Every Friday, our editors compile a trusty list of recommendations to answer the most pressing of questions: “Where should I eat?“ Here 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 a wonderland of khao soi: Saoha Khao Soi in Studio City
I recently participated in a panel conversation at a Thai consulate about the future of Thai food in the U.S. and a recurring theme emerged: many Americans have traded in their love affair with pad Thai for a new fixation: khao soi. There is no better place to explore this Northern Thai dish than Saoha in Studio City, a strip mall joint that carries almost every permutation of khao soi you can imagine. Find the curry broth topped with a surf-and-turf blend of A5 wagyu and scallops or a whole fried softshell crab. You can get lobster tail khao soi or herbaceous Northern Thai sausage known as sai oua. Saoha also offers dry khao soi, reminiscent of Japan’s mazemen, which has all the flavors and fixings of khao soi one loves — like a creamy coconut-based sauce, pickled mustard greens, and roasted chiles — but condensed. Beyond the khao soi, I’d recommend adding something spicy to cut through the richness of the curry; the Lao-style papaya salad with salted black crab is excellent. 3250 Cahuenga Boulevard West, Los Angeles, CA 90068. — Kat Thompson, audience editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
For saucy patties with impeccable, flaky crusts: Branch Patty in Westlake Village
A few months back, Sam Branch suggested that I try his patties. He hails from Barbados and moved his family (including his wife and business partner Lisa Lloyd-Branch) from New York to Los Angeles a few years back to introduce his popular business to the region. And thank goodness they did: Branch Patty does the staple Caribbean dish right with a crust that is flaky, firm, and loaded with fillings like curried squash and chickpea or barbecue jerk chicken. The classic beef made me squeal at first bite; the turmeric-tinged patty pocket comes packed with grass-fed wagyu, onions, scallions, and a blend of spices that give a touch of heat. I made the smart decision to stock enough patties in my freezer to last for months. Place Branch Patties in the air fryer for a fast and tasty snack, but not before buying a batch from the Woodland Hills Farmers Market every Saturday, from Goldbelly, or from their kitchen in Westlake Village. — 31324 Via Colinas, Suite 115, Westlake Village, CA 91361. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
For the last tastes of summer from a Michelin-loved chef: Destroyer in Culver City
I feel embarrassed to say it has taken me this long to get Destroyer, Vespertine chef Jordan Kahn’s striking daytime cafe in Culver City, but it has. Recently, I took a lingering lunch there, where I got to enjoy what may be the last days of the summer menu — sweet corn porridge steeped in miso brown butter and laden with supple Jimmy Nardellos; roughly chopped Marcona almonds; whole-leaf marjoram; and, for a few extra dollars, a poached egg pouch that heaves its gold onto the bowl with a spoon prod. This is one of the most soul-warming, sunny dishes I have had since the start of fall, made even better by the crisp red gem lettuce and pear salad I ordered to accompany it. Whether you come on a weekend or mid–work day, expect impeccably made coffee drinks and teas, a bountiful pastry case (I got a box of the sinfully good, Ferrero Rocher–coded dark chocolate almond cookies to take home), and hyperseasonal dishes to try before the lingering glimmer of summer leaves us (there’s still a tomato sandwich on the board). Go now before it’s gone. 3578 Hayden Avenue, Culver City, CA 90232. — Nicole Fellah, Eater editorial manager
For a weekend taco crawl: Tacos Royale and Tijuanero in Echo Park
Tacos Royale, Echo Park’s rising carne asada superstar, just expanded its hours into the afternoon on Thursdays and Fridays, which means there are even more chances to get your hands on some of Los Angeles’s best new tacos. Start your crawl with a taco or two from Tacos Royale, loaded with hunks of tender steak and topped to your liking from the self-serve salsa bar before heading down to the newly opened Tijuanero by Tijuanazo just a few minutes down the road. Or if you’re there Friday through Sunday, stop by Mariscos Los Corchos, now set up in the same parking lot as Tacos Royale, for pescado zarandeado or a taco zarandeado. No matter how you build your crawl, end it at Monkish Brewing with a barrel-aged saison or funky IPA. 2511 West Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90026. — Rebecca Roland, deputy editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
