I haven’t been to LA but I’ll also add, in the late 20th century a culinary movement sprung from California focused on fresh ingredients cooked simply. And as someone from the Midwest that’s what a lot of us think of LA food as. And crucially: we’re ass at it.

Primarily though its not to our tastes. Midwestern food, in addition to being influenced by the abundance of animal agricultural products, is also heavily influenced by the harsh winters. Food is high fat and hearty. Lots of canned and preserved foods. Its the mid century soup ad recipes that worked well enough to last.

All Midwestern critiques of LA food (such as oop) needs to be seen through that lens. Most midwesterners haven’t been there. They aren’t thinking guacamole, thats just ordinary food to them. They’re thinking fish tacos as prepared in St. Paul, some vegetables that were shipped across the country before being wood fired, and a bitter salad with a light vinegarette. It’s seen as fancy, unsatisfying, and generally unpleasant. And even worse, its all that while conforming to negative stereotypes they hold of Californians.