The Financial District in LA can be foreign ground to even the most knowledgeable Angelenos. With the hustle and bustle of downtown traffic, it is easy to forget about the cultural diversity of the city. In just three hours, Six Taste travelers are reminded of the rich experience Los Angeles has to offer through six restaurants and 18 blocks of exploration. Accompanied by an energetic guide to lead the journey through hidden alleys, tour-goers may find a diamond in the rough on their gastronomical adventure: Lost Souls Café.
Settled in a narrow alley, shadowed by tall, brick buildings is Lost Souls Café— a quaint, yet artsy coffee shop that is home to an eclectic downtown crowd. What may seem to be a hole-in-the-wall on the outside is actually a spacious, tranquil lounge, equipped with a small stage for open-mic nights.
Isolated from busy streets, one step into the café and the atmosphere changes to a cozy, comfortable getaway. As the first stop on Six Taste’s Financial District tours, the server behind the coffee bar will notice the small crowd and begin preparing a sampling of food that will soon awaken virgin taste buds to a taste of the Philippines. A tray filled with slices of bread is placed on the counter.
As the tour guide explains the delectable, sweet and crispy bread, called pandesal, another tray lands on the counter, but this time the appearance is not as familiar. It’s a thick, purple concoction, called an Ube shake. An Ube shake is composed of yams, ice cream and milk, and topped with a dollop of whipped cream. It may pose a challenge for some, but the tray will soon be empty as tour guests realize it tastes much better than it looks. The hardest part is now over and with a small lining of heaven on their stomachs the group begins to chat as they make their way out of the restaurant and back on the streets to the next destination.
Afterwards, tourists will taste pastries, gourmet sandwiches, Thai food and spicy Mexican cuisine. At the end of the tasty journey, patrons may realize that Six Taste Food Tours are not just fulfilling, but also an amazing way to discover LA. Six Taste’s tours show hometown-tourists that a walk in their own backyard can open up their eyes (and taste buds) to a world of new things. What begins as a tour often ends in friendships, a mind-opening cultural experience… and food coma.
