Praise Cheeses: Jimmy Shaw's Loteria Grill Spices Up Hollywood

The latest of L.A.'s hip Mexican restaurants, where the food is as good as the scene

Comments (0) By Jonathan Gold Wednesday, Jan 14 2009

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Still, while there is overlap between the menus, there is a level of refinement in the cooking in Hollywood that is lacking at the Farmers Market stand, and definitely more pleasure — a luscious snapper Veracruzana, a nicely funky bowl of pozole, a plate of enchiladas in tomatillo salsa that can make you question what you might have seen in enchiladas across town. Lotería Grill is one of the few restaurants in the city to prepare the “dry soup” called fideo, a staple of Mexican home cooking, thin noodles browned in oil and then simmered like paella until they absorb all the tomato-laden broth, and the platter-size queso fundido transcends its origin as a simple plate of melted cheese. The soft, slow-cooked carnitas in a smoky, sharp sauce made with chile morita, a smoked jalapeño pepper that is the more aggressive little brother of the chipotle, is somehow sweeter, more luscious served as a dinner platter than as the filling of a taco, although I’m sure the two come from the same pot. And if you’re going to eat eggs, try the version of huevos rancheros, sluiced with the morita salsa and served on hot fried tortillas.

Desserts are skippable at even the best Mexican restaurants, but Shaw’s Mexican-style ice creams are extraordinary, and you would be foolish not to try the example studded with the sweet, curdled-milk cheese known as chongos. It’s delicious, it’s unique, and after your third tequila, the word “chongos” seems like the funniest thing in the world.

Anne Fishbein

Shrimp tacos get the crema treatment.

Location Info

Map

Loteria Grill Hollywood

6627 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028

Category: Restaurant > Latin American

Region: Hollywood

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Open Sun.-Wed., 9 a.m.-mid.; Thurs.-Sat., 9 a.m.-3 a.m. Full bar. Valet parking. All major credit cards accepted. Lunch or dinner for two, food only, $24-$50. Recommended dishes:chicharron de queso;sopa seca de fideos;carnitas en salsa morita;helado de chongo.