When I was working at ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, 23rd Street Cafe was one of my go-to spots for a quick lunch. The cafe offers Mexican, Indian, and American food, all more than serviceable. Maybe good value make things taste better? I'm not sure, but you can take a look at 23rd's Yelp page for more opinions.
It has been nearly a year after I left SoDo and the Cafe is now under new ownership, but it seems to be the same great cafe with a slight, bright, cosmetic makeover.
The once-white walls have been replaced by a deep saffron and burgundy (?):
The sign above the door looks the same, perhaps slightly better-tended:
The fragrant, hardy rosemary bushes still line the outer patio area. (I used to pick off a sprig or two for cooking...shhh.)
As always, the mango lassi was fresh and tangy, and I was only able to finish one of the two large samosas I ordered ($1.99!).
It's good to see that some of the good things never change. West Adams may not be the fashionable district it was when LA was younger, but there are still many humble little jewels to be found there.