The editors at Eater LA dine out several times a week, if not per day, which means we’re always encountering standout dishes that deserve time in the limelight. Here’s the very best of everything the team has eaten this week.
Dosa onion rings from Pijja Palace in Silver Lake
I finally made it to Pijja Palace, Los Angeles’s Indian-Italian sports bar superstar that quickly gained a cult following when it opened in 2022. I knew as a gluten-intolerant diner my options would be more limited but that seemed fine, honestly, because I came for two things: gigantic dosa onion rings and green chile pickle–crusted chicken wings. Both dishes delivered, though I became especially enamored by the puffy, golden-brown onion rings encased in an urad lentil batter (hi protein) and fried until shatteringly crisp. These are generously cut, doughnut-sized bar snacks that eclipse the palm of your hand. Dip them in the accompanying green mango chutney or the green curry leaf ranch and yogurt dips that comes with the wings (yes, the move is to order both). My husband and I finished the meal on the sweetest note possible — Pijja’s irresistible mango lassi soft serve. 2711 West Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90026 — Nicole Fellah, Eater editorial manger
Beef noodle soup from Liu’s Cafe in Koreatown
All day Chinese American cafe Liu’s just expanded its hours to serve dinner for the first time after shuttering its adjoining creamery earlier this year. The former ice cream space is now a cozy, secondary dining room that helps handle the busy brunch crowds. Liu’s daytime menu remains the same with tried-and-true crowd favorites like Chiayi chicken rice nestled on a bed of rice and sesame cold noodles swirled in peanut sauce. After 5 p.m., beef noodle soup joins the menu with tender beef cheek slices swimming in a full-bodied, dark broth. Coming in at $13.50, the soup can easily stand on its own as a soul-warming dinner or be paired with spicy wontons and a flaky scallion cheddar biscuit from pastry chef Isabell Manibusan. 3915 1/2 W. Sixth Street, Los Angeles, CA 90020. — Rebecca Roland, deputy editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
Blue crab quiche from Somerville in View Park-Windsor Hills
Like many folks out there, I’ve been mourning the death of D’Angelo. As a Gen Xer with deep music roots, I’m struck by his death at the age of 51 — he leaves behind three stellar albums that demonstrate his genius, soulful work. So when Somerville announced they were hosting a D’Angelo tribute brunch over the weekend, I practically ran. What I didn’t anticipate was a jazz quartet named Supa Lowery Bros playing D’Angelo hits like “Brown Sugar,” hints of Herbie Hancock’s “Cantaloupe Island,” and 1990s hip hop group Us3’s “Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia),” and Kid Cudi’s “Day and Night.” I downed coffee and watched the stylish crowd lock in to the sounds; at the right time, a server deftly dropped a piece of Somerville’s blue crab quiche in front of me. Chef Geter Atienza is generous with the buttery crab chunks on top of a wonderfully custardy and creamy quiche. The high crust maintains a flaky consistency while arrowleaf spinach swings in with a mixed green salad. My mournful morning quickly turned into an afternoon of celebratory music and community at one of Los Angeles’s busiest restaurants. 4437 W. Slauson Avenue, View Park-Windsor Hills, CA, 90043 — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
Khao soi from Spicy BBQ Restaurant in East Hollywood
Although this restaurant is called Spicy BBQ restaurant, the Thai signage outside of this East Hollywood strip mall joint actually reads “Northern Thai food.” That was enough to get me in the door for khao soi, and, after one bowl, I think it may be one of the best in the city. The coconut curry broth is thick and rich with the vibrant flavors of turmeric and galangal throughout. I love that chiles did not hold back in the curry paste; that penetrating heat enlivens the dish. Wavy egg noodles bob around, and curry broth clings to each strand. Here, khao soi gets topped with fried noodles and cilantro, which provide crunch (eat these fast because they will get soggy quickly), and is served alongside a wedge of lime, chopped red onion, and chile-kissed pickled mustard greens. Use the lime and dump the rest of the accouterments into the bowl; the bite of red onion and zing of the pickles cuts through the richness of the broth. Protein options include chicken, beef, and tofu — the star, however, is truly the soup itself. 5101 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90029. — Kat Thompson, audience editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest