When visiting with friends and family in the US, bonding time is often spent in restaurants recounting stories and devouring copious amounts of food. Dazzle them with your knowledge of little-known places that serve comfort food like rice bowls and overstuffed omelettes - the better to ward off the creeping autumn chill.

1. Foxy's (206 W. Colorado Street, Glendale, California 91204)

Foxy's serves breakfast specials the entire day. Dig into Huevos Rancheros or an omelet with hash browns and sausages. Coffee is hot and strong, and the bread basket can be refilled. Some of their meals come with an option of fruit. The vibe is laid-back so you can linger over your coffee refill.

2. Eggslut

There are several Eggslut branches in LA but the one we went to one cold November morning was packed with couples and small families.

The selection is basic - compact sandwiches with a fried egg and bacon, an arugula salad ordered separately, and their signature item, a poached egg with potato slurry served in a tiny jar. Served alongside are three pieces of crispy baguette to dip into Eggslut. The entire experience might come off as too hipster but when in Rome...

3. Porto's Bakery & Cafe

This restaurant should be familiar by now as it has been featured several times. Their range of pastries and savory items is wide but to act like a local, order their divine cheese rolls, sweet and tart guava buns, and meat-filled potato balls. During our visit, they had a seasonal special: a potato ball filled with savory turkey and gravy.

4. Philippe Dipped Sandwiches (1001 N. Alameda St., LA, California, 90012)

This is an institution. Next year is its 100th anniversary. 10 female staff members (known as "carvers") stand behind the long glassed-in counter that displays an assortment of pies (cherry, pecan, apple) and several sides (try their potato salad!).

They have several savory items but customers often just order a pastrami sandwich on rye that is dipped once or twice (your choice) into a heavily flavored meat broth.

5. Chego

Chego is my favorite "discovery" in downtown LA (DTLA). They have rice plates and sandwiches but if you like pork, zero in on their Chubby Pork Belly Bowl: Kurobuta pork flavored with spicy gokuchang and served with a fried egg, pickled radishes, water spinach, Chinese broccoli, cotija and peanuts. The combination of flavors and textures is insanely good.