Hangover Helper 2009
Breakfast burrito, baby!
By Deborah Netburn
In New York, my go-to hangover helper was the classic breakfast sandwich -- bacon, egg and cheese on a roll. (If it had been an especially rough night, Id tack hash browns on for good measure). But here in Los Angeles, my beloved staple is too often complicated by lettuce and mayo and tomatoes, rendering the entire thing totally inedible. Nothing fresh belongs on a breakfast sandwich. Nothing! So these days I turn to the breakfast burrito, which should include eggs, bacon, cheese and a hash browns option, while not including black beans, salsa or sour cream (not always easy to find). But if you are a purist like me, then try the breakfast burrito at Ricks Drive In and Out. The one on Fletcher Drive in Silver Lake is open 7 a.m. to midnight on New Years day, and you can ask for the hash browns extra crispy. Assuming it was an extra rough night. Ricks Drive In and Out , 2400 Fletcher Dr., L.A. (323) 660-5988. (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)
Pho time
By Jason La
Its New Year’s Day. Through your glazed-over eyes, you look at your watch. What time is it, you wonder. Pho time.
If youre hungry and have a hangover, ease your discomfort with pho, a clear Vietnamese soup with rice noodles, herbs and slices of meat, usually beef or chicken. Im not suggesting pho cures hangovers. According to WebMD, there is no cure for hangovers. But when youre feeling nauseated and achy, why not try to make yourself feel better with warm and delicious soup you dont have to cook yourself? Here are two spots for a great bowl of pho. At either of these places, Id recommend getting the chicken pho (pho ga) or the pho with rare beef (pho tai).
Pho 79 With its soft lighting and calming decor, Pho 79 wont assault your already abused senses. Ive eaten here at least half a dozen times, and the noise level is usually on the low end, a plus for your pounding head. Seating is generally very prompt, and service is quick as well. Your bowl of pho will be on its way within five minutes of the time you order. The portions arent monstrous, but at about $5.50 dollars a bowl, you definitely get your moneys worth. Pho 79, 29 S. Garfield Ave.,
Noodle City A little more bustling than Pho 79, on average, Noodle City is still a good stop for those with hangovers. Though the restaurant can get a little noisy, as large groups tend to flock here, the booths on the left side of the restaurant are relatively quiet. Service is prompt, and the restaurant is low-key. You could walk in with drool coming down your face and not feel out of place. In other words, you wont have to worry about looking like a zombie while you nurse your hangover. No one will care. The size of the portions here are on the average side, but also selling for about $5.50 a bowl, its still a deal. Noodle City, 628 W. Valley Blvd., Alhambra. (Gina Ferrazi / Los Angeles Times)
Keep drinking
By Rene Lynch
Recover? Why not just keep drinking? Everyone knows the hair of the dog is the best way to put a bad night of boozing behind you. You can check out your favorite dive bar. (You know, the one where they know you by name.) One of our favorites: The Reno Room at 3400 E. Broadway in Long Beach, which opens bright and early 6 a.m. on New Year’s Day, as it does every day. (562) 438-4590.
Or, you can do your drinking at home. Heres a recipe for Bloody Marys. (Jay Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Eat a big, fat, greasy breakfast!
By Rene Lynch and Lori Kozlowski
There are plenty of theories for why this works. Some people say the grease absorbs the alcohol. Some say it keeps the alcohol from being absorbed. We say sounds like a good excuse to eat a Super Rico Sandwich at the always open Fred62, 1850 N.
Or how about some of these other standbys:
Canter’s Deli Surely the cure is a swiss-cheesy, corned beef Reuben at Canter’s, 419 N.
The Coffee Cup Cafe Pretty much anything served alongside the crispy breakfast potatoes is going to get you by at The Coffee Cup Cafe, 3734 E. 4th St. Long Beach. (562) 433-3292. Opens at 8:30 a.m. on New Years Day.
The Brite Spot Sort of a hipster Dennys. If a bunch of punk band kids played really hard all night, had a great set and afterward wanted food, this would be where they’d end up. A crowned king on the wall watches over the eaters as you pile toast and tofu scramble into your mouth, washed down with iced coffee. After your meal, you can stroll around
Millies Cafe If you find yourself a mess on Jan. 1, try the Devils Mess at Millies Cafe. Seems like the perfect cure to the headache blues. Cajun-style turkey sausage, lots of vegetables and even more cheese. Hang out at the sidewalk tables, put on your Wayfarers and watch the day go by. Regular hours on New Years Day, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Millie’s Cafe, 3524 W. Sunset Blvd., L.A., (323) 664-0404 www.milliescafe.net (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)
Freeze it off
By Mary Forgione
Getting up and braving the rowdy, cheering crowds at the Rose Parade in Pasadena likely isnt the salve to a throbbing head and a queasy stomach. A jump in the ocean might be the best thing to jump-start your New Year. But dont go alone: Run down the beach and into the surf with like-minded partiers (swimsuits only; no wetsuits allowed). The Cabrillo Beach Polar Bears (www.cabrillobeachpolarbears.com) of
