When T on Fairfax closed, we all were really sad. But then we learned that the space has been taken over by the Food Dudes, a couple grungy hipsters who actually can really cook. And now, those scruffy dudes, Jon Shook and Vinnie Dotolo, have made that little stretch of Fairfax Avenue (a little) famous. They have their own reality show on Food Network, 2 Dudes Catering, so in the premiere last night, they kept showing that space (before it was painted neon green) on my TV! There's Supreme in the background, and the old Schwartz Bakery sign. And there's that muttering homeless guy who grabbed my ankle last Sunday (ok kidding about that one).How's the show? It's alright. Food Network capitalizes on the LA-ness of it all: catered birthday party for the daughter of one dude's dentist, a small gathering in a gorgeous modern mansion for which the dudes buy a grand's worth of sushi-grade fish, cursing back and forth on cell phones as they are stuck in traffic. Yep, that's about right. The team doesn't have quite the lovable charm of Duff's quirky crew on Ace of Cakes, but this is LA, not Baltimore, so there you go. Nevertheless, it's fun to watch these guys, who are both clearly very good at what they do and who have a solid relationship that goes back over a decade, work together. There's a low-volume mumbling of cattiness, disagreement, even a little competetiveness, but you can see the underlying love. They maintain a solid balance, and churn out really delicious-looking food.
Yeah, that stretch of Fairfax's claim to fame might currently be on a more urban, hip-hop bent, but I'm glad that my neighborhood is getting a wee bit of food fame. I'm excited to see what their restaurant will be like. We can definitely use a casual delicious spot right there.
(Incidentally, Eater LA's got an interview with the dudes with photos of them and their space.)
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