Much like the Alimento menu, the restaurant’s décor incorporates a combination of rustic and modern elements. The plywood ceiling and benches from old church pews create a down-to-earth feel, while occasional bursts of color add a modern touch.
Over the past few months, several new restaurants with exciting concepts have emerged throughout the Los Angeles area. Located in the heart of the lively Silver Lake neighborhood, Alimento certainly ranks among the most talked-about establishments in the area. Spearheaded by Sotto chef Zach Pollack, Alimento incorporates dishes and flavors from several different regions of Italy, from small plates for sharing to larger plates such as bone-in pork shank. Although Pollack relies heavily on traditional Italian dishes for inspiration, he reimagines them in a looser and more creative style. Alimento uses a broad range of locally sourced ingredients, including whole snapper, mackerel, and pork. The Alimento wine menu includes a rotating selection from Italy and the United States.
Much like the Alimento menu, the restaurant’s décor incorporates a combination of rustic and modern elements. The plywood ceiling and benches from old church pews create a down-to-earth feel, while occasional bursts of color add a modern touch.
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For diners who love the big flavors of New Orleans, Los Angeles has its fair share of Cajun and Creole restaurants, including the celebrated Harold & Belle’s, which serves traditional dishes like red beans and gumbo, as well as crawfish etouffee. While prices can run a little high, the portions are large, making them ideal for leftovers.
For a more casual eatery, diners can try Orleans and York Deli in Windsor Hills and Inglewood. Serving freshly-made sandwiches inspired by the tastes of New Orleans and New York, the deli is known for its shrimp, oyster, and catfish po-boys and wide variety of muffuletta sandwiches. Another local favorite, Uncle Darrow’s Eatery recently moved to a larger space in Marina del Rey, making it more accessible. The restaurant only serves gumbo on the weekends, but other menu highlights include homemade hot sausage and sweet potato pies. If diners find themselves in Hermosa Beach, they can try Ragin’ Cajun Cafe, which usually has a long line out the door. The long wait only attests to the bold, full-bodied flavors developed by the restaurant’s chefs. One of the newest restaurants to hit the Pasadena, California, dining scene, Picnik offers a communal atmosphere and a menu filled with down-to-earth dishes. Located on Colorado Avenue, Picnik plays host to a number of different concepts within the same space, including Punch Bar, a cocktail bar located upstairs, and a patio filled with picnic tables.
In terms of food, diners flock to Picnik for its beef hot dogs and extensive selection of handcrafted sausages, including spicy Italian, Mexican chorizo, and head-to-tail. The menu also features a one-of-a-kind citrus sardine & shaved fennel sandwich and an adobo BBQ mushroom sandwich. For diners seeking a more substantial entree, Picnik cooks up a three-bean stew, braised pork shoulder, and fried chicken. On the Picnik drink menu, customers can choose from a variety of craft beers from breweries across the United States. For an after-dinner snack or a mid-day pick-me-up, Picnik also offers Zona Rosa coffee and Bulgarini Gelato. Orange County has a reputation for fresh, delicious seafood, and its many excellent sushi restaurants definitely reinforce this view. Largely regarded as one of the best in the county, Sushi Shibucho prepares traditional dishes alongside more experimental offerings. While the menu has many delicious options, diners should consider ordering “omakase,” which means “chef’s choice.” This meal generally starts with a home-cooked dish followed by a parade of bright flavors and different textures. The restaurant is located on 19th Street in Costa Mesa.
For a complete break from the traditional, check out Ikko, where Chef Ikko Kobayashi combines seemingly disparate flavors like uni and black truffle for incredible combinations. Old-school traditionalists should patronize Sushi Wasabi, where Katsu Aoyagi, a true itamae (sushi chef), takes his artform seriously - so seriously, in fact, that he refuses to make California rolls. He only serves omakase according to the freshest catches of the day. If you’re new to the world of sushi, you can find more introductory meals at Maki Zushi, which has received many accolades over the years. From teriyaki and curry dishes to freshly cracked uni, the restaurant caters to both novices and sushi connoisseurs alike. Year-round mild weather has made Orange County (OC), California, one of the best places in the world for al fresco dining. While packing a picnic and finding a lovely park or beachfront spot for a quiet dinner can be fun, OC also offers a multitude of options for those craving to dine under the sun or stars in the form of excellent restaurants.
Some of these restaurants are historic; located in a 1915 building in charming Old Towne Orange, Rutabegorz features gluten-free and other healthy options that are very much a reflection of the present. Those in Corona del Mar will likely want to dine at the Port Restaurant & Bar, where a tented patio offers both live music and a diverse menu that includes everything from Persian delicacies to Italian standards. For those wanting to dine with a view of the Pacific Ocean, The Beachcomber in Newport Beach delivers from an enormous patio where patrons can enjoy delightful fusion-inspired seafood. Similarly, Sapphire Laguna on Laguna Beach provides “Spice Plates” ideally portioned for those looking for a healthy drink and small bite with ocean views. In recent years, the 7th Street corridor has become a major dining destination with popular restaurants like SugarFish, Bottega Louie, and Mo-Chica. The most recent addition to the corridor, Gaji, offers a unique menu of small plates that play on traditional Korean cuisine with modern interpretations. In Korean, Gaji means “tree branch,” and chef Minh Phan describes the restaurant as a breath of fresh air set against an urban background.
The actual restaurant space, designed by Linda Shin, represents balance and relaxation with natural colors, clean lines, and modern materials. Gaji plans to open a patio space to complement the interior by the end of summer 2014. The food at Gaji puts an interesting spin on classic Korean cuisine. One of the most intriguing dishes is the kimchi-stuffed dates. The dish, which utilizes homemade kimchi crafted by a grandmother in Orange County, comes with an apple-mustard and wild mustard flowers. Other interesting dishes include furikake-molasses cornbread with togarashi creme fraiche butter and duck rillettes with ginger-satsuma marmalade. The dining options in downtown Los Angeles have expanded exponentially in recent years. The area now has some of the best food in the city and the restaurants serve just about any type of cuisine one could want. With all of these options, choosing a restaurant can prove extremely difficult.
One of the most popular choices, Grand Central Market, introduces diners to a range of options. As a historic food market, it often rotates its vendors, but favorites include Berlin Currywurst, Belcampo Meat Co., and Sticky Rice. G&B Coffee serves some of the best brews in the city. For a more relaxed atmosphere, diners may want to eat at Mo-Chica, a Peruvian restaurant that developed out of a lunch counter near the University of Southern California. The ceviche mixto and the carapulcra, a stew of crispy pork belly, have become all-time favorites. The Factory Kitchen delivers up terrific Italian dishes with specials that are unique to its lunch menu. The calamaretti salad features local squid with crisp green beans and wild arugula. The frittata Milanese, a very popular item, is enough for two people to share. As one of the most famous cities in the world for gourmet cuisine with celebrated chefs frequently opening groundbreaking restaurants, Los Angeles enjoyed the opening of multiple notable restaurants recently, including Republique on South La Brea, in the last year. The creation of Walter and Margarita Manzke in cooperation with Bill Chait, Republique serves French-inspired dishes in a warm, energetic location that formerly housed Campanile.
A number of signature dishes have already emerged from the menu, such as the Brussels sprouts with frisee, bacon, and a poached egg. Individuals may also want to try the charcuterie board comprised of terrines and pates made in-house. The buttery escargot with pastry puff pouffes is the perfect way to open the meal. Even the bread with French butter alone is worth a trip to Republique. Patrons who want to avoid the inevitable wait for dinner at Republique can visit during the day for a breakfast menu that includes delicious pastries and bread paired with Verve coffee. The restaurant also accepts dinner reservations. Whether you’re a lifelong Angeleno or a first-time visitor to L.A., it can be easy to focus on dining at the city’s signature restaurants, the famous spots where celebrities and studio executives rub elbows with L.A.’s hippest gourmands. However, this huge city hides any number of tucked-away restaurants found in strip malls or quiet allies, neighborhood hot spots that deliver huge flavor and plenty of fun without the pomp and circumstance of the big players. Seeking out these hidden gems may mean skipping the glamour, but it’s worth it when you taste the incredible food.
Los Angeles may be at its best in restaurants that take advantage of the city’s burgeoning Latino population, and little retreats like Los Balcones, a Peruvian restaurant hidden in the Hollywood hills, or Leo’s Taco Truck, a late-night favorite in Eagle Rock, are well worth finding. Italian food has always been a big hit in the city, but an authentic and often overlooked gem is Alejo’s in Westchester, which serves up Italian food like they made in the old country. If you’re in Venice, you’ll do well to stop at the French Market Café, while Hollywood visitors hungry for fried chicken absolutely must visit Bird’s Café and Bar. |