The Year in Eating, or Second Breakfast #12
Hello! This is Meghan McCarron, and you're reading my newsletter, Second Breakfast. If you no longer want to receive it, you can unsubscribe here.
Eating in 2024 for me was purposefully random. After almost a decade of having to be current, I wanted to enjoy the freedom of eating at unimportant places for no better reason than satisfying my curiosity. I boiled this down to a friend recently by saying I was avoiding restaurants that would get an Eater Inside. Nothing against them! I assigned many. That’s also why I wanted a break.
Am I up on the hot new openings in LA? No. But I have tried every food truck outside the local Smart and Final? You better believe it. Great momos.
I even made it to some Eater Inside worthy-places, because there’s nothing like disobeying your own arbitrary rule.
In chronological order, my ten favorite things I ate this year.
Cheesesteak at Dalessandro’s
My kid gave me hand foot and mouth for Christmas last year, so we did our holiday trip a week late, thus bringing my Philly eating into 2024 contention. My order is apparently old-fashioned: American cheese and onions. I got crushed hot peppers, too. A comfort bomb. I can’t wait to eat another one next week.
This photo is hideous, but also cheesesteaks are hideous (and delicious) Tarte Tropezienne, made at La Gourmandise School
In the early part of the year, I took a six week French pastry class for kicks. My favorite thing I made was this Tarte Tropezienne, made with plush, not-too-sweet brioche and a citrusy pastry cream.
Acarajé from Sabor de Bahia
I got to do a lot of great eating for the guide I did to Brazilian food in West Los Angeles, but my absolute favorite were these stuffed black-eyed-pea fritters made by two women in Palms. Crispy fried exterior, tender crumb, and stuffed with a savory paste flavored with both peanut and dried shrimp — there’s nothing else like in LA.
Hot fudge sundae from Bennett’s
Before a friend’s book launch at the Grove Barnes & Noble (an underrated hub of literary LA), I met some friends at the Original Farmer’s Market for dinner. They got actual dinner; I got an ice cream sundae. It ruled.
Birria burrito from Taqueria Frontera
A family with a long history in the Tijuana restaurant scene opened a killer taqueria in Cypress Park this year. The tacos and vampiros are great, but the sleeper hit might be this burrito.
Mansaf at Ayat in Bay Ridge
“Do you like lamb?” the woman at the next table asked us as we sat down. When we assured her we did, she sang the praises of mansaf, stewed lamb with a fermented yogurt sauce she insisted we try before we order the whole thing. It had a gamey, sour funk, perfect for slicing through rich meat and rice.
Thin frozen pork belly at K-Team in Koreatown
I did a lot of lunchtime eating all over K-town this year, but the one meal we got a babysitter for was my favorite. The wealth of banchan and side-dishes alone made this meal a delight, and the throwback frozen pork belly did crisp up especially nicely.
Special plate at Tendon Tempura Carlos Jr.
A good friend of mine grew up in Torrance, and has several times sung the praises of Carlos Jr, which I’ve been longing to try. We finally made it on an early Saturday night, kid in tow, after a long day of driving all over South LA. Light, crispy tempura with a side of udon was a perfect reward.
Taiwanese Breakfast Roll at Fatty Mart
This gourmet market and multifacted deli from the chef behind nearby Taiwanese restaurant Lil Fatty is doing the most, and maybe too much (they’re currently re-jiggering the layout and menu). This breakfast roll, a scallion pancake wrapped around egg, cheese, and spicy mayo, is something I’ve gone back for multiple times this year.
Chocolate cherry stuffed croissant at Poulette in Colorado
I started my year with a pastry class, and ended it on a pastry quest. For the New York Times, I drove a thousand miles across the West / Midwest border of America searching for great bakeries. It’s hard to pick a best bite. I called out a French onion danish in my byline, but neck and neck with that is this stuffed croissant, made with house-made cherry jam, velvety chocolate mousse, and a crisp, buttery croissant.
An interesting thing about compiling this list is that my “best bites” were found on assignment, or because I purposely went to check out a restaurant, rather than through the serendipitous eating I was assiduously pursing. The paradox of food writing is that you eat lots of bad to mediocre meals in order to find the great ones. I’m enjoying getting my numbers up with as wide a variety of restaurants as possible.
Though next year I will aim to have better advice for my friends swinging through town who ask, what’s new and good? 2024 was a strong year for LA, and I think 2025 will be even better.
My last freelance piece of the year ran today, and it’s one I’m really proud of: a big reported feature on what’s driving the boom in American bakeries. As I mentioned above, I traveled to Denver, Rapid City, Tulsa, and many places in between to report this one out. It felt amazing to get back on the road, even if the rental car was frequently covered in croissant flakes.
I also contributed to the Times’ list of best bakeries in America right now. What if your New Years’ resolution was to eat as many pastries as possible? Consider it.
This was my first full year freelancing, and there were a lot of bright spots. For one, I wrote six pieces for the New York Times, most of them reported features. I love the team sport feeling of journalism, and working consistently with the same editors was really rewarding.
My first order of business in 2025 is to lock myself away and finish a book proposal. But after that — I am available to drive thousands more miles for pastries, should anyone need it.
A few things I read in the past month or so that suck with me:
In 2002, my classmates and I trekked across Beijing to find a Starbucks, and paid twice what we paid for a full meal for one latte. The coffee chain later boomed in China — and now they’re losing out to local brands.
This feels both surprising and inevitable, especially once the communal, hippie vibe of living off the land has fallen away
It’s been really interesting to read tech writers who cut their teeth tracking down accused shooters’ social media accounts reflect on what this approach has wrought
Long live the bonkers-lawsuit-to-perfect-magazine-feature pipeline
I wrote 6 newsletters this year. Thank you so much for reading them. Maybe next year I will write more? Regardless of how often I hit your inbox, I’m hoping for the best for all of us in 2025.
Meghan