Here are the 15 most devastating dishes I ate in L.A. County in 2008, regardless of cuisine or price level. The Top 15 is listed by restaurant, in alphabetical order.
1. All’ Angelo – Hollywood – Budino di Polenta al Limone con Spuma di Limone
With the first annual dineLA Restaurant Week winding down, I opted for one final lunch at All’ Angelo, Stefano Ongaro’s lauded Italian restaurant. While Chef Mirko Paderno’s first two dishes were solid, the highlight of the meal was undoubtedly the Budino di Polenta al Limone con Spuma di Limone. The hot slabs of caramelized Meyer lemon and polenta “pudding” were like a moist, super-charged poundcake, made even better by the cascading pour of lemon sabayon. Mirko Paderno has since departed All’ Angelo, but the budino is still available.
2. Bar Pintxo – Santa Monica – Jamon Iberico de Bellota
Writers and honored guests (including the Consul General of Spain) were invited to Joe Miller’s tapas bar to celebrate the cuisine and wines of Castilla y Leon, a region of Spain. Nico Jimenez, the five-time world champion ham carver, was flown in from Extremadura for the occasion. There were other dishes, but the night will undoubtedly be remembered for my first taste of jamon iberico de bellota, the remarkable ham made from acorn-fed, black-hoofed hogs. I enjoyed about 20 slices of the nutty meat, with melt-in-your-mouth ribbons of fat, chewy red musculature and crunchy white spots of caramelized amino acids. Apparently the meat contains nothing but “good cholesterol.” Considering the leg cost $1500, at about $90 per pound, that has to make jamon Iberico de bellota one of the most expensive health foods in the world.
3. Brent’s Deli – Northridge – Black Pastrami Reuben
Ron Peskin and wife Patricia purchased Brent’s in 1969, two years into the deli’s existence. The Peskins’ sprawling menu is dotted with highlights, none more remarkable than the Black Pastrami Reuben. A heaping portion of thin-sliced beef arrived on grilled rye with melted Swiss, hot sauerkraut and Russian dressing. The meat was lean and a little spicy. The accoutrements helped create an incredible balance, especially when sandwiched with grilled bread. Adding to the experience: definitive containers of cole slaw and potato salad.
4. Chopan Kebab House – Northridge – Ashak
It was a little disconcerting to arrive at an Afghan restaurant and find a Morigi’s Pizza sign out front. Upon entering, proprietor Jawed Qayeum explained that Morigi’s was open for 52 years and built a loyal following, so in addition to offering the cuisine of their homeland, he and his wife decided to continue cooking Joe Morigi’s dishes, using his recipes. Qayeum and his wife, chef Naseema, named their restaurant in honor of a “chopan,” an Afghan shepherd. The best dish of my meal: Ashak, ethereal steamed dumplings filled with leeks and coriander, blanketed with yogurt sauce, ground beef, dried mint and paprika. It was a colorful and delicious dish, similar to an exemplary ravioli.
5. Crudobar @ Breadbar – Century City – Black Cod Slider
In a continued effort to give inventive chefs a forum during transition periods, Breadbar co-owner Ali Chalabi invited Noriyuki Sugie, late of Asiate in Manhattan and Tetsuya in Sydney, to craft Spanish-Japanese small plates at Breadbar Century City. Chef Sugie’s menu featured 18 selections. We ordered them all, including Sugie’s incredible black cod slider, a soft bun cradling a delicately fried slab of luscious cod, mizuna and wasabi tartar sauce. The supreme filet ‘o fish came with cornichons and an addictive tomato-based red chimichurri, which had a nice kick.
6. Delux – Hollywood – Tuna Melt
I attended the grand opening of Delux, an Art Deco restaurant and bar in the middle of the increasingly sizzling Cahuenga Corridor from designer Kristofer Keith and partner Adolfo Suaya. Eric Greenspan, chef-owner of The Foundry on Melrose and Suaya’s long-time friend, constructed a unique menu featuring 14 shareable small plates. Every dish incorporates alcohol, and there’s no need for utensils. In fact, there are no utensils. Every dish was good, but the Seared Tuna “Melt” was phenomenal, containing silky strips of tuna, vodka spiked peppers, oozing cheese, a creamy swipe of aioli and a fluffy rye roll.
Greenspan was in the kitchen for opening night, but he has his own restaurant to run. Hopefully once he returns to The Foundry, the food at Delux remains interesting and consistent.
7. Ingredients – Glendale – Pork Shoulder
Michael Ruiz, former chef-owner of Bistro Verdu, resurfaced in the north Glendale neighborhood of Sparr Heights in December 2007. His blackboard menu changed according to the seasons, showcasing at least 20 Mediterranean small bites each day. We sampled seven dishes, none better than the pork shoulder, slow braised with sweet Cara Cara oranges. Ruiz covered the pig meat with a glass dome and introduces swirling applewood smoke. Ruiz lifted the lid to reveal the luscious shredded pork, garnished with roasted green peppers and ringed with parsley oil.
Chef Ruiz was forced to close Ingredients, and promptly became Executive Chef for Steven Arroyo’s Cobras & Matadors restaurants, along with Sgt. Recruiter.
8. Jitlada – Hollywood – Steamed Mussels
Jitlada was the talk of Thai Town for almost two decades, but the restaurant suffered from a culinary coma in the years leading up to March 2006, when Chef Tui Sungkamee and younger sister Jazz Singsanong took over. Chef Sungkamee cooked for a dozen siblings in southern Thailand and had a restaurant on Pattaya beach before coming to America. Of the dozens of great dishes at Jitlada in 2008, including crocodile slathered with a dry curry, the green lip mussels were the most incredible, submerged in a lemongrass broth with whole chilies and Thai basil. The bivalves were massive, easily two inches across. Chef Sungkamee cooked them masterfully, until sweet and supple. Not that the finished product needed any help, but we spooned on a sauce of minced garlic and green chilies.
9. Little Dom’s Deli – Los Feliz – Blackberry-Grape-Rosemary Focaccia
Warner Ebbink and Brandon Boudet (Little Dom’s, Dominick’s, 101 Coffee Shop) debuted their Los Feliz deli on December 17, sharing their Italian specialties with the neighborhood. Chef Boudet is handling the seasonal savory items. Ann Kirk, the pastry chef at Little Dom’s, makes all the sweet items. Opening day offerings included a phenomenal blackberry, grape and rosemary focaccia, heated until the fruits’ natural sugars caramelized.
10. The Nickel Diner – Los Angeles – 5th and Main
“Impresario” Kristen Trattner and Chef Monica May contributed to the summer opening of The Nickel Diner. The duo helped transform another block of downtown’s diminishing Skid Row. They also delivered Angelenos one of the better breakfasts in town. Pastry Chef Sharlena Fong created justifiable buzz with her bacon donut. Even better: 5th and Main, named for The Nickel’s location, a spicy BBQ pork hash topped with two poached eggs. The hash was terrific, with crusty shreds of pulled pork and chunks of potato that were nearly caramelized in porky runoff.
11. Otafuku – Gardena – Egg with Eel and Perilla
The owners of Otafuku don’t exactly do a great job at promoting their izakaya. The front window is screened over, the front door is locked and you have to squint to see the name on the green awning. Still, the two-room pub is frequently packed, a testament to their hearty Japanese cooking. The metal bowl of kelp-based soup stock contained tender cuts of fresh water eel, egg strands and aromatic Japanese parsley. Otafuku uses egg yolks in the broth as a thickening agent, to good effect. The “soup” is hearty, true comfort food.
12. Palate Food + Wine – Glendale – Pork Belly
When Cinnabar closed in the summer of 2005, it left a gaping hole in the Glendale dining scene. It took almost three years for Octavio Becerra (co-founder of the Patina Group) to fill the space on the ground floor of one of the city’s pre-eminent wine storage facilities. It was worth the wait. Becerra’s menu of wine-focused Mediterranean small plates changes on a weekly basis thanks to his long-standing relationships with local farmers. In late May, Becerra’s pork belly was especially staggering, a thick slab of meatier-than-expected bacon. Somehow, the majority of the fat had melted away, leaving the skin and base nicely caramelized and the interior absolutely luscious. To counterbalance the rich bacon, there was a refreshing salad highlighted by chiogga beets, Fuji apples and Bermuda onions.
13. Pollos El Brasero – Los Angeles – Rotisserie Chicken
This Peruvian spot in the Pico-Union district probably serves the best rotisserie chicken in L.A. Juan Shinzato, Jr.’s Japanese father and Lima-born mother (Maria Bajuelo) have run Pollos El Brasero for eight years, specializing in pollo cooked over dry firewood.
Juan revealed that his parents marinate the chicken for 24 hours in a blend of wine, salt, pepper and soy sauce, to name four ingredients in the recipe. The chicken featured caramelized skin, uniformly moist meat, including the breast, and what tasted like a citrus tang. On its own, the chicken would have been remarkable, and the experience got even better by dipping the meat in fiery aji (Peruvian jalapeno salsa). The side of steamed white rice and stewed pinto beans was a nice complement, especially when doused with the container of mild red salsa.
14. Sako’s Mediterranean Cuisine – Reseda – Sako’s Special (Iskender)
Sako’s Mediterranean Cuisine is one of the only restaurants recognized as Turkish in Los Angeles, and based on May’s lunch, that’s a shame. John and Ani Panosian have owned the restaurant for the past two years. The couple retained the original owner’s name and still make the doner kebab using his recipes. We felt compelled to order Sako’s Special (aka Iskender). Cuts of pita were piled with browned shavings of doner kebab and spicy tomato sauce, then surrounded by a sweetened moat of tangy yogurt. Sensational.
15. Silverlake Wine – Silver Lake – Pumpkin Lasagna
Three days a week, George Cossette, Randy Clement and April Langford host tastings at their sleek wine shop, which specializes in “small production, high quality, artisanal wines.” On Sundays, they host the most ambitious of the events, with food from talented local chefs. On October 12, Silverlake Wine hosted a special 90-person blowout with food from up-and-coming chefs Matthew Poley (savory) and Tara Maxey (sweet). Their pumpkin lasagna was especially fabulous, Kabocha and butternut squash puree layered with pasta sheets, Parmigiano, brown butter sage glaze and gobs of hand-pulled buffalo mozzarella, topped with cubes of al dente squash and greens.
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good post! i will definitely have to try out some of these. Personally had bad experience on the pork belly @ palate (too salty and dry), but it can be a good day/bad day type of thing. I enjoy ur blog very much =) happy new year
Are you kidding me? I am so tired or you hacks writing this crap. Just the photos alone look like slop! This is proof in point why LA is not now, has never been, and never will be a culinary haven. I cannot even imagine a chef of worth… Gary Danko, Tom Keller, Traci D., or “fill in the name of any decent NYC chef” putting their name on this crap. The greasy pistrami pictured would hit the trash bucket at the Carnegie or Roxy in NY – not be served to paying guests (maybe the homeless that come around the back door)… Otafuku – a rip-off of the famous NY Momofuku? This food just isn’t appetizing. It’s 5 years behind the culinary times… and here you are promoting it! How much did it cost these restaurants to get you to plug them?
Just out of curiosity – what exactly are your credentials for reviewing cuisine aside from tastebuds that must have died long ago and a desire to get free meals! I’m appalled at your choices. Here’s a suggestion… instead of sitting wracking your brain to come up with nonsense, take a trip up to the Bay Area and eat at a couple of good restaurants in SF.. up in Bodega Bay… visit some of the artisans… visit a couple of markets… then head to NY and drop by any one of the 5,000 decent eateries in the city (if you can’t decide, just pick 5 of Danny Meyer’s places)… then head to Chiacgo and do nothing but head to the ethic neighborhoods and eat in local joints – nothing fancy… just family-owned restaurants… then come back and I promise you will never again write about the “devastating dishes” that you ate at some celebrity-chef-wannabe-I-just-opened-my-place-that-will-be-closed-in-3-months “hotspot” of the moment in LA.
Pathetic. Find a new schtick. I understand McD’s will give you $10 to plug them in your next newsletter!
And for your readers – wise up… this is not good food.
Danny, have you been to any of the restaurants mentioned above? Answer that, and go ahead and read the hundreds of other reviews on this site, and then start talking about credentials. You obviously don’t have any.
Mistakes in your comment: Momofuku copied (well more like revised) Asian food from Los Angeles. It’s Thomas Keller, not Tom. Josh grew up eating at delis in Jersey and NYC, so I think he knows good pastrami. Oh, and Danny Meyer’s not a chef, he’s a restaurateur. Learn to spell Chicago (as well as pastrami and ethnic). And go stick your one inch cornichon in some other blog.
Danny,
You don’t have to agree with my post. After all, any restaurant criticism is based on opinion. Still, your accusation that I’m paid to post is off-base. I paid for every dish on the list except for the jamon iberico (which was presented by invitation, as I noted) and the focaccia (which was served to anybody who showed up, to help market Little Dom’s deli on its opening day). So you know, I’ve never been invited to a media event with the expectation that I write about it on Food GPS.
As for credentials, it’s not like you need a license to write about food. That holds true for any critic in the nation, including Michael Bauer and Frank Bruni. If you don’t agree with my opinions, you don’t have to read Food GPS.
Also, I’ve eaten at every revered deli in Manhattan, including 2nd Avenue, Carnegie and Katz’s. Brent’s Deli and Langer’s Deli in L.A. are both better than any Manhattan deli at this stage. If you find that so hard to believe, you should try them to form a more informed opinion.
As you can see from the following links, I have plenty of recent Bay Area and New York restaurant experience:
http://www.foodgps.com/review/category/locations/northamerica/usa/california/northcalifornia/
http://www.foodgps.com/review/category/locations/northamerica/usa/new-york-city/
Finally, I haven’t eaten at McDonald’s since the mid ’90s.
Great roundup Josh.
Who the hell is that guy?
New York is New York, the Bay Area is the Bay Area, and Los Angeles is Los Angeles.
Eat first, talk/bash later…
And it’s going to be my 5th McDonald’s free year myself (along with almost every other franchise food thing
Having lived in the Bay Area for over 15 years, the idea that food in the Bay is superior to food in Los Angeles is laughable. The Bay has great food, don’t get me wrong, but in terms of size and scope, you can’t remotely try to put it on the same level as Los Angeles.
Don’t sweat Danny – dude’s an obvious douchebag. Not to mention completely uninformed if he thinks Otafuku is copying Momofuku. Note: just b/c both have the suffix “fuku” in them doesn’t make them related, moron.
This all said, Langer’s pastrami >>> Brent’s pastrami. By a long shot.
Lefty,
Thanks for the support. I agree with you that Langer’s pastrami is the best in L.A., but Brent’s black pastrami reuben is still pretty special. Here’s a link to my Langer’s review:
http://www.foodgps.com/review/langers-deli-los-angeles-ca-friday-december-14-2007
so I think he knows good pastrami.