UCLA Football Legend Brett Hundley Shares His Top Dining Spots In Westwood
Westwood is one of the most lively neighborhoods in the greater Los Angeles area. Between the occasional movie premiere at the Fox Theater and the bustling crowd of UCLA students, there’s a lot of people looking for bites to eat, especially late at night.
If you’re looking for some dynamite eating recommendations in the area, legendary UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley has got you covered. He ate his way through the city while setting a couple of all-time records for the Bruins, curating a list of go-to spots in the process.
Hundley may be off in the NFL playing for the Seattle Seahawks now, but he still knows where to nosh when he does come back to the City of Angels.
Hundley shared five of his favorite restaurants in the Westwood area in the latest episode of Foodbeast’s show Chomping Grounds. Whether they be LA legends or just great places to grab a meal, each spot he highlights serves as a worthy option to consider chomping through Westwood.
Elysee Bakery & Cafe
Hundley and his teammates frequented Elysee for breakfast all the time while he was in the yellow and blue. The item he still gets every time he’s in town? French Toast, one of the more simple yet flavorful offerings the bakery cafe has to offer.
Those looking for something a little more on the savory side can get an oozy Croque Monsieur. It’s layered with ham and swiss, with a perfectly runny egg also crammed inside to take the richness of this brunch item to the next level.
Plan Check Kitchen
If you’re from LA, you know Plan Check for its mind-blowing burger creations and buzzworthy ketchup leather. They also put it onto their Southern Fry, a massive Jidori fried chicken sandwich loaded with duck breast ham, spicy pimento cheese, and pickles. It’s a combination that brings together the love of fried chicken with a sciency-twist on ketchup, something that a foodie like Hundley, or any other Foodbeast, can totally get behind.
Diddy Riese Cookies
Diddy Riese is Hundley’s must-stop spot when he’s looking to satisfy his sweet tooth. Here, you can custom build your own ice cream sandwiches using their made from scratch cookies. If you want to get it the way Hundley likes it, opt for a scoop of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream and bring it together with a white chocolate chip and a cinnamon sugar cookie.
Bossa Nova
This spot is a treasure trove for those in love with Brazilian cuisine, or if you’re looking for a place to eat late at night. That’s what brought Hundley to Bossa Nova, since its open till 3 am at night and serves up a plethora of incredible Brazilian eats.
Hundley’s favorite order is the plantains, because in his words, “I haven’t found a spot anywhere that makes them close to this.” It’s the balance of crunch and sweetness you get from a perfectly timed trip to the deep fryer that makes all the difference with Bossa Nova’s version.
That’s not the only mouthwatering item Bossa Nova serves up, though. You have to start the meal with a couple of pieces of pao de queijo. These cheesy pillows of deliciousness have a striking textural contrast between crusty outside and chewy interior, which makes for a truly unique bread experience.
Of course, steak is the name of the game for Brazil, and Bossa Nova has some top-notch cuts that they serve. Hundley’s order of choice is the picanha, also known as the sirloin cap. The juiciness and tenderness of this beef is hard to beat, especially when enhanced by the crunchiness of the yucca flour served on the side.
Fat Sal’s
Fat Sal’s is another Los Angeles institution, and they’re known for stuffing sandwiches to the brim. Hundley and his squad have virtually eaten through the entire menu, but he brought a couple of his football friends back to take on a monstrosity they had yet to face: The Big Fat Fatty.
It took Hundley and three of his old teammates – Caleb Benenoch, Adarius Pickett, and Eldridge Massington – to take this 10-pound behemoth down. Normally, this is a challenge to be completed by one person in 40 minutes, but like Hundley did, you can bring the squad to let everyone share in the gluttonous delights the Big Fat Fatty packs in.
Whether you’re a student looking for some grub spots near UCLA or in the area for a premiere, Hundley’s recommendations are all culinary destinations worth tracking down. It’s a star-studded lineup that shines bright amongst the celebrities you’ll find hanging in Westwood.