dineL.A. Top Lunch + Dinner Picks (Summer 2017)

  • Home
  • Food
  • dineL.A. Top Lunch + Dinner Picks (Summer 2017)
Pork Los Angeles

M.B. Post's devastating porchetta originated on their winter 2017 dineL.A. menu and persists.

dineL.A. returns for Summer 2017 from July 14-28, featuring over 375 options for lunch and dinner. American Express is sponsoring an Exclusive Series for restaurants offering deluxe menus that start at $95. My recommendations for every slot don’t even include Hall of Fame choices like Craft, Fogo de Chao and Lawry’s The Prime Rib, which still warrant consideration. You’ve only got 30 meals to work with, so make your calendar count with my alphabetized top picks.

LUNCH

1. 1212 ($15)

Could the Third Street Promenade finally have an interesting independent restaurant? Chef Walter Greenwood previously cooked at Bartolotta in Las Vegas and Commander’s Palace in New Orleans and now combines Southern and global flavors in Santa Monica.

Must Order Dishes (aka what I’d order): Crispy Fried Chicken • Mentaiko Spaghetti • Coconut Panna Cotta

2. Chaya Venice ($25)

Chaya has endured for nearly 400 years since starting in Hayama, Japan. The company’s “new” 1990 restaurant is serving a luxurious four-course, $95 dinner for the Exclusive Series. Chef Yuichi Natori applies some of the same creativity at lunch for a fraction of the cost.

Must Order Dishes (aka what I’d order): Thai Clam Chowder • Crispy Branzino with Santa Barbara uni risotto • Beni Imo Cheesecake

3. Chez Tex ($20)

Jesse “Tex” Feldman and wife Hayley honor his grandfather with a stylish Cali-French restaurant on the Santa Monica-Venice border, an area that’s experienced a renaissance.

Must Order Dishes (aka what I’d order): Tex’s Chopped Salad • Dry-Aged Burger

4. Church & State ($25)

Yasminn Sarmadi and chef/partner Tony Esnault also run Spring in DTLA and have kept seasonal Church & State bistro vital beneath the historic Biscuit Company Lofts.

Must Order Dishes (aka what I’d order): Soupe de Mais et Vanille • Roulade de Porc • Clafoutis a la Peche

5. Farsi Café ($15)

Farsi Cafe’s owners started with a counter at Westwood’s Super Sun market and upgraded to a fashionable restaurant next door. Saffron-stained chicken drumsticks are destination worthy.

Must Order Dishes (aka what I’d order): Mast O Khiar • Chicken Drumsticks Kabob

6. Fishing With Dynamite ($25)

Chef David LeFevre and the Simms family, who own M.B. Post and The Arthur J in Manhattan Beach, also run this airy seafood spot. LeFevre divides his menu into Old School, New School, and After School. Indulge in all three categories for dineL.A.

Must Order Dishes (aka what I’d order): Rockfish and Shrimp Ceviche • Softshell Crab Po Boy • Banana Toffee Cream Pie

7. Fundamental LA ($15)

Jeffrey Faust and Woogene Lee bring global influences to their minimalist Westwood restaurant, which features sandwiches at lunch, and more ambitious fare at dinner.

Must Order Dishes (aka what I’d order): Smoked Mahi Mahi Sandwich • Orzo • Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookie • Real Vanilla Cream Soda

8. Hanjip Korean BBQ ($15)

Chef Chris Oh and partner Stephane Bombet planted premium Korean food on the Westside for the first time. For dineL.A., they’re serving AYCE meat, seafood, and vegetables.

Must Order Dishes (aka what I’d order): Beef Tongue • Marinated Short Rib • Spicy Chicken • Garlic Chicken • Spicy Pork Belly • Spicy Calamari • Baby Octopus • Kimchi Fried Rice

9. Maple Block Meat Co. ($15)

Divide + Conquer, Inc. co-founders Daniel Weinstock and Mike Garrett, who also brought us Lunetta / Lunetta All Day, continue to smoke out Culver City with Maple Block Meat Co.

Must Order Dishes (aka what I’d order): Brisket • Ribs • 2 Sides • Handmade Soda • Cookie

10. Officine BRERA ($25)

Chef Angelo Auriana and front of house partner Matteo Ferdinandi already served some of L.A.’s best Italian food at The Factory Kitchen in downtown’s Arts District. The duo further enhances their reputation with nearby Officine BRERA, named for a neighborhood in Milan.

Must Order Dishes (aka what I’d order): Riso Farcito • Paletta e Salsicia • Biscotti

11. Osteria Mamma ($20)

The spirit of Loredana “Mamma” Cecchinato lives on at the restaurant her son Filippo Cortivo runs on Melrose. Osteria Mamma’s comforting Italian food remains a draw.

Must Order Dishes (aka what I’d order): Frittura Mista • Linguine alla Carbonara

12. Parkway Grill ($25)

The Parkway Grill is the flagship restaurant from the Smith Brothers – Bob and Gregg – right across the parking lot from sister Arroyo Chophouse. Seasonal American cuisine benefits from herbs and vegetables grown on-site, a mesquite grill, and oak-burning oven.

Must Order Dishes (aka what I’d order): Hamachi Crudo • Lobster Club, herb and garlic French fries

13. Restaurant 917 ($25)

This restaurant at the Porsche Experience Center in Carson is named for the 917 racecar that provided the German car company with victories at 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970 and 1971. The car’s design inspired the space and menu and features views of the track.

Must Order Dishes (aka what I’d order): Spanish Octopus • Wild King Salmon

14. Spice Affair ($20)

Dr. Puneet Chandak and wife Sonia Batra created L.A.’s fanciest Indian restaurant by opening Spice Affair on La Cienega’s Restaurant Row in 2014. Despite flashy design flourishes, the food is often classic, just with higher end ingredients and refined presentation.

Must Order Dishes (aka what I’d order): Scrumptious Mr. Chicken Tikka • A Fish Curry with Spice Affair • Mango Mousse

15. Sweet Chick ($20)

New York-based restaurateur John Seymour and business partner, the rapper Nas, bring chicken and waffles and a high-energy vibe to thriving Fairfax Village.

Must Order Dishes (aka what I’d order): Mac and Cheese • Chicken and (Rosemary-Mushroom) Waffles

DINNER PICKS ON THE NEXT PAGE

Tags:

Joshua Lurie

Joshua Lurie founded FoodGPS in 2005. Read about him here.

Blog Comments

You instantly had us with that gorgeous porchetta. The Thai clam chowder definitely sounds like a must order along with the soft shell crab po boy, and well, pretty much every thing else on this list. Stomach is officially growling.

Take My Shift Team, Which restaurants do you plan to visit during dineL.A.?

Leave a Comment