Catching up with a few standouts.
BBR
L’Aegean
Crispy Brussels Sprouts and Barberries with Labneh
My love for fried brussels sprouts is eternal, and this simple dish was a banger. The rich, creamy, and slightly labneh brought it up a notch.
Hummus with Grilled Bub and Grandma’s
Browned butter is one of my favorite hummus toppings.
Keika Tanjiro
If you’ve walked down 2nd in Little Tokyo recently you might have nearly had your eyelashes singed off by the grill set up outside of Kouraku. Keika Tanjiro is operating a small operation that sells a single thing: “Tanjiro Chicken”. Chicken fat is placed directly on the grill, where it drips down onto special binchotan charcoal, where the flames and smoke cook the chicken thigh in the basket above, with sea salt as the only other component. It’s quite the spectacle, but produces some very juicy and uniquely flavored chicken. Drop some of the included yuzu kosho on it and get after it.
Gamboge
Braised Sardines and Tomato with Baguette
Messy, salty and packed with umami–I really loved this. The baguette of course was perfect for mopping up every last bit of sauce.
Shiku
Maekjuk Chicken
The chicken might get overlooked compared to the LA Galbi, but I find it fantastic. It’s also quite nice to get some different banchan than what they stock in the case. Pro tip: always add the fried egg.
Bridgetown Roti
Oxtail and Peppers Patty
I finally got around to copping one of these and the hype is real. The crust is insanely flaky and the oxtail filling is earthy and rich–a must order.
Ana’s Flan
I love flan, and as the sole dessert on the menu I was excited to pick this up. It’s spiced with turmeric and ginger, and was a nice light finisher to the patty.
Rubie
After hitting Bridgetown Roti, I got a pang for the smoked chicken I’d picked up last week at Rubie so I headed back over to Sqirl to try it again.
Smoked Chicken with Rice and Peas, Collard Greens, and Festival Bread
I’m repeating myself here, because it was even better this go around. The jerk marinade was a bit spicier this time, the chicken a bit juicier, the rice and peas creamier, and the festival bread even crispier and delicious.
Beef Patties
I also wanted to see if I could set up a duel between the beef patties at Rubie and Bridgetown Roti, and this one was just as good. Rubie’s patties use ground waygu beef and are a bit richer, allowing the pepper jelly to cut through it perfectly.
I can’t recommend Rubie enough, so get over there before Chef Scott’s residency runs out.