
I ordered Chicken Chop Suey and it was unlike any Chop Suey I've had before. I grew up eating two types of Chop Suey, the authentic Chinese version and the Filipino-Chinese version. Both versions are equally good with thicker consistency and very flavorful. The major difference between the two is one is saltier and more garlicky than the other (guess which one?). The Chop Suey at China Café seemed watery and bland. It's not distasteful but rather, very plain. But for $3.75, the serving is more than generous and so I guess I shouldn't really complain too much.
However, I will complain about the parking. I got the validation from one vendor (for over $10 purchase) and the parking attendant still charged us $4.50. We were in establishment less than an hour so I was surprised. Turns out, I still need the validation from their information desk. It's such a pain.
The best place for fresh produce at lowest prices. I have been comming here for years. I alwyas liked the market and now since I am a yelper, wanted to leave you my feedback.
Compared to Ralphs or other markets, this place is different. I t has a feel of being out in the farms, it smells fresh and has a distintive vibe that lives up to its name.
If you are ever in downtown do not miss it. Less crowded on weekends, my faforite time to shop. Also try variety of cusines from all over the world!
Once I started to write my review, I began to salivate. Why? Because I am thinking of how to best describe in mortal words what the best taco in Los Angeles tastes like. I tried to come up with something, but I couldn't. I'll leave that to the poets. You'll have to experience it for yourself. Instead, I'll give a quick description about my experience. I can only hope that my lust for this taco fuels my imagination towards an accurate depiction of the events.
All you need to know is how to get to the taco place. But there's bad news for you: I don't know the name of the place. Conversely, there's also good news for you - It's an age old convention people use for finding worthwhile products/items - just follow the crowd.
The only crowd to be found at Grand Central is the one right in front of the taco place. There's only two items on the menu 1) the seductive taco and 2) the torta - on the menu they will appear as "taco" and "torta", respectively.
One more thing needs to be said - they pack it in.
A few other reviewers have complained about the produce here. Screw the produce! Did you really suspect a market that sells a box of strawberries for $1 to be without flaw?
Very satisfying.
I feel like a king sometimes when i go there.
a KING i tell you!!!
GRAND CENTRAL MARKET is probably the only place in LA where you can grab a bag of spicy peanuts, a whole fried tilapia, an order of platanos con crema, a few carintas tacos, a whole apple pie, and purchase a kilo of freshly made mole...in the span of fifteen minutes... impressive may be an understatement.
Vendors of all shapes, types, and sizes. Thoroughly encompassing the Mexican and Central American food pyramids... Spices, sauces, fruits, and foreign delicacies... Essentially, a cornucopia of all things tasty...
Of the many vendors that deal in cheap delicious thrills... One of the most popular places in the whole warehouse was... the Chinese food counter known as CHINA CAFÉ!?! "Say What?" Four snaps in a Z formation... for your information.... (If you just did that, I believe you owe me a UFC)
Someone needs to do an academic study on the Mexican (not just Mexican American) love affair with the cheap cornstarch battered goodness that is Americanized Chinese Food... and while we are on this subject please include a tangential study on the rise in popularity of Morrissey, The Smiths, and the Cure amongst the Mexican American community in the past 20 years.... I'm curious and intrigued by both topics.
Great place to grab some tasty eats on the cheap... and then have some drinks at La Cita while the sun is still up and the hipster vampires are still hibernating in their American Apparel Coffins....
Recommended
This is a great spot of D-town LA, and folks need to go! You won't see a chain fast-food restaurant in the building - what you will see are unique food stalls with happy patrons hanging at a found slice of counter space.
The produce is good, the food is better and the people watching is the best!
All the stalls are clean, and I suggest you do a loop, and then divide and conquer - then meet back up at a table and share your meal.
Really close to MOCA, Disney and the court houses (great spot for lunch if you're stuck on jury duty)!
Went here yesterday it was better than I expected as far as quality of produce and vegetables but I noticed there were a LOT of empty spots... surely a sign of our economic times that where once there were vendors there are none =[
I do recommend this place if you need cheap vegetables, produce, exotic "hard-to-find" legumes, spanish/latin spices etc. I saw some reviews that stated it's ghetto... I wouldn't call it that it's a market you will encounter all walks of life through this market including a large amount of tourist I would suppose on a Saturday but we were there on Sunday so didn't see as many. Plenty of places to grab a bite to eat in fact there were more of those "walk up" stands than market vendors.
Parking was fairly inexpensive but you have to get your ticket validated by one of the vendors and you must spend a minimum of $11.00 and get then get it validated by the security/personnel desk just before the elevators to the garage.
Respectfully Reviewed
The tacos here are about the double the price of what you pay at the local taco stands. BUt they are about 3 times the size!
I am a little perturbed by all the Chinese restaurants that have popped up. This means that I only have 10 Mexican food stands to choose from instead of 20.... Sigh......
I want to love it, but I can't.
Decor-wise, it's totally cute -- sawdust on the floor, retro-looking signage and cheery little chairs to sit on.
Other than that, it's pretty ghetto. I think the only people who really like this place are tourists with their huge cameras who walk through for a bit of "local flavor" before moving on to the next stop on their downtown LA walking tour.
They don't stop long enough to see that the produce is cheap because it's rotting slightly, that the meat and fish have been thawing in the glass cases for days, and that the greasy food has fallen victim to steam trays and heat lamps.
4 pounds of fruit for, what, 3 bucks or something? Great food stalls, too. Can't beat it.
Today i felt like eating Mexican(food) Ha!so i went to Grand central Market and had a Gordita wich is like a tortilla but thicker stuffed with meat and letuce tomato and cream it was soo good not only that it was cheap 3.50 each i was stuffed with one since they serve everything in big portions thats great!they also have chinese food stands and whatever you go is great deals you cant pass by those fruit and veggies stands and not buy anything they have like 4 or 5 lbs of bananas for like 2 bucks its good!! some people complain about being greasy food there but so is Mcdonalds and they eat it too! anyway when i left there i had to passed by La Cita and i find out they are open since 10am so thats another good reason to go to Central Market!!!!
Came here for lunch yesterday since I was in the neighborhood.. I have memories everytime I come here. When I was four my grandparents used to take the bus down to Downtown just to chill and we'd go here for veggies and seafood.
Quite a selection of restaurants. Not that much of market than you think but there's everything that you pretty much need as far as fruit, veggies, meats, seafood, cheese..
Restaurants are arcoss the board from kabobs, mexican, central american, vietnamese, chinese, japanese, Korean, bakery, etc.
Restaurants are affordable.. Minus one point for the restrooms. Make sure you save a quarter if you need to use it or sneak in when someone leaves..
The ambiance deserves four stars. The food . . . . . not so much. Shared a shrimp cocktail with my husband at Maria's Seafood. Tasty with a squeeze of lemon. Decent. Then on to the China Cafe. We managed to snag a couple of stools at the counter. It was busy, lunch rush. Folks were lined up three deep behind us, pressing up against our backs, hollering their orders over our heads. That was kind of trippy. The menu was limited. I ordered pork won ton soup and my husband ordered egg fu yung. The won ton soup was bland. The egg fu yung tasted like stuffing from a sofa dipped in egg, fried and slathered with heavy gravy. Neither of us ate much at the China Cafe. I would return and give other food stands a shot. The produce stand added to the overall ambiance, but on closer inspection it was over ripe.
47 VENDORS and 17 are FOOD!
This place is awesome! If I lived in Downtown LA, I would shop here for produce, meat, food, what ever you need! Grand Central Market is LA's oldest and largest open air market. The market has multiple entrances and a ton of different kinds of food, all of which are delicious! This is a great place to visit either to eat or to just check it out.
Here is a description from the website:
"The sights . . . the sounds . . . the food! It's no wonder Angelenos have flocked to Grand Central Market for so many generations. It's a place where you can find just about everything and have a great time experiencing all that the Grand Central Market has to offer.
Over 38 merchants offer their finest selections of produce, delicacies, and unique specialty items from around the globe. There's a great variety of fresh-picked fruits and vegetables . . . meats, fish, and poultry . . . exotic herbs and spices . . . candies and nuts . . . fresh cut flowers, plants and exotic dishes from a world of thriving cultures.
Spending a day at the Market has never been this much fun! Make shopping at the Grand Central Market a family affair, as so many other families have for generations. At every turn, there's another great gift . . . another great recipe idea . . . another incredible buy! What you will experience first hand at the Market is the customer care and attention given to you at every stall: it's like being at your very own friendly neighborhood market.
All that shopping can work up an appetite - lucky for you! There's no better place in Los Angeles to sit down, relax and enjoy a tasty treat: the biggest burritos in town . . . herb roasted chicken hot off the rotisserie . . . overstuffed pupusas . . . Cuban sandwiches . . . you may well discover a dish you've never even heard of - but can't wait to try. Have a leisurely meal in the Market Court with its beautiful view of the Angels Flight railway and the office towers of Bunker Hill.
Over the years Grand Central Market has kept its Old World charm and you can still feel it today. Angelenos have been coming back to this open-air market for nearly a century for its simple, but elegant beauty. Recently, the Grand Central Market was meticulously restored and maintained to preserve its intangible quality of history - its ambiance. Come and see this rare California jewel for yourself - it's a living monument to the past, the present and the future."
if you live downtown, there are only 3 places to go for fresh produce - ralph's, galleria market (little tokyo plaza), and grand central market. if you want fresh, CHEAP produce - it's either galleria or grand central market. if you want the widest variety of fresh produce, go to galleria. if you want a wide variety dried beans and spices, go to grand central market.
this kinda reminds me of public market in emeryville. there are lots of small food shops/vendors. The whole place is pretty ghetto, as it is on the east side of downtown. most of thef ood served is mexican, with the exception of chinese pizza, bake shops, a grocery area, medecine shop, ice cream. the tacos and gorditas are crazy big! I always go to the vendor in the center and order the milanesa gordita...for under $3.00??...great bang for your buck!
Sorry to my 1 fan for not being hyper active these days with reviews. Here my latest visit to Grand Central.
So we decided to go to Grand Central today for some good local Tacos.. These tacos are huge and usually comes with extra tortilla so from one taco, you end up with three. Also, You can buy an ounce of ground chipotle pepper, a pig's head, a torta filled with carnitas or beef.
Grand Central, delightful market next to historical Angel Flight. let's you feel what it would be like to walk into a local mercado in Mexico. offer just about everything - - food, coffee, trinkets, etc.
It's a place with a little of everything at cheap prices. Don't be afraid to indulge yourself in the culture in the heart of downtown.
Good thing, Parking is validated for an hour or two with a purchase.
A big "Hello" for this LA Latino Mercado Whole Food Market.
I love the grand central market
the produce is cheap and the butcher is pretty cheap!
i'm a weekly crock-pot-meal "cooker", so I'm always checking butcher prices
the only thing that bums me out is I haven't found a place to buy dairy stuff (milk, eggs, butter, etc) but maybe I just haven't looked hard enough...
My BFF told me about this place o while in the area I decided to walk 8 blocks there and 8 blocks back from where some out of town friends were staying.
I really enjoyed browsing the produce sections -- very cheap fruits -- and then decided if I should eat something. There were lots of Mexican stands, pupuserias, even Asian food if you wanted. There were also stalls selling spices ad dried fruits, dried products such as beans, chiles...... and more.
If you're ever in the area, don't miss out on walking through this place. It's worth a browse!
blah blah skid row blah blah downtown is sketchy blah blah various ethnic market... you yuppies piss me off...
If you live downtown and don't have a stick up your ass this is the only place to get a reasonable selection of produce for a fair price. Thanks to Grand Central Market I hardly ever have to buy produce at Ralph's. The seafood counter is fantastic and the butcher has some pretty good meat most of the time.
...not to sure about most of the food stands as I'm usually there for meat, produce, or spices.
I love walking here on a day off and just browsing through each vendor's selection. I must admit, I had to fight my way through downtown which was a little intimidating. As I was walking down "the" great steps, a guy stared me up and down and said, "Can you walk down again and hop a little." So you see what I mean when I say be careful when walking around downtown.. even in the middle of the day!
So when I finally make my way there, I'm super hot so I hurry through to pick out the usual pineapple, donut peaches, mangos, berries, and watermelon. Though many mentioned that things are relatively cheap, I would say only select items. The watermelon is definitely not cheap when compared to larger markets that price at 19cents per pound. Their berries do seem a lot cheaper though so choose wisely and shop smart.
While I haven't personally checked out the small restaurants in Grand Central, I here great reviews. From what I've seen, they seem pretty decent but nothing stood out too much. I figure, if you want Chinese, head to Chinatown. If you want Mexican, go for it or head to Olvera street. But if you're having a lazy Sunday, I totally feel you so why not kill two birds with one stone and shop and eat at the same time?
The reason why I only gave 3 stars though was because of my experience with the juice lady out in front. Being that it was so hot, I knew that I just HAD to get a drink before I made my way back up 1st. Not only were all her juices sold out but she persuaded me into getting "the special" which she said was $3.50. I asked her if they added any sugar and she said no, which was perfect. And then while I'm standing behind the counter, I see her go over to the back refrigerator and pour the remaining half of the cup with a secret ingredient. I ask her what she added and she paused for a minute (causing great suspicion) and stated that it was orange juice with sugar. I was really irritated especially since I asked her specifically about the sugar. And then it gets worse when she tells me it costs $5. Get this, it's not even the large size and she tries to get an extra $1.50 from me. As I try to explain that it should only cost $3.50 she rolls her eyes and says well it's $5 and sort of gestures to the line behind me. I was really mad now so I just slammed the money down and walked away. I will NEVER do business there again.
OHMYGOD. Why would you NOT come here?
Super authentic food that's super yummy for super cheap? TRIFECTA.
My husband and I got tacos - carnitas and fish. The tortilla was fluffy and fresh. The salsa was DELISH. The carnitas was seasoned every so perfectly. The fish was more fish, less batter.
That was $5 for two tacos and we were pretty full.
We went back the next day, raved about it to the scary looking woman (scary in the sense that she was like the soup nazi, no BS) and she doesn't say much and cracks a slight smile....and then PILES on the goodies for our tacos. She liked us.
I really miss this place. The bf and I would spend our lazy Sunday mornings by walking down the crazy long stairs that connect Grand to Broadway (I swear, it's like a workout) to this market. He was always so patient with me while I walked around the whole place trying to decide what I wanted even though I always got the same thing. Tortas. And boy were they gosh darn yummilicious. To the MAX! lol... :)
Anyway. I suggest everybody do the same and spend a lazy Sunday afernoon for lunch here. And they have a great selection of nice fruit too. Pick some of that up for dessert in bed later, and don't forget fresh chicken and veggies for a late nite dinner. Perfecto!
Tip: If you wanna try the crazy stair thing, park on Grand and walk through the Watercourt to find the stairs on the other side. You'll be glad after the million calorie torta.
Ps. Not the cleanest place, but chock full of old world nostalgia and culture. Definitely worth the trip.
I saw this place on Food Network's "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" It was a focus on food you eat with your hands. One of the chefs ate a Pupusa at the El Salvadoran stand in the Market. It looked so good that I just had to try it out. And it was awesome. Cheesy goodness hidden by crisp, tortilla-like enclosure. It was awesome.
The Market itself is a feast for the senses. So much to look at, taste, smell, hear. It is a trip back in time as well as so much of the signage is 40's era-esque. And, lest you be scared, almost all of the locations had a Health Dept. grade A. So don't let the setting fool you, this is a safe place to eat. Now what you choose to eat is up to you. I saw a woman order Pig's heart at the Carnitas stand. I....I stood by and ordered carnitas. I am just fine with that . And it was good. Made the old fashione way too.
We bought 3 clamshells of Blueberries for a dollar. (look closely before purchasing, some had a furry berry or two in the bottom). Fruit and vegetables are cheap. There are also ample locations selling rare regional spices and dry goods. There is even a meat counter! Next time I come I will bring an ice chest and dry ice so that I can buy some meat to cue up when I return to the homestead!
There is so much hear that it will require several visits to take it all in. There is one spot that sold a burrito that was larger than my head!
Parking is cheap and validated if you park in the same building. Beware though, it is a VERY small parking structure. VERY SMALL. If you have truck or suburban, you may be best served to park across the street.
While here, check out the Angels Flight and the Bradbury Building.
Just performed my civic duty and completed a day of jury duty. The only saving grace from this "adventure" was knowing that the 90 minute lunch break would include a walkabout through the market.
I had the best fish taco in the continental US for the ridiculous sum of 2 bucks! This was in the seafood market. Hit the coffee bar on the south side of the market near Broadway and grabbed a couple of authentic Mexican pastries to bring home. Only one made it, ate one in the jury room. So tasty.
Sweet, seedless grapes for 50 cents a pound! This is an example of the insane prices throughout the market and everything is fresh, fresh, fresh.
The only draw backs are the many derelicts and transients that love to randomly shout at the mild mannered shoppers. On the positive side, you can categorize this as free entertainment.
Grand Central Market is one of those places that often gets neglected in LA. Whenever you have a day off on a weekday and want somewhere good to go eat, this is the place. You're in downtown LA, a thriving metropolis full of many cultures and neighborhoods, and at GCM, under one roof you have dozens of cultures represented.
The food is fresh, affordable, and quality. If you live in downtown or are driving through from work, perfect place to stop by and grab a quick lunch or some groceries for the pad.
Imagine standing in the middle of New York City....except where you'd normally see Cuban, Dominican and Puerto Rican shops, you're seeing Mexican shops. Now imagine those shops are filled with the most authentic food and even more authentic individuals. If you can imagine that, you've basically been to this overcrowded yet deliciously fragrant Mexican market.
Everything is very cheap...VERY cheap. The produce is fresh and the prices are almost unbelievable.
okay im updating my review on this place.
i bought fruit here last week, and the worker was saying they were "very sweet, very sweet". well, the strawberries were NOT sweet and were kinda rotten, and the pears were sweet all right, but the cores were disgustingly dark brown and mushy. *shudders* i threw 'em all out.
what!? what is this place? where am i!?
on broadway in downtown LA, which was already a culture SHOCK…
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I know the whole farmer's market, slow food deal is a trend now. This is the LA ethnic version of the farmer's market. Lots of hispanic vendors and a few chinese places to eat. You'll find some fresh veggies, fruit, snacks, and other items to purchase. Not sure if one could do all their shopping here for the week. It's like being in a farmer's market in Mexico, but located in downtown LA. Good place to stroll by for some food, the chinese noodle place with the bar stools looked hopping.
I had jury duty and was selected to a case that would last a week. I took advantage of my free parking in downtown and walked to the Grand Central Market for lunch. I got two chicken tacos with rice and beans for only $3.50. It was super good and the portions were humongous. I also bought some bread from another stall, it was just okay. The produce stalls were very inexpensive as well. But i didn't want to buy any and bring produce into the courtroom. I will have to stop by again to have lunch, buy some produce and to enjoy the open air market.
RECOMMENDATION: Whatever stand your heart desires! :)
ever wonder if there is a place where you can get fresh food and produce at a very cheap price..well.. here it is...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you can get any type of food here!! this is heaven!!!!! haha.. you have a choice btwn, chinese food, thai food, persian, armenian food, mexican food, salvadorian food, american, italian food, and much much more.. :D so if you have a big appettite or a small one, you can come here and you will be totally satisfied..yes!! i have found heaven!!
GO!! it's a MUST!!
Grand Central Market rocks my socks off. The produce is amazing. Fresh and cheap. I bought about 20 lbs of produce for $20. I feel like I've just woken up out of the Matrix and I can finally see things as they truly are. Vons/Ralphs/Albertsons are friggin' RIP OFFS!!
Also I want to review a restaurant in there. I just created it as a separate business in Yelp but I think it should be here too:
CHINA CAFE - it's one of the first places you see if you walk in off Hill St.
This small, unassuming Chinese food restaurant may look like any other food court stall inside the Grand Central Market, but it is so much more than that. Unlike most fast food Chinese places there are no heat lamps here. They make every dish fresh to order. Instead of orange chicken that tastes like its breaded with cardboard you get legitimate, hot, delicious, Chinese food.
There is a counter that forms a half circle (or rounded rectangle) around the kitchen. The bar seats about 20 people, and it's usually full. My wife and I went the other day and we hovered over someone who was finishing up and pounced on their open seats as soon as they left. Another great thing is that they serve beer. They had bottles of Corona, Bud, Bud Light, Negro Modelo, and a couple others. The beer and tight seating made for a very social atmosphere. Everyone was socializing with everyone. Even the waitress. Good for us we speak Spanish since it seems that 99% of the people in Grand Central Market are Latino.
I ordered the house noodles which was a chow mein style noodle in their amazing soup broth with diced chicken, BBQ pork, and shrimp. It was phenomenal. Everyone at the counter was eating broth even if they had ordered a rice dish, so I'm assuming that's one of the reasons to go to this place. It's so tasty. My wife got the Kung Pao Chicken which game with green bell peppers, peanuts, and a somewhat spicy sauce. Again, delicious. I couldn't decide which I liked more the soup or the chicken so I ended up eating all of my food and half of my wife's.
One of the guys sitting next to us said he'd been going to China Cafe since he was a kid and that everything on the menu is great. After our experience I believe him, and I'm excited to go back to try more dishes. Based on the two I tried this is some of the best Chinese food I've had.
i do not remember the name of the restaurant, BUT it has "grand opening" signs everywhere, its on the side right across from the bradbury bldg., their burrito combo is 3 bucks and the tacos are .99 cents. yum, right? NOOOOOOOOOOO.
the nastiest burrito ive ever had. pico de gallo- rotten. meat- salty and fatty. rice- sticky and gooey. tortilla- fine. it was the nastiest burrito ever, and it came with a side of the grossest fries ive ever tasted.
dont mean to drag down the average of this whole place, but this stand needs to be stopped!!! (i rly wish i could remember the name)
As a native I grew up on saw dust footed walks through Grand Central. I remember when there was a real Sundry style store in the basement and the bread store was over where the Japanese food place is now. There are a few great places to go for lunch when money is tight. And if you go just before closing- you will get a helluva deal!!!
Parking has become more and more cheeky over the years- thanks yuppies and politicians:-(
The pigeons a aggressive at times. However I have the warmest softest spot for this old world pre organic meeting and eating place.
If you are downtown and looking for options to eat at a reasonable price, Grand Central Market is for you. There have to be dozens of places to grab a bite to eat and several groceries selling anything you could possibly need.
The history of the central market is pretty interesting as one of the oldest open markets in LA. It also used to be where the rich would shop. Not so much the case now.
I have fond memories of this place and you can be sure that if I am ever downtown I will be eating here.
Conveniently located across the street from Pershing Square red line station.
Love this place.
We were in L.A. for a work conference for my husband's job, staying at the Omni. Bored by the prospect of another hotel egg n' potatoes breakfast, I walked down the hill to the Grand Central Market to check out the food stalls.
Floor covered with sawdust. People elbow to elbow at the various places to eat. Inspirational produce.
I had a gordita, which is a beautiful, thick disc of deep-fried cornbread, split open and filled like a taco. I chose pastor (fried pork) because it looked so burnished and was flecked prettily with red pepper. It was stupendous. And also very large. It was about $4.
Awesome food, great deal! Just be aware in the neighborhood - L.A.'s Skid Row is right around the corner. Not the best area.
this place is such a sight to see! tons of produce and plenty of food vendors.
you can stop by the china cafe and get a HUGE plate of fried rice, chow mein and choice of 1 side for $4 (try the orange chicken). the best chinese food ive had in a while. plus free hot sauce! but you can also get mexican, japanese, ice cream, herbs, candy, baked goods, produce etc etc here. crazy busy during lunch hour. most places are cash only.
close to bradbury building and angels flight (out of commission); walk around for picture ops!
PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE!!!!!!!
I just bought 11 pounds....that's 11#, or 11 lbs of fresh good colorful clean produce for $4.88. FREAKIN' SERIOUS! Ralph's is a racket!
2 red bell peppers for $.85?!?!?!? Really?
Oh man. I'm in fruit and vegetable heaven.
I want to give Grand Central Market five stars, but much of its charm for me lies in its proximity to Angel's Flight, which is still closed, and the stories my dad tells about coming here when he was a kid.
It's still a really cool market, and even before people starting buying the cancerous ugly condos that have sprung up nearby, the market was bustling. This was unique as Downtown L.A. used to pretty much be a ghost town a lot of the time. A lot of the stands are cool, and the people working at them are generally nice, but it always feels kind of small. At least smaller than my dad's stories.
My favorite story from Grand Central Market centers around an event that took place seven years ago. I was eating at one of the stands (El Pollo Loco?) with a friend when a fifty-something, frumpy-looking man walked up and excused himself. He told both of us that his wife really liked a particular combination meal at one of the stands but that he didn't have enough money to buy it for her. I'm generally pretty amenable to homeless or otherwise down-on-their-luck people asking for money for food. If I'm not in a hurry, I'll often buy the food for them. This time, I had spent all my cash on my lunch, so my friend gave the guy a five-dollar bill.
I didn't believe his story, and I thought my friend was being a little too generous (and gullible), but I didn't think much of it. Three minutes later, she and I were still eating and enjoying our meal when the beggar returned. He again thanked my friend for giving him $5 and proceeded to hand her a one-dollar bill and some coins. His wife's favorite meal had apparently cost a little more than three dollars, and as we sat dumbfounded, he counted the change out back to my friend, including pennies. She tried to let him keep the change, but he was insistent.
He walked away, and I had a memory I'll never forget. This story sticks with me almost ten years later. I've worked directly with homeless people, and living in San Francisco, I'm asked for change and food all the time. It can make you jaded. But this man and his honesty really stand out as does the fact that my grandfather was down on his luck in Downtown L.A. towards the end of his life.
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Five Star Meals for Five Dollars? Being Outside…
Here's some places I checked out during my weekend…
I really like LA. I do. But I live in San…
