Your New Year’s resolution might be to drink less, but even the best intentioned people end up with the worst New Year's Day hangovers. So here are some sure fire fixes – think grease, carbs, and fat, for what ails you on the morning after. These aren't the obvious greasy spoons but a more elevated hangover experience, hopefully.
South of the Border Cure (Los Angeles & Pasadena)
The Escuela Taqueria Green Chile Burrito in the Beverly Blvd. area is slow braised with Good Nature pork shoulder, green chile, and refried beans. It’s available all day, and is a great hangover remedy with super tender pork in deliciously comforting gravy. Add some hot sauce and your head clears right up while rehydrating with coconut water served right in the shell. (See photo above)
Hit It and Quit It (Fairfax District)
This down and dirty LA rite of passage takes place at the Oki Dog stand near Hollywood in the form of an infamous burrito that is stuffed with two hot dogs, pastrami, and a melted chili-cheese substance. It sounds discussing in the light of day but totally works for a midnight drunken binge and they are open until 2 a.m., so there is that to consider if you’re on the run to a club or another party.
The Romantic Choice (Silver Lake)
Just because you feel like hell doesn’t mean you can’t still believe in love, so head to Cliff’s Edge in Silver Lake — one of the most romantic alfresco spots in town. Chef Vartan Abgaryan’s smoked salmon is full of omega 3 fatty acids that are reported to help in recovery from a hangover – the carbs from the potato pancake don’t hurt either. The poached eggs contain cysteine, a compound that helps the antioxidant glutathione form – and this is what breaks down toxins in your liver. There is a sprig of watercress because it’s green and good for you, then the dish is topped with sour cream because it tastes rich and soothing. Sip this with a Mimosa and you’ll be feeling as good as gold in no time.
Nostalgic Pub Option (Mid-Wilshire)
Historical local Irish pub Tom Bergin’s on Fairfax will offer New Year’s Day fare to help cure post-festivities hangovers with signatures such as the beer battered fish & chips made with Bergin’s Brew (a beer made specifically for the pub by Rouge Brewery), and served with tartar sauce. Another hit on the day after is the Bergin’s burger with Irish cheddar, Tullamore onions, thousand island, brioche bun, and choices of added egg and bacon. All of this can be enjoyed in the cozy restaurant’s dining room or at the bar where their famous Irish coffee should help pave your road to recovery.
Modern Pub Grub
The Fat Dog in Hollywood has 12 beers on tap, and 10 in bottles or cans, with a good concentration of local breweries like Coronado, Craftsman (Pasadena), Wolf Creek (Valencia), Stone (Escondido) which will help to wash down the “chicken fried chicken.” A fantastic hangover cure with breaded chicken in a buttermilk biscuit, sausage gravy, and topped with a fried egg. Pair it with their Bloody Mary, one of the best in town, and you’ll be right as rain in no time.
Best Pajama Brunch with Breakfast Pizza (Hollywood & North Hollywood)
Stella Barra in Hollywood and Stella Rosa in Santa Monica are both offering a great hangover cure breakfast pizza on their brunch menu, a chilaquiles pizza made with parmesan cream sauce, whole eggs, crispy tortilla strips, grana padano, Fresno chili, green onion, and Cholula hot sauce served on the side. Chef Jeff Mahin loves Cholula and we suspect it’s because the spicy condiment is also great for sweating out the sins from last night. Oh, and you are encouraged to show up in your PJs during the brunch – but just this once, please.
Best Boardwalk Adjacent Beach Option (Venice)
Barlo Kitchen + Cocktails at The Hotel Erwin is not only located on prime Venice Beach real estate – close to the boardwalk sea, sun, and sand, but they also have a kick-ass brunch. They have four kinds of eggs Benedict including the squash pancake with avocado (both veggies are good for reinstating a healthy glow to your sallow skin); add the Cajun thyme and hollandaise to the poached eggs for the perfect balance of protein, spice and carbs. Of course, the breakfast burger with sunny side up egg, gruyere, sriracha aioli on brioche bun with a side of potatoes wouldn’t hurt the cause either.
Place to get Drunk Again with an Ocean View (Venice)
If you are feeling a bit better, head over to the Venice Whaler and grab an ocean view seat – the salt air will do you good. Start drinking the crab shell bloody Mary complete with a full size claw and a spicy kick. Soak up the alcohol once again with a chicken and waffles dish, short rib hash, or the spicy street dog. If you want to take a healthier stand order a kale salad or a day-tripper specialty juice with detoxifying lemon, ginger, tomato, cayenne, and cucumber. You can order this at the to-go window and then go rollerblading on the boardwalk. OK, so maybe you are not going to do that – but technically you could.
Best Downhome Brunch for a Group Outing (Near the Grove)
Start with the Scotch Eggs at Tart’s in The Farmer’s Daughter Hotel near The Grove which is available during brunch on the retro-cool patio. The exterior texture is fried and crunchy with a soft melting center, just the way it should be. Other popular cure-all options include the fried chicken and waffle with tabasco-maple butter; the breakfast burrito stuffed with scrambled eggs, chorizo, white cheddar, potato, salsa verde, and lime cream in a flour tortilla; and lastly, the Hanger steak with two sunny side up eggs and French fries. All dishes pair well with a hair-of-the-dog punch bowl from tea punch with vodka (the caffeine will help); the “Blackballing Punch” with homemade blackberry vodka, Orange, Cranberry (you need your vitamin C now), or the “Whole Family Punch” with peach vodka and Champagne since bubbles and carbonation are also your friend right now.
Most Virtuous To Go Choice (Santa Monica)
Whether your gluten free, Paleo or vegan, Kye's in Santa Monica will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on New Year's Day and serving their nori n' lox KyeRito featuring free-range local green eggs, smoked salmon, scallion aioli, dill, arugula, tomato, white rice quinoa blend, all wrapped in Nori. What is KyeRito you ask? It’s a wrap for the healthy meal using everything from lettuce to seaweed and is served in a plastic wrap that you peel as you eat to keep the snack together without the aid of bread. There is a video on their website to explain if you are not yet fluent in KyeRito.
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Photos courtesy of the restaurants