Thanksgiving is in the rearview mirror, so we are officially in the holiday season. Perhaps for you, that involves putting up a tree, buying and wrapping gifts, having festive dinners out, meeting friends for drinks, or simply having more time to hang out. Whatever your December looks like, it’s usually packed with to-do lists and invitations. Sometimes you need a break from going out during the month, and you want to outsource the cooking, or perhaps even order to-go for one of the holidays itself. Here are a few suggestions for you. The list is eclectic because we Angelenos are eclectic eaters. A warning: If you are planning to bring in to-go from the more popular places during Hanukkah or on Christmas Eve or Day, order now. Many of the places I’m mentioning will sell out, so pre-ordering early is a good idea.
Sun Nong Dan’s galbijjim is a spicy meaty stew of short ribs, potatoes and rice cakes. It makes a perfect holiday take-out meal. Photo courtesy of Sun Nong Dan.
Hanukkah runs December 7 through December 14. Sun Nong Dan, famed Koreatown fixture for galbijjim — the braised short rib and back rib stew with chunks of potatoes, carrots and rice cakes — would fill in nicely for brisket for a Hanukkah meal, or anytime during the holidays.
These latkes are from Akasha in Culver City. Photo by Anne Fishbein.
Akasha in Culver City has become a go-to for many over the holiday. The menu is large and a la carte, so you can make some stuff (if you want) and bring other items in. In addition to brisket, they offer a Moroccan roast chicken, latkes of course, noodle kugel, and more.
If you are eating a plant-based diet but long for Hanukkah staples, try Mort & Betty’s, the vegan pop-up. They make vegan latkes in the classic mode and a popular dill pickle variation. Also not to be missed: their challah shaped like a menorah. (Personally I’d be thrilled to pick up the insanely delicious short rib stew, galbijjim, from Sun Nong Dan to go with my latkes.)
Everyone loves a Chinese take-out feast. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.
Christmas Day means Chinese food to some, and tamales for others, while some folks want some American classics. Also, it may seem anathema, but you can freeze tamales or even buy them frozen from many LA tamalerias, so you don’t have to leave the house and fight traffic on Christmas Eve. Genghis Cohen serves around 1000 people in-house between Christmas Eve and Christmas, but they also do to-go.
Loteria Grill’s 2023 holiday tamal offerings. Photo by The Amazing Kefa Memeh.
If your holiday dream is to fall into a vat of Mexican classics, order and pick up from Cinco Puntos, the massive deli by the Evergreen Cemetery. Get, however, as many pounds of carnitas as you need, and all the beans, rice, salsa, guacamole, and freshly-made tortillas to round it out. You can get your Christmas tamales here too, but why not go to a specialist like La Indiana, which is close by? Or you could just dive into a tamal tasting and assign a couple of friends to pick up from different tamalerias.
Slab BBQ - Beverly Grove/Pasadena
Brisket, latkes with applesauce and sour cream, a mixed green salad, mac and cheese, matzo ball soup, and roasted green beans.
Akasha - Culver City
Brisket, Moroccan-inspired chicken, latkes, noodle kugel and more.
Mort & Betty’s - Atwater Farmers Market
They make vegan latkes in the classic mode and also a dill pickle variation. Also not to be missed: their challah shaped like a menorah.
Genghis Cohen - Fairfax
Angelini Osteria
Your Italian feast can include: whole porchetta, braised short ribs, butternut squash lasagna, chestnut soup, roasted vegetables, panettone and more.
Sun Nong Dan - Western Ave (open 24 hours), Rowland Heights, San Gabriel, Koreatown
Galbijjim.
Los Cinco Puntos - East LA
Carnitas, beans, rice, salsa, guacamole, freshly-made tortillas.
La Indiana - East LA
Traditional tamales: chicken, beef, fresh corn, rajas and cheese, and sweet.
Lotería Grill - Los Angeles
Tamal wrapped in cornhusks, cochinita pibil.
Mama’s International Tamales - McArthur Park
Really tasty vegan tamales.