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.
Shrimp taco from Taco Nazo
When restaurants claim to have the world’s best blank — pancakes, coffee, cookies — it’s almost always hyperbole. The one instance it rings true to me is at Taco Nazo, the Los Angeles microchain that purports to sell the world’s best fish taco. In this case, I can believe them — the fish remains flaky and plump after its fry with a surprisingly light batter that still offers a shatteringly crisp exterior. Nazo’s shrimp taco feels just as noteworthy: My usual shrimp tacos gripe is that they’re small and fall apart.
Here, the shrimp are monstrously large with the same satisfying batter clinging to every fiber. The corn tortillas, meanwhile, are sturdy and pleasingly chewy. A tangle of shredded cabbage, crema, and pico de gallo sits atop the fried shrimp, working in tandem with dashes of Taco Nazo’s spice-forward salsa to lighten the experience. Essentially, Taco Nazo should adjust their sign to say world’s best fish and shrimp tacos. Multiple locations. — Kat Thompson, audience editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
Belgian fries from Wurstküche in the Arts District
Sometimes a dish appears at just the right time, like a plate of thick Belgian fries from Wurstküche on a warm spring night in the Arts District. While most gravitate toward the sausage purveyor for myriad versions of its eponymous dish, golden, duck-fat-fried fries should make their way into every order. Wurstkuche’s rendition falls between a steak fry and a rectangular stick of chalk whose browned edges come adorned with flakes of salt. The large size (groot) comes with a choice of two sauces: Always go for at least one order of curry ketchup, which enlivens the classic tomato base with hits of curry powder and paprika. A cold German beer on draft and a hot Italian sausage doesn’t hurter, either. 800 E. Third Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013. — Rebecca Roland, deputy editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
Cowboy breakfast burrito from Bread Head in Westwood
Sandwich shop Bread Head launched breakfast earlier this year with a slate of heaping egg sandwiches (all on its airy, salt-flecked focaccia) and two breakfast burritos. In the last couple of weeks, it’s also made gluten-free tortillas available (functionally for its new vegan muhammara wrap, but they can also be swapped into a burrito order for an additional $3). I got the cowboy burrito sans brisket (they automatically sub in avocado for vegetarian orders, which feels nice); it arrived bigger than the length of my hand and as thick as a Norse deity’s fist. Gleaming golden eggs, two slices of provolone, a supple roasted poblano, and classic Tater Tots came wrapped in a perfectly crisped gluten-free cassava tortilla — a breakfast of champions, if I’ve ever had one. The mellow salsa on the side could use an extra hit of chile or acid, though it did the job well enough. 1136 Westwood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90024. — Nicole Fellah, Eater editorial manager
Live-fire branzino over cassoulet at the Secret Supper Club in Eagle Rock
As quiet as it’s kept, cannabis dinners are consistently held throughout Southern California, mostly in private spaces and residences. I rarely attend them (fear of unnecessarily high psychoactive doses), unless I am familiar with and trust the chef. For the first time since the pandemic, former Layla chef Chris Sayegh convinced me to settle into a cozy Northeast Los Angeles backyard with a custom kitchen, where his team made 15 stellar cannabis-infused courses for 10 diners. All the dishes, especially the citrusy oysters, were impressive, but Sayegh has a knack for building an experience. He’s simply an excellent chef who has carved a specific niche of pairing food with beverages and THC for an elevated effect. My favorite of the night: A juicy branzino grilled over live-fire embers and layered over cassoulet with roasted tomatoes. To answer the question on everyone’s mind: the cannabis dosage is the guest’s choice, and mine was very light. The mood at the end felt convivial: friendly and at ease with lots of laughter and satisfied taste buds. Secret location in Eagle Rock. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
