La Espanola Meats - Torrance

The first thing I did when I left the brrrs of Boston for SoCal sunshine was toss my ugg boots and donate all my long underwear. I didn't have much trouble saying hello to sunscreen and beach, but I was sad to leave the food behind. South Bay had no shortage of ramen, sushi, and surprisingly delicious things on sticks, but I definitely shed some tears at the loss of Las Ventas' bocadillas.

It turns out there is a place that makes a satisfactory Spanish sandwich after all. A tiny specialty store buried between the warehouses of industrial Torrance, there's Jamon Serrano Importado to be had. The jamon serrano from overseas sits between a crusty baguette, drizzled with olive oil and left plain to show off the high-end ham.

The bread is a bit overbearing for that amount of ham, and the House Bocata strikes a better balance. They make a heavenly jamon serrano, accented by a sweeter sausage-of-the-day and a thin slice of manchego cheese.

The bocadillas added a little comfort but they weren't enough to replace what I had lost. I did enjoy stocking up on charcuterie and cheese, but I wasn't too inclined to go back for the food...

Until I had the Paella. I didn't even like paella until I tried the no-day-but-Saturday, no-time-but-noon, reservation-only, styrofoam-container, mariscos-and-sausage paella at La Espanola Meats. Plump, broth-soaked, seafood-infused grains of Spanish rice mixed with a healthy helping of shellfish, chicken, and sausage, it's hard not to lick the container when you're done.

I still miss Boston from time to time. Four good years are behind me, and though I rarely look back, I do remember the things I've lost. The bocadillas are one thing I may have to bury, but at least I'll have some paella to dull the pain.