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.
Crab carbonara from Saltie Girl in West Hollywood
If you’re a pasta
purist, the crab carbonara is not the dish for you. However, if you want a pasta generously loaded with crab — all coated in a velvety egg sauce — you have to try this new dish from Saltie Girl. The strands of spaghetti are soft but still maintain their integrity, and sweet and briny Jonah crab is present in every bite. The addition of English peas provides some freshness among the richness of the carbonara sauce and a mountaintop of fluffy grated pecorino Romano. Yes, you should visit Saltie Girl for a seafood tower and lobster roll — but make sure to tack on an order of the crab carbonara, too. 8615 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069. — Kat Thompson, audience editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
Prosciutto sandwich from Larchmont Wine and Cheese in Larchmont
There is no shortage of Los Angeles dishes that I find infinitely revisitable — Komal’s kanpachi taco, Sonoratown’s burrito 2.0, and Mae Malai’s tom yum soup among them — but Larchmont Wine and Cheese’s prosciutto sandwich is a standard-bearer in the genre. A crusty baguette sets the stage for a salty stack of imported prosciutto, stretchy coins of mozzarella, and a tangle of arugula that peeks out from the sides. Simply dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette, each ingredient pulls its weight (and more) in a seemingly simple sandwich that I can’t get enough of. Plus, at only $14 for the full sandwich (or $7.25 for the half), it’s affordable enough to be a regular occurrence. 223 N. Larchmont Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90004. — Rebecca Roland, deputy editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
Quesadilla de frijol from Komal at Mercado La Paloma in Historic South Central
I was cooking up a late, Old Man Yells at Cloud-style take about how everything in this damn city is too expensive after I spent $30 on two tomatoes, a mango, and a melon the other day. Then I went to Mercado La Paloma, and everything was right again. The line at Mexican seafood spot Holbox was out the door and around the corner, so I turned to Chichen Itza and Komal instead; after dropping roughly the same amount at each place as I accidentally spent on a few pieces of fruit, I had a table overflowing with winners. Cochinita tacos, a longanisa plate, tikin-xic, and suadero tacos were fantastic, but it was the understated quesadilla de frijol from Komal that stole the show for me. The deep blue tortilla picks up spots of crispy char, the pureed ayocote beans bring a richly earthy funk, and the melted quesillo lends a salty creaminess. It’s a subtle banger, easy to overlook, and I was thankful that my toddler (for whom we had chosen the dish) wasn’t into it, so I got to eat almost the whole thing. I tried to explain to him what he was missing, but it didn’t land. We’ll be back at Mercado La Paloma often; one day he’ll understand. 3655 S. Grand Avenue, #280, Los Angeles, CA 90007. — Ben Mesirow, travel editor, Eater
Carne asada quesa tacos at Tire Shop Taqueria #2 in Hollywood
Recently, I’ve been making more of an effort to patronize the under-the-radar street taquerias in my neighborhood, and my current favorite is Tire Shop Taqueria #2. I’ve now had three or four excellent meals there, most recently the quesa tacos, stuffed with smoky grilled beef and half-melted, half-crispy cheese, then finished with a cool, creamy avocado salsa that cuts through the richness beautifully. Each taco is individually folded and wrapped in paper, making them surprisingly tidy to eat on the go. It’s open until 2 a.m. on weekends and has become one of my favorite late-night spots for grabbing a meal post-event. 1743 N. Cahuenga Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90028. — Hilary Pollack, deputy editor, Eater
