Cheese First, Everything Else Second | Agnes Cheesery

Good morning, Los Angeles. You’re reading Obsessed LA, your insider guide to what’s actually worth being obsessed with in the city. Each week, we highlight the restaurants, events, and hidden gems that capture LA’s best energy.

Traffic is officially back. The holiday grace period is over, and every errand takes 20 minutes longer than it should. LA is fully switched on now, for better or worse.

That’s basically the energy of this issue . If I’m going to sit in traffic, I want to know it’s for something solid. A dinner that emphasizes enjoying the sunshine. A coffee shop that takes coffee seriously. Everything here earned its spot because it feels worth the effort right now.

Let’s obsess.

I didn’t go to Agnes looking for a cheesery. I went looking for dinner. The cheese is what keeps pulling me back.

The move is to start with a board. Let the staff guide you. Something soft, try something a little funkier. From there, the fried cheese curds are non-negotiable. Hot, crisp and salty. They are dipped into honey mustard or ranch until the basket’s empty.

After that, the baked potato dumplings are the dish that stays on your mind. Expect it to be rich and loaded with cheddar, bacon, and sour cream. It ends up being heavy and balanced at the same time. Add something fresh like the beet and pear salad to reset, then decide if you’re done or ordering one more thing.

Agnes isn’t about a specific dish. It’s about consistency. Good food and easy pacing, it’s a room that feels settled. Go be a cheese-head.

I didn’t grow up going to Agra Tandoori. It’s just the place that kept coming up when Indian food was mentioned.

My order barely changes. Chicken tikka masala, every time. Rich, tomato-forward, not overly sweet. Lamb vindaloo if you want something with a little edge. Saag paneer to balance things out and give the table something creamy. Naan is mandatory.

Sauces hold their flavor all the way through the meal. Rice gets used in everything and the portions are solid without feeling excessive.

Agra stays in my rotation because it’s consistent. The order doesn’t change much, and that’s exactly why I keep coming back.

The Record Parlour is a Hollywood icon that is deliberately small. The selection is tight and edited. New pressings sit alongside used records and nothing reads as excess. You can feel that this is a place run by people who genuinely care about records, not as decor or nostalgia, but as something still worth paying attention to.

There is usually a DJ hosting some great tunes while you look around. The shop moves at a calm pace. Staff recommendations are specific and understated. I enjoyed the fact that you can linger, there’s no push to upsell or redirect.

No merch wall. No aesthetic distractions. Just a focused record shop that’s still there for a reason.

DTLA
A DJ-driven night focused on funk, disco, and dance selections in a cocktail-bar setting. Less club, more listening-forward. People come for the music, stay for the pacing, and let the night unfold naturally.
RSVP →

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Long Beach
The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Parade moves through central Long Beach with community groups, marching bands, local organizations, and longtime neighborhood participation. A real civic event rooted in the city, not a performance.
Details →

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DTLA
One of LA’s biggest Latin music nights of the year, bringing reggaetón, Latin pop, and urbano heavyweights together on one stage. Big crowd, high energy, and a lineup built for people who actually know the music, not just the hits.
Tickets →

Endorffeine is completely locked in on what it means to define coffee. Nothing is accidental, from sourcing to extraction to the final cup.

Espresso is the point, and everything else exists in support of that. Shots pull clean and balanced. Milk drinks stay simple and precise. Nothing is padded out to please everyone.

The room reflects that same mindset. Small footprint. Minimal seating. People come in knowing what they want or figuring it out quickly. Conversations stay low. Phones come out less than usual.

Endorffeine does not try to soften itself. It rewards attention. If you care about how coffee actually tastes, it’s one of the few places in the city where that still feels like the priority.

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Obsessed LA is a free local independent newsletter. Your contributions go towards keeping the vibes great so we can have more fun and build more community. I appreciate all the support! Buy me a coffee.