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For seafood from one of LA’s most respected operators: Mariscos Jalisco. | Mona Holes Your handy guide on where to eat from the editors at Eater LA Every Friday, our editors compile a trusty list of recommendations to answer the most pressing of questions: “Where should I eat?“ Here now are four places to check out this weekend in Los Angeles. And if you need some ideas on where to drink, here’s our list of the hottest places to get cocktails in town.
For upscale Chinese dining: Bistro Na’s Bistro Na’s For upscale Chinese dining: Bistro Na’s. The San Gabriel Valley has plenty of impressive Chinese restaurants specializing in everything from Sichuan cuisine to Cantonese classics, but Bistro Na’s is in a category entirely of its own. At the restaurant, chef Tian Yong prepares imperial Manchu cuisine rooted in the Qing dynasty’s (1644 to 1912) royal courts alongside what is probably one of the best Beijing (also referred to as Peking) ducks in the U.
S. On the new spring menu chef Tian stews jujubes with Kurobuta pork belly, while eggplant is deep-fried to a crisp and tossed in a gently sweet sauce. Classic year-round dishes include Beijing cabbage and Kurobuta pork pot, Na’s Angus rib, and Na’s Drunken Chicken.
End the meal with a sweet fried rice cake, or the lucky koi milk pudding served in the shape of a koi fish. If looking to get a duck, make sure to book in advance — the restaurant sells out weeks to months ahead. 9055 Las Tunas Drive, Suite 105, Temple City, CA 91780.
— Rebecca Roland, editor, Eater Southern California/SouthwestFor a hip new-school French restaurant in the heart of Hollywood: Mr. T Matthew Kang For a hip new-school French restaurant in the heart of Hollywood: Mr. T.
In the realm of French restaurants in Los Angeles, there are mainly classic types — bistros cosplaying little Parisian spots with onion soup, tartare, and frites. While these are sometimes great, Mr. T has always been more of a new-school French experience, serving French dishes inflected with Asian ingredients.
It’s no surprise given its sibling in Paris, where a small kitchen uses uni, tobiko, and soy effortlessly in a buzzy dining room. The Hollywood edition does its best in spite of a ground floor office space where thundering music and industrial-chic decor give way to an expansive patio. Chef Alisa Vannah, a veteran of République, prepares reconstructions of classic bistro fare, like coconut curry ocean trout crudo or lumpia with chicken and shrimp mousse with a side of calamansi aioli.
Branzino, featuring crackling skin and grilled endives, gets the sweet-salty comfort of Japanese sweet potatoes amid a pool of loose beurre blanc. Steak frites feature a well-seared outer crust and tender, medium-rare inside with crisp fries and a peppercorn sauce. Boeuf bourguignon has a subtle Korean element with a sweet-soy sauce and apple kimchi, resulting in a French-style galbi jjim.
Mr. T might be recalling Paris, but it fits right into LA’s global dining scene. 953 N.
Sycamore Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90038. — Matthew Kang, lead editor, Eater Southern California/SouthwestFor seafood from one of LA’s most respected operators: Mariscos Jalisco Mona Holes For seafood from one of LA’s most respected operators: Mariscos Jalisco. It’s love at first bite with Mariscos Jalisco’s deep-fried shrimp tacos dorados.
Regulars know to wait 30 seconds to avoid a possible mouth scald, while others (including this writer) take in every piping hot, salsa-laden morsel as soon as possible. Avocado slices slightly cool the spice in the best way; salsa pools in the paper plate the tacos rest on. The Poseidon is an overwhelming and wonderful pile of octopus, shrimp aguachile, ceviche, chopped salsa, and avocado on top of a crispy corn tortilla.
Right about when the tostada arrives is when you might want to think about gathering a group to share more of the menu. Anyone can appreciate owner Raul Ortega’s seafood while standing in front of one of East LA’s most vibrant food truck scenes (a Mid-City truck operates Wednesday through Friday). Head to the brick-and-mortar Pomona location for casual sit-down service and enjoy.
3040 E. Olympic Boulevard, Boyle Heights, CA, 90023. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/SouthwestFor an easy weekend lunch in Chinatown: Qin West Rebecca Roland For an easy weekend lunch in Chinatown: Qin West.
While the line at Howlin’ Rays on weekends is still quite unbearable, Far East Plaza offers plenty of other solid options for lunch or dinner. Head down the hallway to Qin West, a Chinese noodle specialist where the food is consistently great and tables are easy to find. Liangpi, a cold noodle dish from the Shaanxi province of China, is one of the restaurant’s specialties and a must-order on a first visit.
For those looking for a little spice, try the hot dry noodle, which is served with peanuts and cilantro on top. Chinese vinegar and plenty of chile oil are on deck to amp up the flavors even more. 727 N.
Broadway, Suite 111, Los Angeles, CA 90012. — Rebecca Roland, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest.
