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Jonathan Gold's 99 Essential LA Restaurants

Local culinary classics, plus some new stars on the scene

 
Ciudad

Ciudad, the pan-Latin outpost of Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, may be all things to all people but especially to all people whose pleasures include upending an oyster or two, digging into a ceviche plate and bending an elbow every now and then: There are strong mojitos, mellow Pisco sours and an inspiring collection of rum to go along with the Bolivian-style tamales, Caribbean paella and a classic pescado Veracruzana, the Bahia-style moqueqas and a fritanga that would knock them silly in Managua. Daytime is for office workers; at night, two-thirds of the customers are dressed in black. 445 S. Figueroa St., dwntwn., (213) 486-5171. Mon.-Tues. 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m., Wed.-Thurs. 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri. 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m., Sat. 5-11 p.m., Sun. 5-9 p.m. Full bar. Takeout. Valet parking. AE, D, MC, V. Pan-Latino.

NEW STAR

That Happy Roar: Comme Ça

David Myers’ stylish brasserie is a sleek, theatrically lit restaurant that has the look of an ancient dining room restored to use; it’s all black and white, lined with mirrors, filled with actual French speakers and smartly dressed citizens of the local design community. The oysters are briny, crisp and alive. The house-made terrines and pâtés are first-rate. There are snails in garlic butter and frisée salads with bacon and poached eggs, choucroute garni on Wednesdays and braised pork belly on Saturdays. The bread, including the wonderful sweet baguettes and hamburger buns, comes from Myers’ bakery, Boule. The wine list includes French village vintages that are uncannily appropriate with the food; the house carafe is a decent Côtes du Rhône. And there’s the roar, that great, happy roar of music and clattering plates and people with a little too much wine in them, and the sense that somebody, somewhere in the restaurant, is having the most memorable evening of her life. Comme Ça aims to be all things to all people, open early for croissants and coffee and late for oysters and champagne, serving formal entrées like sole meunière and roasted pork chops with apples, and bistro classics like steak-frites and lemony skate grenobloise with capers and brown butter. Is there good onion soup? A great one, informed but not overwhelmed by its gooey mantle of melted Gruyère. 8479 Melrose Ave., W. Hlywd., (323) 782-1178 or www.commecarestaurant.com. Open daily 8 a.m.-11 p.m. Full bar. Valet parking. AE, MC, V.

Cora’s Coffee Shoppe

A few years ago, Cora’s was still a crusty, hash-brown-intensive beach café. Bruce Marder, owner of the pricey Italian restaurant Capo next door, transformed the place into a lunch counter out of a GQ shoot: a patio shaded with crimson bougainvillea, a burbling Tuscan fountain, the distant crashing of the surf — sometimes you want a chef’s salad, and sometimes you want an insalata ­caprese made with farmers-market tomatoes and ­oozingly creamy burrata cheese; sometimes you need ham ’n’ eggs the morning after, and sometimes delicate petals of San Daniele prosciutto. Cora’s hamburgers are magnificent, drippy things made of coarsely chopped, beyond-prime Wagyu cow, and for dessert, there is occasionally an intense homemade burnt-caramel ice cream bitter enough to make a 10-year-old child weep. 1802 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, (310) 451-9562. Mon.-Sun. 7 a.m.-9 p.m. No alcohol. Takeout. Lot parking. AE, MC, V. Continental, Italian based.

Cut

The billboard-size photographs of Cate Blanchett and George Clooney are a bit much. But at Cut, Wolfgang Puck’s gleaming-white temple of steakhouse cuisine in the Beverly-Wilshire Hotel, when faced with a fillet of first-quality Japanese beef, as wrapped in ­ninja-black cloth and carried around by the beef sommelier, you are facing the meat equivalent of an undiscovered Cranach. And if your financial consultants should permit you to order this rib-eye, you will discover a miracle unduplicated in the world of meat, richness upon richness, all possible permutations of smoke and char and animal dancing across your consciousness like sunlight rippling on a pond. At $160 or so, it will probably be the most expensive meat you have ever eaten ... but the sensations are so intense that one small steak easily satiates four. Save room for the warm veal-tongue salad and Lee Hefter’s roasted bone marrow flan. 9500 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, (310) 276-8500. Mon.-Thurs. 5:30-10 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 5:30-11 p.m. Full bar. Valet parking a half-block south of Wilshire Blvd. on Rodeo Drive. AE, D, MC, V. California Contemporary.

Daikokuya

Yes, we know about the old standards and the new, the austere Tokyo-based chain with branches in local Japanese supermarkets, and the impeccably credentialed noodle czars. We’ve heard all the arguments about authenticity, and we’ve seen Tampopo too many times to count. But ramen, a noodle soup borrowed wholesale from the Chinese, is no more a traditional Japanese food than curry rice, California rolls or spaghetti doughnuts. And when the yen for ramen strikes, you’ll usually find us at Daikokuya, decorated to look like a noodle shop set from a 1960s Imamura picture, where the broth is made from carefully simmered Kurobuta pork bones, the noodles have both snap and vigor, the gyoza are plump, and the condiment jars on each table are filled with pure, minced garlic. (Ask for your ramen “kotteri-style,” with extra-rich broth.) Some connoisseurs may try to tell you that affection for Daikokuya is a character defect, but that just means the line is that much shorter after a concert at Disney Hall just up the street. 327 E. First St., dwntwn., (213) 626-1680. Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-mid., Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-1 a.m., Sun. noon-8 p.m. Beer and wine. Takeout. Street parking. AE, MC, V. Japanese. 

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  • Bill 09/06/2009 3:39:00 AM

    The last time I visited Langers (about 9 months ago), the pastrami sandwich was quite small, as if it shouldn't be over $10. The bread was great, but with the small amount of pastrami, the value was poor, as well as the sandwich.

  • Fred 12/07/2008 2:44:00 AM

    Why is there no mention of Brandywine in Woodland Hills? Really great food, great reviews [by others] but, sadly, it is in the Valley.

  • I Eat 12/04/2008 12:36:00 AM

    http://www.yelp.com/list/eating-jonathan-golds-la-99-list-los-angeles

  • William Budd 11/18/2008 5:11:00 AM

    The Nickel serves heaven on a plate and angels run the place!

  • The LAbuzzBLOG 11/17/2008 4:20:00 AM

    Yikes Jonathan. That's one super-long list that's suitable for a marathon read. I'd love to see a simple list version as a cheat-sheet for last-minute planning. Works better for us with the ADHD-mindset. (Note the exaggerated use of hyphenated-modified nouns I've used to KEEP MY COMMENT SHORT). But thanksamillion for these 99 reasons to love eating in LA.

  • Wrongshore` 11/16/2008 8:03:00 AM

    What happened to the google map of the LA 99? That made my life so good.

  • Greg 11/16/2008 12:31:00 AM

    I'm surprised I've never seen Gold write about Masa in Echo Park - a neighborhood place with an eclectic Chicago/French/Cuban menu. Or Yucca's the Silver Lake taco stand with incredible cheese burgers. Also missing - the best part about Anisette - the pastries. Only rival - Bouchan in Yountville. Also - Musha on Wilshire - quite good.

  • Scott 11/15/2008 12:35:00 AM

    OINKSTER! Yes, thank you Mr. Gold, for including this fantastic "slow fast food" joint. BUT THEY DO HAVE BEER!! Stella Artois on tap, Widmer, even Arrogant Bastard, so spread the word that beer is here at Oinkster.

  • Brian 11/14/2008 11:40:00 PM

    I love every place I've been to on the strength of your reviews, but my GOD, you must hate the South Bay. Are we really THAT bad? I remember the giant hole over my area of town in last year's map, as well. Other than Al-Watan and some justly-recognized places in Gardena, I don't think you've been down here in a while. Is it maybe time for a second look? (I'm really hankering for some Chili My Soul today. Might be time for a trip to Encino.)

  • Annie 11/14/2008 10:35:00 PM

    completely agree with Joshua and Peter.. BRING BACK THE MAP and a flat list of all the restaurants would be fantastic!

  • Lori 11/14/2008 7:30:00 AM

    I'll third Joshua, I'm sure J.G's buddy Nancy Silverton will be grateful for the two entries.

  • Mist 11/14/2008 5:55:00 AM

    El Paria restaurant gave me and my family the worst stomach bug that we had ever gotten. That place is always rated a C. Do not go there unless you really want to get sick.

  • Cary Gordon 11/14/2008 5:34:00 AM

    Is Sanuki No Sato so special that you can't print its address?

  • Peter 11/14/2008 4:49:00 AM

    I second Joshua. Especially if they were on a map of L.A., like last year's Essential 99.

  • Joshua 11/14/2008 4:00:00 AM

    It'd be nice if they just listed them all in a giant page.... sans all this clicking.

  • Constance 11/14/2008 1:47:00 AM

    No Watergrill?!

  • James 11/14/2008 1:26:00 AM

    Langer�s is not near any Blue Line station... that would be the Red and Purple line Westlake/MacArthur Park station.

 
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