Out and About Food

The grounds have slightly shaded picnic areas, but they are not as pleasant as the ones at the next stop, the ranch and home of silent-film cowboy and director William S. Hart, who portrayed rugged frontier heroes on the screen. Leaving the park, head back to Highway 14, or take the parallel Sierra Highway to San Fernando Road west. Up the street you’ll find El Taco Llama, good for lunch or a very casual early dinner. The restaurant, somewhat funky but with great tacos al pastor and shrimp cocktails, is part of a chain; this one is actually quite good. Hart’s work made him a considerable fortune. He built his 22-room Spanish Colonial Revival mansion on part of what was Newhall Ranch, and lived there nearly 20 years before his death in 1946. He left his estate to the county of Los Angeles. Today, the house still holds original furnishings. Hart’s impressive collection of Western art is here, too, along with early Hollywood memorabilia and Native American artifacts. But what most young children like best are the various farm animals and the bison from a herd that inhabits the ranch. The grounds include a large, grassy picnic area right off San Fernando Road, and also 265 acres of natural wilderness and hiking trails. During summer, Wednesday through Sunday, tours of the house are free.

San Fernando Mission, 15151 San Fernando Mission Blvd., Mission Hills; (818) 361-0186. Placerita Canyon Nature Center, 19152 Placerita Canyon Road, Newhall; (661) 259-7721. William S. Hart Museum, 24151 San Fernando Road, Newhall; (661) 254-4584. James Restaurant, 739 Truman St., San Fernando; (818) 361-1850. Sierra’s No. 1, 500 San Fernando Mission Blvd., San Fernando; (818) 365-9196. El Abuelo, 452 N. Maclay St., San Fernando; (818) 365-8283. El Taco Llama, 24374 N. San Fernando Road, Newhall; (661) 253-9067.

Location Info

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Jose Chiquito Restaurant

317 S. Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90013-1222

Category: Restaurant > Mexican

Region: Downtown

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Sarita's Pupuseria

317 S. Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90013

Category: Restaurant > South American

Region: Downtown

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Sultan

311 W. Sixth St.
Los Angeles, CA 90014

Category: Restaurant > Middle Eastern

Region: Downtown

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Water Grill

544 S. Grand Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90071

Category: Restaurant > Modern American

Region: Downtown

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Cicada Restaurant

617 S. Olive St.
Los Angeles, CA 90014

Category: Restaurant > Italian

Region: Downtown

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More About

• Santa Monica Pier
• Placerita Canyon Nature Center
• Japanese American National Museum
• Eating Out
• Seafood

Santa Monica Pier

A visit to Santa Monica Pier will indulge the child in every soul. Here is the end of fabled Route 66, as far west as you can go without falling into the drink. The pier’s beloved carousel, seen in hundreds of films, still has the heart-pounding bass notes of its thundering Wurlitzer. Shrill, giggly screams emanate from the midway, with its neon-encrusted Ferris wheel, its loop-the-loop roller coaster, and one of those swinging Viking boats that dumps you nearly upside down. Would-be rock climbers can try their skills on a sheer vertical granitelike tower, or get rid of their pent-up road rage on the SigAlert bumper cars.

Each squeaky-clean food concession inside the Pacific Park portion of the pier has a recognizable brand name. The alternative to Starbucks here is the Nescafé stand, with its selection of slushy drinks. There’s plasticized pizza, stamped-out nachos and burritos, and banana splits made from soft-serve frozen yogurt. Outside the park area, the big news is the fancy reworked Lobster, a somewhat pricey, updated seafood house with a crazed bar scene. Mariasol, a reasonably good Mexican seafood house, sits at the other end of the pier. The Boathouse, with its classy views of the beach, has ditched its old-fashioned menu in favor of house-made shrimp ravioli, ahi tuna niçoise salad, and grilled chicken with roasted-pepper mayonnaise for lunch. Live crabs and lobsters drift in the tanks at the funky Santa Monica Pier Seafood. Inside, a series of vendors sell chilled seafood platters, sushi, and crabs and lobsters cooked or sashimi-style. Prices on the crustaceans compare to the Lobster, sans its chic ambiance. You must at least stop at Rusty’s Surf Ranch, a throwback to the ’60s, with a serious vintage collection of longboards on the ceiling and walls. It’s perpetually happy hour here, with karaoke or other entertainment nightly. You’ve seen everything on the menu before, maybe not the grilled-chicken tostada salad, but surely the fajitas, steamed clams in wine shallots and garlic, and linguine marinara. For a nostalgic dessert, walk back to Beach Treats at Pacific Park to buy cotton candy . . . just don’t be surprised when you discover it’s vivid blue.

The Lobster, 1602 Ocean Ave.; (310) 458-9294. Mariasol, 401 Santa Monica Pier; (310) 917-5050. The Boathouse, 301 Santa Monica Pier; (310) 393-6475. Santa Monica Pier Seafood, 258 Santa Monica Pier; (310) 394-9683. Rusty’s Surf Ranch, 256 Santa Monica Pier; (310) 393-7437. Beach Treats, a stand located on Santa Monica Pier.