While New York and Los Angeles are clearly, very different cities, the outer reaches of both areas have something in common: terrific foods from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds. For this week's No Reservations, the crew was focusing on the outer boroughs of New York, and Bourdain seemed legitimately upset that he had gone his entire life as a New Yorker without really experiencing the culinary bounty that had been sitting just on the outskirts. Angelenos– don't make that same mistake.

So while Tony ate southern Indian vegetarian cuisine, like big crispy dosa, in the basement of a Hindu temple in Queens, you'd do best to head to Artesia, and eat somewhere like Udupi Palace, home of the much loved rava dosa. How about those chopped up, squirming octopus tentacles he ate with famed Momofuku chef David Chang? Masan, in Koreatown, will make those delicious treats (along with other killed-on-site seafood), just make sure to chew quickly if you want to avoid their suckers grabbing onto the inside of your mouth for dear life. For Muslim Chinese food, there are a few options around town, like Rosemead restaurant China Islamic. We have that lamb noodle soup, too, such as the one SinoSoul recently raved about at JYTH JTYH Restaurant .

That's a big dosa.; Credit: N. Galuten

That's a big dosa.; Credit: N. Galuten

Sri Lankan food hasn't fully made it to Los Angeles in the way that it should have, but we do have some, like the tiny restaurant Curry Bowl in Tarzana. If, like Bourdain, you want to suck back frilly drinks at a Tiki bar, few have a more historic and enjoyable kitsch-factor than Bahooka Family Restaurant. But what if you want something similar to Sam's Soul Food in the Bronx? Try M&M Soul Food on Crenshaw, where patrons have regularly enjoyed a wide range of casual, low-key fare. This episode's host also raved about sitting down to delicious street tacos and quesadillas, but in that category, they clearly have nothing on us. As for that delicious looking dim sum? We have that too, and a common favorite at the moment is Elite Restaurant in Monterey Park. The one thing they showed that we really don't have? A proper answer to the much adored Brooklyn empire of Marlow & Sons, Marlow & Daughters and Diner. But to have that, we'll need better butchers.

Udupi Palace, 18635 Pioneer Blvd, Artesia, (562) 860-1950., Masan, 2851 W Olympic Blvd, L.A., (213) 388-3314., China Islamic, 7727 Garvey Ave, Rosemead, (626) 288-4246., JTYH Restaurant, 9425 Valley Boulevard, Rosemead, (626) 442-8999., Curry Bowl, 19662 Ventura Blvd, Tarzana, (818) 609-7683., Bahooka Family Restaurant, 4501 Rosemead Blvd, Rosemead, (626) 285-1241., M&M Soul Food 5496 W Centinela Ave, L.A., (310) 215-8186., Elite Restaurant, 700 S Atlantic Blvd, Monterey Park, (626) 282-9998.

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