EPISODE 58: CHECK YOUR REFERENCES: 10 SONGS THAT SHOUT OUT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EATERIES

In this week's episode of Living in the Sprawl: Southern California's Most Adventurous Podcast, host Jon Steinberg shares his list of the 10 songs that shout out Southern California Eateries. His list includes: In-N-Out, Crustacean, Rainbow Bar & Grill, Nobu, Fat Burger, Pink's Hot Dogs, Earl's on Crenshaw, Sunset Grill, Zankou Chicken and Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles.

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Transcript

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Hello listeners and fellow explorers. This is living in the sprawls lovely and talented producer slash wife, Lisa Steinberg. I wanted to thank all of you for your continuous support of the show. As a new podcast on the scene, John and I self-support the logistics and research that go into the show. The number one way to support the show is to rate, review and share this podcast with everyone, you know, Many of you have been doing this and it has helped immensely. I also invite you to check out our website and the show notes for other ways to support the show. We are currently working with companies. We currently use ourselves. To get discount codes for our listeners and support the show in the process. These companies include. Every table, just CBD store, gold belly cats, botanicals, and so much more. By using the links on our website, you are letting them know we sent you an intern, supporting the show. You can also support us on Patrion and pod fan. Please check out the website@livinginthesprawlpodcast.com. For updates on companies we are working with our testimonies links codes and new living in the sprawl merchandise Again thank you to all of you our lovely listeners for tuning in every week and allowing us to do what we love Without further ado you're humble correspondent John steinberg Hello, and welcome to another edition of living in the sprawl. Southern California is most adventurous podcast. I am as always your humble correspondent and host. My name is John Steinberg and I am joined by my lovely. And immensely talented producer slash my wonderful wife. Her name is Lisa Steinberg. We are. The team here at sprawl enterprises. Ready to bring you yet a, another foray into that great grand grandiose. Big old wide world that exists between Pasa to the north. Any Imperial beach in the south, which we have lovingly deemed the sprawl. Opt-in any show. Uh, topic. That I've never heard. Anyone. Really discuss. In any length at all? Perhaps not the most obvious. In the way of subject matters, what we'll be discussing today. Is what we'd like to call in the industry. A fun episode. So prepare yourselves strapping. And let us tell you a few stories. Today, we're going to be examining song lyrics more specifically. We're going to be looking at. References. Too sometimes. Great. Sometimes not so great. Southern California restaurants that appear in contemporary music. Growing up. I was obsessed with the notorious bag. My parents bought me. The double album life after death. For the holidays one year and I was hooked. And it got me to go back. And snap up. The first biggie smalls record to come out, ready to die. Which included, in my opinion, the greatest rap song of all time, that being juicy. And even as a child, And even though. I did not really know what he was talking about in a majority of the lyrics. I was nevertheless impressed and enthralled. When biggie saying about Robin leech. Heavy D. Mr magic Marley mall. I had no idea of who these people were. But the references. Captivated me got me to look up the folks in question. And a lifelong obsession with references was soon born. Now, when we're talking about the sprawl, so then California. And it's connection to the music industry. That's a conversation that could last an entire day. Nate. Oh week. A month. It could go on for quite some time. We've already done an episode on the iconic recording studios located throughout the sprawl. So it should come as no surprise. That contemporary music has been flooded with an array of references to different places, things. Stuff. That exists. In the greater Los Angeles area. But there's something particularly special to me. About a song. That goes out of its way to point out a specific restaurant. And this happens more often than you might think. When it comes. To our terrain, Southern California. So let us begin our quest to unravel and examine. 10. Fascinating. Songs. That include references. To Southern California based. Establishments. Let's begin. And there were 10. In and out burger. As referenced by the game. In his track hit the J. This is not the first, nor will it be the last. Example. Of a tune. That incorporates that greatest of Southern California burger chains in and out. Indeed. The in and out. Of in and out, in and out. That's what our, I'm not going to go on there. Continue singing it. But the restaurant franchise associated with that. Stimulating piece of pop paraphernalia. Has been a favorite. With basically everyone in Southern California and beyond. So. It should come. As nothing of a shock to say. That musicians also worship at the feet of in and out burger. The game. It makes a comparison between in and out burger here. And. A restaurant that might appear a little bit later on. On this episode. In Beverly Hills called crustacean. So if we examine it, We're led to believe that for a certain kind of, let's say, um, less expensive. More authentic experience. You want to be hitting up in and out. And for a decidedly more posh. Albeit with a side of. Cynicism. The restaurant crustacean in Beverly Hills. Might be the place to go. Kicking us off. As we go through 10 songs. Which include references to Southern California restaurants it's in and out. From the track hit the J by the game. I number nine. We're going to be talking about. Crustacean. So we didn't have to go that long. Without. Mentioning. That upper crust, Beverly Hills establishment. It's referenced in the track finest hour by Jay rock featuring Rick Ross. Rosie himself. Notes on this track. That while NLA. He has meetings at crustaceans. And the previous track. Which we analyzed. There was a clear contrast as represented. By the inexpensive delicious. Cheeseburgers, you can get it in and out. As compared with the ridiculously expensive. Uh, Vietnamese. American fusion. Offerings that you can get at a place like crustacean. In the context of this song. Rick Ross. Invokes crustacean or crustaceans, as he says, To better elevate. The type of experience you think he's having while in Los Angeles? We're meant to believe that only rich people can afford crustacean or crustaceans, which is true. And we're also meant to believe. That dining at crustaceans or crustacean is a kind of badge of honor. Uh, checkmark. Which loudly proclaims you have arrived. This is the type of restaurant where Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez. Go for date night. Haley and Justin Bieber would celebrate an anniversary there. it's that sort of place, however, The food. Is it not on par? With many of the other Michelin level establishment scattered around the sprawl. In other words, crustaceans. Is it the type of place that you would shout out if you came to Los Angeles twice a year? And we're attempting to dine at the most Sini place in the 9 0 2 1 oh. And really. Nothing else. The track is called finest hour. So, I guess we're meant to believe that in their finest hour, the best version of themselves. Well, those versions can afford to dine at crustaceans. Forgetting all along. That's significantly better. Food can be found. Two miles to the west along Westwood Boulevard. In Tiran jealous. Jealous. Shouting out crustaceans or crustacean. It's J rock featuring Rick Ross. And number eight. The shadow goes to the rainbow bar and grill. The song. Is sunset and Babylon. By the eighties, hardcore punk outfit. W a S P. Now. We're actually at a legitimate eatery. The rainbow bar and grill. Centrally located on the sunset strip adjacent. To one Oak. Which used to be the key club. With the comedy store, a couple blocks down the road. But right in the thick of it. The rainbow bar and grill. Has been around since 1972. The landmark rock hangout. Was formerly. Home. To an upscale Italian spot called Villanova. Where Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio had their first date in 1952. But in its life as the rainbow bar and grill. The establishment curried favor with many of the rock and roll luminaries. Who held court along the sunset strip. In the 1970s and 1980s. Keith Moon. John Lennon. Elton John. We're followed by Axl rose, Nikki six, Tommy Lee. The restaurant has appeared. In several music videos, probably the most famous of which is November rain by GNR. But for purposes of this episode, the establishment gets a shout out. From WSP. In sunset and Babylon. And in this context, It's definitely mentioned. In the vein of hotspot, which it is. But it's also clear from the shrieking. Vocals on the track. That being a regular. At the rainbow bar and grill is something of a. Status symbol. I think we're noticing a bit of a theme here, folks. More often. Then. Rock and roll. Hip hop music tens to shout out. Places like restaurants. Athletes other musicians. It to be as blunt as possible. Rap songs. date, just to have more in the way of words, there's more content there. More opportunity for the artists in question. Two. Expound. Upon the virtues of their favorite. Rib joints and. Taco trucks. But the rainbow bar and grill. Is a truly special place. And judging by the volume. At which its name is screamed during this song. It's a place that has made a lasting impression. Upon. Generations. It's the rainbow bar and grill as shout it out. Bye. WSP. On their 1980s, hardcore punk track, sunset and Babylon. And there were seven. The restaurant. Nobu in Malibu, the song jump man by Drake and future. Although it's future. Who chance Nobu, Nobu, Nobu. During a particularly charged moment. From this 2015. Global sensation. As was the case with in and out. No, who gets a lot of love from the hip hop community. Well, it gets a lot of iteration from all communities even today. No booze outpost along. The Pacific coast highway in Malibu is still one of the most difficult reservations to snare. In. All the sprawl. Folks that. Have the TMZ app. Might be familiar with the restaurant as being. Uh, place. Where paparazzi gather so they can snap candids. Of celebrities. Entering and exiting. Through the front and back doors. It almost seems like it's a weekly occurrence that a TMZ article will populate on the app. Stating. Guess who stopped in the BU it's Angelina, Joe Lee. That's right. She grabbed dinner. Over at Nobu. Or. You'll never guess who we caught up with outside Nobu in Malibu the weekend. Again, we're dealing with a restaurant. That equals status symbol here. Nobu. Is the creation. Uh, famous chef Nobu. Matsuhisa. Who began his ascent to the top. Of the sprawls culinary ranks. When he opened. His eponymous sushi, stalwart on loss sciatica. Matsuhisa Robert DeNiro. You know, the actor. Quickly. Let Mr. Matsuhisa no. That he was a gigantic fan. Of his cooking. In time. The two would form a partnership. Nobu would make an extended cameo appearance in the Scorsese classic casino. And what began. It's a lifecycle. As a high end. Sushi spot on loss, sciatica. Blossomed. Into a global. But he myth. Spawning. Hotels the world over. And versions of Nobu. Which opened in places like. Las Vegas. Dubai and Macau. I could've picked. At least 15 different songs. Which all referenced Nobu. But it's junk, man. Drake and futures. Ode to Michael Jordan. That compelled. The team here to select this particular song for occlusion. As future states in the song. Chicken wings, fries. But it's date night, Nobu, Nobu, Nobu, Nobu. We should all be so lucky Mr. Future. And so it goes. And number six. Restaurant and question that burger, the song. It was a good day by ice cube. When O'Shea. Jackson. Told the world. Then a trip to fat burger at. Two o'clock in the morning. Was the perfect way to cap off what in his words was a good day. Well, the world. Extended their ears out. And deigned to listen. Fat burger was started. In Los Angeles in 1947 with the first. Storefront being opened in the exposition park area. This is around USC. As of this recording. There are over 150. Outposts of the chain. From sunny, Southern California. Too. The really surprising. Middle east in. Pakistan. Though the first fat burger. No longer exists. The chain. Has a mast at gargantuan following. The burgers are simple. Executed well, And always delivered with a side. Uh, finesse. Fat burger also gets a shout out. In going back to Cali by biggie smalls. But it's the appearance. Fat burger makes. In the ice cube track. That brought fat burger. To the masses. Indeed. We at sprawl enterprises. Couldn't agree. More. Uh, day that ends with fat burger truly is a good day. And number five, the song. Coming to your city by country duo big and rich. The restaurant Pink's hotdogs. The most famous. Hotdog restaurant. In Southern California is without question pinks. Lines extend. Down. four. Blocks. Crammed with customers all waiting. To bite in. To a truly iconic hotdog. Whether you're getting the Rosie O'Donnell. Or keeping things more traditional. Pinks always represents a definitive Los Angeles experience. When I think about pinks, my mind flashes to anecdotes. About Orson Welles. Uh, later in life, Orson Welles. Uh, 350 pound Orson Welles. Who would shovel? Multiple hotdogs down his gullet. As he was decidedly in the, I do not care anymore. Point in his life. Pinks is unique for Los Angeles in the home of the Dodger dog. The city of angels. Does it have the kind of hot dog cache? In the same way that a place like New York does or Chicago. But what we do have is pinks and the last place in the world. That you might expect to hear. That themed hotdog, storefront. Shout it out would be in a song. From two country musicians who joined forces in Nashville. But as we say so many times on living in the sprawl, that is the wonderful thing. About this region. You get connections. In the most random places, everything always. Comes full circle. On this track. Uh, Jackie to kit for big and rich. The payer. Mention skyline chili from Cincinnati. Drinking Coronas and Arizona. Half of the shout outs seem genuine and the others. Feel like. Obligatory. References that are included because they rhyme. We here. In LA, we go to pinks. Get charged$15 for drinks. Uh, Nashville. Do oh. And while I land, this is about what one might expect. But here are the shout out. Is it. In your face. Or over the top, it actually sort of. Flies. Under the surface. It's not belted out. In an extreme baritone. It's merely mentioned. In a lengthy list. Filled with allusions. To other places that the payer must stop at while they're on tour. So then California is a place of acceptance. We welcome. All kinds. From all places. And we love the fact that. The shout-out. Two pinks happens to have come. From artists like big and rich I know before the restaurant. Earl's on Crenshaw. The artist Merz, M U R S. The hip hop artist. Whose real name? Believe it or not. Is Nick Carter. Makes a reference. On his track. Which is simply called LA. To a wonderful. Spot on Crenshaw Boulevard. Earl's has hot dogs. They have. Other kinds of soul food. Everything that you'd be inclined to get from there is delicious. But that's not why we've included it. On this list. In referencing Earl's Merz also mentions. That he doesn't want people to be scared of Crenshaw. Any deed. We adore. This message here at sprawl enterprises. South LA is filled with unique. Timeless establishment that represent a big part. Of the cultural heart of Los Angeles. Earl's is one of those places, Crenshaw Boulevard. Is packed with them. Chef Maryland's Phillips barbecue. Taco mills. Swift cafe. These are all. Passion. Projects. Commissioned by owners with a genuine connection. To the region. The neighborhood. And the people. Who live and work in the surrounding areas. We suggest. Anyone. Interested. And getting to know the city a bit better. Checkout Grenshaw Boulevard. More places like Earl's exist. Thrive and remind you. Of how truly wonderful the Southland can be. And number three, the restaurant, the sunset grill the song. Sunset grill. The artist in question is Don Henley from the Eagles. The sunset grill, which is located. Shockingly on sunset Boulevard. Has been around since 1957. Initially currying favor with musicians like Don Henley. Who would routinely pack inside the diner? Splurging on. They're famed. Greasy hamburgers. If you go to the sunset grill today. It's a little bit different. They actually specialize in Hungarian favorites. So if you've ever wondered what a Hungarian breakfast might consist of the sunset grill. Is the place to check out. But this song released. Smack dab in the middle of the 1980s. Mentions. Street walkers. box people, which I, guess, as a euphemism for homeless folks, And it's all very interesting. Because in truth. A certain kind of person. Who lives or travels within the sprawl? All they want to talk about is that they saw. Some homeless people on the street or that the traffic. Is. Over the top. The sunset grill reminds me of that kind of person. I tune this person out most of the time. But again, This song is so high on our list because it represents. The idea that even though. Years may pass and decades. Sometimes get lost in the wilderness that all this may be true, but things usually wind up staying kind of the same. The sunset Boulevard, Don Henley is singing about. Looks. Quite a lot, like the sunset Boulevard that you'd experience. If you visited the sunset grill today. 30 years on. And we're all still examining. Snapshots from the same slideshow. And yet the sunset grill. Has wonderful Hungarian food. It's an undisputed. Southern California classic. And this is an objective lead catchy song, the type of track that. Merits inclusion. On your road trip in mixed tapes. And number three, it's the sunset grill as shouted out in the sunset, grill by one Don Henley of the Eagles. And number two, the restaurant. Zinc you chicken. The song. Debra. Bye Beck. You might recognize this one. From its appearance in the 2017. Film baby driver. Or you might just be. Uh, fans of the now classic 1999. Beck album midnight vultures. Zico chicken. Is it Los Angeles. Area institution. We'll probably talk about. An infamous crime associated. With the chain. But since it's founding. Decades ago. Zenko chicken. Has found. And our motto of fans. Scattered all around. Parts of greater Los Angeles. BEC BEC Hansen. Who grew up, we think in the church of Scientology. And clearly had exposure to Zankou chicken growing up. Snappily references the Mediterranean. Eatery. As though. He's trying to impress the titular Debra. It's what a cool hipster person might do. Let's get some Zankou chicken step inside my Honda. And let's make out. Before the song appeared on midnight, vultures Beck used to trot it out before live audiences. Who would croon. Along. With the alt rocker, even though the song had never been officially released. Because it had such enormous fanfare during live appearances, BEC included it on midnight vultures. And it is now a certifiable Colt classic. Zika chicken. Was also referenced. In a particularly memorable episode of curb, your enthusiasm. Where Larry David. Wonders. Could this Palestinian chicken be so good that it might actually have the power to solve the Israeli Palestinian conflict for good. I don't know if we're going that far LD. But Zankou chicken. Is here to stay. And now forever embedded in the animals. Of American pop history. Thanks to the song, Debra by Beck. Oh, right. We have now arrived at our number one spot head of the class. Best in show. First, among many. The best. Song that references. Uh, Southern California based restaurant is none other. Then going back to Cali. By the notorious B I G off of his multi-platinum selling double album life after death. Roscoe's chicken and waffles. Has been. A cornerstone. Of the Southern California dining landscape. Since its founding in the year of our Lord, 1975. Located. Right off of sunset and Gower. The soul food specialist. Has garnered generations. Of rabid fans. Who eagerly. Pounce on there. Decadent combination of chicken. And waffles. Though the team here at sprawl enterprises doesn't necessarily embrace the term Cali or anybody that refers to California as currently. We'll make an exception. In the case of BI G. Let's forget for a moment. About who he is bragging about being able. To fleece on this one. And instead. Center our attention. Around the monumental impact. And then a place like Roscoe's has made. In general. It comes up in swingers. Ludicrous sayings about Roscoe's. Snoop dog. Took David Beckam. To the eatery on his reality show. Celebrities I E musicians, 10 to love Roscoe's chicken and waffles. The notorious big's. Eternal. Testimonial. To the. Golden state. As we talked about earlier also mentioned spat Berger. But the line. I won't say it on the podcast. That includes Roscoe's. Is one that I heard. Bandied about at. Multiple parties when I was in high school. And in college. Going back to Cali is one of those songs. You feel like you always hear. Every time you're parked. In dead traffic. Along Melrose avenue. Every restaurant should be so lucky as to get a shout out like this from a rapper as skilled as biggie smalls. And then the cruelest of ironies. Life after death. Came out. was a. Massive success. But with the song, going back to Cali. The rapper. Was bragging about his exploits in a place that was to be the staging ground for his untimely passing. Nevertheless. If you just focus on. The music, the song, the shout outs, the wordplay. Going back to Cali. Is the undisputed king. And that's going to do it for another episode of the program. We'd like to thank everyone for their continued support. It means the world to us, a couple of easy ways to express that support. Hop on apple iTunes, leave us a five star rating, a nice review. That stuff really helps us out on the business end. Our Instagram handle is living in the sprawl podcast. Feel free to write us a thoughtfully composed. Email. At care of living in the sprawl podcast@gmail.com, we'd like to draw your attention to our phenomenal website and it's on this phenomenal website, but you can get your hands on the living in the sprawl guide, which has now been updated. To include everything covered in the first 50 episodes. Of the podcast. You can become. An apple subscription, Patrion. Subscriber. And by doing this you'll gain access to a bonus content. If you'd like to hear. The best. Pizza places in the sprawl. Ice cream parlors, fish markets. Hamburger spots. The only way. To get access to those episodes is by. Being. Apple. Subscriptions member or Patrion subscriber. We're also pleased to announce. We're going to be adding to our bonus content with our special weekend in review. Episodes. These are short to the point. Podcasts. Where we pretty much explain. How and why? We did the things that we decided to do on that weekend in question. We're an ambitious bunch here at sprawl enterprises. Incorporating. Well, everything that you hear on this show into our weekends. And we're going to be offering. Quick. Summarizations of those as podcast episodes. Only available to apple subscription or Patrion. Subscribers. On behalf. Of myself. I am as always your humble correspondent and host. My name is John Steinberg and I am joined. By my lovely and talented producer slash wife. Her name is Lisa Steinberg. We are the team here at sprawl enterprises. Thinking you. So long. As we wind down another episode of living in the sprawl so there california's most adventurous podcast talk to you next time