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.
Branzino from the Piscator pop-up at Little Ripper in Eagle Rock
Forget all you’ve heard about the wildly popular Piscator, the Brooklyn pop-up that typically sells out of its branzino pre-orders. Just head to Glassell Park on Sundays until March 29, when Little Ripper transforms from a daytime cafe into a casually elegant wine bar. The cafe has been building up its events calendar, which now includes Piscator chef and owner Mason Acevedo’s residency. The Orange County–born former Google data analyst sets up campfire stoves with his team to cook herb-filled branzino, which nests with a pile of vinegary coleslaw and fresh berries. The fish gets served whole and arrives exquisitely moist; the experience heightens from watching the team methodically prepare it on the patio. Note that you do have to pre-order to secure a plate, making it less stressful for the kitchen to fulfill orders. Little Ripper also has a fantastic wine list, including a crisp pét-nat that I’ll be drinking all summer long. 4155 Verdugo Road, Los Angeles, CA, 90065. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
Barbecue chicken bowl and rich chicken broth from Torisoba Sumiya in Sawtelle Japantown
Creamy paitan ramen’s presence in Los Angeles has grown, especially in Sawtelle Japantown, which saw the addition of two new paitan ramen restaurants in the span of a year. The more classic entrant, Torisoba Sumiya, originated in Japan and introduced its rich chicken broth to Angelenos in October 2024. The sumi-ya, or charcoal house, took over the space once occupied by Yakitoriya and has put its predecessor’s binchōtan to good use. All the ramen bowls satisfy, though you can kick it up by ordering smoky, charred Japanese barbecue chicken ramen that has homemade noodles and chicken broth, charcoal-grilled chicken, scallion, radish, and a soy-seasoned egg within it. If you’re a broth purist, like me, order a barbecue chicken rice bowl on its own. For $10, you get a sizeable bowl of sesame-seasoned rice, charcoal-infused chicken, grilled leek shards, and a side of Torisoba’s unadorned rich chicken broth. Wash it down with a soda or beer, then head to Indigo Cow next door for Hokkaido-style milk ice cream. 11301 W. Olympic Boulevard, Suite 101, Los Angeles, CA 90064. — Nicole Fellah, Eater editorial manager
Salmon and ikura donabe from Izakaya Tonchinkan in Arcadia
There exist so many excellent izakayas scattered across Los Angeles that it may be surprising to discover that one of the very best lives in a small strip mall in Arcadia, adjacent to an IHOP. But Izakaya Tonchinkan really is that magical, like stepping into a beloved Tokyo haunt where the umeboshi sours and sake flows freely and the menu includes everything from tender sliced octopus and negitoro cut rolls to a whole grilled sea bass. The highlight from my visit was a shareable salmon and ikura donabe with impossibly fluffy rice, cooked in a briny dashi, that offered pops of salty salmon eggs in every bite. Although the portion is intended for two to three people, I could easily — and happily — eat the whole pot myself. 713 W. Duarte Road, Suite H, Arcadia, CA 91007. — Kat Thompson, audience editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
Cavatelli with ragu from Terra in Century City
Terra, Eataly’s wood-fired rooftop Italian steakhouse, sits away from the hustle and bustle of Westfield Century City, tucked on the top floor with an indoor-outdoor dining room. The stairs from Eataly’s main level open to views of multiple cooks manning flame-licked grills, flipping loaves of sourdough bread to get a char on the outside. On warm days, the expansive outdoor patio gets bathed in soft sunlight; the dimmer indoor room feels more intimate. Always start with a loaf of sourdough or a domed piece of focaccia, dotted with tomatoes and olives, before moving on to vegetables, pasta, and a show-stopping bistecca alla Fiorentina. The cavatelli ragu feels like a highlight among the pasta options right now, with a fine, fragrant meat sauce that clings to the shell-shaped cavatelli. 10250 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90067. — Rebecca Roland, deputy editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest