Metropolis : Sign Field

Casa del Teriyaki. Casa de Kawasaki. Nothing, not the signs of Cuban-Chinese restaurants in New York City or Tex-Mex bistros in Paris, prepares you for the linguistic exuberance of Los Angeles. Alas, Casa del Teriyaki (located at the Beverly-Catalina Car Wash) vanished several years ago, as have Casa de Kawasaki (in Irvine), Casa de Transmissions and Parts (in Inglewood) and Casa de Pets (Studio City). But the others remain, symbols of a city where no culture remains impervious to another.