WHY This 35-year-old institution turns out Southern California’s most refined birria. WHAT Unlike most birrierías specializing in Guadalajara’s famous roasted kid specialty, birria, this place doesn’t hedge its bets by serving combination plates or other entrées. The drill is simple: You pile soft shreds of the sweet roasted meat onto a fresh tortilla and moisten [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Well-executed versions of South Africa’s culinary hits: curries, chile sauces, meaty barbecues, a subtly spicy Naidoo’s Durban curry, and tasty kebabs called sosaties. WHAT Because this is L.A.’s only South African restaurant, you might envision a modest, family-owned spot where you could sample a few of those wonderful South African wines and explore a [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY For exquisitely made tempura and high-caliber izakaya-style little dishes. WHAT If there were a Tempura Olympics, chef Hiroshi Komatsu would surely get the gold. He plucks your tempura from his proprietary blend of scalding oil and serves the lacy, crackle-crusted fish and vegetables one piece at a time so they never cool and wilt. [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY An excellent range of sakes and very good food to accompany your sake. WHAT The menu at this izakaya and sake bar in a mini-mall offers carefully made classical dishes such as chawan mushi (steamed egg soup), fried eggplant with a miso glaze and pork chunks braised in sukiyaki sauce, as well as some [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY A pretty place to explore the cuisine of South America. WHAT This dramatically enhanced sibling to William Velasco’s revered 25-year-old restaurant has the mood of a gracious old hacienda, and the food is less Ecuatoriano and more contemporary pan-South American. The libations match luscious tropical fruits with appropriately flavored alcohol: bright citrusy naranjilla (fruitier [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Tasty dishes to accompany sake or beer: noodles, yellowtail with daikon, slow-cooked Kurobuta pork belly, shiitake tempura and robata-yaki, served until midnight during the week and 2 a.m. on weekends. WHAT Whimsical menus written in crayon set the tone at this casual space dominated by a U-shaped counter around the open robata-style kitchen, where [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY With a long, elegant dining counter, a lengthy menu of homey dishes and late hours, this simple strip-mall spot is a boon for night-owl industry types working in West L.A.’s studios and creative offices. WHAT A motherly woman behind the stoves of the open kitchen at this Japanese-Korean café turns out tamago with free-range [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY A great-value $35 omakase meal, usually 11 or 12 carefully made courses. A real find. WHAT At this rustic charmer in a Westwood strip mall, a delicious multi-course omakase (chef’s choice) menu of home-style dishes is the only option—but no one is complaining. It’s a great deal for a complex and interesting meal. WHO [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Excellent izakaya is paired with a vast collection of sakes and shochus. Good weeknight happy hour, too. WHAT In a rustic, wood-paneled space that looks like a Japanese country inn, customers share tips at the massive communal table. Signs in calligraphy describe special sakes and seasonal dishes that are simple yet perfectly cooked. 11613 [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Small, tapas-like plates of fried chicken wings, calamari, grilled tofu, various yakitoris and other things that go down very well indeed with pitchers of cold beer. WHAT This izakaya place specializes in tebasaki, Japanese-style fried chicken wings. They head an enormous a la carte menu that includes about 30 varieties of grilled fish, dozens [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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