Chinatown: Late Night at Phoenix Inn
fish congee
When I was a kid growing up in LA, we would find ourselves at Phoenix Inn nearly weekly. And it was always a stop whenever we came home from international flights from Hong Kong. It was always open late and we would find a bowl of warm comforting congee (also known as jook).
I’ve blogged about their locations in the SGV, including Phoenix Food Boutique, the fast casual concept. Ironically that post was about my struggle with using cell phone pics on a food blog (these pics are from my Instagram). Luckily cell pics have gotten better for me the last few years thanks to switching from a blackberry to an iPhone (with a droid in between).
I hadn’t thought about writing about the original location, the true epicenter of my love of Phoenix Inn until one night I found myself craving late night jook. And where else could we go by Phoenix Inn in Chinatown?
wonton noodle soup
We ordered the fish congee and wonton noodle soup. It wasn’t really enough for three people but I had a big dinner at Ahgoo Kitchen earlier in the day. We were seeking more than just to fill our tummies. We wanted warmth and to hang out late into the night after the bars in Chinatown closed.
Maybe that’s why Phoenix Inn is just so good. Nostalgia, cheap food and memories.
Phoenix Inn
301 Ord St., Los Angeles, CA 90012 — (213) 629-2812 © The Minty 2014