Garrett SnyderLeading up to this year's Best of L.A. issue (due out Oct. 4), we'll be counting down, in no particular order, 100 of our favorite dishes.
70: Brisket Banh Mi at Gjelina Take Away
In its purest form, the banh mi is a humble lunch: a thin layer of meat, a smear of pate or mayo, a handful of flash-pickled daikon and carrot, some sprigs of cilantro, all wedged into a long, airy baguette split lengthwise.
The brisket banh mi at Gjelina Take Away, the quicker, less-exclusive, take-out version of it's Abbot Kinney scenester spot Gjelina, is another creature entirely. For starters, it's stacked with the amount of tender bay-leaf hinted braised brisket you'd expect from a sandwich made with Passover leftovers. The bread is a kind of ruddy ciabatta, and there is little but a thin layer of veggies doused with jalapeño vinaigrette and a dab of chili-spiked aioli. Yet this is a sandwich that can hold its own with the best in town, simple and succulent with the kind of earthy comforting flavors that long-roasted meats often evoke. If there is a Kosher deli somewhere in Saigon, and we're willing to bet there is, you would imagine the kitchen would kill for a recipe like this.
Check out the rest of our 100 of our favorite dishes. Suggestion? Write us a comment.
100: Lukshon's Dan Dan Noodles
99: Cemita de Milanesa at Cemitas Poblanos Elviritas #1
98: Chichen Itza's Cochinita Pibil
96: La Cevicheria's Bloody Clam Ceviche
94: Peruvian Chicken at Pollo a la Brasa
93: Squash Blossom Quesadilla at Antojitos Carmen
92: Thai Boat Noodles at Pa-Ord
90: Furikake Kettle Corn at A-Frame
89: Live Santa Barbara Spot Prawns at Providence
88: Fried Pig Tails at Night + Market
87: Egg Salad Sandwich at Euro Pane
85: Truffle Honey-Laced Fried Chicken at Manhattan Beach Post
84: Mool Naeng Myun at Yu Chic Naeng Myun
83: Chicken Vampiro at Mexicali Taco & Co
81: White Anchovy, Tomato and Fresno Chile Pizza at Pizzeria Mozza
80: Shu Mai at Elite Restaurant
79: Tandoori Chicken at Al-Watan
78: Chocolate Bread and Butter Pudding at The Hungry Cat
77: Agedashi Tofu at Izakaya Bincho
74: The Sea Urchin Tostada at La Guerrerense
73: Wood-Roasted English Peas at Tar & Roses
72: Persian Mulberries at Weiser Family Farms
71: Hunan-Style Preserved Pork with Tofu at Hunan Chilli King
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