Cruising the strips

ON a recent sunny day, it was business as usual at Glen Village, a strip mall on Glendale Boulevard in Echo Park. A constant flow of cars streamed into the parking lot; customers dashed into the beauty salon, postal shop or video store and exited as quickly as possible. The whole scene unfolded almost robotically -- no one stopped to chat with a neighbor or window-shop.

For the most part, Glen Village is a typical Southern California strip mall, complete with bland architecture, impersonal service and an emphasis on convenience at all costs.

It goes with the territory: Strip malls are a side effect of car culture, after all. But despite their questionable reputations (a blight on the cityscape, say some; Dante’s circles of hell, say others), our strip malls hold countless local gems, including gourmet restaurants, music venues, nightclubs and trendy shops. Glen Village, for example, is home to the art gallery Pehrspace.

These treasures are often hidden even to locals, but are especially so to transplants. When MOCA Chief Curator Paul Schimmel came from New York, he was shocked to find that “the culture of Los Angeles is in its strip malls. They are really the incubators of the new -- young, up-and-coming artists, new restaurants and clubs.”

The birth of the strip mall is hard to pin down. Some say the first cropped up in the Midwest in the 1920s; others say the idea is based on Paris arcades of the mid-19th century. According to Petersen Automotive Museum curator Leslie Kendall, however, the progenitor was the ‘20s-era Clock Market on the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Hamilton Drive in Beverly Hills. A decade later, the market was, fittingly, converted into a car dealership that still exists.

“It was the first strip mall to give valuable property over to the car,” Kendall explains. “Instead of the building being right on the sidewalk, the space closest to the street is a parking lot, because they realized that if you couldn’t park your car, you wouldn’t get the customer.”

It wasn’t until the 1980s that mini-malls became a ubiquitous fixture. Architect Ming Fung, a founder of Hodgetts + Fung Design Associates who moved to the city in 1975, says, “I remember very clearly when the strip mall began to mushroom all over the city, especially at busy intersections.”

In those days they were designed with one goal in mind: convenience. “No one would have considered having a gourmet dinner in the strip mall,” Fung adds.

But as L.A. grew denser and rents continued to skyrocket, local strip malls provided artists, chefs and designers with an affordable base. Now, what was the epitome of uncool has become a trendy destination.

One of the people orchestrating this transformation is Emily Gabel-Luddy, head of the city’s Urban Design Studio, who describes strip malls such as Glen Village as “putting a size 10 foot into a size 7 shoe” -- they just don’t fit the new urban model.

Gabel-Luddy sees how a little city planning could reinvent the strip mall as a hub. For example, she suggests, strip malls might use what is now a parking lot for outdoor cafes. “Who knows?” she says. “Maybe mini-malls will become the preservation cause of the future.”

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HIDDEN DELIGHTS

A sampling of some of the great, quirky finds in strip malls around Southern California.

RESTAURANTS/BARS

Alegria When this wonderland of Cal-Mex cuisine caught on with the designer-jeans crowd, it wasn’t long before we ate our savory tacos a la crema next to Heather Graham. 3510 Sunset Blvd., Silver Lake, (323) 913-1422

Asanebo Star sightings here might be of the Shatner variety, but the food is Michelin-rated. Concentrate on the sashimi, paired with an artisan sake selection. 11941 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, (818) 760-3348

BrewBakers Take matters into your own hands and brew your own beer at this folksy microbrewery, then round up your buddies to do justice to your handcrafted creation. 7242 Heil Ave., Huntington Beach, (714) 596-5506

El Cochinito A spare interior, laid-back vibe and several signed photos of Cuban B-list actors make for the perfect place to gnaw on one of the city’s best roasted pork specials. 3508 W. Sunset Blvd., Silver Lake, (323) 668-0737

El Pollo Inka The original location of this small Peruvian chain makes a tasty chaufa de pollo, sort of like fried rice. Drown it all in the bottled green sauce. 15400 Hawthorne Blvd., Lawndale, (310) 676-6665

Hamasaku The sushi, seafood and celebrity following here conjure comparisons to local legend Matsuhisa but at less lofty prices. 11043 Santa Monica Blvd., West L.A., (310) 479-7636

Hollywood Thai Does this low-on-atmosphere hole-in-the-wall with the pretty waitresses serve the best Thai food in L.A? Its many fans would argue yes. 5241 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, (323) 467-0926

Hai Nam Sai Gon This looks-divey-but-tastes-great pho restaurant hides in the back corner of Alhambra’s most incongruous strip mall, a simulacrum of New Orleans’ French Quarter complete with a gazebo, faux wrought-iron street lamps and a cupola with a liberty bell. 1425 E. Valley Blvd., Alhambra, (626) 300-8079

La Taquiza Learn the joys of the mulita (steak, chicken, shrimp or al pastor pork with white cheese and guacamole between corn tortillas) or a woman kicking open the kitchen door in a cloud of steam and screaming “Fajitas!” just for you. 3026 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, (213) 747-4849

Lempira Ignore the “pupuseria” claim: This is Honduran, not Salvadoran. Order the baliada con carne and listen as the grandmotherly cook pats out the that thick, tender tortilla. 4848 Hollywood Blvd., Los Feliz, (323) 662-2927

Lou Tucked between a laundromat and a fried chicken joint is Lou Amdur’s excellent tapas and wine bar. The knowledgeable and friendly staff have a real genius for pairing tastes with sips, and the unpretentiously groovy decor showcases casual L.A. chic at its best. 724 N. Vine St., Hollywood, (323) 962-6369

Lucci’s Deli This casual restaurant, bakery, deli and market can fill you up with hearty pasta classics then send you home with a week’s worth of ingredients. 8911 Adams Ave., Huntington Beach, (714) 968-4466

Marouch Travel to the Middle East via a mini-mall, thanks to the falafel, hummus, shwarma and kebabs at this Armenian and Lebanese favorite. 4905 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, (323) 662-9325

Mashti Malone’s Ice Cream Gelato may be all the rage, but one lick of Mashti’s delicate rosewater ice cream reminds us there is art in the old standby. 1525 N. La Brea Ave., Hollywood, (323) 874-0144

Monkey House Cafe A coffee house that looks like a Rainforest Cafe for grown-ups, without the annoying sound effects -- but with super-cute cheerful monkeys and a gift shop. 18862 Beach Blvd., Suite 101, Huntington Beach, (714) 965-1135

Pho Cafe This fast-paced noodle shop is famous for serving oversized steaming bowls of pho under globe-shaped glowing lights. 2841 W. Sunset Blvd., Silver Lake, (213) 413-0888

Saito Sushi The thing to order is the omakase. Let sushi master (and sole sushi chef) Saito curate an exquisite meal of artful rolls and fresh fish. 4339 W. Sunset Blvd., Silver Lake, (323) 663-8890

Shintaro Parking can be a headache, but the yellowtail and laid-back vibe make the trip worthwhile. 1900 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood, (323) 882-6524

Sushi Gen Folks mill about the parking lot waiting for sushi and sashimi at this Japanese gem in the otherwise nondescript Honda Plaza. 422 E. 2nd St., Little Tokyo, (213) 617-0552

Venni Mac’s M&M; Soul Food It’s next to a bowling alley, but don’t try to roll after the smothered chicken and sweet potato pie raise your blood’s gravy and butter levels to delirious levels. 2450 Carson St., Lakewood, (310) 215-8186

The Woods Formerly the Lava Lounge, this cedar-walled bar next to Mashti Malone’s is attitude-free and very generous with its drink sizes. 1533 N. La Brea Ave., Hollywood, (323) 876-6612

Zankou Chicken Juicy, crisp-skinned chicken with addictive garlic sauce keeps the parking lot jammed. 5065 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, (323) 665-7842

SHOPS

Alice’s Undercover World A lingerie store that claims to custom-fit bras “from 32AA to 64Z.” 23808 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance, (310) 326-6775

Cookin’ Stuff A giant store filled to the rafters with loaf pans, novelty tea infusers and anything else you can use in the kitchen. 22217 Palos Verdes Blvd., Torrance, (310) 371-2220

55 Degrees This new wine shop specializes in small-production Italian wines and offers flights of three tastes for $9 in its cozy basement tasting room. 3111 Glendale Blvd., Atwater Village, (323) 662-5556

Kin The clothing boutique is situated in one of the few places in L.A. where Alexander McQueen tops and Poquito Mas burritos can happily coexist. 8555 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, (310) 360-1444

Solutions Denim A premium- denim bar with Nordstrom-esque service -- that means crayons for the kids and biscuits for the dogs. In the same strip mall as Pomme Bebe, an amazing organic baby food store. 2043 Westcliff Drive, Newport Beach, (949) 650-0479

Store 13 East San Gabriel Valley skate kids and sneaker fanatics can find new gear behind a movie theater. 142 3/4 S. Glendora Ave., West Covina, 626-430-6650

Vamp Hip shoe styles by local and international indie designers are Vamp’s specialty. Grab a pair of pumps before indulging in froyo from new neighbor Pinkberry. 2841 Hyperion Ave., Silver Lake, 323-662-1150

ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT VENUES

Chandler Studio Theatre Catch pro productions of new and classic plays in this 40-seat house, between a karate studio and an equipment repair shop. The lobby carpeting dates from the time when Charles Nelson Reilly gave acting lessons here. 12443 Chandler Blvd., North Hollywood, (818) 908-4094

Detroit Bar Hip live bands, house music DJ nights, karaoke and stand-up comedy: Can this really be a club in the O.C.? Next to a botanica? Absolutely. 843 W. 19th St., Costa Mesa, (949) 642-0600

Jumbo’s Clown Room Fans of declasse burlesque and reasonably priced draft beer find comfort in the raucous, misty-moisty-air atmosphere of this kitschy grandmother of L.A. strip clubs. 5153 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, (323) 666-1187

M Bar Home to comedy and performance nights such as the “Uncabaret” series, M Bar’s classy digs belie its blase location. 1253 N. Vine, Hollywood, (323) 856-0036

Pehrspace This gallery and performance space in the Glen Village strip mall (yes, some have names) welcomes the experimental and avant-garde. 325 Glendale Blvd., Echo Park, (213) 483-7347

Safari Sam’s Puts the disheveled grunginess back in under-the-radar L.A. rock clubs. Food, art and really loud music right at home next to a 99-cent-only store. 5214 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, (323) 666-7267

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CONTRIBUTORS

Andrea Adleman, Mindy Farabee, Jessica Gelt, Blake Hennon, Allyssa Lee, David Ng, Pauline O’Connor, Enid Portuguez, Scott Sandell, Mary Kaye Schilling, Elina Shatkin and Margaret Wappler