The editors at Eater Los Angeles 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.
Branzino pita sandwich from Camello
At this point, Angelenos
have seen an expanse of global dishes tucked into a tortilla — Korean barbecue, chicken tikka masala, and more — but the concept at Camello, the pop-up from chef Ronnie Muñoz (formerly ofSunset den Ronnie’s Kitchen and Cocktails), feels intriguing for its novelty: fresh pita made from heirloom corn and wheat flours filled with elements inspired by the historical culinary exchange between Mexico and Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, and the greater Levant. But Muñoz’s cooking is no gimmick; menu mainstays like chicken al pastor or mushroom adobada pita sandwiches are a delight, and no one should miss the koji-cured and hoja santa–marinated wings. Lately, Munoz has been running a branzino special that captured my imagination: Crispy skin on the branzino filet crackles despite a healthy dousing of bright, herbaceous hoja santa zhoug, all rounded out by a creamy, sharp green garlic toum. It is a massive and luxurious sandwich that holds together in a purplish pita — a masterpiece of structural engineering and a testament to the power of corn and wheat working together. Roving, check its Instagram for next location. — Ben Mesirow, associate travel editor
Escovitch sea bream at Lucia in Fairfax
Lucia, which got a new chef (James Beard Foundation Award nominee Cleophus Hethington) and menu transformation a few months after its initial opening, still draws crowds in Fairfax for its bright Caribbean diasporic cooking. My recent visit, the first since the restaurant’s changeover, had both hits (a warming curry duck breast) and head-scratchers (a mishmash stone fruit salad with a curiously saccharine yogurt base), though our favorite dish was undoubtedly a large-format escovitch sea bream that comes propped on its belly and doused with sweet-chile sauce and vinegary Jimmy Nardello peppers. If you came for this fish alone, you would be set: It’s big enough to feed two people if they’re not ordering much more, or can be shared with a larger group among other mains (chef Cleo’s jerk lamb shank looks promising). Classic Jamaican escovitch fish, a lip-puckering, pan-fried labor of love, is one of my favorite comfort dishes; having it in a flashy format felt new and exciting. 351 N. Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90036. — Nicole Fellah, Eater editorial manager
Tahini Japanese sweet potato from Wildcrust in Highland Park
When hunger strikes, budget allows, and you have no motivation to cook, get yourself to a restaurant near your home. My unofficial dining decree is that our neighborhood restaurants are the ones that truly nourish us with familiarity and consistency, and Wildcrust fits that criteria for me whether I have a table full of bacon onion jam pizza, a Snake River Farms steak, deep-fried fontina fritters, or a delicate Japanese sweet potato. I settled into a booth with the latter two plus my regular dose of broccolini with tonnato sauce and Parmesan, and found myself favoring the new sweet potato dish. The addition of pomegranates makes the dish appear as festive chiles en nogada with the unique blend of flavors I’ve come to expect from chef Miles Okabayashi. His easygoing demeanor, humility, and talent are why Wildcrust remains a charming repeat spot for me, right on the border of Eagle Rock and Highland Park. 4705 York Boulevard, Highland Park, CA 90042. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
Soup dumplings and West Lake beef soup at Mama Lu’s Dumpling House in Monterey Park
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I met up with family in Monterey Park last week for a shopping errand and, as Westsiders who aren’t very familiar with the city, we scoured Eater’s maps and lists for great Chinese food. We had to find somewhere that would satisfy my grandparents, who always want a classic Peking duck, and my parents, adventurous eaters willing to go deep into San Gabriel Valley for great Sichuan food. Mama Lu’s Dumpling House, an understated family restaurant, fit the bill, complete with huge booths, a few ducks hanging in front of the kitchen, and a table with a whorling lazy Susan. We stuck to some classics: my grandma got her crispy-skinned half duck with puffy, steamed buns; an order of 10 xiao long bao for $12.49 that felt like a good deal; and the stir-fried eggplant and green beans with pork. I was most blown away by a humble soup from Hangzhou province that fills you with tender beef and soft tofu, its herbal base infused with ginger, white pepper, and fresh cilantro. It nailed that ribbon-like egg whites consistency that always feels so comforting. 501 W. Garvey Avenue, Monterey Park, CA 91754. — Emily Venezky, Eater social media manager
