2 weeks Ago
The editors at Eater LA dine out several times a week, if not per day, which means we’re always encountering standout dishes that deserve time in the limelight. Here’s the very best of everything the team has eaten this week. Dry-aged beef burger at Pasjoli in Santa Monica I always love to see how a fine dining chef interprets the classic burger, and Dave Beran’s version at Pasjoli is tremendous.
Available only at the bar, you can smell the dry-aged beef wafting from the plate as soon as it arrives. Built around molten white cheddar cheese and rich bone marrow aioli, the brioche bun collapses fairly quickly but manages to contain the medium-sized burger. Ground in-house, the patty has a decent crunch from the griddle and the satisfying funkiness of dry-aged beef.
A whole grilled red onion provides a bit of sweetness with a peppery punch of “au poivre” seasoning. My only caveat is that this burger is so heavy that it might be best to split it with a friend. 2732 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90405.
— Matthew Kang, lead editor Pig kidney salad at Sichuan Street Food in Pasadena It’s hard to believe that some of Los Angeles’s most exciting Sichuan cooking hides on Pasadena’s idyllic Green Street alongside dental and chiropractic practices a stone’s throw from Pasadena City College. Here at Sichuan Street Food’ s tiny, two-story walk-up, Chengdu-trained chef Yong “Leo” Zhu prepares the region’s greatest hits alongside deeper cuts made with bullfrogs and pig kidneys. My dining companion and I ordered some of our favorites like dan dan mian and twice-cooked pork, as well as the chef’s signature dishes, including boiled fish in rattan pepper and pig kidney salad.
The twice-cooked pork was especially good with its balanced burn and long, thin strips. Also fantastic were the delicate kidneys prepared in a soy-based sauce along with plenty of fresh ginger and scallions. The kidneys’ supple and tender texture impressed me so much that I ate the leftovers just a few hours later.
1035 E. Green Street, Pasadena, CA 91106. — Cathy Chaplin, senior editor Fish burger at Super Burger in Pasadena Los Angeles’s independent burger stands are some of the region’s most cherished restaurants.
These longtime spots have been around for generations cranking out uncomplicated menus where burgers, pastrami sandwiches, chili cheese fries, and onion rings with a side of ranch are reliably delectable. At Super Burger, owners Jean and Ben Khe deliver dishes to diners in less than five minutes on uncrowded afternoons. Though it’s tempting to get a traditional cheeseburger, opt for the fish burger instead.
Both the fish filet and french fries are previously frozen but the couple who run the place have perfected the art of deep frying so that the cod comes out pillowy on the inside with a delightfully crispy exterior before being placed between mayonnaise-tartar sauced buns. Every dish is composed with love, making this East Pasadena spot a favorite among locals for many decades. Sure, the faded signs and menu photos could use an update, but that’s part of the charm.
Just shut up, order, and give the Khe’s your money. 458 N. Altadena Drive, Pasadena, CA, 91107.
— Mona Holmes, reporter Crispy artichoke salad at Forma Restaurant & Cheese Bar in Santa Monica It’s starting to get cold in Los Angeles and there’s nothing better than settling into a cozy Italian restaurant with a big plate of pasta. On a recent visit to Forma on Montana Avenue, the crispy artichoke salad caught my eye to counterbalance the copious amounts of pasta I was about to consume. Although the salad wasn’t the primary reason for the outing, it ended up being the best dish of the night.
The fried artichokes mixed with arugula, fennel, and snow peas made for a phenomenally crunchy salad. The addition of walnuts and goat cheese added texture and richness. Finishing off the night was a duo of cheesy main courses, including spaghetti all’assassina and risotto with mushrooms and truffle raclette cheese.
We slugged home in a cheese- and pasta-induced coma. 1 610 Montana Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90403. — Julia Hess, associate video producer Related Sign up for our newsletter.
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