JOINTS: Engine Co. No. 28

One of the things about my job is that I sometimes get to go to neat places, but I never really get a chance to explore or appreciate the place I'm at.  It's usually a business trip where time is of the essence, so my food choices are limited to what's near where I'm at.  However, occasionally I find a little gem I didn't know about, and that was the case with Engine Co. No. 28 in downtown Los Angeles.

I was pressed for time, so I needed someplace within walking distance of where I was in downtown, and right across the street was this old firehouse that someone had turned into a restaurant.  I checked the reviews on Yelp and it looked like it had some decent reviews.  I walked over with a co-worker and found ourselves a table very quickly.

First off, the service was great.  The manager came up to us and got our drink orders and said that since we were in a hurry, our food would be at the top of the queue.  In no time, out came our sandwiches, and I tucked into my cold meatloaf sandwich and cup of firehouse chili.

The sandwich was really good, though I think I would have enjoyed it more if it had been heated up just a bit.  It wasn't the normal kind of meatloaf that I was used to, but it was really good.  The chili took some getting used to.  I'm from Texas, and we're as proud of our chili as we are our barbeque, but this was more like a chili flavored soup with chunks of roast in it.  At first, I wasn't a big fan, but by the end of the cup, I was lapping up what remained with a chunk of bread.  The meal was done, we had our check paid for, and an enjoyable lunch was done in less than an hour on a busy Thursday afternoon.

The inside of the restaurant is gorgeous, and they've definitely kept the "old firehouse" feel to it...the pole is still there!  The waiters were friendly and efficient, the service was prompt but not rushed, and having the manager out there on the floor talking with us made us feel like we were big shots in the big city.

If I ever get the chance, I'll definitely be going back to this place...except next time, I'm going to get a bowl of the chili!

Engine Co. No. 28

644 S. Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Phone: (213) 624-6996
Fax: (213) 622-8780
Email: information@engineco.com
Web: www.engineco.com