After a rainy winter, the sun is finally back out in Los Angeles. Spring’s arrival alongside a host of new restaurants reminds us why the city of angels is one of the most exciting places to dine.
In the Arts District, a new Japanese spot is doing modern takes on comfort food with innovative drinks. In Encino, Italian and Hungarian chefs join forces for an exciting restaurant with an enticing historical angle. And in breezy Santa Monica, an up-and-coming chef embraces outdoorsy vibes with an open-fire restaurant.
Read on for five hot restaurants to try this spring.
Eigikutei (Little Tokyo)
On Little Tokyo’s busiest street arrives the dreamy Eigikutei from chef Minoru Tanahara, who worked for Osaka’s famed Ganko Group for 20 years. The First Street restaurant offers shabu-shabu and sushi kaiseki sets, which means you should come hungry with a friend or group and try both. The set menu features artfully arranged dishes such as A5 Wagyu that is as rich and tender as the sashimi plate is colorful. Eigikutei introduces playful elements into traditional Japanese cuisine, such as adding truffle soy sauce to classic maguro nigiri for an added umami hit. Most scenic of all is Eigikutei’s space, which glows warmly with soft lights, wooden lattice details, and plush bar seating. Amid the bustle of Little Tokyo at night, Eigikutei offers a calming and comforting meal.
Posto 896 Italian & Hungarian Cuisine (Encino)
Named for a pivotal year during the Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin, Posto 896 serves Angelenos dishes rooted in history. Owner Peter Fabian-Zomora opened the restaurant with an Italian and Hungarian chef to bring two different food cultures under one roof. The menu boasts a belly-warming array of braises and stews such as goulash and a hunter’s meal featuring pureed vegetables, beef filets, and housemade dumplings. The restaurant’s selection of Italian and Hungarian wines pairs well with dishes, including stuffed cabbage, veal schnitzel, and homemade pastas. The strip mall location means Posto 896 is limited to 17 tables, but the intimacy adds to the charm at this stellar restaurant.
Le Great Outdoor (Santa Monica)
Le Great Outdoor manifests chef Rudy Beuve’s dream to run a restaurant where diners can get up close to the action. Beuve,, who formerly worked at Gjusta and other top restaurants around the world, employs an open fire to grill seasonal produce from the Santa Monica Farmers Market and other local small-scale farmers. The chef lets the vegetables do the talking. Produce such as wild mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, potatoes, and peppers come to life on the flames and are served with a sprinkle of sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Beuve also grills branzino and lamb that come with housemade za’atar and harissa, respectively. Located in the hip Bergamot Station Arts Center, Le Great Outdoor offers breezy outdoor seating (with heat lamps when it’s chilly) at several wooden tables and chairs.
Taberu (Arts District)
Taberu is showcasing the best of modern Japanese street and comfort foods with Tokyo restaurateur Gisen Sawamura at the helm. Inspired by izakayas, the restaurant exudes celebratory vibes with its communal table, chic pendant lights, and an outdoor patio that overlooks the liveliness of Arts District’s Traction Avenue and 3rd Street. Small bites and skewers include yasai maki (fresh vegetables wrapped in pork) and stylishly presented mains include Wagyu beef donabe dotted with salmon roe and strips of uni. Taberu has an exciting mix of Japanese craft beers, cocktails, and sake jellies. The Yogurt DV Sour, which mixes Yakult yogurt with a refreshing splash of the Japanese classic Dekavita C energy drink, is a highlight among the signature drinks.
Flor y Solera (Downtown)
Flor y Solera arrives Downtown to fan the flames of LA’s love for Spanish cooking. Catalan-born chef Mónica Angela takes Angelenos on a journey through Spain’s 17 regions with dishes such as arròs negre (rice with cuttlefish and squid ink) and migas camperas, a traditional dish from the Iberian Peninsula of fried sourdough, chorizo, and pancetta, among others. Complete the regionally inspired experience with sherries by the glass and chilled txakoli, a low-alcohol, slightly spritzy white wine. The restaurant has a roomy, luxurious banquette that runs the length of the entire dining room—a beautiful accent among the exposed brick and decorative Talavera tiles.
Lisa Kwon is a reporter and writer focused on arts and food culture in Los Angeles, CA. Find Lisa on Instagram and Twitter.
